Whatever Happen to WWJD?

I am wondering if many in the religious community are not about as committed to the Kingdom of God as they were to the WWJD movement we experienced several years ago. Maybe the bans we all wore kept turning our arms black, or maybe everybody just developed rashes or couldn't find new ones when you could read the letters anymore. I really think the very thought of doing what Jesus would do hit a little to close to home and we didn't want to keep the ban we wore so close we were constantly reminded of what Jesus really would do.

Right there on our arm, easily seen, was way too much of a reminder when you were wearing it 24/7. It was right there when you passed a hungry parent and child sitting near an overpass, and how could you avoid seeing it when the appeal for contributions to Free Clinics and Youth Sports in poor neighborhoods kept coming in the mail. God knows we do not need to be constantly reminded of the unchurched and lost when we see them everyday, and anyway we know somebody will surely take care of them and I have too much on my plate already.

Even so, I can imagine the smile on Gods' face when the fad was first hatched. Finally, I can see him thinking, they have read John 14:15, “If you love me, obey my commandments”. “What a perfectly great way to always be aware of Jesus directions and message until it becomes ingrained into their very being and nature”, I can hear him bragging to the angels around him.

On the other side (the Dark Side) the Devil called an emergency meeting in a panic, thinking of all those professing to be Christian being constantly motivated to do what Jesus would want them to do. The Devil listen to all the recommendation from his advisers: get some big name celebrities to make fun of it, cause the rash or turn the arms black were possibilities strongly supported in this meeting of the Dark Council. But after all the discussions and the Devil thinking about it for a time, he calmed down and made the final decision. “We won't do anything for several months”, he decreed. “I think this bunch will drop it on their own”, he told the minor devils. “It's a lot easier to simply let nature take its course”, the old Evil One opined. “Saying you want to do what Jesus would do is a lot easier than actually doing what Jesus would do, all we need to do is to be sure these ban wearers have other things to do and and other stuff on their minds. Pretty soon it will just go out of fashion, something new and shinny will come along and the pressure will be too much and they will drop it on their own.”

Sure enough the second run by the manufacturer never sold. Doing 'WHAT JESUS WOULD DO' was soon replaced by another trend of the day. Another trendy arm/wrist ban became the rage. Here in Alabama it was replaced by 'ROLL TIDE' and 'WAR EAGLE' wrist bans and car tags. GOD was disappointed but like any other parent when a good habit is replaced by one not so good, he just kept loving us and waiting until the good became something written on our hearts and not on a novelty wrist ban.

WWJD

NOT BUILDING AN ARK

Well I have finished 'Daniel' and found it to be a tremendous read. Full of so many great lessons for life I never really thought about or considered before now.

I have started John and again I am discovering a lot more than I remembered being in there. I actually found something that has worked on me for a couple of days and even got into my early morning sleep time.

In Chapter 9, John recounts one of the occasions where Jesus heals a blind man. Jesus encountered the man as he walked along with his disciples. The disciples ask him “why was this man born blind? Was it a result of his own sins or those of his parents?” (v.2) Jesus reply told me something I had overlooked all these years. I expected the initial part of his response because of my personal beliefs, “It was not because of his sins or his parents' sins”, Jesus answered (v.3) I was pretty good with that and apparently had mostly stopped reading at that point over the years. The new message came in what followed which I am sure I had read over the years but never really paid much attention to. Jesus went on to say, “He was born blind so the power of God could be seen in him.” (v.3)

I, as I believe most people, have always tried to identify with the named characters in the Bible. I've tried to see myself as representing those whose great faith was used to illustrate God's faithfulness. While I never thought of myself as an Abraham, Noah, Moses, a disciple, Paul or any other first teamer, it was natural to me to dream or think my role was to be more like one of these great men of faith.

My new revelation was that while those are all great role models to aspire to be more like, my more practical role is to be more like the blind man who was given sight for the first time in his life by Jesus.

My role is to be an example of the power of God that others can see in my life. I am simply a human, flawed and sinful by nature. It's through and by the 'power of God' only that I can be save to eternal life and be in a personal relationship with my Creator.

I will never be called to sacrifice my son or to build an ark. I'll never write a book to be included in the Bible or walk in a fiery furnace, but I will be a full blown child of God only by his 'power'. If the product of that power can be seen by others in me that is really enough.

MOCKING GOD IS NEVER A GOOD IDEA

The Book of 'Daniel' just keeps getting better and better. Better in an entertaining sense but if you are one of those who think the stories of the Old Testament have a message for us today maybe better is not the best way to look at what we find. I spoke yesterday about the saga of King Nebuchadnezzar and how he had been turned into a blathering idiot, sent to the fields and woods to live, eat and talk to the animals until he recognized and acknowledged Daniel's God to be the only God and sovereign.

Today in the very next Chapter 5, we find his successor to be even dumber and more disrespectful of God and as a result suffered a much worse fate. Now by either peaceful succession, coup or simple luck this dude named Belshazzar had followed old Neb to the throne. From the story, much like today, it is apparent history was not a mandatory subject in the school for Kings in those days.

