Lost In Translation

I remember Greek classes … a somewhat of a an attempt to translate the Greek scriptures into a readable language of my own … aka English.  The intent was not to merely translate words but to translate the meaning behind the original words …  let’s call it application.  That was years ago … I do not translate the Greek any longer, other than an occasional word study in the Scriptures.  Which leads me to my point for this short blog … have we lost translating God’s  Word into our lives?

My pastor began Sunday speaking on the dreams God plants in our hearts to accomplish His work and how at times we might lose sight, bury or forget the dream.  Interesting how God works as I began reading the book of Acts this morning and was stopped in Acts 2:17 as it seem to reference me … “and old me shall dream dreams.”  It seemed to fit my life age as I am now 57, but am I dreaming dreams is what grabbed me?  As I read Acts 2:17-21 I jotted a few notes … prophecies, visions & dreams are not based upon my whims and wants but upon the Spirit directing my heart to see, uncover, the dream of God He has planted in me.  What is God’s dream for me?  This I know, it centers not on me, but on the work of Christ.  The translating of God’s Word into my life should always help reveal the dream of God in me.  Maybe it’s time to rediscover the translation of the dream God set for me long ago.  Will you find your dream?  It begins with the translation found in God’s Word.

- Bob

Water = Life

Don’t overlook the obvious when Jesus asks for a drink of water at the well in Samaria. The obvious is … Jesus was thirsty. Jesus identifies with our humanity which is the level we must identify with others. My spiritual condition was the same as the woman at the well … a sinner in need of the water of salvation. Jesus offered her living water as He did me.

This June 23-29 a team of living water recipients from Canopy Church will travel to Leon in Nicaragua to help dig/drill a clean water well with Living Water International. The point of identification with those in Nicaragua will be our humanity … like them we all want and need clean water. I cannot help but to believe our team will meet the woman at the well who hurts in her humanity. It is my prayer that we will be able to offer her and others a drink of clean water and the living water of salvation, both in Jesus name. My heart beats with excitement what God has planned for us in Nicaragua.

Proverbs 25:25
Good news from far away is like cold water to the thirsty.

- Bob

If God would put on your heart to financially support me and my son Sam in this mission endeavor email me, bobaubuchon@gmail.com for information.

Exodus God’s Word

The American Christian has for the most part has departed from God’s Word, known in the Bible Belt as “The B.I.B.L.E”.  Like the Children of Israel there is a mass exodus from “living” God’s Word.  We attend church and agree with the preacher and some will even say “amen” … but once the throngs of church goers leave the pews and exit out the doors it is back to my own word and the theory of “I’ll do and say as I please” … I mean after all my soul is safe from hell’s fire.  Right?  Enter Facebook, conversations, gossip (prayer concerns they’re called) and Christians demean everyone from Sports heroes to the President thinking all is fair game since they are public figures.  The demeaning comes out of the mouths of those who praise God on Sunday but malign those created in His image during the week. However, God’s Word, the Bible has much to say about how we as Christians are talk and treat one another and those outside the circle of the saved.

Luke 6:36 Do to others as you would have them do to you.

Galatians 6:10 So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.

Ephesians 4:29-32 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you

Colossians 3:12  Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience,

Proverbs 24:17-18 Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles, 18 lest the Lord see it and be displeased, and turn away his anger from him

Like I said … God’s Word is packed with how to control the heart, mind and mouth … we as those who say we believe God’s Word should start with living with what we believe.  It is not wrong to state an opinion, but when words are used to inflame, defame, demoralize the other person, God says we are sinning.  It’s not wrong to disagree with someone, such as the President of the United States, the guy at work, but when you purposely use your words to drag them down and beat them up with your words, God says you are wrong and in sin.

Where do I stand in this … GUILTY!  I have made my fair share of cutting remarks with an attempt to hurt, degrade etc. another person created in the image of God.  I am confessing my sin and seeking the power of the Spirit to control the tongue.  I would suggest we all do likewise, not because I am saying it, but because God’s Word says to do it.

Romans 12:10 Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.

-Bob

Endearing Poem

The following poem though unrelated reminded me of my mother.

December 1919
by Claude McKay

Last night I heard your voice, mother
The words you sang to me
When I, a little barefoot boy,
Knelt down against your knee

And tears gushed from my heart, mother,
And passed beyond its wall,
But though the fountain reached my throat
The drops refused to fall

‘Tis ten years since you died, mother
Just ten years of pain
And oh, I only wish that I
Could weep just once again

Murphy’s Law?

