Month: October 2023

He was one of the world’s most wanted terrorists and he knew it. With armies of spies and foreign militaries seeking to kill him, he took every precaution and was always accompanied by numerous teams of bodyguards. He never used electronic communication, communicating by hand written notes, or face-to-face. He made all the right moves except he made one fatal mistake. He always took the same route when he visited his mistress. His assassins took note and planted a bomb in a car that was along the same route he used. In seconds, the manhunt was over. He broke the cardinal rule of protecting oneself from harm. Don’t take the same route. Don’t be predictable. 

Is the same true for our spiritual walk with God? Should we always take the same route? Should we always be predictable? Should we take a detour if we believe harm is about to befall us? What does God say about this?

There is a path before each person that seems right, but it ends in death. 

Proverbs 14:12 (NLT)

When we follow our own path, like the hunted terrorist, it will end in death. We may take all types of precautions. We may think we have outsmarted others. However, in the end, we are still on the same path to our final destination, death. 

The route that God lays out for our lives is never the same. It is filled with soaring vistas that lead to valleys. It is paved with smooth roads interrupted by potholes. However, the final destination is always the same. We will receive salvation and eternal life through faith if we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. 

Amen.

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

It was 420 AM and I crept downstairs to begin my usual exercise routine on my elliptical. It was the same weekday activity I had done for the previous 6 years, but there was something different that morning. I stopped and listened. No! It can’t be! I re-focused my thoughts on what I was hearing. It was true! Nothing! There was no ringing in my years. For the first time since it began, the ringing in my ears was gone.

I had been suffering from tinnitus, or ringing in my years, for over 5 years. There is an association with my hearing loss associated with age, otherwise known as presbycusis and tinnitus. My hearing loss was documented by several audiology exams. It was bad enough for me to strain to hear others in crowded rooms and I had taken to reading subtitles in programs I watched. However, it was not yet severe enough to justify a hearing aid. There was also abundant medical literature support to suggest that it may be causing my tinnitus. Over the last year, my tinnitus worsened, affecting my sleep and my work. I had another audiology examination which again confirmed a slight decrease in hearing. I decided to see a colleague, an ENT surgeon, and seek his opinion.

After examining me and reviewing the results of the audiology examinations, he asked me to join him in his office. His diagnosis caught me off guard. “You know there is no test to prove you have tinnitus. I can only take your word for it, and I believe you. Now, you do have hearing loss and that could be causing it, however, the severity of your tinnitus is far worse than the degree of your hearing loss would suggest.”

“So what’s causing my tinnitus?”

He looked at me, paused for a second, then said, “Tinnitus is not an ear problem. It is a brain problem. You have hearing loss and your brain gets confused when it thinks it should hear something but cannot hear it clearly. Thus, its signals get scrambled and it creates this interference pattern, sort of like static. Tinnitus is the result. In my experience, severe tinnitus like yours is driven by stress and anxiety.” He leaned forward. “Do have stress?”

I smiled. “Uh, sure I do. Come on. We’re both physicians.”

He nodded. “So do you have physician burnout?”

I chuckled. “Maybe. I haven’t been able to sleep well in years. My workload is oppressive. I am being pulled in so many different directions. You know, just being a physician.”

He pulled out a sheet of paper and began writing. “All of these recommendations to treat tinnitus are found on our society website. It sounds like you are doing most of these like exercise and cutting out caffeine. I think you need to seek psychiatric help for your stress. Would you like me to write you a prescription for Xanax?”

I was stunned. “That is very nice of you to write me a prescription for Xanax but if you think I really need to see a psychiatrist, then I will let the psychiatrist decide on the medication.”

“Fair enough. Let me know if I can help you in any other way. Good luck.”

After several days and many phone calls and emails, I found a psychiatrist and was able to get an in-person appointment with him. When we met, we made an instant connection. Aware that I was a physician, we had a very personal and academic discussion of my tinnitus and my anxiety. At the end of the appointment, he agreed that he needed to treat my anxiety and tinnitus. We discussed several medications and together, decided upon one that the medical literature showed success in treating both anxiety and tinnitus. Taking the medication that first night, I still had problems sleeping. However, when I awoke in the morning, I noticed the tinnitus, while present, was at a much lower frequency. During the day, I also noticed my anxiety was diminished. I was dismissive. Could just be the placebo effect, I reasoned. It was the next day when I awakened, and the tinnitus was gone. 

