The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

We’ve all seen them on corners or huddled at the base of a wall...homeless people. Dirty. Some begging, some staring blankly. Some with nothing and some with a grocery cart full of found items. My emotions are always piqued when I see people in unfortunate stages of life and, admittedly, my thoughts swing from empathy to disdain. I react on appearances alone...and for that I am humbled into shame.

It’s common knowledge that many of our homeless are actually very intelligent people that simply fell into tough situations. This is why I believe that when a global catastrophe hits, we could very well be looking up to some of these men and women to be our leaders.

Let’s face it, they’re already superior survivalists. Most of us simply put a case of MREs, a flashlight and a few cases of water in our hall closet and proudly claim, “Hey, I’m ready.”

I can’t think of any better training for living off the land than those that meet that challenge every day of their lives for their existence. Once the playing field is leveled (no pun intended) I can see some very intuitive people rising up to become the ones we “oh-so-prepared-ones” look towards to get us through the tough times.

It also gives me pause that I may have more than just the homeless framed within a very myopic view. I see people every day and make judgements on the fly. Perhaps not very harsh judgements...but judgements nonetheless.

I wonder how many people saw John the Baptist the first time and chalked him off as some “crazy, surly-looking dude that I wouldn’t touch for nothin”? Would I have been one of those people...probably. Would I have been one that never got to hear the Word of God because I made a hasty judgement about someone...probably.

And there it is. The reality check that stares us all in the face.

We need to see those around us as Jesus saw people in His day...like God sees His creation every day. Until we can do that, we may just find ourselves passing over people with nothing more than a glance...only to find out we have missed a great opportunity to know one of God’s creations in a more personal and fulfilling way. Regardless of our desire to make it all about us individually, we live in a world made up of a fine fabric that the Creator has designed and we should embrace each and every opportunity to understand how this world is tailored.

Greg Morton
Copyright © April, 2016
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Sin: Beyond the Commandments

I’m going to venture into an area that will probably make you uncomfortable. How do I know that? Because it made me very uncomfortable just pondering this subject...but I felt it needed to be addressed in my own life and I share it with you now.

We have all grown up in different circumstances, had different parenting, have different church experiences...and approach life with our own uniqueness. That said, there is an inherent knowing of right and wrong regardless of what morals, ethics or formal teachings we’ve encountered.

Many of us regard the Ten Commandments as the foundational platform for our behavior. Some may dismiss them as “guidelines” yet many keep them as core values and then go way beyond them to include many of the traits and teachings found throughout Scripture.

There are many Biblical words of wisdom, advice and experiences to be found...but there is one passage of Scripture that shook me—and still does—to the core. One simple verse found in the fourth chapter of James that states, “Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.” NKJV

Yes, there is such a thing as sin of omission. Generally we all equate sin to some conduct that we need to turn away from, but this 17th verse gives us much more to consider...that we may be sinning by doing something contrary or simply by doing nothing at all. Now that is a heavy concept to absorb.

The context of the passage in James 4 is reminding us that we should always..always...be making our plans based on what God’s will is and not making them simply because our actions may impress people about how ‘devoted’ or ‘selfless’ we appear. Our plans, even with the best of intentions, may not be what God wants and we can enter into a very slippery area of falling into self-righteousness without even realizing it.

I recently had the opportunity to travel to Uganda to observe (and partly participate) in a missions trip with my pastor and his father. It would be very easy for me to return to that place with grand designs of starting a music ministry and I’m sure people would take notice and say, “Wow, he’s really stepping out in faith to follow God’s plan.” In truth, it may not be God’s plan at all but I might, even subconsciously, want to pursue that path knowing how people would react. Yet...what if it really is God’s will for me to return to Uganda and I don’t go? According to James this, too, is a sin. This is the admonition that James is giving.

This part of the passage is all summed up in verse 17 and gives us a very blunt reality check. If we do know what God’s plan is and don’t do it, we are sinning just as much as if we were acting out any other sin. Anything—and without equivocation I do mean anything—that separates us from God is sin...plain and simple. Not doing the right thing can separate us from God just as much as slipping down a path of debauchery.

Kind of scary, isn’t it? It scares me every day...but that, too, is a very healthy thing for me. We all struggle on a daily basis with what God’s will is and whether we are following it or not. Sometimes it is clear, often times it can be vague. The important thing is that we continue to pray, evaluate, pray some more, seek advice from trusted friends...and pray some more.

God is always faithful to reveal His plans if we can allow ourselves to truly listen. We can all hope for the day that Isaiah spoke of to the people of Zion, “Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”

Greg Morton
Copyright © November, 2015
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Deciduous Christianity

Deciduous means "falling off at maturity" and is typically used to refer to trees or shrubs that lose their leaves or drop fruit seasonally. In a more general sense, deciduous means "the dropping of a part that is no longer needed" or "falling away after its purpose is finished".

You probably already know where I’m going with this. Can you honestly say that your Christianity doesn’t--or won’t--fall into the deciduous category? Oh, what a shame it would be if we let our spiritual life lose its countenance like an autumn tree.

There are numerous biblical metaphors that relate to nature--gardening and agriculture in particular--and compare it to the spiritual health of individuals and of the Christian church. When I came across this word of “deciduous” it seemed to have struck a chord in me.

As I was pruning my fruit trees a while back these metaphors kept tapping me in the psyche and I marveled at the manner in which nature proliferates. I cut and prune and appear to mangle the poor things...only to find them budding new life a few short months later. If only my spiritual life could be so prolific. Although it’s hard, I realize why God prunes me back to what feels like stubs...only to have a new branch spring forth when the timing is right.

The falling leaves may be a natural process for trees just as a natural shedding of old habits, selfish desires, or a thousand other things should be shed from our lives. That said, we must be very careful not to shed that which is core to our lives. Those things that keep us spiritually alive; praise, kindness, music, selflessness, prayer, friendship and countless other traits and gifts which God has provided us for living in accordance to His purpose. These are the things which must not be shed like the autumn leaves.

When God spoke about being the vine and His followers being the branches, He knew full well this metaphor would hit home with the disciples. It certainly hit home with me.

“Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.” John 15:4

Greg Morton
Copyright © October, 2015

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Trust Your Gauges!

Back when I was a student pilot I got to experience a very unnerving phenomena that translates quite well to a spiritual application.

The morning I was to take my first solo flight the entire San Gabriel Valley was socked in with a thick fog. Seeing the disappointment in me, my instructor simply said, “Don’t worry about… we’ll just head up to the high desert and you can solo out there.” Since we obviously couldn’t fly under the Visual Flight Rules my instructor saw it as a wonderful opportunity to introduce me to flying with only instruments.

