‘Handy’ constant reminders (with a picture)

What do you see in this picture of my hands? (besides the fact that they haven’t seen much manual labor in nearly 59 years)

Here you go … let’s start with the right wrist:

• WWJD bracelet … Yes, I realize it’s a bit dated but the good news is it’s no longer a popular fad.  FYI … the WWJD slogan probably originated from the classic book by Charles Sheldon titled In His Steps: What Would Jesus Do.  If you haven’t read the book, it might be a good summer read.  Note the lettering is facing me … so this serves as a constant visual reminder to me throughout the day … By this we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.  1 John 2:5-6 (ESV)
• LIVESTRONG bracelet … this simple one word message challenges me to keep up the fight daily in this cancer battle I find myself in the midst of … especially on those difficult days.  I so believe that when I stop living strong … well, I think you know the conclusion there … May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.  Romans 15:13 (ESV)

Let’s move over to the left hand …

• Wedding band … both my wife and I grew out of the etched wedding bands we used to tie the knot over 30 years ago.  We got Sheryl a traditional gold band to replace the original.  My choice was a $5.00 ring from a Christian bookstore in Athens, GA. It is a simple ring with a series of the fish symbols circling the band.  It reminds me every day that our marriage is between me, Sheryl AND JESUS … “But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.  Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two but one flesh.  What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.”  Mark 10:6-9 (ESV)
• Sports Watch … nothing earth shattering here … perhaps a reminder of my younger years when I was a runner/jogger … I’m a punctual person … actually I would rather be early than on time.     There’s something deeper here just below the surface but I can’t seem to get my hands around it at the moment … considering …  Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise,  making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.   Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.  Ephesians 5:15-17 (ESV)

What do you see when you look at my hands?

“You shall therefore lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.” Deuteronomy 11:18 (ESV)

What do you see when you look at your own hands?

Thank you Lord for what you are teaching me!

Bernie

Guide to Chemotherapy … a good resource

Yesterday marked 8 months of chemotherapy and treatment #16.  While at the oncologist I picked up an interesting little magazine, Guide to Chemotherapy.  It’s published by Health Monitor.

The magazine table of contents for Guide to Chemotherapy includes:

• Get back to the life you love – Chemo is your bridge to the future
• Top questions about chemo
• Staying the course – Adhering to your treatment schedule can get you the best results from chemo
• Understanding your blood counts
• The side effects you must know about
• Conquering chemo anxiety – Overcome anxiety and de-stress before your first session
• Chemo mentors – How a support group can help
• Circle of support, chain of love – One woman’s mission to spread hope
• Get the nutrition you need
• Thrive during treatment – 20 tips for taking care of your body, mind and spirit
• Don’t forget about “date nights” – How to keep the intimacy during chemo
• Chemo and your job – Tips to make it work
• Understanding cancerspeak – All the terms you need to know

Now if you are a cancer warrior frequently visiting to your oncologist you might want to check and see if they have some complimentary copies.

Or you can check out the website Guide2Chemo.com.  Browse their website … while not laid out just like the magazine … all the magazine articles are on the website plus many more helpful articles.

If you are facing your first chemo treatment, if you’re an old pro at chemo, if you’re a caregiver or friend of someone with cancer – then check it out and see what you think.

Blessings!

Bernie

Is freedom of religion biblical?

Absolutely … but not in the way most of us think.

When we think freedom of religion, we typically believe we should have the protected right to practice our religion (I prefer the use of the word faith over religion) without fear of consequence, punishment, penalty, etc.

We typically believe the law of the land should guarantee that freedom … we want the law of the land to protect us in the kingdom of God … seriously?

But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.  James 1:25 (ESV)

So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty.  James 2:12 (ESV)

As believers we are judged by the perfect law … the law of liberty.  IMHO … the law of the land has more in common with the law of sin and death than the law of the Spirit … the law of liberty.

When the law of the land dictates how we practice our religion … then in my mind that might suggest we are choosing to serve a lesser god.

