The top 5 list for 2018

I thought I would wrap up 2018 by doing something that I’ve never done in this blog before: I want to share the top 5 blogs that you have most clicked on in 2018.

#5: On the National Day of Prayer, I wrote a blog called “I cry to You, O Lord” (this is a phrase from Psalm 130).  The heart of that blog was a quote I shared from Abraham Lincoln; he once said, “It is the duty of nations as well as men, to own their dependence upon the overruling power of God, to confess their sins and transgressions, in humble sorrow, yet with the assured hope that genuine repentance will lead to mercy and pardon.”  (Source: http://www.abrahamlincolnonline.org/lincoln/speeches/fast.htm

#4: In February, there was the blog I entitled Almost a thousand days.  In it, I mentioned how, at that point, it was nearly 1,000 days since my dad passed away.  It is always emotional for me to read the lyrics I included in that blog from the Mercy Me song Finally Home: “Going to wrap my arms around my daddy’s neck and tell him that I missed him, and tell him all about the man that I became, and hope that it pleased him.  There’s so much I want to say, so much I want you to know, when I finally make it home.”

#3: Back in January, I composed a blog installment known as Perspective is everything.  At one point, I mentioned the plight of Nick and Lexi Solder.  Nick was with the New England Patriots at the time of writing that blog.  In 2015, Nick and Lexi’s son, Hudson, was diagnosed with Wilms tumors, a form of kidney cancer.  He was only 3 months old at that time.  This battle is ongoing for Hudson, Nick, and Lexi, even to this day.    Nick Solder’s said, “I have a different perspective now because I see how frail everything is…the air we breathe is precious.”  (Source: https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/patriots/2017/01/31/nate-solder-son-cancer-new-england-super-bowl-2017/97290770/

#2: In April, I got to thinking about how on April 13, I could write a blog titled Happy 4:13 day to call Philippians 4:13 to mind.  In the blog that day, I said these words:

I would paraphrase [Philippians 4:13] this way: “Whatever situation God has called me to do I can meet it with confidence, not because of my own innate power, but because the Lord will give me His supernatural strength to face it.”  Let me list some examples.  You’ve been hurt deeply by someone.  Your blood boils just at the mere thought of what they said or did.  You want to hold on to the anger, and harbor a secret desire for revenge, but you also know that God says the only way to experience freedom is to forgive the one who hurt you.  The problem is you don’t think you can do it.  The reality is you’re right.  But according to Philippians 4:13, Christ will give you the supernatural power to do it.

And now, (drum roll, please) the most clicked on blog installment I wrote in 2018:

#1: In June, I wrote a blog entitled Perhaps the biggest objection to forgiveness.  I had written two other blogs on forgiveness, and reasoned that someone had this objection: “I can’t forgive because to do so means I will have to reconcile with my offender.  I quoted from Deborah Pegues to refute this idea (and she even posted a kind comment in my blog in response).

She said to extend forgiveness doesn’t necessarily mean that you will reconcile with your offender.  You might do so, but if the person isn’t trustworthy or repentant, you don’t have to endeavor to become best friends with them.  I say she is absolutely right.  In fact, in some cases, to reconcile with the offender may be the worst possible idea...Got questions.org has an excellent resource on this.  The author writes, “For example, a rape victim can choose to forgive the rapist, but that does not mean she should act as if that sin never happened.  To spend time alone with the rapist, especially if he is unrepentant, is not what Scripture teaches.  Forgiveness involves not holding a sin against a person any longer, but forgiveness is different from trust.” (Source: https://www.gotquestions.org/forgive-forget.html).

I wanted to thank you, once again, for reading my words.  It is a gift beyond words to me.  I look forward to writing more blogs in 2019.  God bless you, reader.

Kevin

One year later

Last December, I had a plan for the blogs I wanted to post leading up to Christmas.  But life took over and I was instead faced with a hiatus.  The first blog I wrote this year, back on January 9th, I actually titled it Returning from an Unexpected Hiatus.  A year ago today, I had a blog ready to go, but it was never posted.  This is because when I composed the just mentioned blog in January, I chose to go in a different direction.  However, since I found this version, and it was exactly a year ago, I thought I’d share a blog I called Facing the Unexpected.  So here it is:

Somebody once said, “If you want to make God laugh, just tell Him your plans.”  I can relate to that sentiment.  You see, my plan was to submit this blog way back on December 21st, then post another blog installment on Christmas Day.  But due to circumstances beyond my control, I was unable to do any of that.  So be it.  I submit to God’s plan.  It is rattling to endure the unexpected, though, isn’t it?  It’s rattling to face those unforeseen episodes in our lives that hit us and disrupt our world.  I know a lot about that.  Once again, it wasn’t my idea to post a Christmas blog on the 28th of December, but what are you going to do when the unexpected rocks you?

Have you ever thought about how Jesus’ life was filled with the unexpected?  He seemed to always do things that weren’t expected.  It started, of course, at His birth.  God chooses to use a girl who was a virgin to give birth to the Messiah.  That’s amazing enough, but when she does finally give birth, there is hardly anywhere to place Him, except an animal feeding trough or a manger.  Talk about unexpected!  But it certainly doesn’t stop there.

