Independence Day

On July 4th, we celebrate Independence Day.  It is commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4th, 1776.  The purpose was to declare independence from the oppression of Great Britain.  

There was a Committee of Five who tried to explain the Declaration of Independence.  Thomas Jefferson was the principle author of this venture.  Congress finally approved it on July 4th.

Interestingly, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, the only signers of the Declaration of Independence who went on to become Presidents of the United States both died on July 4th, five hours apart, in 1826, which was the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.  

Another Founding Father, who did not sign the Declaration of Independence, who became President was James Monroe and he died on July 4th, 1831.  He became the third president in a row who died on July 4th.  

The Bible also presents us with a personal declaration of independence from our sins.  Isaiah 43:25, gives to us these precious words from God.  “I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake.  And I will not remember your sins.”

I believe what this means is that whatever it was that you did or did not do, if you go to God in prayer with a repentant heart, that God will not only forgive you, but that God will wipe the slate clean as if it never even happened.  For those who worry about their salvation due to something they did in their past - these words tell us how much God loves us.  God wants to liberate us from the prison of our minds and set us free.  This is our declaration of independence and the assurance of our salvation by believing that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God.  By repenting of our sins and taking Jesus as our Lord and Savior.  Happy Independence Day.  

Addictions

Five hundred people die of addictions every hour in America, at a cost of 600 billion dollars a year.  There are drug addictions such as alcohol, cocaine, morphine, etc.  There are behavioral addictions such as gambling, junk food, pornography, and video games.  

All addictions hijack the reward center of the brain.  The reward center is composed of three areas:  the nucleus accumbens, the ventral tegmental area, and the prefrontal cortex.  

The key neurotransmitter is dopamine, which when released causes extreme craving for the drug or behavior.  

Caffeine and nicotine are two of the most widely used psychoactive drugs in the world.  Billions of people throughout the world use them every day.  

Junk food is a behavioral addiction.  Two thirds of Americans are overweight and one third are obese.  Pornography is a multi-billion dollar enterprise which is approaching one third of the internet.  Video games are also very addictive.  Grand Theft Auto 5 made five billion dollars in the first three days of its release.  That is five times greater than any movie made in history.  

To make matters even worse, 100 million Americans are suffering from chronic pain.  Time Magazine in its June 15, 2015, cover announced that America is now in an epidemic of pain pill addiction that is out of control.  These particular drugs are called opioids which relieve pain and have a chemical structure very close to heroin.  Examples are Vicodin, Demerol, Opana, Oxycontin, Percocet, etc.  

Time reported that of the 9.4 million Americans taking opioids for chronic pain, 2.1 million are addicted.  An average of 46 Americans died daily from prescription overdose.  

Every state in America, except one, has a prescription monitoring program which makes it more difficult to get multiple prescriptions from many doctors.  That state is Missouri.

When you are addicted it is like the Eagles greatest album, "The Hotel California."  You can check in but you can never leave.  In order to leave you are going to have to slay the beast that lives there.  (I will take a little poetic license to illustrate my point.)  The beast is whatever the addiction you may have, and all God's children got addictions.  You have to be a Sir Lancelot or a Joan of Arc.  You have to be brave and courageous.   

In the book, "Tigers In The Dark," the author tells of various stories of courage.  In this particular story a tiger trainer is being televised walking into a large cage where he will command rows of Bengal tigers weighing up to 600 pounds with a chair and a whip.  This was years ago when TV was live and shown as it was actually happening.  Midway through his performance there was a power failure.  The audience and TV watchers gasped.  For almost half a minute the tiger trainer was completely in the dark with the tigers, and tigers can see very well in the dark.  During what seemed a long time the audience could still hear the trainer talk and crack the ship.  The lights came on and he was safe.  Afterwards, the TV host asked him how he made it out alive.  The tiger trainer said he knew that tigers can see very well in the dark, but the tigers did not know that he could not see in the dark.  The tiger trainer did not focus on his fears but rather his courage and kept cracking his whip and talking as if nothing had happened.  This is the courage we must have.  We have to focus on our courage and not our fears.  

There will be relapses but we have to pick ourselves up and keep trying.  As Michael Corleone said, "Just when I thought I was out - they keep pulling me back in."  

The Apostle Paul in the seventh chapter of Romans reveals that at times he doesn't do the things he should do and does the things that he shouldn't do.  He then wails, "Who will save me from this body of death?"  He didn't say, what will save me - such as a 12 step program (which is good) but rather - who will save me?  The answer is Jesus Christ.  The very name of Jesus means One who will save.  We have within us the power of the Holy Spirit.  That power is dunamis (we get the English word dynamite) which is the same power that raised Jesus from the dead.  We have the power to overcome any addiction with the help of Jesus Christ.

John 3:16 is not just one of the favorite verses in the Bible, it is also the definition of the Gospel.  It begins, "For God so loved the world."  It didn't say, "For God so loved only the good people in the world."  The church is for the lost.  When Jesus talked of watching over 100 sheep and one was missing - He went after that lost sheep.  Jesus cares about that addicted person many people would just as soon get rid of.  The Bible says that we can withstand temptation if we can rely on Him.  When our backs are to the wall, He will send us an angel and angels always appear in human form.  The definition of an angel is one sent by God.  God can use you as an angel to help the lost.  You can be an angel and change lives if you wish.  The job description of a Christian is not very long.  It is in fact very short.  Our job description is "To change lives."  

