This week I would like to do something a little different, so allow me to being with a disclaimer. As I think about Thanksgiving, my first thoughts go to how very thankful I am for my Savior, Jesus Christ. I am so blessed to be able to call on God as my Father, and to have a relationship with Him through the saving work of His Son, Jesus Christ.

But this week I would like to take a little different slant toward the subject of Thanksgiving. The older I get, the more like my father I become. There are so many reasons I make this assertion, but I will focus on just one: TV. My father loved to watch old westerns: Bonanza, Wagon Train, Have Gun Will Travel, Gunsmoke, Rawhide, and so many others. When I was a boy I didn’t care too much for this genre of television programs and movies, but now that I am older I find myself drawn to them. As a matter of fact I very much enjoy them.

But this blog is not about those shows and movies. It is rather about the way of life depicted in them. And it is a cause of thanksgiving for the many modern conveniences we enjoy, and, for the most part, take for granted pretty much all the time. I can’t even begin to imagine living without all the modern-day conveniences we enjoy. Running water, electricity, air conditioning, heat (utilizing any one of quite a number of choices), automobiles, and so many others. I watch those shows depicting wagon trains making their way across the frontier, enduring heat and cold, rain and storms, cooking over a campfire, having to find wood for that fire, traveling across the wide-open spaces having to pick one’s way through changing terrain.

And then, once arriving at the desired location, after weeks, months and sometimes even years of tediously making their way across the country, having to clear the land, cut the trees for the lumber to be used in building a dwelling, tilling the land, working from dawn to dusk in all kinds of inclement weather. We could go on and on talking about all of the inconveniences and hardships they endured, but what I would like to simply remind us of in this blog is how very, very blessed we are.

My wife and I have chosen a very simple lifestyle as we have moved into semi-retirement. Granted, it isn’t for everyone. As many of you know, when I retired from full-time pastoral ministry in 2018, we sold our house, upgraded our camper, and are now enjoying life without all the hassles of home ownership. We have talked with many who say they would love to be able to live this lifestyle, while others look at us like we are insane. And then, there are those who seem to think that we have been forced to choose this lifestyle against our best interests, and even those who look down on us for living in a campground.

But we chose this lifestyle, and we truly, sincerely, enjoy it. There may come the day when we decide to move back into home ownership, but right now we love where we are, what we do, and the simplicity of camper living.

However, having said all that, as I look around my camper, I am still overwhelmed with the amazing conveniences we enjoy. We have heat and AC. We enjoy the conveniences of having WiFi, streaming TV services, cellular service. We have a fifth-wheel with five slides, a living area with two full size sleeper sofas and a two-person recliner. We sleep on a queen size bed in a comfortably sized bedroom. We have the freedom to hook up to our Ram 3500 dually and move if we choose to do so. In other words, we enjoy the conveniences of life.

Yes, we should always be grateful for the work of salvation God has wrought for us. We should also be grateful for the ongoing work of sanctification the Holy Spirit continues to accomplish in our lives as believers as we strive to walk in step with Him. But might I suggest that we take time to be thankful for those things that we so often take for granted? He is the giver of all good gifts, so let’s be sure to thank Him for them all.

“The spirit of a man will sustain him in sickness, but who can bear a broken spirit?”

Proverbs 18:14 (NKJV)

I have had too many – far, far too many – friends and family who have suffered from physical ailments and personal adversities of varying kinds. And in the midst of their struggles I have seen the reality of the depth of meaning we can glean from the verse quoted above. It amazes me how important this truth is as we face difficulties of different types and magnitudes.

We could simply focus our attention on Covid-19, could we not? Just today I discovered that a pastor friend of mine has been hospitalized for several days with Covid, and two long-time friends have also been diagnosed with the virus. My wife, daughter and I have all had the virus, and we know so very many others who have suffered the ravages of this illness. Sadly, we have also known several who have passed away from complications brought about by the disease.

We also know several who are battling diseases of different kinds. Heart diseases, cancer, diabetes, and various other maladies. Added to these health issues are many other life challenges that can quickly rob us of our sense of joy and contentment, and cause us to become embittered toward life in general.

The writer of Proverbs states assertively that the spirit of a man will sustain him in sickness, and, we could add, life difficulties of other kinds. But, once the spirit is broken, who can bear it? The writer here is speaking of the human spirit. It is the spirit of man that gives vitality to life, that buoys one up under the pressures of life, that maintains a sense of purpose in life even in the face of life’s difficulties, troubles, diseases, and dilemmas.

But what happens when the spirit is broken? What happens when we no longer have the buoyancy to bounce back from the hurdles and obstacles that come our way? It can happen suddenly, or it can be a very gradual progression. It might be brought on by the dreaded “C” word given by the doctor after extensive tests. Or, it can be the gradual wear and tear of fighting a chronic disease day after day, with the body becoming weaker and weaker, and the loss of hope for the future.

Whether sudden or gradual, we might find ourselves living under that dark cloud of uncertainty that is consistently eroding our sense of well-being. Instead of viewing each day as a step in the direction of wholeness, we begin to see each day as just another in a long succession of days with little hope, little joy, little peace, little love. We feel the whole world closing in on us, robbing us of our desire to even survive.

