The Paradoxes We Face...

Do you ever think about how much our society has changed over the last 50-60 years? Your answer to that may depend on how old you are! Was life ever as it was in "Leave it to Beaver" or "Happy Days"? Well, it may not have been that idealistic, but it was different. The things we value and our ideas about those things are radically different. I believe these changes hinge on our collective and individual relationship with Jesus Christ.

Consider these passages from God's Word:

• Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet, a light unto my path. Psalm 119:105

• "Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it." Matt. 7:23-14

• Do not turn to the right nor to the left; turn your foot from evil. Prov. 4:27
  
  I believe that as a people, we have veered from His path. Let's consider two areas.
  

  
  Our culture of politics is a strange paradox of sorts. We want more social services, better education standards, and a stronger defense. However no one seems to want higher taxes, nor does anyone want to make financial reductions in other areas. What’s a government to do? We are a culture of excesses, spoiled by the lavishness of our lifestyles, confused between our wants and needs. The things we want have become the things we must have! Ours is a society so far removed from the real poverty of our world, that not possessing the latest trends in fashion or pleasure, renders one poor. This political paradox has been costly to the backbone of our society, the family.

  
  That cost has been high. The average traditional family unit does not look the same as in the generations before ours. Gone is the assumption that every child in the classroom goes home to both parents. Gone are the days when most families gather every evening around the dinner table to break bread and share the goings-on of their day. Gone is the notion that most families will be in worship on Sunday morning. Gone are the days….

  
  Speaking of Sunday morning worship, our culture of spirituality is also a strange paradox. Our airways contain more spiritual programming than at anytime in history. Being spiritual, not religious, is as in vogue as wearing blue jeans and a T-shirt. Yet, our society is more violent, more divided, more materialistic, and more absent of conscience than ever before. My generation, which is following the Greatest Generation, has seemed to disavow the spiritual Truth that guided their fathers to greatness. How did that happen? What went wrong? Why are the values of those parents not embraced by their children?

  
  This modern spirituality has led us to a paradox of values. We value human life, yet we lead the world in the number of abortions. We put men on trial for murdering their unborn children, yet we don’t recognize the viability of a fetus. We embrace “family values,” yet 50% of all marriages fail. If history tells us anything, it is that this republic, which we so cherish and that gives us the freedom to change, was founded upon Biblical values. And now those Biblical values cannot be displayed in our classrooms or on courthouse lawns. Some would have us believe that we can no longer express those values in public displays or prayers. Then we wonder why our children are confused and look elsewhere for stability in their lives. Yes, a paradox of values.

  
  Actually, these paradoxes have evolved into a single crisis. A crisis of Faith. We've gotten off His beaten path!

  
  How do we find our way back? By reading His Word, pondering His Word, and living His Word!

  
  Grace to all as we walk His path,

Pray or Be Prey....

Do you remember the days of playing those childhood games like “Hide ‘n Seek”? My memories of that game are not all that good. I had two problems when I was on the “hide” side of that game.  As a child who wore a leg brace, I was not very fast – so by the time whoever was “it” counted to 10, I usually had not gotten very far. “It” could also track me to my hiding place by listening to the squeaks of the ankle joint of my brace! I always felt like raccoon that was being treed. It's not a good feeling to be someone's prey!

In the spiritual realm, I am also being stalked because I have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

·         Be of sober spirit; be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls about like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour.  1 Peter 5:8

In that passage, Peter is speaking to believers. So, that someone is me and you – if you are a believer in Jesus Christ! I don’t like the idea of being hunted. I don’t like the idea that someone is actively seeking to destroy me. So what are we to do?  

Paul was very specific in his instructions about fighting the devil in Ephesians 6.  We are to suit up for battle because we are at war with Satan. He is seeking to destroy each of us, to steal our joy and abundant life, to oppress us so that we do not share the news of Jesus with those we encounter. He wants us to be paralyzed, unhappy, and ineffective as a child of God.

·         Put on the full armor of God so you will stand firm against the schemes of the devil… Eph. 6:11

Most of the armor the soldier of that time wore was defensive in nature. The only offensive weapon mentioned is the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.

Just as we saw with Jesus when He was tempted by Satan in the wilderness, the scripture defeats Satan. He has to flee when God’s Word is spoken. So it makes sense to me to pray that armor of God on everyday to be protected from his attacks. We should pray it on ourselves and on others we care about – especially when they are in the midst of battle and may not be strong enough to pray it on themselves.

