Perfect

“You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect (Matt. 5:48).”

I just finished watching one of those competitive races on television, where couples take on various challenges over a series of several weeks, hoping to win a million dollars.  Inevitably, the couples end up arguing, sometimes name-calling, and being quite frustrated with each other.  It is amazing to me how individuals who are extremely successful in other areas of their lives, can be made to feel so inadequate; all because they can’t eat grilled cobra or bungee jump from a bridge.

I see this on a regular basis in individuals and couples that come to my office.  People who feel they have to be perfect in everything.  It is a horrible affliction to have and carry with oneself throughout your life.  Often, it has to do with trying to measure up to some unrealistic expectation, some unattainable standard of excellence that isn’t even measureable.  I usually ask them who they are trying to please.  They use words like “should,” “ought,” and “have to.”  Again, somewhat rhetorically, I ask, “Who says so?”

At one time, I battled the same demon.  I grew up, like many of these individuals feeling I could never be good enough.  As a result, I determined to try harder.  Unfortunately, I carried this attitude over into my relationship with God.  I thought I “must (should, ought, have to) be perfect.”  With some relief, I now know this isn’t true.

The Greek word used here refers to being finished, having reached its end, as in something being completed.  Any of these words could easily be substituted.  We tend to focus on the word “be,” assuming that it is a state we are to be in right now.  However, the verb tense in the Greek supports a different conclusion.  We are to make this our aim.

Jesus had been encouraging his disciples, in the previous verses, to love the way the Father loves, not just our neighbor, but even our enemies.  He concludes with challenging them to be perfect (to love) the way the Father does.  B.W. Johnson writes in his commentary, “It will require a constant struggle while in the flesh to come near so high an ideal, but it must be our continual aim (People’s New Testament with Notes).”  On this earth, we will not “attain absolute perfection, but we have placed before us, as a model, the perfect ideal, and we will constantly ascend higher by striving to attain to it.”

We don’t have to beat ourselves up for not being perfect.  Christ became the perfect sacrifice on our parts.  That is not the expectation placed upon us.  It is our aim, and praise God, “He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ (Phil. 1:6).”

Godspeed, Phil

 

You are invited!

You are invited...

Those words always gave me a thrill when I was younger and I needed a social life.  Nowadays, it usually means someone wants me to take on more credit card debt, or visit a timeshare, or in some other way, waste my time and hard-earned money.  It isn't really about me and it really isn't the type of invitation I appreciate in the way I did as a younger person.

But, there is an invitation that does get me excited when I recognize it for what it is.  As Barton writes, "It is an invitation to communication and communion with the One who is always present even when our awareness has been dulled by distraction (Invitation to Solitude and Silence)."  Time away, alone with God is one of life's greatest pleasures.

Rather than experiencing enough of those times, it seems it is me inviting God to participate in the activities of my life, to answer my prayers, or to do something that I want Him to do, as though that would make Him happy just to be invited.  I often wondered why it didn't feel as though God was all that enthusiastic over being included in my plans.  Sometimes, it seemed as though He didn't even show up for my party.  Imagine that.

What I came to realize is that God is the One who needs to be doing the inviting.  He is the One who needs to arrange the meetings that I attend, the encounters with others in my office that hopefully will be of some benefit to them, the experiences that I may have throughout the day, often unexpected, and not always appreciated.  Each of these are invitations for me to participate, to discover what God is doing, has already done, and to participate in the way that He has already equipped and planned for me to do.

Even when I dread what is about to happen, even when things don't go the way that I had hoped or prayed, or even when things occur that are clearly not what I would choose to happen, I need to see everything as an invitation from God.  I can rejoice as though I had just been treated to a surprise party.  I need to see that God has already gone before me, He is not going to be taken by surprise by anything that may occur, and He has promised that He will bring good out of any situation; because I have been called (invited) to accomplish His purpose in that situation(Rom. 8:28)!

You are invited.  All you have to do...is show up.

Godspeed, Phil

Is God always right?

"Nice try, God.  You almost got it right."

I'm joking, right?  Otherwise, that would be blasphemy, me correcting God because He didn't do something right.  The thought of doing so is ridiculous.  This is God.  He is perfect, omniscient, holy in all His ways.  I don't have a foot to stand on; and yet, I am guilty of doing just that, and I imagine you are, too.  Oh, not in so many words.  I'm not stupid enough to come right out and tell God I know better than He does; but, how often have you felt yourself questioning God?  How many times have you rejected His way and insisted on going your own way?  Guilty as charged.  Blasphemer.  Yes, that describes me.  If the shoe fits...

We all know the story of Job, how he lost everything when God let Satan have his way with him.  He lost his wealth, his status, his family, and eventually his health.  He was in terrible pain and suffering and, yet, he didn't blame God.

Job, in spite of all that had taken place, continued to worship God.  "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart.  The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised (1:21)."  The Scripture goes on to say, "In all this, Job did not sin."  The book of Job has inspired many, including myself, to see my momentary trials and difficulties from a different perspective.  It has helped me to endure those times and do my best to continue to trust God as Job did.

But, there is another perspective that I wish I could have all of the time, that I don't always.  In what way did Job not sin?  He didn't sin, "by charging God with wrongdoing."  Job didn't just go along with it.  He didn't just endure it and sing, "Que Sera, sera, what will be, will be."  Job didn't just shrug his shoulders and say, "Oh well, what choice do I have, anyway?"  Job accepted what God was doing as right.  He didn't question God's actions.

I don't know about you, but I typically get frustrated, sometimes even discouraged, when things don't go the way I think they should; especially, if it results in my being uncomfortable.  "In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing."  I can't say the same thing about my self.  If I don't understand what God is doing, it bothers me.  If He seems to be taking me in a different direction, I hesitate.  Sometimes, I don't listen and do what I want to do instead.  Whether I am saying it or not, I am challenging the God of whom David writes, "You are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge (Ps. 51:4)."

It doesn't usually occur to me that I am accusing God of wrongdoing, but that is what it comes down to; I don't trust God to always be right.  When God does finally address Job, He asks Job, "Who is this that darkens my counsel with words without knowledge?"  Job's answer, "Surely, I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know."  Eventually, I may get around to admitting the same thing; but, I wish I could accept that God is right...all the time, not just when I choose to agree with Him.

