An Infidel in Mecca

Last week I had the opportunity to visit the Holy Land of the Mormon Faith, Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah. On Monday evening, I had the honor of visiting the new Art Museum with my parents and two sisters. They are all Mormon. So out of respect for them, I restrained myself from interrupting the tour guide as she explained the different displays. From my eyes the museum is an attempt for Mormons to find some substance to their faith. Their faith is anchored only to a single testimony.

The witness of visitation by God and of receiving new holy scripture. This alleged holy scripture chiseled on Gold Plates, the original source of the Book of Mormon, is nowhere to be found. It is said they were taken back to heaven until the world can handle the remaining sealed portion of its message. One can only image that marvelous day, when an angel from Heaven brings the plates and more written scripture is given to the Mormon saints. Joseph Smith, jr. is the witness. The only person who has supposedly seen God, the Father, and Jesus, and was instructed that no truth could be found on the earth and he needed to restore it. These main pillars of faith for the Mormon are based on the words of a single boy.

The museum tries to anchor the Mormon Faith to reality. There is no disputing that their was a farmhouse where Joseph lived when he was a boy or that the Hill Cummorah even exists. It is also remarkable all the effort and craftsmanship that early believers poured into their faith. But what can not be shown in any photograph or by any physical evidence is the truth of the claims made by the Mormon faith. It is not unlike what some early Christians attempted when visiting the Holy Land. Building large monuments to show where milestones in Jesus’ life took place. His birth, His miracles, His death, His resurrection. There is danger in creating idols or the needing of physical evidence for faith. It is even more dangerous to deceptively advertising these relics as proof of faith. Relics do not prove faith. They may demonstrate the commitment of the believer, but it does not prove the claims.

Later in the week, I returned to Temple Square. I had planned to met up with a small group that was passing out tracts at the North gate of temple square, but I arrived way too early. So as a non-member, infidel, I entered the gates of Mecca to the Holy Sites of the Mormon Faith. The visitor center was to my immediate right so I went in. I wondered around the first floor looking at the lovely paintings of Jesus and climbed the arching walkway up to the giant statue of Christ. It is a magnificent statue.

Next I wandered into the basement where the distinct Mormon story is told. The displays demonstrating the diverging beliefs and world view of the Mormon faith compared to traditional or historic Christianity. The theme was a restored gospel. It was in the middle of these displays when I was approached by two young ladies, Mormon missionaries.

They arrived at the moment I touched the screen to listen to a short narrative about the two witness of Christ. The Bible. The Book of Mormon. I listened and the two missionaries asked me how I felt about what I had heard. I took this as my Que to begin sharing my Christian faith with them. After talking with them for several minutes, I walked toward the next display and sat down. They followed cautiously joining me on a neighboring bench.

Eighty minutes later and at some point of the discussion two more missionaries joined us, they made their final testimonial witnesses and departed. The Mormon Tabernacle Choir was about to begin rehearsal and they wanted to go and listen. So we parted. It is hard to remember everything I asked them about and talked about and heard, but much of our discussion was about truth, discovery of truth, feelings, the bible, the need for modern prophets. One point I remember asking them, “Why do you consider the Latter-Days after Joseph Smith the fullness of times, and not the time when Jesus walked in Galilee?” They assured me that the mission of Christ was important and nothing measured up to the atonement of Christ, but that Joseph weaved all the gospel together. Restoring it to its fullness.

Another moment that I wanted to share was about truth. The discovering of truth is unrelated to warm feelings. Human emotion is fickle. Truth is not. I shared with the missionaries that asking the Lord to confirm the truth of written words by feelings, is backwards. The written words should confirm themselves without tempting God for emotional proof. There is a subjective response for me when I read or discover truth in the bible. I did not ask for the response, it is given, though. My point is that if you are looking for a specific emotional response to measure your spirituality, you will eventually get it.

In the end, the challenge remains to me and to the rest of the world either Joseph was a prophet or he was not? Either the Bible is the word of God, or it is not? Either Joseph was a prophet or the bible is the word of God? Both can not be true. They both exclude that possibility. The only other option is that neither is. For me I have chosen to trust that the Bible is the word of God. That God is able to protect his words. The apostle Peter, recognized by Mormons, Catholics, and Protestants clearly states in his epistle,

“Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; for ‘All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord remains forever.’ And this word is the good news that was preached to you.” 1 Peter 1:22-25 (ESV)

Beyond My Theological Label

As you can tell I have taken a break from writing my book, and have returned to the world of web logs at least for a while. Recent events in my life have urged me to turn the mirror on myself. My next entries will be self exams beginning here.

