Excerpt: Eden Tree

    As the morning softly draws in I am awakened by the eerie sound of silence. It forms a stillness that settles deep into my soul and causes me to desire a release from within, yet I cannot. My eyelids slowly lift to reveal the world around me and they reveal nothing more than disappointment. The clouds of the sky have fallen and lie thick amongst our camp. It is hard to see more than a couple of feet before me, though my consciousness registers that I see all that is needed. 

    In awe I look to the heavens to gain my bearing and see the rising sun settled upon the low clouds. Using the density of the mist as a blanket for my eyes I peer at this most perfect orb. The radiant satellite smiles down to me through the haze and warms the dampness in my bones. I easily stare upon it without strain and admire the perfect roundness of the edge giving the appearance of eternal solitude settling with peaceful bliss.

    Entranced with the perfection of the morning I lose myself to the memories of days gone by. In the distance I can see the face of my mother appearing to me with the most surreal smile. As greatness of her image draws inward she forms a solid translucence that the sun can no longer penetrate. With my mind tossed into an array of confusion I step towards my phantom mother with a wanting heart but a hesitant soul. The steps of my well tattered boot fall short of the ground as I glide through this rise of moisture beneath me. With every step, wisps of the heavens dance under toe.

    With a childlike desire I call out to my mother with a muted mouth. I continue my glide to this otherworldly mother of mine and the sun in all its perfect glory continues to bear tenderly on the bridge of my nose. Its faint light in this world sympathetically urges me forward to bind the source of my mother’s continued glory. How can she be here in this place? How can I be here in this place? Where is this place?

    The answers elude me. But I continue to move forward uncontrollably. Passing the fire from the night before, I see only amber embers slowly flickering at the end of their short life. Around the fire there are no bodies, there are no companions, just imprints of warmth from where a body once was. I begin to realize that I am in a desolate existence where there are only myself and my mother, both of which are guided by this sun, and neither of which are truly alive.

    Quickly I notice there is no pain in step, I move with flawless gait. The once dead appendage connected to my hip seems to have been corrected in this indescribable place. With every breath I can feel a renewed energy like never before and my legs begin to pump like that of a stallion. My pace gains a vivacious skip followed by a spry gallop. Before I can comprehend the maker of my sudden liveliness I find myself in full stride with my arms flowing back behind me catching the wind in my palms. It is as if I was in a field of high grass as in the days of my youth, yet I am merely running among the clouds with no visible ground beneath me. Where this energy comes from I do not yet know.

    My face is resolutely pressed towards the image of my mother who never gets closer nor further away. The golden hue of the sun that is masked by a silver cascade of fog is covering my every step and in its mysterious existence has spoken silently to my soul and shown itself to be the source of my new found youth in this place. I continue to run wildly still with no answer at hand and with no determined destination, just …running… wildly.

To purchase the full title go to:  http://www.amazon.com/Eden-Tree-E-W-Lewis/dp/147529428X/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1337816365&sr=1-3

or 

Purchase from Backlist Books in downtown Massillon, Oh. 

A New Song

“Oh sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things!
His right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him.”
Psalm 98:1

Has the Lord done marvelous things in your life? By which measure do you determine the blessings you have received? How often do we only look at what we have gained, instead of what we have not lost?

As I review these questions in regard to my own experience I cannot help but notice that all to often we only acknowledge God for what He has given, and not for how He has protected. It is as if we neglect to think of all the things that could possibly go wrong and how, just maybe, at times God keeps us out of the way of trouble.

The above mentioned verse states that the right hand and the holy arm have worked the salvation. First, take a moment to remember that salvation was not worked by you, but by Christ. While it may be true that we wrestle out our own salvation, the salvation itself was earned by the Savior. Second, salvation is a work, it is something that was actually done.

What we need to ask now is: what are we saved from? Many will say that we are saved from eternal damnation. While true, it also seems a bit empty. I cannot help but to believe that this great big God of ours not only blesses us with salvation, but also blesses us with the avoidance of the what could have been. 

Time and time again God declares to the Israelites that He desires for them to prosper, multiply, and have everlasting joy. To me that seems like a lot more than just salvation. Don’t get me wrong, salvation is enough, but we serve a more than enough God.

So let us put this all together. God does marvelous things. He has worked out our salvation. Not only are we saved, but we are blessed and protected by our Father. And all we are told to do is “sing to the Lord a new song.”

I, for one, shout out to God with victory and thanksgiving. Not only am I thankful for what He has given, but also for how He has allowed me to passover the troubled waters of the world. Do we at times face disturbance or downright struggle, yes, but without God it could be so far worse.

