GENTLE WHISPER

Image credit: Toa Heftiba. Unsplash.com

Fond of talking in whispers? Well, don't! Whispering is not healthy. 

I once overused my vocal chords. The doctor ordered: 

No talking. No singing. And no whispering. For three straight months! These happened thrice in a space of three years. And with these, a lengthy voice therapy.

During those times, I had to take a vacation from teaching, my modest source of income after retirement from corporate life. Sadder still, I could not sing in church. 

It was sheer agony—to not speak or sing when I needed or wanted to. Attempting to talk in whispers made my condition worse. 

Do you know that the Bible cautions us against whispering? "Where there is no whisperer, quarreling ceases," Proverbs 26:20. 

Not only does whispering abuse your vocal chords; it also causes tension with others. 

Why? Be in a room where two people speak in whispers. Next thing you know, others are egging them to just blurt it out, "What's all the secrecy about?" Start of a gossip marathon? 

Gossip is juicy, ain't it? 

Or someone's whispering triggers this in you, "Were they talking about me?" 

Slander. Gossip. Resentment. Suspicion. Malice. They're all part of the whispering coven. 

The same verse in Proverbs 26 says that "for lack of firewood, the fire goes out". A whisper is like a tiny ember which, when it touches the leaves and branches around it, bursts into a fiery flame. Bush fires and the deadly havoc they cause start this way. 

Forests regrow. Broken lives are harder to rebuild. So don't be sucked in by whispers. 

One type of whispering we must desire. 

1Kings 19:12 "Rather than such attention-grabbing spectacles, God came to Elijah softly and discreetly in a 'gentle whisper'." The prophet searched for God in the wind, the earthquake and the fire. The Lord wasn't in any of these. 

God's presence was clear—via a gentle whisper. His voice, though small and whispered, is much more powerful than any of those forces. It blows His Word clearly, intimately straight into our hearts. 

Psalm 46:10 "Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." 

The next time you read His Word or pray, may His gentle whisper awaken the truth, and His peace and grace, in your heart. And make us kinder and not be so rash to descend into careless whispers. 

Prayer: Lord, forgive me for my careless whispers—those times when I gossiped or slandered about others. Help me instead to train my ears to listen to you—Your Word; and to pray and be still, and not let me be overtaken by my own thoughts and fears. Teach me, Jesus. Amen. 

CAN LIGHT BE DARK?

Imagine yourself a flashlight. Better yet, a lighthouse. 

Especially on dark stormy nights, those on boats can find their way back to safety because of you. Lighthouses are built really high—so their bright turning lights, blinking at every 72-second interval—can be seen even by those from afar. 

Jesus warns us in Luke11:35, "Be careful lest the light in you be darkness." 

The world has become darker with the covid pandemic and the failure or helplessness of political leaders and their governments to fully address it. 

In for a surprise? Greater darkness is expected as we near the end of days. 

Jesus warned of those days in Matthew 24. Along with the love of many getting cold—those turning away from the faith and sound doctrine and more people following their own version of the truth—would come calamities, disasters, earthquakes and famines leading up to the great tribulation. 

Even as these situations threaten us, Jesus commands us to be light. Matthew 5:14, "Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid." 

Do you know that light is a wave? Which means light could "expand and radiate in all directions, interfere with other waves, bend around corners, carry energy and momentum and interact with matter," wrote Rhett Allain Who wrote on the Wired Website.

Wow! Light therefore is a force, something you can't fiddle with or take lightly. That's why it could not be hidden. Light is just unstoppable! 

Speaking to His disciples in Matthew 5:14-16, Jesus said: "You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on a stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven." 

If Jesus says you are light, then you are light. Every believer is! 

You have it in you to to be a force for good, as you radiate love and compassion, show kindness and consideration for others, demonstrate patience and goodness. You're an agent of peace rather than of strife. 

You being light should make it easier for people to breathe and see each day more brightly—in spite of the aches and pains and even death that we face on a daily basis. 

Prayer: Lord, search my heart. Forgive me that I've not been much of a light. Especially when I am weak, let your Word lead me or direct me to more mature believers who could  help me sort out my issues and unbelief. I commit my life to you, Jesus. I confess you as my Savior and my Lord. Amen. 

WHICH ARE YOU--LAMB OR WOLF?

Lambs are cute, huggable, pettable. New-borns walk on wobbly legs. 

When Jesus appointed His disciples (Luke 10) to go before Him because "the harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few," He said: "... I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves." 

His disciples were new in their faith, yet Jesus was confident His newbies could face up to wolves. Did it mean He was placing them in harm's way? 

I did some research on wolves and here's what I found: 

Wolves are highly intelligent, friendly, adaptable and sociable animals. (Wolf Song Alaska website)

So, they're nice folks. They're your people next door, workmate, the person next to you on the bus or plane. 

Yet wolves can be aggressive when it comes to prey. I believe this was the basis of Jesus' warning. 

We're out here in the world with nice and smart and civilized people. But let's face it, not everyone believes in Jesus. 

They have a totally opposite worldview.  To them, truth is what you make it. Many of them don't even acknowledge the existence of God. They celebrate abortion as women's right. They treat gender as self-assigned, not birth-assigned, so they could therefore choose which one suits them. 

"Please spare me that Jesus thing," they say. "I'm fine as it is. I don't need to be saved!" And they invite you to just drink and be merry with them. 

That's when wolves see you and me as prey; because to them, our message about Jesus is pure hysteria--borne out of weakness and superstition--and must be crushed.  

