Door No. 3

For your ways are in full view of the Lord , and he examines all your paths. Proverbs 5:21 NIV

We know that God sees through any face we put on for others. He sees our heart and knows our true intentions. Nothing can be hidden.

I'm focused on the part about where he examines all your paths. There are many paths your life can take, and does. Faced with choices about which way to go, which job to take, which house to buy (or rent), to get married or stay single, a person could go crazy trying to figure out which way to go. I mean it's not like God writes it out in the sky (but wouldn't that be cool?). So how do we know which way God wants us to go? What if there are two doors, or four or ten? If you choose the wrong one is it like a game show and you walk away with the consolation prize?

I don't know the answer which is why I'm asking the universe. Maybe we will never know. Maybe we are supposed to use our brains and figure it out on our own. All I know is when faced with a choice if you don't make one, life makes it for you and then all you have is a token called missed opportunity.

God knows and thankfully he's also forgiving and gracious.

Gods Ninjas

Righteousness guards the person of integrity, but wickedness overthrows the sinner. Proverbs 13:6 NIV

Honesty. Integrity. Perseverance. Self control. Humility. These are a few of the tenets we teach in martial arts. The physical training is only one part of being a martial artist. In fact, I'd say the physical is probably only ten percent of the effort you put in. The remaining part is your mind set. Without the proper mentality your physical training will be for nothing. Train your mind to react properly and in a controlled manner to the world around you. Sense when something isn't right and be strong enough to walk away. Be confident in your abilities to let nothing sway you from your beliefs. These are all hallmarks of a student of martial arts. The longer you train, the better you get but you have to put the time in.

You've probably seen an action movie or two where the good guy is calculated and controlled. The bad guy is just swinging away at nothing and losing control. That's how he gets beat. His wickedness, his anger, got the better of him.

I'm not any more righteous than a blade of grass, but I value integrity.  It's important to me that people know they can trust me, that I'm honest and thoughtful. I fail miserably, a lot, but I still practice every day and hope I achieve some level of proficiency at some point. It's my constant striving that keeps me in check.

Training makes you stronger. Continue your training by staying focused.

God's Monopoly

The Lord says: “These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is based on merely human rules they have been taught. Isaiah 29:13 NIV

I love board games. I think Clue and Battleship are my favorites. Monopoly is not bad either. Board games are just all out fun you can have with anybody. Like most things in life the games have rules we must follow in order to play fair. And like most things in life, no one really follows the rules as written. We all make up our own. I bet that in your family unit there is at least one game you play that has specific rules you made up. Anyone outside your family will be at a disadvantage because they won't know the secret family rules.

But board games are fairly forgiving. You can make up rules, still have fun, still play fair and someone eventually wins. God's rules are not negotiable. He set them. We must follow them. If all we do is talk a big game we won't get anywhere. It's not like we can talk our way out of being charged for landing on a hotel on Park Avenue owned by our kid.

We have to mean what we say and put actions with our words of worship. And not by human rules either. By God's rules. Only then will we realize true victory in him.

So leave the secret card to Ms. Scarlett with the rope in the Billiard Room. God's rules are right and true.

Puny Humans

Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. Matthew 22:37‭-‬38 NIV

The companion scripture to tbis verse is Deuteronomy 6:5. It's God telling his people not to forget him and all he's done when things go well for them. We've all been there. Any teachers out there? You know what I'm talking about. The kids are doing great and things are just sailing along. You fail to tell them they are doing well until something bad happens. At that point you might tell Johnny to do just like Sam because Sam is doing good. We do ok for a few days and then forget again to praise Johnny for doing it right. That is until he messes up again, which all kids tend to do from time to time. Well don't we all?

When things are going well we forget to praise God for the good times but are quick to run to him or get mad when things go wrong. Or sometimes God gives us smooth sailing so we can focus on helping others buy we get so self absorbed that we even forget to do that. We are puny humans.

But God is gracious and thankfully very patient. He's just waiting for us to acknowledge him and all he's done and lift others up in prayer. So when things go right, pay it forward and do for others who are having it tough. For soon you may find yourself there and needing a hand.

It's Power

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8 NIV

I teach Jazzercise. Most of the time I can put on a pretty good class. My body cooperates, my mind stays focused and I can give my customers what they paid for: a kickin hour of dance and sweaty fun. I could say on those days I have power to finish strong. The class goes well and the customers bring their friends, increasing the business.

Now think about the opposite. Bad classes cause customers to not bring their friends and eventually stop coming. No customers, no class, no business. Power to keep going is crucial.

Without the power of the Holy Spirit, we are unable to keep going.  We would not be able to spread the story, to bear witness to what God has done. Most days we won't feel the power, we may even feel weak and on our own. But he is always there. He is always with us, giving us his strength to keep going.

Let God's power guide you today.

Secret Santas

But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. Matthew 6:3‭-‬4 NIV

I thought about this verse today and what it means for us. The obvious is tharbwe shouldn't shout from the rooftops every time we help someone. But what if it means a little bit more? I mean everywhere you look people are applauded for the charity work they do. College admissions panels want to know all the charitable and volunteer work potential students are doing, so it's not as if you can keep it all a secret. But we also have secret Santa's at Christmas, white elephant gift exchanges, and half the fun is knowing you made someone happy and they will never know it was you.

I've worked with federal funding programs almost my whole work life, all them helping those with low income. With federal money comes lots of regulations, one of which is intent. What is the intent of the money? What was the intent of the recipient when they used the money? I believe this verse hits at that intent. What's the intent of your heart when you launch into doing good deeds or volunteering at the food kitchen? Is it to get your name in the paper? Is it to make a good impression to the dean of admissions? Is it to satisfy a job requirement?

Or do you truly feel it's your duty as a Christian to help those less fortunate? Be the secret Santa. We can fight the war on poverty one person at a time. The poor will always be with us yet we are called to do what we can. We cannot possibly pay for a whole buggy of groceries if we cannot spare some change for the homeless person on the corner. It's not our place to judge why they are there; only to help when we can. To whom much is given, much is required. Are you ready to give?

This is the heart we must have. A servants heart. Do good because it's right, not because someone may be watching.

We Have Hope

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. Romans 8:37 NIV

To paraphrase, we have tremendous victory through Christ who loved us. Loved us enough to give his life for ours. This verse doesn't talk about feeling victorious or that we will be of we do something. It states simply we have achieved the win. We've done it. But you don't feel it? Thats ok, neither do I. I'm not feeling very victorious today. That could change tomorrow, but human feelings are fleeting and are influenced too much by chemical changes in the brain. I could feel happier tomorrow simply because my coffee has a bit more sugar in it than usual. That's not true happiness or victory.

God doesn't work around our feelings. We must believe that we have won, that we have been forgiven, that he does have our best interests at heart. We don't always feel it but we should always know it. We may not understand it but we must always believe it. Otherwise our faith will fail us and hopelessness will take it's place.

Claim the victory today and every day.