Month: June 2018

The discussions between my former group and another contracted pathology group had been stagnating for several weeks. We were dealing with a prickly issue of billing and reimbursement and we agreed upon a face to face meeting. My senior partner turned to me and declared, “Lets get a team together!” He charged me with assembling a team that would put forward the best face for our professional group. The people I selected included my laboratory manager who had an M.B.A. and Ph.D. in economics, a pathologist who was renowned for his skill in creating stunning computer presentations, another pathologist with a national reputation as an expert in transfusion medicine and organizing and managing blood banks, and the director of our sales and marketing, who had overseen the growth of our laboratory clients from one hospital to nine hospitals with a customer base that stretched from Santa Barbara to San Diego.  I knew the technical skills and personality strengths of each participant and was confident in their abilities. One week later, our team presented a compelling presentation and we successfully resolved the conflict.

 

Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty.

Acts 6:3 (ESV)

 

Since that successful meeting, I have been involved with a team charged with resolving an intra-church conflict. It would be logical to apply the same principles I utilized with my previous conflict resolution in business, but does the Bible give any instruction and wisdom for this? In the above passage from the Book of Acts, the nascent Christian Church dealt with an early crisis when a complaint reached its leaders that a dispute had arisen between Greek gentile believers accusing Jewish believers that their widows were being neglected with daily provisions. It is instructive to see who the Church selected to help resolve this conflict and oversee a smooth transition. If I were picking a team, I would focus upon their professional qualifications. I would pick a colleague skilled in the art of negotiation, such as an attorney, someone with a financial background to facilitate the purchase and distribution of provisions, and perhaps a widow, someone who could identify with the needs of the Greek widows.

 

But God directed the Church to pick seven men of good reputation, wisdom, and full of the Holy Spirit. It is a reminder to me that in dealing with conflicts within the Church, we must first choose godly men and women who are filled and led by the Holy Spirit. Professional credentials are important but the spiritual state of one’s heart is what God is seeking.

 

Getting a team together to resolve conflicts within the Church must first focus upon the spiritual maturity of its members. God’s Wisdom through the Bible never ceases to astound me!

 

Praise God!

 

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.

 

The late Steve Jobs, the founder of Apple computers, was an obsessive-compulsive creative genius. Steve Isaacson, the author of the biography, Steve Jobs, wrote…“Jobs … always indulged his obsession that the unseen parts of a product should be crafted as beautifully as its facade, just as his father had taught him when they were building a fence…”

 

It was this quest for this high standard of precision and perfection that separated Jobs from his peers. His managers and design team pleaded with him, insisting that no one would ever see or care about the aesthetics of the inside of the Apple computers, declaring, “Who would know the difference?” Jobs dismissed them averring that he knew, and therefore, would not tolerate any lapse in quality control or honesty.

 

…But you say, ‘How have we despised your name?’ By offering polluted food upon my altar. But you say, ‘How have we polluted you?’ By saying that the Lord‘s table may be despised. When you offer blind animals in sacrifice, is that not evil? And when you offer those that are lame or sick, is that not evil?…

Malachi 1:6-8 (ESV)

 

The Prophet Malachi pronounced a scathing judgment against the evil priests who disobeyed God’s commandments and sacrificed diseased animals at the temple altar. With casual observation, diseased animals would appear identical to unblemished ones. Who would know the difference? Who could see what they were doing? The corrupt priests offering the sacrifices knew, and of course, nothing is hidden from God.

 

Do I hold myself to the same high standards when no one can see what I am doing or thinking? Perhaps I may do so for physical actions, but what about my thought life? Steve Jobs held himself to the standards of his own conscience. When I do that, I fail miserably. Only when I hold myself to the standards of God do I have any hope of succeeding. I am far from achieving that goal but by the work of the Holy Spirit in my life, God is slowly transforming me into the image of His Son, Jesus Christ.

 

Who would know the difference?

