By's Musings

B. Baylis

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Greeting on New Year’s Day 2021

How do I start BY’s MUSINGS on a high note in the year 2021? This image is courtesy of Presenter Media.

I woke up the day after Christmas thinking about the rapidly approaching new year. At the top of my “WANT TO DO LIST” was a New Year’s Post for By’s Musings. Do I reflect on the year 2020? My first instinct was to say, “No! It was a year many people would rather forget.”

Does that suggest that I should write about the coming 2021 year? If I were to do that, should I concentrate on my personal goals and desires or general world events?  If I look outside my personnel realm of concerns, should I focus on only the positives or negatives? What if I throw caution to the wind and go for broke? I could cover the waterfront and deal with both the good and bad? 

Will the current corona vaccines work? Will enough people get the shots? This image is courtesy of Presenter Media.

Will 2021 bring a return to “normalcy?” At some point, will working vaccines triumph over the virus? Will we achieve some semblance of herd immunity? Will we be able to socialize again? Will we be able to worship in large group settings? Will we have face-to-face learning? Will we be able to go to restaurants and enjoy a great meal prepared and served by other people? Will we be able to participate as spectators or rival combatants in sporting events? Will we be able to have in-office doctors’ appointments? Will we be able to go shopping again in stores and touch items? 

How long into 2021 will our TV newscasts look like this? This image is courtesy of Presenter Media.

Or will 2021 be a rerun of 2020?  Will the Covid virus dominate the news for another year? Will infection, hospitalization, and death counts continue to rise exponentially? Will families and other social structures disintegrate even more in the face of forced separations and tragedies? Will we be dealing with political wrangling for another year? Will small and large businesses continue to fail? Will unemployment numbers and woes persist? Will wages stagnate while prices rise? Will students continue to struggle and fall further behind, creating a lingering educational catastrophe? Will human shortcomings and faults overshadow the good and heroic acts of individuals?

Once I get on the trail of an idea, I have trouble letting go of it. The ideas keep flowing. This image is courtesy of Presenter Media.

After careful consideration and three days of writing, I have decided to attempt to do all of the above and more. Of course, that will require multiple posts.

Surprise! [NOT REALLY!] When I start writing, the ideas never stop. One editor with whom I have worked has accused me of having the Russian novel syndrome.

Before my traumatic brain incidents of 2009, I was hardly ever at a loss for words. I had trouble saying “Hello” in less than 100 words. When the dual cranial explosions and multiple seizures of 2009 introduced aphasia into my life and vocabulary, words became a two-edged sword.

I’m not an artist. This image is courtesy of Presenter Media.

I am still contemplating ideas all the time. However, these ideas now flood my head with visual images. Since I’m not an artist, I can’t draw or paint pictures to describe my thinking. I have excelled at certain painting tasks, like houses, barns, room walls, and cars. The only detailed painting I have attempted is woodwork. I can do this because I can set up a tape barrier to keep me within the lines. I have even had to give up doing this because of increased tremors in my dominant right hand. I can’t paint any houses or barns because my doctors have ordered me to stay off ladders. 

However, to communicate with others, I must revert to words. Finding the right words to use to describe the pictures I see is a huge struggle. I know the words are still in my head. I can’t find them. I must dig through the rubble and sift through piles of debris.

What happens if I incorporate this idea into this story? If it doesn’t fit, can’t I include it in an additional post? This image is courtesy of Presenter Media.

If I am going to write several more New Year’s posts, humanly speaking, it is only sensible to design a plan. The trouble with that approach is that I have too many ideas to stuff into the tiny container of three or four blog posts, and the plan keeps changing. 

God’s timing is perfect. At the appropriate moment, He appeared to Abram with one command. In Genesis 12:1, we read,

The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. (NLT)

This command is both precise and deliberately vague. The specificity focused on what Abram was to leave behind. He was to move away from his familiar home and his relatives, especially his father’s family. The vagueness centered on his destination. He was to go to a place which the Lord would show him.

I believe that God is telling me to “Go ahead and write.” It is not yet clear what I will be writing, but I will be writing during January and perhaps beyond. I claim the promise that God gave to Isaiah, 

And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.[Isaiah 42:16, KJV]

With God’s help, I will find my next steps and write my next posts. God bless you and yours as we step into 2021. 

 

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Christmas Greetings 2020

Christmas Post due Christmas Day! This image is courtesy of Presenter Media.

Since I finished my Thanksgiving posts for 2020 on Christmas Eve, I have not had time to think about a Christmas post. However, I believe I have found an excellent solution to get a message out in time for Christmas. I will revise and recycle a Christmas greeting that I actually wrote and published seven years ago. The theme of that post may be more appropriate today than when I first wrote it.

Sample Christmas card message. This image is courtesy of wpclipart.com.

My message for Christmas 2020 is “Fear not!” Why would I choose “Fear not” as a Christmas greeting? Most Christmas greetings focus on other aspects of the angel’s message to the shepherds. Christmas cards are emblazoned with messages, such as “Peace,” “Joy,” “Good Will,” “The Savior has Come,” “Christ is born,” or “Christ is LORD.”  

The authors of our favorite Christmas carols used these themes repeatedly. Interestingly many of these hymns originated in the 18th and 19th centuries. These hymns and carols of joy and peace were composed and first sung during times of severe social upheaval and discord. The world was in great need of words of peace and joy. Does this sound like the year 2020?

  • While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks by Night (c1700) Lyrics by Nahum Tate, Poet Laureate of England, and music by George Kirbye
  • Joy to the World, (1719) Lyrics by Isaac Watts and music by George Frederick Handel
  • Silent Night (1818) German lyrics by Joseph Mohr and music by Franz Gruber, translated into English by Emily Elliott (1858)
  • O Holy Night (1843) French lyrics by Placide Chapprau and music by Adolphe Adam, translated into English by John Sullivan Dwight (1855)
  • It Came Upon a Midnight Clear (1849) Lyrics by Edward Sears and music by Richard Storrs Willis.
  • Angels We Have Heard on High (1862) English translation of traditional French carol by Edward Shippen Barnes. Music is a traditional French song. 
  • O Little Town of Bethlehem (1868) Lyrics by Phillip Brooke and music by Lewis Redner
The announcement of the birth of Jesus from The Bible in Pictures by Bihn & Bealings. This book and images from it are in the public domain. They are available at www.creationism.org.

