The Parable of the Ten Virgins

Matthew 25 1:13 reads, "At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish and five were wise. 3 The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. 4 The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. 5 The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.

6 At midnight the cry rang out: 'Here's the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!'

7 Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. 8 The foolish ones said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.'

9 'No,' they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.'

10 "But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.

11 Later the others also came. 'Lord, Lord,' they said, 'open the door for us!'

12 But he replied, 'Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.'

13 Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour."

When I read this, I feel really bad for the virgins without oil.  I feel that if this was me, I would share my oil and if we both missed the party, then so be it.

All of us has a light within us.  But in order to let that light shine, we need to fuel the light, seeking after things that are good, like peace, joy and self discipline.  These holy things are represented by the oil that keeps our light shining.

There are people in the world that do not care for their own spirit.  They do not seek after oil.  When they are drained, they come to us.  It takes a lot of wisdom to know who we are really helping when we offer our abundance to those in need.

In whose life are we really making a difference and who are we enabling so that they do not do for themselves what they can do for themselves?

Galatians 6:1 reads "Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted."

I knew a drug addict and alcoholic, who one day decided to leave the partying behind.  People would leave free drugs and alcohol on her doorstep, hoping that she would return to her old life.

We are compassionate human beings.  When we see someone without food, we would happily give them some food to eat.  When we see someone cold, we would gladly share our coats.

I hear these 3 cautions within this parable.  Be careful of what you share, only sharing from an abundance, otherwise you will not have enough for your own self care.  Be careful of where you share, because in some circumstances, what appears to be helping may actually hurt.  Finally, be careful of whom you share with, because they may end up bringing you down with them.

<SI> Scott Izu, PhD

Copyright December 2019

Perspective in the Midst of Trials

James 1 reads...

1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations:

Greetings.

2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. 6 But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7 That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8 Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.

9 Believers in humble circumstances ought to take pride in their high position. 10 But the rich should take pride in their humiliation—since they will pass away like a wild flower. 11 For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich will fade away even while they go about their business.

12 Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.

13 When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14 but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. 15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

16 Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. 17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. 18 He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of first fruits of all he created.

19 My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20 because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. 21 Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.

22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.

26 Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. 27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

The first thing I hear in this chapter of James is a curse.  Unfortunately, God has filled this world with both curses and blessings and I always perk up my ears when a curse or blessing is revealed.  Nehemiah 1:5-11 contains a prayer describing the curse to be scattered among nations:

“Lord, the God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments, 6 let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel. I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father’s family, have committed against you.7 We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses.

8 “Remember the instruction you gave your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations, 9 but if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name.’

10 “They are your servants and your people, whom you redeemed by your great strength and your mighty hand. 11 Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give your servant success today by granting him favor in the presence of this man.”

Most people, at some point in their life, experience a time when God's curse may seem impossible to live through.  During this time, each moment seems unbearable and emotions flood through one's mind in an overwhelming manner.  So how can we endure such times?  James offers some tips on how to modify one's perspective.

1. First, we can have a joyful perspective.  This can help us to avoid trying to escape a trial but accept is as an important season in our life.  It may not make sense to most people, but I believe one can be in miserable circumstances (uncomfortable, mourning, struggling) but still have joy and gratitude.  We may have joy because we know that trials will lead to maturity, wisdom and increased faith.
2. Second, we can have an eternal perspective.  In other words, we can realize that all comforts in this world are fleeting.  Jonah 4:6-10 reminds us that comforts are fleeting... 6 Then the Lord God provided a leafy plant and made it grow up over Jonah to give shade for his head to ease his discomfort, and Jonah was very happy about the plant. 7 But at dawn the next day God provided a worm, which chewed the plant so that it withered. 8 When the sun rose, God provided a scorching east wind, and the sun blazed on Jonah’s head so that he grew faint. He wanted to die, and said, “It would be better for me to die than to live.” 9 But God said to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry about the plant?” “It is,” he said. “And I’m so angry I wish I were dead.” 10 But the Lord said, “You have been concerned about this plant, though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight.  When sticking to your moral compass or struggling with some temptation, it can seem like you are missing out.  Others might even call you closed minded, indicating that you are closing the door on some opportunity.  However, no matter what you choose, you will close a door, closing yourself off either to the fleeting comfort which yielding to temptation brings or to the crown of life which standing your ground brings.  For instance, how can one ever mentor young men in battling sexual temptation if one has never faced and overcome those temptations.  Maybe early on in life, a sexual conquest might seem more rewarding than a life long relationship and the significance that comes from mentoring a young man.  1 John 2:15-17 also states 15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. 16 For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.
3. Third, we can have a clarified perspective.  Sometimes we think that it is our friends, our partner or even God who has brought calamity upon us.  However, if we know that it is the devil who tempts, this can help us in our fight.
1. First of all, when we do fall to temptation, we tend to label ourselves.  However, it is important to know that we already had that evil within our hearts.  The action did not change us.  As an example, a murderer was a murderer long before he committed murder.  The action of murder only revealed the evil within the murderer's heart.  Understanding this will help us to avoid shame and guilt which the devil can use to keep us paralyzed instead of moving forward on a redemptive path.  If one moves forward through healing, cleansing and purification, a sort of gratitude can occur that simply would not be possible if such evil were not revealed in the first place.  We all are human, after all, and evil exists somewhere within our hearts and desires.  No one can claim complete purity but everyone can move towards it.
2. Second, when we know who the enemy is, we can fight that enemy and knowing the enemy and who to fight gives a better chance of success on the battle field.
In my life, I have experienced death.  Death to me looks like wandering around in a place far from home, becoming a foreigner in a strange land, being fueled by pursuit of fleshly desires and considering prostitution as a way to fulfill desires of intimacy, companionship and significance.  Knowing that I never want to go back to that place of death can sometimes help me to resist temptations that gave birth to my own personal sin in the first place and which eventually lead to my own personal death.

<SI> Scott Izu, PhD
Copyright July 2018

The Original Curse

Men and women are very different. Somehow, society has led us to believe that we are built the same. However, equality is not the same as being similar. We should have equal rights, yet we are very, very different. Have you ever heard a woman say, "If you love me, just do the dishes." Or somehow, if a man does not make the bed in the morning, a woman feels less loved. It is as if her senses are stimulated in a positive way, an internal effect that is simply not the same as the internal response for a man. A man might walk by an unmade bed, not even noticing anything out of place whereas a woman must start the day with a made bed. In addition, the woman somehow connects the dots between being loved and having the bed made in the morning. They are one and the same. "If the bed is not made, he must not love me." Have you ever heard a man say, "She spends too much money." Or maybe he complains that she doesn't help out enough or pull her weight. What is this about? Something about love, requires us to be aware of each other's burdens, then to sacrifice our time, energy and resources to lighten the load, when possible. How do we do this? First of all, we must know what each other's burdens are.

When the fall of Adam took place in Genesis 4, God gave man a curse:

"Curse is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life.
It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field.
By the seat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken;
For dust you are and to dust you will return."

