My head would tell me to go one direction, but my compass would indicate another…

During my 20 years as a forester, most of this before individual use of GPS, I never went out into the woods without a map and my compass.  There were times when my ability to read the map and trust my compass saved my life.  Learning to trust my compass came through the academic process of learning how to use it, however, my real trust came from actual use in real-life situations.  Many times, with the intent of reaching my goal, my head would tell me to go one direction…but my compass would indicate that I needed to go a different direction.  I learned to trust my compass…not my head.

One time, in my determination to complete a job that day and not have to return the next, I found myself over a mile from my pickup in rough, mountainous, timbered country…and on a moonless, dark night.  Thankfully, I had my compass and a map, but no flashlight with which to see the compass or the map.  I hadn’t planned on being in the dark.  However, I did have a book of matches.  On the map, I knew where I was and I knew where my pickup was, but without light all I could see ahead of me were ominous outlines of trees.

I struck a match, adjusted my compass and set my course on the farthest tree or visible object (rock outcropping) that lined up with my compass reading.  I blew out the match and walked toward that tree or object.  Upon reaching it I would light a match, set my course and walk forward.  Sometimes I would only be able to move 100 feet or so and could not see any farther.  I also knew that there were cliffs and other potential dangers on this path that I would need to watch for.

It was somewhat of a stressful trek.  But because I used my map, knew where I was and where I wanted to go, and then by setting the proper bearing on my compass, plus having enough light to see…I ended up on the road within sight of my pickup.

My life-journey is very much like my journey that night

As the years have passed, since I ended my forestry career, it has occurred to me that my life-journey is very much like my journey that night.  That night, in the dark forest, had I not “read” and used the information on my map…had I not trusted my compass, which contained the bearings and proper calibration that I obtained from the map and had I not used the light to see clearly I may have been in need of rescue.  

…I am the light of the world. The one who follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

 Jesus as recorded in John 8:12 (NET)

In life…my map is the Bible, which contains the “coordinates” that I need to know as to where I am, where I need to go and the information to not only find my way, but also the dangers and obstacles I may encounter on my journey.  My compass is the principles and precepts (moral teachings) contained within the Bible, which I can trust to set the proper trajectory for my life and keep me going in the right direction.  And my light is Jesus Christ, the Light of the world, who helps me see beyond the obscure shadows, in this sometimes tenebrous world with many dangers.  It is His Light that gives me the confidence and hope that I will arrive at the proper destination…on the right road and within sight of safety.  

And when I do not read my Bible (map), or use the teachings, principles and precepts it contains to calibrate my “life-compass”, or acknowledge Jesus as the Light that I need above all other lights…I will definitely be in need of rescue and my Moral Compass will be in need of re-calibration.

All points on My Moral Compass must always be pointed towards God

My Moral Compass is comparable to a railroad track that is constructed from my choices and decisions. When I determine to use the material God has provided to construct the track and allow it to guide me through the mountains and valleys of my life, even in those times when I deviate, my compass will always lead me back to Him.  All points on My Moral Compass must always be pointed towards God (the I AM…the Eternal, Self-Existent One).  God is the object and creator of morality.  When I try go another direction I stumble and fall.  The Bible is the written framework containing Absolute Moral Truths (that which is true for all people, all places, all times).  It is objective and invariant.  It is not subject to external forces or influences.  Jesus summed up these Absolute Moral Truths by saying:

“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:37-40

Even in those times when I deviate, my compass will always lead me back to Him…

God, through His teachings, creation and revelations, form the foundation of my  Moral Compass and my World View (the principles and precepts, through which I filter my life-situations, to determine my choices and decisions).  All points on my compass MUST agree with these principles and precepts.  Though I have failed many times, through God’s grace, and others’ who love me, I will continue to pick myself up, learn from my mistakes, lean on Him and move forward to hopefully, one day, hear God say, “Well done my good and faithful servant. You are my child whom I love very much!”

May you, today, calibrate your “compass” with the principles and precepts from the Biblical “map”.  May you trust it, not your head, to lead you safely home as you travel through the mountains and valleys on your life-journey.

