Enjoying the View

This is a picture of me sitting on the roof of my garage this last summer (2025). I remember thinking that it was such a nice view from up there:  Beautiful trees; birds and squirrels living their best life; flowers and best of all. . .peace.  

I was in the midst of stripping off the old shingles and my back was killing me (really out of shape!), I knew I had limited time and needed to keep on working to get the job done, but I just needed to rest and catch my breath.

Maybe that's you too. . .maybe you are in a place and time where you just need to catch your breath.  All those things that are pressing in on you. . .those deadlines or the laundry or the meeting with clients, or, or, or. . .all those things are important.  But I want to be one small voice that says to you today:  You have permission to slow down, catch your breath and enjoy the view.

There is a lot of beauty in your world.  There is so much to see and take in; things that will fill your tanks instead of emptying them.  We all know that the work still needs to get done, but if you will take a short breath and enjoy the view around you, you may find a source of strength and peace that will surprise you!

I, for one, believe that there is a God who helps me to stop and enjoy the view with Him.  He helps me to get perspective when I get lost in all my urgent tasks.  He really does care about me folding my legs, on the roof of my garage, and taking in the stunning, arresting, inspiring view.  No, I don't live in a postcard setting on the side of a mountain, but I do live in a world that was made beautiful by the God who infused it all with grandeur. 

We can see it, if we are willing to stop and look.

My fellow traveller in life, I want to encourage you to look around and see what God has given to you.  You may find a deep longing in you to find out more about Him, and be surprised that His invitation is more tempting than you imagined.  

Enjoy the view.  See what He will show you.

Blessings,

B

Desire and Power

 What a world we live in!

It seems that everyday we are bombarded with news about another conflict.  One day it's Israel and Palestine; the next it's Russia and Ukraine.  

And the conflicts are not limited to armed ones. . .we see similar traits in the economic wranglings between the U.S. and China along with various other players on the global economic stage.  

And even further:  there are endless skirmishes related to identity politics; the battle between the 'right' and the 'left'; gender and sexuality tensions; and the age old issues between people of differing religious beliefs.

We have opinions about these things, sometimes very strong ones!  And we have a growing sense that the media that provides us information might not be trustworthy.  We can begin to feel 'cut loose' from anything truly anchoring.  What this can lead to is latching on to a voice that reflects at least one of these character traits: 1. The Loudest; 2. The Largest; 3. The Most Comfortable.  When we are unsure of our own path combined with an inner need to stand for something, we can be attracted to the loudest voice.  The one that gets all the air time.  This is often the one that defines or creates a certain culture.  Or we can align with the voice that is the largest.  This voice has attracted the most people, and this creates a sense of stability or strength as more and more people share the opinions that reside here.  Or we can find our place in what is most comfortable.  This usually means that we align with what we would call 'traditional', or what we are most familiar with.  

But my question is this:  who decides what is true?

At the end of the day the loudest, largest or most comfortable voice is still a voice that arises from people and no matter the scale, it becomes a reflection of mere human thought.  We need something more.

Desire and power play a major role in the world.  What we want and how we are able to get those things drives much of what see around us.  I see people expressing desires all the time, often related to important topics that really do affect peoples' lives, but I rarely see or hear people expressing their desires that reflect that of the God of the Bible.  

It's become passe in most public dialogue.

We have been given an incredible voice that comes to us from outside of our current experiences and influences.  I believe this voice is trustworthy even when it might be the quietest, the smallest or the least comfortable.  

I have been moved and encouraged lately by this voice that gives me hope.  In Philippians 2:13 it says that "God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him." (New Living Translation)

God cares about desire and power.  But He is working to build up desires and power that come from him, not those ideas that arise from this world.  

It might seem like a pipe-dream to say that if world leaders, educational influencers and cultural shapers would take seriously God's desires and be open to his power to enact those desires, we would begin to see a world emerge that allows people to experience true freedom.  But I don't believe it's a pipe-dream at all.

It might be impossible for me to make it happen, but this God loves to do impossible things through people who dare to dream and believe.  

I pray that today you will hear a voice that points you to God who cares deeply about your desires and about the power needed to see them come into reality.  It might lead you to abandon some things you currently cherish, but if you are willing to consider what he says, you will discover freedom like you never imagined possible.

I know it's changed my world, maybe it will change yours. . .

Blessings friend,

B

Open Door

Open doors can be very exciting!

If you are running around town trying to get your 'list' completed and you're almost done and it's getting so close to closing time, and as you rush up to the storefront and discover the door is still open. . . a huge relief washes over you because you know this was the last chance to buy the last minute gift for your daughter's birthday that you're hosting in an hour!