These hymns were also special because they are primarily based on the nativity story found in Luke’s Gospel. 

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.(Luke 2:8-14, KJV)

I selected the greeting, “Fear not!” because it may be the most used phrase in Matthew and Luke’s nativity narratives. In these passages, we find angels confronting people four times. All four times, some of the first words the angels speak are “Fear not!”

A photograph of the 1800 painting of an angel appearing to Zacharias in the Temple. Blake’s original is in The Metropolitan Museum of Art. This image is in the public domain compliments of the Met.

The first encounter chronologically is with Zacharias, a priest of Israel in the time of King Herod. Zacharias and his wife Elisabeth, cousin of Mary, were aging and without children even though they continually prayed for children. In Luke Chapter 1, we read the encounter between an angel and Zacharias as he was performing his rotational duty as the high priest:

There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth. And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years. And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest’s office before God in the order of his course, according to the custom of the priest’s office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense. And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him. But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John. And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth. For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother’s womb. And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. (Luke 1:5-17, KJV)

A photograph of the angel Gabriel appearing to Mary. The original is known as the Annunciation by Botticelli, is in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. This image is in the public domain courtesy of the Met.

The second encounter was the visit of the angel Gabriel with Mary. His assignment was to tell Mary that she had been selected to be the mother of Christ, the Messiah. This encounter is also recorded in Luke, chapter 1.

And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, to a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.(Luke 1:26-35, KJV)

A photograph of Phillippe de Champaigne’s 1636 painting “The Dream of St. Joseph.” The original is in the public domain due to age. As a faithful reproduction of a public domain work of art, this image is in the public domain.

For the third encounter, we must turn to the first chapter of the Gospel of Matthew. In this encounter, an angel visits Joseph in a dream, as he was trying to decide what to do about his pregnant fiance.

Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily. But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins. Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name Jesus. (Matthew 1:18-25, KJV)

A photograph of Rembrandt’s 1634 etching, “The Angel Appearing to the Shepherds.” Since the original is in the public domain due to age, this faithful reproduction is also in the public domain.

To find the fourth appearance of angels in the nativity story, we go back to the Luke 2 passage. In this section of scriptures, one angel appears, unannounced to shepherds. I can only imagine how this would have shaken up the shepherds. First of all, they are out in the mountains, far away from any civilization. As far as they know, they are the only people within miles of their location. The only lights would have been the moon and stars, and possibly a campfire.

When all of a sudden, out of nowhere, an individual shows up. What is even more startling is that as he entered their encampment, the glory of the Lord shone all around them. I am positive that they were terrified. It is no wonder that the first words the angel speaks are “Fear not!“

Are all angels so unusual and scary that they must reassure people that they’re not there to hurt them? Most likely. In the nativity story, the angels, sent by God, tried to reassure those being visited that everything would be fine. That’s great, and we could leave it at that. The birth of the Savior would allow God and man to be reunited and make everything alright. That is a great Christmas greeting.

However, recently I read another way to interpret this message. It was from Elie Wiesel, Jewish ethicist,  Holocaust survivor, American professor, novelist, and winner of the 1986 Nobel Peace Prize. In 1944, when Wiesel was 15, his whole family was taken from their hometown in Romania to Auschwitz.

This photograph shows Jews arriving at Auschwitz and being divided into those destined to the workcamps and those sent to the gas chambers. The photograph is part of a collection known as the Auschwitz Album, which is the only surviving visual evidence of the process leading to the mass murders at Auschwitz-Birkenau. This image is in the public domain because its copyright has expired, and its author is anonymous.

Upon arrival at the concentration camp, his younger sister and mother were immediately sent to the gas chambers. Later that year, Weisel and his father were transferred to Buchenwald. In 1945, Weisel’s father died in Buchenwald weeks before the Allied troops liberated the camp.

After being liberated, Weisel was sent to a French orphanage, where he was reunited with his two older sisters. Later he studied at the Sorbonne and served as a journalist in post-war Paris.

During the next decade, he wrote about his concentration camp experience in an 800-page Yiddish manuscript. In 1954, a condensed version was published in Argentia under the title Un di velt hot geshvign (And the World Remained Silent).

In 1956, Weisel emigrated to the United States, where he became involved in numerous social causes and the Jewish restoration movement. In 1958, his book was translated into French and published under the title La Nuit (At Night). In 1960, it was translated into English and published as Night.

The book Night is the first in a trilogy about the holocaust—Night(a memoir), Dawn(a fictional novel about a holocaust survivor), and Day(a memoir of Weisel’s life after the holocaust). These books mark Wiesel’s transition during and after the Holocaust from darkness to light, according to the Jewish tradition of beginning a new day at nightfall.

One notion from Weisel that I found especially thought-provoking explained why people need to watch out when visited by an angel approaching with the words, “Fear not!”  Wiesel reportedly once said, “Whenever an angel says, ‘Be not afraid!’, you’d better start worrying. A big assignment is on the way.”

Let us closely examine the four encounters in the nativity narrative. Zacharias was given the assignment of being the father of John the Baptist. He and his wife Elisabeth were to raise the prophet who was to proclaim the Messiah’s coming.

Mary was given the assignment of carrying the baby Jesus to birth, even though she was not yet married nor been with a man. She was to be the mother of the most special person ever born, the Son of God.

Joseph was given the assignment of loving Mary despite the grave question concerning the origin of the baby she was carrying. Then, when the baby was born, Joseph was to assume the role of a human parent for the Son of God.

The shepherds were given the assignment to go and see. However, I believe implicit in that assignment was the call to tell others what they had seen.

God has given us two commands through the nativity angels: “BE NOT AFRAID!” and “Go, tell it on the mountain. This image is courtesy of Presenter Media.

