Black Dot Perspective

Look at the image above. What do you see? Typically, random people on the street I’ve asked almost unanimously responded by telling me they saw a black spot or dot or a period (also known as a full stop). However, interestingly enough, no one commented on the white background. But then I asked my Bible study group and to my pleasant surprise, many of them responded with unique answers. Jacob saw throwing dice. David saw a black hole. But my favorite answer came from Kelli in that she saw “light overpowering darkness.” 

Typically, when the humans look at that image, they place their focus on the black spot/dot because it’s an imperfection when compared to the white backdrop. It stands out like a sore thumb. In fact, when we get a sore thumb, our focus becomes immediately drawn to the negative/bad of that thumb, right? But what happens? We somehow lose focus of all our other body parts that function properly and are in good health. Instead, our focus is on the thumb and our complaints ensue: “My thumb! I can’t take my eyes off my thumb!” It’s the same if we get a headache or stub our toe. Our focus shifts to the negative/bad (the black spot/dot) and then we end up magnifying the bad. But what happens if we place our focus on the bad and magnify it? That black spot becomes a black hole that sucks in all our joy, our hope, and our vision for the future.

But what if I told you that I showed you that image so that you could examine the abundance of space within the white background? What if I told you that all of that white background is your potential and the good in life? What if the image to be seen is actually not a black dot on a white background, but like Kelli said in our Bible study, the entire background used to be black but now the light is overcoming the darkness? [#perspective]

Like a blank canvas for an artist, all of that white background is space that can be used to illustrate anything that is possible with the Lord. Essentially, it would be like praying, “Lord, I know that hideous black spot exists on my canvas, but open my eyes to the potential and possibilities of all that other space not being used. Show me what You want me to see. How should I use that available space?”

In recent news, we had the second largest collapse of our banking system, we have record inflation, we have an ongoing invasion at our border, the World Economic Forum is trying to turn us into slaves who will “own nothing and be happy about it,” the news claims that our former president Donald Trump might be arrested, we are extremely close to exploding into World War III, etc. You might have even received a bad report from your doctor. You might have heard many things from many different people. But what does GOD’s Word say? What is the Holy Spirit speaking to us? Where is our focus? Where is our vision? Where is our hope? Where are the solutions to the problems? Where is our focus? On the black hole or the canvas of creation and possibility? The darkness or the light?

1Peter 5:7 tells us to cast our anxiety on the Lord because He cares for us. That word “anxiety” is the English translation of the Greek word μέριμνα [G3308] merimna (mer’-im-nah), which means anxiety, but it is something that is derived from division, through the idea of distraction. That black dot is a distraction. And when we place our focus on it, our mind becomes divided. In other words, the merimna you cast on Jesus is all worries and anxieties that are separating you from Him and His Word (which is the division through distractions). The worries/anxieties make us double-minded, which James 1:5-8 informs us that this double-mindedness is due to doubts and fear, lacking in faith, which makes us unstable in all our ways. So, we’re not to be double-minded and distracted from our devotion to the Lord by the doubts and fears from this world. James confidently told us that we can ask the Lord for wisdom and He will grant to us this wisdom on how to navigate through life if we ask without doubting that He will give to us this wisdom. In fact, it is for this reason the Holy Spirit was given to us as the Guide.

So, what does this ultimately mean? How can we actively apply this to our lives so that we won’t be double-minded? Let’s examine four different scriptures of solutions. 

Hebrews 11:6 says, “without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.”

Philippians 4:6-13 says, “6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. 9 The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. 10 But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at last you have revived your concern for me; indeed, you were concerned before, but you lacked opportunity. 11 Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. 12 I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. 13 I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.”

Paul conversed with the philosophers of his day. Even the dominant philosophic school at that time, Stoics, recognized that anxiety was counterproductive; Fate, they thought, could not be resisted. Rather than an unguided “fate,” Paul instead emphasizes an active dependence on the benevolent GOD who hears our cares and takes care of us, if not always the way we expect, always in love and with ultimate restoration and glorification (Romans 8:28). Paul’s advice is essentially to take all worries that pop up, take them captive (2Corinthians 10:5), transform them into prayers, and then send them up. Release them to the Lord. Let go and let GOD. That’s the same advice Peter gave to us when he said to cast our anxieties on the Lord. Well, philosophers could speak of peace as tranquility in contrast with anxiety as if peace exists when anxiety does not, but the peace that surpasses all human understanding is the kind of peace that exists even during the most chaotic situations. Think of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego before being thrown into the furnace of fire, or Daniel while he was in the lion’s den. GOD’s peace is different from the world’s way of thinking. True peace is not found in positive thinking, good feelings, or even in absence of conflict. It comes from knowing that GOD is in control and this life is not all there is. Greco-Roman thinkers emphasized the value of being content and thus needing nothing more than oneself. Paul’s dependence, however, is on Christ rather than himself. Why? Because his trust was not in himself. And this brings us to ancient wisdom that Paul would have been quite familiar with:

Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight.”

Matthew 6:25-34 says, “25 “For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? 27 And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? 28 And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, 29 yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! 31 Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ 32 For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. 34 So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

Listen, it’s good to be mindful of the future, but not at the expense of the moment. So many people are so worried about what the future holds that they aren’t even able to enjoy the beautiful moment they’re currently in. 

What is worry? Truly, think about it. What is worry? Well in that passage in Matthew 6:25-34, it is the same Greek word (used six times) that Peter used in 1Peter 5:7 when he told us to cast all of our anxieties on the Lord. Our English dictionaries define “worry” as the act of allowing your mind to dwell on potential or actual difficulties, troubles, or problems. So, we would be making our campsite in the negative. Is that really where you want to camp? Is that where you want to dwell? In 2019, Psychology Today published an article describing how a study revealed that 91% of all worries people allowed to dwell in their minds never even came to pass and were declared as false alarms. So, what is a worry? Well, 91% of the time, a worry is a false alarm. But isn’t it also to merely lack trust in the Lord? Should we allow 91% of false alarms to create a division in our devotion to the Lord?

So, in conclusion, what are you allowing your mind to dwell on and what are you practicing? What are you putting into practice? We must remain steadfast, being single-minded in the pursuit of our calling. To do this, we must trust in the Lord while consistently practicing righteousness.

1Corinthians 9:24-27 says, “24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. 25 Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. 26 Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; 27 but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.”

2Timothy 4:7-8 says, “7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; 8 in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.”

Hebrews 12:1-3 says, “1 Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”

Galatians 6:9-10 says, “9 Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary. 10 So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith.”

[ I sent my message (above) to my brother, Jason White (TheArtistJ), and asked him to not only send me his thoughts in writing, but I also challenged him to create something from the black dot… ]

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TheArtistJ:

Let us consider the wondrous truth that through Christ, we can have a different perspective and outlook on life. In Romans 8:28, we find one of the most comforting verses in all of Scripture: “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” This means that even the trials and difficulties we face can ultimately be used for our good and for God’s glory. We can trust that He is in control and that He is working all things together for our ultimate good, and that really is only a perspective that those who hope in Christ can have.

This is the reason why Paul tells us “not to be anxious about anything” in Philippians 4:6, because if we are truly in Christ then He will work the situations for our good and His ultimate glory. That’s why in Psalm 55:22, we read “Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved.” What an awesome promise! Once we cast our burdens on God, we no longer carry them alone. Just like in Exodus 17:12, when Moses’s hands grew heavy, Aaron and Hur took a stone and put it under Moses, and he sat on it, while they both held up his hands until the sun went down and their circumstance had ended, which in that case was a battle. Likewise, God sustains us. We sit upon the ROCK, the firm foundation, who sustains us while we are heavy in spirit, lifting us up as our mediator, and our savior until the circumstances have passed. How awesome is Jesus!

