Making The Best Out of Life
Kingdom Builders Newsletter
Volume 39, March 2010

I picked up one of my journals from 2001 while seeking to find inspiration for the days ahead when I found a treasure. I discovered an entry fitting for this newsletter. Hopefully, my sharing will have a refreshing affect on you as it had been for me.

"I expect to pass through this world but once; any good thing therefore that I can do, or any kindness that I can show to any fellow creature, let me do it now; let me not defer or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again." Etienne Grellet

On March 5, 2003 I wrote, my life's overall theme: 1. To Love God with my whole heart, soul, mind and strength. 2. To worship God in spirit and in truth. 3. To seek the truth and to stand for the truth even if I must stand alone. 4. To see people as God sees them. 5. To be an instrument and vessel of the Lord's.

I want to see through God's eyes and hear through God's ears and for God to speak through me. I want removed far from me the disposition to see and hear things in my limited and often selfish way. To eliminate my viewpoint altogether for God's vantage point. I want the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart to be acceptable to God. I desire my words to be an encouragement to people needing a kind word and to be shown a little human mercy. My pray is to be mentally, emotionally and spiritually able and willing to lift people up in ways that will make a difference in their lives. Lord I do not want to whine or whimper. Let me continue to see sin through the eyes of God, and to acknowledge disobedience to God as sin. I purpose to never forget that no man is without sin including myself, and that I will be honest with myself when I do sin against God to repent. Lord I ask you to help me to start each day with a new attitude and plenty of gratitude.

As I search more entries in my journal I found other fitting quotes by unknown authors that were emailed to me in months gone by.  I share three quotes, 1. "Love deeply and passionately. You might get hurt, but it's the only way to live life completely. 2. "It is so important to remain positive and to give love to others without the concern for what will be given back to you. 3. "Care deeply for others as Christ cares for us. How many lives will be richly touched and changed by our passion to show the face of God to people along the way." 

Voices From Prison

Some years back I had the honor of going into the jails to encourage women and men in their pursuit of happiness. There is one thing for sure when you have that kind of ministry you can't go in with preconceived ideas if you truly want to help those who are on the road to nowhere. There are people who walk among us in our communities who are imprisoned. And unfortunately they meet people along the way who judge them and have absolutely no level of compassion. I have meet both kinds of people those imprisoned by bars and those imprisoned by life's circumstances. There was never a time that I did not see a life with the potential to come out of the darkness.

The following are some of the letters I received in 2007 from those in the jails and prisons in Texas:

"I have thought of getting high right when I get out to hid from the world...then this word pops in my head, faith. I have no faith in God, I let all my feelings control my thoughts! I had to fall on my knees and cry out to God ask God to forgive me. " Wendy

"I really thank you for writing me and encouraging my spirit it sometime is so hard to walk cause the devil can't stand it that he can't have me anymore." Renesia

"I am 8 1/2 months pregnant and need help." Anna

This next young lady I was blessed to travel 4 1/2 hours to the prison she was in to take her two children that had not seen her for two years she writes of the visit, "I'm so blessed and doing so much better after the wonderful surprise that God allowed me to experience with visiting with you and my kids. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart. I never expected to see them (my kids)...after your van broke down I literally gave up on getting a visit. But, once again, God showed up..." Joy

"Have you ever felt trapped and alone, and like nobody in the world loves you? Well that's how I've felt my entire life 34 1/2 years of misery. I can't get my life right with God, because I don't know how to truly surrender and because a lot of things that I need to let go of either I don't want to, or I don't know how to." Cat

In this time we are living in, when the focus is on the things that hinder how we think of people, we seldom hear the language of love that produces healing in the lives of others. I often think about the men and women I met behind the bars, but I also think of the families that live among us who are suffering in silence while God's people remain in silence and in judgment. One of my favorite quotes is by Max Lucado, "Unless you know the whole story, how can you judge? You read only one page of a book, can you judge the whole book? You read only one word of a phrase, can you understand the entire phrase? Life is so vast, yet you judge all of life with one page or one word. All you have is a fragment!"

One act of kindness goes a long way and in our world today kindness is very much needed.  One act of kindness can cause a ripple effect that will spread to have lasting affects on generations.