For example, Jesus and His disciples endure stormy weather in a boat.  The disciples freak out.  But Jesus calmly tells the storm to stop, and quite unexpectedly (at least for Jesus’ followers), it obeys (Mark 4:37-39).  Or how about when Jesus’ friend Lazarus dies?  The grief of Lazarus’ sisters, Mary and Martha, actually moves Jesus to tears (John 11:35).  He tells Martha, “I am the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25), and He proves it by raising a man who had been dead for four days back to life!

Furthermore, Jesus’ mission was unexpected.  I once heard about the reaction of people groups, who had never heard the name of Jesus, viewing the 1979 film “Jesus” also called “The Jesus Film”.  They were resonating with Him; they enjoyed His teachings, His miracles, and His charisma.  But they began shifting in their chairs when the possibility emerged that Jesus was going to be executed, even though He wasn’t guilty of any wrongdoing.  When Jesus was being crucified on that cross, the viewers were screaming their vehement disapproval at the screen.  But actually this was what Jesus was supposed to do all along.  I love how Romans 5:6 puts it: “At just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly” (NIV).

Of course, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that there was an event that no one in Jesus’ sphere of influence ever expected.  You’d think by now they would have learned to expect the unexpected, but they didn’t.  Perhaps they were blinded by their immense grief to remember that Jesus had repeatedly predicted that He was going to die; and He went on to declare that He wasn’t going to stay in that grave.  He was going to be resurrected.  That Sunday morning dawned, and angels from Heaven announced, “He is not here; but is risen” (Luke 24:6)!

Later on in the chapter, Jesus appears to His disciples, and His presence shocks them; they actually think He is a ghost.  But Jesus says, “Guys, relax.  Touch my hands and feet.  A ghost doesn’t have “flesh and bones as you see I have” (verse 39).  It may have taken His followers a while to get it, but in time they did understand – and they subsequently boldly proclaimed – that not only did Jesus shed His blood for the remission of sin on a cross, but He conquered death itself!

Kevin

Who is Jesus?

Merry Christmas, reader!  I wonder if you have ever stopped and asked yourself this question: who is Jesus?  He is celebrated every December; but just who is this man?  Billy Graham once presented a sermon that asked and answered that very question.  The sermon was from 1971 in Chicago, but his words then are still just as relevant today.  (Here is a link to Billy Graham’s sermon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U89zkUZPd5w)

First of all, Jesus Himself “claimed to be the unique, only begotten, incarnate Son of God,” as Dr. Graham put it.  “The Scripture says, ‘In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God’ [John 1:1].  Before time began, He existed.  He said, ‘Before Abraham was, I AM’ [John 8:58].  No wonder they got angry.  No wonder they threw stones at Him [John 8:59]... He stood and said, “I am God.”

Furthermore, “Look at His authority.  ‘Jesus spake unto them and said, ‘All authority has been given to Me’ [Matthew 28:18; KJV].  I know that He had authority over nature.  One night He was in a storm, the lightening was flashing, the thunder was roaring.  The sea was raging; the wind was blowing; the disciples were afraid.  Jesus was asleep.  He stood up, and said, ‘Peace, be still.’  The lightening quit its flashing, and the thunder quit its roaring.  The rain ceased to fall, and the wind quieted down.  The sea quieted down.  Nature obeyed Him [Mark 4:37-39].  He had power over nature.”  Dr. Graham went on to speak about how Jesus actually forgave sin, healed people of awful diseases, and He even had authority over demonic spirits.

Then he began to speak of the horrendous death that Jesus died.  He didn’t just endure the cross.  He also endured scourging (a barbaric practice that often killed the victim); His executioners placed a crown of thorns on His head, in cruel mockery.  In fact, Jesus was so physically depleted that, at one point, they had to pick someone out of the crowd to help Him carry His cross.

Dr. Graham continued, “On that cross…Jesus dropped His head, and said, ‘It is finished’ [John 19:30].  What did He mean?  He meant…God can now forgive you of all your sins, because Jesus had finished God’s plan for your salvation.  Because, you see, God knows every one of you by name.  He has the hairs of your head numbered.  God looks on you as if you were the only person in the whole universe….and on that cross Jesus had the capacity to think of you.  He loved you enough to stay on the cross.  Was there ever such love as that?”

Jesus was dead; and He was subsequently placed in a borrowed tomb.  But He didn’t stay there.  “Jesus Christ is alive,” Dr. Billy Graham proclaimed in that sermon.  “When they went out to the tomb that morning, they heard the greatest news the world has ever known: ‘He is not here; He is risen’ [Matthew 28:6; by the way, these words are from an angel].  He is alive today.  You know, some of us Christians live as if Jesus Christ were dead.  He’s not dead; He’s alive.”  Amen to that!

So who is Jesus?  He is the unique God in human flesh.  There is no one in human history like Jesus Christ.  He entered our world through the womb of a virgin.  He showcased amazing miracle after amazing miracle.  Then He experienced death, but He conquered it, and walked out of His own grave and He ascended back to Heaven.  Furthermore, this Jesus can transform your life.  How do I know this?  Because He transformed mine.   