God is a master at using even the most difficult circumstances to produce greater good in us and for us. As it says in Romans 5:3-4, “we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.” Through our trials and hardships, God is molding and shaping us into the people He has called us to be, meaning sanctification, as well as using the situation for His own glory.

Consider the life of Joseph as an example. He was betrayed by his own brothers, sold into slavery, and falsely accused of a crime he did not commit. Yet through it all, God was at work in Joseph’s life, preparing him to become a leader through these tough circumstances to become a source of salvation for his people. As Joseph himself said in Genesis 50:20, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.”

Furthermore, the story of Joseph serves as a powerful illustration of our ultimate example of working bad situations for good: Christ. Just as Joseph was betrayed and suffered unjustly, so too was Jesus Christ betrayed and falsely accused. And just as Joseph ultimately became a source of salvation for his people, so too did Jesus Christ become the ultimate source of salvation for all mankind through His sacrificial death on the cross.

In the midst of our own trials and hardships, let us remember that we serve a God who knows our struggles intimately and who has overcome the world. As we look to Jesus Christ, our ultimate example, we can have hope and confidence that even in the midst of suffering, God is at work to bring about His ultimate purposes. That’s the perspective we are to have, the fact that our God is completely sovereign over all things. As Hebrews 2:8-9 reminds us, “For in subjecting all things to him, He left nothing that is not subject to him. But now we do not yet see all things subjected to him, But we do see Him who was made for a little while lower than the angels, namely, Jesus, because of His suffering death crowned with glory and honor, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone.”

This means that even the events that may seem chaotic or beyond our control are ultimately under the sovereign hand of our God. Therefore, we have no real need to worry or be anxious about the future. Our God knows the end from the beginning, and He is working all things together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). Even in the midst of trials and difficulties, we can rest in the knowledge that God is in control and that He is using every circumstance to accomplish His perfect will.

So let us trust in the sovereignty of our God and lay aside all worry and anxiety, and do as Paul instructs in Philippians 4:8, to focus our minds on whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy. By dwelling on such things, we cultivate a positive perspective on life and are better able to navigate the challenges that come our way, because we know that God is our rock, our fortress, and our deliverer, and nothing can separate us from His love, and we can rest and find peace in God’s sovereign care for us.

I’ll end with a poem I wrote years ago called “Perspective”:

You ever notice how beautiful a valley is when you’re seeing it from a higher perspective,
but it seems atrocious when it’s in your way and you have to travel through it to get to your objectives.
Look how awesome a storm is to behold when you’re not in the midst of it?
How wondrous a fire is when you’re not in the thick of it.
God’s sight is so much greater than our own, what we think is obscured He sees high above on His throne.
God cares for His own but sometimes His greatest work doesn’t come while sitting on a pew,
but it comes by molding us when our life seems skewed.
When seeking God’s face is all you can do. It’s in these valleys that He’s shaping us into something stronger and new.
When you’re closed in on all sides, looking up is your best view.
We want all of our prayers answered on our own cues,
but what if learning to trust and wait on God is the breakthrough.

BEFORE                                                                          AFTER

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Trenton:

Now, I don’t know why Jason decided to use that black dot for Jesus’s eye, but it seems perfect to me. It is just as Jason mentioned from Hebrews 2:9 in that “by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone.” That’s exactly what Jason’s illustration depicts. Jesus has His eye set on that black dot, that black hole of death because He came to conquer death and set us free from sin. And do you know what Jesus has His eye set on right now? You. Me. Remember that in Matthew 28:20, Jesus said, “I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” And in Matthew 18:20, Jesus promised, “For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.” And so our Lord is here with us right now.

In conclusion, James 5:16 says, “Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.”

So, I want to challenge us today (myself included). What distractions are we holding onto that are causing us to be double-minded? What are we dwelling on? Where have we made camp? Have we made our camp in all that is negative while focusing on the black dot problem? Or are we camping in the solution of our Savior, placing our entire trust in Him? What black hole have we allowed to divide us from our devotion to the Lord? Both Peter and Paul told us to cast all of that on Christ! James told us to confess to each other so that we can receive healing and restoration. So, I challenge you to go confess to your local body with whom you fellowship and receive prayer for restoration of your mind and will. May the peace that surpasses all human understanding abide in you. Amen.

What Is Love?

The following article is Lesson 3 from my book, Superhero University: The Ultimate Superhero Training Manual:

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Superheroes, having the correct understanding of what is good and right, are full of love, and they are compelled to act out from love. This is the only reason we can distinguish the hero from the villain. Spider-Man doesn’t save a falling person from splatting on the ground because he hates the person he saves, right? The superhero saves someone from danger/death because he/she has love for the person he/she is saving. In stark contrast, the villain performs acts of evil, not love. Again, evil is merely a privation of what is good; hatred is a privation or lack of love. It is written in James 2:8 that we are doing right by living a life of love toward others. But what is love? 

Love is not something we can have or hold like materialists would like us to believe. Not everything in life can be boiled down to materialism. Think about it: Can you describe the physical features of love or even the thought about love? How much does love weigh? Of what is the love molecule comprised? There is no infinity stone of love we can possess that can be contained in a gauntlet. In fact, of all the infinity stones Thanos (from the Avengers) had been able to collect that provided him with seemingly unlimited power and ability, it is evident that he lacked love, and that is why he had no qualms about murdering half of the created creatures in the universe—including his own daughter! In fact, Thanos had to sacrifice love in order to be able to obtain one of the infinity stones. Ultimately, Thanos traded love for power because he could not possess both. 

But what is love? And why do humans possess the capability to love? If love is not a material that can be weighed, or measured, how are humans able to possess love? How do we even know that love exists? Does love exist? We know that love exists—not because humans have defined the term—but because the Creator provided the definition of love and humans live by that defined divine design. 

Think about this: Oxygen—the air we breathe—exists whether humanity believes in it or not. In fact, oxygen exists even if humans call it something else. Humanity never created or invented oxygen; we merely discovered it. Likewise, love exists whether humanity believes love exists or not. Love exists even if humans call it something else. In fact, the definition of love is so confused by many humans because they believe it to be something it is not. Many people misuse the word love when they are actually referring to something else that love is not. And this is why it is important that the word love be clearly defined. 

(1 John 4:7–8, NLT)
“Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.”

(1 John 4:19, ESV)
“We love because he first loved us.”

Scripture makes sense. If GOD is love, then we would love because GOD first loved us because GOD created us. We are able to love because GOD is love and we are from GOD. If love is GOD, then we must know who GOD is so we can better understand what love is. So who is GOD? We will examine that in detail in Lesson 32, but for now suffice it to say that GOD is love and the absolute moral standard and therefore provides the definition of love (which we will soon examine and define). But we can also better understand love by examining what love is not. 

Love Is Not An Emotion 

Many people in the world claim that love is an emotion, but that simply isn’t true. Love affects our emotions and even causes us to produce emotions within us, but love is not an emotion in and of itself. You may claim that you can feel as if someone loves you, but love is not a feeling. 

Love Is Not Sexual Intercourse 

It is unwise to confuse sex for love and love for sex. Sex needs love to be relevant and meaningful; however, love does not need sex to be relevant and meaningful. A person can have sex with another person simply for the pleasure all while possessing no love for that individual. Examples of this, of course, is prostitution or rape. Such acts of sexual intercourse are meaningless because there is no love in the act of sex. That kind of sex serves a selfish purpose, but has no ultimate meaning. And of course, sex isn’t necessary for love to exist, to be relevant and be meaningful (I will expound upon this later when I define love). Now sex may be found in one of the definitions of love (Eros—I’ll get to this soon), but Eros is within the definition of love; love is ultimately selfless, sacrificial, and unconditional. A distorted desire is often misconstrued, mistaken as love. It is unwise to confuse lust for love. 

