Up in the Air

Things are all up in the air. And of course, we usually say this phrase with uncertainty and dismay- and the dismay comes generally because of the uncertainty of a potentially bad situation. We like to have that control and certainty- it's very hard sometimes to live in uncertainty- particularly since we know the prince of the power of the air that we once trembled under still works to seek us woe. (Ephesians 2:2) But the prince of darkness grim- we tremble not for him. One little word will fell him.
    Instead, we look to The Lord who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords and rules over all. And when we leave things up in the air, it's an act of trust because we know it's really in The Lord's hands. And it's in the air that we meet The Lord by faith. (1 Thessalonians 4:11)
       So while we don't want to put on airs, we do want to air not on the side of caution, but air on the side of reckless abandon in the Creator of air and everything else. I keep trusting Him from here and now all the way through when I cross the air Jordan- and beyond. :-)

Trading Dreams

(Note: This blog entry is in response to the following article.
https://www.boundless.org/blog/giving-god-control-of-my-failure/?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=bt_blog_Mar12&fbclid=IwAR1a0eDtNfntrA98dIilG1p8IwH57viGO5V3Qqyj406x20iuufnnUupUip8
I am largely talking about keeping Jesus our number one passion above all else here but it is particularly addressing disappointment some feel with unwanted singleness.)


   I read the article- good stuff overall. I particularly liked how he talked about giving all our timelines, plans, dreams and desires over to God.
    Proverbs 16:3 is a great promise from The Lord- but don't forget some other verses in the same chapter- 16:9 and 16:33. In the end, even when we throw the dice in the game of Life, God still determines where they land. (Read Romans 9 for an excellent expose on God's sovereignty.)
     I did note that the dude's now happily married and I'm glad for him and his wife. I will admit that I get what he's saying because I've had times when I get sick of congratulating people on their engagements and marriages and children, etc. And then I get sick of me getting sick of that! Why am I going to sit around and whine about what I don't have instead of being thankful for what I do have?
     Marriage is not the perfect life-fixer we've idolized it to be. I'm not saying it's a bad thing- a wife is a blessing from The Lord. But marriage often makes life much harder, not easier. I do think it's worth the hardships but the grass always looks greener on the other side. (As Erma Bombeck used to say, I do believe- if I got the quote right)- that's because it's growing over a septic tank.
    I think too many Americans have bought into the American dream and have hopes set on marriage, kids and successful job in a nice cozy house- none of which is necessarily bad but none of which is necessarily God's plan for our lives.
     As with anything, the question we need to keep in mind with marriage, is asking how best we can bring God glory. How would my marriage to this particular girl best glorify God? I think as a couple, I would need to make sure both she and I can see God's vision for us as a couple.
     And we also have to be ready to trust The Lord and lay down our Isaac on the altar if that's what He calls us to do.
   "Sometimes, to do what's right, we have to be steady and give up the things we want the most- even our dreams."- Aunt May in "Spider-Man 2"
     And even if we feel like we're doing just that, we can trust that God still has the best in mind for us and will provide for all our needs. (Philippians 4:19) And whether He grants what we might desire or not- whether He sends His sun or rain upon us (just as He does for all the righteous and the wicked alike)- He is still always good and has already given us infinitely more than we deserve in Christ!
     I want to want Christ and want nothing else. (Psalms 23:1) Not that I have obtained all this or am already perfect, but I press on toward the goal for the prize for which God has called me Heavenward in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:14)
   I praise God for all the gifts He has blessed me with because the fact that I'm even here on earth to complain about what I don't have in life right now is more than I deserve- 'cause what I deserve is Hell. Anything above burning in Hell is a privilege.
   I know everyone's at different places with all this and I'm just writing for me and where I stand on this. Yes, I'd like to get married if God brings the right woman to my life but it's okay if I don't. Either way, I seek to live for God's glory above all and His desires above mine. He must increase and I must decrease. (John 3:30)
"Whom have I in Heaven but You, Jesus? And what better could I hope to find down here on earth? I could search the most distant reaches of this world but I'd just be wasting my time- I'm certain already I'm sure I'd find- You're my one thing! And the pure in heart shall see God." ("My One Thing" by Rich Mullins- which he based on Psalms 73 and these awesome quotes- "Purity of heart is to will one thing."- Soren Kierkegaard
"Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God."- Jesus)
    Again- please don't hear me wrong. I'm not saying anyone desiring marriage and still feeling unfulfilled and wondering why God hasn't granted that yet is necessarily just wallowing in despair and self-pity and not making Jesus their highest joy (just like Psalms 137- may my tongue stick to my mouth like peanut butter if I don't make New Jerusalem and its Lord my highest joy).
I know that I'm not always desiring God like I should because none of us really do. But He keeps drawing us to Him more and more and I desire to be more and more like Him and desire Him all the more!
(Philippians 2:1-18, Romans 8)
   Of course, it's good to know that God loves us as we are and not as we should be- because none of us are as we should be. (Shout out to Brennn Manning for that.)
Walking with Jesus is not always the most comfortable for sure, but it's always the best and "I am beginning to think there are better things than being comfortable." (Diamond in "At the Back of the North Wind" by George MacDonald)

