Month: April 2021

“Where did your friend, Jake, get in?”

“He was the only one in our class who got into Stanford!”

“Stanford! Wow! Was he on the rowing team in his high school?”

I was listening in on my friend’s family discussion. Their son had been accepted to a very prestigious university. However, his first choice was Stanford and he was rejected. He joined a long list of very well qualified high school seniors whose dreams were shattered by a rejection from this elite school. Although the last question was stated in jest, the news of the college admissions scandal cast a dark shadow over the usual excitement of acceptance day. 

There will always be some raised eyebrows when a classmate, deemed less than competitive, gets accepted into a prestigious top-tier university. The inevitable push back from classmates may include statements such as, “But I had better grades and SAT scores than him and did more volunteer activities!” or “She must have had family connections.” The truth is that all colleges have their own agenda and are looking for applicants to complete it. Like a movie producer orchestrating a production, they are looking for specific applicants to fill a designated role. At least, this is the narrative that has been presented to the general public.

This confidence in the admissions process was completely shattered with the college admissions scandal which was exposed in 2019. Wealthy parents bribed various college personnel and bought an admission for their child, cheating the system. The notorious story of students being accepted on an athletic scholarship for rowing, even when they never participated in the sport during high school, was a slap in the face to thousands of applicants who played by the rules. It was a rude awakening to learn that this was not a level playing field and confirmed what many people had already suspected, the system was rigged. It led to the arrest and conviction of numerous parents as well as the ringleader, Rick Singer. Ironically, although numerous administrative officials and athletic coaches were charged, none of the colleges that participated in these bribes and scams were held accountable nor did they face any fines or reprimands. One wonders if the system remains rigged?

Then Jesus said to His disciples, “Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” When His disciples heard it, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?” But Jesus looked at them and said to them, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

Matthew 19:23-26 (NKJV)

The Jews felt if someone was rich, they were blessed by God This is why this statement of Jesus shocked them. If a rich person, presumably blessed by God, would have a difficult time getting into heaven, what hope would there be for the rest of us? Is there a hidden criterion? Is the system rigged?

The admissions scandal showed that the institutions of man will always be susceptible to temptation and sin. Only the Church of Jesus Christ will prevail. This is why Jesus stated, with men, this is impossible, but with God all things are possible. Salvation is not rigged. Not by wealth, good deeds, or the works of man will one have salvation and eternal life. There is no hidden criterion. It is only by confessing and repenting of one’s sins and accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior will salvation be granted by God. 

Amen!

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

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Very nice, a tray of succulents, perfect for my garden! 

I was at the local home and garden store and was waiting in line to pay for my latest addition. The succulents were smaller than my fist and were arranged in rows in a plastic tray. I quickly counted the vertical and horizontal rows-eight by four, thirty two plants. The sales associate scanned the barcode on one of the plants then proceeded to do exactly what I did, add up the numbers of rows. However, the process abruptly stopped. Instead of entering the number of plants into the cash register and ringing up the total, a perturbed look came across the salesperson’s face. A second later, a calculator was pulled out and I saw the number eight being entered.

“Oh, there are thirty-two plants!” I blurted out. 

The sales associate quickly put the calculator down and said, “Oh thanks!”

Unfortunately, my thoughtless remark embarrassed the associate. I did not know anything about this person nor was it my business. The calculator was a necessary tool to help complete the task. Simply because I could calculate this multiplication in my head did not make me better or smarter than this sales associate. I know some people who can multiply and divide by ten places in their head, not me! In fact, there are many areas in life where I need all the help I can get.

This yawning deficit is laid bare in my spiritual life. I have met many great saints who have so much of the Bible memorized that they can instantly recall an appropriate verse for any situation. While I have memorized a few verses, I rely upon an internet search or a word search on one of my Bible apps. I have become complacent and allowed my memorization skills to atrophy because I rely upon these technologies. I am reminded of the many Christians living in oppressive and restrictive societies who are persecuted for their faith. They fervently memorize any Bible verse they are able to obtain since to even own a Bible may be punishable by death. They welcome any assistance to help them learn more about God. 

God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.