When one reaches this point of utter hopelessness, is there any thing that can be done? When the doctors say they have done all they can do and the best now is to strive to keep you or your loved one comfortable in the time they have left, is there anything to look forward to? Any thing that would give a sense of hope?

I would like to offer a couple of suggestions for anyone who might be experiencing the agony of a broken spirit. It could possibly be an adversity affecting you personally, or it may be affecting someone you deeply care for.

First, and foremost, a broken human spirit desperately needs a fresh infusion of the Holy Spirit. As believers in Jesus Christ, we have been indwelt by the Holy Spirit, the third Person of the Holy Trinity. He has actually taken residence in us, and it is by His presence and power in our lives that we are enabled to face anything and everything this life can throw our way. The Apostle Paul is a graphic case in point here. In the first chapter of his second letter to the Corinthians he makes an astounding assertion. Listen carefully to this declaration:

“For we do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, of our trouble which came to us in Asia: that we were burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life. Yes, we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead, who delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver us; in whom we trust that He will still deliver us, you also helping together in prayer for us, that thanks may be given by many persons on our behalf for the gift granted to us through many.

2 Corinthians 1:8-11, NKJV

Paul admits that he despaired even of life, having the sentence of death hanging over him. But even though his human spirit was being severely tested, he was strengthened by the indwelling Holy Spirit, and in the midst of a most horrific trial he could still have hope for the future.

Second, we need to remind ourselves constantly that we are here for God’s glory. Our individual lives are to be lived for His glory and His alone. An incident recorded in John’s Gospel illustrates this point well. In John 11 we have the very familiar story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. However, before this miracle was performed, Jesus informed His disciples that Lazarus’s death was for the glory of God. There is certainly a sense of consternation on the part of the disciples, as well as Mary and Martha, the sisters of Lazarus. Their hope was that Jesus would arrive before Lazarus died so that He might perform a miracle of healing. But alas, Jesus did not. As a matter of fact, Jesus purposely stayed away long enough for Lazarus to die, and be buried four days before Jesus’ arrival.

Mary, Martha, the disciples, and the crowds gathered to mourn the death of Lazarus, must have all been wondering why Jesus acted in such a strange and unusual way. But the lesson Jesus wanted them, and us, to learn is that everything that comes our way in life is to be viewed as an opportunity to glorify God.

So, we need a fresh infusion of the Holy Spirit, and we need a reminder of the fact that this life provides us with the arena to bring glory to God in all we do. Then, third, we need to constantly remind ourselves of the promise given by Paul in his correspondence to the Romans:

“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.”

Romans 8:18

This life offers each of us amazing opportunities for testifying to the greatness of God. It doesn’t matter if what happens to me tomorrow seems to be good or bad from my limited human perspective, it presents me with the avenue to point people to the goodness, the grace, and the abundance of God. It is my opportunity to testify to my personal faith that all things do indeed work together for the good of those who love God. It is my “preaching platform”, as it were, to proclaim just how awesome God really is, and just how much He loves me and cares for me, even in the midst of situations that might temporarily cause a momentary lapse of a broken spirit, but one which can quickly be mended by the indwelling, enabling, empowering presence of the Holy Spirit.

So, whatever comes, let’s let our light shine before men so that they might see our good works and glorify our Father in heaven.

“Seek the Lord while He may be found; call to Him while He is near. Let the wicked one abandon his way, and the sinful one his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, so He may have compassion on him, and to our God, for He will freely forgive. ‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,’ says the Lord. ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.'”

Isaiah 55:6-9 (NKJV)

What an astounding declaration! What an amazing avowal of the thoughts and ways of God as compared to those of man. We may try as hard as we possibly can to figure out the ways and thoughts of God, but we will always be left shaking our heads in bewilderment, as we are left with the undeniable reality that His ways and thoughts are, indeed, above our ability to comprehend.

To understand this passage properly we must strive to place it in its historical context. God’s people have rejected the purposes and plans God had for them, and have therefore fallen under the judgement of God. Isaiah has been inspired by God to call God’s people to repentance. This is clearly seen in verse seven, where Isaiah calls for the wicked one to abandon his way, and the sinful one to abandon his thoughts. When one accepts this invitation he then experiences the forgiveness of God.

Even though this was written specifically to and for the nation of Israel, the spiritual applications are meant for all who identify themselves as children of God. We are called to holy living, and when we choose to step outside the parameters of God’s revealed will as seen in His Word, then He calls for us to repent, turning back to Him in a spirit of contrition, seeking the favor or His forgiveness.

But, for many, this is where the difficulty begins. It seems that the lines of demarcation between what is holy and what is profane have become extremely blurred. It seems that much of what the Bible denounces as being wrong is now viewed as right, and what it pronounces as right is now viewed as wrong. The words of the Apostle Paul to the church in Galatia will illustrate this point clearly:

“Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”

Galatians 5:19-21 (NKJV)

This list of the works of the flesh is certainly not to be viewed or understood as being exhaustive, but rather a list of examples of the sort of activities that are contrary to the perfect will of God. Several of them will be readily recognized as common actions of our contemporary cultural setting. Adultery, sorcery, hatred, selfishness, envy, and drunkenness are prevalent. And it seems that they are just accepted as the norm rather than an aberration. This can only be understood as a rejection of God’s word, and an acceptance of actions, activities and attitudes which are diametrically opposite of God’s will.