In the freedom of forgiveness…

Mike

Map Image courtesy of Geerati at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

“When tempted, no one should say…”

Have you ever found yourself in a situation of temptation that you felt was unbearable?  No way out but to satisfy the perceived need, want or desire!  We all have.  And the consequence is always “less than the best”, and sometimes very hurtful and destructive.

The “process” of temptation, the “trigger” can begin with something very, seemingly, simple and innocuous.  Visual triggers are very common, especially for men, but there are many others.  The trigger is, typically but not always, something we do not plan for or control, however, what we do afterwards is very much within our control.  Triggers create feelings.  These feelings can then progress to errors in our thinking (“I can get away with this and no one will know”)…progressing to decisions where we, consciously, place ourselves in situations in which failure, giving into the temptation and acting upon it, is probable.  The Bible speaks of this process with terms such as “evil desire”, “enticed”, “birth to sin” and “birth to death”.  (See below)

“When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone;  but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed.  Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.”  James 1:13-15

Biblical history records that King David was visually-tempted (the trigger), which quickly progressed through feelings, thinking errors, seemingly unimportant decisions and finally placing himself in a position of certain failure:

 One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing. The woman was very beautiful,  and David sent someone to find out about her. The man said, “She is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite.”  Then David sent messengers to get her. She came to him, and he slept with her.   2 Samuel 11:2-4

Our choices impact not only ourselves but those around us!

David’s decision to allow temptation to control him resulted in the deaths of both Bathsheba’s husband and the child that was conceived from this sexual encounter.  David’s submission to temptation resulted in adultery, murder and the death of an innocent child.  And, “…the thing David had done displeased the Lord.” 2 Samuel 11:27, which resulted in continued struggle for not only David but the entire nation under his rule.   ^“Now, therefore, the sword will never depart from your house, because you despised me and took the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own.”   2 Samuel 12:10

“Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”  1 Peter 5:8

Satan will set you up for failure!   I have learned that from experience. He will tempt you with one promise of pleasure and promise you more if you will follow his directions.  God will never tempt you!  He may, however, test you.  The purpose of God’s testing is to reveal your strengths and weaknesses, thereby preparing you to be successful in your battle against temptation.  Earlier in David’s life he faced “tests” involving lions and bears attacking the sheep he was caring for.  These tests revealed his strengths and weaknesses and honed his skills, thus preparing him to face Goliath  (1 Samuel 17:34-37).  Without these tests he would not have been prepared.

God’s testing is meant to build you up, not tear you down.  Satan’s tempting is meant to destroy you.  David, instead of defeating lions and bears, as he did in his youth, fell and was defeated by a PIG…Pursuit of Instant Gratification.  Don’t fall for the lie!

“Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.”  James 1:12

What did Jesus do?

We all need an “exit-strategy”; a pre-set plan of what to do when temptation knocks at our door.  Jesus had one…

 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.  After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.  The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”  Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”   Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written:

 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor.  “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”

Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’” Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.  Matthew 4:4-11

Jesus’ “exit-strategy” was to know and apply Scripture…“It is written”, “It is also written”, “For it is written”.  Jesus was tempted with food when he was extremely hungry; possibly stressed from loneliness or a sense of abandonment and the promise of worldly and material wealth.  This was one of the “Goliath’s” He had to face on His life-journey.  He was prepared.  Because He prepared; because He had an exit-strategy He was successful…“Away from me Satan!…”.

Here are a few Scripture verses that help me during those times.  Perhaps they will be a blessing to you as you face your temptations today…

 No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. 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 stand up under it.  1 Corinthians 10:13

Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.  Hebrew 2:18

Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted.  Galatians 6:1

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.  For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are–yet was without sin.  Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.  Hebrews 4:14-16

My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins.  James 5:19-20

Are you ready for the “Goliath” (temptation) you may face today or tomorrow?

What is your exit-strategy?  I now have one.  It includes, immediately, refocusing my eyes and thoughts when triggered by a temptation.  It includes remembering that any person involved in my temptation and/or trigger is a child of God deserving respect, love and care.  It involves prayer and memorizing Scripture to counteract any negative or ungodly thoughts.  And it involves transparency with trusted accountability partners who will help to guide me through the times of struggle, doubt and temptation and help me maintain godly and healthy boundaries.