We headed out of El Monte airport and shortly after takeoff we hit the base of the clouds (fog is nothing more than clouds on the ground, you know) around 500 feet AGL and it was as if someone threw a white blanket on top of the windshield. “Cool”, I thought. Then something strange happened. I was convinced we had started into a roll. I began to make a correction and the instructor said, “Uh. uh, buddy...trust your gauges. Your horizon indicator says you’re flying level.” It was one of the most surreal and disorienting things I’d experienced. Had I made the correction I thought was needed...disaster was certainly around the corner.

God is very much like those gauges on the instrument panel. He guides you, directs you, lets you know when you’re going on the intended path...and He’s always correct. During those times in life of feeling disoriented and things don’t seem to make much sense, you have to trust your gauges...you have to trust God. What we may think is a logical correction to our circumstances may very well turn to disaster.

We certainly don’t know all the answers and God isn’t inclined to always give us specific answers. Sometimes we just have to trust the indications we get from God are correct and will lead us through to safety even if it feel like we’re completely blinded.

As a follow up to that morning...once we broke through the tops of the clouds it was a magnificent sunny flight. The clouds that had blinded me just moments before now looked like a soft, pillowy blanket below me and our heading was backdropped by the incredible San Gabriel Valley mountains. The solo went flawless as I made a few touch-and-gos around Apple Valley airport and promptly got my shirttail cut off...that’s tradition. Trusting the gauges brought me to that place, just as trusting God will get you to where He wants you to go.

What a perfect plan...what a perfect God.

Blessings!

Greg Morton
Copyright © September, 2015

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The Parallax View

The apparent change of an object’s direction caused by a change in the viewer’s position. This is, by definition, a parallax view. For example, if you were on a boat traveling along at 30mph and tossed a ball up in the air and caught it...it would appear to you that it went straight up and straight down. A person on shore, however, watching you toss the ball would see it arc as you traveled across the water.

It is always interesting to me that Christianity can be viewed by so many people in the world with just as many different perspectives as to what it’s all about. The fundamental truths never change, never waiver... yet as a religion, or a dogma, or simply a lifestyle... Christianity has thousands of similar– yet disparate– belief systems.

It’s no wonder there has been a wave of ‘rethinking’ when it comes to the Christian church and its direction. The emphasis has now become– as well it should be– focused on the relationship with God rather than the ceremony and liturgy.

Personal prayers are now beginning to supersede rote recitations. Generic petitions from the pulpit have given way to individual and specific intercessions. Intimate individual healings take place where there once was only general acknowledgement. These are the changes that core Christian believers are gravitating towards and I, for one, believe it to be a wonderful thing.

As you well know, you can listen to televangelists, pastors and religious authorities all across the country and hear not only inconsistencies among them... but outright contradictions. Yet each of them– in their heart of hearts– believes they are speaking the truth. This, then, is why discernment on the listener’s part is paramount. It is clear we must all be very careful as to what we profess to be unequivocal truth.

As Christians we understand that there is only one God, one truth, one absolute distinction between right and wrong in the eyes of the Lord; yet there is clearly a parallax view when it comes to the Christian faith and how we exercise that faith. As we develop our beliefs we may find ourselves changing perspectives on certain aspects of the Church which, in turn, may change how we see our faith. This should not, however, mitigate our efforts to see every aspect of our lives through the eyes of Jesus. God’s perspective is unwavering, unchanging, and undeniably correct.

How we choose to implement what we know to be true is the crux of what makes up our belief system. Clearly there are varied and numerous ways to exercise our beliefs and this, then, is where all the diversification of Christian denominations and sects were born.

Is there one true belief system for Christians? Absolutely: believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved. Everything else is simply religion.

Greg Morton
Copyright © August, 2015

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Always Beware!

Although it doesn’t air any longer, several years ago my wife and I enjoyed a show called “Secret Millionaire”. The premise was pretty simple…a successful millionaire visits a down-trodden area of the country and assimilates their self into the community as a person looking to volunteer his or her services for a needy cause. As would be expected the organizations were always grateful to have a volunteer and gladly put them to work. At the end of the show the millionaire decides to honor these people by donating large sums of money to their cause. Although initially deceived…I have yet to see anyone put off since the reward certainly outweighed the deception.

It brings to mind a scripture found in Hebrews 13:2 “Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.” Most likely Paul was making a reference to Abraham, found in Genesis 18, where he was approached by three visitors…who turned out to be the Lord himself along with two of His angels.

We may not have the incarnate Christ visiting at our doorstep but, truly, He is standing where you are standing right now. Our actions should always reflect the proverbial “what would Jesus do” mindset and give of ourselves selflessly...daily...without thought or deviation. Like many of those millionaires on the show, we should remember the scriptures wise counsel: Psalm 62:10 “...though your riches increase, do not set your heart on them.”

Just as in the show, we can have help in our daily lives and not even realize where exactly that help is coming from or from whom. We’re all so accustomed to bringing our troubles to the Lord that it’s pretty easy to see God’s grace when things turn out better. What we all tend to forget, however, is to bring all our blessings daily to the Lord as well and thank Him for His intervention and provision.

Although God may be the ultimate Secret Millionaire in our lives, He is anything but secret. He has boldly given us the tools we need to affect change in the world around us and we are all called to give Him the praise and glory in all we do. Once this happens...we begin to know the true meaning of our gift of Christianity.

Greg Morton
Copyright © July, 2015

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Flip Me, Lord

Although I don’t do it near as often as when the kids were younger, I still like to make me up a batch of pancakes on Sunday morning. There’s something fun, and perhaps an evocative memory trigger, of being a kid and enjoying the simple goodness that a stack of warm flapjacks bring.

If you’ve ever made them, or even simply seen them made, then you know that the batter is plopped onto a hot grill which browns the one side. At the perfect moment (which is where part of the fun is…) you flip it over to cook the other side. But what if…..you simply left it on the griddle and didn’t flip it? It would most certainly burn on one side and be left undone on the other.

What if God put us into some trial and left us to simmer….but failed to flip us. We, too, would end up burnt on one side and undone on the other. Christians all too often, though, seem to want this unfinished task. They go to church…wear their good face and religious attire…then go back to the “same ‘ol-same ‘ol” throughout the rest of the week. This is nothing more than being an unflipped pancake. Hot on one side and undone on the other.

God even used this metaphor when speaking through Hosea as he was chastising the nation of Israel. In chapter 7 he states, “Ephraim mixes with the nations; Ephraim is a flat loaf not turned over.”

I trust God as the perfect cook—flipping me just at the right time so I won’t burn and continuing to perfect me so I become an appealing creation. Even better, He continues that process over and over so that I can become a whole stack of pancakes—spiritually speaking—providing nutrition as I’m placed on a platter and presented before a hungry world.

Greg Morton
Copyright © June, 2015

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Fear

“Fear doesn’t shut you down; it wakes you up.”