The internal effect of toil, is simply different for men than women. While the burdens of life and work and responsibility are equal, they are simply different. When a man complains about a woman just running off, or not taking the job seriously, or pulling her weight, he simply is asking for one thing. Respect. Silently, each day of his life, he has toiled and worked hard to provide. The weight has been a silent curse to which he determined early on that he would simply not complain about. This is a maturity a man must find when he converts from boyhood to manhood. "As long as I have two hands and two feet, I will work." But it leaks out in the form of cynicism or negative comments because what lies in a man's heart eventually leaks out of his mouth. It is the weight of the curse that drives the negative comments.

What can you do? Throw in a thank you, a big hug, acknowledge the provisions. If you do not realize the curse of man, you may find yourself trying to do more, to make it right, simply exhausting yourself. But it is not your problem to fix, nor do you have the ability to do so. Or you may somehow take this as a personal insult, and find yourself defending how much you do and sacrifice.

God gave woman this curse:

"I will make your pains in childbearing very severe;
With painful labor you will give birth to children.
Your desire will be for your husband,
And he will rule over you."

From a very young age, women are forced by nature to take better care of their bodies. They endure a suffering versus freshness dynamic, that becomes embedded in their very core. So where do their complaints stem from? Their very essence is to make the ground they walk on fertile, nesting in such a fashion, that a beautiful warm nest equates to one thing: Love. Everyday, women feel the weight of holding the family together. A man visits his kids once every other week and he is a great father, while a woman misses one day, one moment and she becomes a terrible mother. This is the weight of the woman. Cursed by the clock ticking on a small span of time when they may find a mate and conceive a child. Cursed by the weight that a human being's future rises and falls on the consequences of their actions.

As a man, you can do the same thing. Throw in a thank you, a hug. Not a hug that desires sexual intimacy, a mistake the will inevitably trigger, the ever present sensation that she is not enough. Because now, she cannot even satisfy her husband sexually, leaving a feeling of being unattractive. An additional emotional exhaustion adding to the existing physical exhaustion. While a helping hand is warranted, focus on love is even more important. How can I love, one should contemplate. Otherwise, they may fall into the trap of cleaning more, only to be rewarded with the complaint that they simply didn't do it right.

Realizing the personal weight of one's curse, one can make sure not to blame their partners for this burden, because it doesn't come from a deficiency in a significant other. Going to other relationships, community, support and God Himself is the key to attacking that powerful void that exists within. A partner simply is no match. Realizing the partners weight of the curse, one can focus on addressing the root of the problem which in turn can be perceived as better support over time.

In the end, equality lies in the fact that men are physical beings, masters of the physical universe while women are emotional beings, masters of the emotional universe. The trinity is completed by God the master of the spiritual universe. Each role, while completely different is equally important. Together, they make a three cord braid that cannot easily be broken.


Scott Izu, PhD
Copyright December 2017

Two Denari

To overcome sin, like any other change, requires first and foremost a game plan.  To be successful, you must also have these three things: a coach/mentor, accountability partners and a supportive community.

To change, is like stopping a mighty avalanche with one's bare hands.  It is simply impossible.

Yet, if you have faith like a mustard seed, I tell you, you can say to this mountain, "Move" and it will move.  It is not the great action that will stop the powerful avalanche.  It is the two denari, given by a man who is spiritually poor, choosing to give all he has, though he has nearly nothing to give.

...
<SI> Scott Izu, PhD
Copyright September 2016

Dinosaurs and Predictive Models

I spent yesterday morning and evening with my members of my Christian family.  A morning drive included dreary eyes and me, almost half asleep, trying to answer the question from one of John Piper's CDs "Do you enjoy being with your Christian family?"  If the answer was, "No", he said perhaps you need to ask yourself two other questions: 1)  Do you even know any real Christians? and 2)  If you do know Christians, what does it say about you if you do not enjoy being with a people that embodies the likeness of Christ?

I can say that I love my Christian family a ton so fortunately, I did not have to spend my morning brain muscles, while half awake trying to answer the next two questions.

On the ride home from Moss Landing, a fellow brother and I discussed how people can take the facts before them, mix them with their current understanding and somehow create an explanation that is completely off base.  In this case, the people of the time, expected a Savior as predicted by Isiah almost 500 years prior to come to conquer the Roman people.  That was based on human understanding.  But Jesus, then came, almost in ridiculousness, with such a radically different form than expected.  Based on God's understanding which points to the limitations of the mere mortal, the limitations of the human mind.  It points to how small we think and can comprehend.  Jesus came and conquered something entirely unexpected that no one could have ever predicted: death.

Jesus has taken everything I have known in my life and completely flipped the script on me.  All of a sudden, what I thought made me strong, suddenly made me weak.  What I thought was secure has suddenly become temporal and fleeting.  The people I thought I was saving, I was actually hurting.  Or more importantly, when I thought I could save others, I discovered it was really me that needed to be saved.  While I thought it was everyone else that needed to be fixed, I happened to be what was wrong with the world.

What have I learned from this in my life?  Unfortunately, I have learned that I cannot rely on my own understanding.  Why?  Because my own understanding can completely change over time.

When I was young, there used to be 9 planets.  Now, all of a sudden, there are only 8 planets.  Pluto somehow got re categorized.

Take a look at the models of the atom.  These have changed over time from the Bohr Model to Quantum Physics (see www.everythingmaths.co.za) to who knows what in the future.  So are models useless?  No, a model is an inaccurate representation of something, anything, that by design limits the parameters involved and oversimplifies the object in question in order to make a predication.  In other words, for models of the atom, we can used this oversimplification to make predictions about the near future (ie predictions within proximity of time and space).

Take this linear predictor...

Close to the dot, the line actually predicts fairly well.  However, the farther you get away from the dot, the worse the predictions become.  Now, look from the following perspective...

The prediction is now completely off and the oversimplification of the line becomes readily apparent.  It is clear that the other parameters cannot be ignored.

So what does all of this have to do with dinosaurs?  My argument is that so called dinosaurs existed so long ago that their existence to me is completely in question.  A radical view, I know.  But nevertheless, I probably would have been the kid in class who questioned whether the Earth was actually flat, when all of my classmates knew it to be true.  Simply because all of the facts pointed to it.  And, everyone else believed it.

The models for dating may include carbon dating or counting tree rings or counting layers of the Earth's surface.  However, these models are only accurate where there is not a catastrophic event.  Or in other words, these models are only accurate where the parameters missing within the model of prediction do not have a large impact on the prediction itself.

The Clay Math institute, will give one million dollars to someone who solves the Navier Stokes equations which represent solving a fluid dynamics problem to predict air turbulence.  Today's, air planes typically wait two minutes between flights because no one can predict the turbulence in the air.  So, somehow, I am supposed to believe that we humans can predict something that happened thousands of years ago, yet we can't even describe two minutes of how wind will work.  Our weather prediction for tomorrow is only 50% accurate.  The truth about the wind is that no one knows from where it comes, when it will come or where it will go (spiritual reference intended).