What about us? Now that we have figuratively seen the angels, who have told us “Fear Not!“, what is our big assignment? Our assignment is the same as the implicit assignment to the shepherds, “Go and tell the story.” The first verse of the traditional Christmas carol, Go Tell It On The Mountain, says it all,

While shepherds kept their watching
Over silent flocks by night,
Behold throughout the heavens,
There shone a holy light:
Go, Tell It On The Mountain,
Over the hills and everywhere;
Go, Tell It On The Mountain
That Jesus Christ is born.

 

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Thanksgiving 2020 Installment IV -Thankful in All Circumstances

The third step in a successful Christian life is to be thankful in all circumstances. This image is courtesy of Presenter Media.

This is the fourth and final installment of my Thanksgiving 2020 message. It focuses on the third step in Paul’s stairway to a richer, fuller Christian life found in I Thessalonians 5:16-18. “In everything, give thanks.” [KJV]

The first thing we need to note about this injunction is that it says to be thankful in all and not for all. This makes a world of difference.  Remember, the first step was to “rejoice always.” God wants us to be joyful.

Although we are called to suffer for the cause of Christ, we are not called to be masochists. Masochists cannot escape cycles of self-defeat. They find it impossible to enjoy pleasure without guilt or shame accompanying it. They feel hopeless about the future.

Jesus forewarned His disciples of their coming trials if they followed Him. This image from The Bible in Pictures by Bihn and Bealings is in the public domain.

The Apostles were all aware of what was in their future. Jesus had clearly told them that they would suffer for his cause. 

If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.  [Matthew 16:24-28, NKJV]

This photograph of an angel leading Peter out of prison while guards slept is a faithful reproduction of the 17th-century painting by Pieter de Hooch. Since the original painting is in the public domain, this image is also in the public domain.

The Apostle Peter knew first hand about the trials and hardships that followers of Christ would suffer. According to Acts 12, Peter was imprisoned by King Herod Agrippa. Peter was awaiting sure persecution and possible execution. As the church prayed fervently, an angel miraculously saved him by walking him out past two guard posts and through an unlocked gate. In his letter to Christians in the far-flung expanses of the Roman empire, he wrote.

Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. For it is time for judgment to begin with God’s household; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? [I Peter 4:12-17, NIV]

This photographic image is a copy of a page from the 19th-century Dore’s English Bible. It depicts the aftermath of the shipwreck of Paul described in Acts 27. Since the original work is public domain due to age, this faithful photographic reproduction is also public domain.

Paul’s journey as a minister of the gospel was not a walk in the park. In his first letter to the Corinthian church, he graphically described the trials he had endured.

Five different times the Jewish leaders gave me thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea. I have traveled on many long journeys. I have faced danger from rivers and from robbers. I have faced danger from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles. I have faced danger in the cities, in the deserts, and on the seas. And I have faced danger from men who claim to be believers but are not. I have worked hard and long, enduring many sleepless nights. I have been hungry and thirsty and have often gone without food. I have shivered in the cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm.

Despite the number or extent of our difficulties, we can always find reasons to thank God. They are outlined through all of the scriptures.

We can be thankful that all things work together for good if we are faithful followers of Him.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. [Romans 8:28, NIV]

This photograph is a faithful reproduction of the 17th-century painting “An Apostle” by Jacob Jordaens. Although not explicitly the Apostle Paul, the subject is in a pose that certainly illustrates an individual pleading with God. The individual’s chin is resting on the palm of one hand. The other hand is holding up the arm of the first hand. Since the original work of art is in the public domain, this image is in the public domain.

We know that no matter what our circumstances, God’s grace is sufficient to carry us through them.

…There was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. (II Corinthians 12:7-9, KJV]

When trials come, we can be thankful that nothing can separate us from God’s love. 

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. [Romans 8:35-39, NIV]

In II King’s 6, Elisha and his servant are surrounded by the army of Aram. Elisha’s servant is terrified. Elisha tried to calm him by saying, “There are more on our side. Look out the window.” MoodyPublishers/FreeBibleImages.org copyrights this image. It is used by permission.

Just a few verses before this passage is the answer to the essence of Israel’s question. In any fight against evil and pain, who do you want on your side and in your corner?

What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? [Romans 8:31, KJV]

This concept is not just a New Testament idea.  When Paul says, “It is written,” he is quoting Psalm 44. This Psalm is a song of communal lament sung in the temple. Several times in their history, the people of Israel believed that God has forsaken or forgotten them because of the many trials and hardships they were facing. However, the song and Psalm concludes that God is still where He has always been. He is awake, in charge of the universe, and loves them. Since they still have access to Him, they cry out.

Rise up and help us; rescue us because of your unfailing love.[Psalm 44:26, NIV]

What do you do when this world’s troubles seem to overwhelm God’s presence and help? This is the theme of the book of Habakkuk. This image is courtesy of Presenter Media.

This Psalm reminds me of the opening complaint of the prophet Habakkuk. 

How long, Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry out to you, “Violence!” but you do not save? Why do you make me look at injustice? Why do you tolerate wrongdoing? Destruction and violence are before me; there is strife, and conflict abounds. Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never prevails. The wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is perverted.  [Habakkuk 1:2-4, KJV]

God’s response to Habakkuk’s grievance could be an echo of His response to Israel’s complaint.  

Then the Lord said to me, “Write my answer plainly on tablets, so that a runner can carry the correct message to others. This vision is for a future time. It describes the end, and it will be fulfilled. If it seems slow in coming, wait patiently, for it will surely take place. It will not be delayed. Look at the proud! They trust in themselves, and their lives are crooked. But the righteous will live by their faithfulness to God. [Habakkuk 2:2-4, NTL]

The last phrase, “The just shall live by faith,” is quoted three times in the New Testament. The three quotes provide three different perspectives and contexts to the idea of “living by faith.”

A paper bag over one’s head has become the universal sign of shame. This is not Paul because he is declaring his intention of not hiding his head under a bag. This image is courtesy of Presenter Media.

Paul quotes Habakkuk as he begins his letter to the Christians living in Rome with the very familiar verses.

I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteous of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. [Romans 1:16-17, KJV]

Paul is obviously referring to the gospel and salvation. Thus, the life mentioned here is eternal life, which is available to us only by faith.