 

God does. This is why He sent His Son, Jesus Christ. All who confess and repent of their sins and accept Him as Lord and Savior may know the difference between living up to one’s standards or to God’s.

 

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.

 

Lonely old man in his 80s. Strong-bodied. Can shop, cook and take care of himself. No chronic illness. I retired from a scientific research institute in Tianjin, with a monthly pension of 6,000 RMB ($946) a month.

Source: Washington Post

 

This ad was recently posted in a Chinese bus shelter by Han Zhicheng. Han’s reasoning was simple. He was a widower, estranged from his children, and nearing the end of his life. “I won’t go to a nursing home. My hope is that a kind-hearted person or family will adopt me, nourish me through old age and bury my body when I’m dead.”

Sadly, Mr. Han passed away a short time after posting this ad. He wanted to be adopted so that someone would take care of him. Growing old and alone-it is the fear of many, mine as well.

All of us have experienced loneliness, but when it progresses to despair, all hope seems lost. It may motivate us to do things like Mr. Han. Evangelist and Christian apologist Ravi Zacharias solemnly noted, “The loneliest moment in life is when you have just experienced that which you thought would deliver the ultimate and it has just let you down.”

Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted.
Psalms 25:16 (ESV)

Loneliness is not restricted by age, gender, or financial standing. King David, the greatest King of Israel, wrote these words thousands of years ago. David was honest with himself and before God. As a youth, he spent many hours as a shepherd, alone and caring for his flocks. As a young man, he was pursued by a maniacal and jealous King Saul who forced David to flee into the dessert. As king, David’s own son, Absalom, usurped the throne from him, and he was again forced to flee into the wilderness. Loneliness. One of the greatest saints of the Bible, King David, viscerally experienced it. But in spite of many seemingly hopeless situations, David never allowed the loneliness to advance to despair. Instead he clung to his faith in God and confidently proclaimed a few verses later…

Oh, guard my soul, and deliver me! Let me not be put to shame, for I take refuge in you. May integrity and uprightness preserve me, for I wait for you.
Psalms 25:20-21 (ESV)

God will adopt us as His beloved children when we confess and repent of our sins and accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. When we do, God is faithful to keep His promise to us and deliver our souls from loneliness.

No one should descend into the despair of loneliness when God is offering to adopt us has His children.

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.

 

 

 

She stared at me, snarling, her eyes never leaving mine. In a few seconds, she morphed from my playful girl into a vicious and hostile creature. She was my dog and I was attempting to give her a bath! This five pound bundle of fur showed no hesitation as she stood up to me, a creature more than ten times her size.

 

My dog is a chihuahua, the smallest known breed of dogs. But as any owner of a chihuahua can attest, what they lack in size, they more than compensate in courage. The internet is replete with examples of this mighty mite standing up to dogs many times their size, including pit bulls! They will jealously guard their owners by barking and biting other humans, especially when they perceive imminent harm or danger.

 

Only one word can describe this breed.

 

Fearless!

 

The Bible is filled with thrilling stories of fearlessness. Gideon led an army of 300 men, whittled down by God from 32,000, to face and conquer the Midianite army, more than 10 times their size.  David was able to conquer Goliath, a Philistine foe twice his size. These great heroes were fearless because of their unshakeable faith in God.

 

But this is not the greatest story of fearlessness, of overcoming seemingly impossible odds. Our Lord Jesus Christ was confronted by the prince of this world, Satan. In fact, Satan tempted Jesus with the lust of the eyes, flesh, and pride of life by offering Him the kingdoms of the world, if only He would bow down and worship him. Jesus did not succumb to Satan’s beguilings. Even tortured to death on the Cross, Jesus remained steadfast in His mission, to reconcile the broken relationship between God and man. God raised Jesus from death on the Cross, resurrecting Him three days later. Not the first man, Adam, nor Solomon, the wisest and wealthiest king of Israel, nor the Apostle Paul, the greatest missionary the world has ever known, accomplished what Jesus did.

 

And one of the elders said to me, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.”       