We've all been there, in one way or another, and we all know that open doors are necessary for us to accomplish so many different things in our lives.  In fact, as I think about it now, the vast majority of things require us to have open doors in order for life to be lived at all.

Need a haricut. . .need an open door.  Need to get your car fixed. . .open door.  How about that vacation?  Pretty hard to fly or drive anywhere if the door isn't open to you.  Desperate for a good night's sleep?  Better hope the door to the bedroom is open for you.

But sometimes open doors can be really intimidating too, frightening even.  I remember as a kid going to the dentist and dreading what was coming.  That door was open too, and it wasn't a pleasant one!  I can think of other intimidating doors too:  Prinicipal's office; Bank loan officer. . .you get the point.  

But I think the door that is most important is one we don't really think of as a door at all.  It's the door that opens to the place of our deepest secrets and joys.  It's where all our greatest fears and our most desired loves reside.  

This is the door to our heart.  

This door opens only with the most delicate care along with ruthlessly earned trust.  This is the passageway that only a select few may enter and once in must always be diligent to walk and live with immense grace.

The downside is that every single person that has entered through someone else's heart-door has failed to sustain the necessary standard of love that makes real life possible.  And when I say real life, I mean a life of true freedom because there is no fear of being hurt or betrayed.

Because every heart has been hurt, every heart deals with fear of it happening again.  What's brutal about this whole scenario is that along with every heart being hurt, every heart deeply needs to be loved and to be free to love.

Someone needs to enter into my heart-door to help me. . .because I desperately need help in this.  

Enter Jesus.

It's hard to open up the door to our most vulnerable place isn't it?  We've all tried it, and we all carry the sting of times it didn't work out that well.  But Jesus has this ability to walk into our broken and most needy places and He genuinely helps us to find healing and life.  It says in Matthew 12:20 that even when we experience the battering rams of life, He will nurture us back to health.  If our hearts have been burned and all that remains there is smouldering, Jesus will expertly and lovingly hold us and protect us in our pain.

I don't know where you are at today, but I want to encourage you to invite Jesus to walk through the door of your hurt.  He will take it and make it into joy.  It may take some time, but He is able and willing.  And don't be surprised when He invites another person to walk in there with Him. . .to be a trusted friend.  Be wise, but also, don't be afraid to accept these amazing gifts.

My heart is with you today, and I know that the One who made your heart is absolutely the best One to heal it.  Let Him walk in. . .

Blessings friend,

B

Life Is Good

 It's amazing when life emerges. 

Like when a plant breaks through the surface of the ground after a long winter; or when you see a baby Robin freshly hatched.  New life always seems to bring new hope.

I think that's exactly the way that God designed it to be. . .to Him life is good.  Life is a reflection of His goodness and His incredible desire to have humanity share in this gift.  

But it's easy to feel like a good chunk of life happens under a cloud.  It's easy to say life is good, but it's another story to feel it in your bones.  

This morning I was spending time with Jesus and I was pouring out some of my 'clouds' to Him.  I was trying to give Him my burdens and I was pretty open and blunt with Him (something I think He really appreciates).  I told Him that I knew that He loved me and that He cared for me, but I didn't have confidence that He was all in to provide for me.  It got to the point where I realized that my desires were really dictating what life should look like and I was having a hard time letting that go and allowing myself to trust Him all the way down.

So I simply asked Him if He would like to say anything to me about that, and then I waited.  Pretty soon I heard Him say to me, "Look at Psalm 32".  I turned to this passage and came across verses 8 and 9 that said this: "The Lord says, 'I will guide you along the best pathway for your life.  I will advise you and watch over you.  Do not be like a senseless horse or mule that needs a bit and bridle to keep it under control."

I soon realized that Jesus was really speaking this into my heart and it genuinely helped me to trust Him.  I have made some life decisions that really put me 'out there' in terms of stability and provision.  So when the bank account is low it's easy to let the voices of worry and doubt take over, but God was saying to me that He knows the very best path that my life should take!  He led me to where I am and I can trust Him to see me through.  In fact He says that He will not only put me on the best path, but He will also talk to me along the way and advise me.  Imagine having God speak about decisions and direction!  But it goes even further. . .He also says He will 'watch over' me.  That means that He surrounds me and protects me along the path He chooses for me.  

What a gift!  And when my heart started to let that sink in the thought that arose in me is: "Life is good!"

So if you are walking through a cloudy season and you are finding it difficult to believe that life is good, take it from me, Jesus wants to help you just like He helped me.  

My prayer for you is that today you will seek after Jesus so He can help you to see just how much He is with you and desires for you to experience how good life is with Him.