The Word of God is powerful – even more so when prayed in the name of Jesus! When fighting your own battles or helping to equip someone else, pray on the armor:

Father, let _____________ be strong in You, and in the strength of Your might. Put on her the full armor of God that she may be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. Lord, hold her tight with the belt of Truth. You are the Truth; help _______ to hold fast to you and not be afraid. Dress her with the breastplate of righteousness – search her heart, protect her heart, and fill her heart with right motives and emotions. Place on her the shoes of the gospel of peace. Where ever she goes, let her go in the spirit of peace and let her be ready to share Your salvation with those she meets. Place in her hands the shield of faith that it might deflect the flaming missiles of the evil one. Through her faith, let her carry out her purpose and claim the victory that You have already won. And Father, put on _________the helmet of salvation. Remind her who she belongs to and not let her listen to the whispers of Satan. Protect her mind from falsehoods and self-defeating thoughts. Transform her mind into the mind of Christ as she goes about her daily life. Finally, Father, let her carry the Sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Bring to her mind the verses that she needs for comfort, courage, and battle against Satan. Let her remember Your word that she can claim as she faces the temptations of Satan. Your word says that You have given Your angels charge concerning her, to guard and protect her in all her ways. Thank You for building a hedge of protection around her. Finally, I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that You are able to guard what I have entrusted to You until that day when you return. I entrust _______________ to You.
Eph. 6:10-20; Ps. 91:11; 2 Tim. 1:12

As believers, we can choose to pray or be prey...
                                                                                   

Conformed or Transformed????

Have you ever really thought about what happens to a person when he or she becomes a Christian? I mean, is there a big cross tattooed on the forehead or something? Obviously not. So, how are we to recognize someone as being a Christian? Or, are we even supposed to be able to recognize a Christian?

Many times a Christian doesn’t want to be noticed, doesn’t want to be singled out as a believer in Jesus. Some people see believers as Bible-thumping holy rollers who look down on the humanness of our condition. Others look for the imperfections in Christians that contradict what they say they believe. Then there are some who actually make fun of and ridicule people who profess faith in Jesus. Sometimes it’s just easier to not be noticed as a believer; it’s easier to live as a silent Christian.

Scripture indicates very strongly that a true believer in Jesus Christ should be different from those who do not profess faith – they should be noticed!

·         Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Romans 12:2

Two key words in that verse are conformed and transformed.

·         Conformed - to act in accord with the prevailing standards, attitudes, practices, etc., of society or a group; to be or become similar in form, nature, or character. (dictionary.com)

What does being conformed to the world mean? It is necessary to know the answer to that question in order to understand the imperative to NOT do it.

If one is conformed to the world, he/she looks like, talks like, walks like, and smells like the world. In other words, there is no difference between the two. It’s like the old adage, “If it walks like a duck and quakes like a duck, it’s probably a duck.” There is no distinction between his/her  vocabulary, or the jokes he/she tells and laughs at, or the morals and ethic he/she lives by. Business is conducted like the world, relationships look like those of the world, social activities are the same as the world.

Believers are NOT to be like the world.

·         Transformed - to undergo a change in form, appearance, or character (dictionary.com)

Instead of conformed to the world, believers are to be transformed – changed! Believers are to be different! They should stick out! They should be noticed! – Not in an obnoxious, “better-than-you” type way, but different in their character, motivation, and purpose. Wow!  That’s not something one can do on his own. Oh, one can pretend – for a while – but eventually, the true self will win out.

So how is that transformation achieved? …by the renewing of your mind… This is a spiritual transformation – unable to be achieved except via a supernatural force.

·         This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! 2 Corinthians 5:17

Transformation!

Christianity is a calling – away from worldliness and toward Godliness. We are called to be like Christ – not BE Christ, but be LIKE Christ by the transforming of our mind, our thoughts, our inner man.  

That spiritual force, the Holy Spirit, is instantly in us when we put our faith in Christ. That refining process of transforming our minds is a process, a path we travel as our relationship with him grows deeper.

Christians are to be noticeable. They should stick out like a redhead in a sea of peroxide blonds!

If you claim Christ as your Savior, is it noticeable to those who cross your path throughout the day, or are you living out your life as a silent Christian, hoping no one singles you out, pointing no one toward Jesus?