I quote the great Divergent philosopher Four...ok, maybe not a great philosopher, but a darn cute guy according to my wife. In any case, what he tells his new recruit Tris is a very important truth about who she is.

Fear, in and of itself, is not a bad thing but rather an innate survival response. Throughout scripture when angels appeared before man they always prefaced their announcement by “Fear not…” even good things can be prefaced by fear.

Also, we are told to fear our God...to hold such a reverence for Him that we can only shudder in awe at His majesty and sovereignty. The Psalms and Proverbs are rife with numerous applications of this type of fear.

Living in fear, however, is a whole different ballgame. Allowing fear to control and take over a situation is when we must begin to reassess our faith in God. Fear initially heightens our senses to the circumstance in front of us and we must take full advantage of that. It can generate motivation that can literally save your life. That said, we must not allow it to direct our thoughts and reactions to “play it safe” or run from the reality that is beckoning us. With our faith in God on firm ground we can boldly move towards that which frightens us and allow Him to do His work; to believe with all our heart that all things really do work together for good when Christ is at the controls.

In Psalm 139 David makes a beautiful statement, “I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” This is the fear that is appropriate in our lives. To accept that many things in life will frighten us, yet also embrace the knowledge that we don’t have to answer to the fear but, rather, to our Lord and Savior.

I can’t think of a better way to travel through this life.

Blessing!

Greg Morton
Copyright © May, 2015

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I Am Hunter

We are all—at our most primal state—hunter-gatherers. Case in point…I found a dime the other day. Ok, sounds pretty benign, but it did get me thinking (as most things do).

Exiting my car I saw a dime on the ground. Did I actually need it…well it certainly wouldn’t put a dent in my mortgage payment. But there was a strange inner satisfaction as I bent down, picked it up, and placed it in my pocket…walking away with a much livelier strut in my gait. How, in the grand scheme of things, can a simple and near worthless coin produce such a powerful sensibility? It’s primal, I say…simply primal.

So here’s the real question...”What effect do you have on those around you?” Much like that dime, it may seem insignificant or possibly worthless...but let me tell you, a simple ten cents worth of wisdom, or compassion, or time spent listening, can make all the difference in someone’s life.

If Jesus’ life taught us anything it’s that the little things do matter and, in fact, are essential to fulfilling the greater things.

The next time you see a coin on the ground, let it be a reminder of how much we have as Christians for such little cost to us. A free gift of salvation for simply believing and accepting that Jesus is the Son of God, died for our sins, and rose again to provide us the incredible privilege of spending eternity with Him.

Without even knowing it at the time that pitted, dirty dime I picked up gave me new insight and a fresh look at what a valuable person I am even in the small things. Thank you, Lord.

Greg Morton
Copyright © December, 2014

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Life's Journey: Part III

Excerpt from “Life’s Journey: A Retrospective Commentary” Copyright © 2010

CONTROL

Being in control of one’s life is an essential element to maintaining sanity. Sure, there are hundreds of variables to this truth…but the fact remains: If we are to face all that life throws at us on a daily basis, we need to own the reality that our choices are our choices; our decisions are our decisions. While some may be more passive and others more type A, we’re all in the same responsibility boat in the end.

Perhaps this is why many people struggle with the concept and reality of salvation. Making the choice to believe in Jesus Christ and accepting His free gift is, of course, the fundamental element to choosing our eternity. The verification, though, that we were sincere in that choice is what follows. Repenting is more than acknowledging our sin and having regret for our past conduct…it is an actual turning away from those ways and habits. This is where it goes against our human grain of giving up control.

While on one hand the very act of turning over our natural sin nature to a saving God is comforting; this very act also requires we relinquish who we are as a sinful creation. This can be very unsettling even when we realize what we are gaining. It’s all about control and that inborn need to not simply be a puppet or pawn in life.

I am, by nature, a pretty passive person. I can go with the flow under most any circumstance and it takes some pretty hard hitting events for me to become confrontational. People in this category tend to hand over control a bit easier than more assertive personalities. In my case, giving up control came all too easy with alcohol.

Growing up it was modeled for me that drinking was a staple and standard for how adults dealt with life. As a teenager I took up that model and ran with it. By the time I was thirty I had surrendered most of my decision-making capabilities to the numbing influence that alcohol provided. By the pure grace of God and the guts of a woman who refused to settle for my actions, that is thankfully behind me now.

It’s very interesting when my wife and I discuss the whole dynamic of drinking. She doesn’t enjoy drinking because she hates the feeling of not being in control while, in contrast, that was the very reason I enjoyed it so much.  In the end reality came crashing down that I couldn’t continue to be anesthetized from all my choices and decisions in life.

Control is a pretty wily creature. It makes you and breaks you all at the same time. Ironically, the need for control is as much a controlling influence as anything can be. If not put in its proper place it can drive us to a very unhappy life. This is why we need God and His omniscient character. Our human nature allows us to be too easily affected by situations and we need a divine guiding hand to keep our lives in the proper control.

Greg Morton

Copyright © November 2014

Life's Journey: Part II

Excerpt from “Life’s Journey: A Retrospective Commentary” Copyright © 2010
(Edited for 2014)

PARENTS

I’ve observed we more often than not rebel…then model…our lives after our parents. As much as we might have disdain for how we were sculpted growing up, we inevitably gravitate towards being more like them than not. We often choose different paths and make many choices they never would…still our core tenets are eerily similar.

My dad modeled some pretty interesting—albeit dysfunctional—guidelines for me. He had a penchant for the ladies and it came back to haunt him on more than several occasions. His desire for acceptance by way of suave flirtations shaped my way of thinking about relationships more than I realized at the time. By the time my testosterone began to kick in I simply followed suit…being more dorky than charming notwithstanding. Experiencing how difficult it was for my inhibited, passive personality to accomplish what appeared so easy for him simply built up an admiration for his talent. It would take decades for me to realize my true personality was all I needed without the charade of all that false masculinity.

My mom was a great caretaker and go-getter. If a job needed to get done, by golly she’s was the one to put in charge of the task. It was interesting to observe her many years later as a grandmother; she displayed a deep love and affection for all her grandkids and I can’t help but feel she wasn’t quite that way when my sister and I were growing up. Maybe she was and my memories just didn’t stick…or perhaps she wasn’t quite the same person due to so much else going on in her life. Whatever the reason, I can’t seem to remember the same caring relationship she clearly developed with my own kids.

Bottom line…I’m ok with it all. I was basically raised right and I appreciate my parents all the more now that I’ve gone through parenting myself for the last 28 years. My mom and dad have since passed but I enjoy a close relationship with my wife and kids...due in large part to having Christian parents that guided my onto the right and righteous path.

Additional excerpts from “Life’s Journey: A Retrospective Commentary” © 2010 will be published in future postings.