Revelation 5:5 (ESV)

 

As a man living on this earth, Jesus Christ repeatedly and successfully stood up to Satan, never shying away from the task. As our glorified God and Living Savior, He will return to this earth to someday defeat Satan and his demons for the rest of eternity. And because of His example, we, too, can stand firm against Satan through our faith in Him.

 

But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.

Hebrews 10:39 (ESV)

 

This is our God! Jesus Christ, the Lion of Judah.

 

Fearless!

 

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.

 

 

Gone With the Wind.

 

Breakfast At Tiffany’s.

 

My Fair Lady.

 

These are just a few great American classic movies, and also great examples of political incorrectness. From racist stereotypes to misogynistic behavior, many scenes from these movies are cringeworthy when viewed through the lens of current social mores, eliciting the bellicose outcry, “Not PC!”

 

Political correctness. 

 

It is the clarion call of social media and the workplace. It is the avoidance of any language or behavior that excludes, marginalizes, or discriminates against any group of people. Although it is usually applied to sex, race, and religion, it has expanded to envelop any group of people that is viewed as disenfranchised. There are no limits to what falls under the umbrella of PC, even though it is inherently contradictory. Seeking to be completely inclusive, supporters of political correctness ironically exclude groups that do not share their views.

 

The Bible is a frequent target of the PC police. Like the stereotypes portrayed in some classic movies, critics have leveled the same charges that have been hurled against these films. There is no place for the Bible in this modern society. The Bible is not PC!

 

And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved…

Joel 2:32 (ESV)

 

Is the Bible politically correct? 

 

Absolutely! It is the most inclusive Book ever written. From the very first verses, God extended His grace and mercy to all who call upon His Name. It was a man who turned his back on the limitless blessings of God, choosing his path rather than obeying God. Instead of realizing his sin, man has devised fanciful and imaginative reasons to explain his faults and failings. It is a genetic disease; it is the fault of our families; it is the environment. Man has placed the blame for his sins on everyone and everything else except where it truly belongs- himself. Man places his needs and desires over God’s. Man makes himself a god. The result is a world filled with people who exclude, marginalize, and discriminate against others. The world is not PC because man is not PC. 

 

What hope is there for any of us? God has provided the answer. If we confess and repent of our sins and accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we can change the world and begin the road to redemption, restoring the broken relationship between God and humanity. There are no limits to the love, grace, and mercy of God through our Savior, Jesus Christ. 

 

Not PC? That is not the Bible!

 

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life. 

He was immaculately dressed in a conservative suit. His hair was neatly trimmed, combed above his ears. His voice was calm and soothing with a slight German accent. If he did not have his hospital ID badge, I would have mistaken him for a visiting business executive. He was the hospital chaplain.

 

During the recent hospitalization of my daughter, this chaplain visited her room when I was caring for my daughter. It was unannounced and quite welcomed. He explained that all patients are visited by the hospital chaplains, to provide spiritual support and care, and to address any concerns the patient and family members may have. I thanked him for coming and spent a few minutes explaining the medical condition that led to my daughter’s hospitalization. Although his paternal air was certainly in line with my own expectations for the demeanor of a chaplain, I wanted to know a bit more about his background. I assumed he was a Christian chaplain but there was no clue to his background, so I inquired.

 

“I’m a Quaker!”

 

As I soon learned from him, he was one of four hospital chaplains, all working in an interdisciplinary Christian setting. The other chaplains were Catholic, Baptist, and non-denominational Protestant.

 

“We have our doctrinal differences but what unites us is our desire to serve God, through Jesus Christ, and provide comfort and support to patients and their families.”

 

My heart warmed as I shook his hand. “Thank you, Chaplain. You are all doing a wonderful ministry for the patients!”

 

For the one who is not against us is for us.