Freedom of religion would seek to end religious persecution … yet look at what scripture says about persecution …

Indeed, ALL who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.  2 Timothy 3:12-13 (ESV)

“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.  Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”  Matthew 5:10-12 (ESV)

Our freedom of religion comes not from the United States’ Bill of Rights … our freedom to choose to practice our religion is God-given but frequently does come with consequences.  Note the narrow way of Jesus and the choices he made …

“For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again.  No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”  John 10:17-18 (ESV)

Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here, while I go over there and pray.”  And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled.  Then he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.”  And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.”  Matthew 26:36-39 (ESV)

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,  who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.  And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.  Philippians 2:5-8 (ESV)

Note what Jesus taught His disciples …

And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.  For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.  Luke 9:23-24 (ESV)

In a country ruled by religious freedom, oftentimes our God-given rights to take up our cross, to lose our lives for His sake, to be persecuted … all are severely diminished.

Don’t misunderstand me … I love my religious freedom as much as the next guy … and believers don’t seek out persecution, persecution seeks out believers.  That said … I can’t help but wonder how freedom of religion is impacting my faith.

Contemplating …

Bernie

false prophets and freedom fighters

Yesterday we wrestled a bit with defining true freedom.  Today we are going to take a look at those who would attempt to take that freedom away (false prophets) and those who fight to defend and preserve it (freedom fighters).

First, there are a number of different enemies who would seek to take the freedom of a born-again Christian away.  Let’s look at false prophets …

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.” Matthew 7:15 (ESV)

When we know someone is our enemy, we tend to be a bit more wise to what’s at stake when they are around.  But a false prophet doesn’t come to us looking like an enemy … he or she comes waving a counterfeit banner of Christ looking just like one of us (in sheep’s clothing).  But do not be deceived … inwardly they are ravenous wolves seeking to devour all those who believe IN Christ.

They are “false brothers secretly brought in—who slipped in to spy out our freedom that we have IN Christ Jesus, so that they might bring us into slavery—“ (Galatians 2:4) that they might steal our freedom away.

They entice believers to become enslaved to their sin and the defilements of the world once again …

“For, speaking loud boasts of folly, they entice by sensual passions of the flesh those who are barely escaping from those who live in error.  They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption. For whatever overcomes a person, to that he is enslaved.   For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first.” 2 Peter 2:18-20 (ESV)

Yet those who have been set free IN Christ Jesus are called to be freedom fighters … both for those who seek to deceive and those who are being deceived once again.

Freedom fighters for Christ wage war a bit differently than most soldiers of the world.  Jesus proclaimed liberty aka freedom to the captives.  He is the Way to freedom … but only God grants the world repentance … a repentance that convicts us of the truth … a repentance that helps us come to our senses regarding our captivity … a repentance that leads to escape from the captivity of our enemy … and INto the freedom of Christ Jesus!

“And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.“  2 Timothy 2:24-26 (ESV)

Freedom fighters also battle to save the souls of brothers … sinners … who have wandered from the faith.

“My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.” James 5:19-20 (ESV)

Are you a freedom fighter? Am I?

Bernie

defining true freedom

In the U.S., we tend to have a very selfish viewpoint of what liberty and freedom is.  Oftentimes we see liberty and freedom as our personal right to do whatever we want, however we want, wherever we want, whenever we want … it’s all about making ourselves happy.

After all, doesn’t our Declaration of Independence of 1776 state …

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

Note what the revolutionary Jesus of Nazarath declared about liberty early in His earthly ministry …

And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read.  And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written,  ”The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”  And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him.  And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” And all spoke well of him and marveled at the gracious words that were coming from his mouth.  Luke 4:16-22 (ESV)

To better understand this liberty we must study the use of the word freedom in the New Testament …

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.  2 Corinthians 3:17 (ESV)

And how does God bestow the Spirit of the Lord and this freedom upon a child of God? As Jesus said in John 3:7, “You must be born again.”  Our rebirth and our freedom is found IN Christ Jesus (see Galatians 2:4).

To truly understand our freedom, we must first understand our captivity …

For while we were living in the flesh, our sinful passions, aroused by the law, were at work in our members to bear fruit for death.  But now we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code.  Romans 7:5-6 (ESV)

But how we use our freedom is a bit different from what our Declaration of Independence suggests …

Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God.  1 Peter 2:16 (ESV)

For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.  Galatians 5:13 (ESV)

Note how both those passages not only reveal how God has called us to use our freedom but also refutes how, in the flesh, we so often use our freedom as man.

Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.  John 15:13 (ESV)

Thank you Jesus for laying down your life and setting us free from our captivity and INto You!

Bernie

boys day out (with pics)

Saturday was ‘boys day out’ so my grandson and I hit the road before 8:30 in the morning … (this post includes lots of pictures)

Our first destination was the Gwinnett Environmental and Heritage Center for a little hiking … we started out down the Greenway Spur trail …

We picked up a hiking partner for a spell … but we were a bit too slow for him and eventually he sped off and left us …

This cool walkway and bridge mark the beginning of the Ivy Creek Greenway that runs to the Mall of Georgia area.

Here’s a map of the walk we took.  Start at the Gwinnett EHC, walk down the Greenway Spur, then hit the Ivy Creek Greenway to the Mall of Georgia going under all the bridges in the I-85/Buford Drive interchange, and into the swamp.  (The trail continues all the way to Gravel Springs Rd but we didn’t make it that far)

After 55 minutes of walking with temperatures nearing 90 degrees and after a short boardwalk through the swamp, we reversed course and headed back to the truck.

Then off to one of our favorite places to eat … Barbaritos Southwestern Grill for quesadillas, burritos, cheese dip with chips and lots of ice cold sweet tea … so good!

Next on the agenda: Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax.  We both thoroughly enjoyed this movie.  Afterwards I snapped this photo … I call it “The Lorax meets the Grinch” …

Then we made a quick stop at the Barnes & Noble in Athens.  Looking for books 4 and 5 in the Wolves of the Beyond series by Kathryn Lasky of Guardians of Ga’Hoole fame.  The good news … they had both books … the bad news … both are in hardcover.  My grandson loves reading both these series.

Last stop before heading home, since it is Memorial Day, was this local memorial to veterans of WWI, WWII, Korean War, Vietnam War, Desert Storm/Desert Shield and the War on Terror.  It was good to see the plaque on Arcade municipal property quoting John 15:13.

We had a really good day and I’m looking forward to the next ‘boys day out’.

Thank you Lord!

Bernie

Beloved brothers IN Christ are such a blessing!

In 1999 I began meeting weekly with my mentor Corban … since that time it has grown into a group of seven beloved brothers IN Christ who meet each Friday at 5:30AM around the long table at Cecil’s house.

Unfortunately, due to some of the rigors and side effects of chemotherapy getting up at 4:30am for a 5:30am meeting has just not been a possibility for the last 5 or 6 months.  So I have been unable to meet with Corban, Joe, Cecil, Frank, John and Ben … we stay connected via the phone and e-mail … but it’s just not the same.

“Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.”  Proverbs 27:17 (ESV)

“Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor.  For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion.  But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up.  Furthermore, if two lie down together they keep warm, but how can one be warm alone?  And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart.”  Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 (NASB)

“Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good.  Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor; not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality.” Romans 12:9-13 (NASB)

This mentor and these brothers have sharpened me and my faith … they have lifted me up when I have fallen … our relationships with each other have been strengthened IN our relationship with Christ … I have experienced the love of Christ through these brothers.

Well, this morning I was up at 4:15am and made it to the 5:30am gathering once again.  All the beloved brothers were there and we shared in food (coffee, chocolate glazed Krispy Kreme doughnuts, Hardee’s biscuits), fellowship, Bible study (TrueFaced study guide) and prayer.

Their questions of concern and encouraging words were and are so greatly appreciated.  Ben shared how his 4-year-old son prays for Mr. Webb every night in family prayers – Corban shared how he is praying for complete healing of the cancer.  The guys shared personal and family news – both good and bad. And at the end of the gathering six men laid their hands upon me and prayed for God’s blessings upon me and my family.  God blesses me, my family and those who pray for us every day … in both big and small ways.  Just being there today was a blessing to me … and at home to my wife.

(Note to self: need to send out prayer letter this weekend … it has been over three months since the last letter … and people are still praying for me!!!)

Beloved brothers IN Christ are such a blessing from God!

Bernie