As important as my theology is, it is not as important as my humility in accepting correction for all my bad theological positions. By theology I mean what most consider religious ideas and practices that come from those ideas including but not limited to my view of man, my view of God and my study of God. Whatever my theological label may be that current label is not important. The real question is, Can I change my theology, if it is exposed as being incorrect, or am I too stubborn and proud to let go of that label? Am I meek in accepting correction for all my bad theological positions? Part of my theology is that the only source for correcting my wrong theology is God. My theological position is that the only reliable and authoritative source for God’s position is the Holy Bible.

If I wear my theological label without meekness, it can hold me captive and keep me from growing into deeper fellowship with the Lord and from a right relationship with God. For me, the right relationship with God is the most important part of anyone’s theology. The Bible reveals God as the Creator, the Judge, the King of Israel, the Holy One, in summary the Sovereign of the Universe, these revelations about God begin in the Old Testament with the patriarchs, continue through the Law, and on into the Prophets. All of these attributes of God help me in getting the right relationship of submission to God. It is not submission out of fear or being intimidated by the Almighty. My right relationship with God is perfectly revealed in Jesus; It is a relationship of a parent and child. It is a voluntary submission to authority because of the love, I have for my Father. It is by faith in Jesus, that I become spiritually born and join His family as an adopted son. This does not remove the other attributes of God, it only creates a personal affection between me, an adopted child and Him, my Father. This is the right relationship with God. Parent and child. Not equals.

It is true that the Bible also teaches me that God the Son, Jesus, is my friend. One who walks along side me in life. It also teaches me that Jesus became like me, human and frail. But unlike me, as God the Son, He was able to resist temptation overcoming sin and its consequence of death found in the grave. The only victory I have against these two foes, of sin and death, is the sacrifice of my Friend. The One who came along side me and took my place in punishment, so I could receive His reward of obedience. Greater love has no man, but he that lays down his life for a friend. But does that friendship include sharing in the suffering as well as the good times. Would I walk along side my friend on His way to the cross, or abandon Him? So if I like to think of God the Son, as my friend I must also consider that friendship is more than picnics on sunny days in the park. There are also the cold stormy evenings in the wilderness. But Jesus promised me, He would never leave me or forsake me whether in the feasts of picnics or the famines of the wilderness. So Jesus is my truest friend, but am I a true friend to Him? I can do all things through Christ. I can do nothing without Him.

The Gospel, Me-centered or God-centered?

The link below is a series of charts (.pdf) that compare the me-centered Gospel to the God-centered Gospel.  It is research that I am using while I am writing a book, but was very interesting, so I share it here.

View of God

Believe

Do You Believe in Miracles?

Jesus Christ is Lord. Why can I say this with so much confidence and assurance. Without regard for past events or future hopes, one this day, I can say with confidence Jesus is Lord. I can say it because, He is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. I was not alive when Jesus walked the dusty paths of Galilee and Judea, in the distant past doing miracles. Nor can I say, that I will see the glorious return of my Lord in the future. But Today, on this day, in the present. I see. Not with my eyes. My eyes are decaying anyway. As the years tread on they grow dimmer and dimmer. And even at their best, I see the world not only out of focus, but without the full spectrum of light. For I am color blind, unable to see the green’s or red’s as others do. But the condition of my eyesight does not matter. For I am not an eyewitness to the events I am going to describe, but only see them through the window of others words.

What is this modern story that renews my faith in Christ. The miracle of supernatural healing. It was Saturday April 18th and after dinner time, when I heard the news that a friend of mine had collapsed while doing some home improvements. He was not alone, another friend of mine performed CPR on the near lifeless body; while family rushed to call for help. The medical system kicked into high gear and with their expert training began to work to save his life. Yet with all the modern inventions and techiniques of medicine, some conditions are still without remedy. Machines can help the weak and dying breath and pump hearts, but without oxgen tissues die. The question only time would reveal was how much damage was done to the body and mind with dimished oxygen to its tissues. Only time would reveal the aftermath. Days or weeks perhaps even a couple months would need to pass before anyone could know the health of my friend. That is what medical science expects. That is what the world expects. That is what nature tells us.

