Guilty of Speeding to Church?

My hands gripped the steering wheel as I cast a brief glance at the dashboard clock, 3:45 P.M. and I was still several miles from home and my church. My mind flashed back to the Sunday morning that I had felt an internal nudge from the Holy Spirit to answer the call for help with the Thursday, after school program, Bible Buddies. That nudge to do service work is familiar, but I knew time was a factor in my reaching the church to help with the program. My job is about nineteen miles from the church.

Every morning and afternoon for nine years, I drove the nineteen miles of twisting, turning county road that lay between home and work. The drive took about twenty-five minutes IF slow drivers, loose cattle, deer, turkey and weather did not create an obstacle. Obstacles could stretch the time it took to drive the nineteen miles into forty minutes. 

Today, I left the employee parking lot at exactly 3:31 P.M. and had encountered zero obstacles. Anxious to arrive on time at 4:00 P.M., I knew that I had covered half of the distance already. A quick, internal prayer, "Thank-you, Lord for keeping obstacles out of my path." was in my thoughts when a brief look at the speedometer made my right foot instantly lift off the gas pedal. The speedometer needle descended to the speed limit, 55 mph.

A quirky thought appeared in my mind," I wonder how many Christians are guilty of breaking the speed limit to arrive at church on time?" Instantly, my heart and spirit soared with laughter. 

The dashboard clock read 3:55 P.M. as I parked beside the church building, five minutes

early.

Christianity - An Alternative Lifestyle

In 1976, I chose to enlist in the United States Navy.
At that time, I had led a fairly sheltered existence in the rural Midwest. My mother was a little worried because I had been so sheltered. Mom decided to enlist the aid of my Aunt Irene, who had left Missouri as a young woman, and had lived in California for about fifteen years.

A Family Talk
My Aunt Irene, my mom, and I sat down in the living room for a discussion. I was a little bewildered, but felt faintly excited to hear what my aunt was going to tell me. To make a long story short, my aunt enlightened me about women who liked other women and the fact that I was going to meet women like this when I left home to start my enlistment. My reaction was fairly matter of fact. After all, I had seen "hippies" on the news, knew about marijuana, drunkenness, and seen clips from rock concerts. I was ready to leave rural Missouri and explore the world.

Naive and Culture Shocked

Today, I laugh at that naive, seventeen year old Sallee. After arriving at boot camp, in Orlando, Florida, I voluntarily stopped speaking for fourteen days due to culture shock. Thirty-five women of all races and cultures shared the "compartment" that was to be our home for the duration of boot camp. The oldest woman in my company was thirty-eight years old and I was the youngest at seventeen years old. For two weeks, I spoke when spoken too, but nothing more. I spent hours just listening to all of the women around me and gained a rapid education about lifestyles outside of central Missouri. 

My First Exposure to Alternative Lifestyles
1976 was my first exposure to lifestyles that did not fit in with how I had been raised. My mom and aunt had been wise to inform me about same sex relationships, or alternative lifestyles. However, I did not care what those girls and women did in private. "Don't ask and don't tell" was the rule during the eight years that I spent in the Navy.

About Forty Years Later
Almost forty years later, same sex couples are highly visible in American society. Ellen DeGeneres, Portia De Rossi, and other actresses, talk show hosts, and athletes have come to represent an acceptable lifestyle in 2015. Ironically, I am finding that my lifestyle as a married, monogamous, alcohol and tobacco free, disciple of Jesus Christ puts me into the category of living an alternative lifestyle.

The dictionary definition for the words, alternative and lifestyle says:

alternative - employing or following nontraditional or unconventional ideas, methods, etc.; existing outside the establishment: an alternative newspaper; alternative lifestyles.
lifestyle - the habits, attitudes, tastes, moral standards, economic level, etc., that together constitute the mode of living of an individual or group

Jesus - Nontraditional and Unconventional
Jesus was a sinner according to the Pharisees because he would not observe the legalistic laws, traditions, and rituals that were decreed by the Pharisees. Jesus was nontraditional and unconventional because of the following habits and attitudes: (Matthew 9:9-13, Luke 5:27-32, Mark 2:15-16)