In Paul’s letter to the churches in Galatia, he again references the Old Testament precept in the middle of a discourse on the ineffectiveness of reliance on the law for justification, or right standing before God.

Clearly no one who relies on the law is justified before God, because “the righteous will live by faith.”The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, it says, “The person who does these things will live by them.”Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole.”He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit. [Galatians 3:10-14, NIV]

What did it take to be included in Faith’s Hall of Fame? Perseverance! This image is courtesy of Presenter Media.

The third time the phrase is quoted occurs in Hebrews in the author’s introduction to his delineation of the Old Testament Faith’s Hall of Fame. 

So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised. For “In just a little while, He who is coming will come and will not delay.” And, “But my righteous one will live by faith. And I take no pleasure in the one who shrinks back.” But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved.[Hebrews 10:35-39, NIV]

This passage is obviously referring to the perseverance and sanctification of the saints. We can continue to live and be made holy by continuing in the faith.

Faith is the only way to find salvation, justification, and sanctification. This chart was created by the author using ClickCharts.

Thus, faith is our only avenue to salvation [eternal life], the forgiveness of sins [justification], and freedom from the power of sin [santicification]. Faith is how we entered into a relationship with God through Jesus. It is also how that relationship grows and deepens. We must thank God for his faithfulness and for giving us the faith to believe.

Throughout scriptures, there are many other reasons to thank God in every circumstance. In this post, I will focus on one more. The ideas of praising, worshipping, and thanking God are inextricably linked together. They are woven into one fabric that cannot be separated.

Psalm 100, one of the most loved and well-known Psalms, captures the essence of this idea. It is the only Psalm with the short and sweet inscription, “A psalm of thanksgiving.”

 Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands. Serve the Lord with gladness: come before His presence with singing. Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is He that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise: be thankful unto Him, and bless His name. For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting; and His truth endureth to all generations. [Psalm 100, KJV]

Since this Psalm invites and demands that we sing unto the Lord, I will close this post with two hymns that encapsulate the idea of thanking God in everything.

This is a photograph of an 18th-century portrait of Charles Wesley. As a faithful reproduction of a public domain work of art due to age, this image is public.

The first is one of 6500 hymns composed by Charles Wesley, an 18th-century Methodist minister. Since Wesley didn’t always title his hymns, this one goes by two titles, “And can it be” or “Amazing love!” These titles come from the opening lines of the first verse and the refrain.

And can it be that I should gain
An int’rest in the Savior’s blood?
Died He for me, who caused His pain—
For me, who Him to death pursued?
Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?

    • Refrain:
      Amazing love! How can it be,
      That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?

  2. ’Tis myst’ry all: th’ Immortal dies:
    Who can explore His strange design?
    In vain the firstborn seraph tries
    To sound the depths of love divine.
    ’Tis mercy all! Let earth adore,
    Let angel minds inquire no more.

  3. He left His Father’s throne above—
    So free, so infinite His grace—
    Emptied Himself of all but love,
    And bled for Adam’s helpless race:
    ’Tis mercy all, immense and free,
    For, O my God, it found out me!

  4. Long my imprisoned spirit lay,
    Fast bound in sin and nature’s night;
    Thine eye diffused a quick’ning ray—
    I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
    My chains fell off, my heart was free,
    I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.

  5. No condemnation now I dread;
    Jesus, and all in Him, is mine;
    Alive in Him, my living Head,
    And clothed in righteousness divine,
    Bold I approach th’ eternal throne,
    And claim the crown, through Christ my own.

Picture of Cliff Barrows, Billy Graham, and George Beverly Shea at a Rally in Dallas, Texas. This photograph is from the Billy Graham Association.

The second hymn was voted as the second most all-time favorite hymn in a Christianity Today survey in 2001. It is based on a poem written by Carl Boberg in 1885 and set to music using a traditional Swedish melody. The English version came to us, as the original Swedish version was translated into German and then Russian by missionaries. It was translated into English by Stuart K. Hine. During Billy Graham’s England crusades, George Beverly Shea and Cliff Barrows worked with Hine on an arrangement that they could use as an introductory piece. With all that information, you probably have guessed that it is the hymn How Great Thou Art. 

O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder
Consider all the worlds Thy hands have made,
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed:
Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee:
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!
Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee;
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!
And when I think that God, His Son not sparing,
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in;
That on the cross, my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin.
When Christ shall come with shout of acclamation
And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart!
Then I shall bow in humble adoration.
And there proclaim, my God, how great Thou art!
Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee:
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!
Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee;
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!
How great Thou art!

 

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Thanksgiving 2020 Installment III

PRAY WITHOUT CEASING – The second item in Paul’s list of duties and blessings for the Thessalonian Christians. This Image courtesy of Presenter Media.

The second jewel in Paul’s Thessalonian Ring of Duties and Blessing is “Pray without ceasing.” This may be a taller order than the first duty of “rejoice always.” Does this literally mean that we should be praying all the time? How can a person do anything without stopping or pausing?

A heart beating in a regular rhythm, as shown in the EKG wave. It beats 24 hours a day. This image is courtesy of Presenter Media.

Is there anything that a normal person can do all the time? Are there things that humans do 24 hours a day, whether they are awake or not? Physiology and medical science tell us that human life is dependent upon the consistent functioning of certain organs.

The brain stems of living persons must be active all the time, controlling their automatic functions. Our hearts must constantly be pumping blood through our bodies. Our lungs must be inhaling and exhaling air all the time. We do these things at all times, “without thinking.” That’s why they are known as automatic functions.

A partial EEG screen readout of a living patient. If the patient were dead, all the screen lines would be flat, indicating no electrical activity detected. This image is courtesy of Alfred Health System.

For much of medical history, the absence of activity in the heart and lungs was used to define death. Before medical monitors, people were declared dead if no heartbeat and breath were detected. With recent advances in medical science, hospitals are using machines “to keep people alive” by mechanically breathing and circulating blood for them. In these cases, doctors are resorting to the absence of brain waves to define death. If an electroencephalogram (EEG) monitor shows no brain activity for 30 minutes, we say the person has “flat-lined” and is clinically brain-dead.