Are you conformed – or – transformed?

Indian Giver...

Chief Peta Nocona

 I grew up in a time where it was still “cool” for little kids to play cowboys and Indians. I also grew up in a community filled with Indian lore; in fact, my town was named after Indian Chief Peta Nocona, the great Comanche Indian warrior who raided Fort Richardson and took young Cynthia Ann Parker hostage. Cynthia Ann eventually married Chief Nocona and fathered the famous Quanah Parker. My family, like probably half of the families in the state of Texas, claim some lineage to Cynthia Ann Parker although we have never been able to find that final link…

Anyway, I said all that to say that I grew up playing a make-believe cowboy fighting the make-believe Indians that continually attacked our small acreage in the country. Because we had such binding ties to all that Indian lore, I didn’t want to be known as an Indian-giver – one who gives then takes back whatever was given. While studying this past week, I realized that in God’s eyes, I am an Indian-giver – BIG TIME! What do I give God and then take back? Well, too many things to discuss in this post, but the obvious one that struck a note this week is my worries, i.e. anxieties, situations I ponder and fret about, things I need to fix.



Cynthia Ann Parker &
Baby Quanah Parker



Here’s how it plays out in my life. Something arises that gives me that “unsettled” feeling, I begin “pondering” it, and then I transform into Mrs. Fix-It. I don’t actually visit a phone booth or anything, but the wheels begin turning, trying to figure out what I can do to make this situation better or go away all together. Along the way, I am multi-tasking. You know, talking this over with the Lord until I finally give it over to Him. But, before long, I’ve taken it right back from Him and started pondering again. Thus, my Indian-giving…

I've been thinking about the concept of praying to the next level, that of staying and obeying. Prayer is the antidote to worry. That’s why I claim Phil. 4:6-7 as an undergirding principle of my walk with the Lord.

• Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and petition with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God…

But for me, I pray about something and give it to God only to find myself worrying about it later in the day or the next day. I don’t have the staying power that He wants me to cultivate as I walk with Him. I am doing exactly what Satan wants me to do – changing my focus from the Lord back to being the fixer. Well, it is my choice to pray, and it is my choice to stay. Isaiah 26:3 says,

• He will keep in perfect peace all those who trust in him, whose thoughts turn often to the Lord! (TLB) …

"thoughts turn often to the Lord… " Basically, I have to make the choice to stay focused on Him and let Him work on my worry. So when I am tempted to take back my concern, which I will because I am human, I must choose to let it remain with Him, trusting Him to take care of it. Staying is trusting.

Staying focused on Him instead of the worry, trusting, naturally leads to obeying. As our trust grows, we will begin to live out 2 Cor. 10:5,

• …we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.

We begin to frame our thoughts by asking, “How does God want me to think about this?” Well, He wants us to take up the Sword of the Spirit and fight by thinking like He thinks. We learn that by learning His Word. When we learn to take a concern and counter it with scripture, we are learning to take our thoughts captive to obey God.

Prayer is, indeed, the antidote to worry, but only if we learn to extend the prayer into staying power and obedience. My personal challenge is to let Him keep me in that perfect peace by keeping my mind steadfast on Him. The more time I focus on Him, the less time I will have for worry. And that, my friends, will help me experience that peace that passes all understanding. And that will also help me to NOT be an Indian-giver to the Lord.

From the Bank of the Jordan River to the Jungles of the South Pacific...

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or dismayed. For I, the Lord your God, am with you wherever you go. – Joshua 1:9

One of my favorite parts of American History is WW II.  Because my dad fought in that war as a young man, WW II has always been part of the fabric of my family’s life. My parents were already engaged when Pearl Harbor was bombed on December 7, 1941, and my dad was drafted soon after. They moved their wedding up to December 21, he was inducted into the army on February 3, 1942, and he was discharged on August 13, 1945 – a changed man. My dad was like so many vets who don’t talk about their war experiences, so I know only snippets of what he went through during his time in the Pacific.



My Dad - Part of the Greatest Generation

I know that he was trained in reconnaissance, which meant that he and two or three other guys would scout through the jungle looking for the enemy before the main group of his fellow soldiers would step foot in the bush. I know that at least one time, he and his buddies got close enough to the enemy that they were fired upon and my dad heard a bullet whiz past his ear.  I know that my dad was scared to death – he told me so! I also know that he continued on his mission because that was his orders – he told me that, too!