Scripture Reading
Isaiah 61:1; Matthew 25: 31 - 46; Ephesians Chapter 5

John 4: 7-8
Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.
He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

One Act of Kindness

In an age of heightened emotions, strong opinions and alliances formed by party and ideology loyalties the human cost is often forgotten. Jesus for many of us is our inspiration and our loyalty lies in our relationship with him. For some Jesus was a teacher, for some he was a prophet, for some he was a man who was wise, for some he was a fictitious character and for some of us he was and continues to be teacher, prophet, man of wisdom, the Son of God and our Savior.  Whatever your viewpoint there is one thing that he modeled well and that was his capacity to love and his example that if followed has a great and wonder affect on the communities in which we live and beyond.

The song recorded by Tina Turner has the words, "What's love got to do with it?' It was a popular song that is still enjoyed today. Knowing the abuse and emotional pain Ms Turner endured in her relationship with her husband Ike Turner, it is not surprising she would choose to sing this song. However, love has everything to do with it. If her husband loved her as instructed in 1st Corinthians chapter 13, she would have experienced the love God intended for her.

It is time that we remind one another how truly to love and the best way to do that is to point to the ways Jesus loves. He has compassion, he was able to empathize with those unlike himself, he gave up everything for the benefit of those he knew would reject him. If you are one that follows the teaching of Jesus or one who sees the darkness of hate growing in our country this is an ideal time to examine what love got to do with how we treat others. To examine how we act and react to our friends and family and to the person we pass on the street. This is a great time to examine our attitude towards our neighbors and those who dislike us. The greatest commandment to love brings everything into perspective. Love is more than a feeling it is everything!

Below are various articles from back issues of my Kingdom Builders Newsletter. As we think on love it is also important to accept that we will not always agree. That there are those whose personalities afford stronger voices that speak out against wrongs and it does not make them less spiritual or godly. Let us in our daily lives lay aside our words of scorn and ridicule, and lack of compassion for another man's plight, let us lay aside the fear of rejection and loss of identity or privilege, let us be quick to listen and slow to speak. As for my fellow Christians we must display through our words and behavior what the love of Jesus looks and feels like so that  the world will be able to identify us by our love. 

Uncommon Love
Kingdom Builders Newsletter
Volume 23, May 2008
​
Sometimes people can not see the value in the little things they do for others. Often they do not recognize that their actions translate into uncommon love. It is uncommon love that gives rest to a weary soul.

A woman just released from prison is attempting to take back the responsibility of raising her children. The children are having behavioral problems at school and it was just discovered that one is a gang member. Her having to coup with the pressures of family, finding employment and a stable place to live has become overwhelming. Along comes you. You pass her down the isle in the grocery store, not knowing her situation or the depth of her despair, your eyes meet hers and you smile. Later you find yourself behind her in the check out line of the store.  The woman now staring down at the food place on the counter hears the announced total of her groceries. She has to decide what food to put back. Instead of you looking in disgust at her, you quietly tell her that you would like to pay the difference. She looks at you and barely says thank you for trying to hold back the tears. Uncommon love.

Uncommon Love
Kingdom Builders Newsletter
Volume 25, July 2008

The 58th Chapter of Isaiah gives instructions for a very interesting fast. (A Biblical fast is a cleansing of one's spirit, a time to recommit to living a godly life, and is often done in conjunction with prayer.) The introduction of this fast was during a time when God's people, Israel, went to the temple (the church) daily. They seemed devoted to their faith, however, they were not sincere. Their attendance was more out of tradition. The people were self-centered and full of pride. God gave instruction through the Prophet Isaiah for a new fast.
"...the kind of fasting I want calls you to free those who are wrongly imprisoned and to stop oppressing those who work for you. Treat them fairly and give them what they earn. I want you to share your food with the hungry and to welcome poor wanderers into your homes. Give clothes to those who need them, and do not hide from relatives who need your help." Isiah 58: 6,7 NIV

Today, many kingdom minded Christians have incorporated the Isaiah fast into their daily living. These people live out Philippians 2:3 NIV. "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourself." Uncommon Love


Scripture Reading: Matthew 22: 37-39; Matthew 25: 35,36; John 13:35

Love is a Choice
​
Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. 

Love does not demand its own way. Love is not irritable, and it keeps no record of when it has been wronged.

It is never glad about injustice, but rejoices whenever the truth wins out.

Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.
Love will last forever...

I Corinthians 12: 4-8 NLT

Do you see what I see? To see is to have visual recognition and it also means to have a depth of understanding. Often our personal opinions and experiences, our individual history and our human attachments influence what we visually recognize and influence our understanding and viewpoints. Politicians, government leaders, the media and the average person uses persuasion, debate, propaganda and influence to get others to agree with their particular position, to see what they see. In this article I will discuss four views that share the same root and that is part of the American fabric. I pose to you the question, Do you see what I see? You may decide that truth and vision are often relative. 