I’ve been looking back at some of the blogs I composed in 2018.  Back in January, I wrote these words: “God loves you with a passion.  He proved that love by dying a horrific death (see Romans 5:8).  Unfortunately, it is possible for Jesus’ sacrificial death to have no difference in your life.  It’s like if you were an heir to a rich relative who bequeathed all of his wealth to you in his will, but you said, “I don’t care.  I don’t need his money.  I can make it on my own.”  Jesus paid it all on the cross for you.  But you have to say “yes” to Him and His sacrificial act for it to be of any good to you.  The Bible says, 'Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God.'"  My prayer is that you would receive Christ today.  What a great day for you to do so!

Kevin

"Christmas doesn't come from a store"

Growing up, I never watched the 1966 animated Christmas special Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas in its entirety.  This may be surprising, but it’s true.  However, in recent days and years, I did view it (thanks in part to the Jim Carrey live-action adaption) and I have come to appreciate its charm.

I know the story is familiar, but let me go over it quickly.  The inhabitants of a town called Who-ville loved Christmas, except for the Grinch, who lived like a reclusive hermit on the outskirts of the town.  He hated Christmas, and the citizens of Who-ville for their passion for the day – and their habit of singing a happy Christmas tune on Christmas morning.  The Grinch wanted to find a way “to stop Christmas from coming” as he put it.  He concocted a plan.  On Christmas Eve, as Who-ville slept, the Grinch stole everything Christmas related; all the presents, Christmas decorations, even the food for their Christmas feasts was gone.

The stage was set; the Grinch was certain that the denizens of Who-ville would be sad and somber, but as he listened intently for their reaction, they still sang a joyous Christmas song!  The Grinch was shocked.  As he tried to wrap his head around it, he thought to himself, “Maybe Christmas doesn’t come from a store; maybe Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.”  The Grinch was changed that day.  He returned all the Christmas items, and was welcomed by Who-ville.  In fact, the Grinch cut the roast beef for the Christmas feast.

While the Grinch’s transformation is exciting, I have to admit that the example of the citizens of Who-ville is what inspires me the most.  It was their influence that inspired the Grinch to reconsider his view on Christmas.  He had completely misunderstood the appeal of Christmas.  He thought it came from the external traditions, but Who-ville taught him that it came from an internal joy that could not be taken from them.

Let me conclude with this.  I’m riveted by the line, “Maybe Christmas doesn’t come from a store; maybe Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.”  Christmas does mean more.  So much more.  One of the memorable modern day Christmas songs is from the Brooklyn Tabernacle choir (https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/3423034/).  The song always touches me deeply; it states, “Happy Birthday, Jesus.  I’m so glad it’s Christmas.  All the tinsel and lights; and the presents are nice, but the real gift is You.  Happy Birthday, Jesus.  I’m so glad it’s Christmas.  All the carols and bells make the holiday swell, and it’s all about You.”

Kevin

"Love came down"

I’ve been reading various Christmas themed articles from the helpful website got questions.org.  I decided to share one with you today.  I’m not going to share the entire article, but as usual, the link is included.  (You can find it here https://www.gotquestions.org/why-celebrate-Christmas.html)

“The angel who appeared to the shepherds the night of Jesus’ birth said, “I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.  Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord” (Luke 2:10-11).  We celebrate Christmas because, as the angel said, the birth of Jesus Christ is “good news”.  Good news is meant to be celebrated.  In fact, the angel said the news of Jesus’ birth would cause “great joy” and would be “for all the people” – the joyful celebration would be universal.  People around the globe would be glad for this occasion.

We celebrate Christmas because, as the angel said, “A Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.”  The three titles the angel applies to Jesus are important.  Jesus is the Savior who delivers us from sin and death (Matthew 1:21).  He is the human Messiah (or Christ) who fulfills the Law and the Prophets, showing that God is faithful (see Matthew 5:17).  And He is the divine Lord who has entered our world: the Almighty has taken on human flesh; God and man have been fused together in an indivisible, eternal bond; God is truly with us (see Matthew 1:23).

In celebrating Christmas we celebrate the love and condescension of God.  In Texas of 1987, a toddler by the name of Jessica McClure fell into an eight-inch well casing.  Down she went, becoming stuck twenty-two feet below ground.  Once people discovered that “Baby Jessica” was in the well, they took immediate action.  They didn’t tell her to find a way to climb back up, and they didn’t just shout happy thoughts to encourage her.  No, they went down to where she was and got her.  They did whatever it took.  Rescuers worked nonstop for fifty-eight hours to free her.

In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve fell.  Down they went, dragging all humanity with them into the darkness of death and sin.  And what did God do?  He did not tell us to find our own way out of the mess we were in, and He did more than shout down happy thoughts to us from heaven.  No, He came down to where we were and got us.  That’s what Christmas is all about – God’s coming down to rescue us, to do whatever it took to deliver us from sure death.

When even one person is in a life-threatening situation, we understand what has to be done.  When God looked down at our sinful planet, He saw the whole world of people in mortal danger.  We celebrate Christmas because it was at Christmastime that the Rescuer of all mankind came down to save us from the hopeless situation we were in.  God did not stay in Heaven; He came down to where we are.”

As I was preparing all this, I heard a beautiful song on the radio by Kari Jobe called Love Came Down.  The chorus is: “Love came down and rescued me.  Love came down and set me free.  I am Yours; Lord, I am forever Yours.”  Later on, she sings, “Staying desperate for you, God; staying humble at Your feet.  I will lift these hands in praise.  I will believe.  I’ll remind myself of all that You’ve done, and the life I have because of Your Son” (song lyrics and information can be found here https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/karijobe/lovecamedown.html).