I know that his body was racked with malaria and that he wrestled with tremendous anxiety – both of which affected him the rest of his life.  I know that through most of that he stayed with his troop and battled the enemy as if his life depended on it – because it did. I know that in the midst of his fear and anxiety he sought refuge and strength from his Lord and the Word, which he carried in his pocket – as if his life depended on it – because it did.

I know that even though he returned in a weakened state, his experiences in the South Pacific made him a stronger man. I know that because of his walk with Jesus Christ – I saw it every day.

When we are faced with “war” – in whatever form it may take – what are we to do? The Lord told Joshua, and we are to follow those same orders.

·         Be strong and courageous! That’s so easy to say, but so difficult to do. Sometimes I am just plain afraid of what’s going on around me, and especially afraid of the “what if’s?” If my dad were alive today, he would tell you as he told us that he was more afraid to sneak into that jungle than anything else he ever did in his life. I can’t even imagine the fear that would grip me! He would also tell you that the only way he was able to carry out his orders was to depend on God for strength and courage.

o   Psalm 27:1 – “The Lord is my light and salvation. Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the defense of my life. Whom shall I dread?”

o   Psalm 46:1 – “God is our refuge and strength; a very present help in trouble.”

o   Psalm 138:3 – “I called – You answered. You made me bold with strength in my soul.”

·         Do not be afraid or dismayed (discouraged)! Fear cripples faith and leads to discouragement and/or depression. Believers are never alone; God is always present with us and in us. My dad told me about how he “felt” the presence of His Savior as he tramped through the jungle and as he laid in sick bay shaking with fever. He never felt alone – because he never was.

o   John 14:16-17 – “…He will give you a Helper who will be with you forever, that is the Spirit of Truth…He abides with you and will be in you.”

o   Philippians 4:13 – “I can do all things through Christ who gives me the strength.”

o   1 John 4:18 – “…perfect love casts out fear…”

Two more things stand out to me in the story of Joshua and his army taking the city of Jericho.

·         God prepared the way – they just had to follow Him. Joshua was given specific instructions about the taking of Jericho. Before they could take it, they had to cross the Jordan River and into the Promised Land. The odd thing is that He didn’t part the river until the priests stepped into the water! It would not take as much faith to walk into a dry riverbed, but to step into a flooded, rushing river – well, that calls for a different level of faith.

·         The victory was already won – it was theirs for the taking. Before the battle, God sent the captain of the host of the Lord to give Joshua his orders. In that conversation, “The Lord said to Joshua, ‘See, I have given Jericho into your hands, with its kings and the valiant warriors.’ “ 6:2 No wonder they didn’t need to be afraid. God had gone before them and was with them and had secured the victory. Joshua and his army just had to obey orders.

All of us face our Jordan Rivers from time to time. It may be in the form of illness, loss of a loved one, marital or family issues, financial crisis, loneliness, depression, enemies on the battle field, and the list goes on…We are to face these battles like Joshua – as a mighty warrior ready to step into the river and watch God work. He will – just as he did for Joshua and just as He did for my dad in the jungles of the South Pacific.

I am so proud of my dad and the man he became – a member of the Greatest Generation. I want that same strength and courage that he called on when facing his enemies. Today, I resolve to step into my Jordan Rivers and see what great and mighty things my God will do!

The Old Oak Tree...

It seems that many of my Bible readings lately deal with the same theme: the reasons and benefits of meditating on God's Word. The Bible study I'm doing right now, "Following God With All Your Heart," makes that point in every lesson. But even when I'm just doing some "free" reading of the scriptures, the idea of being in the Word shows up! I guess the Lord is really trying to get that message across to me!

One such reading took me to Psalm 1 a few days ago. I have dubbed it the "Oak Tree" Psalm - even though it doesn't actually mention an oak tree! I love oak trees! I grew up in an area where the old, stately oak trees were very common. In fact, we had several in our front yard. There is a reason that the oak tree is the symbol-tree usually used in family trees and ancestry data. It grows tall and wide, is fairly disease-free, and has a root system that grows to China! It is a symbol of longevity and stability. I love oak trees!

That's why when I read Psalm 1:2-3, I immediately think "oak" tree.

"He whose delight is in the Word of God and who meditates on it day and night, will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and its leaf does not wither, and in whatever he does, he prospers."