Mark 9:40 (ESV)

 

It is appalling and deplorable that doctrinal differences between Christians have led to serious divisions and wars, present since the beginning of the Church with the resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ. Rightly did our Lord make this statement, forseeing the impending divisions that would divide His Body, the Church. It was refreshing to meet a fellow brother in Jesus Christ, who accepted and put aside any doctrinal differences with his fellow believers, to focus upon the greater mission of ministering to hospital patients and their families and spreading the love of Jesus Christ.

 

Quaker, Baptist, Catholic-whatever the denomination, if you have confessed and repented of your sins and accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, you are a Christian. Are there doctrinal differences? Yes. But I truly believe that if Christian believers focus upon what binds them together, rather than what separates them, the Gospel of Jesus Christ will flourish and more lives will be changed by His love through the work of the Holy Spirit.

 

“I’m a Quaker.”

 

Yes. And we are Christians! Praise God for the Church, the Living Body of Jesus Christ.

 

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.

 

St. Louis!

 

It was my home for one year when I did my fellowship in dermatopathology at the Barnes Hospital in Washington University. My mentors and professors were world leaders in the field and many wrote the textbooks I used for my much of my pathology residency training. I soaked in every moment, practically living in the hospital. Without a doubt, it remains my finest professional experience. It had to be; I needed these activities to distract my attention from living in St. Louis, the city.

 

I was elated when I was offered the fellowship but for a brief moment, I hesitated in accepting the offer, wondering whether I should take a chance or wait for the possibility of a fellowship in California. But I knew this was an opportunity of a lifetime and it didn’t take much reflection to conclude, “It’s only for a year!”

 

It was only a year of cicadas, tornadoes, sleet, and the worst flooding in the history of the United States. The weather was miserable-oppressively sultry summers and bitterly cold winters. Everyone yearned for those few weeks of lovely weather in the spring and the fall, the few weeks that I was accustomed to living every day of the year in Southern California. It was only a year filled with racial tension, with insults and slurs directed toward me.

 

Perhaps if I stayed longer, I would have grown to love the city, as millions of others do, but I have never returned to the city that I left nearly 25 years ago. It was only a year, but I remained solely focused upon my professional career and abandoned any hope of searching for the positive upside of the city. I focused only upon the present and did not look ahead to changes God was making in my character. Now, many years later, I can look back to that year with great fondness and appreciation to God for the excellent foundation it provided for my life.

 

…He had sent a man ahead of them, Joseph, who was sold as a slave. His feet were hurt with fetters; his neck was put in a collar of iron; until what he had said came to pass, the word of the Lord tested him.

Psalms 105:17-19 (ESV)

 

Many of the great saints of the Bible endured difficult living circumstances for a brief period of time, only to later be blessed by God. Joseph was wrongly imprisoned for several years in Egypt. Undoubtedly there were many bleak days for Joseph, but he never wavered in his faith. What was the result?

 

The king sent and released him; the ruler of the peoples set him free; he made him lord of his house and ruler of all his possessions, to bind his princes at his pleasure and to teach his elders wisdom.

Psalms 105:20-22 (ESV)

 

God was testing Joseph during this difficult period of his life. He was preparing him for the role of leader of Egypt, second only to Pharaoh. It was his preparations for God’s expectations.

 

Since that year, there have been many St. Louis’ in my life; betrayals by former colleagues,  illnesses in the family, the passing of family and friends. God uses these experiences to test and refine me. In spite of the passing of many years and presumed accumulated wisdom, when these events occur, I still sometimes wallow in self-pity and grouse about my circumstances instead of looking upward and outward to God, in earnest expectation that He is preparing me for the next phase of my life.  I pray to God to increase my faith so, like Joseph and the great saints of the Bible, in my next season of trial, I will stand firm and trust in my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

 

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.

 

My cell phone flashed a number originating from Dallas, Texas. Cold call telemarketer, I surmised. I intended to ignore it but considered the remote possibility it was a former dermatology client, now living in Texas, who reached out to me a few months earlier. I answered the call and received a jarring revelation.

 

“Hi! Is this Paul?”

 

“Who is calling?” Now, I was sure this was a cold call.

