Are You Good with That?

The following was written by a friend, neighbor, and brother, and is posted with his permission. This caused me to pause, and think—which is most likely an intention of anyone who writes (I know it is with me). He'd shared this with me, and I wanted to do the same. Very good stuff. Enjoy.


ARE YOU GOOD WITH THAT?

The last few years I've noticed an increase of "prophetic word". Folk (mostly clergy) saying this is the year of...Overflow, or Harvest, or Increase, or Favor. Invariably someone at the end of that year, who by the way received and believed that word, had the year from HELL (real or imagined). For them it appeared at times, that there was a decline in their finances, disorder in their lives, unimaginable pain. For them their latter was not nearly as great as their past.

• What do you do when GODS delay is denial? I can no more tell you what to do than the man in the moon. I can ask however; Are you good with that?

Increasingly I've come to realize that I better be sure that my declarations are mine and not an extension of someone else’s trending. Some people are having some of the most difficult periods of their lives. Christmas, Hanukah, Kwanza, Father Time, The New Years Baby, 2011, nor some trending catch slogan is going to change that.

• What do you do when the Harvest is not ripe and the laborers are many? I can no more tell you what to do than the man in the moon. I can ask however; Are you good with that?

I take issue with the lack of balance in this new age "Dr Phil School of Absolute Prohecy" messaging. Not because it is thin, or not rightly attenuated to the nefarious ways of man. No, I take issue with the oft practiced avoidance of the, "Not Your Year" Clause. The “If I can’t sell it, I won’t espouse it” Clause. I guess there is no market for "I'm glad I didn't go through that" messages.

• What do you do when the grass is greener on the other side? I can no more tell you what to do than the man in the moon. I can ask however; Are you good with that?

Make no mistake about it; for every great, wonderful, miraculous story there is the polar opposite. There is that message of blessing that the Pontiff, Pastor, or Prophet told you, was on the way, just before their condition changed and the message went to "Warfare".

• What do you do when you are told the "enemy is attacking"; but things couldn't be better for you? I can no more tell you what to do than the man in the moon. I can ask however’ Are you good with that?

There are going to be those who say this is food for thought, sadly profound, or an early morning diatribe. And others who will say they can hear frustration and pain. And I say....In everything give thanks.......In all my ways acknowledge.....

I’m good with that.
©Stephen D. Kee-Author

If this is something you enjoy, please check out his book "I Head What You Said, But I Saw What You Did"

Merry Convictmas

In a community group my wife and I visit on Sunday mornings we were discussing Christmas. From pre-Christ winter solstice celebrations, through His birth, to original Mardi Gras-like Christmas celebrations, to Santa, to the Americanization. And even covered the financial impact of the Christmas Holiday in America—I believe it was said to be $30 Billion industry—that's just Christmas stuff, not even the gifts!

After we'd looked at the timeline of historical Christmas, the question was posed to the group. "What are you going to do to celebrate the birth of Jesus?". The room was silent for a bit. Thoughts were swirling through my head.

Christmastime causes me to think a lot, and I have been quite intentional with some thought in this blog (Wack Friday and Holiday Obligations). This time of year I am whelmed with thoughts of overcommercialization, focus on the needy, helping your fellow-man, giving and serving, and sharing the Gospel.

That said, I was convicted pretty heavily in two areas:

1. What am I going to do to celebrate the birth of Jesus?
2. Why does this others whelming come so much only at the Thanksgiving/Christmas Season?

Regarding #1, clearly I/we get focused on getting a lot of the Christmas Holiday "right". Doing the right things. Finding the right gifts. Running around to parties. Creating time to celebrate with family—to give and share.  Now my own household has diminished a lot of the extravagance of the season but we continue to figure out which Christmas Eve service we are going to attend to that will play into our other plans for the Eve.