Blessings my friends,

B

Rooted

For some reason, I have always loved trees.  They impress on me a sense that they are covering, protecting and providing. . . .somehow living as a metaphor that is meant to communicate to me a message that helps me to live more deeply and more alive. 

I remember a trip to Cambodia where I saw trees growing over ancient temple walls where the roots spilled out into open spaces looking for ground to set themselves into.  It was a stunning sight to see:  all those massive tendrils snaking their way through open air, taking what looked like leaps of faith and growing out into wide open space with the hope that they would find solid ground.

There seems to be an innate drive in things in the created order to find solid ground.  To find that place of substance where growth emerges; to find home.

Those treees I saw in Cambodia were huge, but they grew so large because of two things:  They needed massive roots for support, and, those roots had to take risks (grow through open air) to find the place where they would thrive.  I think the same is true for us.

Have you ever felt that you simply longed for more?  More peace?  More joy?  More freedom?  More love?  That's not by chance. . .it's the DNA of life and it moves you to search just like those roots.

But in order for roots to find their true destiny, they need to be rooted.  They need to find their home in order to thrive. And our search to be rooted leads us to take leaps of faith through the open air to this:

We find our home in the love that Jesus has for us.

This is our everything!  He is our Creator who designed us to thrive in Him.  He is the One who built humanity with an innate drive to find that place where we can be rooted, solid, grounded, surrounded and supported.  We live in a broken world where our search for that rooted place often leads us to life-destroying destinations, but Jesus is faithfully calling us to take the risks necessary to overcome our fears and trust that we will truly find life in Him.

Just listen to this from Ephesians 3:17-19 "And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord's holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge--that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God."

All of life's longings to be rooted, to find a home, to be solid, are found in this one thing:  the love of Jesus for you.  It requires unbelievable power to grasp the vastness of this love.  His love for you is so encompassing and deep; so expansive and eternal; so rich and fulfilling that it goes beyond our ability to comprehend.  And that's why it is so risky to accept.  Jesus' love for you blows apart the borders you put on what love should or even could look like.  It goes way beyond.  

But it's where you were meant to live.

So just like those Cambodian tree roots that had to grow through that alien territory of open air before they found the soil they could root themselves into that led to immense life, you too are being invited to extend yourself beyond your own borders and limitations of what a solid life looks like.  You are being invited to accept a love that is meant to give you life beyond what you imagine.  A rootedness in this love will change everything and lead to a massive life.

It's all there for you. . .take a leap and see.

B

 

Ridiculous Courage

 Have you ever seen one of those little dogs that don't have any idea that they are way smaller and weaker than they act?  I have some friends that have one and it's probably a tenth the size of the German Shepherds around him.  But Leo has courage that far out-sizes his little body and he acts as though he is ten times bigger than he really is.  It's crazy how he commands the room really.

Actually his courage isn't crazy it's ridiculous.  It's almost comical to watch.  I mean if even one of those German Shepherds were to wake up and realize how much more powerful they were than Leo, well, Leo wouldn't stand a chance.  But that isn't how it plays out.  

I think there's a lesson in here for us all.  It would be good for us to pause and think about what a healthy amount of courage could do for us.  

Consider the woman talking to Jesus in Matthew 15.  She was an 'outsider' in many ways: an outsider in terms of gender (women didn't have much standing in those days); an outsider in terms of religion (she was a Canaanite and not part of Jesus' tribe); and an outsider in terms of power (she had a sick daughter with no capacity to heal her).  

She was in a bad place.  But. . .She believed Jesus could help her.  In fact, she knew He was her only hope to help her daughter to be freed from terrible suffering.  And so she approached Jesus and asked Him, no, check that, she urged Him to help!  Jesus knew His mission was to the lost people of Israel first and foremost and He told her exactly that. But this mom was not discouraged, so she pleaded again: "Lord, help me!"  And Jesus resisted once again basically saying that it would be wrong for Him to stray from His mission.

But then a crazy thing happened. . .she stood there and said to Jesus, the Lord and Master of all things, that He was wrong, that it would be good if He helped her!  It wasn't that she was pridefully correcting Jesus, but instead she was standing there with nothing more than desperate faith and, dare we say ridiculous courage!

Jesus is moved by this extravagant display of love that caused this mom to overcome all the ways that made her an outsider; all the circumstances that had put her in this position; and what happened is exactly what she hoped for. . .her daughter was healed!

In essence, what this faith-filled mom shows us is that sometimes ridiculous courage, the kind that is so over-the-top that it is almost laughable, is exactly what is needed to see breakthrough in life.

I doubt that Leo has any sense of these things as he just naturally lives with an outsized sense of courage.  It's still ridiculous to watch as this little guy commands other dogs that look like behemoths compared to him, but the results can't be denied.

