Living Life Naturally or Supernaturally?

The other day as I sat at my desk, I took a glance out of my office window. I spotted two cardinals, one a bright red male, the other a duller reddish brown female. They were gathering materials to build a nest. Hmm. Where did they learn to do this? Did they take a course in birdie school, "Nest-Building 101?" Did they become apprentice nest-builders and learn from a master? Or perhaps they took out a do-it-your self book from the local bird library. Or maybe they were just "winging" it!

The reality is that these cardinals were doing what their instincts were telling them to do. It is as natural for cardinals to build nests as it is for you and me to breathe. Just as we don't really have to "learn" how to breath and think about doing it - neither do cardinals have to learn how to build nests and really think about doing it! Every spring it just comes naturally for cardinals (and other birds) to go into the nest-building mode.

Unfortunately, what comes naturally to human beings are things like selfishness, lust, anger, bitterness, pride, laziness, etc. So as Christ-followers we must seek to live out our lives - not by doing what comes naturally, but rather by doing what comes supernaturally. This will take a lot of effort on our part, and also dependence upon God's grace and God's Spirit.

Let me encourage you to get more intentional about your life. Seek to live a supernatural life by knowing the Word of God, obeying the Word of God and asking God to fill you with HIS Spirit.

Thanks for listening,

pj

Ancient Help for Our Present Journey

As I concluded my reading (finally!) of Phil Yancey's recent book on prayer, I read a prayer that Yancey included in his final chapter. The prayer is quite old, having been written about 500 A.D. The writer was a monk by the name of Benedict. History knows him as Benedict of Nursia (Nursia was a small village northeast of Rome). Benedict is considered by many to be the father of western Christian monasticism.

When I read the words of his prayer the other day, I thought, "Here's a prayer that needs to be prayed!" So I typed it out on my computer, printed it and now keep it on my desk. It is powerful! So I reprint it here for you in hopes that you will through these ancient words find help for your journey of grace!

O Gracious and Holy Father

Benedict of Nursia

O gracious and holy Father,
give us wisdom to perceive Thee,
intelligence to understand Thee,
diligence to seek Thee,
patience to wait for Thee,
eyes to behold Thee,
a heart to meditate on Thee,
and a life to proclaim Thee;
through the power of the Spirit
of Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Thanks for listening,

pj

It's That Time of Year!

Today I had to place two phone calls. They both involved making an appointment for an annual inspection. The first was to my mechanic - the second to my doctor. Yep. My PT is due for inspection -- and my body is due for its inspection (a.k.a. "annual physical").

Now why must we go through these ordeals? Fitting them into your schedule and budget can prove to be a challenge. Yet they must be done. For starters, Penn Dot mandates an annual auto inspection. Therefore failure to have your car inspected is to break the law and risk a hefty fine. But even if inspection were not mandated, it would not be a bad idea to have your car checked out on an annual basis. You see, cars tend to wear out. And if left unchecked, some important auto component could wear out and ultimately cause your car to break down or worse yet, cause an accident. And what is true of our cars is also true of our bodies (and the older I get the more I know this to be true!). Our bodies wear out. So by visiting our doctor once a year for a check up, he or she can help us stay on the path to good health. And that is important, seeing we only get one body to use in this life!

So my question for you to ponder this fine spring day (the weather outside as I write these words is a sunny 67 degrees!) is this - are you being a good steward of the one (and ONLY one body) that the Creator will ever give you (at least in this life - there is a new body coming in the next, but that is a topic for a future blog posting!)? To be a good steward of your body means, among other things, eating healthy, regularly exercising and getting enough sleep. Remember- you body is not really yours! It like your very life - belongs to God! That's why Paul writes, "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body" (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).

Thanks for listening,

pj

God, the Master Craftsman Is Still Working on His Masterpieces!

Just before and during my engagement to my wife, Sharon, I was working a part-time job for a jeweler on Samson Street in Philadelphia. The block of Samson Street where my boss had his jewelry shop was known as "Jeweler's Row." So of course, when it came time to buy my wife's diamond and then our wedding bands, I bought them from my boss. The great discount he gave me was a real help considering I was a poor struggling college student at the time. I just wish the greatness of his craftsmanship would have matched the generosity of his discount!

