A meaningful conversation: Jesus and Nicodemus

Many would argue the art of good conversation is becoming a lost art. There are many reasons for this, ranging from the evolution of technology to people just not being that interested in what others have to say.

These people have a point. After all, technology now allows us many ways to communicate with each other without directly talking. E-mail, text messaging, voice mail and other forms of communication emphasize convenience more than interaction.

And maybe we like it this way. For some of us, talking to tons of people each day can be exhausting. While this is so, we are really missing something if we are easing the art of conversation out of our lives.

Sometimes the most fascinating conversations can be ones in which we are not involved.  They can be ones we observe or maybe read the transcript of.

When I think of a meaningful conversation, my mind often wanders to the encounter that Jesus had with a man named Nicodemus as it is recorded in the third chapter of the Gospel of John in the New Testament.

This was an important conversation. Jesus’ earthly ministry was in its early stages and He was drawing lots of attention. Some of this attention came from people wanting to stop Him, but others sought Him out wanting to know more.

Nicodemus fits the second category. He was not just an ordinary man. He was a person of high standing in his community and a member of the Sanhedrin, which was a Jewish leadership body.

Despite his stature, it was he who made the effort to seek Jesus out. Perhaps the first fascinating aspect of this conversation was the circumstance in which it took place. Verse two points out that it took place at night.

Why did Nicodemus approach Him at night? We can only speculate, but there could be a couple of reasons. It could have been for convenience. Jesus had been drawing crowds, and if a person of Nicodemus’ standing had approached Him during the day, it could have been a wild scene.

A more likely reason is that Nicodemus did not know what to make of Jesus who was already becoming a controversial figure among the religious establishment. Therefore, at night, he could approach Him without drawing attention to himself and causing more controversy.

The conversation itself is a dialogue between two heavyweights. Jesus pointed out the need for people to be born again and Nicodemus was struggling with the concept while asking probing questions.

The conversation culminates with probably the most famous verse in The Bible. In the sixteenth verse, Jesus states:  “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

It is not everyday that a conversation produces a quote that is remembered almost 2,000 years later. I have never said anything that will be around 2,000 years from now. For most reading this essay, it will be forgotten almost as soon as the wind changes direction.

However, the conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus is one that still carries tremendous weight and is as relevant today as it was back then. Even non-followers of Christianity are familiar with the verse quoted above. Scan the crowd at a football game and inevitably, there is at least one person holding a sign that states “John 3:16.”

The bottom line is the art of conversation will never die as long as we have examples like this to remind us how meaningful personal interaction can be. A little effort can result in much gained if we try.

Seasoned with salt

When we do not choose words wisely, the problems in our lives become much more intense. Seriously, who among us has never gotten into trouble for words that carelessly tumbled out of our mouths? “Foot-in-mouth disease” is a malady not for the weak of heart.

Culturally, it seems we have gotten much looser with the words we say to each other. In politics, Democrats and Republicans often throw terms at each other that make us cringe. In these situations, it is funny how often the person speaking negatively winds up being the one looking bad.

All this political rhetoric would not be so destructive if it did not impact other parts of our culture. We have a lot of negative communication taking place. When we hear somebody speaking negatively on television or the Internet, it becomes that much easier for us to do the same.

We certainly see this in entertainment. There is a lot of emphasis on “reality” programs on television, and a staple of this type of programming is conflict. Makers of these shows apparently believe verbal jousting is a one-way ticket to good ratings, and many times, they are not wrong. After all, they keep making these shows so somebody must be watching.

Despite this, choosing our words wisely is one way we can make life go more smoothly for ourselves and the world in general.

This is an important concept. For example, The Holy Bible has this to say about our speech in Colossians 4:5-6: “Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.”

As with everything in the Bible, context is important when looking at just a couple of verses. This comment was directed at believers and the approach they should take when talking to other believers and non-believers. However, this has a universal application.

The words “seasoned with salt” is the phrase that especially leaps out. One biblical commentary correctly summed up the importance of this phrase when the writer stated: “This image carries with it several ideas, including preservation and something that is necessary to life. Down through the centuries salt has been used as a food-preserving agent because it destroys what is harmful in the food. Likewise, our speech should preserve by destroying harmful ideas with the truth, which we speak with love. Like salt, our speech should also provide what is necessary to life.”

The interesting aspect of that comment is it does not say we should not boldly stand up for what is right. The key point is we must commit ourselves to delivering these words with a heart of love that keeps the well-being of who we are talking to as a priority.