I wonder if Jesus allows us to read this story of the Canaanite mom's ridiculous courage to nudge us to do the same in our journey?  What massive circumstances are you living in that make you feel powerless and faithless?  What wounds in you feed your sense of hopelessness that things can never change?

Maybe it's Jesus' way of telling you to step up before Him so that He can see your ridiculous courage, in order for you to receive an outpouring of blessing in your life as well?

It might be the hardest thing you do.  But, it might also be the best thing you ever do.

I pray for a little bit of Leo in you today. . .

Blessings friend,

B

X-ray Eyes

 I'm sure that most of you have seen a superhero movie or two over the years.  Watching one of those shows is an easy way to escape from the regular grind and offers the opportunity to imagine another world; usually a world that is big and exciting.  There is always a massive danger that threatens humanity's existence, and the odds of ovecoming the challenge are overwhelming to nearly impossible.  The superheros will always come up with some crazy plan, justify it with hope, and set out with their last ounce of strength, and lo' and behold, they come out on top and all is well.

It's a formula that works well in a world of make-believe but not so well in real life where superhero powers are not easily available to the average joe.

And yet, there is something to be said for the idea that we can live in this world with other-worldly powers.

Imagine this for a second:  What would it be like if you had the ability to actually see things that are not visible to natural human eyes?  If this were possible (I know this all sounds very strange) it would be like having x-ray powers right?  Imagine this now:  if you had x-ray powers think about how you could help people.  So you're sitting in your friend's livingroom and you notice a crack in the natural gas line behind the wall.  You tell him to get it fixed and you prevent a massive explosion!  Good stuff! You saved the day!

But what does this have to do with real-life?

Amazingly, there is available to people a form of x-ray vision. . .the ability to see what is not visible to the natural eye.  And as crazy as this sounds, we are actually invited to experience it for real!

In 2 Corinthians 4:18 we are told to ". . .fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is seen is eternal."

We all know that something that lasts a long time is made of much more quality stuff than something that only lasts for a short while.  In the above passage we are being told to look at something that lasts for a long, long time, so it must be of great worth and solidly built. But it adds that this 'thing' we are to look at is something we can't see.  Doesn't seem super helpful on the surface. . .and yet it does seem somehow compelling doesn't it?

The crazy thing about all of this is the difference between the idea of having x-ray eyes that see broken pipes in walls and eyes that can see things that normally can't be seen.  The x-ray eyes thing isn't real, it just couldn't happen, and nobody is saying that it could.  But having eyes that can see beyond this world into another world is real, and we are being invited into trying it out for ourselves.  

We live in a world that is filled with things that are temporary, kind of poor quality, things that don't last, things that really only give short-term highs that don't satisfy. And since that is the world that we live in every single day, it can seem like there is no other option, and often no other hope.  

Wouldn't it be nice if there was another way to live?  Wouldn't it be encouraging to know that the sickness you struggle with isn't going to last forever, but there is a healing that is coming that will?  Wouldn't it be exciting to imagine that your journey of walking through life alone is not the ultimate path for you but that you could walk it with someone who loves you more than you could imagine?  Isn't the idea that all the work you do, and all the ways it seems you come up short, is not the fullest expression of life and that you are meant for more than only producing a paycheque?  There is more in store for you.  But you have to be able to see something beyond this world in order to grasp what's being offered.

And so God says to us that we should fix our eyes on Him.  He is built to last.  He is made of quality stuff.  And He has made it possible to really see Him in this life.  

How is this possible?  God sent Jesus to show us it's possible.  The only way to see beyond this world to something that is truly valuable is to trust Jesus and invite Him to show you the way.  

Yes, it's possible to have 'x-ray eyes' that can see a life that is worth living.  It can sometimes take super-human effort to fix our gaze on Him when this world gets in the way.  But it's worth it.  And it's there for you.

Many blessings friend,

B

The Dream is Real

 

I love to dream.

I can see pictures and images of new ideas that take on shape in my mind and they always speak to me of possibilities of things not yet seen.  It's beautiful and powerful to me. I can feel inspired and these inspirations can lead to thoughts of: "Wouldn't it be amazing if this was something that really happened?"

But there is another side to this coin, a side that is a little hidden from the sun.  On this shady terrain these ideas are not as easily embraced.  This is the 'real life' side, the place where dreams often come to die, or at the very least exist on life-support.  The voices here say that dreams are impractical and cause problems because in order for them to be implemented, they must be embedded in real-life amidst all the different opinions, traditions, power-structures and practicalities.  