So friends and family take a pause in our busy lifes, myself included, and drop to our knees and plead for a miracle. Ask and you shall receive. I approach the throne of grace and mercy, the tears in my eyes cloud the view of the King as I plead for the Creator of Life to say the word and heal my friend. Not my will but Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. My tear filled eyes never saw any of the scenes unfold or the hospital rooms, but my Lord looked down from His throne of Majesty and saw it all. Other friends have described the scenes using words like grey, ash, and cold to describe my friend laying on his bed asleep maybe going into the long sleep surrounded by myriads of machines with their beeps and tones. But no sound from the patient. These are words of death. The hope of life hanging on a fragile thread.

But now a week later, I again recieve words from others and even from my friend, that he was healed. There seems to be little or no damage to his body or mind. He is not out of danger or risk from further problems, but as of this present day. He seems to be restored. Again, I say that I see the miracle of my Lord’s healing, having never laid my eyes upon those scenes. The miracle does more than restore the health of a friend. It renews my faith and the faith of others in our God. The world scratches their heads in collective unbelief. They may attribute it to quick response of CPR or expert care in the world’s finest hospitals. But deep down words like luck or miracle are needed to describe it. All Glory be to God.

I believe in miracles and in the power of Jesus to heal not only the body, but the soul, and revive the spirit in all. Do you? He has healed me. and Others.

It was a little more than a year ago, that my wife was having terrible health troubles. Not nearly as dramatic as the one described above, but still severe. In the end, she had her gall bladder removed and has recovered well; but my prayers for her in those days were just as powerful. They also renewed and grew my faith in God just as the answered prayers today do.

So to friend and stranger, Do you need a miracle from God? Are you at the end of all with a circumstance or difficulty in your life? Jesus can heal the body, soul, and spirit. Ask Him. He is the Lord of miracles. Believe in Him. Your heart will lead with the words you need for your plea.

**(( I would only add the following…(1) Good things can happen to evil people, as well as (2) Bad things can happen to Good people. But in it all God is in control, maybe not the direct cause, because the reality of most evil and bad that happens in this world comes from the consequences of sin, either from the fall of Adam (original sin) or later sin by Adam’s children which includes us ))**

Are Mormons Christians?

No.

Part Two.  Religion versus Relationship
(Comparison of Mormonism and Christianity)

When I boil Mormonism down to its barest from.  It is a religion of process.  The plan of salvation outlined by Mormon Theology is an eternal process which the God of Mormonism inherited from His God and some day faithful LDS Members will inherit from the God of Mormonism and then they can use that same eternal process on the worlds they create.

In this world the process looks like this–Faith, Baptism, Repentance, Holy Ghost, …(Sacred Temple Ordinances)…  The plan of salvation (Mormon’s call it the gospel) can best be described as a staircase to heaven.  If you climb each step you make it to celestial glory.  But since man is not perfect, but always striving for perfection, no one can actually climb all the way up but the truly faithful and obedient will get really, really close and then the Jesus of Mormonism will provided the balance due.  The Jesus of Mormonism provides for a limited atonement by his suffering in the garden, on the cross, and his death.  An atonement that is an earned wage–not a free gift.

Mormonism is self-centered.  It is a process of self to achieve Godhood.  The work of achievement is up the individual.  The Jesus of Mormonism came to show how to be perfect.  Mormons are to seek that same perfection by following the same process that Jesus did.  Then they will be perfect also.  Arguments may come from Mormons that they are all about Family.  Not really, Family is just another vehicle to propell self up the staircase.  In the end, It is Individual.  It is self-centered.

Christianity is not religion.  Christianity is not a process.  True Christianity is relationship.  The leader of Christianity, Jesus, when he walked on the dusty roads of Galilee and Judea taught the commandments, both are relational.  Love the Lord your God with all your might, and second Love your neighbor as yourself.  The relationship with God is pre-eminent in Christianity.  Christianity is God-centered.  Relationship that can only be restored by individual belief (faith, trust) in Jesus.  The relationship with God was broken because of rebellion by man.  Rebellion is sin.  Jesus alone is sufficient to restore that relationship by his death for all sin.  The work of salvation is all ready completed.  No further work is needed.