• Jesus and his disciples did not fast like the Pharisees. (Matthew 9:14-17; Mark 2:18-22, Luke 5:33-38)
• They didn't wash their hands before eating and when the Pharisees saw this they asked Jesus why they were breaking the tradition of the elders. Jesus replied with a question,"And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition?"(Matthew 15:2-3) 
• Jesus called a crowd to him and taught them that what goes into your mouth doesn't make you unclean, it is what comes out of your mouth that makes you unclean. The Pharisees didn't appreciate this oppositional teaching from a Galilean carpenter.  (Matthew 15:10-11)
• The disciples were concerned that the Pharisees, the traditional teachers of attitudes, moral standards, etc., were upset with what Jesus said to the crowd. However, Jesus was upset that his disciples didn't understand that uncleanness is from the heart and includes evil thoughts, adultery, sexual immorality, false testimony, theft, slander, and murder. (Matthew 15:16-20)
• Jesus and his disciples ate on the Sabbath. (Matthew 12:1-8, Mark 2:23-28, Luke 6:1-5)
• Jesus healed the sick on the Sabbath.(Matthew 12:11-14)

Jesus Lived an Alternative Lifestyle

According to the definition of alternative and lifestyle, Jesus led an alternative lifestyle. In fact, he gained enemies who wanted to kill him for what he was teaching, saying, and doing. (Matthew 12:14) Eventually, his enemies did succeed in killing Jesus. Today, we would call this a hate crime committed because of Jesus' alternative lifestyle. As a disciple of Jesus Christ, Christians are continuing to live an alternative lifestyle that is defined by Jesus in the Bible.

Psalm of the Week - 66:3 - Week of 26 January 2015

God's Works

Every day I am amazed by God's works. Sunsets, animals, and scenic views cause me to praise God. How marvelous are his works! However, his greatest work resides in each one of us. We were created to be His. 

His Power

His power surrounds us just as his works surround us. The greatness of His power submits His enemies. His power will overcome any enemy. Remember, his power will submit, or overcome, all of our enemies.

Personal Prayer

Lord, your works are awesome! I am filled with praise when I see the glory of your works that surround me! Thank-you Father for all of Your amazing and awesome works  

Father God, I know that the greatness of Your power will submit Your enemies. I am your work, therefore my enemies shall be submitted by your power. 
Amen

Verse of the Week - Matthew 7:2 - Week of 26 January 2015

Judgemental?
This scripture explains the consequence of judging other people. We will be judged by the same measure. I find that just a little bit scary! 

The next time you feel tempted to make a judgement about another person, remember this scripture. Do you really want to be judged by the same measure you are about to use?

Good God, Bad Satan - Is Life This Simple?

Can Life Be This Simple?
When I met my husband, a lot of my time was spent trying to discern, or figure out, what God's plan was. Bill told me his philosophy was simple,"If it's good, it's God - If it's bad, it's Satan." Simple, right? Too simple maybe? I thought about "Good God, Bad Satan" for a week or two. Finally, I decided that maybe life really is this simple. I do not regret choosing to live life this way.

An Infinite God vs A Finite Brain
Today, my life is much simpler. I have more time since I do not try and "figure out" why God operates the way he does. Four years of "Good God, Bad Satan" have taught me to stop wasting time trying to understand an infinite God with a finite, human brain.

Why Do Bad Things Happen?
Why do bad things happen to good people, children, and the world in general? I don't know. I do know that the scripture tells me over and over that I live in a world ruled by a prince who separated man from God in the Garden of Eden. Jesus died to reconcile man with God. Our kingdom is not this earthly realm.

John 17:15-17 NIV

Jesus Prays

15 My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one.16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of it.17 Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.

Ephesians 2:1-2 NIV

As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.

Simplify Your Life
Try living your life without questioning, or trying to understand what God's part is in life. Simplify your life with: God is good and Satan is bad. I didn't think it could be that simple either. However, after living in this manner, I truly have come to believe that everything can be distilled into "Good God, Bad Satan", black and white with no gray area in between.

A Deceptive Counselor
We don't live in a world that belongs to God alone. Adam and Eve were separated from God because Eve listened to the wrong counselor. We still live in a world with a fallen angel. A deceptive counselor who delights in causing separation between God and man, Bad Satan.