So today sing a new song. Sing  a song that is full of thanksgiving, not only for the blessings you have noticed, but also for the ones that went undetected. Sing a song that recognizes God is awesome, and bigger than we ever can know.  Sing a song that removes yourself from the equation, and purely recognizes God as your sovereign Lord.

To Judge, or not to Judge

“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.”
Matthew 7:1,2

Growing up I often heard the old adage “you shouldn’t point because there are always three fingers pointing right back at you.” So being the ornery boy that I was I would typically respond by using my elbow instead.

Clever right? Not quite.

As I became older I put away my childish ways and now I just point and say to heck with the fingers pointing back. However, with this new found wisdom comes an understanding of what that adage meant. Essentially, none of us are without flaw or flawless or faultless or sinless. There has been only one who had the right to point and instead He embraced.

As I meditate on this fact and look over the church as a whole today I see in many ways the church getting those three fingers right back at them. Time and time again through the centuries the church has pointed at all the sinners saying they were not good enough. Sinners were too dirty. Sinners were too lost. Sinners were not like the white washed tombs the church had become. And now we are receiving the judgement right back.

The above scripture spoken by Jesus is often thrown around with little understanding. Everyone is ready to quote the first sentence, but few know the second. It is important to know that Jesus is not saying that we are to stop judging, He is saying that if you do be ready to be measured in the same way.

Are you saying it is okay to judge, you ask? NO!

What I am saying is that we need to spend more time on ourselves, and less time criticizing others. True, iron sharpens iron, but make sure you are iron first!

Let us look at what else Jesus had to say. He said that we should not look at the speck in our neighbors eye, while ignoring the plank in our own. Later the Word also says that we are to confess our faults to one another. Again, Jesus tells us that if we have aught with our brother we should leave our offering and seek forgiveness. At what point did He say grumble and blame others?

It is time church to stop acting as if we do not know why the world hates. First, Jesus told us they would because they first hated Him. Second, to often Christians have sat on their pious pews pointing at the world in self righteousness. I know that is harsh, but tell me it is not true. Maybe not everyone acted in such a manner, but at times the loudest ones did.

So what is the point of this berating of my fellow Christians in such a way that verges on a judgmental rant? Simple. I am not perfect and either are you. I have judged people and most likely so have you. I am a sinner and I need God, and I need you so that we both can be better people. I just ask are we willing to help each other become a better people today?

Modern Idolatry

“Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw that the city was full of idols”
Acts 17:16

Recently while perusing my Facebook News Feed and enjoying a few minutes of cyber voyeurism (this is what it feels like at times) I took interest to a video posted by a friend of mine. This particular video was a biting take on modern day idolatry.

In this particular expose the videographer depicted the idol worship found in some African nations and verbally described in detail what was happening. He then rewound the tape.

Upon this rewind he again played back the audio of his description, but changed the images he was displaying. Instead of tribal Africa, the backdrop now showed football loving America. Wouldn’t you know it all fit.

Now I am not writing today to condemn the practice of football. Any one out there that  knows me would know that I am a fan. Go Buckeyes! However, I am writing to caution us of the idols we hold in our lives.

Football may be the easy target due to its grandiose affair but there are many more out there. Let us also point out music. Ask any teen today and they will tell you of at least one artist that they would just die to see. This even goes for our Christian teens and their Christian bands.

As we grow older for many music and football are not as appealing, but the enemy is quick to replace it with something else. At times we can allow our career to get the best we have. Or could it be the ministry that you adore so much. For some it is their worship, maybe they are the best worshiper in the church and it is what they live for. The point is maybe there is something getting in your way.

The minute something comes between you and God you have a problem. The minute your ministry is more important than the God it is suppose to be for, is the minute you have formed an idol that stands before you. Yes, you may be the best worshiper, but what are you worshiping. Your God, or your worship.

What is it? You already know the answer. All I am asking of you today is to confront it and confess it. Acting as if there is nothing in your way does nothing but impede you.

Stop it!

Let us no longer have provoked spirits, but do let us have exhilarated ones. Have a spirit that is charged with God, not tampered by sin. Stop creating barriers and start breaking them down.

Great Decision

“I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from slavery to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great acts of judgment.”
Exodus 6:6

Every year around the time of Easter Christian culture explodes with remembrance that Christ died on the cross. Drive by any church and you will see reader boards saying as much. Even our treasured Facebook is crowded with passages and images of Christ and His great sacrifice. However, at times I get the feeling that some of us (maybe even most of us) are just not getting it.