Kin Belshazzar either didn't know or didn't care about his predecessor being turned into a mindless, grass eating creature at God's direction. This man was so ignorant of God Almighty he doubled down on his lack pf respect for Daniel's Living God. He took, for his own pleasure, the gold and silver tableware which Nebuchadnezzar had taken in an earlier plunder of the Temple of God. He brought out the Holy utensils to impress his wives, concubines, idol worshiping fraternity brothers and heathen neighbors. While whooping it up, drinking from the Holy tableware and grovelling around like animals a human like finger appeared and started writing on the wall. Much like Nebuchadnezzar, the current King Belshazzar called for his own Physic Network and Company to interpret the writing on the wall. Again promises of riches untold were made to anyone who could tell him what the writing meant. Once more as in years past the Physics were stumped, they immediately recommended Daniel, a man they described as one possessed with 'divine knowledge'. (I wonder what these guys were getting paid for?)

Once again Daniel is summonsed and offer the same riches and perks offer first to the inside Physics to read the message left by the floating finger. Daniel after seeing the message politely refused the bounty offered for his services. With King Nebuchadnezzar I got the feeling Daniel was a little hesitant to give Neb the message, but here he seemed to enjoy breaking this news to Belshazzar.

Four words were written, MENE, MENE, TEKEL PARIN

MENE—Numbered, as in King Belshazzar your time is up.

MENE-- 'in case you didn't understand the first time.

TERKEL--- Weighed, as in your have been weighted on the balance and failed the test.

PARSIN—Divided, as in your Kingdom has been divided.

Now how King Belshazzar and his house guest took this is not recorded, but we do know that very night King Belshazzar was killed and his Kingdom divided.

It is never a good idea to mock and dishonor our GOD. (we really need to get this out)

LEARNING THE HARD WAY (NEBUCADNEZZAR METHOD)

Sometimes I wonder if all the people who claim to be card carrying, church going, 100% believers really read the scripture to understand it and learn, or do they read them to simply pad their resumes for judgment day. I question if they believe it has any relevance to the world surrounding us today. In our deepest of beliefs and heart of hearts is there anymore than an appreciation of a great collection of age old stories and a fairly accurate early history of a people in early civilization.

For several reasons I have recently been drawn to and fascinated by the 'Book of Daniel'. The stories of Daniel in the lions den and Shadrach, Meshach and Abendego have been favorites since Mrs. Rutland and Mrs. Young first told them in my very young Sunday School days. More recently I have been drawn to the book for some reason or another and have found it full of relevant lessons for my world today.

A couple of the stories that seems to be relevant at this particular time have really got my attention. In Chapter 4 King Nebuchadnezzar (Neb) finds himself in a lot better shape than any of our world leaders today. He's even quoted as say, “I Nebuchadnezzar, was living in my palace in comfort and prosperity.”

(Daniel 4:4) His problem came beginning in v.5 when he had a dream that scared him pretty bad. He first called on his Secretary of Physic and all that department for interpretation after offering untold treasures to the one who could come up with an answer. When the usual fortune tellers and soucerers could not help he was referred to Daniel. (purportedly a man from a heaven Neb apparently did not believe in) The scripture gives no indication why Daniel was not called on first.

The dream was of a great tree in the middle of the earth. It was a great and mighty tree, it reached to the heavens, giving shelter to the birds of the air and animals around it, feeding all the people from it bounty. As the dream played on the King saw a messenger (a holy one) come down from heaven who ordered the tree cut down, its limbs and branches destroyed and scattered, leaving nothing for all that benefited from the tree. The messenger left the stump and roots and enclosed them in a bronze and iron ring surrounded by tender grass. The messenger in the dream then decreed 'let him be drenched with the dew of heaven and let him live like an animal among the plants of the field for seven periods, let him have the mind of an animal instead of a human'. The messenger then said the purpose was to show that the 'Most High' rules all the kingdoms and has dominion of everything.

Here's where it gets good. According to the scripture even Daniel was shocked by what he saw in this dream and honestly I would have not wanted to be in his place. I do like how he began his interpretation to old King Neb. He started by saying something about how he wished one of King Neb's enemies had really had this dream instead of Neb.

Daniel told him the tree represented no other than the King himself. He was a mighty King as was the tree, he had grown strong and great, his rule extended across the earth. Problem was God had declared what was about to happen. He would be driven out of power, he would lose his mind and live as an animal for seven periods. At the end of this time, he would realize and acknowledge God was truly the ruler of all and that Neb would recognize such and that from the remaining roots and stump he would be restored.

Now we either believe this happened as recorded in what we profess to be God's divine Word or it goes on the shelf with Goldilocks and Harry Potter. I for one believe every word..

How does this apply to us today. I believe with all my heart when God's had enough we will know it. Whether it is our President, Russia's, China's or Rocket Man, God is in charge. The combined power of all falls desperately short of God's. If a people turn to God and his ways in their deepest beliefs and feelings he will honor them. Once we become so self centered and take God out the the center we stand the risk of following old Neb out into the fields to eat with the cattle/

I don't believe God will hesitate to bring about the biggest 'Attitude Adjustment' in the history of the world. He is forgiving, loving and all caring, but it must be a two-way relationship. It took a lot to set my Dad off, he loved me so much. God loves us so much more than we can imagine but he loves us so much he will not go so far as to let us destroy ourselves.

We may be getting close to 'Attitude Adjustment' time.