It was as if a weight was lifted off me. For the first time in years, my anxiety was greatly diminished, and just as importantly, so was the tinnitus. After three days, a pattern emerged. I would awaken with no tinnitus and then it would gradually return through the day until it peaked just before I went to bed and I took another dose of the medication. The tinnitus was usually a high-pitched hiss. Now, it was low-pitched and barely noticeable, even during quiet moments. When the tinnitus returned, my levels of anxiety also increased. The tinnitus was an early warning signal. It was like the aura warning migraine patients that the migraine was about to start.

Instantly something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he got up and was baptized. 

Acts 9:18 (NLT)

I have often wondered what Saul experienced when “something like scales fell from (his) eyes.” Whatever the sensation, I felt a similar intense revelation when my tinnitus was diminished. My treatment is still ongoing and I am not cured of my tinnitus. I needed to first recognize that the true problem was my anxiety which was driving the tinnitus. I am thankful to God for the complicated pathway that He led me through to receive the proper diagnosis and treatment.

The scales have fallen from my eyes and I continue to seek the balance that only God can provide.

Amen.

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

“Every agent lives in fear they will be exposed.”

I was watching a documentary on spies and this quotation was an often repeated theme. There are few jobs more dangerous than being a spy. Movies such as James Bond depict a glamorous life and while some may engage in this lifestyle, all agents, even fictional ones, live with the fear they will be exposed and, if so, most likely, killed. They operate behind the scenes, on domestic or foreign soil. They pose as friends and business associates, gaining the trust of their co-workers and superiors. 

All these people died still believing what God had promised them. They did not receive what was promised, but they saw it all from a distance and welcomed it. They agreed that they were foreigners and nomads here on earth. Obviously people who say such things are looking forward to a country they can call their own. If they had longed for the country they came from, they could have gone back. But they were looking for a better place, a heavenly homeland. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them. 

Hebrews 11:13-16 (NLT)

Christians are agents of God and our mission is to spread the Good News to bring all to repentance and forgiveness of sins through faith and belief in Jesus Christ. Christian believers live in a fallen world. Satan is the ruler of this world. Satan attempts to thwart our efforts and he has influenced the world to not be as welcoming as it once was to Christians. Christians are being exposed as bigots, misogynists, and racists. However, unlike the spies, we do not have to live in fear. All believers in God have been persecuted and exposed because this is not our home. We continue our mission because we know that God has prepared a better place for us in Heaven. 

The only exposure that a Christian should fear is that our lifestyle is not representative of our relationship with Jesus Christ. Have we made our home in this world with Satan or do we stay focused on our heavenly home with God?

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

The conference room was brimming with nearly a hundred co-workers, many of them spilling out through the only door. They were eagerly awaiting a speech by the president of the company. “Happy holidays to everyone! It was because of your efforts that we had another successful year. I hope by now, all of you have received the year-end bonus that was electronically deposited into your accounts.”

The crowd nodded in approval and many shouted a hearty, “Thank you!”

“You are very welcome!” Smiling, he walked around the room. “I have asked you all here to personally thank each of you. Please, everyone, let me thank you!” 

The crowd organized into a jumbled line and one by one, each employee came forward and shook the hand of the president. As they shook his hand, he thanked them by name and handed them a $50 dollar bill. Most were pleasantly surprised. It was not the amount of money, it was the visceral and tangible experience of handling the money. Many left light-hearted, happy to receive cash that could immediately be used. The bonus that was already sitting in their bank accounts, sent by automatic deposit was appreciated, but it was almost an afterthought, compared to this event. It was money in their hands, something to hold and feel. It was a physical reminder of the gratitude the president had for his employees. 

Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and look at my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!” “My Lord and my God!” Thomas exclaimed. Then Jesus told him, “You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.”

John 20:27-30 (NLT)

As Christian believers, we receive the Holy Spirit who dwells within us when we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. It is an imperishable salvation, eternally present. God, through His grace and mercy, will always remind us of His presence by blessing us with relationships and material blessings. These are all physical reminders that we worship and serve a living God. Like Thomas, God reminds us that we sometimes need to have the physical presence of His blessings to reassure us of His eternal bountiful blessings that are secured for us through faith and belief in Jesus Christ. 

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

A virtuoso pianist of the 20th century, Arthur Schnabel, stated. “The sonatas of Mozart are unique; they are too easy for children, and too difficult for artists.” Mozart’s compositions are among the most well-known melodies that are still hummed and played by innumerable orchestras at all levels. I played violin in my high school orchestra and was privileged to play many compositions by Mozart in numerous settings, including chamber music and full orchestra. One enterprising company in the 1990s even created a video series known as “Baby Einstein.” The videos played background music by Mozart and other classical composers on the premise these musical compositions could help to stimulate infant brain development. Whether there is merit in this hypothesis is debatable. However, there is simplicity and beauty in the music of Mozart that is approachable to all ages. Deceptively simple, the melodies are easily remembered by a layperson but difficult to play and interpret even by professional musicians. 

