Food For the Soul.1 -

"It is written:

'Man shall not live by bread alone,

but by every word that proceeds

out from the mouth of God.'"

-Jesus

We recently started to eat differently. Instead of getting our energy source from sugars (carbohydrates) we now get energy from fat. I've lost twenty five pounds...a more

natural weight for my frame. But weight wasn't the reason we switched to the "Keto" diet plan. We had heard that the body is able to process food in different ways with different effects. It seems that sugar is a major contributor to a variety of ailments humans, especially Americans, experience. What sugars the body is not able to process is turned into body fat. And, frankly, there are a lot of fat Americans...

When we Americans do decide to do something about our physical condition we have a nearly overwhelming number of "diet" options to choose as well as a constant barrage of advertisements for drugs promising to cure whatever ails us. For we believe that if we can somehow manage the physical, emotional or mental pain of life we may actually like ourselves better!

So we spend and ingest and wait hoping for the desired change to our bodies.

While we're waiting do we ever contemplate what we should take to make us more patient or less anxious? Or kinder, gentler, peaceful, loving, joyful, self-controlled?

In our contemplating do we consider how much our bodies demand our attention and consume our resources?

What if we only live on bread alone? A life focused solely on the physical is soon corrupted by the "lusts of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life," with diminishing awareness that we can never satisfy those demands!

Ultimate Selfless Love clashed with Ultimate Self Loathing in the wilderness of temptation.

When the Devil dangled the idea of self preservation to satisfy the wild ravishings of the flesh, Jesus turned to an age-old truth: Real Life springs out of faith and obedience to God's Revealed Word. Seeking first the highest Good, the Perfect Will of God, is the First Priority of Life. There is not a thing in this world that is not in some way better understood, "ingested", and transforming in its effect on every human being than the Perfect Will.

Do we not select a diet plan based on the outcome we're trying to achieve?

Ultimately we want the outcome to be a more attractive me.

What better way to achieve the best outcome of this life than give ourselves to the Creator who knows Supremely what it will take to complete us and make us Supremely Lovely!

Following the Resurrection.6

"In a little while, the world will see Me no more; 

but my presence will remain with you;

and because I live, you will live also." 

-Jesus

In a Little While.

Consider that Jesus, through Whom all things were created, who spent eons of time making sure that each layer of natural order met His "just right" conditions for the eventual introduction of humanity --His crowning achievement-- would ponder the effect of a "little while" on the world.

How things can change in a little while. 

Consider America as representing a world that can no longer see Jesus. Founded on a firm desire to appropriate universal, timeless, revealed truth into a governing structure providing maximum opportunity, liberty and individual growth as well as a serving as a beacon of hope to a world with centuries long history of tyranny and oppression. In a little while, this country became the most prosperous, creative and generous nation in human history.

How things changed in America when this country stopped seeing Jesus...in just a little while! 

Consider this post from social media, a place that offers some sense of what the "world" sees, hears and does:

"I don't recognize the America that I served as an officer and fighter pilot anymore. I swore to defend our constitution and country but now find what we fought against we are now becoming- a socialist country with no borders that kills cops and ICE agents, a country that self destructs from within by allowing our enemies in who seek our demise- radical Islamists, a country that allows kids to determine what sex they are in direct opposition to what they really are, a country that allows politicians to swear into office using the Koran that doesn't recognize our constitution, a country that teaches homosexuality as an alternative lifestyle to our kids, a country that elects politicians who are ruthless and speak lies to destroy their opponents character, a country that has killed 60 million babies for convenience, a country where confused movie stars are regarded as experts in all matters when all they do is act like someone they are not, a country that takes excessive amounts of your wages to pay people who won't work, a country that thinks more highly about illegals and their kids than our own legal citizens and kids, a country that harbors all manner of criminals in sanctuary cities, a country that seems to think students can run this country instead of adults, a country that has thrown God out of the public square. 

No country can do all these things and expect to survive."

The writer goes on to point out that the fault lies with "the silent majority" of people who may be vexed by the decline of morals and character but have done little to stop the decay.

Consider how you and I might behave differently in the presence of Jesus.  

• How would we spend our money? 
• What movies would we watch? 
• What music would we listen to? 
• What books would we read? 
• What games would we play? 
• What cultural influences would we allow in our homes?
• How would our work improve?
• What would our conversation sound like?
• How would our attitudes improve?
• What would our priorities be?
• What character would we strive for?
• What values would we live by and hold others to?

 Whether we admit it or not, the "world" has a powerful effect on us. The question for Followers of Jesus, now more than ever: 

Is the Presence of Jesus 

alive in us? 

And is His Presence evident enough to overcome the world's blindness?

Following The Resurrection.5

"Why are you troubled, allowing doubt to fill your minds?

Be in peace.

Witness my hands and my feet.

Touch me, and verify my resurrected body; for a ghost does not appear having flesh and bones.

Because you have seen me, you believe.

More blessed are those who come after you, who having not seen me, believe."

--Jesus

Learning To Believe.

You may not have noticed, but Humans are a strange lot! With every reason to believe in a loving, beneficent Creator who only has our best interests at heart, we act like inconsolable victims at the mercy of Capricious Forces bent on our suffering! Sadly, because of our unbelief, we become the Capricious Forces bent on ensuring that other Humans suffer!

Believing in the Resurrection To Life is critical to understanding the work of Jesus on this planet, that is, to teach us to behave as if we believe in the Love and Power of God!

Three times the New Testament writers retold accounts where Jesus revealed God's power in bringing back human beings from death:

• A young man who's funeral procession happened to cross paths with Jesus on his Teaching Truth Tour; 
• wading through scoffers and skeptics at Temple official Jairus' house in order to call back his daughter to the wonder and delight of her parents; 
• and calling to his personal friend, Lazarus, to leave the splendor of heaven to come console (and convince) his sisters of the Truth of what they thought they believed.

The last incident was particularly vexing to the Lord when he was met by the sisters, Martha and Mary, who were perfectly knowledgeable about Jesus' demonstrations of power over death, yet chided Him for not preventing their brother's early departure from this planet. They "wept as those who believe in Death not in Life" in the very presence of Life!

The fact that Humans have the ability to make the heart of the Lord sad with hopeless tears should give us pause and hope that the death of unbelief is His great delight!

So let us, as friends and family pass on from this life, be grateful we don't have to call them back from the splendor and ecstasy of reunion with those who love them as much (or more) than we do, just to convince our faith! For if we are convinced that Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life it is the naughtiest of childish faithlessness to lament, moan and refuse comfort for those who, to be sure, are extraordinarily thankful to be where they are!

It would be a shame, at this point, to let doubt fill our minds and not the joy of belief He gives to all who put their trust in Him!

So let us live without fear! Let us live with confidence that those we love are alive to Him, the Good Shepherd, feeding His flock in a different pasture! Lost, momentarily to us, but not to Him who is preparing our place, departure time and grand reunion!

Now that is a faith worth dying for!