My interpretation: The person who loves the Word and who studies it consistently will be like a tree ...

• firmly planted -  deeply rooted, a tower of stability and security, able to withstand the storms of life
• by streams of water - nourished and fertilized, which enables its roots to grow deep and healthy
• will bear fruit in season - life produces results, by-products are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and self-control, which abound when needed (in season)
• its leaf does not wither - doesn't fade in heat or drought - when the storms of life pound and blow
• ...he prospers - meditating and applying God's truths and wisdom results in God's approval and blessings upon his life

That sounds like an oak tree to me!

When my parents built that house with the big oak trees in the front yard, my dad quickly planted other trees in the back yard. He loved trees and wanted shade in the back like we had in the front. His tree of choice to plant was the fruitless Mulberry because of its fast-growing nature. Well, they did grow and grow quickly. We had shade within three years. And by year ten, the trees were gone. Their root system doesn't grow deep; it grows wide! It is not a firmly planted tree. The roots grow right under the surface of the ground, which causes all kinds of problems from ruining the yard to making the tree susceptible to crashing when the terrible storms of Tornado Alley blow through.

So, if asked whether I want to plant oak trees or mulberry trees in my yard, I have to go with the oak. I know the oak takes longer to grow and become the beautiful tree of my childhood, but I want a firmly rooted tree that will weather the storms.

I want my life to be like the old oak tree in the front yard of my childhood home. How do I do that? - By delighting in His Word and meditating on it consistently.

You know, I am really glad God keeps reminding me of the lessons I need to learn and apply. It's sort of like the yellow ribbon around the oak tree! He constantly reminds me of His love and desires for my life.

I love oak trees!

The Attitude of Gratitude...

I am all about peace, love, and joy– I’ve said before that I am definitely a child of the ‘70’s! When I was in high school, I cruised around in my parents’ old Pontiac with wire-rim glasses, long, straight hair, and hippy beads. “Peace” was our by-word. My bedroom door was filled with strings of beads, and when I was home, incense was burning in some weird jar on my dresser, and I was strumming the guitar. My airwaves were

A Rendition of My High School Days

 bouncing with John Denver, Bread, or The Beatles. I truly was a hippie-wanna-be! But I was never truly a hippie. Why? Goodness knows that countless others in my generation totally embraced the attitude and lifestyle of that culture that so changed America’s values and even our society’s vision of God.  

I know what happened – or didn’t happen – to me. I didn’t cross over into hippiedom because I never fully embraced the defining, life-changing elements of that culture – drugs and the sexual revolution. Thirty-plus years of hindsight makes me so grateful that I didn’t because I see the evolution of our culture due to those troubled years. And, as you know, what we see is not all that good.

There are three reasons why I didn’t choose that path. One was availability. I grew up in a small town, the daughter of a preacher, who gave a daily devotional and prayer on the school’s PA system every morning. I didn’t run with the crowd that got into drinking and drugs – and no one was chasing me down to offer them to me. At times, I thought I was not very cool, but I know God was protecting me. A second reason for not choosing that path was pure fear – of my parents! I loved life and sure didn’t want it to end prematurely. That might sound flippant, but I truly feared the anger of my parents, the disappointment in their eyes, and the alienation from them that it would bring. Lastly, there was something inside me that just knew  those choices were not right. That something was the Holy Spirit. I asked Jesus to be my savior when I was nine years old, and I was raised in an atmosphere of reverent respect for the Lord. Now don’t get me wrong; I wasn’t a perfect child and teenager. I have my share of wild stories, but I just never got comfortable even desiring those things that my generation was so quickly embracing. I am so very thankful to the Father that the whispers and sometimes yells of the Holy Spirit were heard by my heart and mind.