1 Peter 4:10 (NLT)

Instead of following God’s command, once again, my pride hindered my witness of Jesus Christ to others. We are all born with skills of varying levels. These are gifts from God. We should embrace these different gifts and use our skills to uplift others who are lacking. 

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

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“Hey Jake! Thanks for calling back. Wanted to give you the follow-up on our patient.”

Jake is a dermatologist colleague and I was consulting on one of his patients. After we discussed the patient, I changed the topic. “Listen, I heard that your group was sold to a private equity firm. Congratulations!”

“Wow…hang on.” I could hear him walking and closing the door. “Yeah, the deal closed last week Friday. Unfortunately, I’m not a partner. No one told me until after the deal was done.”

“Oh.” Silence followed as I digested what he said. “Sorry to hear this and bring it up.”

“No…it’s okay. I am still trying to get my head around all of this. Looking at my options now and talking to other dermatologists.”

“Let me know if I can help. I’m always being asked by other dermatologists if I know anyone who may be a good fit for their practices.” 

We ended our conversation but I was understandably disturbed by his revelation. He had worked for his present group for over two years with the promise of becoming a partner. At the least, the owner-partners should have confided in him before the deal was closed. They may not have been under any legal obligation to do this but morally, it would have been the right thing to do. 

There are many situations in life when one may hide behind the notion that if that is there is no legal obligation to take an action, the moral consequences could be ignored. Like Jake’s situation, no law was broken but dire consequences resulted, leading to his estrangement. Jake’s partners most certainly knew they would hurt him with their decisions but were probably willing to lose him for the sake of the business. But what about other situations when the moral consequences are not as evident?

Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.

James 4:17 (NKJV)

The Bible addresses this issue. It is not an overstatement to assert that nearly all people know when they are doing wrong. God gives all of us a conscience. When we make a statement that something is wrong or does not feel right, we are making a judgment and comparing it to an absolute standard. There is only one absolute standard for morality and that is God. The question we all need to answer is how much of our conscience is in line with God’s will? If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, the Holy Spirit indwells within you, convicting your conscience and bringing it in line with God. The more we yield to God, the closer we will know how to be morally responsible in our actions when confronted with situations when the moral consequences are murky. 

No one told me.

This is never an excuse when we follow God. 

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

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“I know you are the King of Revenge so I hope your marriage will be blessed with many children and friends who give you toys with hundreds of pieces that have to be picked up!”

My best man was giving his toast at our wedding ceremony. He was referring to the gifts that I gave his young daughter for her birthday and Christmas. It was actually payback for a time when we were pathology residents. One day, he pranked me and hid my books and microscope throughout the laboratory. I only found them after searching for more than an hour. Payback time! I came in one weekend and hid his books, microscope, and even his chair throughout the hospital! He did not find some of his possessions for over a week and one turned up a month later when someone from another department brought the book to him after tracking him down by his name written on the inside cover. 

Vengeance is the action of taking revenge. Even in jest, vengeance is not an appropriate behavior. I would like to blame my reckless youth for my past behaviors but the truth is I still harbor feelings of vengeance. It may not take the form of hiding textbooks but more subtle actions such as passive-aggressive behavior. When someone wrongs me, I may be slower to reach out to help them or less willing to make contact. I bear grudges far longer than I should.

You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD.

Leviticus 19:18 (NKJV)

Jesus elevated this commandment of God to one of the two most important commandments, the first being to love God with all your heart, soul, strength, and mind. These are lofty expectations. I do not live up to them and the problem is with me. I do not love God deeply enough to know that whenever I harbor these feelings, I am disobeying and staining my relationship with Him. 

After all these years, I still wear the unholy crown of the King of Revenge. 

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

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Six AM. Perfect. Only three cars were at the gas station. I should be out of there in no time, I thought to myself. After filling up, I pulled out of the gas lanes and headed for the exit. On my driver’s side, a car pulled up alongside me and was much too close. I honked my horn at the same time he honked his. Too late. The unmistakable sound of metal crunching followed. We both parked on the side and surveyed the damage to our cars.

“What are you DOING?” Even though it was still dark, I could see his face was red with anger.

“I was going to ask YOU the same thing!” I shouted back. 

“Didn’t you HEAR my horn?”

“Didn’t you hear MINE?”