Greg Morton
Copyright © October 2014

Life's Journey: Part I

Excerpt from “Life’s Journey: A Retrospective Commentary” Copyright © 2010

PROLOGUE

Life is a journey. It may be long or short, simple or complex, confusing or satisfying. Regardless of what structure it takes, it has been given to us by our Creator and we have been charged with a specific role. Finding that role—and how we find it—is the essence of who we are.


CHURCH

Growing up with the Christian dogmas of a Baptist church I encountered many perplexing ideologies. To be a kid and try to figure adults out is challenging enough. Throw in the mix of “do what you’re told” (“but not as I do”…which is the part they most often leave out) gives rise to more than just simple life questions. It begins a whole structure of trust and accountability that often falls short of providing answers. Right and wrong are doled out under the guise of “religious correctness” rather than finding out what is in your heart.

A personal relationship with God will provide that conduit from brain to heart to soul without all the strangeness of religion and liturgy. Unfortunately, most people construct their comfort zones based on these rites and rituals rather than their own sensibilities of being a divine creation.

I’m grateful for all the spiritual exposure I was given growing up. Although it was never clear to me as to whether Christianity was a tool, a means to an end, or simply a lifestyle…it did lay a foundation for which I could eventually ask essential and more informed questions later in life.

As a teenager I saw some very incongruous representations of Christian life…at least from the perspective of what I was taught Christians ought to be. In retrospect—having lived a good fifty years—I realize all humans are flawed and fail. Christians are no different in the sense that they are affected by the world’s wily ways just as much as the next person. What “should” be evident, however, is their response to the world when life doles out all its goods.

It has taken me years—decades—to realize the true value of a personal relationship with God and how that relationship should take form. Church, at its very essence, is instrumental for the growth of all Christians. It provides a place for corporate worship, corporate prayer, healing…a safe place to simply get more centered with your personal and spiritual self.

That said, it can also be a crutch, a façade, a delusion of spirituality that allows one to think they are on a correct path…when in reality they are only fooling themselves. The church environment, whether ancient or present, tends to be more camaraderie than substance. Read any of Paul’s letters to the churches in Biblical times and you’ll see the same confusions and failures as you do today.

I don’t want to minimize the importance of being an involved church member…what I want to do is maximize the importance of the Creator-creation relationship without all the repertoire of rituals getting in the way.


Additional excerpts from “Life’s Journey: A Retrospective Commentary” © 2010 will be published in future postings.

Greg Morton
Copyright © September 2014

The Benevolence Paradigm

I scan news headlines pretty much every day yet tend to gloss over the political section. Not that I’m disinterested so much...it just seems to drone on and on. To put it in a Shakespearean vernacular, it appears to be “much ado about nothing”.

When I do take the time to read through them, however, I often find myself riling up a righteous indignation. It appears so absurd that our government spends so much time focused on votes and offices, yet very little progress is made towards the basic needs of our nation e.g. feeding the hungry, housing the poor, etc. If only the Christian moral could be exercised we could hold our heads higher as a nation!

Then I go back to Jesus and scripture. My ultimate guidance counselor.

Granted, the scriptures don’t illuminate every moment of Jesus’ life, therefore some things must be understood in context alone. I have to believe, however, that the things presented by all the writers--especially in the gospels--are there for essential purposes and for our benefit. If it’s not addressed in scripture, it’s probably a matter not worth focusing on too much.

All that to say...nowhere do I find any account of Jesus beseeching the government to enact legislation or establish methodologies to address the poor, hungry and needy. It’s never written that He traveled to a new area of ministry and went to the leaders of that land to impress upon them their responsibility to take care of their citizens. Quite frankly, Jesus didn’t interact with leaders or governments much at all unless forced to.

It’s interesting that three of the gospels (which is a tell-tale sign to perk your ears up) author an account of Jesus being anointed with perfume by a women when visiting the town of Bethany. His disciples felt that wasting expensive perfume could have been better spent helping the poor. And Jesus’ reaction? “You’re always going have the poor, let this woman honor me as she sees fit.”

Extreme socialist views see a no-class, global parity among all the people. The reality is that our world is filled with needy, hungry and poor... and always will. Jesus dealt with these issues on a personal level everywhere He traveled and never once, at least from my reading of the scriptures, rallied the masses to have government change its ways. He had every attribute to be a revolution leader...yet He chose to be strong in a humble way, powerful in a personal way, compassionate in a meek way.

So what is the takeaway from this? What I find resonating within me is that perhaps it’s really not the role of government to fix all the civil woes of our land. Perhaps it is one of the many Christian callings to do as Jesus did. If you see someone in need, bless them in any way you can be it money, provisions, or prayer.

Perhaps I need to set aside my righteous indignation and face the fact that it may not be all that righteous. As a child of God I need to convey the attributes of God...it’s that simple. I know I will, from this point forward, concern myself with that much more than the misplaced concerns of what my government is or isn’t doing.

Greg Morton
Copyright © August, 2014

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Carpe Diem

Literally carpe diem means “seize the day”… in other words, enjoy the present rather than deferring all your hopes on to the future. Living for the day is actually a very practical philosophy yet, as all good philosophies go, shouldn’t be the one and only principle to be used.

If you forgo all the “thinking ahead” stuff...you’ll most likely never achieve certain goals. Some things just don’t come to fruition unless there’s a certain amount of planning. That said, some people take planning to an extreme and truly miss out on what’s going on around them right now. As with most things...balance is paramount.

I’ve spent my whole life looking ahead on what I should be, or become, or aspire to be as it relates to being a good Christian boy. Now in my mid-fifties, it occurs to me that I probably could have utilized some good ol’ “carpe diem” along the way. My visions of good-Christiandom always seem to be looking beyond the present and envisioning a loftier person. Really, Greg?

Sure, we’re all in the middle of a “process” in life, but God has no timeline as it equates to His ultimate plan. He sees where we’ve been and where we’re going and everything in between simultaneously and His love and desire for our lives is not dependent on how we view things from our myopic human brains. God sees us in our totality already.

Nothing wrong with pursuing better living, improved understanding, gaining experiences to enhance who we are. It just shouldn’t be the criteria for which we value ourselves through God’s eyes. He sees a much clearer picture and━albeit hard to understand━loves us as much as He did before we even existed.

James puts it pretty boldly in Chapter 4 saying: Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.”

Go ahead, seize the day. It truly is a privilege we shouldn’t take lightly.

Blessings!

Greg Morton
Copyright © July, 2014

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Careful! It’s At Your Doorstep

When God speaks...we really should listen. Although that’s a pretty obvious truth, it’s something we all need to heed in this hurried and crazied life.

Genesis 4:7 is a very basic, yet profound, truth that should be ingrained in each one of us. This is what the Lord was saying to Cain after expressing His displeasure at the sacrifice he offered Him.

“But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.” NIV

Definitely words of wisdom we should all take to heart. Probably will show up in one of my song lyrics in the not-too-distant future.