Even if love is not an emotion, a feeling, or even the act of sexual intercourse, does it matter if love can be clearly defined? If so, why does it matter? Consider what is written: 

(1 Corin. 13:1–3, NLT)
“If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing.”

The definition of love matters because GOD is love and GOD created us in His image (Gen. 1:27). For without GOD, love would not matter because life would ultimately be meaningless and purposeless. And if we are to be loving beings, it is important that we understand the definition of love. 

What Is Love? 

(1 Corin. 13:4–8, NLT)
“Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. Prophecy and speaking in unknown languages and special knowledge will become useless. But love will last forever!”

Love Is an Action 

Though it is not specifically and solely the act of sexual intercourse, love is definitely an action; it is something we do. Read verses 4–7 again and take notice of the fourteen different active descriptions the Holy Spirit (via Paul) uses to define love (patience, kindness, etc.). It’s important to note that this is not Paul’s definition of love, but the definition of love written by Paul while he was inspired by the Holy Spirit. 

Love Is a Choice 

The fourteen active descriptions are actions that we choose to do or not to do. There’s a nonsensical saying that states, “You can’t help who you love.” But yes—you can! We get to decide if we love and who we will love if we decide to love. And this is because we have free will (discussed in Lesson 41). 

Also, there’s a saying that states, “I fell in love.” It sounds so romantic, but this is also nonsense. Love is not a hole or trapdoor we can fall in. You don’t fall in love any more than you fall out of love. Love is a choice. You choose to love. You choose not to love. People do not fall in love; people decide to love. People do, however, fall into the trapdoor of lust. When people talk about love at first sight, what they really mean is lust at first sight. Now is it possible to possess love for someone at first sight? General love? Yes. Complete love? No. Love in the sense that you want the best for someone? Yes. Love in the sense that you desire the best for someone despite all his/her flaws and mistakes? No. It’s not possible to love someone so deeply at first sight because you wouldn’t know the flaws and mistakes associated with the person. And how is it possible to truly love someone unless you love despite the flaws and mistakes? 

Love, in a nutshell, is the good you will show toward someone and/or others. It’s treating someone else with the qualities described in 1 Corinthians 13:4–7. Take the Supreme Superhero (Jesus) as an example (after all, the Savior is the definition of love and the ultimate example of love): 

(John 15:12–13, NLT)
“This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”

However, the Supreme Superhero goes even further by commanding us to love our enemies (Matt. 5:43–48). And then the Savior did exactly that—Jesus went out and laid down His life for us by dying on the cross as our atoning sacrifice while being mocked, spat on, beaten, lacerated, and murdered by those who hated Him for no good reason. Love is caring more for others than for self because love is selfless. Love is sacrificial. Love is unconditional. 

Love Defined 

Unlike the English language, which uses the one word of love ambiguously, the ancient Greek language used different words to define the one word of love so that people wouldn’t be confused as to which definition of love should be inferred. Examine the four following words and their associated definitions: 

• Storge/stergo—This is a familial love such as the love of a parent toward offspring and vice versa. Devotion can be a key word associated with this type of love.

• Phileo—This love is companionable and relational. It means brotherly/sisterly love or friendship. It carries the idea of two or more people who feel compatible with each other.

• Eros—This is the word for sexual or romantic love. In fact, this is where we get the word erotic. This word implies a sexual demand. And because it is unwise to confuse lust for love, it is imperative that we not confuse lust for Eros. The passion and intimacy of Eros is to be confined within the covenant bond between husband and wife, as was designed by the Designer. Lust is only about the pelvic thrust, to seek pleasure and fulfill a selfish desire. Lust is committed only to fulfilling a distorted desire whereas love (eros) is committed to fulfilling the needs of the partner within the covenant union. Therefore, be wise: pursue love and reject thoughts produced from the lustful lair of the Liar—they are lies created in the cave of the contemptible con artist and Counterfeiter, the Salesman that is Satan. Don’t buy the lies. Even a lustful look is adultery in the heart (Matt. 5:28). Money can’t buy you love. And no—that’s actually not from the Beatles—it’s from the Song of Solomon 8:7.

• Agape—This is the highest and deepest level of love. This is the ultimate love and is selfless, sacrificial, and unconditional. This is the love of GOD. This is the type of love all superheroes should possess. 

(1 Pet. 4:8, NLT)
“Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins.”

Love covers a multitude of sins? Is that true? Yes! In fact, that is exactly what Jesus did for us:

(Rom. 5:6–8, NLT)
“When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.”

For love, compassion is the key and empathy is everything: 

(Luke 23:34, NLT)
“Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.”

Jesus is able to see us as His precious people, not a pervasive problem such as a plague. The Savior sees us as eternal beings, not mortal enemies. The Supreme Superhero sees us as family who belong in His heavenly home, not failures to be flung in the fiery furnace. Hell is where evil belongs and will ultimately be quarantined, but GOD doesn’t desire for us to go to that awful place. In fact, the Lord desires for everyone to be saved and doesn’t take any delight in the destruction of the wicked (Ezek. 18:21–23; 33:11; 1 Tim. 2:4; 2 Pet. 3:9). 

Jesus is our awesome, ardent advocate who absorbed for us the penalty of sin. Apostle Paul assists us by providing an important reminder that helps us put people into proper perspective: 

(Eph. 6:12, NLT)
“For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.”

It is of the utmost importance that all superheroes remember this: we are to hate evil/sin, but we are to love people. 

Conclusion 

1. Love never fails. 

(Song of Sol. 8:7, NLT)
“Many waters cannot quench love, nor can rivers drown it. If a man tried to buy love with all his wealth, his offer would be utterly scorned.”

2. Love perfects us. 

(1 John 4:12–18, NLT)
“No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us. And God has given us his Spirit as proof that we live in him and he in us. Furthermore, we have seen with our own eyes and now testify that the Father sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. All who declare that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God. We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world. Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love.”

3. Love is supreme. 

(1 Corin. 13:13, NLT)
“Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.”

Reflection 

If you want to be a superhero, you must possess love and choose to love others. A superhero can only be a superhero if the hero first and foremost possesses love for others. Do you possess love for others? If not, you resemble a villain. But wait—is that a fair statement? Consider the words of the Supreme Superhero:

(Matt. 12:30, ESV)
“Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.”

The late and great Martin Luther King Jr. once posed a powerful question to the clergymen of Alabama in his renowned letter, “Letter from Birmingham Jail.” He asked, “So the question is not whether we will be extremists, but what kind of extremists we will be. Will we be extremists for hate or for love?” 

And that’s not a fallacy of false dilemma—if we’re not loving others, then…we’re not loving people. Therefore, I implore everyone to examine the motives and intentions of each and every choice/decision you make. Are you able to recognize good from bad? Right from wrong? Are you living a life of love or hate? For if you’re not living a life of love, what are you doing and what is your life? I choose to live an extreme life of love (not lust), and I urge you to do the same. Don’t scatter. Be a gatherer. Ironically, the best way to be a gatherer of people is to scatter seeds of love. How many seeds of love can you sow today? 

So ask yourself, do you love others? From where did you get this desire to love? Do you feel compelled to act out from love? If so, why do you think that is? All superheroes possess love for people. If you love people, then you possess one of the qualities of a superhero and you just might be one someday! 

