Tommy O's Blog: Multiplicity

Showing posts with label Multiplicity. Show all posts

Apr 30, 2020

Here Comes The Son

Today there is a heaviness in the land.

Negativity is the new norm as day-by-day, hour-by-hour, minute-by-minute we rush to eat a diet of the latest update about a disease that is ravaging the land.

Twenty-four hours a day the media spews out the vomit we call “news” as our lungs breath in the toxicity until it causes us to faint or pass out.

Conspiracy theorists are having a field day as sides are chosen as to what is really going on as both sides point their fingers at the other side.

Like the smell of a skunk that has just sprayed we gasp for a breath of fresh air.

Clocks are only used to find your favorite show. Calendars show only days (instead of weeks or months) as this Groundhog Day endlessly repeats.

“I just don’t know what to do…” is the heart cry of many.

And yet, through the confusion the Word of God SHOUTS to His people through the prophet Isaiah chapter 60:

Arise, shine;
For your light has come!
And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you. (v1)

Why is He telling us to arise and shine?

For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth,
And deep darkness the people (v2)

That sounds like the time we are living in. some days it seems as though the whole earth is wrapped in darkness.

Yes, darkness; thick darkness, gross darkness…all the people of the earth are sunk in deep darkness.

And you say; “Now I am even more despaired!”

My friend: KEEP READING

BUT (say that again)

BUT the Lord will arise over you,
And His glory will be seen upon you. (v2b)

In the middle of times that seem out of control the Lord SHOUTS:

Get out of bed, Wake up.

Put your face in the sunlight.
God’s bright glory has risen for you.

The LORD is exhorting Believers during this time of despair and uncertainty to be a light for Him. To be a reflection of His goodness, His glory to those who are trapped by the darkness.

In fact, He is telling us through the prophet Isaiah that when we arise and shine, people will come to listen to what we have to tell:

The Gentiles shall come to your light,
And kings to the brightness of your rising. (v3)

Even those relatives who seem far away will come to you:

Lift up your eyes all around, and see:
They all gather together, they come to you;
Your sons shall come from afar,
And your daughters shall be nursed at your side. (v4)

The result will be

Then you shall see and become radiant,
And your heart shall swell with joy;
Because the abundance of the sea shall be turned to you,
The wealth of the Gentiles shall come to you.

The multitude of camels shall cover your land,
The dromedaries of Midian and Ephah;
All those from Sheba shall come;
They shall bring gold and incense,
And they shall proclaim the praises of the Lord. (v 4-6)

In other words, when we arise and shine, the darkness is dispelled.

WE are called to bring the light into this world out of control.

Some of you might be thinking, “Jesus is the Light of the world, not me!”

And I would say that you are correct. In John 9:5, Jesus refers to Himself as the Light of the world.

But in Matthew 5:14 and 16, Jesus also said,

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden... In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

My friend, don’t wait for this to all blow over before you share what the LORD has done for you.

We are called to be ready to speak up and tell anyone who asks why we’re living the way we are…

to always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence (1 Peter 3:15)

So, wake up sleepy head! Arise! Shine! So that others will exclaim:

“HERE COMES THE SON!”

Oct 12, 2017

Rink Closed for Resurfacing

In a hockey game, intermissions affect the outcome of the game in the respect that they give players a chance to rest and allows team coaches to evaluate the team’s performance and to make changes regarding strategy as required.

They also provide an opportunity to clean/resurface the ice.

I need to take an intermission in my life to take some rest, allow me to talk to my Coach (God), to spend time with Him, to evaluate my performance, and to make changes regarding strategy as required, as well as to clean/resurface the ice. Metaphorically of course.

So, I am taking an intermission from writing for a short season.

In the interim, please check out my Blog Archive.

“Be still, and know that I am God…” (Psalm 46:10)

“In returningand rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.” (Isaiah 30:15)

Today, please take some time to think about life and death and what’s important. Death is a reality - but so is God's offer of salvation in Christ. Is your hope in Christ? Don't put off your decision for Him, because you could be called into eternity at any moment - and then it will be too late.