May you, be confident as you approach “the throne of grace”.  May you be self-controlled knowing God “will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear”.  May you be at peace knowing that Jesus “himself suffered when he was tempted” yet was able to resist.  May you be amazed that God intimately knows your struggles and is therefore able to help you when you are tempted.  May you be filled with joy knowing God will never tempt you or set you up for failure.  And may you be determined, to “gently” restore those around you who have fallen to temptation; thereby, helping them to turn away from sin and toward Christ.

Marshmallows Anyone?

Click below and watch this very short youtube video.  You will find it both amusing and convicting:

The Marshmallow Temptation

Any “marshmallows” in your life?  Yes, I know….me too!

Your fellow Marshmallow-survivor…tempted…failed…saved by Grace through the One who was tempted but never failed.

Mike

PS  Have you failed?  Have you fallen to temptation?  Do you feel condemned?  Trust in Jesus and claim this promise: “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are 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.  For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh,  in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.”  Roman 8:1-4

Image courtesy of Naypong at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Today…I Choose Patience…“I will overlook the inconveniences of the world.  Instead of cursing the one who takes my place, I’ll invite him to do so.  Rather than complain that the wait is too long, I will thank God for a moment to pray.  Instead of clinching my fist at new assignments, I will face them with joy and courage.”  Max Lucado – When God Whispers Your Name

In 1999, when Caroline and I moved to Colorado Springs, two negative things impacted me greatly: 1) The altitude; I was sick for two weeks. 2) The stop lights; waiting at stop lights really tested my patience.  In my forestry career I was out in the woods, far away from traffic and lights and civilization most of the time. The rural county in which we lived, in Washington State, bordered Canada and there was only one stop light in the whole county!

Sixteen years later I still find myself struggling when the red light just never seems to change to green.  I admit, in a few instances when no traffic was in sight and my patience had grown very thin…I ran the light.  Lord, please forgive me!

“Go placidly amid the noise and haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence.”  Excerpt from Desiderata (“desired things”) by Max Ehrmann 1927

But, I have also found that the few moments of “peace” at the stop light can be a valuable and refreshing time of prayer.  A moment of  silence and reflection…a reality check reminding me of that which is of real importance.  I don’t use each one as wisely as I should…but I am learning.

Today…I choose patience.

 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds,  because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.  Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.  James 1:2-4 NIV

May you experience the gifts of patience…and perseverance…today.

Mike

Image courtesy of Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

“Today I choose peace…

I will live forgiven.  I will forgive so that I may live.”  Max Lucado When God Whispers Your Name

Some time ago I picked up a close friend from the airport.  She was getting back from an emergency trip to give care to her estranged husband who just suffered a stroke.  He is expected to have a full recovery…but the marriage is over.  This was not her choice, but this trip clinched the reality.

However, the end of 37 years of marriage does not mean the end of connections and emotions.  Her tears where deep as she spoke about the past few days.  Staying in the home in which she spent so much time.  Revisiting the joys and struggles.  It was difficult….but she will be okay.

She will be okay; she will have peace…because she has forgiven.

I have heard it said that unforgiveness is like imbibing poison with the expectation that the other person will die.  Not logical.  My friend still struggles, but she has forgiven.  Because of that she will be able to go on with her life. She will live!  And peace will come.

I have told you this, so that you might have peace in your hearts because of me. While you are in the world, you will have to suffer. But cheer up! I have defeated the world.  Jesus…as recorded in John 16:33 CEV

Today…may you forgive…and be at peace.

Mike

Image courtesy of Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Today I choose “love”…for others…even the unlovable…but I “hate” alcohol!

“I Choose Love… No occasion justifies hatred; no injustice warrants bitterness.  I choose love.  Today I will love God and what God loves.”  Max Lucado-When God Whispers Your Name – Grace for the Moment Volume I

I hate alcohol!  Those who know me also know that to be true.  My hate is not for the substance itself but for the destruction I have witnessed in many lives that has been left in the wake of its use and abuse.  I could hate the producer…but I don’t; I could hate the liquor store owner…but I don’t; I could hate the user/abuser…but I don’t.  I could even hate non-abusive, controlled use of alcohol…but I don’t.