Whatever Floats Your Boat

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Countless times I have heard someone tell me, “Do whatever floats your boat.” Essentially, this saying means that people should do whatever makes them happy. But is that truly good advice? Should you do whatever floats your boat? Is the pursuit of happiness equal to the pursuit of purpose? The book of Ecclesiastes alone showcases how the pursuit of pleasure is “vanity,” meaningless, or merely smoke; however, multiple celebrities have revealed that pursuing pleasure will never be enough to live out purpose.

A harbor can be a noun or a verb. A harbor is a part of a body of water along the shore deep enough for anchoring a ship. But to harbor is also to keep or hold in the mind. Relate “harbor” with bad thoughts and negativity. You are the boat. If you harbor (keep in your mind) the bad thoughts, then the boat (you) will harbor (will remain anchored and without movement). But should a boat remain anchored? Boats are made for sailing, not sitting. You are not meant to keep negativity or evil in your mind and remain idle. All the bad you keep in your mind will anchor you and tie you down to your past and prevent you from sailing into your future. A floater’s future isn’t much different than the floater’s present. Is that much of a future? Let go of the bad. How can you grasp onto anything new and good while your hands are still full of the bad of which you refuse to let go? Let go and sail! It is better to sink after sailing than to forever float after being anchored in the harbor.

Like the horse in the picture (above), Moses believed he was confined to one area in life. In fact, the Israelites under Egyptian control also believed they had been confined to only one area in life. Many people are like the horse tied to a lightweight plastic chair. Many people don’t even realize that they are free to go because they believe they are tied to something that’s preventing them from moving forward. Understand this: the Adversary wants you to be idle; the enemy wants you to merely float. Why? Because a boat in the harbor is not a boat out in the sea; a horse tied to a chair is not a horse that goes into all nations, delivering good news.

“But Moses protested to God, ‘Who am I to appear before Pharaoh? Who am I to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt?’ ”
(Exodus 3:11) -NLT

“But Moses protested again, ‘What if they won’t believe me or listen to me? What if they say, “The Lord never appeared to you!”?’ Then the Lord asked him, ‘What is that in your hand?’ ‘A shepherd’s staff,’ Moses replied. ‘Throw it down on the ground,’ the Lord told him. So Moses threw down the staff, and it turned into a snake! Moses jumped back.”
(Exodus 4:1-3) -NLT

It doesn’t matter who you are or what you have or what you don’t have. GOD asked Moses what he had and Moses told him he only had a stick. But GOD used that stick to create a miracle! And that staff became his measuring stick of faith; in fact, that’s probably one of the reasons why he always carried it with him. Every time Moses looked at that staff, he remembered GOD’s power. How close was Moses to a miracle? So close he could touch it! So close, in fact, that the miracle had been with him the whole time – he had been holding on to his miracle! Has your miracle been with you the whole time? All we need to do is move toward GOD (James 4:8) and GOD will prove that all things are possible through Him (Matthew 19:26; Mark 10:27; Luke 1:37; 18:27). All Moses had to do was allow GOD inside in order for the miracle to be activated. Eventually, no matter how afraid or hesitant Moses felt, deep down inside he knew that GOD creates possibilities and all he had to do was to continue progressing forward in faith. All he had to do was make a decision to allow GOD to cut him loose from the Adversary’s anchor, the deadweight of doubt and feeling of fear.

Never tell yourself, “I can’t.” Instead, tell yourself, “I will try.” If you fail, never tell yourself, “I quit.” Instead, tell yourself, “I will try again.“ Never ask yourself, “Who am I? What difference can I make?” Instead, tell yourself, “Greater is He who is in me than he who is in the world” (1John 4:4).

Some people need to set themselves free from themselves. If you have been struggling with doubt, fear, or addictions, know that you possess the power to walk away in the name of Jesus. You can walk away at any time. In the name of Jesus, by the power of GOD, you will no longer be bound to your addiction(s) and you will no longer be steered by your affliction(s). Proclaim your freedom, believe it, and simply walk away from it. We are more than conquerors in Christ (Romans 8:37). Give the addiction(s) and affliction(s) to GOD and allow Christ inside of you in order to activate your miracle.

In his book “Save Me from Myself: How I Found God, Quit Korn, Kicked Drugs, and Lived to Tell My Story,” the late 1990’s and early 2000’s rock star, Brian ‘Head’ Welch walked away completely clean and sober after he had asked Jesus to take it all away from him so that he could live the right way. With GOD, all things are possible.

Consider again the horse and the plastic chair. If the horse in the picture were to walk away, the blue chair would follow behind it. But either one of four things would most likely happen:

1. The horse would realize that the chair is tied to it and then begrudgingly accept that the chair is just the way of life and there’s nothing it can do except drag the chair everywhere it goes;
2. the horse would get spooked by the chair and run; it would run long enough only to exhaust itself, never breaking free from the torment of the chair;
3. the horse would get spooked and run; it would run long enough that it would eventually break loose from the chair yet still end up exhausted and probably end up in a location it never desired to go, or;
4. the owner of the horse would care enough to calm the horse and help the horse see the chair for what it really is: it’s mere deadweight that needs to be cut loose; furthermore, the chair possesses no real power.

Some people believe their anchors are just the way of life and there’s nothing that can be done about it. Some people exhaust themselves by their own efforts. Some people allow that which drags behind them to steer them toward an undesired destination due to fear. Understand this: you can walk away from your addiction(s)! The addiction(s) may follow you, but until you allow the Owner (GOD) to cut that deadweight loose, you will only exhaust yourself by your own efforts. Freedom does require action. You have to move. Like Lot, you must decide to walk away and not look back (Genesis 19:26). But when we walk away, we do not just aimlessly wander like the Israelites did for 40 years (Joshua 5:6). We need to walk toward the Owner so He can cut the deadweight loose. Walk with Jesus – nothing evil can stay with you if you are with Jesus because Jesus casts evil out. You simply cannot dwell in the darkness if you walk with Jesus because Jesus is the the Light (John 8:12). Ask GOD to take it from you. GOD will provide a way of escape if you seek Him (1Corinthians 10:13). Proclaim it: you are free from your addiction(s) and you can overcome your affliction(s)! May it be so. Amen.

The person that holds you back is often yourself. More often than not, the chains that bind you are mental and not physical. And if you don’t want to take my word for it, listen to Nick Vujicic. Nick was born with tetra-amelia syndrome, which is a rare disorder characterized by the absence of arms and legs. Nick has no arms and no legs! Yet despite his physical condition, GOD helped Nick break the mental chains that tried to bind him and now he’s a motivational speaker who inspires people all throughout the world.
(After you finish this message, watch Nick’s message, “Learn To Live The Life God Has Called You To” and then set sail! But first finish this message.)

Before Moses ever led the Israelites out of Egypt and through the parting of the Red Sea, he lived with doubt and fear as his anchors that held him in the harbor. Moses didn’t believe he could accomplish anything of significance. At that time, he believed he was just a man with a speech impediment and a regrettable past. Consequently, Moses stayed where he was at in life. He had been a floater.

Don’t allow your mental hangups to tie you down and prevent you from sailing for the Savior. Are you anchored in the harbor? Are you only floating while merely existing? Don’t you realize that boats are meant to sail? I’ll say it again: it is better to sink after sailing than to forever float after being anchored in the harbor. It is better to sail for the Savior than to be anchored by the Adversary. Don’t be a floater. Sail, boat! Sail!

Some people have been anchored in agony due to addictions and afflictions; however, some people have been docked in the Dead Sea due to selfish decisions. Some people don’t want to sail because they’re only concerned about themselves. Some people are only concerned about keeping their own boats afloat; they only care about whatever floats their boats.