Too often in the arena of debate, the sole focus is on the making of a point without care for the person we are taking to. When it comes to swaying opinions, a popular technique can be the attacking of the person instead of the content of what is being said. While the credibility of a speaker is important, this approach is often used as a crutch to justify a “win at all costs” approach to conversation.

Whether this debate takes place in the political arena or a conversation between two people, the principle remains the same. We are all in this together, and unless it is an extreme case, we better be willing to keep the well-being of others in mind rather than just steamrolling them with our ideas.

We can make our points but still respect other people.

God: the Father of mercies

Hundreds of terms have been used to describe God, but one of the best ones is recorded in II Corinthians of the Bible where the Apostle Paul referred to Him as the 'Father of mercies.' This term, which appears in the third verse of chapter one (King James translation), makes an important point. Above all things, God is merciful.

First of all, what is mercy? There are a lot of definitions, but I define it as showing compassion toward others who might not necessarily deserve it. In a spiritual context, God showed mercy toward mankind by providing a plan of Salvation through Jesus. He made available to everybody a way to spend eternity with Him if they will accept that Jesus was crucified as an atonement for their sins and that Jesus rose on the third day.

If a person accepts this, He will protect them from His holy judgment against the world. It is important to remember that God was not obligated in any way to provide a way for us. Mankind rebelled and chose to sin against Him causing a barrier to be brought down between us and Him. He gave us paradise, but it just wasn't enough for us. However, because of His mercy, He provided a way out of a circumstance that was totally hopeless.

Today, there are many who scoff at the notion of God being merciful because of the serious problems in the world. There is war in the Middle East, famine in Africa, and indifference in Europe and the United States. Many say, how could a loving and merciful God allow all this to happen?

However, the things I just listed are man made. If this world genuinely turned toward God, these problems would go away. This is because if we interacted with each other with the love of God in our hearts then it would be harder for us to inflict the pain we currently do on each other.

Therefore, it is of the utmost importance to be prepared for the next life. Your past does not matter; go to Him. God loves you and wants to spend eternity with you.

Take it from somebody who is the chiefest of sinners, He is waiting for you.

Quote of the day

"Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy." -- Matthew 5:7 (NIV)

Thankful for family, friends

Thanksgiving is a wonderful time of year. I hope everybody reading this had an opportunity to spend time with loved ones and enjoy the holiday.

Thanksgiving can mean different things to different people, but most of all, it should be about thanking God for the ways He has blessed our lives.

I know times are tough for many. It is difficult to see a silver lining in the dark clouds that sometime float in and out of our lives. However, if we will just pause for a moment we can see His hand at work.

The last few days I have been reflecting on how thankful I am for the family I have. 'Family'can be defined in many ways, and most of us think of our parents or siblings or spouses when it comes to our family.

Indeed, I am grateful for my immediate family. With so much isolation and loneliness in the world, it is nice to have people to which I can cling.

From a sociological point of view, isolation and loneliness may be the two greatest challenges our world faces. More and more people barricade themselves in their homes because we have all become so self-sufficient.

Then, we start experiencing emptiness in our hearts, and it is difficult to make it go away. Almost like a living organism, it grows, and it aches.

Unfortunately, some go down destructive paths to soothe this pain. Drug and alcohol abuse are all too common whether it happens in a big city or smaller communities like Manchester, Tullahoma, and Coffee County.

When confronted with this emptiness, the challenge is how to deal with it in a positive way. Perhaps the most positive way is to focus on the definition of 'family' stated at the beginning of this column.

The definition I provided earlier is incomplete. A family is not just people who share the same flesh and blood. A family can include a wide variety of people that share a common bond.

For example, I have been reflecting recently on my church family.

For many, going to church has been watered down to a ritualistic exercise that people go through because they feel they have to.

Because of this, the experience of going to church does not develop into what it could be. While the main purpose of attending church is to worship, it is also important because it gives people the opportunity to be with each other.

It allows people to develop relationships that can be life changing. Much like our immediate families, these relationships can carry us when we need to be carried. Conversely, these people can be an outlet for us when we want to share the joys of life.

These circumstances can be profound or sometimes just plain silly.

Earlier this month, about 50 people from my church family attended a Nashville Predators hockey game. The game was thrilling, but the joy of the night was all of us spending a night out on the town.

It was an experience we will all carry for a long time, and it will remain a source of funny stories.

Of course, none of these stories will include me because I was a perfect gentleman the entire time. Trust me, nobody got anything on me.