We may convince ourselves that these things are of little consequence in the big scheme of things. But it is actually in the big scheme of things that these things are of greatest consequence. Why do I say that? Simply because of what Paul said. Listen once again to these explosive words of Paul:

“…those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”

Galatians 5:21

The individual who practices – lives in habitual life patterns such as those described in this passage – will not inherit the kingdom of God. That is the reason Isaiah, and Paul, as well as practically every other Biblical author, calls for repentance. True, sincere repentance is the act of the individual to turn from his ways to the ways of God. It is a two-fold process: a change of mind that leads to a chance of action. First of all, it involves changing one’s mind, one’s way of thinking, to the align with the mind of God. And how is one to know the mind of God? By reading His Word, His revealed will as recorded by human authors under the inspiration of God.

But remember: His ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts. So, when we read a passage such as the one quoted above from the Apostle Paul, and understand that adultery, or fornication, or sorcery, or drunkenness, are lifestyle choices that will keep me out of the kingdom of God, I must align myself with God’s Word, changing my mind about those things that I might have previously viewed as right, but now see as wrong.

However, it is not enough to change my mind to align with God’s Word: I must then change my actions to align with my changed mind. You see, it is possible to change my mind to align with God’s Word, but continue doing what I now view as wrong. For example, I might see in the Bible that adultery is an abomination in the eyes of God, and agree with the Bible’s assessment, but continue living in adultery. So, my change of mind did not lead to a change of action, so it is not true, sincere repentance.

Now, someone might ask, “What gives God the authority to prescribe for me what is right and wrong?” The answer to that is really quite simple, even though it will not be sufficient for many. God created us. As a matter of fact, God created everything. Thus, everything belongs to God. We are His possession. He can do with His creation/possession whatever He chooses. His Word, the Bible, gives us the progressive revelation of God’s purposes and plans for His creation. In that revelation He lays out for us the parameters of what is right and wrong. And He has the perfect right to hold us accountable for our acceptance, or our rejection, of those parameters.

So, let’s get to the bottom line. It is obvious that many embrace lifestyles and life habits that run contrary to God’s revealed will for His human family. We see this played out every day in the lives of children who grow up to reject the values instilled in them by their parents. A child may be taught that it is wrong to hit another child, but choose to do so anyway. As that child grows into his teenage years, he continues to reject those values, and becomes more volatile and violent. Eventually, in his young adult stage of life, motivated by the action of another, his violence comes full force as he takes the life of another in an act of rage.

This could be played out in a multitude of ways. A child is taught that pre-marital sex is wrong, but chooses to engage in sexual activity prior to marriage. He may be taught that adultery is wrong, but choose to engage in extra-marital affairs after being united in marriage. He may be taught that sorcery is wrong, but choose to visit fortune-tellers seeking information about his future. He may be taught that drunkenness is wrong, but grow up to become an alcoholic. And the list goes on.

God has revealed His plans for us in His Word, and it is our choice as to whether or not we accept His ways or reject them for our own. But please know this: His ways and thoughts lead to life and blessing and fulfillment; our ways lead to death and emptiness and futility.

I encourage you today: choose His way. You won’t be sorry you did, especially when you stand before Him at that future day of judgment and hear those words of welcome into the kingdom of God.

We all have them, right? Cares. Concerns. Anxieties. Difficulties. They come in all different types, all different sizes, all different magnitudes. Sometimes they are so seemingly insignificant that we give them little to no thought. Other times they are of such enormity we find ourselves obsessed with them. What are we to do with them? How are we, as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, to handle the cares of this world?

The Bible offers the answer. One of the most quoted verses from the writing of the Apostle Peter is found in 1 Peter 5:7. Please read these words slowly, taking in the overwhelming comfort that God intends us to derive from this word of promise.

“Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.”

1 Peter 5:7, NKJV

Bask in the wonder of those words. Read them again, mulling over each word. To really get the full weight of this statement we need to read the preceding verse, as it sheds much light on this powerful affirmation.

“Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.”

1 Peter 56-7, NKJV:

The prerequisite for casting our care upon the Lord is to humble ourselves under God’s hand. A spirit of humility shows that we recognize our dependence upon Him. Oftentimes it seems that we feel as if we are self-sufficient in handling the cares of the world. We feel that we are well-equipped to deal with whatever cares come our way. That exudes a spirit of arrogance and self-reliance. It communicates the idea that we don’t need God’s assistance, but that we are able to handle whatever troubles, afflictions, anxieties and cares invade our arena of personal experience.

But we should be quick to recognize, and ready to admit our total dependence upon God. We stand in constant need of His grace, and are ill-equipped to handle life’s cares without it. We should learn to admit openly and honestly that we truly need Him every hour.

I love the way this verse is translated in the J.B.Phillips translation of the New Testament:

“So, humble yourselves under God’s strong hand, and in his own good time he will lift you up. You can throw the whole weight of your anxieties upon him, for you are his personal concern.”

Wow! You can cast, throw, your anxieties on Him. The word translated cast is found only one other time in the New Testament. It is in Luke 19:35, where we are told the people cast their garments upon the colt Jesus rode. They were throwing these pieces of clothing, just as we are told to throw our cares upon the Lord. We are encouraged to cast our cares, our concerns, our anxieties, upon Jesus. Why? Because we are His personal concern. You are the personal concern of the Lord Himself. Say it yourself: “I am the personal concern of the Lord.” Say it again. And again. And again. “I am the personal concern of Jesus. He cares for me!”