Those who float are in the Dead Sea. Though I am speaking of the Dead Sea figuratively, the actual physical location of the Dead Sea can help to understand the metaphorical sea of the dead. The Dead Sea’s unusually high salt concentration (about 33%) means that people can easily float due to natural buoyancy. But just as its name indicates, this sea is dead because the high concentration of salt prevents life such as fish, birds, and plants from living in it. The Dead Sea’s high concentration of salt is due to it having no outlets. Whatever water finds its way in will never find its way out; the water evaporates and the white of the salt remains.

Are you figuratively floating in the Dead Sea? Those who refuse to set sail for the Savior merely float in the Dead Sea. Those who continue to take and never give have no outlet. Without an outlet, you will come to nothing, leaving only the white of your bones behind. Don’t you realize we are more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20:35)?

We are not called to be Couch Potato Christians, Blue Cord Bums, or faithless floaters. Many people know that Jesus told Peter and Andrew that if they followed Him, He would make them fishers of men (Matthew 4:19; Mark 1:17; Luke 5:10). People also know that Peter and Andrew left everything and followed Jesus (Matthew 4:20; Mark 1:18; Luke 5:11). Their decision to leave everything they knew and follow Jesus was the moment they decided to stop being floaters and to set sail for the Savior. By becoming disciples of Jesus, Peter and Andrew left their comfort zones in order to set sail into the sea of the lost to become fishers of men. However, many people fail to recognize an important part of this story which happened right before Peter and Andrew left everything to follow Jesus. Examine Luke 5:1-11 (NLT):

“One day as Jesus was preaching on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, great crowds pressed in on him to listen to the word of God. ² He noticed two empty boats at the water’s edge, for the fishermen had left them and were washing their nets. ³ Stepping into one of the boats, Jesus asked Simon, its owner, to push it out into the water. So he sat in the boat and taught the crowds from there. ⁴ When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, ‘Now go out where it is deeper, and let down your nets to catch some fish.’ ^{5 ‘}Master,’ Simon replied, ‘we worked hard all last night and didn’t catch a thing. But if you say so, I’ll let the nets down again.’ ⁶ And this time their nets were so full of fish they began to tear! ⁷ A shout for help brought their partners in the other boat, and soon both boats were filled with fish and on the verge of sinking. ⁸ When Simon Peter realized what had happened, he fell to his knees before Jesus and said, ‘Oh, Lord, please leave me—I’m such a sinful man.’ ⁹ For he was awestruck by the number of fish they had caught, as were the others with him. ¹⁰ His partners, James and John, the sons of Zebedee, were also amazed. Jesus replied to Simon, ‘Don’t be afraid! From now on you’ll be fishing for people!’ ¹¹ And as soon as they landed, they left everything and followed Jesus.“

Jesus used Peter’s boat! Peter allowed Jesus into his boat! Peter was a fisherman and he needed his boat in order to catch fish. By Peter allowing Jesus into his boat, he allowed Jesus access to his livelihood. Verse 4 is the important part: Peter was instructed to go out where it was deeper in order to catch fish. When placed in proper perspective with verse 10, we can see that disciples must be willing to go out where it’s deeper in order to catch those who are lost. But we simply cannot do that if we are anchored or tied up at the dock, merely floating in the Dead Sea. We must set sail! And take note that verse 7 shows us that relationships matter and teamwork works. Without the other boat and teammates, Peter’s boat would have gone under.

Jesus had called Peter and Andrew (and even Paul later on) to leave the faithless life of being a floater in order to risk sinking after sailing (Luke 5:7; 2Corinthians 11:25). Jesus called them to leave what they considered to be their way of life (comfort) for a better way of life (calling). Jesus called them to leave their productive trade in order to be productive spiritually. We all need to fish for lost souls, but we can’t do that unless we risk sailing for the Savior. Jesus’ call challenged the men to leave everything — immediately. They didn’t make excuses about timing, ability, or comfort. They left everything and followed Jesus. And Jesus calls each of us to follow Him. Jesus called the disciples to fish for the lost as if they were fishing for food necessary for their own survival – that’s what Jesus meant when He commanded us to love others as we love ourselves (Matthew 22:39)! The Gospel is like the net, lifting people from the depths of dark waters into the light of day and transforming their lives. Remember: in order to make a catch, you must go out where it’s deeper. We must set sail. We must not be a faithless floater in the Dead Sea.

I challenge you: Seek GOD and He will provide a way of escape. Jesus can cut you loose from the Adversary’s anchor(s). Do not float in your comfort zone. Dead men float. Satan wants you to be a floater because he does not want you to be active in the sea of those who need to be saved. We are the Righteous League and the fishers of the lost! We are children of GOD, not children who are damned to the Dead Sea of selfishness. Don’t step foot in the Dead Sea ship; rather, choose relationship, discipleship, and worship! Sail, boat! Sail! We either sail for the Savior or remain stagnant, get stuck in the bitter salty sea of sin and eventually sink with Satan in his final sentencing. It is better to capsize for Christ than to dock in the Dead Sea and satisfy Satan by remaining stationary. Don’t listen to those who will invite you into the Dead Sea – there’s no outlet – they all float and you’ll float too!

REMEMBER: Watch Nick’s message, “Learn To Live The Life God Has Called You To” and then set sail for the Savior!

Superhero: Solution Seekers

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This is Part 5 of my Superhero series. In the introduction of this series, I provided the argument that heroes are real and then I distinguished between heroes and superheroes. I also provided a list of what defines a superhero. In Part 1, we learned that superheroes recognize the absolute standard of Good and realize that evil is a mere privation of what is good. In Part 2, we learned that superheroes recognize the absolute moral standard and realize that what is wrong can only be known by the standard of what is right. In Part 3, I defined and expounded upon love because all superheroes are full of love and are compelled to act out from love. In Part 4, I explained that superheroes desire to save people from all forms of danger and/or death and this desire comes from love.

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In this message (Part 5), I’m going to examine another defining characteristic of superheroes: they are solution seekers!

Solution seeker! Yes! Being a solution-seeker is a great concept and a wonderful thing to write on a resume! But there’s one problem: we often worry about what’s wrong. Many people are prone to pointing out problems. In fact, I just pointed out a problem by pointing out that problem. (Oh no! That’s a problem!) But wait – there’s more! I have good news to share! Where there are problems, there can be solutions! In fact, here is a solution to problems: Never point out a problem unless you’re also willing to seek a solution. At the very least, you must be willing to seek a solution to a problem or else you become the problem. For the one who refuses to seek a solution accepts the problem as a permanent pain.

If seeking solutions is such an easy answer to pesky and persistent problems, why are there so many people who are depressed and/or filled with anxiety or worry? Why do so many people consider suicide? Well, there exists two major evil villains that prevent people from seeking solutions: Fear and Doubt – they are the fork in the tongue of the serpent. Many people often allow problems to paralyze them from going forward due to fear of failure; many people also what-if themselves into indecisiveness and doubt themselves into idleness.

Fear and Doubt:

Fear paralyzes people and prevents possibility. Even if you do not fear anything, you can still be denied possibility due to Doubt. If Doubt becomes a barrier between you and Belief, it becomes equal to fear in the sense that it still prevents you from possibility. The person who allows Fear and Doubt to take control becomes his/her own problem because he/she is imprisoned within his/her own mind. In the prison of problems, your only cellmate is stagnation.