The bottom line is that we all need each other. As the holiday season unfolds, let’s all be sensitive to those around us who may need a little kindness in their life.

The holiday season has become commercialized almost to the breaking point in recent years. Maybe the best gift we can provide others is to let them know how we feel about them and that we care.

We were born to love one another.

So, why don't we do it?

Quotes of the day

"I don't claim that God doesn't exist. God is the name people give to the reason we are here. But I think that reason is the laws of physics rather than someone with whom one can have a personal relationship. An impersonal God." -- Physicist Stephen Hawking in the November 15 issue of Time magazine.

"Me carrying a briefcase is like a hot dog wearing earrings." -- Former Detroit Tigers and Cincinnati Reds manager Sparky Anderson. Anderson died earlier this month.

Life is a whirlwind

When describing life, one of the most common clichés used is that most people experience many seasons to their lives.

Going back to the Book of Ecclesiastes in the Old Testament and moving forward, it is an analogy that writers have repeatedly used to describe the ups and downs of life.

For every season of prosperity and beauty, there will be a season of drought and despair. This is a fact that can be counted on as surely as the falling of leaves in autumn. It is one of the inarguable facts of life. I guess this analogy is a little more than a cliché then, right?

For people paying attention the last couple of weeks, we know that there have been unspeakable crimes and deaths that have taken place in our community. They are usually the types of crimes that we read about taking place in big cities instead of a small, lovely town like Manchester.

I will not recount the events. They are already burned into our souls so there is no need to endure these facts one more time. All that will be said is that those who passed away are greatly loved, and the family members who remain are just as loved.

We understand that no place is protected when an evil whirlwind blows through a community. Sometimes the power of the whirlwind is so strong that all people can do is lift their hands to shield their eyes. And pray.

Among the frustrating aspects of an event like this is the feeling that those impacted (directly or indirectly) have to just sit there and take it. The fury of the moment takes place and lots of people have to deal with the aftermath.

However, there is good news. People do not have to just sit there and take it. And from what I have observed, the people involved in this situation have not sat there and taken it.

This is because for every evil whirlwind that passes through there is a good whirlwind as well. It is a whirlwind filled with love, compassion, and togetherness. The power of those three things becomes a lot more obvious during times like these.

It makes me wonder why we do not spend more time investing in them when times are good. I guess we believe we always will have tomorrow to get around to that, but of course, tomorrow does not always come.

If nothing else, events like this demonstrate that we will all face the end of our physical lives some day. Why don't people put as much thought into that as they do other parts of their lives? I don't know.

Most folks spend a lot of time planning for retirement. They save their dollars so they can live a lifestyle that will suit their needs. Physical fitness is a big part of this retirement preparation as well.

Still, I do not believe people spend a lot of time contemplating death. We can save all the money we want and work out until our feet ache, but there is no guarantee we will sail past retirement age.

The bottom line is a whirlwind could blow through our lives with no notice. When that happens, all the best intentions that people have about preparing for the afterlife are pretty much out the door.

Most people reading this are likely doing so on Saturday morning or afternoon. I hate to be Captain Bringdown when it comes to your weekend, but time does not wait.

Decisions need to be made.

What are you going to do? Trusting Jesus as your Savior would be a good start.

Oh, the humility...

Well, we are more than two months into the BP debacle in the Gulf of Mexico, and this mess looks like it will not be resolved anytime in the near future.

Oil continues to saturate the Gulf. BP tried the most modern advancements in science and technology to make the problem stop. Despite some very minor success, the oil continues to make life difficult for those living down in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida.

There are lots of lessons to be learned from this disaster. Perhaps one of the most important ones is that there are limits to what science and technology can do for us.

In the last 50 years or so, we have seen successes in those fields that have impacted each of us in our every day lives. The technology that delivered man to the moon in the late 1960s seems primitive by today's standard, but it got the job done.

Since then, people dedicated to those fields have come to rely on them to explain just about every aspect of life. It does not matter whether the questions surround the creation of the universe or how to more effectively cook chicken in a microwave oven. Science and technology have been presented to us as the answer to almost everything.

But now, we have to face the very sobering reality of what is happening in the Gulf. Even if the problem is resolved tomorrow, the environmental impact is going to last for years and years.

When it comes to disasters, people often turn toward spirituality after science and technology have let them down. I have heard the calls for people to pray about the situation down there, and I believe that is crucial when it comes to the resolution of this.

Human nature being what it is, people want to rely on their own abilities to solve a problem. When they fail, it is at that point that they become humbled enough to start asking for help. This is often where God enters the picture.