 

“This is Sue from Pet-Tek. We were alerted because someone found your dog in Venice beach.”

 

Her words were not registering with me. “Wait! Whose dog are we talking about?”

 

“Your dog’s name is Honey, right? She is a chihuahua mix, about five pounds.” She was describing my dog perfectly.

 

“Yes, yes…go on!”

 

“A woman named Nora found the microchip information on her and after tracing it using a web browser, she called us.”

 

“Nora?” I was absolutely dumbfounded.  A woman named Nora was working in our home for the past month. Why would she be in Venice Beach, a city nearly 40 minutes away by car?

 

“Yes, can I put you through to her?”

 

“Wait!” I quickly looked at my computer screen. I have several digital cameras set up in the house to monitor any activity, and one of them was pointed at Honey’s kennel, where I presumed she still was. As I sifted through the different images, the lighting was poor and I could not discern whether Honey was there, but it appeared as though she was not. How could this happen? Why would Nora take Honey to Venice Beach and not inform me?

 

“Yes. Put her through.” A short pause followed as the call was transferred. A woman’s voice came on. “Hi, this is Nora. I have your dog!”

 

“Nora, this is Paul. Why are you in Venice Beach with Honey?”

 

“I just found her wandering in our yard. She had tags so I knew she must belong to someone. The microchip information led me to you through the agency.”

 

“Yes…but why are in Venice Beach? You’re supposed to be at our home?”

 

“I am home!” she exclaimed. “What do you mean ‘our home’?” Something was awry. “Honey is a chihuahua, right, small like five pounds?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“What color is she?”

 

“She’s black with some white spots.”

 

Black? “No this can’t be right. Honey is brown.” It was beginning to make sense. “Does she have a name tag?”

 

“Yes, the tag has her microchip number on it.”

 

“Please read me the microchip number.” Within a few seconds, the confusion was resolved for both of us. The Pet-tek representative had copied down the wrong number and inadvertently had entered my dog’s chip number instead of the actual number that Nora gave her.

 

“Wow!” Nora said breathlessly.  “Okay, I better call Pet-tek and find out who the real owner is!”

 

I was relieved but my mind was still swirling with the surreal possibility that my dog was being transported, even kidnapped to another city. It was a case of mistaken identity. The same dog type, a woman who shared the same name as our worker, a city a few minutes away from our home-with so many coincidences, all of these conflated to make a very compelling story. Yet, chinks soon appeared in the story and with further investigation, the truth was revealed.

 

As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray…”

Matthew 24:3-5 (ESV)

 

Many people look for signs to predict when Jesus Christ will return to earth. Indeed, some charlatans have already claimed that they are the incarnate Jesus Christ, returning to earth, and imploring others to follow them. Like my dog and the many coincidences, with further investigation, all of these individuals are exposed as examples of a mistaken identity. When the facts are reviewed, it may seem incredulous that anyone could mistake these frauds as Jesus Christ. Yet circumstances of the moment may inveigle a willingness to believe and overlook any discrepancies or inconsistencies.

 

Mistaken identity.

 

Jesus Christ accurately prophesied our current events, and warned us, nearly two thousand years ago. Do not be deceived! Jesus Christ will return to earth as He left, in the clouds. When that happens, there will be no mistaking that God has returned. The sheer pure radiance of our glorified Lord and Savior will compel every knee to bow and everything to tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord!

 

No mistaken identity! There is only one God, Jesus Christ!

 

Amen!

 

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.

 

Pittsburgh Steeler’s linebacker Ryan Shazier suffered a devastating spinal injury in a game during the 2017 football season. In a remarkable and generous gesture of goodwill to Shazier and his family, the Steeler’s converted $8.26 million dollars of his $8.718 million dollar 2018 base salary into a signing bonus. In so doing, Shazier can immediately avail of funds for his treatment and support his family.

 

Aren’t God’s blessings like this?