By faith in Jesus the believer is spiritually born, beginning his/her relationship with God.  Each believer begins their journey from far and wide locations there is no blue print to perfection.   [Yet the Bible is the handbook for the daily journey.]*  Jesus is the Light and true believers often called sheep hear their masters voice and walk toward Him.  He is the way and the Destination of Christianity.

Final Thoughts

I climbed some of those stairs on my way to the celestial glory by my strength and my power.  The process (Mormon plan of Salvation) is a tired and lonely climb.  So Mormonism is Me-ianity.

Then I saw the Light (Jesus) and trusted in Him got off that stairway to my glory and started seeking the glory of God.  God guides me one step at a time down the path.  Each step is a step of faith onward toward the light of Christ’s glory.  So Christianity is Christ-ianity.

*added to clarify that the bible contains God’s complete revealed word on both the relationship between God and man and between fellow men.

Once Saved Always Saved?

I suppose it may be time for me to enter this long debate and put in my two cents worth on this matter.  This question has divided many Christians for many years.  I would like to look at this question from another point of view.  There are numerous verses within the bible that point to the gift of salvation as being permanent in that God does all the work and is responsible for the salvation of all who believe, yet there are other verses that speak of those who turn away from God and reject their gift.

I would like to move away from the theoretical and into real life.  I have never personally experience a person who was producing the fruit of a Christian life and then turn away from it and reject it.  This may be that I know few Christians and have only been one for just about a decade.  But others have and many a former pastor or once believing saint has turned their back to God.

I want to offer a new concept as it relates to salvation. It does not deny that God through His Son–Jesus does all the work for salvation, that terrible yet marvelous work on the cross; and the victory Jesus had over death and sin that we can partake of through faith in Christ.  The new perspective I would like to offer is ownership of that saving work that was done for each individual who believes.  If a believer takes ownership of that gift and holds onto, the theoretical possibilities of losing salvation no longer matters, because all who accept that wonderful gift of everlasting life can own it and cherish it.  With that ownership a believer gains the responsibility of guarding his own gift not through his or her own abilities or power, but by a continual and renewing faith in Jesus.

Just a thought to try and put to rest this age old question and make it no longer a question of doubt about God’s ability to save and maintain a believer’s salvation, when that once faithful saint no longer has faith or has lost it–but a reality that once a person is saved and takes ownership of that precious gift–he or she will always be saved.  Essentially, they become a partner in their salvation by grasping and holding onto the gift (working out their own salvation).  Completely embracing it.  Working in the sense of being watchful and guarding the precious gift they have received that the enemy would want to snatch away.  Thereby, the age old question has a loud and echoing answer, yes.  Once saved always saved!

The Religion of Politics

the Audacity of Hope

It seems that best thing I can think of to use this blog for is to talk Religion and Politics.  I suppose it is because those two subjects are now taboo to speak about with others in our tolerant American civilization.  So this forum provides me (and many others) that opportunity to think out loud about Religion and Politics, and in this season of campaigns when the two mix I can not help but place my two cents into the debate.

Summary

Senator Obama is a community organizer.  Governor Palin is just that a governor.  Now that those two undisputed facts are out there.  The connection comes from another blogger that seems to like to compare Senator Obama to Jesus, who they claim to also be a community organizer and Governor Palin to Pontius Pilate.  Not only do the comparisons fail miserably, but it shows utter contempt [audacity] for the Bible and by proxy those that hold the bible as sacred and God’s message to man.  It also displays complete ignorance of what the Bible says.

Obama: The Organizer

It is a long reach for a man to list being a community organizer as one of his premier qualifications for running for President of the United States.  I am reminded that when I was first looking for jobs after graduating from college how important it seemed for me to list all the “projects” I worked on in the academic word in my resume.  What it showed employers was that I had no experience just a few theories about how things might be done.  It is not that much of a stretch for me to assume that Obama is the same.  He has very little experience with leadership, so he has to fall back to this nebulos job title of “community organizer”.