So, what are you anxious about today? Whatever it is, you need to accept the invitation of the Lord and throw it on Jesus. And then, rest in the peace of knowing that He will take care of it. Paul says it this way in his letter to the Philippians:

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 4:6-7

When we, with humility, cast the whole weight of our anxieties upon the Lord, then His peace takes residence in our hearts, minds, and spirits. We are able to rest in the realization that His care for us, personally, is all we need, and is more than sufficient to handle my anxieties. And please note the promise we are given in this beautiful passage: the peace of God will guard our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus! We are not promised that God will remove the cause of the anxiety, but that He will give peace in the midst of it. How unbelievably awesome is that!

I’ll close this week with a reminder of an incident in the life of Jesus. He and the disciples were in a boat, crossing the sea. Jesus had fallen asleep, and was resting peacefully in the boat. The disciples are fearful that they will perish in the storm, so they awaken Jesus, crying out, “Lord, don’t you care that we perish?” Try to picture this in your mind’s eye. There are at least four seasoned fishermen in that boat. Peter, Andrew, James and John were fishers by trade. I feel sure they had been caught in storms at sea before.

But obviously, this storm was different. This one was so furious that these seasoned fishermen thought they could not survive the storm’s intensity. So what do they do? They awaken the carpenter! They cry out to Jesus! Now, granted, that is exactly what they should have done, and what we should do when caught in the midst of the storms of life. But this story is quite humorous when you think about it.

And the point I would like to make is simply this: what would have been more powerful – to see Jesus calm the storm, or to witness Jesus sleeping peacefully through the storm. When we are caught in the middle of one of those ferocious storms of life, we should do as they did: cry out to Jesus. And then, let Him work. He may choose to remove us from the storm (or, the storm from us), or He may choose to grant us peace as we go through the storm. Whichever He chooses, it will prove to be best. Why? Because we are His personal concern.

Life is filled with choices. We make a multitude of them every day. They can range from the inconsequential and insignificant to life-altering and momentous. Some of the inconsequential may include things like what to wear, what to eat. which route to take to work, with whom to have lunch, will I sleep in or get an early start, and a multitude of others. These are choices that we make day after day, each day, every day. They don’t have much impact at all on the direction our lives take.

But then there are other choices that do make an impact. These are the decisions that give direction to our lives. These choices are life-altering, and truly momentous. These may include things like where I will go to college, what career path will I choose, whom will I choose as my life partner, how many children do I want to have, and, again, a plethora of others.

In this blog, I would like to focus my attention on an explosively controversial subject: sexual orientation and biological selection. Before reading my remarks concerning this topic, please read the following personal statement carefully.

I am not a homophobe. I know some will accuse me of being homophobic after reading this blog, but if you do it simply means you totally misunderstand what I am saying. So, I ask that you please read my remarks carefully, and don’t allow yourself to read anything into my words. I have many friends – true friends – who practice homosexuality. I care deeply for them, and believe they do for me as well. I feel confident in saying that they would never accuse me of showing any form of contempt toward them. But, I also feel confident in saying that they know that, even though I care deeply for them, I do not condone their lifestyle. So how do I reconcile this seeming contradiction? Hopefully, this blog will answer that question.

Let me begin by quoting the same verse from my previous blog:

“So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created them; male and female He created them. Then God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it.'”

Genesis 1:27-28a

There are a few observations I need to make about this matter as I give consideration to the creative work of God. First, I believe the Bible is the accurate, inerrant Word of God, giving truthful proclamation of the unfolding purposes and plans of God. Second, I believe the Biblical record of creation in the first two chapters of Genesis to be an accurate description of God’s purposeful work. In other words, God had a specific plan for His creation – every individual part of creation. Third, the record is that God created man in His own image. This creative act included male and female, and no others. Fourth, God then commanded man and woman to procreate, filling the earth with their offspring. My statements in the continuance of this blog will be based on those observations.

The Biblical record states clearly that God created male and female. Period. When new parents see that beautiful new-born baby, they have no question whatsoever as to the sex of the child. It is either a boy or a girl. There are no other possibilities. None. Zero. That baby will have the anatomical parts that will quickly identify that child biologically as either male or female.

However, biological identity does not address the issue of sexual orientation, at least according to the LGBTQ+ community. Thus the term sexual orientation. Granted, this is an extremely complex subject, and the arguments are based on sexual orientation rather than biological assignment (biological assignment being the term used to identify the sex of the newborn child, while sexual orientation allows room for the possibility that the child assigned a male body may actually have the disposition, tendencies, preferences, attractions, etc, of the opposite sex).

Now to the question: If biological assignment is the determining factor in identifying the sex of a newborn child, would this not mean that when an individual identifies as something other than their biological assignment it is a matter of personal choice? If an individual is born male, then is it not a choice he makes to identify otherwise? In other words, according to this line of reasoning no one is born LGBTQ+, but are born male or female. As they grow into adulthood they may choose to be something else, but it is a choice.