Psalm 107:21-22 Let them praise the Lord for his great love and for the wonderful things he has done for them. 22 Let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving and sing joyfully about his glorious acts.

Have you had one of those day’s that if something could happen it would happen?  Maybe it’s Murphy’s Law at work … “If anything can go wrong it will.”  I don’t really believe in those kind of laws … but I do know that in this life we are tested, tried, and too often found wanting (see Daniel 5:7).

Yesterday my pastor gave the admonition to live beyond thanksgiving  with “thanksliving.” Thus describing it as thanksgiving attitude moving into our actions of living a thankful life.  The emphasis of the message was “Thanksliving at Home”  We were asked to ask ourselves, “Does my life at home express an attitude and action of thanksliving?”  From a shared list Pastor Herb encouraged us to offer spiritual sacrifices (1 Pt 2:5) of ourselves, praise, relationship, sharing and saying sorry.  All these actions are note worthy in the home-life as well as the work-life for thanksgiving to be thanksliving.

All great stuff for living life in a grateful mode … until I went to work.  Then Murphy’s Law dressed in red showed up and began to peck away at my “giving & living” of being thankful.  Now I’m always thankful for my job, I really am … but I am not thankful for all that goes with my job.  And you guessed it … stuff began to happen … not so thankful attitudes of others, work details that seem to fall on me … and in a few moments time the notes, quotes and laws of thanksliving were crumbling away.  But then I remembered a word of summation I penned in my journal notes during the message … “DO, NOT IN DUTY BUT IN JOY”.  Perhaps it sounds silly, but I prayed silently … (it would have been cool to bust out like a Moses figure and pray … “Lord! Smite these less than thankful creatures!” But I knew I would be smitten too!!) … “Lord You gave me this job, help me carry out being thankful in my living right now.”  I remembered what Pastor Herb said, “Thanksliving speaks of our relationship with those we love.”  I can say, I love the Lord, I love the family He has given me to help provide for through this job.  Remind me Lord to be thanksliving even in Murphy’s Law … as You are Lord of all laws.

- Bob

Splinter Out

While working on a wood project I received a wood splinter in my thumb.  I could see it protruding out and grabbed it and pulled it out, or so I thought.  The next morning my thumb was amazingly sore and when examined under good lighting conditions I could see the remainder of the splinter in my thumb.  Bottom line was, I wanted the splinter out … but here is something else … so did my body.  In fact before I ever attempted to get the splinter out my body was already working to push it out.  The body does not like foreign objects embedded in it and it sends a team of white blood cells to begin the extraction process.   If left alone, that is the splinter, the body will fester and push until it pops open exposing the splinter to be rid of.  It really is quite amazing.  Not wanting to wait I asked my wife to get a needle (not sure what I was thinking) and extract the splinter … she stuck the needle in my thumb (where the splinter was), then squeezed and the splinter came out.  Now my thumb is healing.

I later thought that how the body reacts to the splinter (foreign object) is how we should react to the splinter of sin in our lives.  Sin for the Christian is to be seen as a foreign object in the body.  We should want it out of our lives … and if we leave it, the sin will fester and yes it will eventually be exposed (be assured your sin will find you out) as the Holy Spirit is purposed to “needle” (convict: John 16:8) us of sin stuck in us.  If we engage God’s Word on a regular basis the Spirit will push and prod the Word from the depths to the surface of our lives to allow us to see the splintering effect of sin.  It’s quite an amazing grace filled thing how the Spirit and body work together.  Splinter out sin and heal up!

-Bob

Wonderfully Made

Psalms 139:14 ESV  I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.

A week ago I suffered a second heart attack and was taken to the ER and from there two stents were placed in one of my bypasses from 5 years ago.  The knowledge God has given to man to mend the heart is amazing, as I watched the Doctor, on a large screen monitor find the blockage and place the stents in.  However it was when I was given an echo cardiogram on the day of leaving the hospital that the scripture above just came to life.  I watched the image of my heart beating with the valves opening and closing.  It was like time slowed down as I zeroed in on the valves opening and closing in a rhythmic pattern that played the song of life being received and given out to the rest of my body through each beat of the heart.  God was giving me a view of my own heart to say, “See how I have made you!”  In that moment the scripture came to life of how awe amazing and wonderful the body life is made and sustained by God.  I give  God praise for life, my life, and my mended heart.

Psalms 19:14 ESV  Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.

- Bob