I'm reminded of Thomas Merton's prayer, which I think is a great one to consider in pondering God's will specifically in marriage but also in life in general. The most important thing is to seek Him above all. No one who has given up mother, father, brothers, sisters, husband or wife and children for His kingdom will lose their reward. (See Matthew 19:29 and Mark 10:29 and Luke 18:29)

Author: Thomas Merton
"My Lord God,
I have no idea where I am going.
I do not see the road ahead of me.
I cannot know for certain where it will end.
nor do I really know myself,
and the fact that I think I am following your will
does not mean that I am actually doing so.
But I believe that the desire to please you
does in fact please you.
And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing.
I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire.
And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road,
though I may know nothing about it.
Therefore will I trust you always though
I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death.
I will not fear, for you are ever with me,
and you will never leave me to face my perils alone. "

And for one more quote-
"Dreams come true can kill a man if never graced by sovereign hands."- "Monkey's Paw" by Smalltown Poets

I choose to leave it in God's hands.

We are the Reason for the Season

        In the hustle and bustle of this busy holiday season, it's easy to get overwhelmed. There are so many activities and traditions to keep up with at Christmas. It's easy to forget what it's all about and why we do the celebrations we do. But, of course, in the course of it all, we should always remember the reason for the season- us. If not for us, there would be no Christmas- there'd be no need. It might seem weird to say Christmas is all about me and you but in a sense it certainly is just that. In the same way that police and fire fighters and superheroes are out of work without villains to stop and people to save, the birth of Christ would not be necessary except for us. We, the pinnacle of God's creation, went astray like sheep. We have all sinned and are all villains. But instead of sending us to the Phantom Zone, God found a way to save us from our Kryptonite that had killed us. The real life Superman came to earth, rocketed out of Heaven and arriving via the miracle of the Incarnation. He was raised by a carpenter and his wife in a small town, not too unlike Jonathan and Martha raising Clark Kent in Smallville. Joseph and Mary raised Jesus Christ in Nazareth later on after His spectacular birth in Bethlehem, which was reserved for only a few shepherds to first know about and view the manger.
       And like the meek and mild-mannered reporter, Jesus humbled Himself and disguised His superpowered self in the form of a bondservant for the planet daily for 33 years. And ultimately, He showed us that He is the one true real Superhero because He did what only He could do for the sake of the people- He gave His life to save all of humanity. He paid the price for all of our wrong deeds once for all time. And then He proved He is God over all ultimately by defeating the great enemy no one else could defeat- He beat death, sin, Hell, the devil and his demons all in one blow! He rose again from the grave!
      And He did it all to save us! If we put our faith in Him to save us, He gathers us in His arms and no scheme of Lex Luthor can ever shake us loose. We are saved forever from the sin that had entangled us and we are freed to live for Jesus and have an assurance of eternity with Him in Heaven.
And that's the meaning of and reason for Christmas. Yes, Jesus is still always the reason for the season but as David Meece reminds us, we are the Reason for Jesus coming! He loves us and wants to save us! That's why we can celebrate Christmas and that's ultimately what we celebrate- the advent of our salvation culminating and fulfilled in Easter!
      And as we celebrate the joy to the world The Lord's first coming brings, we also look forward to the joy to the world (for those in Christ) that The Lord's second coming brings. :-)
Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's Superman- fully God and fully man! The Saviour has come and The Saviour's coming again! Hallelujah!
Merry Christmas and Happy (First and Second) Advent! :-)

"We are the reason that He gave His life. We are the reason that He suffered and died. To a world that was lost He gave all He could give to show us the reason to live." ...."He is my reason to live!" :-)
- "We Are The Reason" by David Meece

(Philippians 2, Galatians 4:4, Psalms 98, Mark 4:41, Colossians 1:15-23, Romans 5:6-8, John 1:1-18, John 1:29, John 1:43-51, John 3:13-21, 1 John 4:7-21, Hosea 11:8-9, Hosea 2:16-23, 2 Peter 3:8-9, Revelation 22:16-21) (Action Comics by DC Comics publishing and David Meece's 1980 "Are You Ready?" album from Myrrh Records for all the rest ;-))

Manic Sunday (song)

      Unfortunately, I am often known for being late to things. It's not like I'm trying to but it just seems to happen that way. Sometimes I feel like the prince of being late. I'd like to think I could be known for being punctual all the time but then I'm also the king of wishful thinking at times. ;-) And of course, it always seems like it can be a hassle some days on Sundays just to get me to the church on time. Imagine how much worse it can be for the preacher! This is just a little ditty to give a picture of the craziness of Sunday mornings for pastors (and as a pastor's kid myself, I know how this goes a bit)- and a reminder that every day is the day The Lord has made and we will rejoice and be glad in it. So bang a drum a little and praise The Lord!