Kevin

"It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas"

I thought I'd begin today’s blog with some information on the song It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas.  ““It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas” is a classic Christmas song written in 1951 by Meredith Willson.  It was originally titled “It’s beginning to look like Christmas”, and has been recorded by many artists but it was a hit by Perry Como and the Fontane Sisters.” Source: https://christmas-specials.fandom.com/wiki/It%27s_Beginning_to_Look_a_Lot_Like_Christmas 

This is a special song for me because I remember, one year when Christmas wasn’t too far away, my dad randomly started to sing, “It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas.”  He had a love for Christmas.  One of the lines of the song makes me think of Dad; it says, “It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas; soon the bells with start, and the thing that will them ring is the carol that you sing right within your heart.”  Dad certainly had a song in his heart.

Perhaps someone wants to ask, “Why such an abiding love for Christmas?  I mean, sure, you get presents and you spend time with family and all that, but it’s so much hustle and bustle.  What is the big deal about Christmas?”  Back in 1972, my dad wrote a song that answers that objection.  The message of his song is that though Christmas has a lot of external traditions attached to it, first and foremost it is the time to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ; it’s a time to rejoice in the fact that this Jesus was born so He could die on a cross for the sin of the human race.

I’m thrilled to have some of Dad's prayers, that he gave on-air for his vocation as a radio announcer.  In a prayer, he declared, “Father in Heaven, we bow at Your feet and give You honor, praise, and adoration.  Today, as we continue to celebrate Christmas, we bless [the name of Jesus]…He is the reason for this season…we rejoice in the birth of Your Son.  Thank You that He came to Earth as a baby, to be our sacrifice, and that through Him we might have eternal life.  We worship and celebrate [Him] today.”  My dad had a deep love for Christmas, because of his deep love for Christ.

Let me conclude with this.  The Christian gospel quartet group the Ball Brothers has a beautiful song that captures what I’m trying to get across.  The song is called It’s about the Cross; it has these words:

“It’s not just about the manger where the Baby lay; it’s not all about the angels who sing for Him that day; it’s not all about the shepherds or the bright and shining star; it’s not all about the wise men who travelled from afar.  It’s about the cross; it’s about my sin.  It’s about how Jesus came to be born once, so that we could be born again.  It’s about the stone that was rolled away, so that you and I could have real life one day…the beginning of the story is wonderful and great, but it’s the ending that can save you, and that’s why we celebrate.”  Amen and amen!

Kevin

Celebrating the legacy of the first - and greatest - superhero

This year marks the 80th anniversary of Superman.  It was back in 1938 when the Man of Steel first came on the scene; his remarkable influence on society cannot be overstated.  Stephen Skelton, in his book, The Gospel According to the World’s Greatest Superhero points out, “One of People magazine’s listings of today’s most prominent pop-culture icons, featuring the likes of Tom Cruise and Oprah Winfrey, puts Superman in the Top Ten.”

In celebration of Superman’s anniversary, I want to present some information on this important fictional character.  I came across a website (http://999ktdy.com/ten-super-facts-about-superman-on-his-80th-birthday/) that mentioned 10 historical facts on Superman.  It was written by a man named Chris Meaux.  I’m not going to cite all of them here (although you can obviously peruse them yourself, if you are inclined), but I'm going to list 3.

I’ll begin with a point that some may have wanted to quibble over: the notion that Superman is the first superhero.  Meaux writes, “Before Siegel and Shuster introduced Superman to the world, there were no characters quite like him.  There were science fiction and pulp novel characters who had great strength, speed, and other abilities, but they didn’t wear a unique suit and a cape.  Characters like The Shadow were powerless, dressed in everyday clothes, and used guns and fists to fight crime. Superman was the first brightly-colored and super-powered character in fiction, the very first ‘superhero,’ an idea and term that didn’t exist before he was introduced.”

Secondly, I love the section titled “Trunks, Not Underwear”.  “Many people have mistakenly made fun of Superman’s uniform over the years,” Meaux writes, “saying that he’s wearing his ‘underwear’ on the outside.  Others say that Superman’s suit is inspired by the costumes of circus strongmen of the early part of the 20th century, which featured trunks.  

Both parties are wrong, as trunks are quite different from underwear and Shuster’s design wasn’t at all like what circus strongmen wore.  Most strongmen wore a sleeveless shirt with pants and trunks.  Superman wore a full body suit of tights and a cape.  Before Shuster’s design, there were no other characters in literature or movies that looked like Superman, whose uniform became the pattern for all superheroes who followed in the first few decades after Superman was introduced.” 

Third, this author brings up Superman’s “S” shield.  “Superman’s iconic /S/ is one of the most recognized symbols in the world.  Even those who don’t know a thing about Superman know that symbol.”  Stephen Skelton in the book mentioned before The Gospel According to the World’s Greatest Superhero writes, “The 2002 comic-book miniseries Superman: Birthright… reveals that the shield is both the family crest – and more than a family crest.  As Clark recounts in the story, “At first, I thought it was a family crest of some sort – but if it was, it certainly came to mean more than that to these people…Over the course of time, it became a…promise.  A sign of people fighting to make a better world.  A symbol of hope.”