There Is Hope:

I’m going to let you in on a secret in the hope that you’re going to tell everyone and it will no longer be a secret: Doubt fears Belief, and Fear doubts Belief. Even with as much hatred and evil as Fear and Doubt have within themselves, they still understand the concept of teamwork; together, they can imprison you! However, Doubt fears Belief. Doubt fears Belief because Belief banishes Doubt away. Where is your concept of teamwork? You cannot have teamwork with Fear or Doubt while seeking Possibility. Fear and Doubt already work together with plans of destruction and their target is you! You can only pair up with Belief and Vision in order to find Possibility. Belief banishes Doubt from you when you and Belief join together to create a team. Together, you can then overcome Fear because you would believe that you can do so. However, because Fear doubts Belief, Fear will follow you, doubting that Belief will remain within you. Since Belief banishes doubt from you when you team up with Belief, Doubt will live inside of Fear (who is following you), motivating Fear to follow you. However, the pursuit will be in vain because Belief is eternal so long as you never have an about-face of doubt. That means you will always be able to find Possibility so long as you team up with Belief. But belief in what? Not what, but who! Belief in the Savior, Christ Jesus! The Savior is the Solution – we simply need to seek the Solution to all problems if we are to find the specific solutions for specific problems!

Resist and Receive:

“So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come close to God, and God will come close to you.”
(James 4:7-8) -NLT

“Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.”
(Matthew 7:7-11) -NLT

The special stipulation to this promise is found in James 4:2-3; our desires need to be in alignment with GOD’s will. Ask yourself three important questions:

1. For what are you asking?
2. Why are you asking for that specific request?
3. Will it benefit the Kingdom of GOD?

Knowing GOD takes faith, focus, and follow-through. Jesus promises a reward for the passionate pursuit of seeking GOD’s will.

What Does GOD Say About Fear?

There are over 300 instances in the Bible in which we are instructed not to fear. There are two major reasons why we should not fear:

1. Trust in GOD;
2. love for others.

(1) There should be no fear in this limited lifetime because we know our eternal destiny:

“Don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell. What is the price of two sparrows—one copper coin? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.”
(Matthew 10:28-31) -NLT

(2) Why would we fear the outcome of choosing to love?:

“And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world. Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love.”
(1John 4:17-18) -NLT

Therefore, we do not fear people nor do we fear punishment. Perfect love casts out all fear. And since we trust in GOD – who is love (1John 4:8,16) – and we choose to love GOD and others, we have no reason to fear.

What Does GOD Say About Doubt?

“When doubts filled my mind, your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer.”
(Psalm 94:19) -NLT

Do you see how this works? Belief banishes doubt. Faith (trust) in GOD creates hope. With hope, one has reason to seek solutions. While seeking the Solution, the Holy Spirit gives the seeker wisdom and vision. Wisdom and vision plan out and produce possibilities.

“And Peter answered him, ‘Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.’ He said, ‘Come.’ So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, ‘Lord, save me.’ Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, ‘O you of little faith, why did you doubt?’ And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, ‘Truly you are the Son of God.’ ”
(Matthew 14:28-33) -ESV

Peter had faith and so he walked on water. However, he allowed doubt within and he started to sink. But remember: doubt was living inside of fear and fear is faithful to follow. Doubt and fear joined forces and caused Peter to sink. But in seeking the Savior, the Solution was found: trust in the Lord is the solution. Faith creates hope and hope gives birth to possibilities.

“Then Jesus told them, ‘I tell you the truth, if you have faith and don’t doubt, you can do things like this and much more. You can even say to this mountain, “May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,” and it will happen. You can pray for anything, and if you have faith, you will receive it.’ ”
(Matthew 21:21) -NLT

So, faith is foundational and prayer is powerful. But in order to pray we must first be seeking GOD. If prayer, however, is one of the keys to being a solution seeker, then prayer needs to be properly understood.

Faith-filled Purposeful Prayer:

Prayer needs to be purposeful if it is to be powerful (I’ll expound upon prayer in parts 21-22). Prayer is not a means of merely asking for what we want. GOD is not a magic genie and prayer is not the magic lamp by which to summon GOD. Prayer is a connection between us and GOD. A healthy relationship requires constant communication. So, talk. Prayer is also a way to love others. We should pray for others (Ephesians 6:18-19). But we should also pray that GOD’s will be done and not our own (Matthew 26:39, 42, 44). In the connection of prayer, the goal is to come into alignment with GOD’s will. Regarding prayer, it is important to remember that GOD always answers our prayers in one of three possible ways: yes, no, or not yet. And it is important to thank GOD for all the “no” answers. All the “no” answers eventually lead to the “yes” moment. When we pray, we must pray for the right reasons. Motive matters. We don’t need a mantra, we need a meaningful connection with the Maker. Prayers need to be genuine and purposeful. But remember: you don’t always need to know exactly what to say (Romans 8:26-28). Just be honest.

“But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.”
(James 1: 6-8) –NIV

Doubts are sometimes unavoidable and seem inevitable. Whether intellectually based or emotionally charged, all doubts need to be doubted and examined. If you find yourself doubting, you’re certainly not alone in your struggle. In Mark 9:24, the father of the possessed son asked Jesus to help his unbelief. Having the courage to doubt your doubts and investigate their causes leads to greater confidence in your relationship with Jesus. In seeking the Savior, He can help work through your doubts to increase your faith. Therefore, investigate your doubts. Seek Truth. Be specific about what your doubts are – write them out and list reasons for and against them. Also, pray! And never stop praying (1Thessalonians 5:17)! Like the father of the possessed son, we too can ask GOD to help with unbelief. Be a Solution seeker! This is important because belief casts out doubt and love casts out fear. The faith-filled become the faith-full! The faithful and loving solution-seeker is stable and also able to pursue possibilities.

Beyond, Through, and To:

“Give all your worries to him, because he cares about you.”
(1Peter 5:7) –NCV

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”
(Philippians 4:6-7) -NLT

Though the Bible does not explicitly say that worry is a sin, we can still logically conclude that it is a sin by examining all the available evidence. One simply cannot trust GOD to provide if one worries about provision. Likewise, one cannot trust GOD about wellbeing if one worries about wellbeing. Faith is trust. There’s no trust in worrying because worrying comes from doubting GOD.

“And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.”
(Hebrews 11:6) -NLT

Know this: GOD already told us He will take care of all our needs (Matthew 6:25-34).

“And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.”
(Philippians 4:8-9) -NLT

Pray Your Way To Peace:

Prayer is not our last resort; rather, it is our first line of defense! And that is why prayer is being discussed here in addition to the end of this book. How do we get GOD’s peace? By putting into practice what we learned. We have learned that we need to put our trust in the Lord (Proverbs 3:5-6). So, let us put into practice our faith by living confidently in Christ. We can pray our way into peace! Look beyond the problem, through the potential and to the possibilities by seeking the power of GOD in prayer. If we focus on all that is good and right, our focus won’t be on what is bad and wrong. That’s easier said than done – I know. But no one ever said that what is simple is also easy. If we fill our minds with GOD’s Word, we won’t have enough room to fill our minds with the Satan’s lies and the world’s ways. Christians must think about what they’re thinking about and not allow their minds to wander into the chaotic circus of sin. In our spiritual warfare, we need to wear the helmet of salvation (explain in Part 19) because it is spiritual armor for the mind. Negative thoughts can be replaced with positive ones, and the more that godly substitution takes place, the more peace and joy we can experience. Many times we are asking GOD to change our situation when GOD desires to change our stinkin’ thinkin’! GOD’s peace is promised to guard those who pray – with thanksgiving – about everything.