According to  en.wikipedia.org, Lascaux cave paintings are over 17,000 years old.  I remember being told that humans worshiped animals and would paint on the cave walls so that they could encourage the gods to allow successful hunts.  But, with me the simple story is just as good.  Kids discovered that they could draw.  And kids do what kids do.  They draw all over the walls, the couches, everything.  Even when you tell them over and over not to.  Why would this not apply to an old civilization?  I mean come on.  Take the modern day man.  He goes to work.  He comes home exhausted and is stereo typically known for being the lazy husband who doesn't want to do anything but watch TV or play video games on the couch.  Now, you are trying to tell me that the ancient man, with the same makeup all of a sudden came home after hunting large animals and he wanted to draw instead of rest?  I'm sorry.  Men like to hunt.  Kids like to draw.  Pretty clear to me.

So in the end, how do I explain intricate sets of bones that appear to fit perfectly together and form the bone structure of what we know as dinosaurs.  Well, I don't.  The story is great.  It is believable.  But somehow, with a million other possible explanations that come up within a matter of minutes (ask a few teenagers to come up with some theories), I somehow just don't completely believe that dinosaurs ever existed.

Personality Types and The Bible

I first learned of the temperaments from Personality Plus, which discussed Aristotle's temperaments: Choleric, Phlegmatic, Melancholy and Sanguine.

Personality types have played an important role in my life.  I strive to follow the axiom "Know Thyself".  They have helped me to understand my family of origin as well as each of my kids.  They have helped me in how to guide each of my children differently and discover their emotional needs and how they are motivated differently. I wrote this poem of my children: Four Elements of Life.

Revelation 4:7, Ezekiel 1:6 and Ezekiel 10:14 all discuss the four faces of the cherubim.

1 After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” 2 At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. 3 And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and ruby. A rainbow that shone like an emerald encircled the throne. 4 Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads. 5 From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. In front of the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits of God. 6 Also in front of the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal.

In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. 7 The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. 8 Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying:

“‘Holy, holy, holy

is the Lord God Almighty,’

who was, and is, and is to come.”

9 Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say:

11 “You are worthy, our Lord and God,
    to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things,
    and by your will they were created
    and have their being.”

The four faces of the cherubim are the lion (Choleric), ox (Phlegmatic), man (Melancholy) and eagle (Sanguine).  They align with the four apostles (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John).

They correspond to the four elements: fire (Choleric), water (Phlegmatic), earth (Melancholy) and air (Sanguine).  They also correspond to the four seasons: Summer (Choleric), Winter (Phlegmatic), Autumn (Melancholy), Spring (Sanguine).

These temperaments arise in movies like The Last Air Bender, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Raphael, Leonardo, Donatello, Michelangelo), Harry Potter (Slytherin, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Gryffindor).

The ways people typically deal with conflict can help identify which they are.  Typically, the four conflict resolution styles are: Fight, Accommodate, Flight, Collaborate.

Notes:

1. For the mapping from Cherubim to Apostles I agree with www.4personalities.com but disagree with eyesright.speedofcreativity.org (see comment from Adrfian Gray on the page which backs my view and maintains the order in which these appear in the bible) and www.samuel-beckett.net.  For Cherubim to Temperaments, I disagree with www.businessballs.com.

2.  For the mapping from Elements to Temperaments I agree with en.wikipedia.org (Temperaments) and en.wikipedia.org (Humorism) and www.temperamentorder.com.  Fire and Water are often considered direct opposites as are Choleric/Phlegmatic.

3.  For the mapping from Seasons to Temperaments, I agree with www.inspiredworld.com and en.wikipedia.org (Humorism) and rosegardenbuffalo.blogspot.com.  Summer and Winter are often considered direct opposites as are Choleric/Phlegmatic.

4.  There are so many disagreements on Myers-Briggs that I did not try to include this from above (these all differ: www.pinterest.com, www.temperamentorder.com, fisheaters.com, getcontrolofyourlife.org). In general, I think that Extroverts which rely on their own intuition are Choleric, Introverts which rely on sensing are Phlegmatic, Introverts which rely on their own intuition are Melancholy and Extroverts which relay on sensing are Sanguine. Of my search, this diagram aligned best with the four temperaments in terms of characteristics: getcontrolofyourlife.org.

Many separate the Myers-Briggs into Idealists, Guardians, Rationals and Artisans.  The two questions involve how people make decisions.  With this split, the first question is where one gathers information from sensing (outer world) versus intuition (inner world).  The second question asks how one receives/processes that information.  For sensing, this means perceiving via experience or judging via observation.  For intuition, this means feeling or thinking.  For Sanguines and Phlegmatics, they are motivated much more by their senses.  For instance, if they excitement and anger, motivate them, respectively.  For Cholerics and Melancholies, they are motivated much more by their intuition.  They will tend not to believe you if you tell them they can't do something or believe you are sincere if you give them a compliment, respectively.

Looking at spiritualpractice.ca... One that processes their their inner world with feeling (compassion) primarily and their outer world with perceiving (daring), is most Choleric (ENFP, Champion).  One that processes their outer world with judging (observant) primarily and their inner world with feeling (relational) is most Phlegmatic (ISFJ, Protector).  One that processes their inner world with thinking (analytical) primarily and their outer world with judging (hesitant) is most Melancholy (INTJ, Mastermind).  One that processes their outer world with feeling (compassion) primarily and their outer world with perceiving (stimulating) is most Sanguine (ESFP, Composer).

5.  Other classifications

• Lion, Golden Retriever, Beaver, Otter
• DISC - Dominance, Steadiness, Conscientiousness, Influence
• STAR - Action, Stability, Thinking, Relationship
• Warrior, King, Lover, Friend
• BANK - Action, Blueprint, Knowledge, Nurturing
• Jackal, X, Mouse, Elephant (Alligator, X, Rock, Fox)

6.  Curious about how the love languages (Gary Chapman) map to personalities: Physical Touch, Gifts, Words of Affirmation, Acts of Service, Quality Time

7.  Curious about how traumas (Gary Smalley) map to love languages: Abandonment, Invalidation, Defectiveness, etc

8.  Curious about how the 3 realms and the Holy Trinity relate:

• God, Jesus, Holy Spirit
• Emotional, Physical, Spiritual
• Love, Word, Spirit
• Mind, Body, Spirit

Friendship

This weekend, I saw something quite spectacular.  A story of struggle and of victory.  And in each victory, there is always the hand of friendship that extends to life one up at the point where it is needed most.

In my life, I had faced a crossroads.  One of dropping out of school, when a teacher went above and beyond to help me on my journey.  And a few friends who encouraged me to visit this teacher.

Friendship.  When life brings you to your knees as it has a way of doing, a friend is always there to help you get back up.