You can be a light in a sea of darkness.  You can be an angel to someone who needs you.  To let the Word go forth.  The world needs you, and the world needs you now.  

Salute To High School Graduates

When I graduated from high school I got a call from my uncle who lived in a fairly large city.  He wanted me to come stay with him for the summer and he already had a well paying job all set up for me.  When I asked him what it entailed, he said, “All you have to do is ride shotgun on the truck and tell the workers where and when to spread oil on the roads.  It pays $10 an hour.”  I thought about that for about five seconds and told my uncle, “Gee.  Thanks a lot Uncle Del, but I already have a job lined up for the summer.”  I hung up the phone and then went out an got a job at a hamburger stand for $1.00 an hour.  

What happened?  I was afraid I would fail.  As a result, instead of making a lot of money in the summer to help me pay for college, I played it safe and made very little.  The bottom line is this:  I lacked confidence in myself.

How do we develop confidence?  Much of this comes with life experience; however, the Bible gives us the answer that we need.  The Apostle Paul, in Philippians 4:13 gives us this advice:  “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”  

When we find ourselves facing tough decisions on what to do in life, take time to pray about it and ask Christ to guide you to make the right decision, and then to give you strength and confidence to do it. 

You are not alone.  God will help you.  May God give you the courage and confidence to go forth and  make a difference in the world.

What Is Maundy Thursday?

What is Maundy Thursday and why do churches celebrate it?

Maundy Thursday is also known as,  "Holy Thursday."  It is the day before Good Friday.  Good Friday is the day before Easter.  All of this happens during, "Holy Week," which is the last week of the life of Jesus.  

Maundy Thursday commemorates what we refer to as, "The Last Supper."  Jesus shared the "Passover Meal" on the night before He was crucified.  The "Passover Meal" refers to the celebration of all Jews who remember when Moses led the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt and eventually into the promised land of Caanan.  In response to the last of 10 plagues in which the "destroyer," would kill the first born child, the Israelites were told that if they would place blood on the door post, the "destroyer," would pass over them and no blood would be shed.  Thus the term, "Passover."

 Jesus sat at the able with His 12 apostles.  One would betray Him, and that was Judas.  One would deny Him, and that was Peter.  The other ten fled for fear of their life.  During this time, the Bible records that the Lord Jesus on the night when He was betrayed took bread, and when He had given thanks He broke it and said, "This is my body which is given to you.  Eat this as often as you do in remembrance of Me."  In the same manner, He took the cup and said, "This is the New Covenant in My blood.  Drink this as often as you do in remembrance of Me."  Thus, this has become how the Church celebrates that occassion by referring to it as, "Communion," the "Eucharist," or simply the, "Lord's Supper."

The word, "Maundy," comes from the Latin word for, "command." This word used on Maundy Thursday refers to the command that Jesus gave to His apostles and disciples that they should love one another.  

If everyone in the world observed this command, what a wonderful world we would have.  

Memory Enhancement

And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment. 

Hebrews 9:27

We apparently have no choice about when God has made this appointment; however, we do have a choice about our quality of life before that time comes.  

Our genes determine 25% of what happens to us.  That leaves 75% to determine the life style changes we can make to change our life.  

In the latest research from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, the following eight variables will clearly help in developing appropriate and healthy life style changes we all need to make.

1  Get regular exercise which is your best memory booster.  

2  Protect your heart and your brain.  Try to lower your blood pressure.

3  Get a good night’s sleep every night.  Try to get 7 hours if you can.

4  Eat a diet that builds “brain health.”

5  Be aware of alcohol consumption.

6  Be aware of certain medications that may impact memory.

7  Keep your mind sharp with mental activities.

8  Try to manage stress effectively.

What Is Lent?

You hear people talking about lent this time of the year in many churches but just what is lent all about?  What does it mean?

The word, "lent," comes from the Anglo-Saxon word, "lencten," which basically means the time of the year when the days grown longer.

Lent officially begins on Ash Wednesday and continues for 40 days until finishing up on Easter.  If you took a calculator and tried to figure out the 40 days you would come up with the wrong figure.  You have to subtract every Sunday because each Sunday is considered to be a "miniature Easter."  Thus, you calculate the 40 days minus Sundays.

Lent has its origins somewhere between the 6th and 8th century.  Originally, the idea was that a Christian, as a sign of repentance, would sprinkle ashes on his or her head.  In the Bible, ashes symbolize humility, mortality, fasting and remorse.  A person who sinned and felt remorse would sprinkle ashes on their head as a sign of repentance and sorrow.  

Ashes reminds us that we are mortal and eventually we will die.  At gravesite services, the pastor will usually say something in regard to dust to dust and ashes to ashes.  

Over time, instead of sprinkling ashes on a person's head, the ashes were instead rubbed into the forehead in the shape of a cross as a reminder of repentance and baptism.  Eventually, many churches gave up this practice.  The importance is what goes on in your heart.  