 

He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to His own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit…

Titus 3:5 (ESV)

 

Some people believe that salvation is a lifelong process and only at the moment of death is salvation granted. Others believe that salvation is physically living forever. The Truth is even more beautiful! When we confess and repent of our sins and accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, all of the unlimited blessings of God are immediately available to all believers through the work of the Holy Spirit, indwelling within us. We do not earn our salvation by additional good works or by our own merit. We also cannot add to our salvation. Once saved, always saved. Jesus Christ paid the ultimate sacrifice for our salvation.  He immediately grants this to us.

 

God’s signing bonus that is given to us is salvation and eternal life!

 

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.

 

A Filipino friend of mine knows of my love for puns and clever turns of language. He was eager to share one from his native language, Tagalog.

 

“How can you ask a question and answer it using only one syllable?”

 

Grinning, I bit. “Okay, how?”

 

“Ba ba ba ba? Ba ba ba!”

 

What?

 

He repeated it again. What did it mean? We were both laughing as he explained. “Loosely translated it means, ‘Is it going down?’ It can be used in the context of an elevator. The answer means, ‘It’s going down.’”

 

I had to learn this! “What is this, do you say ‘ba’ seven times?”

 

“Yes! But you have to place the emphasis in the correct sequence. Say the first four ba’s with an emphasis on the last one, as if you are asking a question. The last three ba’s are the reply, so place the emphasis on the first ba.”

 

I stumbled through my first effort.

 

“Say it like this…Ba…ba…ba…ba? Ba…ba…ba!” He slowed the recitation and emphasized the critical syllables in the sequence.

 

Got it!

 

There are many things we read or hear that sound very similar. It is the placement of punctuation and/or verbal emphasis placed upon different words or syllables, that sometimes leads to an unrealized or different interpretations. The original Scriptures that comprise the Old and New Testaments of our Bible were originally written in Hebrew and Greek, at a time when no punctuation existed.

 

And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

Luke 23:43 (ESV)

 

Jesus spoke these words to the thief on the cross next to Him. This verse has been interpreted to mean that at the moment that both the thief and Jesus died on the Cross, they would be together in Heaven (paradise). Everyone, regardless of the life they have lived, can still be saved if they are truly repentant of their sins and confess Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Salvation is instantaneous with a true confession.

 

But what if the placement of punctuation were changed and the quotation read:

 

Truly, I say to you today, you will be with me in paradise.

 

Placing the comma after today, subtly changes the meaning. Was Jesus simply emphasizing to the thief that, as he was speaking to him on that day (today), they would someday be together in Heaven? Those who claim this latter interpretation state that salvation may not be immediate but eventual.

 

When there is an apparent discrepancy or disagreement in the interpretation of a verse from the Bible, one must always interpret the verse in the context of the totality of Scripture. In numerous passages in the Bible, it is clear that the moment one confesses and repents of their sins and accepts Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, their salvation is immediate and eternal. The beginning of the Church was on the day of Pentecost. About three thousand souls heard the Gospel preached to them by Peter and the Holy Spirit came upon them and they were saved Instantaneous! (Acts 2:1-41). Look at the conversion of Saul as Jesus struck him blind on the road to Damascus. When the Holy Spirit came upon and his eyesight was restored, it was as if scales fell from his eyes. Instantaneous! (Acts 9:1-19). The Philippian jailer held Paul and Silas in chains until an earthquake broke them free. Assuming his prisoners had escaped, the jailer was about to kill himself but was stopped by the reassuring voice of Paul. The jailer had listened to Paul and Silas singing hymns about Jesus. He experienced the earthquake. And now, he asked Paul and Silas. “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” Paul and Silas gave the answer for all seekers and believers. “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved…” Acts 16:30-33 (ESV). Instantaneous!

 

And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

Luke 23:43 (ESV)

 

Punctuations are only helpful when used and interpreted in consistency with the Truth of the Bible. God’s Word is infallible and internally consistent, for God does not contradict Himself. Our salvation is instantaneous if we truly confess and repent of our sins and accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.

 

Praise God!

 

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.