I have struggled with avoiding addiction to pornography, sex, gambling, alcohol.  You name it, I have struggled with it.  And it is always friends that help fight this battle.  We journey together.  We cover each others blind spots.  We do what we can, when we see there is something that needs to be done.  And we don't get bitter or resentful if we realize that for everything we see and do, there is always someone covering us, doing things that we don't even notice.

I used to get mad at homeless people because I thought they should just work hard and contribute.  I thought it was me that did all the work.  I thought I was simply being rewarded for my efforts.  Then, I realized, that I only did 5%.  I only did what was in my control.  The rest, the 95% was done by all the people around me.  The ones who were watching my back when I didn't even notice, didn't even acknowledge, didn't even thank them.

Galatians 6 Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. 2 Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. 3 If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves. 4 Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else, 5 for each one should carry their own load. 6 Nevertheless, the one who receives instruction in the word should share all good things with their instructor. 7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. 8 Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. 9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

Ecclesiastes 4 Again I looked and saw all the oppression that was taking place under the sun: I saw the tears of the oppressed— and they have no comforter; power was on the side of their oppressors— and they have no comforter. 2 And I declared that the dead, who had already died, are happier than the living, who are still alive. 3 But better than both is the one who has never been born, who has not seen the evil that is done under the sun. 4 And I saw that all toil and all achievement spring from one person’s envy of another. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind. 5 Fools fold their hands and ruin themselves. 6 Better one handful with tranquillity than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind. 7 Again I saw something meaningless under the sun: 8 There was a man all alone; he had neither son nor brother. There was no end to his toil, yet his eyes were not content with his wealth. “For whom am I toiling,” he asked, “and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?” This too is meaningless— a miserable business! 9 Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: 10 If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. 11 Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? 12 Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. 13 Better a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to heed a warning. 14 The youth may have come from prison to the kingship, or he may have been born in poverty within his kingdom. 15 I saw that all who lived and walked under the sun followed the youth, the king’s successor.16 There was no end to all the people who were before them. But those who came later were not pleased with the successor. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

To Drink or Not to Drink

I was raised Mormon. Unfortunately, when I was entering high school, my mother decided that if I was not going to enter the Celestial Kingdom, it was no use developing a relationship with me. Before it came to this point, I had some major problems with the religion.

Over time, I developed one fundamental difference. Salvation through works. Versus salvation through grace. My core belief now is that we cannot work our way into heaven. It is only by grace that we are saved. It is then through unfailing love associated with this salvation that we have no choice but to be filled, transformed and sanctified, therefore producing righteousness. As humans, what spills out of us, only mimics what is poured into us. Quite simple.

My hatred for the religion stemmed many debates and internal turmoil. So much so that it caused a lot of wreckage in my own life. Then, one day, I read about the woman at the well. A woman, filled with adultery in her life, is confronted. A woman, who I myself identify with. It is as if, in the midst of my turmoil, I ask, "Which is the truth? What is taught here or what is taught there?" Jesus replies, "Believe me, a time is coming when you will be so lost in your ways it will not matter."

19 “Sir,” the woman said, “I can see that you are a prophet. 20 Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.” 21 “Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 22 You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”

Those confronted and paralyzed by other's decisions, focused on things outside of their control. Those are destined to be brought to their knees as life has a way of doing. Eventually, I decided that I had enough on my plate to focus on, enough problems and challenges within my own realm, that I no longer had the capability to judge others decisions. Eventually, I found myself reading Jeremiah 35.

35 This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord during the reign of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah: 2 “Go to the Rekabitefamily and invite them to come to one of the side rooms of the house of the Lord and give them wine to drink.” 3 So I went to get Jaazaniah son of Jeremiah, the son of Habazziniah, and his brothers and all his sons—the whole family of the Rekabites.4 I brought them into the house of the Lord, into the room of the sons of Hanan son of Igdaliah the man of God. It was next to the room of the officials, which was over that of Maaseiah son of Shallum the doorkeeper. 5 Then I set bowls full of wine and some cups before the Rekabites and said to them, “Drink some wine.” 6 But they replied, “We do not drink wine, because our forefather Jehonadab[a] son of Rekab gave us this command: ‘Neither you nor your descendants must ever drink wine. 7 Also you must never build houses, sow seed or plant vineyards; you must never have any of these things, but must always live in tents. Then you will live a long time in the land where you are nomads.’ 8 We have obeyed everything our forefather Jehonadab son of Rekab commanded us. Neither we nor our wives nor our sons and daughters have ever drunk wine 9 or built houses to live in or had vineyards, fields or crops. 10 We have lived in tents and have fully obeyed everything our forefather Jehonadab commanded us. 11 But when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon invadedthis land, we said, ‘Come, we must go to Jerusalem to escape the Babylonian[b] and Aramean armies.’ So we have remained in Jerusalem.” 12 Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, saying: 13 “This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Go and tell the people of Judah and those living in Jerusalem, ‘Will you not learn a lesson and obey my words?’ declares the Lord. 14 ‘Jehonadab son of Rekab ordered his descendants not to drink wine and this command has been kept. To this day they do not drink wine, because they obey their forefather’s command. But I have spoken to you again and again, yet you have not obeyed me. 15 Again and again I sent all my servants the prophets to you. They said, “Each of you must turn from your wicked ways and reform your actions; do not follow other gods to serve them. Then you will live in the land I have given to you and your ancestors.” But you have not paid attention or listened to me. 16 The descendants of Jehonadab son of Rekab have carried out the command their forefathergave them, but these people have not obeyed me.’ 17 “Therefore this is what the Lord God Almighty, the God of Israel, says: ‘Listen! I am going to bring on Judah and on everyone living in Jerusalem every disaster I pronounced against them. I spoke to them, but they did not listen; I called to them, but they did not answer.’” 18 Then Jeremiah said to the family of the Rekabites, “This is what theLord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: ‘You have obeyed the command of your forefather Jehonadab and have followed all his instructions and have done everything he ordered.’ 19 Therefore this is what the LordAlmighty, the God of Israel, says: ‘Jehonadab son of Rekab will never fail to have a descendant to serve me.’”

Those who do not know any better. Who simply follow the will of their ancestors. They will be blessed and protected. Even though they do not know the Lord, they are still protected. What else can one do, but the best they know to do? And how many of us don't even do what we know is best to do?

Control

What exactly do we have the power to control?  When we are triggered and our amygdala takes over and we react with formed responses long before our frontal lobe can evaluate the consequences, what do we really have control over?  When we have a long history within us, affected by place of birth, ethnic background, education, can we really choose how to act or respond?

This is the topic of today's blog.

I believe, when it comes to control, we only have control over one thing.  Our will.  We do not have control over the smallest things, even whether we move our fingers.  Our will might be to move our fingers, but at any moment, God can take away motor capability and the best doctors in the world wouldn't bat an eyelash.  They have seen it before.  Yes, we just have control over our will to move our fingers.