But I do hate the spirit, which is not from God, that says, “Let me control you.   I offer you much more than you could ever get from that other spirit…the Spirit of God.”

Love without truth is not love.  Truth without love is ineffective.

Galatians 5:22,23 in the NIV: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.  Against such things there is no law.”

Galatians 5:22,23 in The Message paraphrase:  “But what happens when we live God’s way?  He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard….things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity.  We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people.  We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely.  Legalism is helpless in bringing this about; it only gets in the way.”

I agree with Max Lucado that no “occasion” and no “injustice” can justify “hatred”. However, I believe my hatred for the spirit-of-destruction found within the substance of alcohol is justified.  Click on the link below for some brief but shocking statistics:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kelly-fitzgerald/15-shocking-alcohol-stati_b_7010680.html

LORD…today…I choose to listen to you and be controlled only by you.  Help me to love what you love…and hate what you hate.  Help me to express love with truth…and truth with love.  Help me to live your way.  And thank you for forgiving me when I allowed other spirits to control me.

Michael Rueffert

In the freedom of forgiveness

Image courtesy of Vlado of FreedigitalPhotos.net

 A friend sent me an illustration of the profile of a pregnant woman, which included an unborn baby in the mother’s womb.  The illustration makes a point of clearly stating and showing the woman has a body…and…the baby has a body…not the same body.  The illustration, meant to challenge those who would use the statement, “it’s my body” or “it’s your body” as an argument to justify the abortion of an unborn baby.

This illustration is logical, convincing, powerful and backed up by science.  It should give anyone, who may consider the “it’s my body” argument to be valid, pause…to reconsider.  The baby’s body is no more the mother’s body than it is the father’s body.  Neither parent has the right to declare if the baby should live or die.

Person: a human being, especially as distinguished from a thing or lower animal. Webster’s New World Dictionary of the American Language – 1956 

I AM WRITING TODAY in recognition of the over 50 million American babies (55,772,015 per recent statistics, which I include because I believe each of these innocent, lost lives should be recognized) whose lives have been cut short since the January 22, 1973 Roe v. Wade decision by the United States Supreme Court. Roe v. Wade, 410 U.S. 113 (1973), is the United States Supreme Court  decision establishing that most laws against abortion violate a constitutional right to privacy, thus overturning all state laws outlawing or restricting abortion.

Note: If you are not interested in 1973 court information or expert opinion, then scroll on down to 2016 and meet my granddaughter…

I took the time to read most of the Syllabus relating to this decision. It is actually, despite the erroneous conclusions, an interesting history lesson of law. The whole conclusion of Roe v. Wade, from a Constitutional standpoint is dependent upon the definition of “person”. The entire decision falls apart, Constitutionally, if a child at conception can be established as a “person”.

The Syllabus reads at one point: The appellee and certain amici argue that the fetus is a “person” within the language and meaning of the Fourteenth Amendment. In support of this, they outline at length and in detail the well known facts of fetal development. If this suggestion of personhood is established, the appellant’s case, of course, collapses, [p157]for the fetus’ right to life would then be guaranteed specifically by the Amendment.

However, they then go on to say (excerpts from the Syllabus):

• The Constitution does not define “person” in so many words.
• …the law has been reluctant to endorse any theory that life, as we recognize it, begins before live birth, or to accord legal rights to the unborn except in narrowly defined situations and except when the rights are contingent upon live birth.
• …new embryological data that purport to indicate that conception is a “process” over time, rather than an event…
• There has always been strong support for the view that life does not begin until live’ birth.
• …the word “person,” as used in the Fourteenth Amendment, does not include the unborn.

• In short, the unborn have never been recognized in the law as persons in the whole sense.

 That was 1973...

 1981 – Expert Testimony

Dr. Jerome Lejeune of Paris, France (died 1994), was a physician and Doctor of Science and Professor of Genetics for 25 years. Dr. Lejeune discovered the genetic cause for Down’s Syndrome. He received awards such as the Kennedy Prize and the Memorial Allen Award Medal; he was a member of The American Academy of Arts and Science, the Royal Society of Medicine of London, and the Royal Society of Science in Stockholm.