 

This notion of Superman’s “S” being a symbol of hope was demonstrated beautifully in a storyline of the TV show Supergirl.  The inhabitants of her city, National City, were brainwashed into mindless automatons who only wanted to serve Non, the main villain.  Only Cat Grant, Maxwell Lord, and Supergirl were in their right mind.  In a touching scene, Cat Grant said to Supergirl: “If you’ve taught me anything, you’ve taught me that hope is stronger than fear.  And that is what I think of every time I look at that [pointing to the “S” shield on her chest].  I believe that you can change everyone out there.  Not through violence, not through fear, but with hope.”

Ultimately, the 3 of them do counteract the brainwashing by transmitting the image of Superman’s “S” shield.  I confess seeing this unfold brought tears to my eyes.  Indirectly, Superman saved the day just with his iconic emblem; an emblem that has come to mean so much to so many.

Kevin

Thanksgiving 2018 epilogue

It seems like many people have already moved on from Thanksgiving and have started anticipating Christmas.  While I certainly love Christmas, I wanted to linger on the Thanksgiving season for one last blog.  I wanted to submit my list of Thanksgiving blessings - a portion of it anyway.  I had a list of 12 items, but to share them all would take two blogs and I don’t want to belabor this.  So I’ve decided to share 6 with you.

Health – I have encountered various health challenges since 2015 (when my life changed forever because of my dad’s passing).  Acute sicknesses like migraine headaches, flu symptoms, and a recent upper respiratory infection, are just a few examples.  On one Thanksgiving blog, I expressed how thankful I was for the ability to speak because, for a time, I had lost my voice.  It’s not that I had never been sick before 2015, but I certainly have learned, with each passing day, that health is a marvelous and fragile gift.

Automobile: It is amazing for me to contemplate that I have put almost 155,000 miles on my current car!  It’s far from pristine at this point, but what a gift to be able to get from point A to point B.

Assignment: I think I’ve told you that my dad used to thank me for taking care of my mom when we returned from an afternoon of errands or something that like.  Today I take that phrase as part of my marching orders.  I am thankful to be able to take care of my mom; for one reason because I love her, but also because I know Dad would want me to do so since I witnessed just how devoted he was to her.

Superheroes: Stan Lee once wrote, “I think people are fascinated by superheroes because when we were young we all liked fairy tales, and fairy tales are stories of people with superpowers, people who are super in some way – giants, witches, magicians, always people who are bigger than life.  Well, as we got older, we outgrew fairy tales…but I don’t think we outgrow our love for those kinds of stories…so superhero stories, to me, are like fairy tales for grown-ups.  I don’t know why, but the human condition is such that we love reading about people who can do things we can’t do and who have powers we wish we had.” (From the work What is a superhero? edited by Robin S. Rosenberg and Peter Coogan; chapter 17 of the book, written by Stan Lee)

God’s miracles in my life: I recently shared an article that my mom wrote about how God healed me as a baby from a horrible malady.  I’m so thankful for that episode.  But there have been more miraculous events in my life than just that one.  These occurrences have significantly shaped me and molded me as a person; I’m grateful to the Lord for His divine intervention.

New mercies from God each day: The great old hymn Great is Thy Faithfulness states, “Morning by morning new mercies I see; all I have needed Thy hand hath provided; great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me.”  In another stanza, these words are given: “Pardon for sin, and a peace that endureth; Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide.  Strength for today, and bright hope for tomorrow; blessings all mine with ten thousand beside.”  I’m thankful for God’s mercies that fall fresh on me every day.  And I’m thankful that when you write out your gratitude list, you eventually realize that the snowball is just getting bigger and bigger.  You begin to understand that for all the blessings you’ve listed, there are so many more; it really is “blessings all mine with ten thousand beside.”

Kevin

Celebrating the holidays in a world without "Superman"

Happy Thanksgiving reader!  There is so much to be thankful for, and I certainly have gratitude in my heart to God.  But I have to admit that there is a part of me that is feeling sad today.  There was a Thanksgiving tradition that I used enjoy.  You see, my parents and I used to go to Foothills Bible Church.  After my dad passed away, Mom and I stayed at Foothills for a little while, but ultimately for various reasons, we knew the time had come to close that chapter of life and move on to another church.  After looking for several months, we have found one.

While our new church does have Thanksgiving festivities, Foothills had a unique Thanksgiving tradition: their Thanksgiving service consisted of nothing more than people articulating their thanks to God.  No sermon, and hardly any music; just folks sharing from their heart.  Another aspect of this memorable tradition is that the tone of the service was always raw, vulnerable, and emotional.  Tears often flowed freely as many in the church congregation shared the painful season they endured, but through it all, God had been faithful.

My mom and I were only a few months into life without my dad when the annual Foothills Thanksgiving morning service was upon us.  Unfortunately, due to the inclement weather of a snow day, the service was cancelled.  This was so disappointing to me.  I never got the chance to share my heart in that special church service.  So in this blog I want to express what I might have said that day.  I think I would have said something like this:

Church family, my world was forever changed when my dad, Jerry Bauer, unexpectedly passed away.  He was only 60 years old.  No one could have ever known that this was going to happen; Dad was the epitome of health.  The official cause of death was that a blood clot had developed – one that nobody even knew about – and traveled to one of the coronary arteries in his heart.  Biblically speaking, however, I know that God had written in His book all the days my dad was going to be on this planet before one of them even happened – Psalm 139:16.  But to lose him has been the most intense pain of my adult life.