Do you see what I see? The union versus the Confederacy or The United States versus The Confederacy. Americans have practiced distorting or sanitizing the truth through the use of vocabulary for centuries. Words, expressions and terminology have been used to start wars, influence, control, manipulate and even keep people in bondage. Some examples of the special use of vocabulary that has shaped our thinking include:
The term plantations used instead of slave labor camps, The "Union" instead of the United States of America, and the Confederate army instead of rebel army. The use of words makes heroes out of some while making villains out of others it is all determined by the propaganda and the words that are used to promote the ideology of one group over another. In the article "We legitimize the 'So called' Confederacy with our vocabulary and that's a Problem' Smithsonianmag.com the following was expressed, "It would be just as accurate to refer to Lee, who led an armed group against National sovereignty, as an insurgent or a warlord, if not a terrorist. Imagine how different it would be for a school age child to learn about the war of the rebellion if we altered the language we use."

The Civil War was a war against the United States. The war was fought to defend the right to own slaves and for the slaves it was a righteous war to fight for the right to be free from bondage. Many consider the Confederacy a noble cause that stood to defend the right to the land that was stolen from the indigenous people (Native Americans) in some cases, and to defend their system of oppression to their death. The Confederate monuments and the Confederate flag glorifies the ideology of the rebel army and helps successive generations condone all that has resulted from the self serving language used to perpetuate the system of racism and oppression in order to subjugate generations. 

Do you see what I see? Flyers in North Idaho were recently circulated showing a beautiful and loving White family poising for a picture in a peaceful outdoor setting. Underneath the picture of the family the title read: "Don't Believe Jewish & Liberal Lies." The caption - "Race is Real... Keep Idaho Safe...Keep Idaho Clean...Keep Idaho WHITE."  At the bottom of this flyer three drawings emphasized the point of view of the advertisement's creator. A picture of a Black man with an egg shaped head and exaggerated lips with drool dripping from his mouth included the word  "NO!" typed underneath the picture. The next picture was of a Mexican man with a sombrero hat his mouth drawn purposely exaggerated sporting a full toothy grin, with the word subscribed "NO!" The final picture was of a Jewish man with a thick beard, large nose and hands clasped suggesting greed. He also had a yellow star pinned to his shoulder and beneath the picture the word "NO!"  

Many racist attitudes are being expressed, without shame, that certain ethnic groups are not welcomed in neighborhoods across America. One such message was written on a banner that had been draped from the stands at Fenway Park that read: "Racism is as American as baseball."  While there are pockets in our country that continue to deny that racism is a problem in American, many more people, who are the recipients of racism, continue to speak to the reality that racism does exist and is often deadly.

Do you see what I see? Justice is blind - Justice is impartial and objective
An eight year old biracial boy nearly hanged in New Hampshire in the summer of 2017. The marks on the little boy's neck from the attempted lynching left multiple deep grooves in his throat. He had to be taken by helicopter to a hospital. While some White teenagers were spectators there was one who caused the injury. The town's police chief said of the assault, "Mistakes they make as a young child should not have to follow them for the rest of their life." There was no desire to obtain justice for the little boy. The evidence that his position as Police Chief to provide safety for his community was non existent as his main concern was the wellbeing of the assailants.

Looting after a catastrophic natural disaster is a grievous offence because it takes advantage of suffering people. The case of two men convicted of the same crime, looting during the spill ways crisis Oroville Dam, is another example that justice is not impartial. One man received probation while the other received 13 years in prison for the same crime. The one who received the lesser punishment was White. This is often the experience of people of color as they face the American justice system. Along with the disparities of sentencing is the attitudes of those who refuse to see the discriminatory practices. It is hard for many to have faith in the judicial system when systemic racism is always on public display.

