Snapshots and Synapses

We live in a world governed by metrics: we measure our kids as they grow; we measure how well we’re progressing towards our goals; we measure our bank accounts as they grow and shrink, hoping they grow. So when we set spiritual goals, how do we measure our progress? Churches will often count the people who attend, the number of people serving, or those who make a commitment to Christ. I’m not sure what I think about that. On one hand, it feels good to be part of something that is reaching out to the lost, and knowing the numbers makes it easy to tithe and invite other unbelievers in the hope that they will meet Jesus and come to know Him as Lord and Savior. On the other hand, I’m reminded of when King David took a census (2 Samuel 24). When David took a census of Judah and Israel, he wanted to assess the nation’s strength. Perhaps he was assessing his power out of pride. Or maybe he was fearful and comparing his strength against the surrounding countries. Or then again, he may have re...

Everyone wants to be healthy, but not everyone is willing to take the necessary steps. A doctor can prescribe the medicine, but it’s up to the patient to take it. Thinking further about the Health Wheel this week (see https://mitchellmalloy.blogspot.com/2020/01/2020-vision.html), I’m considering the importance of physical health and how it plays a critical role in our entire outlook. Maintaining our physical health is a matter of good stewardship. There are things that we can control and things that we can’t. My dad had Multiple Sclerosis, and there were times when he lost the ability to control his limbs. In my personal battle with chronic Lyme disease, I’ve also experienced times when I was literally crippled and unable to walk. However, even in the midst of that helpless situation, I was able to make healthy decisions: how I ate, choosing to exercise in whatever capacity was possible, getting my sleep and taking the medication that was prescribed.   It’s easy to...

Thinking about a 2020 Vision for myself, I started first with the hub of the wheel, because everything else is meaningless without Spiritual Health. My immediate thought was: “I want to be godly man.” Admittedly this is a pretty broad and lofty goal, and I thought: “Wouldn’t everyone want to be godly?” This idea was quickly followed by: “No, but then not everyone stops to think about their Spiritual Health.”  But as I contemplated about it further, I realized my desire to be a godly man reflected a lifetime of wrong thinking. It revealed vanity, a focus on self and self-righteousness. Now, I can look at another person and say: “He/She is a godly person!” and there is no vanity or wrongful in the statement, but how can I look at myself for godliness? The very act is both vain and self-righteous, an indication of spiritual pride. No, seeking to be a godly person is the wrong goal and is not a vision for Spiritual Health. My 2020 Vision for Spiritual Health needed to chan...

Why should any rational person believe the Bible? A common portrayal of a Bible-believer is someone who chooses faith over reason. Sometimes this person is depicted as irrational, blind to all the obvious facts, yet other times the person is super-spiritual, someone who calmly believes in a truth that others are incapable of seeing. While one of these caricatures is more offensive than the other, both illustrations are damaging. It’s easy to see where the blindly irrational depiction maligns the character of believers, but the super-spiritual portrayal is just as destructive. It promotes spiritual pride in the believer and creates an obstacle for others, implying they just don’t have enough faith. Now it’s true that man is saved by faith, a gift from God, and faith is a confidence in something we don’t yet see. And while we are warned not to lean on our own understanding, I would still insist that faith is neither irrational nor limited to a select few. In fact, the Bible is a bi...

As I wrote on Christmas , we need 3 things to be effective: a vision for what “it” looks like (i.e. - vision for what we want to accomplish) awareness of both our inner and outer realities  walls / guardrails to protect us from distractions.  I believe this is true regardless of what “it” is. With that in mind, what do you want to be effective in accomplishing in 2020? Make a list and prioritize it, putting the most important thing first. Take a few moments and before reading further. ﹎﹎﹎

I love the Christmas season! Sure, people are rightly critical of the commercialization of Christmas, but if our goal in the season is to give, even extravagant giving, how does that reflect the love of God?  When we give of our time, our talents and our resources to others, that is the very embodiment of love. And when we look more toward giving than allowing ourselves to dwell upon what we want, how much more do our hearts change? What would our world look like if we maintained an attitude of Thanksgiving, grateful for what we have rather than counting the things we are missing, giving to others out of love throughout the year, mindful of the One who by His example showed us that love is sacrifice? It looks a little bit like heaven, doesn’t it? And when love overflows from our families to our friends and our communities, it transforms the world around us.  This romantic view of the Christmas season is not a foolish fancy. While some might paint the Christmas spir...

The Darkness threatens to enter my home  And proclaim the great things that man has done These hands of men and their great rebellion That have finally removed the need for God Imagine there’s no future  Beyond the hardness of man’s heart The rich and haughty, smart and mighty Declare that they have won And it appears that they are right For no man can overcome their stronghold “Join us!” they say, “We are strong, and we are one!” No giant ever seemed so large  Or logic seemed so sound However I know of One more mighty His great strength beyond compare His knowledge of this moment  Preceded both limb and hair He laughs at the rebellious  As they scheme toward a defeat So easily avoided Had they simply given heed  To words from the beginning  His declaration of peace For anyone so humble  To acknowledge their own need Now we wait His grand return Though the world around us laughs And pray...