Before conversion, believers are physically alive but are controlled by the spirit of evil. Paul says that this is a state of death. This image is courtesy of Presenter Media.

Is Paul comparing praying to cardiac, pulmonary, and neurological activity? If a person demonstrates no joy, spends no time in prayer, or shows no spark of thankfulness, that person may be spiritually dead. The term “spiritually dead” is not used in the Bible. The closest reference I can find is found in Paul’s letter to the Ephesian church.

As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. (Ephesians 2:1-2, NIV)

Although believers were physically alive before their conversion, they were in a state that Paul labels death. There is no activity in their spiritual life.

Thus, I believe Paul is indicating that prayer is a sign of spiritual life. As such, he is saying that it should be an automatic function in the lives of Christians. It should be our first response in all situations and circumstances. It is not meant to be a “fall back” or “last resort” action.

To understand what Paul is saying, it is helpful to go back to the scriptures’ words. Verse 17 of our text consists of two words in ancient Greek: ἀδιαλείπτως προσεύχεσθε. They would be typically transliterated into anglicized modern Greek as adialeiptōs proseuchesthe. What do these two words mean?

The Laws of Physics say that perpetual motion is an impossibility. For humans, the closest thing is a spinning wheel that you can’t get off of. This image is courtesy of Presenter Media.

The word adialeiptōs can be used as either an adjective or adverb, meaning “unceasing, without stopping, without pause, incessantly.” It is a compound word, built from the two words, which individually mean “without” and “pause.” Since pause is usually considered a negative action, this combination is the Greek equivalent of a permissible double negative. It is a double negative, used to emphasize something positive.

Prayer is our means of communicating with God. This image is courtesy of Presenter Media.

The word adialeiptōs and its variations are used almost 40 times in the New Testament. The overwhelming majority of these instances concern prayer. This indicates that it is something to which we should pay special attention.

The word in verse 17 that is translated “pray” is also a compound word. The Greek word proseuchesthe is the combination of two words that carry the connotation of carrying on a conversation with God. It and its variations are used more than 90 times in the New Testament. This many references would indicate that it is definitely important.  It would seem that the idea of praying without ceasing is an essential concept for Christians to grasp.

The ACTS characteristics of prayer (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication) represent the attributes that should be present in any prayer to God. This chart was created by the author using ClickChart.

In scriptures and church tradition, there are generally four characteristics that should be part of the act of praying. A useful acronym to remember these characteristics is ACTS. The word stands for:

  • Adoration The act of recognizing, affirming, praising, and worshipping God for who He is and what He has done.
  • Confession The act of declaring, acknowledging, and admitting our sins and unworthiness in the face of God’s righteousness. It must include identifying one’s transgression, an admission of one’s guilt, an expression of one’s contrition, a request for forgiveness, and a commitment to forsake and refrain from that action in the future. 
  • Thanksgiving The act of acknowledging that everything we have comes from God and expressing gratitude for what God has given and done for us.
  • Supplication The act of humbly requesting God’s help in meeting our own needs and desires (petition) and the needs and desires of others (intercession). The word supplication conveys the sense of humbly begging or pleading for something. We must approach God in abject humility.

In our prayers, we often combine one or more aspects into a single prayer. In fact, the prayer that Jesus taught his disciples as a model prayer combines three of the four characteristics.

Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. [Adoration] Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. [Supplication] Give us this day our daily bread. [Supplication] And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. [Confession] And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: [Supplication] For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. [Adoration] Amen.

One of God’s primary expectations for his children is that they depend only and always on Him. Part of that expectation is our duty to communicate with him in all circumstances and at all times.

This sketch depicts the parable of the persistent widow and the unjust judge. The Pacific Press Publishing Company commissioned it for the children’s book “Christ’s Object Lessons,” written by Ellen Gould Harmon White. Since the book was published in 1900, it is in the public domain.

Prayer is our means of communicating with our heavenly Father. We must be in a constant attitude of prayer and dependence on God. Luke shares with us a parable that Jesus used to teach his disciples about prayer and dependence upon God. In chapter 18, we read.

One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up. “There was a judge in a certain city,” He said, “who neither feared God nor cared about people. A widow of that city came to him repeatedly, saying, ‘Give me justice in this dispute with my enemy.’ The judge ignored her for a while, but finally he said to himself, ‘I don’t fear God or care about people, but this woman is driving me crazy. I’m going to see that she gets justice, because she is wearing me out with her constant request!'” 

Then the Lord said, “Learn a lesson from this unjust judge. Even he rendered a just decision in the end. So don’t you think God will surely give justice to His chosen people who cry out to Him day and night? Will He keep putting them off? I tell you, He will grant justice to them quickly! But when the Son of Man returns, how many will He find on the earth who have faith?”  (Luke 18:1-8, NLT)

We are to pray in the morning:

In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly. (Psalm 5:3, NIV)

This is a photograph of Monet’s Garden. The original 1876 oil on canvas painting is on display at the Hermitage in St. Petersburg, Russia. Due to age, this painting is in the public domain. A faithful photographic image of a public domain work of art is also in the public domain. This image is courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

The French impressionist Claude Monet was not considered an overtly religious person. Few, if any of his works, involved subjects that would be considered particularly sacred. However, one in particular, his 1876 oil on canvas, Garden, reminds me of the well-known hymn by Charles Arthur Miles.

Communing in the morning with God was an essential part of the life of the gospel songwriter Charles Arthur Miles (1868-1946). Miles may be best remembered as the author and composer of the hymn In the Garden. The first verse and chorus illustrate the significance of morning prayers for him:

I come to the garden alone
While the dew is still on the roses
And the voice I hear
Falling on my ear
The Son of God discloses

And He walks with me
And He talks with me
And He tells me I am His own
And the joy we share
As we tarry there
None other has ever known

We are to pray in the evening:

I lie awake thinking of you, meditating on you through the night. (Psalm 63:6, NLT)

At the end of each day, we need to talk with God about it. What went right; what went wrong; what we appreciated; what changes we would like to see; what help we need from Him. This photograph of Van Gogh’s Old Man Praying is public domain because it is a faithful reproduction of a two-dimension work of art in the public domain. It is available from Wikimedia Commons.