It takes a lot of work, perseverance, determination and commitment in order for a dream to be made a reality.  To be honest, it takes a lot of things that are polar opposites of what makes up dreams in order for the dreams to be born and take on life. What a paradox.

One thing that I have noticed is that if a person is not careful the pressures of life can begin to suppress dreams.  What once felt like a vibrant source of life can, over time and through lenses of hard-fought life-battles, be seen now as almost dangerous.  Something like protecting safety seems to settle over the landscape and terms like 'new', 'innovative' and 'dynamic' become things to avoid.  

We have now entered into the world of status quo.  And here the mortality rate of dreams is high. 

But a dream that has no chance of being born into reality is somehow lacking.  It lacks substance if it has no chance to exist so that others can experience it as well.  And it is onto this stage that Jesus steps and begins to show us just how incredible He really is.

There is an amazing scene that is painted in John 13:3-5 about how Jesus lived out his thought-life with real-world impact.  And the only way I can really describe it is like this:  it is simply beautiful. 

This passage says that Jesus had come to realize that he had come from God and had all encompassing power at his disposal.  That in itself is simply an incredible revelation!  It would take more space than I have here to really describe the implications of this.  Suffice it to say that the vastness of scope, and the infinite possibilities that arise from realizing this, is something that might have elevated Him beyond normal experience. . .could I say almost like a dream?  But Jesus knew that the maginificence of this mind-bending thought was meant to impact others.  It needed to be made really real.

And that leads to the unbelievable way in which He pursued making his 'dream' a reality.  He didn't take his God-status and his unmatched power to launch a winner-take-all campaign of self-elevation throughout the world.  Instead he did this:

He took off his coat, got down on his knees, and washed his friends feet. 

This all-powerful God-man took his 'dream' and made it a reality by expressing love.

All I can say to that is a stumbled-mouthed 'thank you' because he does that for me every single day.  He is still in the business of pouring out his unbelieveably humble love over me every day.  And in the process causes me to see that it is possible for me too to live out the dreams He puts in me. New life!  New hope!  All backed up by His power as He shows me how to make His dreams a reality through me so others may be blessed.  Unbelievable.

Maybe this is important for you to hear today.  Maybe you need to know that Jesus is all about using his incomparable strength and status in order to kneel down to make you know that you are loved.  

If it seems to good to be real, well then, welcome to the dream-made-reality, because it's true for me and it's true for you.  

Much love to you today,

B

 Who Am I?

I think that one of the greatest questions that is being asked in our time, by every generation, is what you read in the title of this post.  And I think it's a question that is so deeply ingrained in every one of us that when the answer doesn't seem to come, we press and press, and begin to feel that desperation that arises when you know something important needs to be addressed but there seems to be no way to 'fix it'. We begin to scream like little children that just don't know any better way.

It's all around us.  We see it in the political realm that seems to be more defined in the public's mind by shouting matches and deception rather than sharing common ground in the very real challenges that face our world.  We see it in families where the fallout of disagreement and disillusionment leads to the only option that seems viable, which is to leave.  And we see it in the Family of God that is meant to portray the kind of love that is supposed to bind people together; to show the world that there is another way that doesn't lead to leaving.  And yet it still happens. . .

I don't think most people realize that the burning question that smolders at the base of these feelings and actions, is one of identity.  People don't know who they are, and yet they know they should.  So it becomes a question that breaks us: it breaks us because it's knit into our DNA.  We can't escape it, and yet we struggle so mightily to find the answer that eludes us.

Until. . .

Until we find ourselves being found.  I know it sounds strange, but it's true.  Until we are found by someone who has the ability to speak to who we really are, through all our turmoil, inside us and around us, we will continue to scream into the wind that same question.

Being 'found' means that we are no longer wandering aimlessly, without purpose or direction.  Being found brings a sense of stability and peace.  It brings order out of chaos.  It sets the world right.  And that's exactly what needs to happen within the heart and soul of every human being.  It's what we long for: to be set right; to be found; to be known.

Jesus was sent to this ball of dirt in order to set us right.  He came to meet our greatest need.  He came to help us to know who we are and to tell us that we are known by Him.

I still struggle to really know who I am.  I still wrestle with feelings that confuse and frustrate me.  But I am growing in my understanding and acceptance that I am truly known by Jesus and that makes all the difference in the world to me.  He continually speaks to me about who I am and it slowly changes me from the inside out.  He says to me through words found in His Book that 'I am rooted and established in love.' He says to me that His love for me is too wide, high, long and deep for me to even comprehend.  And He tells me this to convince me that it's real.  I am known by Him.  I am loved by Him.  