Obviously, I can not speak for God, but sometimes I wonder what He must think when events like this unfold. Those who believe in God understand that He can resolve this issue with the blink of an eye. However, this situation continues to horribly continue.

Maybe a disaster of this magnitude should remind us that we are not quite as advanced as we believe we are. When we were children and we acted like we knew it all, our parents would comment that we were getting 'too big for our britches.'

So, could this be an example of suffering being caused because we got 'too big for our britches?' The very fact that BP would search for oil in such a dangerous way without an effective emergency response plan would indicate that.

All too often, we are willing to push the envelope without thinking through the consequences if we fail. Company e-mails that have recently come to light indicate that there were grave concerns within BP that too many corners were being cut.

However, BP kept pushing and pushing. All the successes the company has enjoyed over the years probably made them numb to the possibility of disaster. After all, BP was one of the most successful companies in the world.

Well, even the biggest fall on their faces at some time. It does not matter whether it is a large corporation or individuals like you and me.

Nobody likes to be humbled, but it might be the one thing that protects us from bigger calamity somewhere down the road.

So, let's learn now.

Happy Easter

On Sunday, millions of Christians worldwide will celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus. For believers, the Resurrection is the pivotal event of Christianity. Other holidays get a lot more attention, but this is the event that defines the faith.

Without it, Christianity would crumble and could easily be classified as the biggest hoax of all time. Jesus would have been just another false prophet who did not deliver on what He promised if the Resurrection did not take place.

I know these are strong words, but it is impossible for me to over-emphasize the importance of this event. Simply put, deciding whether Jesus was crucified as an atonement for our sins and then was resurrected is the most important question a person will face.

When analyzing whether Jesus rose, one of the most compelling pieces of evidence supporting this is the behavior of those closest to Him. In this case, I am referring to his closest disciples.

When Jesus was arrested and crucified, they ran for their lives. They were terrified, and Peter went as far as to publicly deny Him three times.

Some are quick to criticize Peter, but we should all know better. All Christians at some point have denied Jesus in some way. We should be grateful that our denials were not documented in the best-selling book of all time. Jesus forgave Peter, and we can all learn from that act of forgiveness

The main point here is that the disciples were distraught. Their Master was dead, and the religious leaders, the Roman authorities, and the public were after their hide.

In contrast with that, compare their behavior then to their behavior only a few days later. Not only did they stop running, but they began to actively proclaim the Gospel.

What could have caused such a quick turnaround? They met the resurrected Jesus.

As previously stated, they fled with fear after Jesus was arrested and crucified. It would have taken a supernatural event to cause such a dramatic turnaround.

This is exactly what happened. They encountered Jesus again, and their perceptions of Him and what He was sending them to do fortified their hearts. Despite the torture and hardship that awaited them, they willingly took the Gospel into the world.

Consider what these men were undertaking. These men were basically poor peasants with no clout, and they were going to challenge the most powerful empire in the world.

The message they would carry would bring upheaval, and history shows us that the Romans were not patient when it came to those bringing instability to their empire.

Again, why would they do this? Because they were absolutely certain what they believed in was true. The reality of the Resurrection of Jesus cemented His teachings in their souls.

People don't suffer and die for something they know to be a lie or a hoax. A person would be nuts to willingly suffer in the ways these men suffered if they knew it was all a lie.

History is littered with people who committed to a cause but then jumped ship as soon as it got tough.

However, it did not work that way with the disciples. They did not compromise. And we are the people who benefited from this the most.

An important week coming

In the coming week, March will end, and April will begin as 2010 continues to unfold at a breakneck pace. It is almost unbelievable that one quarter of the year is already finished, but that is the case.

While the changing of the months is important on one level, a person could make a pretty convincing case that we are about to begin the most important week of the year.

All religions have important observances, and for Christians, this coming week has a few that are the most important ones of that faith. No, I am not talking about Christmas. That holiday gets more publicity and hype than any other holiday and for the wrong reasons most of the time.

Beginning tomorrow, a series of observances unfold that literally describes the purpose of Christianity.

On Sunday, there will be commemorations worldwide that re-enact the return of Jesus to Jerusalem for the final time before His crucifixion and resurrection. Most calendars describe this day as 'Palm Sunday' though the holiday goes by some other names.

It is called that because as Jesus entered the city members of the large crowd laid down tree branches in front of Him. Palm leaves were likely among those branches. It makes sense that they were palm branches because in Jewish culture the laying down of these branches was a symbol used to honor somebody that was held in high regard.