I might have a will to publish this article, but at any moment, God could make my computer crash or the internet connection drop or introduce a family distraction, in which case I would not publish this.  My will would be to share my thoughts but I have no control over even whether this article gets published!  And in the case, it did not, I wouldn't even bat an eyelash either, as I would attribute the lack of time to some other set of events.

What about sin?  Do we really have control to avoid sin?

Ephesians 2:9 reads "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast."

First, of all, any victories we have we must attribute to God, because it is only through His protection that we might avoid sin.  For this reason, we cannot judge others either.  If that is the case, where should our pride be?

Jeremiah 9:23-24 reads "This is what the Lord says: 'Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength or the rich boast of their riches, but let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,' declares the Lord."

For how can you boast that you have not stolen, when it is God who gives you what you need so that you do not have to steal?

Proverbs 30:8-9 reads "Keep falsehood and lies far from me, give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread.  Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, 'Who is the Lord?'  Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God."

It is the arrogant that point to other's sins and cast shame and condemnation.  Such is arrogance because no one can truly know the extent of another's depravity.  And arrogance because the extent to which God's grace has prevented them from such consequences of life is not acknowledged.  Rather than point the finger, praise God that he has prevented you from such calamity.

Romans 8:1-2 reads "Therefore, there is now no condemnation in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death."

Once you start to realize how little control you have over your life, you can start to actually make change occur in your life.  You cannot control your desires.  These are God given.  Your goal should be to figure out why God built you with these desires.  What God wants to bless you with through these desires.  And how Satan wants to curse you by twisting these desires.

Revelations 3:17 reads "You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.'  But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked."

True change and reconciliation comes from healing the wounds of this broken world.  What happens if you do not realize that you are broken?

Jeremiah 6:14 reads, "They dress the wound of my people as though it were not serious.  'Peace, peace' they say, when there is no peace."

Luke 10:25-37 reads, "On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus.  'Teacher,' he asked, 'what must I do to inherit eternal life?'  'What is written in the Law?' he replied.  'How do you read it?'  He answered, 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind' and 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'  'You have answered correctly,' Jesus replied.  'Do this and you will live.'

But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, 'And who is my neighbor?'  In reply Jesus said, 'A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers.  They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead.  A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side.  So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.  But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was, and when he saw him, he took pity on him.  He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine.  Then, he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him.  The next day he took out two denari and gave them to the innkeeper.  'Look after him,' he said, 'and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.'

'Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?'  The expert in the law replied, 'The one who had mercy on him.'  Jesus told him, 'Go and do likewise.'

One of the amazing things here is that Jesus directly addresses how to follow two simple guidelines in our life.  Love God and love others.  But more subtle, he addresses the arrogance of man.

He states that we are all broken and wounded and need a savior.  We are the ones left beaten and battered by a broken world.  Only after we acknowledge our wounds, allow Jesus to heal us, can we then use his righteousness!  As the broken man uses the donkey which represents carrying burdens and the denari which represents provisions and the innkeeper which represents restoration, so too, we can lean on Jesus.  Most importantly, we may wear the cloak of Jesus to cover our sins.

So what do we really have control over?  We have control over whether we allow Jesus to heal us.  We have control over whether we admit we are broken.  We have control over whether we acknowledge our dependency or whether we ignore and say there is peace when there is no peace.  It is our will we have control over.

We may think that we are righteous but any moment God could reveal to us the true nature of our sinful beings, simply by placing us in a situation where we fall into temptation.  There are situations each of us cannot handle.  And God doesn't say He will give us one hundred outs as we fall into sin.  No, along each path to sin, He gives us one moment of choice.

1 Corinthians 10:13 reads "No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind.  And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.  But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it."

There is one moment, one single moment of consciousness when you have a choice.  You are convicted that you should do one thing.  However, it may be long before the actual sin occurs.  You may be convicted that you should stay home or that you should not open a door.  This is your way out!

Revelations 3:20-21 reads "Here I am!  I stand at the door and knock.  If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.

Revelations 2:17 reads "Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give some of the hidden manna.  I will also give that person a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to the one who receives it."

When it comes to choice, we have two paths to take.  We cannot control our actions or the future, but in that moment of choice, we can surrender our will.  We have free will.  In the story of the prodigal son, the son had the choice to leave home or stay.  He had no control over the consequences and pain and temptations that overcame him due to separation.  Finally, after much suffering, he was faced with another choice.  To return home or stay.  Again, he had no control over how his father would react to his return.  The prodigal son control in those two instances.  Those two moments determined the path of his life.

Many will state that regulations that govern a man's life are two restrictive.  This simply isn't the case.  For in every choice, there are two paths.  No matter, the choice, both paths are restrictive in the sense that what can be achieved on one path, simply cannot be achieve on the other.  On one path Satan dangles the rewards in plain sight.  On the other path, God has placed hidden manna.

Proverbs 14:12 cautions, "There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death."

The Birth of Jesus, a Lesson in Humility

This morning, a friend sent me a text with a picture of the bible.  It was somewhere in Matthew and I decided to do something I have never done on Christmas before.  Read about the birth of Jesus.

For those of you who read my posts, you probably know by now I'm not such a great writer and you probably know by now, I'm not a preacher and don't know the bible so well.  In fact, real preachers tend to despise me because I am pretty open about my short comings and most churches have a reputation they need to uphold.  In short, I am often rejected by churches.  I tend to sit somewhere in the middle where the world tends to think I am a "Goodie 2 Shoes" and feels apologetic in my presence.  And the church goers tend to think I'm a rebellious bad boy who needs to repent, and quickly at that.  There is truth to both sides.  I say, show grace to those who think you are a "Goodie 2 Shoes" and truth to those who think you need to repent, while all along, think they are better than you.

So my blog posts are really about worship and sharing my love of God with others.  Matthew 1:1-17 reads

1 This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah the son of David, the son of Abraham:
2 Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers,
3 Judah the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar, Perez the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram,
4 Ram the father of Amminadab, Amminadab the father of Nahshon, Nahshon the father of Salmon,
5 Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab, Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth, Obed the father of Jesse,
6 and Jesse the father of King David. David was the father of Solomon, whose mother had been Uriah’s wife,
7 Solomon the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, Abijah the father of Asa,
8 Asa the father of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat the father of Jehoram, Jehoram the father of Uzziah,
9 Uzziah the father of Jotham, Jotham the father of Ahaz, Ahaz the father of Hezekiah,
10 Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amon, Amon the father of Josiah,
11 and Josiah the father of Jeconiah and his brothers at the time of the exile to Babylon.
12 After the exile to Babylon: Jeconiah was the father of Shealtiel, Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel,
13 Zerubbabel the father of Abihud, Abihud the father of Eliakim, Eliakim the father of Azor,
14 Azor the father of Zadok, Zadok the father of Akim, Akim the father of Elihud,
15 Elihud the father of Eleazar, Eleazar the father of Matthan, Matthan the father of Jacob,
16 and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, and Mary was the mother of Jesus who is called the Messiah.
17 Thus there were fourteen generations in all from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the exile to Babylon, and fourteen from the exile to the Messiah.