The Bible has much to say about human sexuality, and gives clear guidelines on how we are to live within Biblical, God-given parameters. For example, the Bible denounces pre-marital sexual relations, but teaches the sexual relationship should be reserved for a man and a woman after they have entered into a marital commitment. To have premarital sexual relations is a choice one can make, and it places them outside the guidelines given in Scripture. The Bible also teaches that extra-marital relationships are forbidden. So, to engage in sexual relations with a person other than my spouse is a choice one can make that goes against the teachings of Scripture.

So it is, Biblically, with those who choose to enter into sexual relationships other than the one prescribed in Scripture. It is a choice. Paul made this clear in his correspondence with his friends in Rome. He says that when women engage in sexual relations with other women, and men with other men, God gives them over to their choices. In other words, we have the liberty to choose to reject the teachings of Scripture and do things our own way. For example, I could choose to engage in a sexual relationship with someone other than my wife, and God would give me over to that choice. That would be completely outside His prescribed order, but He would allow it so as to not infringe on my freedom to choose for myself.

So, for this writer, it comes down to this. You might choose to embrace a lifestyle other than those ordained in Scripture. We can exert our power of choice and determine our personal path of life. I, personally, respect anyone’s right to choose for themselves. I will continue to love you, even though I may disagree with your life choices, just as you disagree with mine.

As a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, and one who strives to follow His teachings, I will strive to live a life of commitment to His teachings, and will also try to share those teachings with others. What anyone does with those teachings is a personal choice. But whatever your choice, I will always respect your liberty and freedom to choose for yourself.

I only ask the same from you. I will never bash you, attack you in any way, defame you, reproach you for your decisions, but rather I will respect your choices in life. I will love you enough to strive to show you the love of Jesus Christ by sharing with you His guidelines for Godly living, and will then leave the choice to you.

“So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Then God blessed them, and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it…'”

Genesis 1:27-28a

Perhaps the title of this blog grabbed your attention. Perhaps you are curious as to what play on words I might be using. Perhaps you are thinking that either I have changed drastically, or I have been dishonest about my views of race and race relations. Or, perhaps you are convinced that I have completely lost my mental faculties, because you feel that this could not be a true assessment of where I stand on the issue of race.

So, please let me clarify what I mean by making this startling declaration. It is absolutely true that I am a racist. As a matter of fact, I have always been a racist, and hopefully after reading this blog you will understand why I make that assertion, and perhaps you, too, will view yourself as one as well.

If we take the passage quoted above at face value, then we will quickly, clearly, and easily understand a major Biblical truth: there is only one race – the human race. All human life, every human life, each individual human life, has been born in the lineage of the first human couple: Adam and Eve. God, according to Scripture, created Adam, and then, taking a rib from Adam, formed Eve. God then blessed them and told them to multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it.

Therefore, there is only one race, and, therefore, the conclusion we must reach is that we are racist. So, how then are we to understand the differences that are obvious as we consider different people groups. There are, after all, reds, yellows, blacks and whites. And even within each of these “color” groups there are many different shades of color distinction. There are light colored whites, and darker colored whites. There are light browns, dark browns, and some so dark they appear almost black. There are differing shades of red and yellow.

But what we need to remember is that each of these people groups is part of the human race. The human race is then divided into different ethnic groups. Yes, there are clearly different “color” groups, but each group is a part of the larger whole. All ethnic groups are part of the human race.

And now to the question we must address: Is one ethnic group superior to the others? The answer is quite simple when we take the Bible at face value: No. There is no room for a sense of superiority of one ethnic group over another. Reds, yellows, blacks and whites are equal in the eyes of God, and so should be in the eyes of man.

What if, hypothetically speaking, God created the human race with no ability to see? What if, in this hypothetical world, the only distinction that could be made between people groups is the sound of the voice? For the sake of discussion, let’s assume that in this world everyone spoke the same language, but the distinguishing mark between the groups would be the accent with which they spoke. In our country, there are clear distinctions between a Texas accent, a Southern accent, a Bostonian accent, a Mid-western accent, etc. And then, on an international level there are Russian, European, African, Asian accents, etc. If all of humanity had no ability to see, would we divide ourselves up by accent? Would people groups be determined by the way one speaks? And if so, would one accent be viewed as superior to all others?

Doesn’t that sound absurd? But, if we could not see the different colors of skin, would we find some other artificial way to assess one people group as superior over all others? Or, would we simply accept each other as equals? I know that this hypothetical scenario cannot answer that question, but perhaps it will give the reader a little food for thought.

In the opinion of this writer, based on my very limited knowledge and my extremely simplistic mind, I feel that racial distinctions and ideas of superiority are based on a faulty way of thinking. I, personally, feel that if parents would go out of their way to instill in the minds of their young children the fact that all are created equal and have equal standing before God, then maybe they would grow to see everyone as equal, with no sense of superiority. And, by the way, children have to be taught to view one people group as superior over another. Left to themselves children just simply get along with other children, regardless of skin color. Unless, of course, they have been indoctrinated to do otherwise.

We are the human race. We are different, to be sure, in so many ways. There are cultural differences, societal differences, traditional differences, religious differences, historical differences, national differences, etc. But these types of differences should not be categorized on a scale of the most superior to the most inferior. They should simply be viewed for what they are: differences between people groups.