Impasse. Great. We were shouting at each other, desirous to get our points across. We both took photographs of the damages on both cars. Tense moments later, we exchanged driver’s licenses and insurance information on the hood of his car. It was then I noticed his address. 

“We’re neighbors!” We both looked at each other’s driver’s licenses and realized we lived a few miles from one another. 

“Huh, how about that?” His voice dropped several decibels from a few moments earlier. He shook his head. “Hey listen, stuff happens. That’s why we have insurance, right?”

I nodded. “Yeah, are you able to drive?”

He nodded affirmatively. We shook hands and parted ways. The situation rapidly escalated to a shouting match. It was only when we discovered that we were neighbors did the situation defuse.

And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested Him, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” He said to him, “What is written in the law? What is your reading of it?”

So he answered and said, “‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’ and ‘your neighbor as yourself.'”

Luke 10:25-27 (NKJV)

The lawyer came to Jesus and wanted to test Him. He knew the law and its requirements, correctly quoting God’s laws. But after Jesus affirmed his answer, he was not done.

But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

Luke 10:29 (NKJV)

Jesus then told the parable of the Good Samaritan, familiar to many. After Jesus told this parable, He challenged the lawyer to rethink his definition of a neighbor.

So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?”

And he said, “He who showed mercy on him.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”

Luke 10:36-37 (NKJV)

The Samaritan dramatically demonstrated who a true neighbor is. It is not a geographic, cultural, or ethnic closeness. It is showing mercy unto another. Instead of losing my temper and engaging in a shouting match, I should have acted like a true neighbor. I was not a very good witness for Jesus Christ.

I was his close physical neighbor but I was a distant spiritual neighbor. 

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

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The recent racially-motivated attacks against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have once again embroiled this nation in racial unrest. Every story is tragic. Numerous people have raised their voices in support of Asians who have been cruelly targeted. This testimony of one Asian elected government official in Ohio resonated deeply with me and many who viewed it. He was disgusted with the attacks and the years he has spent proving his loyalty to his adopted country of America. As he shockingly demonstrated in the video, “Is this patriot enough?”

Asian American official asks if his military scars are ‘patriot enough’ – CNN

We live in a fallen world and racism will continue to be with us. When one group of people attacks another because of the color of their skin or ethnicity, it is an attack upon all of us. Yet, so quickly and recklessly, the liberal and woke media conveniently blame one group or another as the source of the problems, pitting the races against one another, fomenting more strife and division. 

Millions of patriots still bear the physical and emotional scars of their honorable service to our country. When we view the actual scars, it is no longer an abstract concept, it sears the very souls of all who witness it. Thomas was not present when Jesus first appeared to the disciples after the Resurrection. In fact, he emphatically stated, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.” John 20:25 (NKJV)

Eight days later, Jesus appeared before the disciples and this time, Thomas was present. When he viewed the physical wounds that Jesus endured at His Crucifixion, he believed that Jesus is God. 

Then He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.” And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!”

John 20:27-28 (NKJV)

When we witnessed the horrible scars on this Ohio government official, we understood in a very graphic manner what sacrifice he made on the behalf of our country. The scars he bears are not limited to any race within our country. Jesus Christ knows his pain and the suffering of all who have been attacked. He is in Heaven at this moment, still bearing the physical scars of His sacrifice on our behalf. Jesus grieves with all who are targeted for violence or discrimination because of the color of their skin or ethnicity. He is God and He created all of us. We are related genetically and connected spiritually through Him.

It is time to stop listening to the wisdom of men and the woke media and turn our hearts to God and listen to His Word. 

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

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It was a deliciously diabolical device. A razor-sharp pendulum suspended from the ceiling slowly descended with each swing to the hapless prisoner tied to a table below. It was a deathtrap. The hero had no hope of escape. Yet within a few seconds, he deftly maneuvers himself and smears the meat that was left for him to eat, onto his bonds. The meat attracts rats which gnaw through the bonds freeing him within seconds before the pendulum slices his throat.  

Many of us recognize the famous escape of Edgar Allan Poe’s masterpiece, “The Pit and the Pendulum.” It has been adapted to movie screens and has thrilled generations of audiences.  The appeal is the deathtrap. Will the hero manage to find a way to escape? From James Bond, to Indiana Jones, to innumerable superhero incarnations, deathtraps are de rigueur for a successful production. And of course, the hero always escapes!