Why is it important to know the geneology of Jesus?  Well, because if you know Jesus came from a long line of adulterers and murderers and slanderers and coveters, then you will know that out of generations of sinners, from such humble beginnings comes the greatest King who ever lived.  It isn't just that Jesus came from generations of sinners.  It is that, this was the only way Jesus could come.  In your life, perhaps you have lived seasons of sinfulness.  Perhaps, you believe that there is no way Jesus could ever live in you because of who you are are perhaps what you have done.  But I am here to tell you, that is the only way he could be birthed in you.  Until you realize your own depravity, you will never have a reason to rely fully on the grace of God.

Matthew 2:16 reads "When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi."

When Jesus comes, if we reject Him or turn from Him, it is then that great depravity overtakes us.  Great destruction comes.  But, more surprisingly, when we accept Him, this Great Physician performs a miraculous pruning.  Matthew 3:10 reads "The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire."

Our new life feels like a tremendous destruction of everything we have ever known.  But God only cuts at the roots.  He does not destroy.  He leaves the roots so that something new may grow.  The baby is not thrown out with the bath water.

In Matthew 3:11, John the Baptist continues, “I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire."

While water purifies, fire consumes.  And from the ashes, new life begins.  And just like a child struggles for 18 years, to become an adult, our new faith will face many challenges.  As such, Matthew 4:1-11 explains these challenges as Jesus is immediately taken into the wilderness following His baptism.  The three temptations explain how the devil will twist our God given desires to serve his purpose.  They also demonstrate exactly what James 4:7 means by "Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."

Again, Jesus shows us that only from the darkness can his light emerge.  Only those who have been tempted can preach.  Only those who have fallen or struggled in particular areas can comfort and help save those who have fallen in the same areas, without coming from a place of judgement or condemnation.  Only they can truly understand that the kingdom of heaven is closer than we think.

16 "the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned."
17 From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”

Truly, the kingdom of heaven lives here on Earth.  Truly, Jesus may live in us.  And Jesus has told us how that looks.  Matthew 5:3-10 reads,

3 Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Jesus goes on to blow us away with how "anger in our heart" is likened to murder and "lust" is likened to adultery.  He blows us away with guidance on how to have compassion.  What do we do when our loved ones sin greatly?  He reminds us three times to humble ourselves.

Matthew 5:34-37 reminds us how simple we are: "34 But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. 36 And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. 37 All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one."

We cannot promise to never commit murder or never commit adultery.  I would never do that you might think.  But it would only be your sinful pride that would suggest such a thing.  Truly, it is only by the grace of God that you might be protected by Him in such a way that temptation from the devil would never overcome you, in such a way that you might perform such sins.  All we can ask is that He continue to shower us with such grace so that we may be able to obey Him.  With this compassion, we might extend grace towards those who sin.

Matthew 6:9-13 reads:

9 This, then, is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,
10 your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.

Again, we are told only to ask for our daily bread.  I know in my life, as soon as I promise to never do something again, sinful pride boils up within me and the devil overtakes me.  It is only through humility that I can ask God for my daily bread so that I might not sin.  There is nothing done by another human being that I might be able to avoid without God's grace.  Even the sins to which my heart is most disgusted by.  I can only thank God for blessing me with such disgust and protecting me from such sins.

Proverbs 30:8-9 expands on how God blesses us with our daily bread and how this blessing is the only means by which we may avoid our sinful nature.

8 Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread.
9 Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’ Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.

The third lesson in humility comes from Matthew 7:3-5 and again emphasizes that we can only lift up others and comfort others when we realize the short comings that we see in them are small compared to the short comings we have within ourselves.  This is the only vantage point from which we may offer grace.  Every other place of correction bestows condemnation, shame and guilt.

3 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye."

From humble beginnings, to rebirth to an inheritance of the kingdom of heaven.  A glorious story.

...
<SI> Scott Izu, PhD
Copyright December 2015

The Story of a Man

As man begins his journey, he is built with a desire to explore his world.  In his explorations, he gains knowledge and his eyes are opened to ways of the world around him.  However, this knowledge is not necessarily equivalent to truth.  In fact, to the extent that the knowledge contains false premises, the knowledge will actually lead to captivity.

Take for instance, the saying that, "curiosity killed the cat."  This is another way of saying that curiosity leads to knowledge which leads to captivity.  This is written in our DNA and begins with the story of Adam and Eve.

Genesis 3 reads: “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” and "Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves."

So the story of a man begins with this fall.  But what might this fall look like in today's times?

Well, for example, sex might be seen as eating the forbidden fruit.  In the sexual sense, the female body might be represented by the tree of life, while the male body represented by the serpent.  Through taking this forbidden fruit, a couple might conceive children.

Through parenting, a couple would inevitably gain knowledge of the world.  In fact, many of life's lessons simply cannot be learned without having children.  However, this knowledge also comes with the curse of being captivity: to provide, protect and pave the way for the such young ones.

In our world, there are many forbidden fruits.  And for many people, they simply do not know they are partaking of the forbidden fruit.

Proverbs 14:12 reads along the lines of "There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death." with Proverbs 16:25 reiterating.

So the story of a man always includes this initial fall.  This death.

When, we experience this pain first hand, we naturally search for things of this world to soothe our pain.  Something to bring back control into our corner.  Something which will comfort us in our pain.  And what we grasp is man made.

So the story of a man also includes him placing his hope in man made comforters known as idols.  Unfortunately, these idols come with a curse.

Deuteronomy 4:27-18 reads a curse for those who pursue their idols, "The Lord will scatter you among the peoples, and only a few of you will survive among the nations to which the Lord will drive you. 28 There you will worship man-made gods of wood and stone, which cannot see or hear or eat or smell."

Psalm 115:4-8 reads: "But their idols are silver and gold, made by human hands. 5 They have mouths, but cannot speak, eyes, but cannot see. 6 They have ears, but cannot hear, noses, but cannot smell. 7 They have hands, but cannot feel, feet, but cannot walk, nor can they utter a sound with their throats. 8 Those who make them will be like them, and so will all who trust in them." and Psalm 135:15-18 reiterates the same concept.

What are examples of such idols?

Well, I have heard that marriage can be one of the loneliest places.  Feeling disconnected could be a sign that you adore your ideals of a romantic partner, perfect husband or loving father more than you love your spouse.  Not letting go of these idols will surely lead to disconnection and loneliness.

I have also heard people say that a person has never felt so alone as being in the middle of a crowded room.  Putting on a false mask so that no one knows you are imperfect, vulnerable and dependent, ie human, can also come from refusing to let go personal ideals.  Expectations and disappointments in others can couple with this false bravado to kill two birds with one stone.  That is, one can simultaneously kill both sides of the intimacy coin.  The definition of intimacy being, "To know and be known."  The result.  Disconnection and loneliness.