This Psalm was one of David’s wilderness Psalms. It was most likely written in Judah’s desert while he was fleeing Absolam. Absolam was David’s third son. He had an ingratiating personality and wove his way into a favorite spot in David’s heart. However, at the same time, Absolam was also overly ambitious and plotted with a group of disenchanted courtiers to depose and kill David. David had no choice but to flee Jerusalem. While in the wilderness, he sang Psalms as prayers of grief and suffering. Songs and prayers can be closely related. 

Not everyone faces the difficulties David was facing. However, each of us has our own troubles. The sketch Old Man Praying by Vincent van Gogh reminds me of the second verse and the chorus of the praise song “Songs in the Night” by Matt Redman.

[Verse 2]

God, You can part the raging sea
Bring the miracle I need
Lord until it comes
I’ll wait here

[Chorus]

And I will sing
Songs in the night
Praise in the storm
You’re God in it all
And I will stand
I’ll be still and know
Whatever may come
You’re God in it all

We are to pray in the midday:

Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.  (Psalm 55:17, KJV)

In this verse, God, speaking through David, teaches us several things about prayer. The verse begins by suggesting that David was praying throughout the whole day. In our reckoning, we would have probably said, “Morning, noon and night.” Why did David start with the evening?

In Jewish tradition, sunset is the transition from one day to the next. Thus the evening is the beginning of a new day. While midday, or our noon, was the middle of the “working day,” for the Jews of David’s time, it was a time of respite. It was the “hump” part of the working day. It was time to take a short rest, eat a bite of food, and spend a little time in prayer. It signified that the day was rapidly winding down to its conclusion.

While praying on the roof during a noontime break, Peter had a vision from God. In the vision, God tells Peter that whatever He says is clean is clean. This image is in the public domain due to age since it appears in Henry Davenport Northrop’s ‘Treasures of the Bible,’ published in 1894.

One of the most recognized noon-time prayers is Peter’s prayer in Acts 10.

About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles and birds. Then a voice told him, “Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.”  [Acts 10:9-13, NIV]

Peter’s prayer, vision, and response changed the face of Christianity and missions. As a result of the vision, Peter received the centurion Cornelius’s servants, a righteous and God-fearing man. He listened to their story and accepted their invitation to meet with their commander.

In the subsequent visit with Cornelius and a large gathering of Gentiles, Peter preached the gospel message. Many were convicted, saved, and baptized. Salvation was no longer restricted to Jews.  It was open to everyone.

One of the best-known depictions of Christ’s Agony in Gethsemane is the 1886 oil painting by Heinrich Hoffman. The original is now hanging in the Riverside Church, New York City. It is in the public domain due to age. As a faithful reproduction of a two-dimensional work of art, this image is in the public domain.

One can not talk about prayer without including the example of Jesus in Gethsemane. Since prayer is the personal act of communicating with God, it can be a joyous or agonizing event. Jesus spent an agonizing night, praying in the Garden of Gethsemane. He knew what was coming and asking God “to remove this cup from me.” However, He also knew that His crucifixion was a necessary part of God’s plan of salvation. Thus, He yielded His human desires to God’s perfect will.

Jesus’ prayer is recorded in John 17.  Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. [John 17:1-3, NIV]

After praying for Himself, Jesus continued by praying for His disciples and then all believers. After He finished praying, He was arrested.

Durer’s “The Praying Hands” calls us to prayer and reminds us how we should approach God.

I can’t speak of prayer without remembering Albrecht Dürer’s iconic image of prayer. This early 16th-century pen and ink drawing on blue paper that Dürer made himself is known as either “A Study of the Apostle’s Hands” or simply “The Praying Hands.“ 

This image has been copied and reprinted millions of times. It has been made into jewelry, statuettes, bookends, and paperweights. It has adorned thousands of walls, desks, bookshelves, and altars. It has called millions of people to prayer. Let it call you to prayer. Amen. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Thanksgiving Message 2020 Installment II

The year 2020 has not been particularly joyful. It has brought many people to their knees. This image is courtesy of Presenter Media.

The year 2020 has brought many people to their knees. Some people were driven to the edge of despair and dropped to their knees out of utter frustration and sheer exasperation. Others bowed before God, praying for mercy and deliverance. It is a year that found many people sore pressed to be encouraged. It was a year of little joy or thankfulness.

In three short verses, Paul delivers a forceful message in his first letter to the Thessalonica church. His lesson is a powerful message that is just as apropos to today’s world as to his world. Although his injunctions are robust in meaning and potential, they are also a simple salvo of three resolute commands. Taken together with the rationale of fulfilling God’s will, they are an unassailable combination of the necessary and important traits and directives on how to live a righteous life.

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. (I Thessalonians 5:16-18, NIV)

These commands are not only the duties that God has assigned His children. They are also a source of blessings.  As Christians, individually and corporately, fulfill these responsibilities, the completed duties form a self-sustaining cycle that builds and feeds others in the ring.

Paul closes his letter to the church at Thessalonica with a set of instructions on how to live the Christian life. He begins this section by attempting to motivate his readers to encourage and build up each other. He praises and reaffirms what they are already doing.

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. (I Thessalonians 5:11, NIV)

The RIng of Commands and Blessings given to the church in Thessalonica by Paul. Diagram was constructed by the author using ClickCharts.

Paul closes this section by providing the best rationale a Christian could have to fulfill the prescribed duties.

…for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. (I Thessalonians 5:18b, NIV)

I want to look at each of the three duties of Christians, highlighted in these verses as my Thanksgiving lesson for 2020. I will consider them in three separate posts in the order Paul presents them.

1. Rejoice Always

Biblical rejoicing is not necessarily the joy demonstrated by jumping up and down, shouting, and dancing in the streets. This image is courtesy of Presenter Media.