I am no different than everyone else.  I have an intense longing to know who I really am.  And I can still struggle to see and feel that clearly.  But there is a rising sun in my heart that shines this truth with growing intensity that says this to me through the fog: Jesus knows me and He loves me. 

And that's enough.  

Be blessed friends,

B

Hearing Voices

 

The movie "I Am Legend" portrays a world that has been destroyed by a plague decimating the world's population.  In this post-apocalyptic, despairing world, the main character played by Will Smith, daily broadcasts a message of hope: "If there's anybody out there, please, you are not alone." 

This cry is the same that people need to hear today: "Friend, if you can hear me, please know this, you are not alone!"  This is the voice of God expressed through the Holy Spirit speaking to people all around the world.

I have found myself interested and saddened at the messages that some of my brothers and sisters in the Lord have been saying recently.  The essence of what they are promoting is that God does not speak to people in the way that meets people on the street, in the midst of real-time life.  His is not a voice that can be heard in your car or when you are in the midst of an argument.  Instead, He is portrayed as One who has already spoken and all you need is to read about Him in the Bible. 

I am going to jump in here and say this clearly:  I too believe that the Bible is God's authoritative Word for life, the foundation of what He wants to express to people today.  But I also believe that in this Word God tells us that He still speaks to people with His voice.

In John 10:27 Jesus tells the religious leaders of His day this important message: "My sheep listen to my voice: I know them, and they follow me."  The Greek word for 'voice' here is phone (pronounced: fo nay), and its definition is 'a voice', 'a sound'.  It is used to describe language that is being expressed, and that is exactly what Jesus is communicating to these religious leaders.  He is saying that God speaks and that those who are followers of God hear this voice.

Of course we must be cautious that we don't listen to every voice that we can hear.  Sometimes we can be deceived and listen only to the voices and messages that we want to hear, and this can have very negative consequences in our lives.  But the danger of misunderstanding a voice is no different than misunderstanding the meaning of a passage of scripture that we read in the Bible.  In fact, it is because of this tendency of ours, as broken people who misunderstand and misinterpret voices and words, that we need a living God who actively guides and directs us to read and hear the truth and love of God that reminds us that not only are we not alone, but that we are loved and invited into freedom in Jesus.

If you are unsure whether you can hear the voice of God speaking to you then the best course of action is to learn about what that looks like in the Bible, and then actively pursue and develop the ability to hear God's voice speaking in the everyday rhythms of life.  Listen to the voice of God.  This is a clear invitation to all people straight from the mouth of Jesus, and a message that we all need to hear to encourage us that we are not alone.

For Us Or Against Us

Our world is tearing itself apart and we need help. Thankfully there is help to be had.

There are riots happening globally with anger and frustration fuelling the rage of people trying desperately to make a way forward.

At least I like to think that the motivation is to make a way forward but I am thoughtful that we won’t achieve this goal unless we adopt a new way of thinking and living.

Martin Luther King Jr. was approaching this when he said that that darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that, and truth be told, the light we need is the light of Jesus.  But to live in His light is not to simply add Him to our regular way of doing things.  No.  Living in the light of Jesus means learning to live in an entirely foreign way to what we are seeing take place globally.

As well meaning as it seems that one Race oppose another Race to overcome injustice, it betrays what the Light of heaven desires.  And that is not to say that that means that God doesn’t want people to stand for justice.  It just means that His way of doing justice requires that we adopt a whole new set of rules.

So what might that look like?

In the book of Joshua we read that God had brought His people to the city of Jericho to accomplish His plan of settling His people in a land inhabited by people who opposed God.  It would have been easy for Joshua, the leader of God’s people, to assume that God was going to be on their side as the fighting ensued.

That would make logical sense right?  If God led you to fight against another people group then obviously He is on your side!

But let’s see what actually happens...

“Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, “Are you for us or for our enemies?”
“Neither,” he replied, “but as commander of the army of the LORD I have now come.” Then Joshua fell facedown to the ground in reverence...” (Joshua 5:13-14)

Joshua quickly learned that God was not on his side, God was on a side entirely His own!

God was not approaching this battle from the perspective of one people pitted against another people.  He was accomplishing His own mandate for His own purposes. And Joshua’s response is telling as this revelation unfolded.

It says that he knelt in reverent fear.  He didn’t redouble his efforts to overcome another people group that stood in opposition to him.  He paused and acknowledged Sovereign God.

Only light can cast out darkness, and Jesus is that Light that our world so desperately needs.

It’s time that we stop encouraging any race from fighting against another race.  And it’s time that we stop assuming that God is on our side.  God does not see “sides” like we do, He sees His good and righteous mandate of freedom and liberation for all human beings made in His image accomplished through His Son Jesus Christ.