Conviction #1, I truly want to celebrate the birth of our Savior.  And celebrate we should. Perhaps not Mardi Gras, but we really ought to celebrate THIS occurrence which perhaps Simeon summed it up best in Luke 2:30-32 "For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.” THIS occurrence need celebration—through praise and honor, through warmth and family, through joyful telling of stories and song!

Regarding #2, perhaps its the "feel good" stories, Christmas Carol, etc. that can bring a focus toward fellow man and redemption. The cold weather as we're nestled in under our blankets with cocoa vs. the thoughts of the homeless on the street. The Holiday and the loss of loved ones. Or the lonely.

Conviction #2, this consideration and attitude needs to take place year-round. We do our best, but we all lose the vision. The priority of reaching, communicating with and reforming others—through the redeeming power of Jesus—needs to be our #1 focus 365 days a year. Not just around the 25th of December. Now, a lot of folks may be good at this. I just know I should always try to do better than I have.

I hope this makes sense. There is a lot on my mind and heart about this....

Holiday Obligations

This Christmas as with every Christmas, I find that I am busy, cynical toward the commercialization, trying to keep the family joyful, and working hard up until some time off. All the while, trying to remember the Christ child. Last night I was smacked in the face by a couple of verses.

• "I am obligated both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish. That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are in Rome. For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile." Romans 1:14-16
• "Remember how the LORD your God led you all the way in the wilderness these forty years, to humble and test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your ancestors had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD. Your clothes did not wear out and your feet did not swell during these forty years. Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the LORD your God disciplines you. Observe the commands of the LORD your God, walking in obedience to him and revering him." Deuteronomy 8:1-6

Not only is this a time of reverence for Christ's birth, but additionally, a reminder of our place in the world. A world that needs us. Greeks and non-Greeks. Jew and Gentile. Haves and Have-nots. Friends and Enemies. Haters and Hatees. The Successful and the Failures. The Straight and the Gay. The Cheater and the Cheated. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.

We are obligated to open our homes—without worry as to the pomp and experience—just open them. We are obligated to open our hearts. We are obligated to open our wallets. We are obligated to open our mouths. We must remember how the Lord your God...

Faith and Flying

Hebrews 11:1 shares "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."

Hoping and Not Seeing. Not exactly a concept which can instill a lot of confidence in the day and age. In the professional landscape, we must ensure ROI.  And establish the pathway to success and move along it accordingly.

But what about us. What about us with our lives. Should we live our lives Hoping and Not Seeing? Doesn't seem to make all the sense in the world, does it?


I flew in to Atlanta from Minneapolis last night. Now flying to me is always a little odd. A big heavy metallic tube with wings that launches me and my fellow passengers up into the air and brings us back down safely, quite a ways away from where we started. You get on. The door is shut. It's crowded. A metallic voice shares status updates as to your whereabouts. And you just sit there—perhaps every once in a while getting up to pee—then right back to your seat. I hope this plane is gonna do as I believe it will. Get me where I want to go.

So, I had been dialed in to a couple of USA Today crosswords from the past couple of days, and took in some airline TV entertainment. Then the metallic voice shared that we were approaching our destination and to please check the security of your seat belt. At this point I am always reminded of the big, heavy, metallic tube with wings thing and check my seat belt. It was a bit of a rocky decline. Probably due to the weather. Swaying side to side. Back and forth. I tightened by seat again and again. Though I couldn't see the ground, I hoped we got there safely. And as I tightened my seat belt, I was more and more latching myself on to this plane.


Now if faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen, then am I tightening my belt to Jesus? Do I fully entrust Him to bring me safely to a destination which is a ways away from where I started? Tested faith is quite a definer of that which you have faith in. And the Lord has historically proven flight-worthy. Honestly though, I am a little scared of a tested faith—when all we can do is tighten our seat belt to that (or whom) which we trust. And this is a life full of faith tests.

Don't Think I Can

The question is not,"Can someone lead a good life without Christianity?" The question is, "Can I?" - CS Lewis 

I don't believe so...