"Manic Sunday"
(parody of "Manic Monday" by The Bangles and written by Prince)
(copyright by Nathan Ludwick 8/14/2018)
(Hebrews 6:10, Colossians 1 and 4:2-6, Psalms 118:24)

6 o'clock already- I was just in the middle of a dream
I was dissing Tarantino's new picture on the silver screen
And I can't be late or else I guess (the) pianist just keeps playing
These are the days when you wish you had a pastoral aide

(Chorus 1)
It was just another panicked Sunday (Ohh!)
And this is my Monday!
And that's what some say-
Why, I don't work but one day!
It was just another manic Sunday

Have to preach to early saints
Got to leave the church to dine
And if I had a chair, they're 'fraid
I still would be making point 9
'Cause it takes me so long just to figure out what I'm gonna share
Play that old refrain
Crank that "Just As I Am" 'til prayer

(Chorus 2)
It was just another Baptist Sunday
I wish we had liturgy
But that's not Fundie
'Cause we don't have it done that way
Not part of our systematic theology

Saturday night! Why'd my computer have to pick that night to shut down?
Doesn't it matter that I have to feed the flock, Jesus?
I'm going to drown!
He tells me in 6:10 Hebrews
C'mon- trust Me! God sees all you do!
Christ- He holds you fast (in Colossians 1)

(Chorus 3)
(When) it's just another frantic Sunday
I wish I was Sunday
Preach that fervently!
Get on Water Wagon- hey!
That's just another man's sermon, 'kay?
I preach- Jesus runs things!
Got that joy coming!
It's just an automatic Lord's Day!
.............................................................................

Blog in Your Eye

I wish I could get as passionately outraged and morally indignant at my own sins first as it's so easy to become at others'- and then learn to show more mercy and grace and let God handle the judging.
(Psalms 139:23-24, Matthew 7:1-6, Matthew 5:7, Romans 7, James 4:11-12, 1 Peter 4:8, James 2:12-13, Philippians 3:18-4:1, 1 Timothy 1:15-17)
(Note: Yes, there is a place for rebuke within the church and we should do that with love and humility. Titus 1:13-16, Ephesians 4:15, 1 Corinthians 5, Philemon- particularly verses 1:8-9) As two of my favourite songs say- "I'm starting with the man in the mirror. I'm asking him to make a change. And no message could have been any clearer- if you want to make the world a better place, take a look at yourself and make a change." ("Man in the Mirror" by Michael Jackson- his best song, in my opinion)
But we must do this by The Holy Spirit and His power in us, not by our own strength. (Galatians 5:16-26)
And before we look to judge other Christians and help them with that speck, let's remember the log in our own eyes.
"It's me, it's me, it's me, oh Lord- standing in the need of prayer! ....It's not my father, not my mother, my sister, not my brother- but it's me, oh Lord- standing in the need of prayer." (Classic Sunday School song)
Thankfully, Jesus is there to help us. His death and Resurrection paid for all sins for one time and He has forgiven me because I've put my faith in Him and His righteousness because I know I've got none of my own. And He's still working on me and sanctifying me more each day (Philippians 2:12-13, Ephesians 2:8-10) and in the end, He'll lead me Home to Heaven with Him. :-) (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24)
Thank You, Lord. Help me to love more, judge less and when I do make a judgment- to make a righteous one, never forgetting that we are all equally in need of Your grace.

Walking on Air

           Things are all up in the air. And of course, we usually say this phrase with uncertainty and dismay- and the dismay comes generally because of the uncertainty of a potentially bad situation. We like to have that control and certainty- it's very hard sometimes to live in uncertainty- particularly since we know the prince of the power of the air that we once trembled under still works to seek us woe. (Ephesians 2:2) But the prince of darkness grim- we tremble not for him. One little word will fell him. Instead, we look to The Lord who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords and rules over all. And when we leave things up in the air, it's an act of trust because we know it's really in The Lord's hands. And it's in the air that we meet The Lord by faith. (1 Thessalonians 4:11) So while we don't want to put on airs, we do want to air not on the side of caution, but air on the side of reckless abandon in the Creator of air and everything else. I keep trusting Him from here and now all the way through when I cross the air Jordan- and beyond. :-) (At which time, believe it or not, I'm walking on air!)

Have Your Way, Lord Jesus (Any Way You Want It) (song)

In this journey of life there are many paths to choose. Of course, all the various paths ultimately follow along only two roads- either the broad one to destruction or the narrow one to Life. There are so many choices to make and often we want to do things our own way. Of course, that's when things all go wrong. There are many plans in a man's mind but it's the Lord's will that prevails. He knows what's best and will work things out for our good in His time. It's so much better to say now to God, "Thy will be done" and leave things in His hands any way He wants it.


"Have Your Way, Lord Jesus (Any Way You Want It)"
(parody of "Any Way You Want It" by Journey; copyright by Nathan Ludwick 3/14/2017)
(Matthew 26:36-46, Mark 13:32-42, Luke 22:39-46, John 18:11, Job 13:15, Daniel 3:16-18, Philippians 2-3, Romans 8:28, Romans 12:1-2, Psalms 16, Psalms 20 (especially v. 4), Psalms 37, Proverbs 16, Romans 9, James 4:13-17, Psalms 73 (especially verses 23-28), Psalms 84 (especially verses 10-12), John 6:68, Luke 9:23, Proverbs 19:21)

Any way You want it
That's the way I need it
Any way You want it

I love to plan
I love to dream
I try everything
Proverbs behooves
God must approve
Entrust to God your dreams

All right! All right!
Oh, 16 writes
You roll dice- hold tight
(The) Lord places rolls right