Take time to talk to God and to talk to your friends. Take time to think about what’s important. Take time to slow down and smell the roses; it will be next week soon enough.

“Keep your stick on the ice; I’m pulling for you!” -Red Green

Sep 12, 2013

Extra Ordinary in the Ordinary

They were ordinary purple flowers that were growing in our yard; nothing special about them. They had surrounded a bird feeder that had not used for the past two years. The plan was to remove them and the bricks surrounding them and replace the small flower garden with sod. I was waiting for the right combination of free time and cooler weather.

And yet, today as I watered the gardens and my lawn I noticed something extra ordinary among these ordinary flowers. On the purple flowers was the most beautiful yellow monarch that I have seen. Two days before I had seen two orange monarchs on these flowers; the first monarchs we had seen all summer! Extra ordinary in the ordinary; I was glad that I hadn’t gotten around to removing the flowers yet.

They were ordinary orange colored flowers that were growing in our yard; nothing special about them. A young neighbor child had given them to us as seeds to plant in one of our many flower gardens. We planted them mostly to please him because he liked to come into our yard and look at all of our vegetable and flower gardens. He also was my stand-in to pick the daily bucket of raspberries from our garden when I was out of town this summer. His role was simply to eat them so that they wouldn’t go to waste; a role he seemed very happy to do.

Today, on the orange colored flowers, I noticed a hummingbird lingering in no apparent hurry as it went from flower to flower. This was the second day in a row that I had seen it. Yesterday it stayed for about two minutes as I stood and watched it with my granddaughter. Extra ordinary in the ordinary; I was glad that we had planted those simple orange flower seeds from the young child.

Ordinary humming birds and butterflies can be extra ordinary when you don’t see them very often and they come as a surprise when you don’t expect them. My guess is that they have been around for awhile, but I hadn’t seen them before. I pondered; “what else have I been missing that lives in our yard?’

Jeremiah 33:3 came to my mind which says; “Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.” (NKJV)

What does ‘great and mighty things’ mean? Could it be that the God who created this great and wonderful planet wants to show us extra ordinary things in our ordinary lives? Could it be that we are so used to going through our (sometimes) mundane days that we never even ponder if there could be more than what we see? Is it possible that there really is something more than this?

You, we, I will never know unless we call out to Him and expect that He will show us extra ordinary in the ordinary that we call life.

Nov 1, 2012

TWO AT THE SAME TIME

My schedule has been very full lately. On some days, I have opportunities to be at several different events, gatherings, or parties at the same time. I have even been asked to preach or do ministry at two different places at the same time. I know that others might think that I that I could do it. But I can’t; I don’t have multiple personalities and, dare I say it, it’s impossible for me to be in two places at once!

It can be tough to choose, because our decisions can affect other people and we want to make wise choices.

But what really bothers me is when someone pleads their case as to why I should attend their gathering by stating something that alludes that to miss it, I would be missing the very will of God for my life. Really; is it God’s will that I try join both parties at the same time?

No. That isn’t the will of God for my life; He said that His yoke is easy and His burden is light. (See Matthew 11:30) And it doesn’t take me long to realize that it can’t possibly be the will of God for me to try to attend several events at the same time; I simply need to make a decision and attend one. And then, if I choose, join one of them…or neither, if I choose, and I can stay home; it’s really my choice.

Today I found myself pursued by two more people who each felt that it was in my best interest to join their party; to come to their gathering. Perhaps they even invited you to attend each of their parties at the same time; their names are Barack Obama and Mitt Romney.

And, what really bothers me is that each of them is trying to convince me that he have the best party to come to and his will be the best, while telling me why the other’s party will be lame. Each of them pleads his case as to why I should attend his gathering by stating something that alludes that to miss it, I would be missing the very will of God for my life. Really; is it God’s will that I try join both parties at the same time?