In this case, Jesus was offering Himself as the long-awaited Messiah. The crowd had either personally seen him or heard of the many miracles He performed. It looked like a happy ending was about to happen. It did, but just not in the way the people expected.

Most in the crowd likely believed that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem to boot out the occupying Roman forces and take control. However, within a week, all but a handful of people abandoned Him.

Events unfolded that led to what Christians now observe as Good Friday. This is the day that commemorates the awful circumstances of Jesus' crucifixion and Him acting as a sacrifice for the world's sins. Deserted by those who claimed to follow Him and tortured until His flesh resembled hamburger, he was nailed to the tree.

Though crucifixion was a form of punishment meant to bring shame on the condemned, this time it actually was a moment of victory because Jesus was fulfilling His mission. Jesus was no victim. He went to the cross knowing that His sacrifice would act as an atonement for all sins.

Of course, the most important moment of all this was His resurrection. This will be observed on Sunday, April 4, as Christians worldwide unite in observing this special moment.

Some folks call this day Easter. Others call it Resurrection Sunday. People can call it what they want as long as they remember that Jesus' resurrection is what validates Christianity.

Without the resurrection, Christianity would not exist. With no resurrection, Jesus would have been just another false prophet who claimed many things but failed to deliver.

What I have just written is music to the ears of Christians. Hopefully, Christians can summon up the discipline and dedication to attend a sunrise service at a church near them.

However, for skeptics and non-believers, the coming week is really nothing. My challenge to them is to spend some time genuinely reflecting on themselves and their role within the universe.

When applying the 'common sense' test, I think we can all agree that all of creation was not a big, cosmic accident.

Open your hearts. You never know what might happen.

Evil is a mighty foe but don't choose it

The forces of good and evil swirl around us every day. If a person doubts that, all he has to do is read the newspaper or surf the Internet.

Horrible stories are easy to find, and some events make us shake our heads and wonder why God allows it.

We often see this in the way leaders treat the people of their countries. We take for granted the freedom we have and that is too bad.

In a more general sense, when we look back through history, it is often easier to remember people who dedicated themselves to tearing people down instead of those who contributed positively to our culture.

For example, here is a list of eight people and the time period they lived. Let us see how many names are recognizable: Albrecht Durer (1471-1528), Johann Bullinger (1504-1575), Reginald Heber (1783-1826), Peter Parker (1804-1888), Karl Marx (1818-1883), Fanny Crosby (1820-1915), George Williams (1821-1905), and Adolf Hitler (1889-1945).

If we are honest, the first name that is easily recognizable is the last name on the list. Hitler was the leader of Germany in the first half of the 20th century. He was the catalyst for World War II and was responsible for the Holocaust among other things.

The second most recognizable person is likely Marx. No, he was not Groucho, Harpo, and Chico's brother. He was the founder of Marxism and the spread of communism over the last 150 years or so is a direct result of his philosophy. Since the heart of communism is based on atheism and the repression of people, Marx's impact on society is approximately the same as Hitler's.

What about the rest of the people on the list? Even though most of those people are largely unknown, they each contributed in a much more positive way to society than the previous two men.

The following synopsis of these people comes courtesy of the David C. Cooke Ministries. For example, Crosby was a blind woman who wrote the lyrics to approximately six thousand hymns. Her most well-known hymn is 'Blessed Assurance.'

Heber was a missionary to India and wrote the hymn 'Holy, Holy, Holy' among others. Williams was founder of the YMCA. Parker was a missionary to China. Bullinger wrote the most widely used confession of faith to come out of the Protestant Reformation. Durer was an artist and left a legacy of religious artwork.

So, what can we say about the legacy left by all the people mentioned here? When we read history books, it is pretty easy to find information about Hitler and Marx. They are certainly the most famous people listed here.

However, the other six people left much more lasting legacies than their famous counterparts. If we were to pick up a generic history book, these people would likely not be found. Sure, if we did some digging, we could find information on them, but there would be vastly more information on Hitler and Marx.

The big question we must ask ourselves is: What type of legacy do we want to leave? Mankind's vainglorious nature tends to crave fame by any means necessary. After all, people compromise their integrity every day on reality television programs. For the love of a lousy buck, people will do almost everything.

The bottom line is the biggest legacy we can all leave is to simply wake up each morning and just do the right thing. It may not be glamorous. It may not be sexy. It may not land a person on the cover of People magazine.

However, it will impact other people in ways that yield lasting, positive results.