God does not need us to fight His battles for Him.  What He desires is that we would pause, take a knee, not in solidarity with a particular color of people, but in reverent fear and respect for the King of Kings.

This is how we fight our battles.

On....our.....knees....

When we do this, the walls that divide us don’t stand a chance.

B

Flesh and Blood

We are living in times when deep-seated division between people is fracturing our world.  Political leaders of parties are doing their best to lead but within a new populist reality that causes so many to justify the vilification of other leaders in the pursuit of political gain.  Where are the ones who have, in the past, pursued governing based on principles instead of image?

We have divisions that are driving wedges between races and this, again, raises its head publicly with the tragic death of George Floyd.  And the public outcry?  It is a race issue, because that is what is seen, it is one color that is pitted against the other.  And as long as the 'answer' is for one race to overcome the injustice by overcoming the other race, there will never be peace.

Racism has two sides:  one is the oppressor that perpetrates acts of injustice against another race, and two is the victim that tries to overcome racism by opposing and ultimately overcoming the oppressing race.  The problem is this:  both efforts drink from the well of racism, even though it feels intuitively right for the victim to oppose the oppressor.  Ultimately this whole thing reeks of the toxic quicksand of racism that drags every single person down with it.

Here is a snapshot of the futility of trying to overcome racism with even a well-meaning opposing racism. . .Recently many white people have been trying to align with and fight for black oppressed people.  But many black people are fighting against those white people who are trying to be their allies.  Why?  Because it is a matter of race, and it just seems so hypocritical to allow the visibly opposing race to come alongside.

There is no winning the battle of race because that is the rules of this game. . .there will never be any true answers or peace, until people begin to realize that the rules of this game of injustice are designed to accomplish exactly what we are seeing:  hatred and division.

Here is the question that those who call Jesus Christ Lord and Saviour must wrestle with:  Do we believe that He is able to provide a way that brings peace?  Does He really have what it takes to stand in the middle of a race fueled riot and have something very relevant to say?  Do we as His children have what it takes to realize that He is trying to teach us an entirely different set of rules that do not allow race to be the central issue at all?

We need strength and power to overcome this hatred, hopelessness and injustice but it will never come through our current ways of thinking, speaking and acting. It will only come through Jesus.

Ephesians 6:10 says:  ". . .be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power."  Ok, so let's take that seriously for our broken times.  Does He really mean that?  And what does that look like?

It says that we are to "take our stand against the devil's schemes."  Alright.  When I look at the hatred and chaos taking place it is clear to me that though the issue is being played out visibly by people with different colors, the way forward will never be found by simply trying to do harder the things we are doing now.  It only creates more chaos.  So let's finally recognize the wisdom of identifying that the deep division in our society originates from Satan. . it is his schemes at work here.  And let's take that seriously.

So how do we do that exactly?

By refusing to align with the current 'wisdom' of one race being pitted against the other either as the offending party or as the answer to overcome the offense.  All are victims in this charade and it is time that the Children of God stood and begin to proclaim what the real answer is: we begin by realizing that "our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil." Ephesians 6:12.

I refuse to align myself with any Facebook, Twitter or any digital proclamation that ascribes to an answer that suggests or blatantly pits one race against or over another.  It is all part of the same racist rules of that game.  I won't play by those rules anymore because God Himself tells me that those rules do not line up with eternal wisdom and will ultimately prove ineffective to find peace.

Instead, I am choosing to fight the real battle which is the Enemy, and the only way to overcome him is by the blood of the Lamb and word of my testimony that proclaims Jesus as our only hope.

Sounds good maybe, but how do we practically do that?  It starts by me saying 'no' to joining any movement that pits race against race.  When injustice is done, like to George Floyd, then I will not say that the answer is to bring one race 'down to size', but instead will be to point to Jesus and say, "I will fight injustice done to any person or race based on the fact that that person bears the image of God Himself and He desires that each one be given their appropriate dignity and safety."  Then I will invite any and all who hear me to come to the foot of the cross where we can find true and lasting peace.  And before anyone gives in to a sense that this way of approaching this war is futile, ineffective, naive, disconnected from reality, unwise, or misguided to the real issue, then I ask you, as a follower of Jesus Christ, what does being strong in the Lord mean?  What does it really mean when He tells me that doing so will mean that I am 'standing' against evil schemes?

Just how much do we believe that Jesus is the powerful One who designed human life and that He just might have the answers we desperately need for the very real issues that are taking lives right before our eyes?

I for one, am beginning to believe Him.  And that's why I will no longer lend my weight to any movement that tries to depict the answer to overcoming division between people as anything other than the One who designed it in the first place.