It lands
Any way You want it
Have Your way, Lord Jesus
Any way You want it
I say, And the way I want it
Might not be how I need it
Any way You want it, (Lord)

Jesus alone
My mind renews
What would God have me do?
They're all just dung
My longings
If not for God my King

All right! Psalms writes
16:6 writes
(The) Lord holds tight- my life
Oh, the lines fall nice(ly)

Any way You want it
Have Your way, Lord Jesus
Any way You want it (oh)
I say, And the way I want it
Might not be how I need it
Any way You want it (Lord)

I said, "Whoa!" "Whoa!"
I'm done! Cross on! Roll on!
(Oh,) (Luke says)
Anyone who wants to
Travel with Lord Jesus
Deny oneself (and) wants- oh, oh!
And cross weighs- you're on it
Luke 9:23-yeah
Walk the way God's calling (Oh!)

He said- And the way you're walking
That's been laid by Jesus
Godly's ways are guarded
37 Psalms, yeah
That's line 23, yeah
Go the way God wants it

Give your way to God then
Trust Him, wait and be still
And your faith's rewarded
'Cause Yahweh you're wanting
That's verse 4- so delight
Your heart craves for God then (Ohh!)

20:4 in Psalms then
Watch the way you read it
Only if God wants it (Ohh!)
Any way you want it?
That's the way we lost Eden
Monkey's Paw and Faust- no!

Any way You want it
Have Your way, Lord Jesus
Any way You want it, (Lord)
Any way You want it..........
...................................................................................

Who Do You Trust?