Now I don’t generally get into the different translations of the Bible too seriously, although I do use the New International Version most often. That said, I found it interesting that the King James Version--which by most experts has a more accurate transliteration--uses the personal pronoun of “him” rather than “it” when referring to sin. Either way, whether you’re talking about sin in general terms or about Satan himself, it’s rather sobering to realize sin is crouching at your doorstep. The saving grace in this is that God says, “But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door.” The corollary to that, of course, is that if we are doing right in God’s eyes we have a distinct advantage of having the Holy Spirit camped out at our door rather than evil.

All this to say, we should be very mindful of how close sin is to our everyday lives and not take it for granted. When trials and challenges come our way it’s easy to be more alert and conscious of how affected we truly are by the world. When life seems to be going fairly smoothly, however, it’s all the more reason to remember God’s words.

Sin...Satan...all powers of darkness are just waiting to be camped out at our doorstep, waiting for that opportunity to enter in and wreak some havoc in our Christian walk. We need to prepare and be on guard at all times.

God has been warning us since the beginning of time and  I Corinthians restates it quite nicely, “ Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong.”

Blessings!

Greg Morton
Copyright © June, 2014

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Albedo 0.39

Albedo 0.39 was one of my favorite albums to listen to back in ‘76; a concept album by the then, not so famous, Vangelis. So the album name certainly begs the question, “What the heck is an albedo?”

Simply put, it’s the measure of reflectivity for a given object. The Earth’s albedo happens to reflect an average 0.39, or 39% of light...thus the album name.

This brings me, once again, to another parallel to our Christian walk. What would your albedo be if you were to be measured for how much you reflect Christ? I shudder to think what mine would be, quite frankly.

The scriptures are very direct about who we ought to be as children of God:

Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life.  Philippians 2:14-16

When Jesus made His Sermon on the Mount he expressly referenced the saved as both “salt” and “light”...two necessities this world can not live without. As children of God we are to be noticed not for who we are just as people, but who we are as having Christ within us. Our accomplishments in career, finances, family...even humanitarian energies should not be simply the results of God blessing us. Our true purpose is to make others take note that, “Hey, they’ve got something. Can’t quite put my finger on it, but it’s definitely something more than just living life.” That is our doorway--our commission--to present Christ to others.

Shining like stars; salt of the earth. These are prominent and unmistakable things and so should it also be with our lives. Although the earth’s albedo may be 0.39, we should all strive for that 100% reflection of God. Sure, we’re incapable of completing that task completely and God certainly knows that; but it doesn’t negate our purpose as clearly stated in the scriptures.

The next time you look up at the stars or the moon and see it’s light, let that be a reminder of how light reflecting off an object is so noticeable to everyone around...then apply that reminder to your Christian life. Those around will notice and God will smile.

Blessings!

Greg Morton
Copyright © May, 2014

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Row, Row, Row Your Boat

Often times life is definitely not “gently down the stream”. There is an account in the Gospels that even non-Christians are familiar with: Jesus walking on the water. Clearly a miracle like that will always get the attention, but perhaps we can take note for just a moment at some smaller details surrounding this miracle.

This miracle occurred not too long after the feeding of the 5,000. In the account of Mark chapter 6 it states:

45Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. 46After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray. 47When evening came, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and he was alone on land. 48He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. About the fourth watch of the night he went to them, walking on the lake. He was about to pass by them, 49but when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost. They cried out, 50because they all saw him and were terrified. Immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” 51Then he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. NIV

A couple of interesting things here. First is the fact that Jesus purposefully sent them out, knowing full well what was in store for them.

Second is the timing that Jesus went to them. The “fourth watch” in those days would have been during the 3AM to 6AM time period (my favorite part or the day, by the way). It doesn’t say at what time He observed them straining, however, it does intimate they had been struggling for quite awhile.

I think it’s very interesting that He didn’t intervene immediately. He observed them first to see if they could struggle through their situation. When the time was right, however, He chose to go to them. Jesus sees us when we’re straining. We don’t have to call out to him…He just comes to us because that’s the way He is.

It’s also interesting to note that He immediately alleviated their fears once they saw Him approaching. Curious thing, that we want so much to have miracles come and save us from our peril...and then when it really happens miraculously we cower in fear and wonderment.

When I’m struggling against the winds and currents of life, I take great comfort knowing that Jesus is watching me and seeing my plight. I know He will address my situation in the right timing. I know He will ultimately keep me safe and let me cross that sea of trouble intact.

The God I serve is a God that loves His creation; loves to watch what I do personally. That’s a pretty hard concept to wrap this pedestrian mind around...but I’ll take it. So the next time I want a miracle in my life and one actually happens, I trust I will be more in awe than wigged out...even if it’s Jesus himself approaching me on the water.

Blessings!

Greg Morton
Copyright © April, 2014

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Don’t Make Jesus Your Miracle-Daddy

For me…prayer has been a very elusive thing my entire life. It’s a strange, wonderful, yet enigmatic privilege that has changed me in many ways. Prayer is conversation; prayer is petitioning; prayer is thanking; prayer is whining; prayer is any means of communicating with God that you wish to put a label on.

Recently, however, is has become a deeper, more relevant, discipline. I am seeing it in a new way that is beginning to transcend all my previous understandings over the years. Prayer is a free-will choice, yet God is all-knowing and sees the beginning, middle, and end of whatever I bring to Him. This begs the question, “Why pray?”

The simple answer—which has taken me 54 years to understand—is that the matters I bring to the table certainly are by my own choosing but they may, or may not, bring me in alignment with God’s purpose. That ”alignment” is the key to my prayers these days. No longer am I concerned about whether I’m praying correctly or for the right things…God wants my life to be aligned with His plan and purpose. When I pray and calibrate myself to that truth…then the purpose of prayer becomes more clear.

For many years my prayers were directed towards God like a genie in a bottle. Make this happen; let me acquire that; allow this, that and the other thing to happen. In the name of Jesus I asked for things and completely justified it by using scripture...specifically James 4, “You do not have because you do not ask God.” NIV

What I continually failed to do was to keep reading as the very next verse states, “When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.”

In other words, we will receive anything we ask for as long as it is aligned with God’s plan. We may not understand His answer; it may even seem calloused or illogical. Still...He is in complete control, omniscient and omnipotent.

I’ve wanted so desperately to have a “miracle-daddy” to take care of all my wants and desires. That’s simply my human nature. My renewed life through Christ, however, begs to be in alignment and closer to my God and Savior.

So...does prayer really change things? Absolutely! What it most often changes is the person praying. The circumstances may or may not change but that’s really the point here. Prayer changes our attitude, our perspective, our priorities...and, most importantly, our relationship with God.

That’s what prayer is all about; what relationship is all about; what finding our place in this world is all about. Once we begin to realize that our actions do not cause a reaction from God, but simply brings us closer--or farther apart--then we will find true peace in whatever we ask of Him...regardless of the answer.