As a matter of fact, this writer would surmise that not only should the differences be viewed as a way of determining superiority of one over the other, but rather they should be recognized and celebrated, as one sees the significance of each people group for what it is: a group of individuals who are all created in the image of God, and are of equal value in the eyes of the One Who created them.

The song we learned as young children could be a good starting point for each of us to begin celebrating the human race:

Jesus loves the little children

All the children of the world

Red and yellow, black and white

They are precious in His sight

Jesus loves the little children of the world.

I am appalled at the lack of respect toward those in authority we are witnessing in our present cultural climate. It seems to me from personal observation that there is very little acknowledgement of an established order of authority, and in many cases it even appears that some have become an authority unto themselves. One entity that this observation is especially noticeable is that of law enforcement. The Bible has this to say about this matter:

“Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same.”

Romans 13:1-3

Before making my remarks on this passage, please read carefully the following disclaimer: There are bad apples in every batch. I totally and completely understand the reality that there are bad individuals who become part of law enforcement (in all of its varied forms), who cause the reputation of law enforcement to suffer. But this is true in every area of life, and of every entity we could name. For example, there is a vast number of health professionals, working in a wide range of medical care and research, and most of them are highly reputable individuals who have the best interest of others in mind. However, there are some among that number who are “bad apples,” who are not interested in others’ well-being, but in their own self-serving agenda. Another example: there are multiplied thousands who serve churches in a variety of positions, and most of them are men and women of great character, who do what they do in service to the Lord. But then, there are some who are in those positions with less than honorable motives. So, I understand that the observations I am about to make are true across the wide spectrum of human activity.

Yes: there are bad individuals who somehow convince others that their motives are pure, and their desire is to serve the public in some area of law enforcement. But let’s focus our attention on the huge proportion of those who serve for the right reasons, with pure motives, truly caring for the well-being of their constituency. These are men and women in positions of authority. The badge they wear is testimony to the fact that they have received ample training to do their job, and to do it with the utmost integrity. They deserve our respect!

But today, in this time of massive cultural shift, we are witnessing a generation that seems to have little to no respect for those in this position of authority. Take a moment to reread the passage quoted above. In our present cultural climate, we are seeing more and more often those who break the law, and yet they somehow become the victim when they are caught and arrested. But listen to Paul: Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. Could it be any more clear than that? If you break the law, if you resist the authority of God, you will bring judgment on yourself. And yet, we are seeing those who want to bring judgment on those who are enforcing the law.

Where does this lack of respect for those in positions of authority come from? In the opinion of this writer, it comes from a lack of respect for the authority of God. We can see this clearly as we give just a cursory look at the lack of respect for the authority of God’s Word. Just a couple of examples will be sufficient to make my point.

The Bible speaks clearly about the fact that human life is a creation of God. From the very beginning of the record of creation, we see that life began as a creative act of God as He formed Adam from the dust of the earth, and then formed Eve from Adam’s rib. We are further taught in Scripture that every human is formed by the hand of God in the womb of the mother. Still further, we see in the examples of Jeremiah, John the Baptist, and the Apostle Paul that God was personally involved in their conception, birth and life.

But now, the sanctity of human life has been replaced with a total lack of respect for the authoritative teaching of God’s Word. Abortion is often viewed as nothing more than a form of birth control. There are many who have chosen to end the life being formed in their womb rather than bring that life into the world, nurture it, care for it, and provide for it.

Then, think about the matter of human sexuality. The Bible makes it clear that God created male and female. Two – only two. But now, there are those who cry out for “inclusion” to the exclusion of those who hold to Biblical teaching. They demand tolerance while being totally intolerant to those who hold to the clear teachings of God’s Word.

And one final example before we bring this blog to a close. The subject of marriage is another hotbed of controversy, but the controversy revolves once again around the authority of the Bible. Marriage, as defined in Scripture, is to be between a man and a woman. There are no other relationships that are acceptable according to the authority of God’s Word.

These examples, along with so many others that could be cited, clearly show – at least in the eyes of this writer – that the lack of respect for authority can be traced back to a lack of respect for the authority of God and His Word.

When a nation decides to throw off the cloak of God’s Word, and refuse to submit to God’s authority, then they are open prey for any and every new thing that comes along. The one thing that will always give us clear guidance through the changing cultural climate is the established authority of the Word of God. Until we come back to respect that authority we will continue to witness the erosion of morality and integrity in our present cultural environment. Let’s pray together that we will witness a true spirit of revival as we pray for God to turn our hearts back to Him.

I have done quite a bit of pre-marital counseling over the past 40+ years. One of the sessions focuses on the future. I give an assignment in which I ask the prospective husband and wife to put in writing their plans for the future in increments of one year, five years and ten years. I ask them to specifically tell me their expectations in relation to subjects such as: education; children; career; housing; location; and others. As they come back for the follow-up session, with written plans in hand, we begin looking at their submissions one subject at a time.

Once we have laboriously gone through each entry, I then drop the bombshell: “What if?” What if life doesn’t go as planned? What if your educational goals have to be postponed? What if your career doesn’t take off as you had hoped? What if your desire to move to a new location doesn’t come through? What if your plans for starting a family are not realized?

I then speak with them at length about the fact that life doesn’t always go as planned, and I share the following passage with them. Please read this slowly, carefully, and especially prayerfully.

“Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell and make a profit’; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.’ But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.”

James 4:13-16

There is an extremely important phrase in that passage that needs special attention. James says, “Whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow.” It seems that he is warning, not against planning, but against presumptive planning. It seems that he is striving to get his readers to understand that even the best of plans can result in failure and prove disastrous. Planning for the future is an important part of life, but plans must always be made with the understanding that God may have other plans. So, as James says, we should pray as we make our plans, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.”

This is true, not only of young couples contemplating marriage, but of everyone. We should always bear in mind that God’s plans and our plans may not always be in alignment. As we stand at an altar of marital commitment, we make our vows to be committed to one another until we are parted by death. We actually say to one another that we will be there through every eventuality of life. Even when our plans fall through and we are faced with the extreme hardships of life, we are to remain loyal and committed to one another.

Have your plans taken a detour lately? Have you had to change direction due to unforeseen circumstances? Then realize, first and foremost, that this may very well be a detour of God’s making. Perhaps His desire in causing the detour was because He saw something dangerous ahead if you stayed on your planned path, so He lovingly diverted you to keep you safe. Or, perhaps He simply had other plans for your life that did not include the path you had chosen.

Let me close by using the Apostle Paul as our example. In Acts 16 we find this account:

“Now when they had gone through Phrygia and the region of Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia. After they had come to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit did not permit them. So passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas. And a vision appeared to Paul in the night. A man of Macedonia stood and pleaded with him, saying, ‘Come over to Macedonia and help us.’ Now after he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go to Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had called us to preach the gospel to them.“

Acts 16:6-10 (emphasis added)

“They were forbidden.” “The Spirit did not permit them.” Detours. Paul had planned to go in one direction, but the Holy Spirit had other plans. So it is with us quite often. The key to living a contented life is to follow the Lord, even when we have to cancel our plans in order to do so. Take the advice of James, and follow the example of Paul, and live by the advice found in Proverbs:

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding: In all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths.”

Proverbs 3:5-6

Are you allowing someone else to live rent free inside your mind? Do you spend time dwelling on something someone said or did to you in the past, not able to let it go? Have you developed a bitter spirit and a hateful attitude toward that person for what was done or said? Do you spend time devising plans in your mind of ways you might cause them to hurt as much, or more, than they have caused you to hurt?

I have met several individuals in my lifetime who were being eaten up on the inside because of a spirit of anger, hatred and resentment. Someone had done something to them at some point in the past, and they could not bring themselves to extend forgiveness to that individual. Instead, they continued to allow their spirit of unforgiveness to grow more and more intense, which eventually led them to become embittered, cold and hard-hearted.

I realize that being hurt by another person can cause deep and abiding wounds, leaving invisible scar tissue which, left unchecked, can grow harder and harder with the passing of time. And please understand, it can happen to any of us. We may have fooled ourselves into thinking that we are too mature and spiritually strong to ever allow a spirit of anger to cause us to become bitter and hard, but that simply is not true. Perhaps it has happened to you, as it did to me several years ago.

Without going into detail, let me just bare my soul for a moment. While serving as pastor of a church quite a number of years ago, the church called a man to serve in the position of associate pastor. As soon as he arrived on scene and began his duties, he began showing that he had no respect for pastoral authority, and no intent of submitting to the church’s guiding principles for pastoral conduct. His behavior was suspect from the very beginning, and it soon became evident that he was involved in some very questionable and unethical practices. When confronted about his behavior, he refused to adhere to the counsel of church leadership. Eventually, his behavior caused so much division in the church family that the church lost a vast number of its membership, and ultimately closed the doors.

I developed a very hard heart toward this man. I would do everything in my power to stay away from him. If I saw him walking toward me, I would quickly turn and go in a different direction just to keep from having any contact with him. It was a full two years later that the Holy Spirit convicted me severely about my spirit of unforgiveness toward him. I had to extend forgiveness to him, and then ask for his forgiveness of my unforgiving spirit toward him.

He was living rent free in my mind, causing me much needless grief because of his actions, and I had to release him from that before my mind and spirit could be free. This is based on the teaching of Jesus in one of His discourses. Read the following quote carefully and prayerfully:

“For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”

Matthew 6:14-15

Admittedly, this passage used to really bother me. It sounds as if Jesus is saying that in order to experience forgiveness from God, I have to forgive others. But this thought it contrary to the overall teaching of Scripture that one is saved by faith alone, with nothing else to be added. So, if my salvation is based on my willingness to forgive, then it is based on doing something for God, and not on what God has done for me through Jesus Christ.

What Jesus is speaking of here is the fact that once one has been forgiven, he will, by God’s grace, be able and willing to forgive others, just as they have been forgiven. This principle is clearly seen in the parable of the unforgiving servant (please read Matthew 23:18-35). In this parable, it is clearly seen that the unforgiving servant was allowing another servant to live rent free in his mind, and was consumed with the desire to receive payment from him. This is after he has just been forgiven of an enormous debt by the king.

To experience the power of God’s forgiveness in Christ will enable us to forgive as we have been forgiven. That is the essence of this parable, and of the teaching of Jesus in the passage quoted above. It is not focusing on our relationship with God, but rather on our fellowship with God. As with the unforgiving servant in Jesus’ parable, his obsession with getting payment from his fellow servant shows that he was not ‘living’ in the experience of his being forgiven. Thus, it shows he was enslaved in a spirit of unforgiveness. That resulted in his imprisonment.