Do you see what I see? The popular response to black people, who speak out in protest against oppression and racism, is to label them as anti-American, un-American, ingrates and complainers. The overwhelming sentiment is that Black people need to shut up, forget about the past and appreciate the opportunities they have. However, people refuse to get it, to accept the truth and to deal with reality. Those who choose to take a knee or give the Black power salute during the pledge are more patriotic than most. How can this claim be made? Because through all of the abuse, lynchings, terroristic attacks, and the oppressive laws enacted against people of color, the protest in their various peaceful forms are acknowledging the deep rooted faith and hope of generations of Black people that have ever lived on American soil. The heart of a people continues to have an undying hope and faith in a country that even so still sees athletes, out of their uniforms, as the average Black man and woman and boy and girl treated as a nuisance and targeted with bias attitudes and harsh treatment. The athletes as do most Black people love this country enough to bring attention to the century old habit of American oppression. We love America in such great measure that we are courageous enough to tell the truth. Is the protest about police brutality, yes. America has a history of police involvement in the oppression of Black people. Colin Kaepernick's reason behind the refusal to stand for the pledge is about more than protesting police brutality and the need for accountability within police agencies, it is a call for America to deal with the carnage left behind after the leaders of the rebel army of the Confederacy solidified its place in the United States governing body. Due to the handling of the ending of the Civil War our country has remain in a state of war against people of color. Our justice system is not blind, our  government now sanctions the oppressive practice of profiling. Some of population that have benefited from the unjust laws and the cloaking of systemic racism have no desire to recognize that it is time for a deep cleaning in the cavernous bowels of America's psyche to root out  a system that should have been put to rest one hundred and fifty years ago.

Do you see what I see?
As a follower of Jesus my heart is to love as Jesus loves. My hope is to see more people able to look at the history of American as it was and to join in the effort to break the strong holds that continue the traditions of racism. Fear of loss is a driving force that makes man feel they need to preserve the old ways of American life.  The Christian faith and Scriptures teaches us not to fear, but to love without pretense, deceit, posturing, hypocrisy. We are to despise those things that are evil and to cling to that which is good Romans 12:9 We start by rejecting oppression and learning to have empathy and compassion, to feel for the plight of others unlike ourselves. Love is the greatest thing to do.

Definitions
Oppression -  Prolonged cruel or unjust treatment or control. The exercise of authority or power in a burdensome, cruel or unjust manner. When a person or group in a position of power controls the less powerful in cruel and unfair ways. Persecution, abuse, maltreatment, subjugation, injustice, brutality, cruelty

"Empathy is simply listening, holding space, withholding judgment, emotionally connecting and communicating that incredibly healing message of you're not alone." Empathy fuels connections between people.

Scriptures reading: I Corinthians Chapter 13; Matthew 24:12; Ephesians 3:17

 The above story was a dream that God gave me when I was twelve years old. I have never doubted that I would someday go about the city teaching and sharing the message of Christ while also warning of the times. The highlight of my message would be the plea  to choose this day who you will serve, choose Christ Jesus.

There has been an acceleration of events and catastrophes in the last two years. We have had unprecedented things to happen in American politics. Rumors of war with North Korea, interference in our elections by Russia and the rise of White Supremacist activities and Neo Nazi groups. Solar Flares to disrupt radio and GPS systems, In the month of August and September Flooding in Asia and Sierra Leone. Hurricane Harvey Category 4, Irma category 5, Jose Category 4 and Katia. The strongest earthquake in Mexico in a century just days ago, and 80 massive wildfires in California, Oregon, Washington, Montana.  There is an increase of false prophets and birthing pains all spoken of in the Bible.

Research more about the various events mention and read the Scriptures. This is the time to be aware and not panic. There is hope for us all and the hope can be found in a personal relationship with the Savior and Redeemer, Jesus. Invite him into your heart and learn of His goodness and his mercy and grace. 

Scripture Reading: Matthew 24: 7-14, Luke 21: 11, 25-28, II Peter 3: 3 -13

John 4:1-3
Let not your heart be troubled,
you believe in God, believe also in Me.
In My Father's house are many mansions,
if it were not so, I would have told you,
I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and
prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive
you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.

Late on August 25, 2017 Harvey made landfall near Rockport, Texas as a category 4 hurricane with 130 mph winds. Texas was hit hard and many counties felt the storm's wrath. It will be many months if not years before Texas recovers fully from the devastation. There are now many homeless individuals and families as homes have been destroyed. Over 40,000 people are in shelters in Texas. The path of Harvey has caused flooding in Louisiana and other states in the US. Many have lost their lives trying to escape the storm as well as those who worked to try to save lives.

Catastrophes sometimes brings out the best in people as each one tries to help another.  Lives are saved and hope restored when people are willing to help.   May God bless us in the months ahead to have uncommon love for one another  as we make life a little easier for those needing hope for their tomorrow.

In the months ahead Christians from every walk of life, every race and denomination will need to put on display and into practice what we have learned from Jesus. LOVE that is selfless, sacrificial and unconditional, love that is not tainted by racism or prejudice, or overshadowed by one's fears. We have an opportunity to show forth
the uncommon love of the Cross.

John 3:16
For God so loved the world
that he gave his only begotten Son
that whosoever believeth in Him
should not perish, but have everlasting life.