It is for the children of God to follow Jesus right into the center of any injustice; race, political or otherwise, and to express the obstinate love of God to all.  We will decide to stand with any who are hurting or broken; to any who have experienced the brutality of hatred and suffering, but I will not put 'race' on it anymore. I will call it for what it really is:  it is the evil scheme of a spiritual enemy that requires the spiritual victory of Jesus to overcome it.  I will stand amidst any who are hurt or who doing the hurting and will point all to Jesus, because it is in Him that we will find true liberation, freedom and peace.

This may sound like the most naive thing to do, because it will ring empty to most everyone that hears it.  Especially when it comes time to stand publicly and make this same proclamation to every ear.  But it has never been any different and the times are pressing us. . .how will you respond?

The more complex and hopeless the world gets, the more we need the simplest and most profound Answer ever given to humanity. . .and His name is Jesus.

B.

Not Who You Are But Whose You Are

Do you really know your own identity?  This question is so deeply influenced by our individualistic and 'me' centered culture that it is almost impossible to imagine that this question doesn't even begin with me at all.

To know who you really are is to ask the question:  'Who do you belong to?'

In this Covid 19 era we may be discovering just how deeply we need relational interaction.  To not just hear a voice or face but to actually be in the presence of others.  It is wired in each one of us.  And this is evidence of something so much bigger that it's easy to miss because it covers our whole horizon and that is this: 

If you really want to know who you are, then it is matter of whose you are.

We all have been made in the image of God.  We bear His stamp upon us.  But there is a deeper truth that has the power to truly lift our souls when we realize and experience the fact that God has made us His own, which is a reflection of His desire.

To those who have said 'yes' to Jesus as their Saviour, you have been ushered into a relationship with the One who created you, knows you, embraces you, teaches you, plays with you, walks with you, leads you, watches over you, commits to you, and all out of a love that can never fade.

Your identity is that you belong and are loved. . .

Maybe you are feeling unloved and unlovable.  Maybe you sense that your stains have grown to the point that you can't help but feel their seemingly inevitable weight.  Maybe you are floundering in a pool of self-condemnation, and you are convinced that your primary identity is broken and maybe even ugly.

Jesus says something very different to you today.

Hebrews 2:11 says: "Both the one who makes people holy and those who are made holy are of the same family.  So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters."

With Jesus, you belong, and you belong because of love.

Would you take a minute to let that sink today?  God's love is greater than your greatest sin or fault or shortcoming or habit that weighs you down.  Let His love lift you out of that pit and the sun will shine much brighter on you today.

Who are you?  No.  Whose are you. . .and that changes everything.

B.

Mind The Gap

Ever felt that sense of disengagement that seems to sap your strength and stamina hindering you from feeling free to pursue more in your relationships, your work, and even in your own mind and heart?  It’s a general sense of feeling distant from the things that you know are better but just have a hard time stepping into. . .

On a small scale it’s when you know you shouldn’t buy that bag of chips and dip and binge watch the latest Netflix series, but you just don’t seem to have the necessary will to go and treadmill instead.  Or on a bigger scale, it’s when you know that you shouldn’t speak that harsh word to your son or daughter because it won’t help anyone in the long run, but that sense of disengagement causes you to express your frustration instead of moving into something far more productive and nurturing. 

Disengagement from better, more wholesome, productive and life-giving things. . .we all experience it, and we all sometimes feel helpless to avoid it.

Brene Brown, a sociologist and cultural observer suggests this important idea to help us to overcome this ‘gap’ between what we often feel/do and what we should feel/do.  She says this: “We can’t give people what we don’t have.  Who we are matters immeasurably more than what we know or who we want to be.”  (Daring Greatly, page 176)

Who we are matters the most.  Not what we have learned or what we think we know, but who we are.

And who we are is so much more than just the name we have, and the accomplishments or influence we exert.  Who we are goes right down to the essence of what makes me, me.

Maybe the most important aspect of discovering who we are is found in those who have the capacity to create who we are.  How long do you think that list is?  In my mind it stops right around. . .1.  God made each of us.  He desires that each of us find ourselves in our true identity, and that true identity is in relationship with Him.

And so Jesus makes a way back into real life. 

When you admit that to Jesus, that you want more out of life that you can’t get on your own, then you begin to open the possibility of living engaged!

It says in Romans 8:39 that nothing can separate a person from the love of God.  That is His fundamental attitude toward you and I.  But, our experience of that love is hindered by the fact that we have disengaged from Him. 

If you want to overcome that sense of disengagement in your life, then maybe it’s time to consider engaging with Jesus and letting His love transform you into everything you were designed to be!

Many blessings on you on your journey.

B