What does that mean?  Someone that gets a group of people together into a unit for some purpose.  Examples: Samuel Adams was a community organizer for American Independence.  Abraham Lincoln was a community organizer against slavery. Martin Luther King, jr was a comunity organizer for civial rights.  However, not all community organizers made positive change.  Other Examples:  Adolf Hitler was a community organizer for the Nazis.  Lenin was a community organizer for the communists.  Osama Bin Ladin is a community organizer for terrorists.  These examples are men and sometimes women that want to inject a change whether positive or negative in the way things are by organizing a group to help them move society away from something they see as wrong into something better.  Obama sees a lot of things wrong with American Society and wants to make them better, and in the past has worked to change the wrongs he saw in American Society.  He is a community organizer.  So if you want someone to organize and change America society into Obama’s vision then he is your man for President.  That is where I get lost in supporting Obama.  His vision of American Society is not my vision.  His vision is government aid for everyone that has problems.  His vision includes infanticide.  His vision includes surrender.  A vision of America I do not buy into.

Jesus as a community organizer

Was Jesus a community organizer? In the modern sense of the word a community organizer shouts from the roof tops about a great inequality within society and gathers followers to right the wrong.  A grass roots movement of people that demand that the powerful listen to them and change the system to make it fair.  A community organizer now seems to be someone that demands others to stand up and fix a problem for a single group.

Did Jesus ever march on city hall and demand the man in charge to change the system? No.  Jesus moved through the countryside and down the streets personally engaging and helping.  He did organize a small group of men to also do the same.  Yet he never marched down to the Sanhedrin (the ruling council of the Jews) or to the Roman governor and demand they help the people.  Jesus did the helping Himself.  He did not march around demanding others to fix the problem.  He was the physician that fixed the lives.  He did not organize a group to demand justice.  He lived justly and advocated all men live justly.  He did not rebel against the government.  He meekly submitted to them, even until his death.

Let me ask, would Obama die for what he believes in? Has he ever been tested in a life and death situation?  No.  What about McCain?  McCain was tortured and came within an inch of his life for what he believes in: that the freedom of America was worth his life?  Who do you want making that decision of life and death?  A man willing to die for his country or a man that has never faced that reality.

Governor Palin vs. Governor Pilate

There can be no argument Sarah Palin was elected Governor for the state of Alaska.  Pontius Pilate was appointed the Roman General in charge of Judea.  He was never elected.  He was an occupying foreign leader placed in charge to subdue the Jewish people into bondage under Roman rule.  He was given complete control over the lives everyone within the Roman providence, a proxy for Caesar.  Governor Palin was elected by a majority of the free citizens of Alaska as their chief public servant to a single branch of government.  These few facts clearly separate the two and paints them as opposites.

Misuse of Bible

When I heard the now infamous comparision.  Obama is a community organizer. Jesus was a community organizer.  Sarah Palin is a governor. Pontius Pilate was a governor.  I finally understood what the Audacity of Hope that Senator Obama has been talking about meant.  It is about taking something that gives some hope [the bible with its message of God to man] and is revered by a group you despise and turning it upside down.  In this case a “progessive” blog reached into the bible and pulled the superhero-Jesus and one of the villains-Pontius Pilate.  In essence turning the bible into a comic book and replacing Jesus with his/her personal superhero-Obama and then cleverly trying to find a villian within the story to compare his/her villian to.  Superficial. Ignorant. Are just two words that come to mind.  Obama is the audacity [effrontery or insolence] of hope [the American dream of life, liberty and the persuit of happiness].

Dawn

I get really irritated with the endless distortions of the bible from different groups, but most of my irritation comes from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day saints, who claim that the bible is the word of God as far as it is translated correctly. Two questions: Is the King James Version translated correctly? If not, then why use it? Two follow up questions: Do the supposed prophets of the Mormon faith still claim to be prophet, seers, and revealators? If so, then why not use their gifts to translate the Bible correctly?

I have spent the past months since the start of the year reading through the bible, I have had made it to 2 kings chapter 4, in the Old Testament, and the beginning of the book of Acts in the New Testament. Recent events have once again reminded me of my continuing irritation (possibly righteous anger) at the continued distortion of the bible by LDS apologetics particularly as it relates to their past practice of polygamy and their continued defense of it as an eternal principle of their gospel, even though they do not practice it anymore. Of course all of this comes from the recent raid, arrest, and rescue of abused children and their young mothers in Texas.

I understand the logic of why so many LDS need to defend a practice that they have not done for over 100 years, It is simply that their founding prophet Joseph Smith, jr. said it was an eternal law; So it must be so. Their belief in the law of plural marriage results from the false claim that the modern prophets of God are without error in their revelation from God. If Joseph Smith, jr. was wrong about plural marriage, then he might also be wrong about other things? That chink in the armor must be continually protected, in order to protect the rest of Joseph’s revelations.