God: The redeemer of the oppressed

Right now, I am involved in a study of the Book of Job in the Old Testament. Specifically, I am at Chapter 19, and the last part of the chapter records Job's words regarding God as his redeemer.

While studying this passage, I came across this interesting information in a commentary I was reading:

"Throughout the Hebrew Scriptures, God is often seen as ga'al, or the redeemer, of oppressed and weak peoples. For instance, in Proverbs 23:10-11, God's role is described in these words: 'Do not move an ancient boundary stone or encroach on the fields of the fatherless, for their Defender [ga'al] is strong; he will take up their cause against you.' In the Psalms, God is noted as the redeemer of those who die: 'Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits – who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems [ga'al] your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion' (Psalm 103:2-4)."

Just something to think about.

Source material: “Wisdom for the Walk: Job, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs” from David C. Cook Ministries

Quote of the day: Advice from Billy Graham

"When we face decisions, we need to remember that God hasn't left us in the dark, nor is He uninterested. God loves us, and He wants what is best for us. He has a perfect path in life for us, and He wants us to choose it instead of the wrong paths Satan would tempt us to follow...He also gives us wisdom (sometimes through other people) to understand our situation, and He gives us the Holy Spirit to guide us. Never make a decision without committing it to God and seeking His will. He promises to guide you -- and He will."


(Special thanks to Nightly Daily reader Leanne for submitting this)

Quote of the day: God and environmentalism

"Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; let the sea roar, and the fullness thereof. Let the field be joyful, and all that is therein: then shall all the trees of the wood rejoice before the LORD: for he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth: he shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth." -- Psalm 96: 11-13.

It is too bad that the word 'environmentalist' has been hijacked so that many people think it only refers to extremists who put this cause ahead of everything else. It is true there is a large group of people who have taken things too far. However, Christianity and nature go hand in hand.

After all, the Bible is full of passages that deal specifically with nature. The verses I posted above are just one example. If you do not believe me, google the words 'Bible and nature' and see what type of response you get. The beauty of nature is one of the most important pieces of evidence Christians can present when it comes to defending the existence of God and our faith.

When it comes to the resources God has blessed us with, it is important that we be good stewards of them. People think of this mostly when it comes to managing our money and other material assets. This line of thinking should also apply to different aspects of life, including how we use environmental resources.

If we do not, everything could go: 'Poof!'

Seeking comfort during troubled times

As we proceed through our lives in this harsh and imperfect world, the search for peace and comfort becomes harder. A casual glance at the evening news clearly shows that brokenness is this world's king, and Ole Scratch will not ease up until Jesus returns. Fortunately, nobody has to go through all this alone.

In 2 Corinthians 1:3, the Apostle Paul wrote that God is the "God of all comfort," which is one of His most relevant characteristics in our splintered society today. That is not to say some of God's attributes are irrelevant, but the comfort He provides us through the Holy Spirit is one of the tonics we need most. Comfort soothes even the most broken heart.

In his excellent book The Glorious Journey, Charles Stanley wrote: "Comfort is found not in the absence of pain but in the midst of it. So many hurting Christians believe their walk with the Lord is not as it should be because of their intense pain. They don't feel comfortable. Feeling comfortable and being comforted are two different things. The first is a nice feeling but tends to come and go, as feelings do. The second is a fact based on the Comforter, not on circumstances. And He does not come and go: 'Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.'(Hebrews 13:5)."

As Solomon said in Ecclesiastes, there is a season for everything in our lives. As surely as summer turns into fall, unexpected events occur. People lose jobs, relationships crumble, and people die causing our pain level to change. However, the One who comforts never changes or leaves. He is there just as much during good times, but our human nature sometimes blinds us to that fact.

No one is immune to this. In 2 Corinthians 12, Paul wrote that he had a "thorn in my flesh" so troublesome that he cried out to God in despair. Also, Jesus prayed before His arrest and crucifixion for God to "take this cup from me" if possible. So take heart, we are all in good company.

If you are a person suffering a lot of pain, know that this is a bond we all share and you are not alone. One of Satan's most common tactics is to isolate people so that they feel like nobody could understand. If the Holy Spirit puts it on your heart to reach out to somebody, be brave and take that chance. Or, if on the other hand, you suspect somebody around you is experiencing a lot of pain and you feel spiritually led to reach out to him or her, try to do that. It could be a delicate situation, but the potential for good is beyond measure. Remember, we were born to love one another.