Approximately a year and a half into our marriage (or about 3 years since I had given my wife her diamond ring), we spent an afternoon at a state park in Bucks County, PA. Upon returning to our apartment, my wife discovered that the diamond in her engagement ring was no longer in its setting. Two hours later, after searching high and low (and EVERYWHERE in between), we came to the sad (very sad) and gut-wrenching conclusion that it was lost forever! And time proved that we were right! OK. You can't take a diamond to heaven with you! But then, a few years later, Sharon's wedding band cracked ... and eventually broke in two! To have said I was a bit upset with my former jeweler employer would have been a gross understatement! When I went to look him up - his store was sporting a new name. Seems he sold out (I guess I wasn't his only dissatisfied customer!). On our limited budget, Sharon had to content herself with wearing an inexpensive band that I picked up for her.

In a little over a month, Sharon and I will celebrate our 29th wedding anniversary. I figured it was about time to get her a proper wedding band. So last week, I took Sharon out shopping. After stopping at a half dozen or so jewelry stores, her eyes spotted THE ring! And yesterday, we picked it up! She is delighted. I am delighted that she is delighted!

As I reminisce about this, I am reminded of God. Unlike my old jeweler boss, God isn't shoddy in his work. He is the master craftsman and we are his workmanship (Ephesians 2:10). God is busy shaping and honing us into the image of his Son (Romans 8:28-29). Aren't you glad the work that he began in you he will FINISH (Philippians 1:6)! And when God finishes with you - oh, what a masterpiece you will be!

Thanks for listening,

pj

Airbus' BIG Project

Did you see this week on the news that Airbus debuted the world's largest passenger plane in the United States on Monday when two of its A380 superjumbos landed in New York and Los Angeles? These planes are down right HUGE! Their wing span is almost the size of a football field and in its standard double-decker configuration, it can seat 555 passengers. Because of its big size, U.S. airports are spending millions of dollars to accommodate the plane (New York's JFK and Los Angeles' LAX have spent $300 million between them to widen runaways and to provide special docking equipment for the jumbojet).

The price tag for the A380 is also BIG - $319 million to be exact! And Airbus has spent well over $10 billion in the development of the plane. At the present time, 14 airlines have orders for the plane, none of which are U.S. carriers. The plane is already two years behind schedule, and the delays has led to billions of dollars in losses for the company - not to mention a huge amount of corporate turmoil. So did Airbus "bite off more than it could chew?" Only time will reveal if the project undertaken by Airbus was simply too big!

The Church of Jesus has a BIG project going, too. It's call the Great Commission. Jesus, Lord of the Church has given us the task to disciple the nations. In fact, it is a far bigger task than the development and manufacture of the Airbus 380. But unlike Airbus, we have supernatural resources available to us as we seek to fulfill our mission. When Jesus gave us his followers this task of discipling the nations, this is how he put it, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in£ the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age" (Matthew 28:18-20). The One who has been given all authority is the same one who has promised to accompany us as we seek to fulfill this HUGE project of discipling the nations. How can we possibly fail with the God of all at our side?

Thanks for listening,

pj

Who Done It?

Did you hear about the Hillary Clinton bashing video making its rounds through cyberspace? Someone took the classic 1984 ad introducing the Apple McIntosh computer and turned it into a harsh piece of anti-Hillary propaganda (while promoting democratic presidential hopeful Illinois Sen. Barack Obama as the "good guy"). Just who is responsible? Know one seems to know - and no one is claiming responsibility. The one lone piece of info on the mysterious producer/distributor of the video is that his (her?) anonymous screen name is ParkRidge47. That is all we know. Whether more info about the maker of this video will be revealed is hard to say. His (or her!) identity may just remain a mystery.

But that is not the case concerning the maker of this wonderfully complex universe in which we live. God has revealed himself to us. He has done so in his Word, in his Son and in his creation. Sure there will always remain an element mystery as to his being ("Oh the mystery of godliness is great . . ." - 1 Timothy 3:16). After all, God is infinite (without limit; unlimitable) whereas we are finite (limited; very limited in regards to time, space, knowledge, etc.). But there is NO mystery concerning the existence of the God who has made all. The apostle Paul states in Romans 1:20 that "since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse." I for one am very glad that our maker's identity is not a mystery! How about you?

Thanks for listening,

pj

What Did You Say?

This morning as I stood in front of our bathroom mirror, fervently brushing the plaque off my teeth, my wife said something to me from another room. I could hear her speaking to me but given what I was doing (I must confess I make a lot of noise when I brush my teeth!!) - I could not hear her words. There was just too much interference.

Just as my wife wanted to talk to me this morning, so our God wants to talk to us as well. He has given us a book which contains HIS word to us. But far too often, there is way too much "busyness" going on in our lives that interferes with the process. So although God has spoken and continues to speak, we don't hear him! All because of the noisy interference going on in our lives.

How about you? What is interfering with you hearing God's voice speak to you? What is keeping you from His Word?

Thanks for listening,

pj