I have laid a snare for you; You have indeed been trapped, O Babylon, and you were not aware; You have been found and also caught, because you have contended against the LORD.

Jeremiah 50:24 (NKJV)

It seems the most intricate traps devised by man will always be sprung by someone clever enough. But what if God devised the trap? The Prophet Jeremiah describes such a scenario as he proclaims judgment upon the nation of Babylon. Conquering Judah and sacking Jerusalem, it was the most powerful world kingdom at that time. Yet, God had devised a trap for which there was no escape because they fought against Him. Within a few years, Babylon would fall to the Persian empire. It was an inescapable death trap, designed by God. 

We are all trapped by sin. It is the ultimate deathtrap, but it was not designed by God. We willingly allowed ourselves to be ensnared and we are all sentenced to death. Can we enact a miraculous escape like the heroes in movies and books? 

By our efforts, it is impossible, but we should not despair. We will always have hope of escape because God has given us the solution. If we confess and repent of our sins and accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we can break the bonds of the deathtrap of sin and receive salvation and eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ.

Amen!

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

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“May I borrow your notes from yesterday’s biology lecture? I missed class yesterday.”

“Sure thing.” I handed my notes to my friend. The next day, he returned my notes and shook his head. “You write like a doctor! Just chicken scratch. I had to get someone else’s notes just to read yours.”

Prescient words uttered by my college classmate. In spite of years of practice and admonitions from teachers and colleagues, I have obdurately clung to my poor cursive handwriting skills. The irony is that while my handwriting is atrocious and I dislike writing because I type faster than I write, I have a great respect for those who are gifted with the skill of elegant cursive handwriting and calligraphy. Cursive handwriting forms the basis of calligraphy, which is more formalized and intricate with deliberate strokes. The elegant strokes of calligraphy on an embroidered envelope are soaring musical notes in an endless sea of tonedeaf pedantic flyers advertising discounts on needless services. 

I was dismayed to learn that as part of the Common Core State Standards, instituted in 2009 for the revised educational protocols for public schools, learning cursive handwriting is no longer a requirement. Instead, there is focus on learning keyboard skills since by using computers and smart devices, every font of calligraphy can be reproduced. While this is a boon for publishers and the layperson who seeks to incorporate these fonts into their documents and announcements, it diminishes the beauty of creating and viewing an original cursive or calligraphy style. When one views the original, no matter how precise the copy, there is a grandeur and splendor that can never be replicated.

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
Colossians 1:15 (NKJV)

Every religion is founded by a great teacher or prophet: Zoroaster, Buddha, Mohammad, Baha’ullah, Sri Rama Krishna. Their teachings and followers gave rise to religions that are still practiced today. Yet, all of these founders died as men. Only Christianity unequivocally states that its founder, Jesus Christ, is God. He died in a public crucifixion and three days later was raised from the dead proving that He is truly God, conquering sin and death. We may see the power and splendor of God in nature and His creation but only Jesus Christ reveals the true nature of the invisible God in a way that no man or creature can ever do.

Like a master of calligraphy, when one meets Jesus Christ, we are witness to a grandeur and splendor that can never be replicated by any mortal prophet or teacher. He is the original.

He is God.

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

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Medical researchers have discovered that up to 10% of modern Europeans may be resistant to HIV infection because these individuals harbor a rare gene mutation. CCR5 is a protein found on all white blood cells. A rare mutation causes this protein to change and prevents HIV from entering its target white blood cells, protecting the  individual against HIV infection. It probably appeared in the human genome over 2500 years ago with a very low prevalence. What caused the mutation to become so prevalent in the gene pool?

The intriguing reason may be linked to the Black Plague that ravaged Europe in the 14th century. The Plague was caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis that was most commonly transmitted to humans by fleas that were carried by rats. About 40% of the population succumbed to the Plague and mathematical models suggest that this may have altered the gene pool boosting the prevalence of this mutation. It was an unexpected consequence of a devastating disease. 