What makes matters worse is to contemplate how my dad would often swoop in and save the day, like Superman saves Lois Lane or Jimmy Olsen.  In fact, I have often called my dad "Superman" because he had the same kind of selflessness, humility, and virtue as Superman.  Dad was the provider and protector of the family.  Now that he is gone, I feel like I’m celebrating the holidays in a world without “Superman”.

 

I could go on, but let me just wrap this up by saying my faith in God has been my anchor.  I really don’t know how I could have endured this without the Lord.  There is a song by Christian singer Micah Tyler called Even Then. Micah proclaims my heart cry when he sings, “Even when it feels like my world is shaken; even when I’ve had all that I can take, I know You never let me go.  And even when the waters won’t stop rising; even when I’m caught in the dead of a night, I know no matter how it ends, You’re with me even then.  And even in the middle of a struggle…even in the thick of the battle, and even through the valley of the shadows, You alone are my defense when I’m standing on Your promises.”

Kevin

An immense blessing to contemplate this Thanksgiving season

I recently came across an article that my mother, Rose Mary, wrote a few years back that describes my healing as an infant.  I’ve shared the story in this blog before, but never with my mom’s pen.  I’m not going to share the entire document with you (it is five pages), but here we go:

“This is a story of a miracle, a miracle of God, a story of supernatural healing. 

Life was normal and going as expected.  I had had a couple of miscarriages before my pregnancy with our first baby.  The pregnancy was uneventful and everything was okay when I went into the hospital in labor on the morning of June 29, 1981 for the birth of our baby.  We named our baby boy, Kevin.  Little did we know at that time what his name meant, but he would live out the meaning of his name, gentle and kind.

Flash forward 4 1/2 months.  I was sitting Kevin in his stroller one morning and letting him look out the patio window.  He enjoyed that.  All of a sudden, I saw a particular movement.  His eyes went up and into the back of his head and his little arms jerked up, it lasted not more than 30 seconds.  I thought nothing of it.  I grew up in a large family and I should have known that this wasn’t a normal baby thing to do, but it wasn’t until Jerry, my husband, saw this little motion that he knew and told me this was not right.

We had little knowledge and were very unprepared for what happened over the course of the next 5 1/2 months.  After much testing…doctors finally came up with Infantile Spasms as the diagnosis of what Kevin had.  This is a disease in the epilepsy family, which effects only infants and carries over into adulthood.

Early on, I received a message, a compulsion, from God, not to be especially concerned about everything, tests, doctors, new information, etc. going on around me.  I felt like God was telling me that Kevin would not be sick forever.

 

[Months later,] We got to the hospital…tests were run…Finally, the doctors were coming back after midnight when something very unusual happened: Kevin started to turn blue and the heart machine was flat lining…After maybe three minutes, the heart machine started making a pattern again.  Kevin started getting his color back.  A week later the EEG confirmed what we already knew, Kevin was well with a normal and healthy EEG for the first time in 5 1/2 months.

To this day, Kevin has never had another spasm (seizure)!  Praise God!  And again I say, praise God!  Up to that time, April 24, 1982 over 8,000 babies had been diagnosed with Infantile Spasms, from the four-state regional hospital, Children's Hospital.  Kevin Bauer was the very first one to ever get over this disease!

Since Dr. Minarcek, Kevin's neurologist, moved away to New York City, we received his files about Kevin, and that is all that remains today of his disease.  There are no left over side effects from any of the medicines, there was no delay in development, and absolutely no signs that he had Infantile Spasms exist today.

April 24th was the last day that Kevin had any spasms.  This day is really more important than Kevin's birthday.  Kevin's birthdays would not have been very special without this very special day of healing that God had for him. This was a huge miracle in our lives and a huge miracle for the doctors to witness…Like the miracles that Jesus did in the gospels, God showed His powers to be great and the final authority in this time and space in which we live.”

I don’t think it was a coincidence that this invaluable document was rediscovered in the week leading up to Thanksgiving.  It is an episode that causes gratitude and praise to God.  The One, as the old hymn says, from Whom all blessings flow.

Kevin

Saved for good works

When I was composing the blog I posted on 10/31, a chapter title from a book came to my mind.  H. Michael Brewer, in his fine book Who Needs a Superhero? Finding Virtue, Vice, and What’s Holy in the Comics has a chapter he entitled Saved for Service.  In that chapter he writes,

“The Fantastic Four’s origin follows a particularly common comic book pattern: the process of peril-power-promise.  Here’s how it works: Our hero faces a crisis that threatens to destroy him.  Instead our hero emerges with superhuman abilities and vows to use them for good.  Christian life follows a similar path.  The initials differ for steps in the process, but the pattern is nearly identical: sin-salvation-service…Sin-salvation-service and peril-power- promise both lead to the same action: devoting oneself to a lifelong mission of gratitude.  Unfortunately, many Christians overlook the final step in the process as if a profession of faith in Christ in Jesus finishes their stories.  Quite the contrary is true.”