After a man falls, he tries to save himself.  The result.  Complete and utter disaster.  He is a like a temple, that is torn down, then built up, then torn down, then built up.  Various seasons of life will represent the inner war.  A war over his body, the temple.

2 Chronicles 7:19-22 reads, "19 But if you turn away and forsake the decrees and commands I have given you and go off to serve other gods and worship them, 20 then I will uproot Israel from my land, which I have given them, and will reject this temple I have consecrated for my Name. I will make it a byword and an object of ridicule among all peoples. 21 This temple will become a heap of rubble. All who pass by will be appalled and say, ‘Why has the Lord done such a thing to this land and to this temple?’ 22 People will answer, ‘Because they have forsaken the Lord, the God of their ancestors, who brought them out of Egypt, and have embraced other gods, worshiping and serving them—that is why he brought all this disaster on them.’"

Rebuilding a temple may seem like a seven year imprisonment or a life long journey.  However, once a man makes a decision to change, the light at the end of the tunnel is not far off.  The decision only needs to be made once while a life time is needed to manage that decision.

2 Chronicles 19:35-36 reads, "So the service of the temple of the Lord was reestablished. 36 Hezekiah and all the people rejoiced at what God had brought about for his people, because it was done so quickly."

So what does the rebuilding of a man actually look like?  What if false hope has been placed in many different idols, as is often the case?

Daniel 2:31-45 reads, "31 “Your Majesty looked, and there before you stood a large statue—an enormous, dazzling statue, awesome in appearance. 32 The head of the statue was made of pure gold, its chest and arms of silver, its belly and thighs of bronze, 33 its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of baked clay. 34 While you were watching, a rock was cut out, but not by human hands. It struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay and smashed them. 35 Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver and the gold were all broken to pieces and became like chaff on a threshing floor in the summer. The wind swept them away without leaving a trace. But the rock that struck the statue became a huge mountain and filled the whole earth. 36 “This was the dream, and now we will interpret it to the king. 37 Your Majesty, you are the king of kings. The God of heaven has given you dominion and power and might and glory; 38 in your hands he has placed all mankind and the beasts of the field and the birds in the sky. Wherever they live, he has made you ruler over them all. You are that head of gold. 39 “After you, another kingdom will arise, inferior to yours. Next, a third kingdom, one of bronze, will rule over the whole earth. 40 Finally, there will be a fourth kingdom, strong as iron—for iron breaks and smashes everything—and as iron breaks things to pieces, so it will crush and break all the others. 41 Just as you saw that the feet and toes were partly of baked clay and partly of iron, so this will be a divided kingdom; yet it will have some of the strength of iron in it, even as you saw iron mixed with clay. 42 As the toes were partly iron and partly clay, so this kingdom will be partly strong and partly brittle. 43 And just as you saw the iron mixed with baked clay, so the people will be a mixture and will not remain united, any more than iron mixes with clay. 44 “In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever. 45 This is the meaning of the vision of the rock cut out of a mountain, but not by human hands—a rock that broke the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver and the gold to pieces. “The great God has shown the king what will take place in the future. The dream is true and its interpretation is trustworthy.”"


And this is how it will be with you.  You will have golden idols, with super strong holds on your life.  You will have iron idols and clay idols.  When you make the decision to attack these idols, the spirit of God will reunite with you, live within you.  When you are touched, a war within you will begin.  But over time, each stronghold will be crushed.  It will be like the very foundation of you has been altered.  Something so powerful that you cannot deny.  Tired and weary at times, feeling your struggle against this battle, you will want to quit.  You will have seasons where you will run back to your idols of comfort and control.  But fear not, for "he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." as Philippians 1:6 reads.

At times you will be frustrated because you will not be able to defeat your strongholds.  You will give up because you do not understand the reason for your struggle.  Our God is a relational God.  He does not give you your struggle so you can overcome it.  He gives you your struggle so that you will seek Him.

When you seek Him, he will bless you with truth.  Knowledge is easily gained while truth is difficult to find and only comes from the Father.  John 8:32 describes, "32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

So the story of a man ends with redemption.  Only when redeemed and free, can a man finally obey.

John 14:15-23 reads, "15 “If you love me, keep my commands. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be[a] in you. 18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. 21 Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.” 22 Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, “But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?” 23 Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. 24 Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.”"

So how do knowledge, captivity and truth relate to one another?

Knowledge is like education.  It is like the law.  It is empty and misguiding.  If we went over the theory of walking and how hard it is, we might convince a baby that walking is simply impossible.  If we went over the theory of business and explained that 90% of businesses fail, we might convince people to ignore their God given destinies.  However, behind each failure is a lesson.  Behind each failure is growth.  If you go into business to succeed, you might as well not pursue your dreams.  If you go into business, to grow, you will be successful.  The truth, the spirit, set us free from the law.  As you battle, you do not battle to win, you battle to grow.  You have already won, you just don't know it.  Now, it is about growing into that victory.

...
<SI> Scott Izu, PhD
Copyright December 2015

A Tale of Isla Piedra

This morning a friend going through a difficult time in life asked me to ponder for a bit and then share a bible verse that spoke to me.

Currently, I am in Puerto Rico.  Looking through the past few days I have hiked the gorgeous La Mina Falls of the El Yunque Rainforest hearing the echoes of the Coqui frogs.  I have kayaked the bioluminescence of Fajardo as well as Mosquito Bay.  I have snorkelled with schools of tropical fishes and manueverd around jellyfish the size of bread plates.  Eaten Chillo Frito in the Pinones region served with the classic Puerto Rican plantain dish known as Mofongo.  And yes, went through the guided tour of the caves of Rio Camuy.  But I will save those stories for another time.  Today, a new tale was born...

As I hiked from Pinky's in Condado, where I ate their delicious Mallorca sandwhich, finally tasting this delightful soft Puerto Rican bread roll, I started out toward La Playa de Isla Verde (aka Isla Verde) where I planned to swim out to the actual Isla Verde and back.

I started thinking about preachers and their impact in my life and one particular preacher whom I asked for help, exposing some of my weaknesses and he turned me down.  For a while I felt hurt and disappointed until one day I realized that he had never experienced the full grace of God.  We cannot comfort others until we have been comforted.  We cannot extend grace until we realize how much grace we have been given.  And most of all, we cannot love until we have been loved.  As my mind continued to search, my feet continued the trek.

As I walked through the playas or beaches of Condado, Ocean Park and Isla Verde, I stopped to inquire about the swim from a few locals.  Always a good thing to do.

It turned out when I asked about Isla Verde, she thought I was talking about Isla Piedra which is much further, about one kilometer or .6 miles off the coast.  It also turned out her brother, works at the local Super Foods and swims there on a daily basis.  She gave me a phone number in case I wanted to stop by his store.

At this point, I was already pumped.  Excited, I continued on my way.  When I got to the place where I would take off, I discretely hid my things under some bushes and headed into the water with my snorkeling gear, swim trunks and water shoes.  Nicely lathered up with sun tan lotion of course.