I do not think that Paul is talking about a frolicking, dancing in the street type of joy.  This is very apparent when you look at the opening of James’ letter to the Jewish Christians scattered all over the known world. James suggests that we consider troubles of any kind an opportunity to “consider it an opportunity for GREAT joy,” or “count it all joy,” as other translations phrase it. 

Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. (James 1:2, NLT)

Biblical joy is not a euphoric emotion.  It is more like a calm sense of peace and assurance. It is a peace that comes from knowing that God is working in our lives when we face trials or troubles. The assurance comes from understanding that God has a purpose in all that happens.

Paul, in his letter to the church in Rome, reminds them:

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

With the covid pandemic of 2020, hospitals were pushed to their capacity limits. Health care workers were greatly endangered, battling an unseen and unforgiving virus. People died separated from their families and loved ones. This image is courtesy of Presenter Media.

A perpetual state of any rejoicing is in itself humanly impossible. The year 2020 has not been a year of rejoicing for most of the world. As we near the end of 2020, a year that many people have called a natural disaster. The Covid Pandemic may be the worse health crisis globally since the black plague of the 14th century, estimated to have killed 25 million people, which was more than one-third of the world’s population.

In 2020, more than 67 million people have been inflicted with the virus, with more than 1.5 million deaths from covid-related causes. There is no predictable end in sight. Some medical experts predict communities will be hit with second and third spikes in the number of cases and deaths. Many commentators have declared 2020 to be a “God-forsaken year.”

Throughout the history of humanity, many civilizations have experienced what they described as being abandoned by God. Habakkuk, the Old Testament prophet, cried to God in the midst of one of those periods in Israel’s history.

How long, O Lord, must I call for help? But you do not listen! “Violence is everywhere!” I cry, but you do not come to save. Must I forever see these evil deeds? Why must I watch all this misery? Wherever I look, I see destruction and violence. I am surrounded by people who love to argue and fight. The law has become paralyzed, and there is no justice in the courts. The wicked far outnumber the righteous, so that justice has become perverted. (Habakkuk 1:2-4, KJV)

This photographic is a copy of a page from the 19th century Doré’s English Bible. It depicts Jeremiah encouraging the enslaved Jews, working in Babylon, pointing them toward God. Since the original work is public domain due to age, this faithful photographic reproduction is also public domain. This image is courtesy of Wikimedia Commons,

Habakkuk wrote this in the 7th century BC, after almost a century of civil wars and invasions from their enemies, shortly before the Babylonian invasion destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple.

As a result of this disastrous defeat, many Jews were taken captive back to Babylon to serve as their captors saw fit. As they languished in Babylon, God sends Jeremiah, His messenger, with a word of encouragement for them.

For I know the plans that I have for you,” says the LORD . “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11 NLT)

When the Jews were finally permitted to return to their homeland to rebuild their homes, Jerusalem and the Temple, they were beset upon by their neighbors who had gotten used to not having the Jews around to bother them.  In the midst of this trouble, it certainly didn’t help when Ezra, God’s priest, read the law to people hungry for a word from God. After the scribes explained the law, the people understood what it said. The Jews suddenly realized how they had ignored God’s law for so long. They became discouraged and penitent. They bowed their heads and wept.

A photograph of a print from a 19th-century woodcut by Schnorr von Carolsfeld. It depicts Nehemiah declaring a celebration of joy, recognizing God’s blessings. As a faithful image of a two-dimension work of art in the public domain, it is also in the public domain. This image is courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

However, Nehemiah, their civil governor, attempted to refocus their attention by reminding them of God’s goodness with a message of joy.

Then he [Nehemiah] said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the Lord is your strength. (Nehemiah 8:10, KJV)

More than six centuries later, the Apostle Paul echos those same sentiments in his Epistle to Roman Christians. Rome was arguably the pagan center of the world in his day. In such a setting, Christians were under daily attack from the government and the general public. Paul attempts to encourage the Roman Christians with a message of joy.

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. (Romans 12:2 NLT)

The prophet Nathan confronts David concerning his sin of adultery and murder. This is a photographic image of a print by the 19th-century artist Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld. As a faithful reproduction of a two-dimension work of art in the public domain, it is in the public domain. This image is courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

As Christians, we know that we cannot lose our salvation. However, there may be times that we lose the joy of our salvation. Even David, a “man after God’s own heart,” lost the joy of his salvation. After he was confronted by the prophet Nathan, David fell into a deep depression because of his guilt. He was heartbroken over his affair with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband, Uriah. In one of the best known Psalms, David prayed:

 

Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Oh, give me back my joy again; you have broken me–now let me rejoice. Don’t keep looking at my sins. Remove the stains of my guilt. Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me. Do not banish me from your presence, and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you. (Psalm 51:8-12, NLT)

Biblical joy is not an emotion that depends upon how we feel. It is a lifestyle. We must choose joy. It is not something that develops naturally from within us.

From where does this joy arise? How can we find and grow joy? Paul reminds us that joy is a fruit of the Spirit who indwells us.

“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance…” (Galatians 5:22-23, KJV).

This illustrated version of the vine and branches parable is from the 1922 book by Bihn and Bealings, The Bible in Pictures: The New Bible Symbols. Since the book is public domain due to age, this faithful photographic image is public domain. This image is courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

After the last supper in the upper room, in one of His final lessons for His disciples before His crucifixion, Jesus emphasized that He was the source of that fruit.

I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. (John 15:5, NTL)

Rejoice always, in all circumstances. This command refers to a state of mind. It is a lifestyle that God demands. Without His help, we can’t live up to this expectation. He is the source of that joy.

In the Thessalonian Ring of Duties and Blessings, “Pray without ceasing” is next. I will consider this injunction in my next post. Coming soon.

 

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Thanksgiving Message 2020

This image is courtesy of Presenter Media.

To all those trolls, doubters, and critics out there, I really can read a calendar. I know that December has begun, and we are two weeks beyond the official Thanksgiving holiday.

However, the past several months in our home have been a whirlwind.  I didn’t get started on this post until the Monday after Thanksgiving. I am posting it now because I believe it has some great news that I want everyone to know. Thus, I thought it was better to post it late than never. 