Godspeed, Phil

Stop!

Sometimes, it must have seemed rather confusing.  As the people of Israel were going through the desert, seemingly in the direction of the Promised Land, they had to wonder if God really knew what He was doing.  They would be moving along for awhile, then, they would just stop...and wait.  No reason, no explanation, just "wait here."  I know what that always means when I do it.  I'm lost!  It doesn't matter how much I protest that I am just wanting to be sure, everyone in the car knows, "Dad doesn't have any idea where we are.  We are lost!"

Do you ever have those times in your walk when you feel like God is lost?  Seriously, does it seem like sometimes He doesn't know what He's doing or where He's going?  Of course, we would never say that and we would adamantly proclaim that we trust God, but we secretly want to take Him aside and ask if He needs our help.  After all, we have a pretty good idea of where we want to go and how to get there.  Why doesn't He ask for our help?

I have been going through one of those times.  Everything seemed to be pointing in the direction I was headed, and then, it was like the road just ended.  I couldn't move.  I couldn't go forward, as I was sure the Lord didn't want me to go any further; or if He did, He wasn't making it possible.  I couldn't back up; because that seemed contrary to everything that had happened up to this point.  I was certain God had led me here; but just like my kids, I want to know, "Why are we stopping?"

Paul and his companions had one of those moments, actually two...in a row.  They were on a roll.  In Acts 16, Luke writes that as they traveled from town to town, delivering their message, "the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers."  They had to be feeling it.  I'm sure they were all pumped about where they were going and what they were doing.  God seemed to be in all they were doing.  Then, we read in v. 5 that they were "kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the Word in Asia."  That may have left them a little confused, but they probably figured, God has a reason.  He probably didn't think much would be accomplished by going there.  But, hadn't God led them in that direction?  No, their GPS must have malfunctioned, or someone wasn't listening too closely when He was giving them directions, or maybe they had just made a wrong turn.  No problem, we are back on track and headed to Bithynia.  And, it happened again.

"As they tried to enter Bithynia, the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to."  "Why are we stopping?"  Everybody most likely turned to Paul looking for direction.  It was one thing for them not to know, but surely Paul had heard from the Lord.  "Why are we stopping?"  Awkward.  Paul was looking at his map, rubbing his chin, mumbling to himself, or was he praying?  They all waited for him to respond.  But, he didn't seem to have anything to say.  Sitting at the camel re-fueling station, Paul got off his camel and was talking to the attendant, showing him the map.  So, he was lost.

But, when Paul returned, there was no explanation as to why they had stopped.  They merely re-calculated their camel's GPS and headed a different direction.  Can you imagine the campfire discussions that evening.  "Paul, where are we going?  Did we make a wrong turn?  Are you and Jesus still friends?"  Paul didn't have much to say.  That night, he slept fitfully.  And, in the middle of the night, he had a vision.  That vision ultimately led Paul and his companions to Macedonia and to Philippi, a leading city of that colony.  And the rest, as Paul (Harvey) would later say, "is history."

Though I can't find it in Scripture, I have shared with individuals on many occasions, "God plans the stops of a good man as well as the steps."  I believe it.  I don't like it, but I believe it.  I don't always agree with it.  I often feel like we are losing momentum.  We need to keep going.  I don't want to be late.  I don't want to miss anything.  Mostly, I can't figure out what to do with myself if I am moving in some direction.  Sometimes, God just wants us to rest.  Sometimes, He wants us to learn to be patient and to trust.  Other times, there are things going on behind the scenes that we just don't know about, but God does and all He wants us to do is wait, until everything is ready, everything is in place, and then it will be time to act.

This takes great discernment on our parts, and trust.  We may want to blame ourselves and think it is because of something that we have done; and if that is how you feel, it is a good idea to check with the Big Guy upstairs and ask Him if you and He are still good.  Sometimes, there is something for us to get out of stopping.  Other times, there is no rhyme or reason to us; but, we have to trust God.  We need to remind ourselves that all our times are in His hands.  He will let us know when it is time to move.  For now, enjoy the scenery.

Godspeed, Phil

Don't stop now

Have you ever been in one of those situations where there has been some type of disagreement; and when the other party runs out of rational arguments to support their position, they begin to call you names.  Of course not, only children do that, right?  Yeah, right.  In Neh. 6, Nehemiah and the Jews continue to experience opposition; only now, it starts to get personal.

As Nehemiah and the others continue to re-build Jerusalem and their enemies see that they haven't been able to deter them, they plot to assassinate Nehemiah.  Sanballat and Geshem send Nehemiah a message, "Hey, Nehemiah.  Come 'ere.  We wanna talk to ya."  But, Nehemiah has been tipped off somehow and he makes this reply, "I am too busy doing a good work to come down."

Have you ever prayed for God to reveal His will to you, to show you what He would have you to do; only to feel as though He was ignoring you?  A few years ago, God used this passage to help me discern that I needed to stop looking for something else to do, and do what He had already given me to do.  You see, I get caught up in this notion that my journey with the Lord is an ongoing, gradual ascent into heaven.  Only, every once in awhile, there seems to be a lull or even a downturn that I can't seem to explain.  So, then I turn to God and ask Him what He would have me to do...no response.  I pray about it, seek counsel, attempt to discern His voice...nothing.

I am not sure that I have it figured out; but, I don't think God expects me to sit idle and do nothing.  It could be, He would have me use some of that time to rest, maybe to find other ways to refresh my spirit, focus on my own needs to grow and develop.  But, I think it could be that God doesn't feel like He has to constantly be giving me directions on what next step to take.  He just wants me to continue to do the work He has already given me to do.

I have this problem with my son.  Though he usually knows what he is supposed to be doing, or could easily figure it out if he put some thought into it; he would prefer not to think, and would rather we just tell him what to do.  Foster writes, "The development of character, rather than direction in this, that, and the other matter, must be the primary purpose of the Father.  He will guide us, but He won't override us...The parent must guide in such a manner, and to the degree, that autonomous character, capable of making right decisions for itself, is produced.  God does the same ("A Year With God")."