It is the proofs that really get under my skin, the argument that Father Abraham was a polygamist, so other faithful men should also be polygamists. A carefully reading of the words in the Bible reveal that practice of plural wives was never in God’s plan. Starting with the first revealed practice of Lamech who had two wives and murdered a young man. (Genesis 4:23-24) Then Abraham whose union with Hagar is the continued source of turmoil in the Middle east even today. God told Abraham to put Hagar out his is camp (Genesis 21:12), and then God took care of her and her son. God later tells us that Isaac is Abraham’s only son. (Genesis 22:2) God accepted Abraham’s repentance from turning away from having more than one wife and remembered his sins no more.

Not to mention the favoritism of Jacob of Rachel over Leah (Genesis 29:30), and the family strife that it trickled down to the sons; the ten older ones were so jealous of the love that Jacob had for the son of his favorite wife, they conspired to first kill him and then sold him as a slave for twenty pieces of silver (Genesis 37).

Yet the pinnacle of the troubles caused is illustrated with King David and his son, Solomon. King David even with all his wives, still was ensnared by lust to covet another man’s wife, which lead to adultery and murder. ( 2 Samuel 11-12) And Solomon who married so many wives that they eventually introduces their idol worship into the Jewish Monarchy. ( 1 Kings 11:8 ) This is just a brief summary of all the trouble that came from plural marriage from the pages of the bible–It was all accounted as sinful, by God. But God is merciful and was able to forgive those who sought repentance for their sin. (Psalm 145:8-9, 14)

In the beginning God created Adam and Eve, that is God’s intended marriage–between one man and one woman.

I recently watched the movie, September Dawn, a movie based on the events of another September 11, were a wagon train of settlers were massacred by a group of Mormons. The movie depicted the events as an act of vengeance against the Missourians that had driven the Mormons out of their state. It is full of conspiracy and blind obedience to leaders. Regardless of who was involved, there has never been a genuine apology from the LDS church to the families of those killed. There is little doubt that the church had a role in it given the careful way the surviving children were distributed to various Mormon settlements near where the massacre happened.

The movie hinged around two brothers, one who was faithful in blindly following his leaders (his father) by taking more than wife, and actively participated in the massacre; and the other brother who was a rebel and did not blindly following his leaders (his father), who as the movie goes fell in love with of the young ladies in the wagon train. It was his love for the young lady, who was shot right in front of him (by his father) that lead him to save the baby, she was trying protect. A picture of how new beginnings or dawns are possible in the midst of calamity and tragedy.

But there is a new dawn. And there is still time for apologies. Might I recommend to the leaders of the church to not ignore another tragedy caused by their faith. I recommend that the Mormon church go down to Texas and work with the state to take care of all those “wards” of the state, they were created by their eternal law of plural marriage that some still practice. I know the church distances itself from polygamists as much as it can, but why miss an opportunity to restore some of the wayward followers of Joseph and return them to the “flock” of the faithful.

I would also recommend to the Christian leaders in Texas to reach out to the young mothers and their children and do as James told us “Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows” (James 1: 27) and also as Jesus taught “for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’ (Matthew 25:34-36, NJKV)

May the people of God not stand by and just watch the secular state gobble up more children and have them be raised as lifetime dependents of the state. It is a new dawn, Let us all stop living in the twilight of the past and embrace the bright morning sun (Maybe even for some the Morning Star–Jesus Christ).

March Madness

This post has nothing to do with NCAA basketball brackets, teams, or predictions. This has been a month of unpredictable things. Here are the top two. There are others.

1. Started working at my new job, an expected thing
2. My wife got really sick, a very unexpected thing

With the catchy title, the real truth is that throughout the entire ordeal of trying to figure out what was wrong with my wife’s health or in looking for a new job, I never let worry or anxiety get the best of me. Neither times were a time for me to become paralyzed with fear. There were days I did not want the circumstances to be what they were, but I offered my silent petitions to the LORD for strength and he provided the daily supply. I have to admit that without Jesus (and His Lordship over my life) either one of these trials would have been to much for anyone and both of them, probably impossible. But with God all things are possible, that includes job and health troubles.