Lymphoma can take a vibrant person and make them an invalid in a matter of a very few months. This image is courtesy of Presenter Media.

First, that important news concerns Elaine, my wife of more than a half-century! If you follow me on Twitter or like By’s Musings on Facebook, you know that since early spring,  Elaine has been battling a very aggressive Grade 3-B form of non-Hodgkin’s follicular lymphoma. Complicating the issue was the reoccurrence of her previously dormant Type II Diabetes and a brand new anemia case. It took several months, many blood tests, and two biopsies (one needle and one surgical) to diagnose the full extent of her problem.

With the genetic material obtained from the surgical biopsy, her cancer specialists were able to identify the particular DNA of her lymphoma. With this information, they could formulate the proper drug cocktail to terminate this gruesome invader.  Her team of doctors selected a mixture that consisted of four killer drugs. Reading the advisory sheets on each of the drugs, I divided them into two separate categories of special forces warriors.

This image is the international sniper emblem, consisting of a view of the crosshairs as seen thru the scope of a sniper’s rifle. This image is in the public domain and is available on Wikimedia Commons.

One of the drugs I classified as a sniper. Its job was to seek out follicular-shaped cells and kill only those cells. This drug definitely targets the bad guys. However, unfortunately, follicular cells are also included in certain “good organs” like hair.

The other three drugs were more like machine gunners. Their job was to mow down anything that multiplied rapidly. If it was duplicating itself quickly, these drugs knocked them out. Follicular lymphoma cells multiply extremely rapidly.

This combination of forces is a very lethal and effective combination for almost any battle. Elaine’s doctors selected a potent sniper drug to be the lead combatant in this particular firefight.

In the early stages of her lymphoma, Elaine lost almost 40 pounds. By early summer, she weighed significantly under 100 pounds. Since she was inordinately thin, her doctors didn’t think the veins in her arms could tolerate the required chemotherapy regimen’s multiple infusions. After her first treatment, the doctors suggested a surgically inserted infusion port in her upper chest region get around this.  

IV drip bags for chemotherapy. Each six-hour treatment consisted of six bags of drugs in a saline solution—this image courtesy of Presenter Media.

From early summer to mid-fall, Elaine was scheduled for six rounds of chemotherapy. The first treatment was such a shock to her systems that she ended up in the hospital for a week, with confusion, disorientation, and an extremely high fever. Using IV antibiotics, corticosteroids, and NSAIDS, the doctors were able to control the fever and eliminate the confusion and disorientation to such an extent that, together with the covid protocols imposed by our local hospital, the infusion port could be surgically implanted.

The doctors changed her chemotherapy dosage for the remaining five treatments, and Elaine had no further problems. With each subsequent treatment, more of her blood markers moved into the normal or acceptable ranges. At each step, she showed noticeable improvement.

Elaine’s final scheduled treatment was the week before Halloween. After that infusion, all 32 of her blood markers were in the normal range. Starting with the fourth infusion, she began regaining weight and energy. By early November, her weight was back up in the range of 105 pounds. Thankfully, it has continued to increase to the midteens in early December.

Elaine’s team of doctors scheduled a PET scan the second week of November to see if there was any cancer activity in her lymph glands. One week later, we got the great news that all of her lymph glands were dark on the scan.

A PET scanner is used to track active cancer cells. An MRI will show the details of the Pituitary gland. This image is courtesy of Presenter Media.

The only blip on the radar screen was a glow in her pituitary gland. Her primary oncologist believes this is a harmless, residual effect of the chemotherapy. He said he was extremely pleased to be able to say that Elaine’s cancer was in remission.

However, to do due diligence, he ordered an MRI of the pituitary gland. With the COVID-19 problems in our area, the earliest it could be scheduled is the first week of January. In the meantime, we thank God and rejoice in the results so far. We now must patiently sit and wait until January for the next steps in this journey.

A photograph of a late 15th-century version of the Apostle Paul by painter Bartolomeo Mantangna. The original work is currently in the Poldi Pioli Museum in Milan, Italy. As a faithful reproduction of a work of art in the public domain, this image is in the public domain. It is available courtesy of the Smithsonian Associates.

It is easy to be thankful when all is good. However, a quick look at scriptures gives us a different picture of Thanksgiving from God’s view. The verse noted in the opening graphic, I Thessalonians 5:18 tells us that we are to give thanks “in all circumstances.”

The Apostle Paul presents three difficult commands to the church in Thessalonica and modern Christians in the trio of verses, I Thessalonians 5:16-18. In the first century AD, Thessalonica was the cultural, economic, religious, and political center of a large region in Northern Greece. It had a very diverse population of Jews and Gentiles from all over Europe, Asia, Asia Minor, and even Africa.

In this city teeming with multitudes of religions, Paul helped plant a church while visiting it on his second missionary journey. In the I Thessalonians letter, he refers to the congregation as his children. In writing to this fairly young church with a crowd of recent converts, Paul pulls no punches in laying out God’s demands on these children of God. Our heavenly Father has three great expectations and hopes for his children.

Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. (I Thessalonians 5:16-18, NLT)

Okay, you’re balancing three tasks. Now how do you do any of them? This image is courtesy of Presenter Media.

How good are you at multi-tasking? These three commands are heavy-duty obligations. They are definitely not in the same category as using a laptop, tablet, and cell phone. However, when you’re trying to balance all three at one time, how effective are you with any of them? Fortunately, we don’t have to depend upon our own strength to fulfill the three responsibilities God has given us. What God asks us to do, He will help us do. God has promised His assistance and supplied us a Helper in His Holy Spirit.

From the I Thessalonians 5:16-18 passage, what are God’s expectations of His children? They should: 

1) Rejoice always

2) Pray without ceasing

3) Give thanks in all circumstances 

I began this post with the idea of including an exposition of each of these duties. As I composed the post, it kept getting longer and longer. As an editor once chided me, “You suffer from the dreaded Russian novel syndrome.” Half-way through writing about the third responsibility, I decided to cut bait and divided the post into four reasonably length posts. Thus, installments II thru IV of my 2020 Thanksgiving Message will come out daily over the next three days. Stay tuned for those next segments.