Regardless of your situation, always remember you are not alone. Even if circumstances are not as you would like, remember God is there, and He cares. Man is fallible but not Him.

Reference materials: The Holy Bible, 'The Glorious Journey' by Charles Stanley

Psalm 51: A model for forgiveness and gratitude

Written by King David, many people consider Psalm 51 to be the most anguished confession of sin in the Bible. It is that, but it is also much more. The psalm provides us a blueprint to follow if we ever find ourselves dealing with the wreckage of wandering from God.

'Blueprint' may not be the best word to use when describing this psalm. Many times, a blueprint is a simple process to follow in order to achieve a goal. Blueprints tend to be more intellectually driven and do not usually include the contents of our heart.

While this psalmist's goal is repentance and restoration of fellowship with God, we need to always remember that one of the most important parts of us that God wants is our heart. If there is one characteristic here that leaps out at us, it is how David poured his heart out to God. David was genuinely sorry for what he had done and was not going through a ritualistic exercise so he could feel better about himself.

David wrote this psalm after he began his relationship with Bathsheba. While Bathsheba's soldier husband was away, David began an affair with her. The Bible details their relationship in 2 Samuel 11, including David's efforts to kill her husband and its aftermath.

Keeping in mind that at different points in his life many described David as "a man after God's own heart," his list of sins in this situation is startling. The list includes his lusting after Bathsheba, committing adultery with her, conspiring to deceive her husband, making her husband drunk, conspiring to murder then actually murdering him, and then ignoring his sins until Nathan confronted him in 2 Samuel 12.

David wrote this psalm at some point after Nathan confronted him. It was at this point that the enormity of his sins against God and the pain he had inflicted on people began to hit him. His writing sheds light on his regret and his desire to recapture a close fellowship with God.

The first nine verses are an urgent plea. He confesses that he sinned against God and needed His forgiveness. In the first two verses, he admitted his "transgressions." In verse four, it is clear that David knew that a person can sin only against God. He may have hurt other people, but God is the only One we can sin against.

He then asked that God forgive and cleanse him. In verse seven, he asked: "Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow." Hyssop was a plant used in ritual cleansing at that time.

The final verses are a response of gratitude to God. He continued to petition God for forgiveness, but he knew that if he wanted to change, he would have to remain close to Him. In verses 11-12 he pleaded, "Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me."

He then closed the psalm by saying he would teach others so that they would know all about God and know not to do what he did. In this case, David was willing to use his experiences as a teaching tool for others. Likewise, after we sin, good can come of it if we are humble enough to allow our experiences to help others when needed.

Sometimes, people think that things they have done may be too much for God to forgive. David's list of sins was severe and wide ranging, but God was there for him. When we do wrong to others, it is human to want to avoid those we have hurt. The same goes with our relationship with God. When we sin against God, we realize we have hurt Him so we are hesitant to turn to Him.

Do not let anything you may have done in your past be a stumbling block when it comes to God. He was there waiting for David when he was ready. He wants to do the same for you.

How much are we like Jonah?

The brief Book of Jonah, tucked away toward the end of the Old Testament, is an interesting study of God's patience when the person He chooses for a job does not want to do it. This situation applies to all of us to a certain degree. At one time or another, we have all resisted doing a job God has wanted us to perform.

However, as this book shows, God does not give up easily as we come up with reasons not to serve Him. In Jonah's situation, God used some unusual tactics to get his attention. While we may never spend time inside a fish, the spiritual conviction we feel as we wrestle with God about a matter is often no less dramatic.

The part of this book that most people know is the three days Jonah spent inside a fish. But there is a lot more here than that. Though only four chapters long, the book teaches that bitterness can take root in all our hearts if we lose our focus.

The book began with God telling Jonah to go to Nineveh and preach against it because their wickedness was great. In one of the few examples in the Bible of a prophet refusing a direct commission to prophesy, Jonah refused. Not only did he say 'no,' but he also left in an attempt to avoid God's wishes.

Why would he refuse to serve? Though it is not entirely clear why, a likely reason was because Nineveh was an Assyrian city. The Assyrians had oppressed Israel, so the idea of going to an enemy city to warn them of God's impending judgment likely was very upsetting.

Jonah wanted God to punish the city for what it had done to his people, but because of God's love and mercy, he was afraid God would spare them (see Jonah 4:1-2). It is human nature to avoid doing something good for our worst enemy. However, God sees everybody as sinners who need Him.

Imagine if God wanted you to go to Iran or another enemy of America and minister to them. It would be easy for us to resist just as it was for Jonah. However, Jesus told us in Matthew 5:44 to love our enemies.