I recall, in my home church, growing up; there were those who felt they couldn't answer the phone, unless they believed the Holy Spirit led them to do so.  Nehemiah prayed, but he prayed for God to give him strength; and then, he went back to work.  He didn't need to ask God what to do next.  He just continued to do what He had already been given to do.  As a result, the enemies "lost their self-confidence, because they realized that this work had ben done with the help of our God."

Godspeed, Phil

 

Keep swimming!

One of my favorite movies is "Finding Nemo."  I especially like the scene, if you haven't seen it, where little Nemo is telling all the fish in the net to "keep swimming."  He knows if they keep swimming in the same direction, they will eventually free themselves from the net (as opposed to finding themselves stuffed with crab meat on somebody's dinner table).

In Nehemiah 4, the Jews were rebuilding the temple and encountered opposition.  A guy named Sanballat was angry (possibly because his parents had given him such a ridiculous name, but that is another story), and he began to ridicule the Jews, in front of the army of Samaria.  "Can they bring the stones back to life from those heaps of rubble--burned as they are?"

He was referring to the temple that had been destroyed when the Jewish nation had been unfaithful to God and He had allowed their enemies to defeat them and take them into captivity.  But, as I read it, I thought of an interesting analogy...burnout.

I work with pastors and other Kingdom workers in positions of leadership, who are experiencing burnout.  Their "temple" has been subject to invading armies, the temptations, hardships, and trials of this world; and they have felt defeated, nearly destroyed, and as though they have little control over their own situations.  They may not be publicly ridiculed, but they know the self-criticism, as well as the many who are talking behind their backs, finding fault with them for their "failed" leadership.

The Jews, under the leadership of Nehemiah, did two things--they prayed and armed themselves!  The Scriptures tell us, "We prayed to our God and posted a guard day and night to meet this threat."  They didn't quit and go back to Susa.  They continued the work they were doing.  All the while, Nehemiah was telling them, "Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight."  He went on to tell them, "Our God will fight for us!"

The opposition?  Well, they didn't back off.  I wish I could tell you they did, but they didn't.  It only got worse.  You might want to read the rest of the story for yourself.  The point is, however, we need to just keep fighting.  We need to pray, arm ourselves, equip ourselves to continue to fight; for our God will fight for us!  And, one day, we will be free of this opposition.

One day, we too shall proclaim,  "Free at last.  Free at last.  Thank God Almighty, free at last."
--Martin Luther King, Jr.,

Godspeed, Phil

Flee!

How can we separate ourselves from the world and still have an impact upon it?  How can we be in the world, but not of it?  How are we to be transformed without being conformed?  Every way your turn, there are books about spiritual transformation, and others telling us this is what is needed.  Paul says it is the only way, "to discover the will of God and know what is good, what it is that God wants, what is the perfect thing to do (Rom. 12:1-2)."  So, of course, that is what we want.

But, how do we get there?

I spent the day retreating to the woods, reading a book, "The Way of the Heart," by Henri Nouwen.    In it, Nouwen tells of the "desert fathers (and mothers)" who were determined not to be tainted by the influence of their world, to such an extent, they retreated to live in the desert.  Spiritual guidance they believed they were given is also good advice for us to follow.  Abba Arsenius believed that God told him to "flee from the world and you will be saved."  And so, Arsenius left Rome and sailed to Alexandria to live a solitary life in the desert.

Now, I am not advocating we sell our house, buy an RV, and move to Death Valley.  But, I think the counsel is still applicable; we need to flee, to get away from the world.  Fleeing is essentially about finding a place of solitude, a place away from all the distractions of the world, to create conditions whereby transformation can take place.  Nouwen goes so far as to say, that it is out of this type of experience that "real ministry flows."

In the vernacular of the psychological community, most of us are living in the FOG.  We do what we do out of Fear, Obligation, and Guilt.  "I am afraid that if I do/or if I don't, something bad may happen."  I do what I do out of obligation, because I should or have to...  "I will feel guilty if I do/or don't..."  If you don't think any of these apply to you, ask yourself why you do the majority of what you do.  If the answer isn't because you want to, then most likely you are motivated by living in the FOG, afraid of failure, being judged, wanting to have other's approval, needing affirmation, or some other wrong motivation.  Is it any wonder so many in ministry are frustrated, angry, depressed, stressed and burnout?  We need to flee from the world.

We need to flee from the world and run right into the arms of our Savior, the one who approves of us, loves us, refuses to condemn us, and calls us His friends.  It is when we spend time alone with Him, we experience the purpose He has for us, and the value He has placed upon us.  It is there we discover His will for us and the direction He has for our lives and our ministries.

Too often we are tempted, as Jesus was, to be relevant, to be spectacular, to be powerful.  In solitude, Nouwen says, we find our true identity is found in our relationship with God.  When we are able to experience that, we are more open to allowing Him to transform us, to make us more like Him, in His image.  Nouwen writes, "We have, indeed, to fashion our own desert where we can withdraw every day, shake off our compulsions, and dwell in the gentle healing presence of our Lord."

Flee!!
Godspeed, Phil

Restore

I was about ready to throw it down on the floor and, hopefully, do enough damage I could convince my wife we would have to buy a new computer.  I was tired of all the pop-ups, the unwanted intrusions that kept me from getting to the sites I wanted to view, and having to divert my eyes from all the women that wanted to date me.  The worse thing was when, in the middle of writing, or reviewing and responding to e-mails, or checking out other's websites, internet explorer was shutting itself down.  Of course, it promised to submit a report, but I had yet to hear a response to the previous 50 or so that had already been sent.  So, I wasn't too hopeful the problem would ever be fixed.

I couldn't tell you how all this confusion had become a part of my life, I blame my son who was constantly playing a game, building things out of blocks of something, or looking up new weapons to add to his virtual collection, or checking out prices on things that we had already told him were too expensive for us to buy for his birthday.  Anyway, there was only one solution, my computer needed a tune-up.  I think they called it cleaning, but that is unimportant.  It just needed to be done...and fast; before I had to join my own anger management support group!

So, I took it to the "nerds," at the local computer and electronic store and was ready for them to work their magic.  They assured me they could do the job...for $200!  Ouch!!  I knew we weren't far from being able to buy a new one for that (obviously, I don't buy expensive computers; which may be the real reason I had this problem).  The alternative, do it yourself.  The kid behind the counter advised me I could take the computer back to its original condition in just a few easy steps.  I thought he was going to suggest it would only cost me $19.99, but it wasn't going to cost me anything.