Source Nature.com

As the world slowly recovers from the current COVID-19 pandemic, we are already learning of many unexpected consequences. From medical sequelae such as long term damage to the heart, lungs, and liver to legal issues such as worker’s compensation and workplace safety, our entire society has been transformed within less than a year. Positive effects include the explosion of technological tools that enable us to meet and work together from remote locations and the successful implementation of a new class of therapeutic agents, the mRNA vaccine (Pfizer and Moderna vaccines), that has broad applications in all areas of medicine. 

…that these days should be remembered and kept throughout every generation, every family, every province, and every city, that these days of Purim should not fail to be observed among the Jews, and that the memory of them should not perish among their descendants.

Esther 9:28 (NKJV)

Because of hundreds of years of sinning, God allowed the Jews to be enslaved and carried off to the Babylonian Kingdom. Thousands were slaughtered and the great temple of Jerusalem, that was built by Solomon, was destroyed. From this disaster, the Bible records the actions of Queen Esther, a Jewess, who was chosen by the king from dozens of women, to become the queen. At the time of their marriage, Esther had not revealed she was jewish. She later learns of a plot by a palace official, Haman, who hates the Jews and tricks the King into issuing an edict to execute all the Jews in Persia. God’s divine Hand of providence intervenes and Esther exposes Haman’s plot before the king who then executes Haman and allows the Jews to defend themselves. The Feast of Purim celebrates this victory of the Jews over their enemies. 

Unexpected consequences of a disaster may be immediately evident while others, like the Great Plague increasing the prevalence of the CCR5 mutation, may take hundreds of years before it is recognized. Through the faith and bravery of Esther, hundreds of thousands of Persian Jews live in the world today. Some of my closest professional colleagues proudly identify with them. I am honored to work with all of them and have trained many of them. However, it would never have happened if the tragic fall of Jerusalem and enslavement of the Jewish people by the Persian empire had not occured. It is an unexpected consequence from a dark chapter in Jewish history. 

Praise God for His faithfulness to the Jewish people. The Bible promises us that someday, all Jews will recognize Jesus Christ as their true Messiah and accept them as their Lord and Savior. It will be a glorious reunion in Heaven!

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

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I was recently sharing the story with my staff of how I met my wife on a blind date in 1996. After telling the story and how it led to our marriage, I asked them, “Have any of you ever been on a blind date?” Three of my staff are in their twenties and early thirties and all shook their heads. “With the internet and social media, you always know what the person will look like before you actually meet them.”

I realized that the concept of blind dates is vanishingly rare in this digital age, and why not? Many people would not meet a total stranger until they previewed them on an online social media site. If I was now single and currently dating, I probably would not agree to a blind date. 

In 1996, the internet was just beginning to be adopted, social media sites did not exist, and emails were embryonic, often limited to corporate intranets. Unless someone had a photograph of a person, it was left to the communication skills of the person making the introduction to paint an accurate representation of the potential future encounter.

No living person has ever seen Jesus Christ. Like a blind date, how can one place their trust in someone whom they have never met? For a blind date, we are dependent upon the communication skills of the person to make the introduction. The better the communicator, the more confident we will be that the person we meet will be accurately represented. What better person to communicate who Jesus Christ is than God Himself?

“Moses said, ‘The LORD your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from among your own people. Listen carefully to everything he tells you.’ Then Moses said, ‘Anyone who will not listen to that Prophet will be completely cut off from God’s people.’ “Starting with Samuel, every prophet spoke about what is happening today. You are the children of those prophets, and you are included in the covenant God promised to your ancestors. For God said to Abraham, ‘Through your descendants all the families on earth will be blessed.’ When God raised up his servant, Jesus, he sent him first to you people of Israel, to bless you by turning each of you back from your sinful ways.”

Acts 3:22-26 (NLT)

God has communicated with us. He has given us His Bible. In it is recorded thousands of years of prophecies proclaiming that Jesus Christ will be born on this earth, live a sinless life, and be tortured to death by Crucifixion on the Cross. The Bible also records that after three days in the grave, Jesus would be resurrected, proving that He is God and forever vanquishing death. 

When you confess and repent of our sins and accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, it is not a blind date with destiny. We know exactly who Jesus is because God revealed Him to us thousands of years ago. 

It is not a blind date but an eternal date of your destiny and salvation. 

Amen!

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

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