“And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.”
(Romans 8:28) -NLT

Stay Focused:

We already know the ending of the story! Christ returns, evil is banished to Hell, and all believers will live happily ever after with Jesus for eternity (Revelation 19-21). Knowing this, our focus should simply be on how to continually make things better until Christ returns. GOD gave people the great gift of free will. Where free will exists, evil is always possible; in fact, bad things are inevitable in this sinful fallen world. But GOD created us to create good while we choose to live a life of love. So, what are you creating? In order to be a solution seeker, we must trust in GOD and love others. Belief banishes doubt and love expels fear. Without fear and doubt, GOD’s peace will be with you and GOD’s power will enable you to be more than a conquerer in Christ (Romans 8:37).

Conclusion:

“Show mercy to those who have doubts. Save others by snatching them from the fire of hell.”
(Jude 1: 22-23) –GW

You can be a superhero! You can be a superhero by simply being a consistent solution seeker! In the name of Jesus, go be a defender of the faith by helping others battle fear and doubt. Peter was saved while sinking in the sea of doubt because he reached out to Jesus. All people can find salvation by doing exactly what Peter did – by reaching out to Jesus and trusting Him to save. In fact, I did the same thing when I once found myself sinking and Jesus saved me too! To read my testimony, see my other article, “My Testimony: From Agnosticism, To Atheism, To Christianity“.

Here’s the bottom line: When a problem comes along, you must whip it! Whip it good… in the name of Jesus!

 

The Pursuit of Happiness

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If you’d rather read this message, I provided the words below…

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A woman asked me, “Are you happy doing what you’re doing in life?”

I answered her question with a question: “Should what I do be based upon a feeling of happiness?”

The woman replied, “You should be happy doing whatever it is you find yourself doing.”

I said, “I am perturbed by the pursuit of happiness and I don’t believe it is relevant to purpose. I believe purpose is more meaningful than happiness.”

Before you accuse me of being negative, allow me to explain my position, for it will ultimately end in love. What is someone pursuing when that person is pursuing happiness? Is the pursuit of happiness a noble pursuit? Is it possible that it’s actually cowardice? Does a person truly deserve to be happy at all times? Should pain and suffering always be avoided? Can purpose be found through pain and suffering? What is the ultimate goal of the pursuit of happiness?

Comedy stems from reality; it originates from truth. People laugh when they are able to relate to the root of the reference. Comedy is created with a hope of being able to cope, to make light of the darkness we experience. Even knowing the truth, most people will laugh and choose to cope. Now examine the reality from which the coping was created. It’s sad because it’s true. Humans are very versed in coping with the worst. Be careful of what you prioritize to first. Humans are often coerced into traveling head first in reverse to the conjured cope of hope that is cursed. Simply because humans resist facing their fears and overcoming obstacles. All hail happiness, right? Happiness will be our guide and lead us to victory, right? If it makes you happy, do it. …Right? …You better be certain you’re right; otherwise, what’s left?

Happiness. …I had to ponder on that concept for a long time.

As if listening to cult members repeating the words of their instructor, I have heard many different people recite the same mantra: “If it makes you happy, do it.”

Even my own mother had told me many times, “I want you to do what will make you happy.”

It is possible to have good intentions yet travel in the wrong direction. Is a path based on happiness a wise route to travel? Can it be wise unless it’s right? Is the pursuit of happiness right?

I believe that ‘happy’ is merely a term used to describe a temporary feeling that one receives when one gets a break from the sad reality of life. In this sin-filled and fallen world in which we all live, sadness is the constant of life; only when one is able to rise above the sea level of sadness does one experience the feeling known as happiness. I would relate happiness to the feeling one gets when finally inhaling oxygen after being held under water to the point of nearly drowning; happiness is merely a breath of fresh air from our stagnant society in which people suffocate in their sufferings. It seems that happiness is merely a discontinuity from misery, only enjoyable and desirable by comparison.

Can I be honest with you? Will you allow me to expound upon my thoughts? Can you refrain from your judgement about me until you have read everything I have to write? The truth is that I can’t seem to figure out how to obtain that feeling of happiness for an extended period of time; happiness only seems to exist in short bursts between the extended drudgeries of life’s normalcy. But unless happiness is the purpose of life, does it matter if it is the constant? I would say no — it doesn’t matter if happiness is the constant. Happiness is chocolate cake. Can you imagine what everyone would look like if chocolate cake were the constant? Happiness seems to be correlated to feelings; however, feelings can be misleading. Even a drug addict receives the short burst of happiness after getting a temporary fix; even a cheating wife/husband receives the short burst of happiness while sinning against his/her spouse with another happy-driven individual. For if happiness is the purpose of existence, what can be labeled as right or wrong? How can it possibly be wrong to do drugs if it brings the user/abuser happiness? How can cheating on your husband/wife be considered wrong if it brought about happiness?

What is the pursuit of happiness? The pursuit of happiness is nothing more than the pursuit of pleasure. Happiness simply cannot be the purpose of life. Happiness only fulfills mere moments, but always leaves people grasping for more. Too many people trade purpose for pleasure. So, what then? What is my purpose? I am not convinced that my happiness is of any importance to this world or my own purpose. Is there a purpose? Why am I here? Why do I exist?

Happiness must not be the focus point in our journey through this life. Happiness seems to be unconcerned with the purpose of others; in addition, happiness seems to be so self-centered that the intensely focused approach to obtaining happiness seems to be unconcerned even with one’s own purpose. The pursuit of happiness can be dangerous and sometimes deadly. I have reason to be wary of a smile or a laugh because there’s no telling from where the smile or laughter originated; after all, I have seen evil people smile and laugh before. Haven’t I? Evil is real, isn’t it? What is real?

Solipsism breeds sin; therefore, happiness warrants caution and invokes question of motivation and intention. I often observe that the pursuit of happiness for self often produces negative consequences for others around that particular happy-driven individual. And if happiness and purpose aren’t analogous, what purpose does happiness serve? But why do we possess the innate ability to feel happiness if happiness serves no purpose? So, then there must be a purpose for happiness. What is the purpose of happiness? To keep us going? To show us that ultimate happiness is possible? Is happiness the ultimate goal in which we should all strive to achieve? When? In this lifetime? Certainly not. I want to be happy, but I don’t know how to be happy and remain happy at all times. It’s simply not possible – especially if you allow yourself to feel the pain of others. Happiness is not the constant. When I do manage to obtain that feeling of happiness, I am unable to keep it without also keeping a selfish focus on myself. My happiness starts to dissipate once I start thinking of others’ pain and suffering. I sometimes even feel guilty for possessing happiness when so many other people in this world live in misery and despair. What’s so special about me? Why should I be happy? Should happiness be a constant in my life when so many people are suffering in this world? Why is there suffering? But why do we exist at all? Why does it matter? Does it matter? What is important? The only thing that seems important to me at this time is knowing the Truth. I exist. I need to know why I exist. You exist. Don’t you want to know why you exist? What is the meaning of life? What is your purpose for being alive? Why is there life at all when there doesn’t need to be?

Life is quite complicated and [to be honest] I don’t care much for it most of the time. Please allow me to bring clarity to what I just wrote: I like life as [I believe] it should be experienced, but I hate the life that humans have distorted and disfigured in order to accommodate their arrogant, atrocious and abhorrent agendas. One example of an atrocious agenda is the abhorrent act of abortion. Why are we willingly murdering babies and snuffing out life? Just so a woman can be fulfill her pursuit of happiness?  I don’t understand life as it is in its current state, only as it should be experienced; therefore, I am an outcast, imprisoned in a free yet fallen world.