So, I bravely and confidently went home and asked my wife to do it.  I told her it would only take a few easy steps, that the kid behind the counter had said so, and he seemed to know what he was talking about; and with that she went to work.

It reminds me of what the Lord has to do with us at times.  Sometimes we think that spiritual transformation is the Lord coming along and blessing what is good and helping us to do better.  I have heard myself praying that before, "God, please help me to do better."  God's goal for us is not to make us better versions of what we have always been, He wants to completely transform us, to make us Christ-like.  In  Rom. 12:1-2, Paul writes that we are to be "transformed."  The Greek word is metamorphaomai, obviously from where we get the word for metamorphosis, the changing of the caterpillar to the butterfly.  That process is not the making of a more beautiful caterpillar, it is the creation of almost a new being; and, that is the work God wants to do in us.

God wants to transform us, and He has to strip us of ourselves and make us into a new creature.  He, literally, needs to start from scratch.  There really isn't anything good about us when we first give ourselves to Him.  I imagine His biggest frustration is that we cling to what we consider "good" about ourselves; but, as Isaiah wrote, even "our righteous acts are like filthy rags (64:6)."  We need to be willing to let go of even what others may say is of value, what has brought us "success" in the past, or what we have always considered of value, surrender it all, let it go, and be willing to allow God to create the "new man."  And, I am sorry, but your wife can't do this one for you.

Godspeed, Phil

Take a Step

Do you remember your first step?  Probably not, but I would bet that your parents do.  I remember when my daughter, Grace was learning to walk.  My wife and I would sit on the floor just a few feet away from each other and have her stumble between us.  She giggled and laughed the whole time and, once she got to one parent, couldn't wait to be turned around and sent back to the other one.  She loved it and and we would be entertained for hours.  I wonder if God is as amused, as He sees us stumbling and fumbling around, trying to get from one place to the next place He wants us to get to.

There is one way we are quite different than our children when they are learning to walk.  They trust us.  As far as I know, there has never been a toddler that said, "I don't know guys.  Do these legs really work like that?  This balance thing, can we go over that again?  Now, you say you will catch me if I start to fall.  Do you have any experience doing that sort of thing or are you just winging it."

I think most of the time, what God sees is a lack of trust.  Remember the story of Jesus walking on water when He invited Peter to join him (Matt. 14:22ff)?  Most of us are like Peter when he crawled out of the boat onto the water.  Within minutes, he was doubting.  He took his eyes off of Jesus and looked down at the ferocious waves.  He couldn't believe he was actually walking on water.  And, at that point, he no longer was able to do so.  He begain to sink.  What's the lesson here for us?

Obviously, it has to do with faith or trust in God.  But, let's be a little more specific.  We can't help but be a little more cognitive than a baby.  We are thinking, reasoning adults; but, we must come to Christ like one of these little ones, trusting, excited, ready to have a good time.  Instead, like Peter, we may be hesitant to even get out of the boats; and then, even if we do, we lose our focus almost immediately.  We begin to trust in our own logic, or knowledge, or skill (in this case, lack thereof).

It isn't hard to imagine what Peter was thinking.  "Wait a minute, what am I doing?  I don't know how to walk on water.  I have never done this before.  Maybe I should take it slow, start with a mud puddle or a shallow spot near the shore.  Are there sharks in this water?  I am sure Jesus meant something else.  He wouldn't expect this of me.  Of course, He can walk on water, He's Jesus.  The waves, the wind, it was all pretty noisy; I probably didn't hear it right.  I need to learn to listen and not be so impetuous."

All Peter needed to do was to keep his eyes on Jesus.  It isn't rocket science.  Trust Jesus.  But, don't we make the same mistake?  We need to keep our eyes on Him in order for us to be able to keep moving in the right direction.  Ultimately, all our efforts are to become more like Jesus.  Whenever we put our attention on anything other than that, we will begin to sink, we will begin to fail.  If we try to think too far ahead of that, we will end up like Peter, talking ourselves out of doing what we have been told to do.  Jesus gave Peter one instruction, "Come."  He invites us to do the same.  Come.  Trust me.  Just come.

Godspeed, Phil

Time

"There is a time for everything...(Eccl. 3:1-8)."   I recently shared this passage with the staff of a church where they had experienced the death of two of their colleagues.  It seemed very appropriate when I began preparing for the time we would spend together.  However, later, I felt it wasn't enough.  It wasn't enough just to remind them, as one of my patients likes to say, "that's just the way it is."  That's just the way it is and we have no other choice but to find a way to accept it.  I think the Scriptures paint a different picture for us than that.

There is a need to accept what appears to be outside of our control, but we don't have to resign ourselves to what we consider a "less than" attitude of acceptance.  "Oh well, I guess I have to accept it, what else can I do?"  In her book, "Abundant Simplicity," Jan Johnson points out how many of us believe God is "forcing us to live a 'much less' life;" when, in fact, "the phrase 'much more' occurs many times in Scripture (Mt. 7:11; Rom. 5:9-10, 15, 17; II Cor. 3:7-11), and usually indicates God's astonishing generosity."

As I considered what God might want these friends to understand, I found myself looking at what occurred on the road to Emmaus, when Jesus encountered those who were mourning His own death.  The way He chose to comfort them was not by saying to them they needed to just accept it and get over it.  He wanted them to understand it had been foretold and was necessary in accomplishing God's bringing salvation into the world, and bringing mankind into relationship with Him.  I like to tell my patients, we grieve what we lost, but we get on with what is left.  Christ wanted them to realize God had a purpose in allowing His death and it was a good thing.  Similarly, God has a purpose in allowing even the death of His saints.  And, He promises He can and will "bring good out of every situation, for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose (Rom. 8:28)."