            We should always be speaking The Truth in Love. (Ephesians 4:15). I want only to lovingly speak the Truth of The Bible here and comment on some things I have noticed in public discourse over the last number of years. I do not to seek to pronounce, suggest or proffer any political candidates in any way. I do not seek to cajole anyone to any particular political party or point of view. I don’t claim to be of any particular political party and I don’t think it’s my position to push political candidates or parties or tell people how to vote and who to vote for. (I also don’t think churches and other places of influence need to be doing this, but particularly for the church.)
            I want to make it clear from the outset what this post is about and what it’s not about. It’s much more about attitudes and the states of our hearts and trust levels more so than about voting or elections- but it is certainly based in relation to elections and the level of power we afford to them. While this is in some ways specific to America in this piece, the principles are applicable for all countries of the world. I have spoken in more detail on the topic of voting as it relates to the Christian and what The Bible says to this matter. That’s not exactly the angle I’m focusing on with this piece. This is devoted to addressing our level of devotion to the political system versus our devotion to God.
         As many others have stated, I’ll add my voice to those saying this about the state of politics in America in 2016- I’m disheartened to see the cacophony of noise and malicious, venomous poison barbs it has become. I’m equally disheartened to see what the level of discourse in general has become, but that has been a downward spiral for a long time coming- since Genesis 3 at least. I’m speaking this as a rebuke to all the political parties that continue the pattern of mudslinging that seems to be carried out with each election season. It seems that each party constantly builds its own candidate up to sound better than they are while concurrently denigrates, vilifies and demonizes its opponent. Of course, that is the sad nature of politics, it seems. However, it is certainly not the nature of Christ. Colossians 3:5-17 tells us that we must put off anger, wrath, malice, slander and obscene talk from our mouths- and instead, put on kindness, humility, meekness, patience, forgiveness and compassionate hearts! And above all these, put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And when we remember that Jesus Himself is Love (as 1 John 4:8 tells us), then we can say with The Beatles, truly- “Love is all you need”.
           To address the elephant and the donkey in the room (and whatever symbol you want to use for third parties ;-)), I'm definitely also not saying who to vote for- I just encourage everyone to follow 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22 - "Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid all appearance of evil.") And I would encourage people to also read about all the independent candidates and candidates of other parties (like the Green Party, Libertarian Party, Prohibition Party, America's Party and more.) Vote for who you think God wants you to vote for. And in the end, trust Him above ANY person. (Isaiah 2:22) That’s really briefly all I care to say about the voting process. (For more thoughts on this, see my previous blog entry on this matter.)
               I hope the 2016 elections can help people in America learn to unite as Americans rather than be divided over ideologies. My personal goal is generally to try to look for the positive first- try to find something I can applaud, compliment and agree with first and talk about that first- and thank the person for sharing their thoughts. And then politely state my differences where needs be. I firmly believe that no matter what we have to say, there is always a nice way to say it. We can disagree about policies and ideas without insulting each other, whether directly or subtly.
(This is of course, modeled after 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22- "Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid all appearance of evil." You may notice I repeat these verses many times over- they are so practical and such good reminders!) In the end, we can never forget the wonder of the created being that we are conversing with- this is another human being who is fearfully and wonderfully made in God's image- and we are called to love them as we love ourselves! It doesn't matter how vile they are or how much we think their beliefs are vulgar and wrong- our first call is always to love with the love of Christ above all else. (This doesn't mean we can't disagree and lovingly correct when needs be- particularly in spiritual matters of eternal importance- but we must speak the Truth in Love. (Ephesians 4:15) This one is another favorite- I can never say it enough!)
          As I've said many times before, when it comes to politics- vote for who you think God wants you to vote for. Let the Holy Spirit guide you. But don't hail them like they're going to magically make everything better...they won't. All the candidates are human and they fail just like we do. And we're also called to love all of them like Jesus does. (John 13:35) Yes, God is in control and He sets rulers up and takes them down. (Daniel 4) And as Isaiah 2:22 reminds us, quit putting your trust in man, who has but a breath in his nostrils. Put your trust in The Lord! His will will be done. :-)                          
           I've said much the same thing for a while now and I’ll probably keep repeating myself through this writing as some things I need to hear over and over again- as we all do at times. :-) Fix your eyes on Jesus- not on this world and its political system. Stop putting trust in man who has but a breath in his nostrils (that God gave him.) (see Isaiah 2:22) Put your faith in God. He's always in control. No one gets political power unless Jesus lets them. And no matter what happens on earth in our own power struggles, there's One who reigns as King of Kings and Lord of Lords- and we who know Him as Savior and Lord don't have to fear- we've got another King coming. :-) As Jesus told Pilate in John 19:11, he wouldn’t have had any power over Him except that it was given to him from above.
        Whoever God decides to put in power, we are commanded to respect them, love them and pray for them! (1 Timothy 2:1-4, 2 Peter 2:11-17, Romans 13). We should also remember the context of when these verses were written- the leader Christians were commanded to love, respect, honor and pray for at that time was Nero- the guy who was using Christians for nightlights and lion snacks. If the church could obey these commands for him, I think we can do the same in America- thankfully, we’re not quite there with our leaders. (Sadly, there are some Christians around the world who suffer similar barbarities in the world today though…. And these verses must be even tougher for them to carry out- but they are still God’s Word nonetheless, no matter what our situation might be.)
        There are two errors I think we commonly tend to fall into when it comes to elections. Sometimes we believe that our chosen candidate is the one to bring balance to the Force and restore peace to the land- he or she is “the Golden Child”- “the Chosen One”- and everything will be all right once they are elected. We also sometimes tend to believe that the opponent of our chosen candidate is somehow the destroyer of worlds- the one who will make our living experience a hell on earth. I think either extreme is the wrong view. There is absolutely nothing that happens in this universe without being run by God first and getting His okay for happening! If God chooses for something to not happen- it will simply cease to be before it ever comes into existence. All things are held up by Him and in Him suspended- just check Colossians 1:17. Also, see John 1- nothing exists except that He made it and allowed it to be. The Lord is absolutely sovereign at all times. (Romans 9) If we truly believe this, then why do we act like a particular election is somehow going to be either the start of a new era of awesomeness or indeed the very end of the world? Yes, it’s true that God is always in control and everything will be all right because He rules the world. But why do we only say that when our chosen candidate loses? Somehow, I don’t seem to hear it being said when our chosen candidate wins. Yet it’s true regardless- and we sure better be looking to Him above any other human being in all things. (By this, I don’t mean that we should disregard our leaders and ignore them- we should be thankful for their service and pray for them- but we don’t hail them as the one who will fix everything.) Insert the Godliest person you can think of into the role of President. Anyone less than Jesus Christ will utterly fail in the end. There is only One who can put this world back together to what it should be and restore it from its fallen state- and that’s Jesus alone! He does that by forgiving people and changing their hearts when they ask Him to do so. He’s provided for this by dying on the cross for all our sins and rising again. We must always keep our eyes and minds fixed on Him and know that He is the only One we can trust to always be faithful. (2 Timothy 2:11-13, Psalms 136)
           As a bit of a side note, I also think America tends to be very egocentric at times. (Though, to be fair, some of this comes from its status as a world leader. There’s no denying that a lot of the world looks to the USA to set the tone for other nations.) However, I think it’s important to note that everything does not revolve around the United States of America. (This is getting into a separate matter that I might write more on later; for now, suffice it to say that I tire of hearing people make comparisons of America and Israel. God loves all countries, of course- but the USA is not His chosen people.) My point here is just to say that if some feel that America is in a bad place because of a politician elected as President- this doesn’t mean it’s the end of the world. I don’t particularly want to see America fall as a nation and I don’t seek to make any predictions whatsoever regarding that- but I don’t want to act like it’s so important that the rest of the world can’t go on without it. In the end, God alone determines all nations’ fates- and nothing happens outside of His permissive will.
         I saw this article (http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2016/november/year-of-living-hopelessly.html) in Christianity Today a while back about how 2016 has pushed some people towards nihilism- and how we don’t need to let that happen to us. (It’s a great article, by the way!) This is also something I grow weary of seeing- the despair of so many because of the state of the world. Yes, things are bleak in many ways. I’m well aware of the travails that sin brings upon us. But this has been happening since Genesis 3. The world is fallen and will continue to revel in sin until Christ returns and restores all things to the way He designed them to be originally. Until then, we as Christians must be His agents of change to show people the way of His kingdom, which is perfect love. We must boldly proclaim the Gospel and must live as people of Hope. We have an everlasting Hope in Jesus and we need not be scared of the future. We know the One who holds the past, present and future all in His hands- and we know the end of The Book- and “the Good Book says we win!” (as Stryper reminds us in “Soldiers Under Command”) We must be strong and courageous. (Joshua 1:9) We must be of good cheer because Christ has overcome the world! (John 16:33) Everything will be just as God has ordained it. (Psalms 139, Acts 27:25)He keeps the earth's pillars steady. (Psalms 75:3-4) We must hope in God alone. (Psalms 42) We find our peace in Him alone. (Romans 15:13) Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the Name of The Lord our God! (Psalms 20)
        So as we face the future with calm assurance in our Father God, let’s remember this about elections and their outcomes. It’s not a brave new world, it’s not a whole new world- it’s my Father’s world- and He’s got the whole world in His hands.