Greg Morton
Copyright © March 1, 2014

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May The Force Be With You

I don’t believe every bad thing that happens in life is a direct intervention of evil. Quite frankly, it doesn’t need to be orchestrated by demons or even the devil himself; this world is already bent towards the sin of man and doesn’t typically need further help. That said, at times there are certain circumstances that just seem too bizarre to not have some kind of added influence. Case in point… January 26, 2014. Pope Francis, while speaking at St. Peter’s Square, had two children release one white dove each as a symbolic gesture of peace. Soon after their release both doves were attacked, one by a seagull and the other by a black crow in front of thousands of religious onlookers. Hmmmmm….this could be a scenario right out of the The Omen in that it is a subtle—rather than gruesome—possible depiction of supernatural taunting.

Do I really believe some demons were having a fun pranking on a religious ritual…heck, I don’t really know. What I do know is that some people equate “supernatural” with “unnatural”…which couldn’t be further from the truth. Spirits—good and bad—are as natural as anything in this life. The spiritual realm existed long before our world and humanity did, and it’s a sure bet that it doesn’t stay unnoticed all the time just to watch us exist.

Although I seriously doubt spiritual forces were at play in this situation, these moments are a good reminder to myself--lest I ever get complacent--that we do live in a very spiritual world. It’s a very cogent reminder that there are forces at play all around us we don’t often see or recognize. The real key is to not get caught up in the media hype about what “spirits” are. Yes, they are real. Yes, they can manifest themselves in many tangible ways. Yes, evil ones can oppress even the strongest of Christians. But the glorious victory we Christians hold is that our Lord and Savior created each and every one of these beings and, as such, has complete power and jurisdiction over them. We know from scripture that God has allowed a certain amount of latitude for evil to exercise its dominion, but we can be assured God is in absolute control and has the ultimate victory in every situation.

Do I care if some evil powers wanted to display some sort of control over nature in St. Peter’s Square?…not really. I do care about the One who is the Creator of all things and what He can show me. Perhaps the doves of peace didn’t fare so well, but I do know that the Lord shepherds his flock with a very loving and protective dominance. This is the Savior I serve. This is the peace that affords me the strength and hope to move forward in life without cowering over forces that don’t have any real power over me.

And that’s all I have to say about that.

Greg Morton
Copyright © February, 2014

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Wrapping Up 2013

I can see the year 1579…and so can you. It’s a significant year for us "west coasters" in one respect because that is the year Sir Francis Drake appeared on the shores of California and claimed the area (the exact coastal location being debated by historians for centuries) for England and called it “New Albion”. The name, which means “the New White”, was in reference to the island of Great Britain often called “White” for its renowned White Cliffs of Dover.

Ok…so what exactly is the significance of something that happened 434 years ago? The answer is found when you look up into a night sky and find Polaris, the North Star. When you are observing the star you are actually seeing the light which emanated from it 434 years ago because it is 434 light years away. Kinda cool, huh?

These are the kinds of things which humble my existence. My lofty notions of importance can quickly be assuaged by the miracle that is life. Not just my life, but a life that is grander, and broader, and longer, and most definitely designed by a master Creator.

This reality may prompt you to believe that we, as individuals, are then somewhat insignificant. Nothing can be further from the truth. C.S. Lewis stated, “He died not for men, but for each man. If each man had been the only man made, He would have done no less.”  This is the perfect summation of what our Creator is all about. We cannot even fathom the enormity of this universe and all it contains, yet this same Creator has His eye on you and I in a most intimate way.

When I look up into the sky and observe the stars, the universe, the absolute wonderment of our world… I begin to appreciate how much this creation we live in was designed for us. My insignificance suddenly becomes more proud, more emboldened, as I begin to realize the awesomeness of my God and how he wants to relate to me in my life.

Looking back on the year is but a snippet of a moment in time, but let’s not overlook the fact that God has planned us for this moment. Let’s embrace it and all it brings.

Blessings and Peace to all!

Greg Morton
Copyright © December, 2013

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Beyond the Pale

It’s been said that “We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light.” Plato probably wrote these words more from a philosophical perspective, however, applying this to a spiritual truth is simply too good to pass up. What Plato was really saying is that we are to face our fears, our circumstances, our joys, and our challenges…all with a realistic embrace. To shy away from difficulties or ignore problems does not benefit us nor does it build our character.

Christians clearly have an edge when it comes to dealing with adversity. Sadly, we seldom take full advantage of the fact that God is in ultimate control and we can choose to accept it—or reject it—and make our choices accordingly.

Our humanity makes us finite; full of limitations; lacking in judgment; woefully inadequate. Our humanity lived in one accord with Christ, however, allows us to live beyond our apparent limits. What we comprehend as boundaries mean absolutely nothing in God’s hands.

My greatest apprehensions in life are making correct choices. Long forgotten are the words of Paul when he reminded the churches in Rome that all things work together for good for those who love God. If I can daily remind myself of this truth I would not only make much better choices, I would also remove the limitations of what I believe to be possible. My choices, then, become instruments within God’s plan rather than just cerebral decisions that may, or may not, accomplish my desires.

I truly believe we must all look beyond the pale and grasp on to the truth that God is interactive in our lives, proactive in His desires, and reactive to our requests. We are not meant to live the tragedy that Plato expressed when we fear the light, but rather to rejoice in the way our Savior has empowered us to live life to the fullest; with the knowledge that we can partner with God to not only make a difference on this earth...but proceed with confidence that His plan can, and will, be fulfilled.

Blessings!

Greg Morton
Copyright © December 1, 2013

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Our Daily Bread

The second petition found in the Lord’s Prayer is “Give us this day our daily bread…” This reminds me of how important it is to rely on the Lord on a daily basis. Not just to be disciplined in praying and giving thanks each day, but also to remember that the life He has given us is a day-by-day existence.

In the book of Exodus the Lord provided for His people after they escaped Egypt and began their forty year journey in the desert. He provided their daily sustenance in the form of manna which, clearly, provided all their nutritional needs. His command, however, was that no one gather more than they needed for the day. In this way, they were completely reliant on God providing each and every day and had to take that step of faith that He would deliver on His promise.

I don’t know about you, but  I know I often try to save up...ok, hoard...those things that I feel make my life easier or better. It’s tough to rely on the unknown, but for me it’s even tougher to rely on the known. I know that God is in ultimate control and He will always be faithful to provide me exactly what I need; He promised that. So why is it so difficult to trust in that promise? I guess we’re all so conditioned—even those of us in the Christian faith—to be resourceful in our day to day existence that being confident in what we don’t physically see is unnerving. God’s intervention is often intangible, yet His work is quite remarkably present if we slow down and really examine what circumstances are going on in our lives.