Later on, I came upon a statement by David that gave me further perspective.  In Ps. 31:15, David writes, "My times are in your hands."  There is a time for everything and yet, God is in control at all times, and has a purpose for everything that does occur in our lives.  While we may think there are good times and there are bad times, they are all times that God has ordained and filled with purpose.  God is a "much more" God, who is not standing idly by when things "go wrong."  He is not unaware of the events of our lives and is not surprised by what we are going through.  While we may grieve, we may feel disappointed in the way things turn out, or we may be confused by what is going on around us, God is in control.  He is acting on our behalf, continuing to accomplish His purpose.  He is just waiting for us to get on board and be a part of it.
Godspeed, Phil

I am not a foul ball

On one occasion, early in my career, I was passed over for a promotion.  When I asked my boss why I wasn't given the position, all he came up with was, "I want you to know you are not a foul ball."  To which I could only say, "Huh!"

Okay, now I have your attention.  I feel the need to be honest and I needed someone to hear my confession.  My heart is not pure and my motives are often suspect.  I may say I want all the glory to go to God, but I wouldn't mind if some of it spilled over onto my plate.  I may profess that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me, but I do feel some of the results are to be attributed to my years of experience, my hard work in preparation, and my other abilities.  I am just trying to be honest here.   I may as well be.  God knows my heart isn't pure.  It is full of anger, bitterness, resentment, envy, jealousy, doubt, and pride.  I know it and I know God knows it; and it sometimes feels like there is precious little I can do about it, at least on my own.

Lawrence J. Crabb, Jr., a Christian psychologist wrote: "The basic personal need of each person is to regard him/herself as a worthwhile human being."  Robert McGee, in his book, "The Search for Significance," states, "When we find that we perceive our lives as having no value, purpose, or significance, we become miserable."

To that end, we drive ourselves to achieve, strive for perfection, punish ourselves when we fail, reward ourselves when we succeed, and do all sorts of things to avoid feeling we have no value.  At times, we are less than completely honest about what we are doing.  But, God desires "truth from the inside out (The Message, Ps. 51:6)," for us to be honest at the deepest level.  He honors that.  And, He wants us to know the truth, that our true value and worth has nothing to do with what we can do for ourselves, but what He has already done for us.  It doesn't matter how well we perform and please others.  Failure and the disapproval of others can not take away the worth that has been given freely and conclusively by God.

Ask yourself, "Where do I get my sense of worth and value?"  Does it come from what you get from other relationships, activities, achievements?  How do you react to knowing that God has established your worth and value, declared you holy and blameless, called you by name, affirmed you as one of His children, and loved you even before you were born (Eph. 1:3-14)?

Godspeed, Phil

Is it time to do the dance?

One of my favorite movies is "Evan Almighty," despite the fact it was a financial loss for Hollywood, and generally wasn't well-received by the critics.  I especially love the scene at the end of the move, when God tells Evan "It's time," that means, it is time to do the dance.  And, together, Evan and God dance.  Can you imagine how cool that would be to do a happy dance with God?

I am not very good at celebrating achievements.  It isn't that I haven't had many, like Paul, I could boast of several things that I have accomplished in my life.  But, I have a tendency to de-value many of the things that I have done, to not consider them things that I should be proud of.  In fact, I worry about appearing to be too proud, to the point, I don't like talking about myself at all, and I find it difficult to hear others compliment me.

Yesterday was one of those times.  In fact, the whole day was.  It started with a Skype interview where I was paid several compliments, including being told that I was humble.  I immediately felt convicted that I needed to correct them and let them know how proud and selfish I really was.  The rest of the day, I was complimented by several of my clients, who told me that I had given them good advice or was very helpful.  Now, forgive me because this isn't typical.  I am not bragging and letting you know how wonderful I am, but I believe all of this came about as a way for God to let me know that I was accomplishing what He had been calling me to do.  So, for me, it was time to do the dance.

Too often, we boast of the wrong things, even though we are told in Scripture that  boasting and prideful displays are sinful.  We boast about what the world values, physical abilities, material possessions, social status, etc.  We are specifically warned about letting these things become too important, and letting them define who we are.  In contrast, we are told that if we boast, there is only one thing worth boasting about, and that is that we know God and we do His will.  Consider the following Scriptures:

"Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches, but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord, who exercisses kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight (Jer. 9:23-24)."

"For everything in the world--the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does--comes not from the Father but from the world.  The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever (I John 2:16-17)."

"But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.  What is more, I consdier everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord...I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him (Phil. 3:7-9)."

There have been times in my life, where God has had to strip me of things that I had allowed to become too important.  He doesn't do this to embarrass me, to humiliate me, and make me feel unimportant.  The truth is that while these things are of some value, they are rubbish in light of the things that are of eternal significance.  Foster writes that we should learn to "recognize and abandon those things that must be counted as losses in light of our encounter with Christ, so that we might focus on the 'gain' of relationship with Christ."

During your prayer time, when you are alone with God, ask Him to reveal the rubbish you need to get rid of in order to create more space for Him and His will for  your life.

Godspeed, Phil

Risk it!!

"Two roads diverged..."  You have probably heard this well-known poem by Robert Frost.  It describes so many aspects of our lives.  It certainly applies to some of the decisions we are called to make.  Often, we are confronted with two seemingly equal decisions.  Both appear to be "good" choices.  Either seems as though it could be the direction God would have us to go.

So, how do we choose?

How do we normally choose?  Quite often, we tend towards the familiar, the road we have travelled before and know well.  I like the familiar.  Fewer surprises.  Less risk.  That seems like a good thing.  Sometimes, if I have never been on either road, I consider what I know about each one.  I try to make a reasonable choice.  I weigh the pros and cons.  I consider all the evidence.  I may even consult with an expert, someone who has done a lot of travelling.  Here, I eliminate as much risk as I am able.  Again, seems like the right thing to do.  Right?  After all, am I not a steward of my time, my energy, my resources?  I don't want to waste the opportunity by making the wrong decision.

I like having control.  That usually earns some consideration when I am making decisions.  A lot of people seem to be like me in that respect.  Not being in control often leads to consequences we would just as soon not have to experience.  So, typically, I attempt to control anything that I think is within my power to control.  Oh, I know I need to accept some things that are clearly outside my control.  But, I like the illusion of having some control and being able to keep myself from the consequences.

Often, I find myself making decisions that are mostly about my being able to be "successful."  Again, nothing wrong with wanting to be successful.  Ruth Haley Barton, in "Invitation to Solitude and Silence," comments on the need to place our reputation and success into the hands of God, and act entirely in dependence on God.  Typically, when I act, I am acting based upon decisions that I believe will lead to certain outcomes.  These, also I need to trust God.  Only God can possibly know the future and the outcomes of our decisions with absolute certainty.