First let me point out that before the great sacrifice of Christ, there was the great decision of Christ. In no way did Jesus have to go through with the plan. In fact in the garden He asked for the cup to be passed (oh I am so tempted to teach on which cup this is, but another time shall we). In order to understand how this was a decision we must first understand the state of Christ.
Jesus was a man! I know it may seem hard to believe but He was wholly man. Now, He was also wholly God, which led to His great faith and accomplishments, but He was still a man. As such He was subject to human inadequacies and had to conquer them the same way we do today.
Stop and think on that for a moment.

If Christ was wholly man and faced our same struggles that means it was difficult for Him to lead that perfect life. That means He accomplished more than we ever thought. That means not only did He conquer death, but He also conquered the inadequacy of man.

But why?

The reason why is because he desires to free you from your burdens, so He bore them and conquered them just for you. He desires to set you free from the captors of this world, so He became captive and bore your punishment to set you free. He desires to redeem you with outstretched arm, so He got on a cross stretched BOTH arms out and redeemed you once and for all.

How great is our God? Not only did He cleanse you so that you may enter into the Kingdom (any god could have done that) but He also bore all of your troubles so that you would not have to. Praise Him, for He is worthy to be praised!

Let us leave with this. In Exodus 6:8 it states, “I will bring you into the land…” Let us not forget this point. That He has fulfilled the first three promises in Exodus, and one day He will fulfill the fourth; He will bring us into His land.

World Sins

“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you”
John 15:18

The discussion of sin is one that has been approached time and time again, however, I wonder if we have ever looked at the sins of the world. What I mean is have we looked at what is considered to be a sin by the standards set forth in the world?

Worldly ways don’t matter.
Christ does matter.
Not caring if people do not like #1 and #2.

If you follow those three standards you can be certain the world will eventually take issue with you. However, if you adhere to the reversal of those standards the word we gladly receive you. The reversal is as such:

Worldly ways are essential.
Christ is a nice moral story.
Other people’s opinions are necessary.

Let me set one thing straight right away. The only opinion that matters is Christ’s opinion. The minute we stray from looking toward God for the standard is the minute we begin to fall from salvation. So look up; look up and find the guidance you need.

Second, Christ is more than just a story, He is the way and it is time we get to know the Way. To many times as Christians we have taken the time to know about God, but we fail to know God. Remember it is not about what you know, but who you know, and you better know Jesus.

Third, the ways of the world will fade away. In 1 John 2:15,16 we learn as much. Instead of worrying about the ways of the world that will perish, we must focus on the ways of heaven which are eternal.

Stop. Lets have a quite moment and digest.

Okay, you ready to continue.

Let us end with this. Remember, the world first hated Christ and as such the world will hate us. I know hate is a strong word, but I really think it is time we stop being so soft about everything, sometimes hard is just true. And sometimes the The Truth is just hard.

What is so hard about the truth? Well that one is simple. The truth sets us free because not only does it forgive, but it makes you address your past. You must address that the world is not essential. You must address that Christ has risen. You must address that only His opinion matters. Sometimes that is hard, but without it where would you be.

Who is He?

He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
Matthew 16:15

I have often wondered about who Jesus really is. I mean what was it really like to sit and walk with Him while He was on Earth. Reading through scripture we get a pretty broad perspective.

It begins with Him being the life of the party when He turned water into wine. Later we see that He was a bit of a rebel as He sifted wheat on the Sabbath. There is that time He took a whip to the moneychangers at the temple. (Does that mean He had anger issues?) Let us not forget the miracle worker when He walked on water, calmed a storm, healed many, cast out demons, and multiplied the fish and loaves. My goodness just who is this man?

This really is an intriguing question, but even more intriguing is who do you say He is?

When we review the Gospels for the characteristics of Jesus we see a man of many qualities. In retrospect it may just be easier to say who He is not. He is not:

Compromising
Fearful
Lost
Deceived
Heartless

Maybe it is that last one we should really focus in on. Jesus is not heartless. In fact He is heart-full. It is this overflowing love that allowed Him to ask for “this cup to pass” but still have the courage to say “it is finished.”

When I am really getting to the grit of who Jesus is to me I can’t help but think that He is my everything. But what does that mean? How do you really share that with someone? Can a nonbeliever even comprehend that?

Truth is, is that by saying Jesus is our everything we are not really explaining His awesomeness, but instead we are revealing our inability to describe Him. Does that make Him indescribable? Not really.

Simply, lets call it what it is: Love. Who do I say He is? I say He is the one that loved me so much that He gave Himself for me. He is the one that was willing to take the punishment that I deserve just so He and I can be one together. Is that who you say He is?

Its not that I have all the answers, but at least I have an answer. This should be a challenge to every believer. Who do you say He is? If you don’t know, well, maybe it is time.