Jonah attempted to flee on a boat, but God caused a great storm. In an attempt to appease God, the ship's passengers threw Jonah overboard, but God provided a fish to protect him from drowning. While in the fish, we see a different side of Jonah. In chapter one, he had been hard-hearted, rebellious, and upset at God. In chapter two, we see a more softhearted, teachable, and thankful person.

God's use of the storm should not be interpreted as an attempt by Him to harm Jonah. He wanted to teach Jonah obedience, and His use of the storm and fish helped achieve that. The peril Jonah faced was because of his sin.

If he had been obedient, he would not have been in this situation. Jonah recognized his mistakes, and his prayer in chapter two drips with contrition. In the same way when we sin, we must face the results they produce, but God wants to work with us so we can learn.

In chapter three, Jonah went to Nineveh and preached. His preaching produced results because the people repented, and God spared the city. On the surface, this conclusion seemed like the ultimate happy ending with the people turning toward God.

However, Jonah's reaction to this is a study in bitterness. Instead of being happy that the people repented, he was very unhappy. He could not get passed his own anger and pain. Jonah reminded God that his original reason for resisting was because He is merciful and would forgive them. Now God had done the very thing he feared, and it made him angry.

While Jonah's point of view may seem ridiculous, we need to be very careful before we sling arrows in his direction. How easy is it for us to harbor resentment, anger, and bitterness in our hearts when we have been wronged? It is extremely difficult to let go of the hurts we have.

We have to be very careful not to allow the pain and anger in our hearts to consume us when it comes to Godly matters. While we should have a righteous anger against sin, the Gospel needs revealing to everybody including people who may be our enemies. We can not let personal dislikes get in the way.

The Apostle Paul wrote in Ephesians chapter four about the need to rid ourselves of anger. He wrote in verse 26: "In your anger do not sin; Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry." In verse 31 he wrote: "Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every other form of malice."

Many times life can be frustrating. Many times life unfolds in ways we do not like. Many times life can break our hearts. However, the guidance God provides in those verses in Ephesians show how important it is to let go of anger and bitterness.

There comes a time when it is necessary to let go of the pain and hurt in our hearts.

Make this the time.

The duality of man

My spiritual side longs to serve and please God in all that I do.
My fleshly side longs to serve and please myself no matter what the cost.

My spiritual side loves to lift up and support other people.
My fleshly side is only interested in what they can do for me.

My spiritual side cultivates kindness, gentleness, and forgiveness.
My fleshly side embraces abrasiveness as a tool that manipulates others.

My spiritual side is disciplined enough to obey traffic laws.
My fleshly side loves to zoom like the wind with no concern about how it endangers other motorists.

My spiritual side is patient with those who live near me.
My fleshly side wants no neighborhood children playing in my yard. Ever!

My spiritual side knows I am a unique creation of God.
My fleshly side thinks I am just another cog with no special purpose.

My spiritual side knows God wants an active role in my life.
My fleshly side wonders whether He really hears me at all.

My spiritual side understands the need for moderation.
My fleshly side believes there is nothing wrong with that fourth piece of chocolate cake.

My spiritual side wants me to open my heart and let others see who I am.
My fleshly side wants to keep people at arm's length.

My spiritual side loves to attend a worship service and praise Jesus.
My fleshly side loves to sleep late on Sunday and watch ESPN in bed.

My spiritual side looks at the hobo on the side of the road and wants to help.
My fleshly side believes he is getting what he deserves.

My spiritual side teaches me to be content with what I have.
My fleshly side wants the green grass on the other side.

My spiritual side prays for our leaders in government.
My fleshly side wants to set everything on fire and smile while watching it all burn to the ground (but then again, there is a time for everything).

My spiritual side is grateful for modern conveniences.
My fleshly side wonders whether the restaurant meal I just ate for $12 was slapped together in a microwave.

My spiritual side understands the need for humility.
My fleshly side believes I have a higher IQ than everybody in Alabama combined.

My spiritual side enjoys giving.
My fleshly side is selfish in unspeakable ways.

My spiritual side runs to the Light.
My fleshly side crouches and rests in darkness.

My spiritual side understands that I have been blessed in remarkable ways.
My fleshly side wonders why my life is so lacking.

My spiritual side enjoys the give and take of teaching a Sunday school class.
My fleshly side makes it easy to view that class as just another obligation to fulfill.

My spiritual side is filled with contentment.
My fleshly side is filled with despair and restlessness.