Trusting God for successful outcomes does not mean I am to be inactive, Barton comments, but our part "will always be chastened by a sense of who is God--not you!"  It sometimes will mean we act without knowing the outcomes or having any feedback whatsoever.  The only thing that we can know for sure is that God is God, and He is faithful.  Jesus lost many of His followers at a critical juncture in His ministry, because they didn't like the direction they thought He was going.  His disciples didn't continue to follow Him because they knew and understood what He was planning to do.  They followed because the other path, though having less risk, had little else to promise, other than that.  No risk.  But, no risk, no results.  The other road, though less travelled...well, that made all the difference.

Take a risk.

Godspeed, Phil

Wait

After the resurrection, I was wondering what the disciples must have been feeling before Christ appeared to each of them.  Of course, they had been discouraged, feeling rather hopeless when Christ was crucified.  It seemed the end of a dream.  There was no way they could fully comprehend what Jesus had taught them and told them to expect.  But, then He appeared to several of them and the sparks of hope were fanned into flames.  Now, Lord, will you establish your kingdom?  Give us our orders, Lord.  What's next?  Jesus' response didn't do much to support their enthusiasm.  Wait.  What?  Wait.

Jeanette Bakke, in her book, "Holy Invitations," cites several factors that can influence discernment.  One that I find particularly troubling is having the "willingness to accept an answer of wait."  She writes:  "It is difficult to wait for God and difficult to wait with integrity for our own process of development.  We may be tempted to settle for what is at hand or force an alternative rather than wait when life as we have known it begins to unravel or we are in transition."

When we fail to wait for the Lord, when we get too far ahead of Him, we are doomed to failure.  Bakke warns us of thinking that we have enough of an idea of what God is trying to accomplish and taking over as opposed to continuing to follow the Holy Spirit's lead.  She states, "unless we ask God to help us set priorities, order our lives, and guide us moment by moment, how can we hope for our actions to grow from God's intentions rather than from seemingly good ideas of our own?"

We need to remember that He who began a good work in us, will be faithful to complete it.  There may be times when it seems God is taking a break, when He seems to have relaxed and we are in danger of missing a deadline, when it appears that our plans are about to fail, when what we had hoped for isn't going to happen, but God is never too late, He is always on time.

"Wait for the gift my Father promised," Jesus told them.  What was that gift, none other than the power of the Holy Spirit, that same Spirit which enabled Christ to perform miracles, that raised Christ from the dead, that empowered the disciples to build the church, that works in you and me today.  We must wait until that Spirit leads us, trust that God has a plan, one that we need to follow.

Godspeed, Phil

Power to Change

What are you afraid of?  I'm not afraid of anything.  Ha!  Just kidding. I don't think there is a person on earth that isn't afraid of something.  There are numerous listings of fears if you want to do the search on the web.  One of my favorites is hexakosioihexikontahexiphobia, the fear of the number 666.  Weird.  One fear I think we all have in common is metathesiophobia, the fear of change.  Yes, there is a word for it.  There are similar fears--neophobia--the fear of the new; cainophobia--the fear of newness; allagiphobia--the fear of things getting worse.  All describe the same thing to a certain extent.

I have a patient I have worked with for almost a year that won't change.  Some might say "can't," but, I believe anyone can change.  Christian psychiatrists, Minirth & Meier, wrote a book entitled, "Happiness is a Choice."  Well, change is a choice as well.  Why won't my patient change?  A good friend of mine is a recovering alcoholic.  In 12-step programs, they like to say a person has to hit bottom before they decide to change.  His response to that is, "You can put down the shovel anytime."  What he is saying is a person has to get to the place where they want to change.  That is their bottom.  They have to want the change.  However, they have to want to so bad, they are willing to confront their fear of change.

The other day, I asked this patient what he was afraid of, why he wouldn't change.  Each time he gave me an answer, I asked him again, "What are you afraid of?"  Though it seemed redundant, the point I was trying to make was that, ultimately, we choose not to change because we allow our fears to dominate our thinking.  We give in to them without challenging them and asking ourselves, "What am I really afraid of anyway?"

Paul told Timothy, "The Spirit God gave us does not make us timid (fearful), but gives us power, love,  and self-discipline (II Tim. 1:7)."  Our fears are not of God, they are man-made.  Change can happen because God has given us the power we need to make that change.  We have to decide it is a priority, that we really do want to change, and that we are willing to confront whatever it is we are afraid of in order for that change to occur.  We don't have to do this alone.  We can listen to the Holy Spirit whose role it is to convict us of what needs to change in us.  Then, He will make it all possible.

Name your fear.  Ask yourself if you are really ready to change.  Ask yourself what you are afraid of, and ask that same question each time you give an answer, until you get to the place you realize there really is nothing to fear.  I find it helpful to pray this prayer of Reinhold Niebuhr:

"God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference."--Reinhold Niebuhr

 

More Lessons from the Elliptical

Have you ever been to the gym and witnessed a guy bench-pressing about 500 lbs., but weighing almost as much?  Okay, I may have exaggerated somewhat.  But, while these guys are building massive muscles from the navel up, their midsection hasn't been properly trained.  While I haven't lost a lot of weight, I have learned a few things while exercising on my elliptical.  If I want to lose weight, I have to control my eating as well.  Physical exercise just isn't enough.  Okay, so this isn't rocket science, it is a fitting analogy to our growing in spiritual discernment.

Apparently, Timothy was spending too much time in the gym and Paul had to tell him to back off.  He wrote this, "Train yourself to be godly.  For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come (I Tim. 4:7-8)."  How does this apply to us and to discernment?

I recently was feeling a form of spiritual dryness.  What could be wrong?  I was reading the Scriptures faithfully, fasting regularly, reading other Christian literature, hanging out with other Christians, and serving. What was missing?  I wasn't making time to be alone with God and my prayer life was growing stale as a result.  Even when I was spending time with God and praying, I was too tired and had difficulty focusing, because I was getting up faithfully and exercising.  I was physically wearing myself out and it was affecting my ability to be discerning.