Jesus called a little child to him and put the child among them. Then he said, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven. So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. “And anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf is welcoming me. 

Matthew 18:2-5 (NLT)

Jesus welcomed the children to come to Him. His teachings were easy for children to understand and they eagerly accepted Him. However, the same teachings were too difficult for some scholars and even His disciples to understand. The worries and concerns of the world, the layers of mistrust and misdeeds of life, all of these made it too difficult to simply accept His teachings. They questioned. They doubted. Many stopped following Him.

When Jesus Christ calls to you, answer Him as a child. Trust Him as a loving father who only wants the very best for you. You can trust Him because He is the Living God.

Amen!

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

For years, I could not enjoy listening to classical music. It wasn’t the music, it was because of the people whom I associated with the music. When I was in college, I met several fellow students who were either music majors or had an active role with the college orchestra. One student was particularly aloof to anyone who did not share her love of classical music. She knew that I had a great love for jazz guitar and often played it and listened to this genre of music during my free time. Her dorm room was close to mine and one afternoon, I was inspired to play a solo jazz guitar piece, which I had been attempting to master. There was one chord which was an unusual harmonization that truly set the song apart from others. When I played it, I was struck by the beauty of the dissonant tones which then resolved to the next chord. Excited, I opened the door, saw this student, and called her over. 

“Listen to this chord!” I strummed it again, carefully articulating every harmonic nuance. “Isn’t that beautiful?”

She looked and sniffed. ”I guess so. I’ve heard it before. You’re not a classical musician. You just haven’t heard enough good music.”

My enthusiasm was quickly deflated. Because of that encounter, I never wanted to speak about music again with a classical musician. This bad association remained with me for most of my adult life. It is very difficult to break bad or negative associations that have scarred us. My spiritual life was no different. As a child and teenager, I did not respect most of the Christians I had met. They were judgmental and quick to point out my flaws. It was a spiritual and literal finger-wagging. The last thing I thought would ever happen was for me to become a Christian. God used a Christian brother to reach out to me when so many others turned me away from Him.

Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. 

Galatians 6:1 (NLT)

We are all sinners. We all need to recognize our lost condition, repent of our sins, and accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. For years, I used the excuse of bad associations with other Christians to justify my refusal to come to Jesus Christ. In God’s perfect timing, He sent a Christian brother to gently and humbly help me recognize my fallen state and show me that I desperately needed a Savior. It was my bad association with sin that prevented me from my eternal association with an all-loving God.

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

My father was smiling when he returned home from his appointment with my high school classmate who was now an orthopedic surgeon. When he saw me, he chirped, “Son, your classmate. Did you know he’s god?”

“What? Do you mean Jake? You saw him, right?”

“Yeah, Jake. I was sitting in the exam room and he walked in, took one look at me, and said, ‘You need to have both of your knees replaced.’ “

“And that’s bad?”

“He didn’t even examine me. He just told me my diagnosis! He’s God!”

Some people are very good at their profession. They may even evoke an almost supernatural ability to accomplish any task. I knew my former classmate was a very good orthopedic surgeon, which is why I encouraged my father to see him to examine his aging knees. While I suspected he would need a bilateral knee replacement, I thought for sure Jake would be more humble with his attitude. To his credit, he did later examine my father and examined x-rays of his knees, confirming his diagnosis. Nonetheless, his arrogance was on full display. What a contrast to another great saint of the Bible, who also healed people. 

When Peter entered, Cornelius met him, and fell at his feet and worshiped him. But Peter raised him up, saying, “Stand up; I too am just a man.” 

Acts 10:25-26 (NASB)

Peter was a man who healed many people through the power of the Holy Spirit, through his faith and belief in Jesus Christ. People, like Cornelius, were in awe of his popularity and power, even willing to worship Peter. Peter would have none of this. He always acknowledged where his power and ability originated. His humility was on full display. 

God has bestowed a variety of gifts to all of us. We can use these gifts to glorify Him or to puff up our own reputations. On the day of Judgment, we will all have to answer to Jesus Christ who will judge us on how we used the talents He gave us. At that moment, it will be too late for some who thought of themselves as gods among men. We are all just men. We were not created to seek out our own glory but to seek out a relationship with God our Creator, through faith and belief in Jesus Christ. 