As I headed out to the island, I realized that the island was a lot further than I thought.  With the waves pushing me up and down, back and forth, I felt stagnant.  I would spend a lot of time just conserving energy and floating for a while or treading water.

About one fourth of the way in, negative thoughts started to creep in my head and I almost decided to give up and turn back.  I was well past the buoys, which complimented the warning signs that stated anyone who swam past the buoys was doing so at their own personal risk.  And here I was with no life jacket, floating around in the ocean.

Then, the verse hit me.  Faith like a mustard seed will move mountains.  I have read this a thousand times but for some reason I was going to relearn what this verse meant today.

I am reading this book right now by Jeff Olson called the slight edge.  It talks about how little pebbles tossed in over and over and over throughout a long period of time have a way of making a dramatic effect.

Marriages just do not go south.  They turn sour based on tiny microscopic decisions made over and over on a daily basis.  To reverse the tide, no matter what the circumstance, it takes having the willingness to decide to throw that little tiny microscopic pebble.

Finances work the same way.  Sometimes you do not feel like you are going forward but little do you know, you are not falling behind which is huge.  And the waves would draw back and I would push and push and even though I was not going forward, I knew I was not getting drawn back.  Which meant, I would have the chance to move forward twice as much as I normally would on the rise of the next wave.

So I decided to turn off that negative channel and throw the pebble.  The tiny microscopic stroke.  One, two...  thirty...  Rest.  And I could not even see the island most of the time.  I tried using the clouds.  I tried treading for several minutes as I looked around at the big blue, completely disoriented, choking on water as the waves corrupted my breathing from the snorkelling gear.  For the tenth time, I yanked off the mouth piece gasping for air.

Then, there it was a glimpse.  One, two...  thirty...  Rest.  Half way in, I was blessed to have hit a coral reef.  Protection.  Relaxing.  Should I go back?  Faith like a mustard seed.  I threw out my arms alternating between breast stroke and free style.  I threw out the little pebble.  The slight edge.  I had faith.  But faith without works is dead.  So I threw out again.  One...  Two...  Thirty...  Rest...  My little insignificant mustard seed.

Half way between the last coral reef and Isla Piedra which was now much easier to see, I hit more coral reef.  Now I knew it would be much easier to rest on Isla Piedra then to swim back.

Over and over, I repeated my cycle.  One...  Two...  Thirty...  Rest...  My small insignificant cycle.  It did nothing, or at least nothing I could see.

When the island was only twenty yards away, I eased up, knowing I would soon be safe.  That if I needed, I could stay there or flag down a boat.  Saftey.  I slowly made my way to the rock.  Feeling the waves, becoming in tune, picking the right time so I would not get smacked into the rocks.  I pulled myself up.

Extatic, elated, I yelled out a big Japanese Kiai, channeling my energy into the air.

Then, rest.  This small island of rock, with no one else on it was a great time for prayer and meditation.  And God gets all of me.  He gets my questions, my gratitude, my anger.  And I tell Him, He is great and that this journey, this swim, this is everything I have, everything I am capable of and yet, it is miniscule when compared to the Earth's 12,756 kilometers of diameter and the Milky Way's 950,000,000,000,000,000 kilometers of diameter. This Isla Piedra, one measly kilometer off the coast and I am exhausted.  And I am excited and ready to go back and God puts on my heart to rest.  He lets me know the right amount of time has passed by a boat slowly disappearing over the horizon.  Okay, God, I will wait.

And as I sit there resting, meditating, praying, huge waves come crashing in and I am scared.  I want to leave the island.  But though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.  And when we follow what God puts on our heart, it is then that the dangers of life come crashing in.  And we fear.  Just keep your eyes on me, He says.

And slowly, the boat disappears, maybe giving me a good half hour to hour of rest.

As I head out, I know keeping a big hotel in sight will be much easier than trying to tread water and wait for a wave high enough to lift me up to see tiny Isla Piedra.  I am Ann Voskamp Eucharisteo thankful.

My cycle continues.  The little pebbles thrown onto the scale over and over and over, which can eventually tilt the scale to outweigh the Empire State Building.  The Empire State Building of years of contempt and resentment building up.  Or the Empire State Building of hundreds of thousands of dollars racked up in debt.

Such power.  Take wise to the ant.  The power of the little things repeated over and over.  No matter how deep your hole.  And here I was, tired and in a small hole myself.

I head out the stretch with emptiness leaving the protection of the coral.  I continue my cycle.  Within minutes, I look down and see a two foot reef shark!

It is swimming to the right side of me, below me about ten feet.  Thank you God for giving me rest.

And everytime I freak out, I lose sight of it as I gasp for air.  But there is no way I am taking off my snorkelling mask.  My thoughts go into panic mode.

Where is it?  Stay calm.  Maybe it left.  There it is.  Keep moving, its just a water dog.  You will not want to rest so keep the strokes short and smooth.

He swims with me for a while.  Sometimes to my right, sometimes to my left.  My thoughts continue.

He must smell the blood from my cut legs.  As long as he is there, within clear view, maybe I can rest.  Get big!  If he approaches grab his gills.  Where is the hotel?  There it is.  Where is the shark?  His bite will probably not be lethal.  I feel like fainting.  Keep him in sight.  Must keep moving.

As I continue swimming, each stroke, miniscule, meaningless, I keep going.  Faith like a mustard seed.  While scared out of my wits, I realized how cool it is to swim with a shark!  As long as I do not die!  Or get biten!

The journey must have been twenty minutes.  Then finally!  Saving Nemo reef protection.  Still about .3 miles from shore, I get rest in the reef.  Floating, watching the reef shark swim around.  I could have stayed there all day.  Beautiful fish swimming beneath me.  Safely at a distance from the shark!

But being exhausted, I took enough time floating to rest and then headed back toward shore.  As I swam over the reef, which varied from five to fifteen feet deep, the shark seemed to have disappeared.  While I hoped that was the case, I was not going to bank on it.

Hyper alert and read to make the final trek, I continued.  Free style.  One... Two... Thirty... Rest...  And again.

This part of the journey was nice and smooth.  I could see the hotel easily and after a few cycles, I could see the hotel getting closer and closer.  With no shark as a threat, my resting periods were a little longer.

After cycling through over and over and over, I finally, I hit the buoys.  Yes!  It was like being twenty yards from Isla Piedra except these buoys were probably fifty yards out.

My thoughts continued.  The final stretch.  I am not going to die!  What was I thinking?

I took my time on this last stretch, resting in thirty to one minutes in between cycles.  And finally, the last insignificant stroke.  Land!

I slipped entering the shore from the waves crashing onto the rocky edges of the beach.  Then, as I walked over dry land, I coughed out some of the water I had been swallowing, gagging and hacking.  Walking into the shade, I felt dizzy but I hade made it.

All of my belongings were left hidden and untouched, fortunately.  Or this tale may have continued...

Matthew 17:20
He replied, "Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."

...
<SI> Scott Izu, PhD
© October 2015