Jesus did not refer to Himself as the Bread of Life just as a whimsical title, nor was He trying to be elusive; He was stating a simple fact. We are only sustained in this life—and beyond this life of humanity—by believing on Him. He told us we needed to pray for our daily bread and I, for one, try to do just that.

Blessings!

Greg Morton
Copyright © November 1, 2013

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Learn To Love Again

Sometimes lyrics from a song resonate with me outside the context of the actual song…and this is one of those times. There is currently a pop ballad duet sung by Pink and Nate Ruess called “Just Give Me A Reason” and there is a line in the chorus imparting, “we’re not broken, just bent...and we can learn to love again”.

I found some profound truth, and parallels, to our daily walk with God in these lyrics. Often times we feel like we’ve really blown it and perceive our relationship with Him to be broken. I like the “bent” not “broken” analogy because that is exactly what happens in reality.

If we were to draw a straight line to God by which our praise, adoration, petitions, etc. were to travel then, yes, when sin gets in the way it does kind of bend that line a bit. Although Christ makes it a straight line—all the time—our sin nature causes us to make that path veer off on tangents. When sin enters into our lives and we allow ourselves to be affected by it, we either pull back on our prayers and communication or we shy away from addressing that sin for a while or we implement numerous other tactics to keep from confronting our sin.

As we begin our process of contrition, though, we start to realize that the way to God is always a straight path—and never broken. We may wander or stray but the incredible redemptive power of salvation has made that path, even as we bend it over and over again, straight and strong and accessible.

Just as the lyrics state, we aren’t—and never will be with God—broken, just bent at times and we will learn to love again in that most intimate way. God realizes this about us and He is more than happy to hold us close as we meander through our lives.

What an amazing God we serve!

Blessings.

Copyright © October 1, 2013

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Hot August Night

Hot August Night. On August 6, 2013 it actually wasn’t all that hot; in fact it got downright chilly, but the evening lived up to its name nonetheless.

Every year my wife and I attend a “Concerts in the Park” near our house which features a Neil Diamond tribute singer. He and his band are quite remarkable at taking us back to the days of yore which stir up memories of our dating years.

During most of the two hours there are people, young and old, dancing in front of the stage. Although this has always been the case every year, it struck me quite poignantly this time. I saw young kids simply jumping with delight; people swaying, and waving, and spinning. What touched me most, however, was seeing how many elderly people joined in the gala. Some labored just to walk and were quite crippled, yet the fact that they wanted to feel the music and share it with each other drove them onward.

When the singer crooned out his ballads, couples leaned on each other with sweet reminiscences on their faces. As the music crescendoed into faster rhythms, they flailed and moved with complete abandon…happily singing along with all the lyrics. They frankly didn’t care what they looked like or even if they were in time with the music. Everyone dancing in front of that stage was in their glory, and it made me outright happy.

Then I got a little sad.

Now I ask you…does this happen in your church? Are you able to relish in the presence of the Holy Spirit and move and dance with complete abandon? Sadly I don’t, and I suspect very few of you do as well. And why is that? If droves of people have no problem expressing their happiness and joy while listening to their favorite entertainer, then shouldn’t our joy be expressed all the more to our glorious Savior? We intellectually say “yes” but our deeds reflect another answer.

Clearly there needs to be reverence shown when approaching the Lord—in fact we are to be in fear and awe of Him because of the incomprehensible totality that He is. That said, the Bible is filled with followers convening at feasts with singing and dancing and praising the Lord. There is a place for unbridled praise and joy when experiencing the tangible presence of our Creator.

I, for one, would hope to see a new attitude formed in me that would allow me to be free to praise, unchained by the inhibitions that weigh me down. My heart certainly jumps for joy at the church I attend, but there is clearly some work to be done to get this ol’ body to follow suit.

Blessings!

Greg Morton
© September 1, 2013

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Sailing Through Marriage

Ok, ok….let’s not get ahead of ourselves here. Just as a disclaimer right up front, I didn’t say it was always “smooth” sailing. This month celebrates my thirty-second year of marriage and I have been blessed beyond my wildest (and they can get pretty wild…) dreams. Parables found in the Bible used many references to sailing and/or the sea…and for good reason. Not only were they relevant to the merchant society back then, they were also word-pictures most everyone could understand. So for that reason I share my thoughts on marriage in nautical terms. Would it surprise you if I said my wife weighed me down? I’ll explain why that is a good thing. For those not familiar with the construction of boats, there is much more to it than just plopping a hollowed out hunk of wood onto the water and have it float. There are characteristics built into it that allow it to maneuver and get you where you want to go in the most practical manner. As part of a ship’s construction it has a component called a keel. It is a weighted fin at the bottom of most boats that serves numerous purposes. Firstly, it allows better steering in a straight line without struggling so much against the drifting caused by wind and currents. Secondly, it helps keep the ship upright as the wind and waves toss it side to side. Without this added weight, you would likely find yourself drifting into places you didn’t want to go. Thirdly, the keel provides the structural strength of the entire hull of the ship. Now, when I say my wife weighs me down…it’s a very good thing. She has been my keel for thirty-two years (more if you count the dating era). I am much more seaworthy in this life because of her and I trust it has been a reciprocal relationship. The simple truth is, I have been blessed far beyond my dreams when I see the wife and family I now have. My journey thus far through the seas of life have been sailed with changing winds, waves large and small, but always...always with a certainty that I am not alone. I am truly blessed. Greg Morton © August 1, 2013

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Do What Jesus Did

Back in the early-to-mid 1980s I was an avid listener of Bob Larson’s “Talk Back” radio show. His format was designed for teenagers to call in and express their opinions on whatever the subject matter was for the day…and he mostly focused on the adverse effects of secular rock music, the occult and, more specifically, the influence of demons in our everyday lives. Being in my early twenties at the time, this radio show made an incredible impression on me. Nowhere could you hear this type of candid talk and it began my road of self-discovery, introspection, and really questioning why I believed what I believed regarding my faith. By the late 1980s he was actually performing exorcisms right on the air. An amazing eye-opener for me and the huge listening audience he had acquired.

Fast-forward thirty years and, yes, Bob Larson is still around and exorcising demons right and left through his Spiritual Freedom Church and his Center for Spiritual Freedom in Phoenix, AZ along with a vast amount of touring across the country. He’s adopted a catch-phrase “DWJD – Do What Jesus Did”, a variant of the popular WWJD “What Would Jesus Do” slogan.

So why am I writing about this? Well, something the other day triggered a memory of those radio days so I went on his website just to see what has been going on with him. Not to go into all the aspects of what I found, one prominent ad/banner stated: “Got demons? Take the Demon Test® to find out!”