• Dr. Lejeune testified before a United States Senate subcommittee in 1981: ‘To accept the fact that after fertilization has taken place a new human being has come into being is no longer a matter of taste or opinion. The human nature of the human being from conception to old age is not a metaphysical contention, it is plain experimental evidence’.” Jason M. Steffens, “The ‘Peculiar’ Being: The Rights of an Unborn Child in Iowa,” 88 IOWA L. REV. 217 (1988).

1989

• In 1989, during testimony on The Seven Human Embryos in Tennessee, Dr. Lejeune made the following observation: “…as soon as he has been conceived, a man is a man.” Dr. Lejeune noted that the very first cell, the fertilized egg cell or zygote, is “the most specialized cell under the sun”.
• In the words of Dr. Lejeune: “Each of us has a very precise starting moment which is the time at which the whole necessary and sufficient genetic information is gathered inside one cell, the fertilized egg, and this is the moment of fertilization. There is not the slightest doubt about that and we know that this information is written on a kind of ribbon which we call the DNA…Nature has used the smallest possible language to carry the information from father to children, from mother to children, from generation to generation…At no time is the human being a blob of protoplasm. As far as your nature is concerned, I see no difference between the early person that you were at conception and the late person which you are now. You were and are a human being.”
•  When Dr. Lejeune testified in the Louisiana legislature he stated, “Recent discoveries by Dr. Alec Jeffreys of England demonstrate that the information (on the DNA molecule)  is stored by a system of bar codes not unlike those found on products at the supermarkets…it’s not any longer a theory that each of us is unique.”
•  1996 (the term “pre-embryo” deemed inaccurate)

“Although life is a continuous process, fertilization is a critical landmark because, under ordinary circumstances, a new, genetically distinct human organism is thereby formed (emphasis mine)…. The combination of 23 chromosomes present in each pronucleus results in 46 chromosomes in the zygote. Thus the diploid number is restored and the embryonic genome is formed. The embryo now exists as a genetic unity.”
[O’Rahilly, Ronan and Müller, Fabiola. Human Embryology & Teratology. 2nd edition. New York: Wiley-Liss, 1996, pp. 8, 29. This textbook lists “pre-embryo” among “discarded and replaced terms” in modern embryology, describing it as “ill-defined and inaccurate” (p. 12}]

2016: Location…location…location

Still unconvinced that an unborn child is a separate, distinct, valuable person?

Answer this question: Should your environment be a determining factor in your value as a human being?  Not sure how to answer?  Click on the link below for help…(you may need to copy the link to your browser or open in a new window to open)

S.L.E.D. Test Part 3 – Environment – https://youtu.be/WgqMptoeqY0

My Grandaughter…Mackenzie Ann at 6 1/2 months old…before she was born:

   

“And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me.”

Jesus… as recorded in Matthew 18:5

 Scripture (yesterday, today and tomorrow):

 THERE ARE MANY SCRIPTURES clearly indicating that God’s sovereignty extends to the conception of a child…and earlier. I believe this sovereignty is both specific and universal. God is involved!

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,

before you were born I set you apart;

I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”

Jeremiah 1:5

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful,

I know that full well.

My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

GOD HAS ALWAYS KNOWN that an unborn child is a “person” – “distinguished from a thing or other animal” (see Genesis 1:26). Science now confirms that truth. Human law and politics are still “reluctant”to endorse any theory that life begins before live birth, or to accord legal rights to the unborn. It is time to end this slaughter of innocent, unborn children!

Still Unconvinced?

180 Movie – You may or may not want to see this 33-minute documentary. It is graphic and moving. Click on the link below if you are not yet convinced that an unborn human baby is a “person” worth saving.

click here – 180 Movie – click here

If you have persevered this far I want to leave you with a message of hope. You, or someone you love, may have been involved in an abortion. This message today is not meant to condemn; it is meant to bring awareness and, hopefully, save the lives of unborn children yet to be conceived. There is forgiveness in Christ Jesus. There is redemption and reconciliation…and it is free. Just ask! Read below:

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit.

Romans 8:1-4 (Please read Romans chapter 7 & 8 for context)

Your fellow “person”…

Michael Rueffert