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

I grew up listening to pop and rock music. The most common song structure is known as AABA. Basically, it means the first, second, and fourth sections (A) have a similar melody while the third section (B) has a different melody. Also known as the 32-bar form, many popular American songs are written in this format ranging from great standards like “I Got Rhythm” to rock and roll pop classics like “Yesterday.” There are numerous variations but most popular music is based upon this template. It was familiar and I could easily follow the theme of the song. 

When I began listening to classical music, I was disoriented. The melodies and harmonies were captivating. Yet, with many compositions, the form was unfamiliar. Some seemed to meander through endless themes and motifs. Where’s the bridge and chorus? A term in musical theory composition to describe these forms of classical music is through composed music. It is defined as a continuous, non-sectional, and non-repetitive piece of music. In other words, instead of AABA, it could be ABCDEF or innumerable other algorithms. Regardless of the form, the end result is beautiful music that lifts our senses and expectations. I experienced a new way to appreciate music and learned how different themes are creatively woven together in an elegant composition. 

When I became a believer in Jesus Christ and began reading the Bible, I found many of the books to follow a familiar format. Yet there were also many books that utilized different literary forms. The Bible is history. It is poetry. It is wisdom. Some of the books are written in chronological order while other books are arranged by topics. Regardless of the form, the end result is a beautiful theme, God’s plan for redemption and salvation through faith and belief in His Son, Jesus Christ. 

Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.

Mark 13:31 (NASB)

God draws all seekers of Truth through many different forms. Some will read the Gospels and recognize the Truth through Jesus Christ. Others will find comfort in the Psalms and see a loving and compassionate God. Others will read the Book of Genesis and realize that we are not a random collection of molecules but were created for a definite purpose, to be in a relationship with the God of all Creation.

God’s Word is eternal. It will never be limited or constrained by man’s precepts. 

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

VAIDS.

Not AIDS. VAIDS. It is an acronym for Vaccine Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. The culprit? The COVID-19 vaccine. One Canadian study suggests that those who have been doubly and triply vaccinated for COVID-19, have lost on average 74% and 73% of their immune system capability respectively. The ominous result is these vaccinated individuals are actually more likely to contract COVID-19 than the unvaccinated. Like everything in science and medicine, there is a vocal opposition that debunks these claims by this newest group of anti-vaxxers claiming there is no hard science to support their claims. Who is right?

It is the same animated discussion that grips the religious world. Muslim and Jew. Hindu and Buddhist. Protestant and Catholic. For every argument in support of one religion, the opposing side brings up equally compelling arguments in favor of their own. Who is right?

The answer is always found in God’s Word. We must return to the beginning.

For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures.

Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them. For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. 

Romans 1:20-25 (NASB)

God created us. From the beginning, we knew who God was but chose to turn away from Him by sinning and rupturing the perfect relationship and fellowship we had with Him. We thought we had become wise, substituting other religions to replace the one true relationship. We thought we could explain the wonder of His creation by our own worldly explanations. Instead, we served the creature rather than the Creator. 

Who is right?

God is right from the beginning of Creation. 

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

Are you a servant or a slave to Jesus Christ?

As Christian believers, we know that we serve Jesus Christ. However, should we seek to become slaves to Jesus Christ? Is there a difference? The Bible makes it clear that we are either slaves to sin or slaves to God. 

Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living. Thank God! Once you were slaves of sin, but now you wholeheartedly obey this teaching we have given you. Now you are free from your slavery to sin, and you have become slaves to righteous living. 

Romans 6:16-18 (NLT)

The word, slave, has a negative connotation, particularly in today’s politically correct and woke world. Yet, in the ancient world, during the time the New Testament was written, slaves were part of the culture and social hierarchy of the Roman Empire. There were also servants and there is an important distinction between the two. A slave lived with their owners, in the same home. A servant was a hired hand and did not live with their owners, returning to their own homes in the evening. Thus, there was a far more intimate relationship between the slave and their owner. The slave was entrusted with the care of the family’s children. They were far more loyal than a servant who was only as trustworthy as the money they were paid. The slave’s owner had absolute power over them and while some slaves did run away, it was unusual, with most slaves choosing the safety and security of their relationship with their master.

Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave of sin. A slave is not a permanent member of the family, but a son is part of the family forever. So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free.”

John 8:34-36 (NLT)

As believers, we serve Jesus Christ. Yet, we can be more than servants. We should welcome the opportunity to be slaves to Jesus Christ. It is not the evil and denigrative relationship when mankind enslaves and exploits others. It is slavery that paradoxically sets us free because we are now co-heirs with Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

Servant or slave. 

We are both when we accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and become sons and daughters of the Living God. 

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