It is frustrating because I am continually telling others how important it is to avoid being distracted, and here I was again, finding myself focusing on something other than God.  I had often appreciated working out before my devotional time, because it made me more alert when I did spend that time with the Lord.  However, it had become the end instead of the means.

Jeanette Bakke, in her book, "Holy Invitations," writes, "When good actions such as worship, Bible study, or service are detached from our prayer, they can become dead.  We have many ideas about how to continue what God has begun in us and can easily slip into taking charge of our spiritual nurture and development instead of seeking the Holy Spirit's way...unless we ask God to help us set priorities, order our lives, and guide us moment by moment, how can we hope for our actions to grow from God's intentions rather than from seemingly good ideas of our own?"

Godspeed, Phil

Get Fit!

In an effort to get into better shape, I started using an elliptical about a month ago.  The piece of equipment that I use has settings on it for what you want to get out of it.  There are a number of decisions to make that I find strangely similar to the decisions we need to make about our spiritual fitness.

There is, first of all, the decision whether to do things my own way or choose one of the fitness programs available--Toning, Endurance, or Fitness.  I think most of us know how difficult it is to get into shape doing it on our own.  That is true in the development of our faith as well.  It helps to use a program, a Bible study, a devotional guide, a reading plan, or something.  Otherwise, we make very little progress and give up as soon as there is something more alluring to do with our time.

So, I chose a program.  Now, I think I am ready for the Performance setting.  So, I dial that up, only to find out that it involves the highest settings on levels of resistance, speed, and inclination.  It's also 30 minutes long and I don't plan to spend that much time, so I look at the other options.  I probably need to work on endurance, so I choose that.  I quickly find out I don't have what it takes to endure.  Apparently, I need to focus on toning.

Often, in my faith walk, I find myself focusing most of my attention on performing.  Recently, I have been developing a new ministry and been quite anxious to start offering the ministry; only to find God calling me back to toning.  When we are called, sometimes God has to work on us to prepare us to be the instruments He is able to use, to accomplish what He wants to accomplish.

We shouldn't get in too big a hurry to start performing, whether that be performing a ministry, starting a new program, or preaching a sermon.  The majority of our time needs to be devoted to allowing God to tone our spiritual muscles, to get us into shape for what He has in mind for us to do.  The actual performance may only be a small portion of what we actually do.  But, if we want it to accomplish God's purpose, we have to allow Him this opportunity to do what He does best.

"...until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ (Eph. 4:13)."

Godspeed, Phil, just another doulos

False gods

False teeth.  False eyelashes.  False...you get the idea.  What do they all have in common?  The most simple answer is that they aren't real.  What about false advertising?  Why do we get so riled up when we watch commercials that promise something, you know couldn't possibly be true?  There are laws against that sort of thing, right?  How do they get away with it?  They get away with it because there is just enough truth in what they are offering, that it isn't really false.  It isn't really true either.

Nobody likes to be lied to or deceived.  We would like to believe that we wouldn't fall for that sort of thing in the first place, right?  But, don't we deceive ourselves every day?  The things that we turn to, coffee, snacks,energy drinks, cigarettes, alcohol, new clothes, new car, are all intended to give us something we think we need.  But, are they for real?  Do they actually meet a need?

We are told not to love the things of this world or the things in this world, "For everything in the world--the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes, and the boasting of what he has and does--comes not from the Father but from the world (I John 2:15-16)."  In other words, they aren't real.  It is just false advertising.

The problem with the things of this world is they sometimes take a place that is intended for God to occupy, a place in your heart that is meant for Him and Him alone.  We become attached to these things and rely on them for something that can only come from the Father.  As in most relationships, if we allow something else to take away our attention, our energies, our affections, then our relationship will suffer.  God wants our love.  He wants to be first in our lives.  For real.  In order for that to take place, we may have to let go of our other attachments, the things of this world that we love, to create space in our hearts for this to  occur.

"No one can serve two masters.  Either he will hate the one and love the other; or, he will be devoted to the one and despise the other (Matt. 6:24)."  God's love is the real thing.

Godspeed, Phil
 

Irrevocable

"Nothing that a man owns and devotes to the Lord...may be sold or redeemed; everything so devoted is most holy to the Lord (Lev. 27:28)."

A footnote at the bottom of my Bible notes, "The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the Lord."  In other words, there are no take-backs.  Once you have given something to the Lord, it belongs to Him.

Has it ever occurred to you that when you do your devotions, you are irrevocably giving yourself over to the Lord?  I don't think that is typically what comes to mind.  I sometimes think we are more devoted to our favorite sports team, to our work, or to our spouses, than we are to the Lord.  I recall in my younger days, Olivia Newton-John singing a song with the lyrics, "hopelessly devoted to you."  That may be what you wrote on that Valentine's Day card you gave your wife, but is that the song in your heart when you spend your quiet time with the Lord?  Is that the level of commitment that you intend when you give Him the day and pray for His will to be done?

The motivation for doing so is that whatever we devote to the Lord becomes holy.  While in our hands, it had some purpose, upon giving it to the Lord it took on a greater significance.  It is now useful for His purpose.  It can be used for the furthering of His Kingdom.  It has become sanctified, made holy.

What is it that you are praying for?  If you are praying for yourself, then the Holy Spirit sanctifies you, and makes you holy before the Lord.  If you pray for your wife, Paul says that she is sanctified by your prayers (I Cor. 7:24).  Your children, too, are sanctified, made holy and useful for God's purpose, when you give them over to Him.

However, the greater challenge is not to want to take back what we have committed to the Lord.  It is tempting to do so.  We don't always agree with the way the Lord is managing those areas or those things that we have given to Him.  We cannot give to the Lord and have an agenda.  When we give, that devoted thing or area of our life is now irrevocably His and we must trust that He will make the best use of it.

Godspeed, Phil

Purge!

One thing I have been convicted of recently, and for some time now, is the need to purge.  No, I am not bulimic, though some might question that when they see me eat.  I do love to eat.  God has been trying to get my attention to let me know there are some things yet in my life, that He did not put there, and they are in the way of what He is trying to accomplish.  These are things that He wants me to purge from my life, thereby creating space for Him to do more through me.