Why does it consist of 40 days?  That is because after Jesus was baptized, the Bible tells us that Jesus went into the wilderness to fast and to experience being tempted by the devil throughout this 40 day period.  

During the 40 days of Lent, we are think about our own troubles and temptations we go through and repent.  It is a time for us to receive God's forgiveness and to receive the power of the Holy Spirit  to give us strength and spiritual renewal to lead the Christian Life.  

Does Time Really Heal All Wounds?

Does time heal?  For some people it may indeed be true.  Some people swear by it.  

However, I believe that time heals nothing.  We learn to accept that which we cannot change.  

How long does it take to accept?  Six months, one year, three years?  

Elizabeth Kubler-Ross was a Swiss Psychiatrist who wrote a very well known book in 1969, called "On Death and Dying." In the book she outlined five stages that people go through when they go through the process of death.  

Stage one:  Denial - Reality is hard to face and the first reaction is generally denial that this could actually be happening.  "There must be some mistake, doctors missed something."

Stage two:  Anger - Once denial can no longer be used as a defense, anger comes in, "why is this happening to me?  It's not fair.  How could God let this happen?"

Stage three:  Bargaining - There is still hope that somehow the individual can overcome this.  "Let me live God and I'll serve you forever."  

Stage four:  Depression - When the person eventually realizes that denial and bargaining is not going to work they begin to understand the certainty of death.  "I'm so sad, why do anything.  I'm going to die soon so what is the point?"

Stage five:  Acceptance - Individuals finally come to grips with their mortality.  "It's going to be okay.  I can't fight it so I might as well prepare for it.

Later Dr. Kubler Ross, through further research, expanded these five stages to include not just death, but also all traumas.  

The question that I would like for you, as you read this, to try and come to terms with is this:  "How long is it going to take between depression and acceptance?"  Six months, one year, three years, ten years?  

In order to heal anything we first have to understand it.  Healing and curing are two different things.  Curing is a medical term.  Healing is a spiritual term and it is an active process.  It is not a passive one.  As Americans, we do not always want to make the effort to get better, rather we just want to feel better now.  Feeling better is a passive process,via drugs, trying to block things out of our mind, refusing to talk about it, etc.  Getting better is an active process where we participate in the healing process.  If you are waiting for time to do its work, you are going to be in for a very long wait.  

When I was a little boy I would sometimes cut myself.  My mother would always give me a lecture first on why I should be more careful.  She then would take water and soap and clean the wound carefully.  She would put some type of salve on it and then apply a band aid.  

What would happen if she didn't clean the wound?  It might taken longer, could cause an infection, but it would eventually close and likely leave a scar. 

When we experience a wound to our heart, or our soul, it feels like being torn apart.  Sometimes it even feels like we are bleeding inside.  Eventually, the bleeding will stop and the wound closes.  However, what is it we have closed up?  Have we truly healed the wound or have we simply closed up anger, hurt, regret, and remorse inside?  If we have not healed the wound, some people will experience "weeping wounds" which doctors and nurses describe as a wound that doesn't heal because of some type of noxious fluids that fester and ooze out.  How many weeping wounds can a person suffer before their whole system is contaminated.  

The Greek word for "trauma" is wound.  A wound that is not healed will fester.  Almost all philosophers believe we will die without ever healing our wounds.  

The Bee Gees believed that you cannot mend a broken heart.  You can't stop the rain from falling and you can't stop the sun from shining.  Dolly Parton sings Silver threads and golden needles can't mend a broken heart.  They are all probably right.  We may not be able to mend a broken heart but God can.  

The 23rd Psalm provides us with some answers.  Look at the first three verses: 

"The Lord is my shepherd.  I shall not want.  He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters.  He restores my soul."

How does God restore our soul?  He makes us lie down in green pastures.  Green pastures refers to the bread of life which is Jesus Christ.  He leads us beside the still waters.  Still waters is the opposite of troubled waters.  He restores our soul.

God knows we go through troubled times and become anxious and depressed but God also wants us to be restored to a life of joy.  He wants us to slow down and know that He is with us.  He wants us to allow Jesus to touch and heal every hurt and wound that we may have closed up rather than allowed to heal.  

In ancient times, healing meant to be whole, which meant that if a person became sick they would not be whole anymore.  Something has happened that has broken our wholeness and disease has come into our body.  Something will have to be done, actively not passively, as time has nothing to do with healing.  

In pain management, you are taught to relax your muscles or wherever the pain is.  If you tighten up, the pain will obviously get worse the more you resist it.  Allow the pain to be present.  When you breathe deeply and become more aware of the pain, there is room for it to move and flow through you more easily.  Pain is there to tell us something is wrong whether it is physical, emotional, psychological, or spiritual.  To become whole, means being open to our pain and our losses.  We include those things that would have been forever lost and not recognized as needing to be healed if we had not taken the time to heal.  One of my favorite singers is Carly Simon who touches on this with her wonderful song, "There's More Room In A Broken Heart."  

Time does not heal.  However, healing does take some time.  Let God help you through the process.  That's one of the things He does best.