The Worrier (song)

"And tho' this world with devils filled should threaten to undo us...We will not fear for God hath willed His Truth to triumph through us- Dost ask who this might be? Christ Jesus- it is He! Lord Sabaoth is His Name- From age to age the same- And He must win the battle!" - ("A Mighty Fortress Is Our God" by Martin Luther)

There are all kinds of scandals out in the world and fears and concerns and trials and tribulations to worry about- but The One who has conquered the world tells us to take heart- He is in control and when we know Jesus as Savior and follow Him- there's no need to worry about anything. Quit being the worrier and become the warrior that Romans 8 declares followers of Christ to be! :-)

"The Worrier"
(parody of "The Warrior" by Scandal featuring Patty Smyth; copyright by Nathan Ludwick 9/12/2014)
(Psalms 37:23-29, Psalms 104:24-28, Psalms 81:16, Psalms 145:13-21, 1 Peter 5:6-7, Philippians 4:19, Matthew 6:25-34, 2 Timothy 1:6-7, 1 John 4:18, Luke 10:38-42, Philippians 4:4-8, Hebrews 11:1-6, 2 Corinthians 5:7, Habakkuk 2:4, John 16:33, Proverbs 28:1, John 14:1, Psalms 23, John 10, Romans 8)

Ohhh! Ohhh!

We've sung "Trust And Obey"
It's so hard to do in faith
Feeding all those hungry guys
Big Macs tonight; can't get French fries

Well, isn't God providing?
So why's my worldview so negative?
Break out the Ramen please
That's all we eat like stereotypical guys
Love pays no bills
I'm Martha's child

Luke 10:41- my namesake
Good grief!
I am a worrywart
Well, I am the Worrier!
And Father knows our needs
He will provide- Don't worry, sir- Don't worry, girl
Well, talk's easy and cheap
4:19 (in) Philippians- read
It's easy when things are nice
Life crashing makes it rather trite (Ohhh!)
Who, by worry, adds or gains?
God knows my needs- (I'll) call His Name
Behold, He clothes the field lilies
Solomon's array's got zilch on this style
So don't be afraid- God's got all of us, child

Fretting brings me only heartburn
Aw, sheesh!
I am the worrier
Well, I am the worrier
So fearful heart, trust Him!
He will provide- Good Shepherd, yeah- Psalms 23!
He's God- Jehovah Jireh!

Hebrews 11- it's faith-based (Hebrews 11 verse 6 says)
The righteous one- by faith- to please The Lord
So fearful heart, trust Him! (Fearful heart, trust Him!)
He will provide- Don't worry, sir- Don't worry, girl

Working out good- all things- God makes
Rom. 8
I've been the worrier
Now I'm more than conqueror!
Got victory through Christ!

(Seeking God first- all things added- yay!)
6 Matthew- yeah- Trust Him- The Lord Savior!
Shooting down the walls that fear made
Bang, bang
He is The Warrior
Well, I trust my Lord Savior!
(fade)

.............................................................

(I thought it was worth nothing that this parody song was directly inspired by a sermon from my home church circa September 2014- my pastor used the exact phrase that I used for the name of this song- and it brought to mind this classic '80s song and the parody quickly came together from there. And as always, ultimately, it's God who brings all these things to mind and I trust He uses them all for His glory. :-))

God is our GPS :-)

*Another one from the archives....

"Not all who wander are lost." - J.R.R. Tolkien
I was talking with a friend today about how God doesn't always give us a GPS or even a map! (See Genesis 12:1-9 - God just told Abraham to get up and go to this place He would show him. And he packed up his family and stuff and headed out. God was faithful to lead him to where he needed to go.) And what about Matthew 9:9? Jesus' invitation was and is so simple, "Follow Me." Matthew got up, left his tax collector booth (i.e. his ...job) and followed Jesus. In Matthew 10, Jesus sent out His 12 disciples and told them to go to the lost sheep of Israel- don't take any bags and all- just go and trust God to provide. (And God's people- and/or the man of peace- should help take care of those needs, assuming the workers were worth their salt. And they should be, since Jesus told us that we're the salt of the earth in Matthew 5:13.) Jesus may have seemed to wander from town to town sometimes, but I don't think He ever stopped to ask directions. He mapped out the whole earth! He always knows where He's going. And He's mapped out our whole lives and expects us to just trust and follow Him wherever He leads. We don't always know where we're going, but God does and He's the Master Cartographer- He guides and guards our every step and gets us safely to every place we need to be at the right time. The disciples had much better than GPS or Mapquest or Google maps- they didn't need to Google something- they could just ask Jesus the Creator God Himself! And so can we. Keep trusting and following one day at a time.