So, here I am, thirty years later, still all about peace, love, and joy, knowing that those are part of the fruit of the Spirit that lives inside me. I have experienced them and enjoy them immensely. But I wonder sometimes why I have peace one day, then worry or fear the next. I enjoy love and joy for a while only to realize that they have slipped away – again. What is keeping me from living in those attributes everyday? Again, I find myself faced with a choice. That choice is found in Philippians 4:6-7 but can be easily overlooked if I am not careful. Look at those two verses, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and petition with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

With thanksgiving…The attitude of gratitude! If I want peace to guard my heart and mind, to keep it from going into the overdrive of irrational thought that leads to fear, insecurity, low self-worth, etc., I must come to Him thankful for everything that comes my way. Now, it’s easy to be thankful for the all the good in my life, but giving thanks for the insignificant, the not-so-good, and the really awful circumstances and situations is a different thing! Sometimes unfair and or even tragic things happen to me or to those I care about. I find it very challenging to be thankful in the midst of despair. The Apostle Paul was human; he knew as he penned those words that they were impossible for him or any of us to do. That’s why, a few verses later, he also reminded us that, “I can do all things through Christ who gives me the strength.” (4:13) – Meaning having an attitude of gratitude in the most difficult of circumstances. Yes, I can do that! The Father can help me see the good, the possibilities, even the blessings that He will bring out of the darkest situations.

Once, I was a “hippie-wanna-be” who chose NOT to fully embrace “hippiedom.” That was good. Now I find myself being a “Jesus-wanna-be” choosing TO fully embrace His Kingdom and all that it offers me in this life and throughout eternity. That is good. I choose to have an attitude of gratitude – even when it’s too difficult for me because I know He will give me the strength.

How Do You Define Success?

Most of us define success in terms of our occupations, income, and possessions. Our culture perpetuates that definition as well. One problem with that concept is that there is no period to that definition. In other words, enough is never enough - mostly due to those darn Jones'! We spend way too much time, energy, and money trying to keep up with them, but they seem to always be one or two steps ahead!

One of my daughters is really good with techno-things like computers and cameras. That's good for me because when I can't figure something out, I call her. She is the one who kept insisting that I change over to an iPhone when the 3GS came out, and I am glad she did! As soon as the 3GS came out, she bought one herself and sold her original iPhone. But when the iPhone 4 was about to be released, she learned that our local provider would only have 60 for the first week or so. She arrived at the store at five o'clock the morning of the big release and was second in line. (As a side note, I haven't updated to the 4 yet, but it is really a great phone that has a camera flash and "face talk" ability. I will update when my contract is up!)

My point is not to rag on my daughter for keeping up with technology - 'cause like I said, I will update my own phone soon. The point is that there is always something else on the horizon that is better or more modern than what we have. I'm positive that as I write, Apple is working on the next generation of the iPhone. We can spend our lives trying to keep up with everything and everyone, but if that's how we define success, it will be fleeting and we will be frustrated human beings.

God's Word has a lot of say about success and prosperity. In the New Testament, Jesus equates a successful life to living an abundant life. Abundant in Him and not in the physical, temporal things of this world. Look at Jesus Himself. I feel certain He would say He lived a successful, prosperous life - even though it was murderously cut short in His thirties. He knew the Father intimately, and He lived out the fruit of the Spirit found in Galations 5. And most importantly, He fulfilled the Father's purpose for His life - on the cross. So if we define success via Jesus, it is 1) knowing the Father intimately, 2) living an abundant life (in the spiritual sense), and 3) fulfilling God's purpose for our lives. Um...doesn't have much to do with the latest gadgets and gizzmos, or bank accounts and addresses, does it?

Jesus showed us what a successful life looks like. We can go back to Joshua to find out how to attain that kind of success. The first nine verses of Joshua is a treasure-trove, but let's concentrate on verse eight.

• "This book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous and then you shall have success."

My paraphrase of that verse goes like this (BTW, it is based on study and research):

• Be sure you read and know the Word of God. Ponder it all the time and in every situation. Obey everything it says. Then you will be successful and prosperous - like Jesus.

Very simple to say; very difficult to live out. Success revolves around knowing God intimately - He reveals Himself through His Word. The more we know His Word, meditate on His Word, and obey His Word, the more we know Him. The better we know Him, the more abundant our lives will be - we can actually live in the fruit of the Spirit - love, peace, joy, patience, kindness, goodness, and faithfulness. And just as Jesus did during his earthly life, we can know and fufill His purpose for our individual lives by knowing Him intimately.

That, my friends, is His definition of success. There is certainly nothing wrong with trying to better ourselves in the worldly definition. Thank goodness I haven't talked myself out of that new iPhone! However, when those desires override our desire to spend time getting to know Him more deeply, our idea of success has shifted, and it's time to re-evaluate our priorities. His desires need to always be put before our own. Then we will taste the sweetness of His presence in our midst.