It is becoming increasingly evident that the more knowledge I acquire, the more I realize just how much I don’t know. I am aware that I could obtain the feeling of happiness more often than I currently do; however, I am aware that I would be obtaining that feeling of happiness at the expense of others. I am aware that much of the misery I feel is self-inflicted because I choose to feel and care so deeply for others; however, I believe that the alternative of harvesting happiness at the expense of others would not be fulfilling — hunting happiness is an endless endeavor, and an unfulfilling endeavor at that. A human hunting happiness is like a cheetah hunting a gazelle; the amount of effort and energy used to catch the prize will only replenish the effort and energy that was used to obtain the prize. Happiness produces no gain; the most happiness can do is help one sustain. The cycle never ends; the replenishment is always short-lived. All batteries must either be recharged or die. A human continues to recharge the ‘battery’ of his/her body until the body can no longer sustain the charge necessary to produce the movement which is necessary to sustain life. I hate the hunt; I am tired and irritated by the body’s weakness and dependency upon its seemingly everlasting soul to recharge it for another redundant day. There is a soul, isn’t there? If I am merely matter in motion, what does anything matter at all? There is no good reason why anything should exist at all. But we do. Why? To experience happiness? Certainly life is not so superficial.

What produces happiness anyway? Maslow’s hierarchy of needs asserts that basic needs must be met before happiness can ever be achieved. I believe that one’s definition of success produces happiness. But how does one define success? Fame? Fortune? Fornication? Family? Fortitude? For many people, money equates to success because money eliminates the worry or anxiety over basic needs; furthermore, money aids one’s desire to obtain happiness, to seek pleasure.

Both those who are ignorant and those who are people-pleasers desire to promote the promise of paradise in a passionate proclamation of love and equality for all — a fairytale happy ending for all who choose to believe! But that doesn’t coincide with reality. And if a belief does not coincide with reality, it cannot be true. Belief does not prevent grief; in fact, my belief has brought me to grief many times.

Earth is seemingly overpopulated and the only way to rise to the top is to pull others down while climbing up. That’s the way of the world. There is much wisdom to be found in life by simply examining nature. Nature is pure, raw, mechanical, and typically uncorrupted by influence. Nature doesn’t try to call attention to itself and doesn’t attempt to be anything it is not. If there is an occurrence in nature, it happens by ‘divine’ order — it was destined to happen. In order to win the prize of the female, male blue whales try to push each other down, and if necessary, with intent to drown — the most aggressive male wins the prize (ends up with the female). Take your pick: hippopotamus, silverback gorilla or even a lion — the most aggressive male will dominate and receive whatever prize it desires. Within nature, the dominance hierarchy declares that losers are inevitable. There are winners and there are losers. Sink or swim. Fight or flight. Kill or be killed. That is life in its current state in this sin-filled and fallen world. Therefore, the notion that humans will coexist and live in peace is wishful thinking — so long as life exists in this current state, there will always be competition to live and reason to die. Pain and suffering are inevitable. Why? Because people will pursue pleasure. So, is that the real reason so many humans pursue happiness? To escape pain and suffering? Is that a noble pursuit? Is it possible it is cowardice?

Humans are just as primitive as animals and resort to the same primal instincts: we dress to impress, dance to advance, we strut and flaunt, we even kill to get what we want. But more so than animals, humans dig deeper into the expanse of evil because we conjure lies and concoct plans in order to appease our carnality; the demonic deeds of humans are often premeditated. Well, I despise the desire to bring others down just so I can be on top. I refuse to allow my body to be a flagitious factory that will produce misery for others all for the selfish sake of my happiness. I am convinced that the purpose of my existence has little or nothing to do with my happiness.

It is true that I am unhappy a lot of the time, but it’s not because of a lack of joy. I have joy within. Joy and happiness are not one and the same. I’m unhappy a lot of the time because I have refused to allow the superficial to sway my selections or settlements; I have refused to allow demons to desensitize me and detour me from righteous decisions; I have refused to be plagued by promises of power; I have refused to allow my ethics to be eroded or my morals to be manipulated; I have refused to allow my hero to be anyone other than He who is Holy. I refuse to allow my eternal soul to be misguided by temporary temptations of damning desires. And by living as such, I have become calloused to the ways of this world. For a long time now, I have not felt temptation’s incessant tapping and I have not been persuaded by pain nor pleasure regardless of how persistent the pain or promising the pleasure. Am I impervious to evil’s invasions? No. Evil’s attacks are present and are evident by the persistent pain I experience. But my armor is thick and my threshold for pain is high. I simply choose not to be directed by the ways of this world.

If you can be honest with yourself, you will agree that in general, our society is superficial; our culture is corrupt. I feel as though I don’t fit in anywhere; I feel like I don’t belong anywhere; I’m seemingly surrounded yet feel incisively isolated. But I am a piece to the puzzle of life and I do belong somewhere even if I don’t know where I belong. I may not be a cornerstone, but I am of the Creator and a component of the calling. And if GOD won’t extract me from this execrable Earth, I will be forced to endure until I get interlocked into my predetermined place within life’s puzzle and fulfill my purpose. But while I exist, is happiness a goal in which I should strive to achieve? Or is happiness merely a covetous concept that will distract me from achieving my purpose? Also, how can the purified form of happiness be harvested in a world so impure? The very idea of me being happy creates conflict within myself, rendering any brief moment of happiness obsolete.

My mother desires me to do whatever makes me happy; my father desires me to climb to the top. If I do whatever makes me happy, my actions will most certainly produce misery for at least a few people. Though my mother would be happy knowing that I finally found happiness, would either of my parents be proud to know of the method to which my happiness was achieved? And what would the ramifications of my actions be in regards to many others? Others matter, don’t they? Others are important, aren’t they? To what degree? To what extent? Only so long as they don’t take away from your happiness? Think: if you were to get everything you ever wanted and fulfilled your every desire in order to be happy, how many people would not have their desires fulfilled? A quick example of this is the scenario of sexual relations. Let’s suppose you pursue pleasure and receive happiness from having sex with someone you’re physically attracted to yet that person was not physically attracted to you. Well, you would be happy, but would that other person?

Can you even fathom what would become of this world if everyone set their focus on obtaining happiness for self? A pursuit of happiness is self-centered; in addition, the pursuit may lack purpose. Like the term, ‘fun,’ happiness is also subjective when put into proper perspective. The pursuit of purpose, however, will ultimately lead to joy. Happiness can always be found when fulfilling purpose, even if the discovery is not immediate. I must not risk my purpose by chasing the white rabbit of happiness down its black hole of absence. And though my arduous adventure to achieve my purpose may cause me to be unhappy a lot of the time, I will eventually discover happiness once my purpose is fulfilled. When that day comes, I will discover even more happiness as I notice that my happiness and fulfilled purpose continue to bring happiness to others. For the only way to obtain happiness and keep it is to help others obtain it. I choose purpose over pleasure because the promise of pleasure can be found in the pursuit of purpose. I choose a purpose-driven life. Hmm…. But what is my purpose? My purpose is to make life better for others by helping them to understand that they were created for a purpose beyond what they currently see and experience. We do not exist to merely exist. Are you merely existing or are you truly living? Purpose cannot be experienced if the heart and mind are numbed and medicated by happiness. Happiness is a drug that prevents potential. The person stuck in the pursuit of happiness is a sleepwalking citizen who is unable to experience growth through pain and suffering. If one is to pursue happiness, it should not be for self. If the purpose of your life was to make your own life better, you wouldn’t be surrounded by so many other people. Your life is not your own and your happiness has little or nothing to do with your purpose.

Do you know why you exist? Do you know the meaning of life? Do you know your purpose? If you knew your Creator, you would know why you exist. 

To know why I became a Christian, see my other article, “My Testimony: from Agnosticism, to Atheism, to Christianity“

[Suggestion: read “The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For”, by Rick Warren]