 

Brewer goes on to quote from Ephesians 2.  Verses 8 and 9 of Ephesians 2 are cited often because they are so powerful; the verses declare, “For by grace you have been saved through faith.  And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”  But verse 10 is not quoted as often; and that’s a shame because it reads, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”  I would put it in these terms: when you become a Christian, you’ve just joined the team, so to speak, and the Coach has a place, a role, for you to play on that team.  How humbling it is to understand that God chose the good works that He wanted me to do before I even gave my life to Him.  He gave me certain gifts and abilities and He wants me to use them for Him and for others. 

So, if that’s God’s standard, this brings up a question: why is that some Christians miss out on this blessing?  I think that’s a multi-faceted answer that I couldn’t possibly cover in this one blog.  Some, for example, simply don’t know that this is what they are to do.  But I actually think the biggest factor could be selfishness.

I was recently watching a You Tube video of a fan-made film of how Batman met Superman.  The best scene is when Bruce Wayne is chatting with Clark Kent.  At this point, each know the others secret identity.  Bruce questions Clark’s decision to hide his identity with a pair of glasses.  “People see what they want to see, Bruce,” Clark answers.  “What do you see?”  Clark’s response to Bruce’s inquiry has since gripped me: “I see a generation too consumed with themselves to even look at others…a generation losing their morality to technological revolution; a generation who think they deserve everything never having worked for it.”  (Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TH4eUCwawrY)

It’s a stinging indictment, but it sounds like something Superman would say (the fact that the fellow who portrayed Clark/Superman in the video looks like Christopher Reeve didn’t hurt either).  Is it possible that we’ve gotten way too consumed with ourselves?  I think the answer is yes.  In one of her songs, Rebecca St. James has this lyric: “I used to think that ‘me myself and I’ were all that mattered, but You’ve showed me all this world can give cannot compare to the joy that comes from giving away.”  The Bible puts it this way: “No one should seek their own good, but the good of others” (1 Corinthians 10:24).  Another translation renders it: “We should stop looking out for our own interests and instead focus on the people living and breathing around us.”

In conclusion, just so you know, when I write this kind of blog, I’m not just preaching at you; I’m speaking to myself as well.  If you got some benefit out of this, that’s great, but I was definitely challenged.  I was reminded that I have been saved for good works (not by good works, but for good works; that’s a very important difference).  I’ve been reminded that I am to take my eyes off of myself, and use my gifts for others, to the glory of God.

Kevin

"Forgiven when Mercy walked in"

I am still planning that blog on good works that I’ve previously mentioned, but Thanksgiving is in the air. In the spirit of this wonderful holiday, I wanted to focus on something that I am so thankful for: my relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

For those who haven’t heard my testimony, let me give it quickly.  Back in 1987 I was at a Billy Graham Crusade at the old Mile High stadium in Denver, Colorado.  Mr. Graham spoke of mankind’s rebellion and sin against God; he proclaimed that humanity cannot be in a right relationship with God unless He accepts that Jesus Christ, the perfect God-man, shed His blood on the cross of Calvary as payment for sin.  I was just a boy of 6, but during Mr. Graham’s invitation to receive Christ as Lord and Savior, I told my parents that I needed to go forward and put my faith in Jesus.  The Gospel is so simple even a child can understand it.  This was one of the defining moments of my life; one that I have never regretted.

I love music.  Gordon Mote has written a song that makes me emotional every time I hear it.  Before I share it with you, let me give a brief biography of this fascinating musician: “By any definition, Gordon is one of today’s most respected talents; in large part because of his musical and spiritual heritage.  He’s never forgotten to tell people along the way where he’s come from…Blind since birth, Mote’s faith provides the foundation for his life, and constantly fuels his creative spirit.  When he was just three, Gordon surprised his family on Thanksgiving by sitting down at the piano and miraculously playing “Jesus Loves Me” with both hands.  “I was just passionate about music,” states the Attalla, Alabama native…I listened to every album I could get my hands on growing up.  As kids, my brother (who is also blind) and I traveled and sang in churches of all sizes.” (Source: http://www.gordonmote.com/bio.html)

The aforementioned song is entitled Mercy Walked In and the lyrics are as follows: “I stood in the courtroom, the judge turned my way; “Looks like you’re guilty, now what do you say?”  I spoke up, “Your honor, I have no defense.”  But that’s when Mercy walked in.  [Chorus] Mercy walked in and pleaded my case; called to the stand God’s saving grace.  The blood was presented that covered my sin; forgiven when Mercy walked in.  I stood there and wondered how could this be?  That someone so guilty had just been set free.  My chains were broken, I felt born again, the moment that Mercy walked in.  [Repeat chorus] The blood was presented that covered my sin, forgiven when Mercy walked in.” (You can see a live rendition of Mote performing this song here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ShVKTFS4CSs

The Bible says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by His grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation [one translation renders it “atoning sacrifice”] by His blood, to be received by faith.”  Life with God is an incredible adventure.  This begins with accepting, by faith, God’s mercy, grace, and forgiveness.  If you’ve already taken this step, stop and thank God for His gift of salvation.  If you haven’t, I encourage you to do so.