God in the Poll Booth

Well, not only am I going to break the old saying about not talking about religion and politics in mixed company (since more than likely there will be disagreements and we can’t seem to amicably handle those situations by agreeing to disagree agreeably), but I’m also going to mix both religion and politics and talk about both here. And yes, with the 2014 U.S. mid-term elections around the corner of the calendar, it seemed appropriate timing.
              Let me point out what I am not going to do here though. I have no intention of ever telling anyone how to vote and who to vote for, as I feel people are capable of making their own minds on that and should, empowered by careful research, follow their own conscience on such matters. I don’t endorse any particular candidate but Jesus Christ and I don’t endorse any particular party except for the one Jesus throws in Heaven with all the angels at just one sinner who repents. :-) I don’t even really endorse any particular ideology other than Christian theology entrusted to and enacted by hearts that have been set free by the crucifixion of Christ on the cross at Calvary and the glorious Resurrection of Christ that brings restoration, redemption and renewal.
                In fact, I will go ahead and lay out my only bit of voting advice. Vote for whoever you think God wants you to vote for. Grammatical issues aside, I think that’s the only issue at hand when it comes to elections. As 1 Corinthians 10:31 tells us, we should do everything for God’s glory and as Colossians 3:23 tells us, we should everything as unto The Lord (that is, with our best effort.) Those two verses speak to two major things that should guide our voting. And to be clear, I do think we should take advantage of the right to vote in countries that afford this privilege. [Sadly, this is something to remember too- voting is a privilege as in many countries it is not an option for the people at all.] If we are doing everything for God’s glory, then this includes our voting at the polls. And that should be the guiding principle for everything in our lives, of course. Now I don’t know what this will translate into for anyone else as far as candidates and such goes, but I do know that we should look for candidates who truly represent the values that God holds dear as much as possible. I know that this is not fully possible as we also must acknowledge that we are all miserable sinners who fall woefully short of God’s glory and ultimately, we can only hope to find someone who labors to uphold God’s standards, though obviously they will not be perfect in those efforts. We must extend grace to our leaders and everyone else, for that matter, just as much as we are so quick to extend to ourselves. If God is willing to be gracious and forgiving, then so must we, as Jesus made very clear in His parable of the unmerciful servant. (See Matthew 18:21-35)
                Ah, but the question is raised then- what of the circumstances when we can’t seem to find any leader that holds to and upholds God’s values? What to do indeed? Well, here is where our other guiding verse comes into play. As Colossians 3:23 says, we should everything as unto The Lord and offer our best to Him. (Many other verses make that principle clear- for instance, one of my favorites, Malachi 1:14, says it quite well. :-)) How can we offer our best to The Lord in the way we vote? I think this calls for discipline on our part to do good research on all of the candidates in the running and make informed decisions. As Hosea 4:6 laments, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge…” How true it is. So let’s make sure to do thorough research to find out, as much as possible, what the candidates really stand for and how it’s been played out in their lives thus far. An important distinction I want to make here is that I personally like to look at candidates and not party affiliations. I do not hold to the Republican party or Democrat party. Or the Green party. Or the Libertarian party. Or the Constitution party. Or the various parties that we tend to forget even exist past the big two. (Again, excuse my grammar there. ;-)) I don’t even hold to the Independent status. I am dependent on Jesus Christ and I hold on to Him above all else- and He is above all else- all political parties, all ideologies and philosophies, all kings and rulers, lords and gods- everything and everyone.
                This leads into one other important point I want to make on politics and leaders and so forth. As much as we should try to think the best of our leaders rather than the worst and give them the benefit of the doubt as much as we give others and ourselves most of all, this doesn’t mean we shouldn’t hold them to standards. As a leader, they are given greater responsibilities and held accountable by God. In fact, Romans 13 specifies that it is God Who sets them in authority. And He’s The One Who takes them down as well. And because God has set them in power, out of reverence for God, we are called to respect and obey the government authorities that God has put in place. We are also called to love our leaders, as Jesus commands us to love everyone (John 13:34-35), and respect them as well and pray for them. (See 1 Peter 2:9-25 and 1 Timothy 2:1-2) And this means adhering to the rules and yes, paying our taxes. (Jesus gave us the example in Matthew 17:24-27 as He paid His taxes. Of course, He had that cool trick where He could tell Peter to go fishing and that he’d find a coin in the mouth of the first fish he caught. :-) But nonetheless, as Christ provided for Peter’s tax and His own, He can certainly provide for us in everything. And we must remember what He taught in the incident in Luke 20:19-26- “Render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s [insert the name of your country’s government here ;-)] and to God what is God’s.”
                Now I must also acknowledge that there are times when the government might require unfair taxes from us and times when we may feel pushed to do things that go against God’s Word. And ultimately, if it comes down to the government vs. God, I’m going to go with God over the government. As Peter said in Acts 5:29, “We must obey God rather than men.” Until it is at that point, I think there are times when we as Christians are called to let ourselves be taken advantage of and remember that God sees all that is done and vengeance is His and He will repay people for their deeds. (Matthew 5:38-48, Job 34:10-11) It may also help us to remember the context of the verses that command us to respect and obey the government authority that God has established. First of all, as I said earlier, we particularly obey the government authority and respect it out of respect for God Himself and in obedience to Him, just as we do with our parents, teachers, pastor and other positions of leadership. But think about the people in Peter’s and Paul’s day. They were under the tyranny of Nero, who used Christians for nightlights! In a time when Christians were being thrown to the lions to be eaten for the Romans to enjoy as sport and when Christians were being burned at the stake- all because of their faith in Christ- this is when they are hearing God’s command to respect and honor the government institution of their day- which mean respecting and obeying Nero and the laws his government had established. (Except, of course, as noted before, when it came to laws that directly went against God’s Word.) If Christians then could obey this command and Christians in communist countries that live in dictatorships instead of democracies can obey this command, then I think American Christians and Christians in democratic countries particularly can obey this command. (And of course, our circumstances don’t really matter- we are still commanded to uphold and obey all of God’s Word whether we like it or not and no matter what the circumstances.) [Note: As a caveat here, I realize this last statement could lead into discussions over upholding the spirit of the law over the letter of the law and honoring the greater moral value (key examples being Rahab and the Israelite spies and the midwives serving Pharaoh at the birth of Moses, etc.), but that’s a discussion for another blog, perhaps.] [Also, please note: I am NOT making any comparisons whatsoever of any leaders to Nero. I am just pointing out different circumstances.] And ultimately, it’s all through Jesus’ power- we rely on His strength and His love to work in us to obey His Word and love, respect and honor others- even leaders that we may not totally agree with all the time.
                I know that some say that respect must be earned rather than given freely. However, I don’t feel that this is a Biblical attitude. Though I agree with the sentiment in some regards and I do think people should make the effort to earn respect through their lives, I also think that their seeming virtue or lack thereof (and by the way, we all have a lack thereof- the only virtue and good any of us have is from Jesus, if we are in Him) has nothing to do with the respect we owe them as people made in the image of God and loved eternally by Him. (Genesis 1:26-27, Jeremiah 31:3, Ezekiel 18:23, 2 Peter 3:8-9, Romans 5:8, John 15:12) We are called to love regardless- and love keeps no record of wrongs. And Jesus loved and gave Himself for us when we were yet sinners- and we can do no less for others. This is what we are called to do.
                And as we ponder all these things at the polls, we also know that ultimately God is in control of all these events and He knows what is to come- He laughs while the nations rage. (Psalms 2) He is in control of all things and He is the One we must trust above all else. Stop putting your trust in man, who has just a breath in his nostrils. [Which God gave him to begin with!] Of what account is he? (My quote/paraphrase of Isaiah 2:22). This is why I’m not really concerned too much with who gets elected and who is in charge. I know my King is always on the throne- and He’s King of Kings and Lord of Lords. (Revelation 19:16) And He reigns forever over all. And He will put all things to rights in His time. So take heart- we’re going to have trials and tribulations and of course, death and taxes, in this world- but Jesus has overcome the world! (John 16:33) So put your hope in Him and praise Him- His will will be done. Jesus rules! (And I mean that literally). :-)