I have been pretty stubborn about the whole thing, kind of like Saul who was "unwilling to completely destroy" some of the "good" things taken from the Amalekites, as he had been directed to by God (I Sm. 12:20-22).  I have argued the same way with God.  The things that He has been wanting me to let go were things that had some value, at least to me.

I have counseled a few hoarders, people whose homes and lives have become so cluttered, their homes are no longer safe places for them to live.  The difficulty, for them, is that everything they have hoarded has some value.  They are difficult to help because their way of valuing things is unlike anyone else's; so that, when others try to get them to remove things from their homes, they can't agree on what to get rid of first.

We, too, are at risk in terms of our spiritual lives by our own hoarding, by hanging onto things that may have some value to us, but, interfere with the plan God has for us and our ministries.  Using the opportunity provided by the season of Lent, Ruth Haley Barton challenges us on her website, to return to God with all our hearts.  She cites the example of Christ who was tempted in the wilderness to "trust in that which is not God for security and survival, affirmation and approval, power and control."

Typically, when we are hanging onto something that is not of God, it is because it appears to us to have some value.  However, if God is saying to let it go, it is time to let it go!

Godspeed, Phil

Perfect submission

Third Day, not too long ago, did a remake of "Blessed Assurance," a beatiful hymn with an awesome testimony.  It is a song that calms and soothes in times of stress.  However, there is a line in the song that cause me some consternation.  One of my pet peeves is when I am singing a song, worshipping the Lord, and I come across a line in the song or a statement that just doesn't ring true with me (e.g., "I surrender all."  Sure I do.).  I find it really difficult to continue to sing the song with a straight face.

In the song, Blessed Assurance, there is a line that speaks of "perfect submission."  Oh, how I wish that were true.  It isn't, but it is a goal I am striving for and one that I believe all Christians need to be striving for, as well.  I love this statement by Paul Anderson, a professor at George Fox University, quoted in Ruth Haley Barton's book, "Pursuing God's Will Together," where he says, "One great need of the church today is to experience the dynamic leadership of Christ as its head...The Scriptures promise us that Christ's Spirit will be with us, will guide us, and will lead us into all truth...If Christ is alive He desires to lead His church.  If Christ desires to lead His church, His will should be sought.  If His will can be sought, it can be discerned; and if it can be discerned, it deserves to be obeyed."

Many of us may believe we are doing pretty good and wondering why God's will isn't more clear, or why God isn't blessing us in ways that we feel we deserve.  Maybe we are wondering why we are experiencing some difficulty in our walk, some trial that seems greater than we can bear, in spite of the promises of I Cor. 10:13.

I encounter people every day who have good reason to wonder what God is doing or why it doesn't seem as though He is doing anything.  I find it a challenge to explain well enough that God has a purpose and a plan, even when nothing seems to be going the way we think it should.  Many of these have reached what they believe to be their limit.  I realize that my role is to encourage them to go a little further.  Remember, He who began this work in you will be faithful to complete it.  However, we need to hold on.  We need to hear what the Hebrews heard, that "without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him (Heb. 11:6)."

Let me challenge you, at your more difficult times, when things aren't too clear, when God's will isn't real obvious, when God doesn't seem to be listening, don't give up.  Continue to believe, to trust, to seek His will.  But, don't just think of this as a holding pattern.  At times like this, I think we need to continue to be on the offensive.  Don't just keep doing what you had been doing, do more.  Dont' just practice your usual disciplines, add to them.  Sacrifice more.  Give more time.  Show the enemy and God that you mean business, that you do want God's will in your life, that you want to be perfectly submitted to Him...and expect God's greater rewards.

Godspeed, Phil

Insignificant

So often, we focus on the greats of the Old Testament, Abraham, Moses, David, Solomon, Jeremiah, etc.  Though the story of Gideon is a brief one and appears somewhat insignificant in the overall history of Israel, it is a story most of us are familiar with, and a story with important insight for us as leaders.  The story of Gideon, as he puts it himself, is about one who is insignificant.  His clan was the weakest of all of Israel, and he was the least in his own family.  That may not describe you, but it does speak to the majority of us.  Abraham Lincoln once said, "God must have loved the common man, he made so many of them."  Well said.

Gideon, though cunning and confident in his own right, doubted God and was fearful of stepping out to lead as God was calling him to do (sound familiar).  The task was a significant one.  So, Gideon put God to the test and God restored his faith...at least for a time.  Each time Gideon was presented with a new challenge, he became fearful and God had to do it again.  I am thankful for Gideon's story, because it is much like my own.

God never told Gideon to do anything more than what he was able.  Quite often, when we consider what God is calling us to do, we tend to look to ourselves and become fearful; because, we know we are not equipped to do what He is calling us to do on our own.  God tells us as he told Gideon, "Go in the strength you have (Judges 6:14)."  That isn't very comforting.  I don't have the strength I had when I was younger (okay, again, I am talking about my age).  I have back problems, sleep apnea, chronic heartburn, etc., etc.  You get the picture.  Like Gideon, I have lots of reasons that God should be calling someone else.  He simply says, "I will be with you (v. 16)."

That works for awhile until the next challenge presents itself.  God tells Gideon that He intends to fight this battle with only 300 men.  The Midianites, Amalekites and all the other eastern peoples were "thick as locusts."  "Their camels could no more be counted than the sands on the seashore."  God continues to show His patience with Gideon and encourages him by showing Gideon that the enemy is even more afraid, and believe themselves that they will lose the battle.  Gideon gains confidence and begins to praise the Lord.  He leads the army to battle and routs the enemy.

So, what is the lesson in this for us?

First of all, we should never let our "insignificance" keep us from believing that God can accomplish something great through us.  Second, when we are afraid and listening too much to our fears and insecurities, we need to go to God for reassurance; rather than allow those things to keep us from doing what we have been called to do.  We need to remember that He is with us.  Further, we need to recognize that all we need is all that we have, nothing more and nothing less.  I counsel individuals often on their feelings of inadequacy and remind them that God wants to work with what we have, and if He needs anything further, He will make provision for that.  Most importantly, we need to appreciate that it isn't about us and our ability, so much as it is about us and our availability.  God will fight for us, He will cause us to be successful.  That way the glory goes to Him and not to us.

Godspeed, Doulos