There have been many lessons I have learned from both of these experiences. First, Always trust in the LORD. Second, Always really means always. Third, prayer is not only words, it can also be a groaning from the heart that only God understands. Sometimes our words can get in the way of our prayers to God. Listening in quietness and calm to God is just as important.

It has always been hard for me to understand how illness and disease can be God’s will. This episode of life has helped me to get a small grasp that they can be God’s will. Illness and disease can bring people to our aid that we would normally never have contact with. It shows both our true heart and those we call friends. If exposes to the world whether, we are servants of the LORD or selfish agents unto ourselves. My life was made richer because of this trial of my faith. The book of Job and the opening verses of the Epistle by James have more meaning than they did one month ago.

Dearest Wife, I am the luckiest man on earth to have you as my life long partner. I Love you. Here is to another 14 years and more…

Storms of Life

Part One. Winds of Change.
I have told bits and pieces about the struggle I have had with trying to find a new job. This is the first part of the complete story (a testimony of God’s continuing love for me). I tell it to encourage others that are experiencing the storms of life: difficulties with a relationship, loss of job, illness or disease in the family, and the many other kinds troubles that come.

In Logan during the last week our city was ranked with having the dirtiest air in the nation. Sometimes, our lives also get stale or polluted. Many times the only way for God to clean out all that pollution and grit is for a massive hurricane force storm to blow through our life. The winds of change always blow, but there is a true anchor that everyone can hold fast to–Jesus. He is the anchor that sustained me through this massive storm in my life.

From the gospel of Matthew 8:23-27

Now when He got into a boat, His disciples followed Him. And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves. But He was asleep. Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!”

But He said to them, “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?” Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. So the men marveled, saying, “Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?”

From James 1:2-8

My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

From the gospel of John 16:33

These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.

The last five months have really been a storm for me. As I have spent them searching for a new job to replace my current one. As I have mentioned in the past it will expire in four months. When I first learned that my job was going to end and there was little chance of future funding, I figured that my stay in Logan was coming to an end. The seven years spent here were valuable from a career point of view. I earned my Bachelors degree and have worked for nearly four years. Maybe it was time to move on. That is not the end of my initial thoughts, though. I had also recently learned that Lifeway publishing was beginning a new seven year series of teaching through the entire bible. I prayed and asked God to give me those seven years, so I could teach the entire Bible through one time before leaving Logan.

After several weeks of pleading to the Lord; In my spirit I knew that the Lord wanted me to stay in Logan and continuing teaching the Bible, and maybe even do more in building up the kingdom of God in Utah. But with the news of my job loss, I did not know how it was going to be possible (Luke 1:37). Then I thought the Lord answered my prayer with an ad, my wife showed me from the local paper working as the new GIS specialist for the city of North Logan. I had no idea what God had in mind, but I need some help fixing up my resume so I asked my supervisor to help me with it. He graciously came to my rescue at the beginning of the month of November.

From my point of view, I got my fixed resume back from my supervisor and sent it off to North Logan City. Nothing happened from my perspective. Two months went by and I had dismissed my chance of getting hired for that job. I forgot about it and in the first week of January I planned to restart really pushing the job market and perhaps bring my gift of teaching to another town, city, or state. I did not know.

Behind the scenes God was acting. After my supervisor had helped me revise my resume, one of his old students came to him and asked him if he knew of anyone looking for a job. The position would be working under him for the Utah National Guard and renewing the nearly 30 year tie that the Guard has had with Utah State University. He was looking for someone with knowledge of GIS and that wanted to work in Logan. My supervisor gave him my resume. Right before Christmas, I had a strange conversation with my supervisor, He asked me how much longer I would need to finish my current projects. I answered him, about three or four weeks. Again from my point of view this was even more troubling. An even greater worry came that I might even be laid off before July.

It was only afterward, that I learned the reason he asked. He knew about this job opening and wanted to know how much longer I would need to finish the work I was doing. (see my posting about Intercession)

So on the first day of work in 2008, My supervisor came to me with the great news that there was a possible job for me at Utah State University. But more details would be coming soon. Soon meaning four weeks later. The same day that I had this conversation with my supervisor, I received a phone call from North Logan City to interview for their GIS position next Tuesday morning.

The strong first winds of this storm had passed for now, but I was only in the eye of this hurricane; much more was to come…

upcoming soon part two. A bump in the Road.