I believe Jesus is also warning us about this: Wolves are ok people, yes? So lambs can feel at ease with them. Wrong! They maybe the type you want to hang around with, but watch out, one day, you may find yourself agreeing with their self-centered narratives. 

Corrupt company corrupts. 

Remember the saying, "Wolves in sheep's clothing?" For example, how many well-meaning doctors and women's rights' advocates have led innocent girls to believe that It's ok to get rid of unwanted pregnancies? 

Jesus says, when we get out there, be a lamb--meek, pure. Be armed with His love, because love was the reason Jesus became man and paid the ultimate sacrifice on the cross in exchange for our souls. 

But wolves can miraculously become sheep. Possible only if every believer  obeys the Good Shepherd. We can be among wolves and be empowered to share the gospel—to win them over to Christ. 

Lambs and sheep know their master's voice. 

Our good Shepherd (Psalm 23) calls and leads us daily to clear waters and green pastures. In Him alone are peace, joy and confidence found.

As His lamb, I know that I'm able only because my Shepherd hems me in. Courage eludes me at times. But if He tells me to go, I will go. I will teach.  I will testify. I will sing of His goodness and greatness.

The world gets darker by the day. Jesus sends us as light to whatever corner or enclave He wants us to reach.

Matthew 5:16 "Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven."

As believers, we are wholly dependent on the one who sends us out. You and I have been deployed to the war zone. Ravenous wolves abound. But the harvest is plenty.  

It's not about winning a war. Jesus wins the war for sure. He has everything under control. But it's all about winning souls. 

The world needs to know: God loves them! That's why Jesus came. 

With Jesus on our side, whom shall we fear? Romans 8:31 "If God be for us, who can be against us?"

Prayer: O Lord, let me be a lamb--totally dependent on you, humble, and willing to be led by you. Please take away my fear, especially my fear of people. Holy Spirit, lead me. Let others see Jesus in me. May they commit their lives to Christ as their Lord and Savior. Amen. 

GENE-WHAT?

Image credit: sciencenews.com

Birth certificate. Never face the world without it. 

Apply for anything—job, driver's license, passport—you'd be asked, "Your BC please." 

Of course. You've got to show proof that you're someone's kid. That another human gave birth to you. Your authenticity depends on it. 

The Jews are big on genealogy. They record—just as we do today—who fathered who from generation to generation. That's their version of the municipal or city records affirming your identity as someone's child. 

The genealogy of Jesus (Luke 3:23-38) backtracks several generations. He was born to His human family through Mary, under the care of Joseph, a direct descendant of David—as prophesied in Scripture. 

Jumping generations earlier: Obed, son of Boaz by Ruth; further back, Judah, son of Jacob, son of Isaac, son of Abraham; much earlier, Shem, one of Noah's sons. 

Further... Adam! His beginning? God! He formed Adam from dust then breathed His breath unto him. 

Whatever comes from man is man. One umbilical cord to the next. The whole of nature is like that—each kind producing its own kind. Mommy mango yields baby mango. Elephants their tiny elephants. 

So where does the mutation or evolution factor figure? Pray tell, how does a beautiful and smart being like you mutate from a virus-like thinggy or the monkey? As far as we know, apes and single-celled organisms still abound. 

If we believe that everything in nature produces its own kind, why would some so-called scientists hard-sell the concept that we are merely animals? Duh! 

Is it to push a sinister agenda that we, being just like dogs, are expected to behave as such and act as if we're not accountable—and therefore free to follow our own lustful ways? 

I too used to think that the story of Adam and Eve was some kind of metaphor about the origin of man. But genealogies leave no room for doubt. Tracing your family line is a straight-arrow proof of who sired who. 

Why is it so hard to believe that this powerful and mighty God could create an awesome creature such as you and me? He—who by His infinite wisdom placed the stars in their place—is the same mighty Creator who fashioned us in our mother's womb. 

Which would you rather believe? Randomly-formed you? That's evolution. Or intelligenty-created you? 

"Fearfully and wonderfully made," per Psalms 139:14. You belong to humankind, not ape-kind. 

Take out your birth certificate! It backtracks you to God—Creator of everything. 

BAGGAGE

Let your boat be anchored in Jesus. 

Travel light.  

A good reminder, especially if you're a senior. 

Today's humunguous airports are no match to achy-breaky joints. So no more check-in luggage if I can help it. 

I believe that's equally true in the spirit. Emotional baggage wears you down. 

But what does one do when anger, fear, worry sap your energy, making your heart and your faith flicker? You don't need to own or carry them yourself. 

Do you think God can't handle it? Our great and mighty God? Creator of the universe? 

You can't hide it from Him anyway. But be humble enough to say, "Lord take it. I can't deal with it myself." 

So blurt it all out! David was in the habit of carrying his burdens to God. 

Psalm 3:1-2 "Lord, how many are my foes! How many rise up against me! Many are saying of me, 'God will not deliver him.'" 

Psalm 6:3 "My soul is in deep anguish. How long, Lord, how long?” 

Better do 1Peter5:7: "Cast  all your cares upon Him, for He cares for you." 

And once you've tossed the baggage to Him, don't reload yourself with it by going around complaining about it like a sad refrain. That magnifies the problem all over again—the best way to eclipse the power of God in your situation. Remember the Israelites perennially complaining of their woes in the desert? 

It is finished, says Jesus. Let it go and let Jesus in. He too will instruct you on how to deal with it. 

Jesus better be your anchor. Things may not go as you've planned. Storms may batter from time to time. But your boat will remain secure, though it be tossed too and fro. 

First things first—have you committed your life to Him? Confess Jesus as your Savior now. Then He becomes your eternal burden-bearer.