Kevin

The passing of a superhero legend

I heard the sad news that Stan Lee died today at the age of 95.  For those of you that don’t know about Stan, here is a brief description: “Stan Lee’s name is practically synonymous with the word “superhero.”  He co-created many famous superheroes during his time at Marvel Comics: the Incredible Hulk, the Fantastic Four, Thor, Spider-Man, Iron Man and the X-Men, among many others.  Stan imbued his characters and stories with an element of psychological realism, making it easy for fans to relate to the characters and their plights.” (Source: What is a superhero? edited by Robin S. Rosenberg and Peter Coogan; Stan Lee wrote a chapter in that book)

According to his New York Times obituary, (https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/12/obituaries/stan-lee-dead.html) Stan is survived by his daughter, Joan Celia Lee (officially known as J.C.) and his younger brother, Larry.  His wife of 70 years, Joan, passed away in 2017.  My heart goes out to his family.  I know the pain of losing someone you love.  You are never ready for it.  It creates a hole in your heart.  Perhaps they will find some solace in the fact that millions of fans are grieving his loss as well; I certainly found myself saddened by the news.  This was a man who helped create fictional characters that have made an impression on me.  Spider-Man, in particular, is a superhero that I deeply appreciate and very much relate to.

One of the traditions for many years in the Marvel movies is Stan Lee cameos.  One cameo scene is particularly memorable: in the film Spider-Man 3, Peter Parker learns the news that Spider-Man is going to receive a key to the city.  A man steps up to Peter, and says, “You know, I guess one person can make a difference.  ‘Nuff said.”  It was Stan Lee himself (he even got to throw in “‘Nuff said” one of his catchphrases).  That sentiment expresses what I think is a major part of Stan Lee’s legacy: one person can make a difference.

Kevin

Red in the ledger

Natasha Romanoff, also known as Black Widow, was an obscure comic book character until she was made popular by her appearances in the Marvel superhero movies beginning with the film Iron-Man 2.  She went on to secure her place as a full-fledged member of the Avengers.  She has a fascinating back-story: “Gifted spy Natasha Romanoff is more than worthy of her moniker, Black Widow.  Ruthless, efficient, and exceptionally skilled, Natasha strikes fear into the hearts of her enemies.  Although she once operated on the side of evil, her innate heroism enabled her to overcome her upbringing and defect, setting her on a lifelong path of redemption.” (Source: https://www.marvel.com/characters/black-widow-natasha-romanova/in-comics)

Natasha’s dark past is alluded to in a memorable scene in the blockbuster film Marvel’s The Avengers.  Thor’s ruthless brother, Loki, is being held prisoner by the spy organization S.H.I.E.L.D. (for the uniformed in the Marvel Cinematic Universe that stands for Strategic Homeland Intervention Enforcement and Logistics Division, and it is also the group that Natasha works for); Natasha is sent to interrogate him about another agent.  She doesn’t attempt to get the information by force, but by sharing a part of her past with him.  I wish I could quote their entire compelling dialogue, but I won’t, as I want to get to my main point today.

 

She says to Loki, “Before I worked for S.H.I.E.L.D. I made a name for myself.  I have a specific skill set.  I didn’t care who I used it for, or on.  I got on S.H.I.E.L.D.’s radar in a bad way.  Agent Barton was sent to kill me, he made a different call.”  Later on, Loki asks her, “And what are you now?”  “It’s really not that complicated,” she answers.  “I got red in my ledger; I’d like to wipe it out.”

I’m fascinated by Natasha Romanoff’s statement because it gives us insight into her heart – and by extension, into countless other hearts like hers; those who also have red in the ledger and they want to see it gone.  Natasha strives to make up for the sins in her past with a lifestyle of morality.  To put it another way: she seeks to make amends for her bad works by piling good works on top of them.  Please don’t misunderstand me on this one: I’m not saying that a person shouldn’t seek reformation.  I believe that a person should turn over a new leaf in their life when they see they are living in a destructive way.  Nor am I suggesting that good works aren’t important at all; they are crucial (I want to write an entire blog on that subject next time, God willing).  What I am saying is no one can wipe out the red in their ledger by good deeds alone.  Why not?

I once heard a pastor use an illustration that answers this inquiry: imagine you have a refrigerator that reeks.  It is discovered that it is due to a rotting piece of food that has been in there too long.  You can put all the fresh, new items of food you want inside that fridge, but it won’t affect the smell; the bad food still remains inside.  In the same way, piling a whole bunch of good works will do nothing for the stench of the bad works that still remain inside the human heart.

Someone wants to ask, “If all that is true, then what can be done about that red in the ledger?”  An old hymn states, “What can wash away my sin?  Nothing but the blood of Jesus.  What can make me whole again?  Nothing but the blood of Jesus.”  What can wipe out the red in our ledger?  Nothing but the blood of Jesus on the cross of Calvary.  

The Bible says, “He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to His own mercy” (Titus 3:5).  The Bible says, “Jesus Christ, the Righteous One…is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:1b-2).  God Himself declares, “I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake” (Isaiah 43:25).  We need only put our faith, trust, and belief in Jesus Christ; Acts 10:43 states, “To Him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins.”  Have you trusted in Jesus Christ to forgive you and wash you clean?  If not, don’t let this opportunity go by, you can do it right here and now.  Romans 10 says, “Whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

 

Kevin