Well, all hail to media hype and call me sucked in…I simply had to check it out and, perhaps, even take the test just out of sheer curiosity. After several screens of explanations and warm-up emotion teasers I finally got to the link for the test. Yup…$9.95 just to take the “simple” 21 question survey to determine if I have sufficient cause to move forward with an intervention meeting. Hmmmm??

I realize ministries are a business in one sense, and it’s pretty tough to keep an enterprise going solely on faith. That said, it is very disappointing for me to see the direction Bob Larson’s ministry has taken. Even early on in his “Talk Back” days he had a mastery of asking for financial support and clearly has perfected it over the years.

But back to paying for a “spiritual needs survey”…I certainly don’t read in scripture that Jesus asked for some coin up front before healing, or exorcising, or turning water into wine. The need was there and he provided the solution.

Although I understand the necessity for funding a ministry, it might behoove the ministers of today to do a bit of their own soul-searching and ask themselves “ITWJD - Is This What Jesus Did?”

Greg Morton
© July 1, 2013

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Victory Is In The Eye Of The Beholder

Wars, battles, fighting…it all permeates our world history, and is certainly not excluded from the Bible. David is arguably one of the most notorious battle leaders chronicled within the Bible and most of those wars were directed—even mandated—by God. But neither history nor society hold an exclusive on battles. There are emotional battles waged within ourselves, spiritual battles that keep us in conflict with our faith and our beliefs...we even battle life itself as it delivers its offerings of pending mortality.

So the big question is, “Who wins when a battle is engaged?”

When my mom died on Christmas day 2012 is was the conclusion of a thirteen year battle with that ubiquitous and sinister disease we call cancer. One might deduce that the insidious disease finally won. I challenge that, however, because victory—as God has so often shown us—is in the eye of the beholder. The fact that God is in ultimate control over this world means the eye from which we see things ought to be from God’s perspective.

In my mom’s case, she defeated her disease while alive by transcending her own pain and suffering and transforming it into positive reinforcement for others suffering similar conditions. She took that which most of us would simply complain about and chose to use her fight as an opportunity to show her kids and grandkids that they were more important to her than her internal struggles. This kind of “dealing with life” modeling is priceless and will never be forgotten. When she died, she once again defeated her enemy by transforming her limited body to an eternal and glorious body...one which now resides with her Savior.

Let’s face it, dealing with life can be a crappy endeavor and we will always be in a battle with someone or some thing. What the Bible shows us—and people like my mom show us—is that battles are not always about winning so much as they are about rising above. When God told people like David to go to war against someone, it was not motivated by the “good group” defeating the “bad group”...it was an expression of rising above what the human heart is compelled to do and follow the voice of God. In the same manner, we must battle the things we face in life not with our human mind and heart, but with the voice of God as our driving force.

I don’t know all the reasons why bad things happen to good people and fortunes fall into the laps of bad people; however, I do know there is a Savior that sees far beyond our earthly behaviors, trials and battles and is willing to intervene His divine wisdom if we ask Him with a sincere heart.

We may not feel victorious on a day to day basis, but if we are willing to be honest with ourselves—and look beyond the crap life gives us—those who have truly given their lives over to Jesus can be assured that we are not battling this life alone. If we are faithful to look at life through the eyes of our Lord and Savior we will surely be victorious.

Blessings!

Greg Morton

© May 1, 2013

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Passive Christianity

In truth, there is no such thing as passive Christianity. As Christians, however, we can become complacent, disinterested, distant, even downright bored at times with our faith. But this is merely a reflection of ourselves and not Christianity itself. You see, even when we become passive in our relationship with God, God is still proactive; and it is when we become proactive in harmony with God’s interventions that things really start to happen and that long-lost fire becomes rekindled.

Paul said it very succinctly speaking to the Colossians in chapter one, “To this end I labor, struggling with all His energy, which so powerfully works in me.”

“Labor”, “Struggle”, “Energy”, “Power”. These words can be pretty intimidating words for someone who chooses to be a passive Christian; but the reality and truth of this passage is impossible to deny. Doing God’s work can be exactly that...work. But, oh, what a good work it is.

Paul goes on to say, “My purpose is that they (those for which he is struggling for) may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”

You see, the struggle...the work...it’s all about other people, not us. We go through hardship so others can benefit. We face adversity so we may deal with it as Christ did...by setting the example for others. The work we do for God is not like the work we do at our jobs which is mainly for personal gain, it is for a selfless gain that others may take notice and see the kingdom of God through our works.

But let’s face it...many times it’s tough to be doing God’s will. It’s laborious; it’s a struggle. It’s genuinely hard to be a channel for God’s awesome energy and to be used in a powerful and prolific way. It takes strength, encouragement, validation, faith, prayer and Christian support for all this to happen.

The most encouraging and beautiful aspect of Christianity is that God is with you, always and forever. Whether you want Him there or not, He’s there. This is an insight that reveals itself to me over and over again in my life. Simply stated...If you turn your back on Him, He will most certainly walk faithfully behind you step by step. If you stop in your tracks, He will be there with His hand outstretched for you to take. If you follow the wrong path, God will constantly and consistently present the proper road signs for you to change direction. God is with you, always and forever.

Sometimes this reality is hard on us when we so desperately want to do things on our own. But part of the work we have as Christians is to fight off that original sin of pride and to accept our human limitations for what they are. We need a higher power...and there is no higher power than Jesus Christ.

Blessings!

Greg Morton

© April 1, 2013

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Cranky-Boy

Yes, this wonderful descriptive seems to have become my wife’s favorite pet name for me….and for good reason. Although she says it in the most endearing and playful way, truth be told it’s spot on. I cycle through being contented and wryly funny…just to turn sour-puss the next day surely as the tides ebb and flow throughout nature. So, what’s that all about?

Frankly, I don’t really know.

One thing I do know, however,  is that the apostle Paul is my personal paradigm...although I find it extremely difficult to follow his example. During one of his visits to the people in Philippi he was extending his gratitude for their faithful giving towards his ministry. Apparently no other churches at the time were being so gracious in their giving, even though it was never his intention to even ask for support.

Listen to his words, “...for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:11-13

That pretty much humbles me to a very lowly place. How in the world can I complain or be discontented when I serve a savior that has given me eternal life and is concerned about my every move? When this reality leaves me temporarily, that’s when “cranky-boy” shows up.

I thank God for my live-in “reality check” that has never hesitated to call me on my disposition. My wife has steadfastly given me the honesty I truly need in my life...and I love her all the more for it. That light-hearted, comical sobriquet actually keeps me to task and allows me to exercise more discipline in the ways of my attitude. Prayer and re-assessment is always a good thing.

Of course, I’m certainly not naive about it all. I don’t expect to suddenly be called “happy-boy” or “joyous-boy” any time soon. I do, however, hope to incorporate much of Paul’s example and see life through a better lens...the lens God sees us all through.

Blessings!

Cranky-boy Greg Morton
© March 1, 2013

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