The God of All Seasons (poem)

With the weather finally seeming to recently move into spring and/or summer weather (as it tends to go where I am) ;-), this seemed like an appropriate time to post this. This is a poem I wrote a little while back in an attempt to kind of turn on its head the common theme I tend to see in poetry and songs celebrating spring and/or summer as a reminder of God's love. (Not that those works are bad and not those seasons aren't, of course. I think everything is a reminder of God's love-even that which would be its antithesis only serves to remind us of how much we need God and His love.) So this is my ode to fall and winter and the ways that they also remind us of God's love.

The God of All Seasons

Original poem; copyright Nathan Ludwick December 2013
(Nehemiah 9:5-6, Psalms 19, Isaiah 55:8-11, Psalms 124:8, Psalms 147, Ecclesiastes 3, Psalms 136, Psalms 148, Psalms 139, Job 38-41, Isaiah 40:25-31, Psalms 113:3)

The God for all seasons
Loves us- won't leave us alone- so let's go!
(So come on!)
God is the God of order
I see His order in the progression
of seasons just like
He orders the steps of a righteous man
I feel the love of God in all the seasons all year long.
In spring, summer, fall and winter
In the chill and cold of winter
God's love warms the heart of this forgiven sinner
The winters and nights of my life remind that God sets everything in motion
The sun and seasons progress in His time- and in the summertime, the living is easy.
Sunshine on my shoulders makes me feel happy.
But it's the rainy days and Mondays that always bring me down from
an artificial high that comes with the good times and days of our lives.
It seems it's these times most of all
that I go and run to The One
Who loves me in every season of life.
Every good and perfect gift comes
from above-from the Father of Lights, The Lord Almighty.
And He makes everything alrighty then whatever the situation.
Praise God for the pain that He allows to rouse a deaf world.
I love a rainy night when my power's shut down and my distractions
are suddenly shut off.
It reminds me to look to the God
of Light and Love who turns it on
and brings me The Power.
It's not that I want discomfort and
trials and struggling, but it's what
I need so often- like a gun at my
head to keep me honest 'cause a good man is hard to find.
And anything good in me is Christ and not me.
I know He's still shaping me into His mold of
perfection and will finish one day at last-
But until then, it still stings to burn away the chaff.