Are you imprisoned today in a spirit of unforgiveness? Is there bitterness and anger seething in your mind and spirit because of some hurt you have experienced? Then you need to release the person by extending forgiveness to them, and then you will experience the liberating power of God’s forgiveness in your life. Until you are willing to do that, you will remain imprisoned in your self imposed prison of unforgiveness. I encourage you to be set free by the power of God’s forgiving grace.

Hypothetical scenario: There are ten righteous people who have strived to live Godly, God-honoring lives. They have all committed their lives to the Lord, and have served Him faithfully for many years. As they move into the middle adult years, five of these individuals enjoy healthy lives, and the bounty of material blessings. The other five face struggles, troubles, sicknesses, and financial disaster.

Question: Was God unfair to the five who suffered, struggled, and experienced personal disaster? Could He not have provided for them as He did for the prosperous five? Is God obligated to provide health and prosperity to those who strive to serve Him?

Let’s allow the Bible to provide the answers to these probing questions. A look at several prominent Biblical characters will help us reach a conclusion. It may not prove to be a conclusion we necessarily like, but we will reach a conclusion none-the-less. We will give consideration to Abraham, Isaiah, Paul, and Jesus.

Abraham – Without question, one of the most prominent, well-known, and highly beloved Biblical characters is Abraham. His story is one of excitement, intrigue, extreme blessing and extreme hardship. For reasons known only to God, Abram was chosen from all the human population to be the father of the Hebrew nation. He was called to leave his home, his family, his country, but he was promised to be the father of a great nation. He prospered immensely, and experienced God’s blessing and bounty. However, in the midst of all the blessing and bounty, Abram also experienced seasons of struggle and uncertainty. Some of his struggle was a result of his own poor decisions, while others were a direct result of God’s providential guidance in Abram’s life.

Isaiah – He has been called the Prince of the Prophets. Isaiah’s message is one of ultimate hope and blessing for the people of Israel, but it is also one filled with warning to the people if they did not follow God’s Word. Isaiah is also known as the Evangelical Prophet due to the fact that his writings contain many prophecies concerning the coming Messiah, Jesus Christ. One might think that since he was so committed to the Lord that his life would have been filled with blessings and bounty. However, tradition tells us that Isaiah was ultimately killed – perhaps by being sawn in half inside a hollow log – for his faithfulness in proclaiming the message God had given him. Being faithful to God did not protect Isaiah from suffering and even martyrdom.

Paul – The Apostle Paul is accredited with writing about half of the New Testament. He is definitely one of the most prominent figures in all of Scripture. God used Paul to take the Gospel to the Gentiles, breaking down the wall of separation between Jew and Gentile. He planted and established churches as he traveled on three separate missionary journeys. He lived a life of total commitment to God after his amazing conversion on the road to Damascus, where he was going to persecute Christians. Paul testified that he had suffered greatly because of his Christian faith (read 2 Corinthians 11:22ff for Paul’s description of his suffering). He was ultimately executed for his commitment to the calling of God on his life.

Jesus – I hesitate to include Jesus in this blog. But, the reason I chose to do so is simply because He is the one Person who never did anything to cause His personal suffering. We could say of Abraham, Isaiah, Paul, and every other Biblical character, that they all deserved to suffer. But not Jesus! All others were sinners, but not Jesus. All others fell far short of God’s standard of holiness, but not Jesus. And yet, Jesus suffered – horribly. And the Bible reveals a most remarkable thing about Jesus’ suffering: it was all pre-ordained from the foundation of the world! Yes, Jesus’ suffering was part of God’s plan to bring about salvation for people like Abraham, Isaiah, Paul, you, me.

Each of the four Biblical characters we have given consideration to in this blog were men who followed God, who served God, who gave their lives to fulfill the calling of God. And each of them suffered terribly for it. Was God unfair to them?

Going back to our hypothetical scenario at the beginning of this blog, was God unfair to the five who lived lives of suffering and struggle? Sometimes we look at life on a personal level, and at other times we look at a much bigger picture, and we ask ourselves the question, why doesn’t God do something? Well, the answer is that God is always doing something. He is always working in our lives. He is bringing about His purposes and plans, and nothing can ever thwart His plans.

God’s desire is that we choose to bring Him glory and honor through all of life’s experiences. When He chooses to bring prosperity into our lives, then we are to give Him thanks and glorify Him before others. When He chooses to bring hardship and suffering into our lives, then we are to give Him thanks and glorify Him before others. Life is our vehicle, and the world around us is our arena, through which we are to live life to His glory.

Is God unfair? Never! Does He ever act unjustly? Never! The path He chooses for us may not seem fair, and it may at times be filled with uncertainty, but He knows the way, and it is always fair simply because we are His creation, and our ultimate purpose is the glorify Him, and to enjoy Him forever.

So what’s happening in your personal arena right now? No matter how it appears from this faulty human perspective, rest assured that God has set the path, and He provides the grace, for us to glorify Him in the midst of the blessing and bounty, as well as in the suffering and struggle. To God be the glory, greats things He has done!