No. That isn’t the will of God for my life; He said that His yoke is easy and His burden is light. (See Matthew 11:30) And it doesn’t take me long to realize at it can’t possibly be the will of God for me to try to join both parties; I simply need to make a decision...

Or, if I choose, I can stay home and “doing nothing”; which I know is impossible because as a Christian I must respond. What should I do? The Apostle Paul writing to Timothy said;

“Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (1 Timothy 2:1-4)

Paul is exhorting me to not be silent before God as to what He would want me do, but more importantly Paul is saying that I have a responsibility to pray for them, no matter what party they are in and then, if I choose, vote for one of them…or neither; it’s really my choice.

It can be tough to choose, because our decisions could affect other people and we want to make wise choices.

In 1 Chronicles 21 in the Bible, we read about King David having to make a very difficult decision due to his sin. He was given three different types of punishment that would happen to his country. I love David’s decision. He said in verse three “I am in great distress. Please let me fall into the hand of the Lord, for His mercies are very great; but do not let me fall into the hand of man.”

David was saying; “Lord, You choose what is best because You alone know what is best for our country.”

This week as we prepare to cast our vote to choose who will be the next President of the United States or America, let’s keep that posture in mind as we seek the will of the Father for our country as to what He thinks is best and as we pray for those who serve as leaders. Remember, there is more to this life than what we are currently living.

Jul 7, 2011

Multiplicity

Did you ever make a copy of something and notice that any flaws in the original were reproduced into the copy? Have you ever made a copy of a copy and noticed that the flaws become amplified and the copy is further away from the original?

Although I am not a fan of cloning (let’s stay out of God’s business); I did find humor in the 1996 comedy film called “Multiplicity”, starring Michael Keaton and Andie MacDowell.

The storyline goes something like this: Doug Kinney (played by Michael Keaton) is a very busy man who finds it impossible to juggle his daily schedule in the realms of business, his family, and his wife; until he meets a scientist who offers to clone him. In time, Doug realizes that he still is having trouble juggling his entire daily schedule so he decides to make another clone to help around the house (now there are three “Dougs”- all copies of a copy). Eventually, one of his clones realizes he too is way too busy and decides to clone himself; leading to a guest house full of clones - all played by Keaton and each with a different personality - while his wife Laura Kinney, (played by Andie MacDowell) is confused about Doug's different personalities.

What is the moral of the story? It never works to make a copy of a copy.

You may ask yourself the question; “If we are made in the image of God then why are we all so messed up?” First of all, the Bible tells us that He did make us in His image.

“Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. (Genesis 1:26-27 Emphasis by me).

Another passage in Genesis says; “This is the book of the genealogy of Adam. In the day that God created man, He made him in the likeness of God.” (Genesis 5:1) Emphasis by me)

The problem is that all mankind after that was no longer made in the image of God, but they were actually made in the image of man. What do I mean? When Adam, the first man, was created, he was made in God’s image. But, Adam sinned and everything changed. ^“And Adam lived one hundred and thirty years, and begot a son in his own likeness, after his image, and named him Seth.” (Genesis 5:3)

In other words, like “Doug Kinney”, we have been “copied” from a “copy” and we have lost some of our original perfection, the flaws have become amplified, and the copy is further away from the original.

So how do we get back closer to what we are supposed to be; back to the image of God? We need to be re-born or “born again” after the “Second Adam” or the “Second Man”, not the first Adam.

The Apostle Paul wrote to the church in Corinth (Greece) “And so it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. ⁴⁶ However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, and afterward the spiritual. ⁴⁷ The first man was of the earth, made of dust; the second Man is the Lordfrom heaven. ⁴⁸ As was the man of dust, so also are those who are made of dust; and as is the heavenly Man, so also are those who are heavenly. ⁴⁹ And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bearthe image of the heavenly Man.” (1 Corinthians 15:45-50)

What does the original look like? The Bible tells us that it is Jesus Christ: “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.” (Colossians 2:15)

When asked ‘what does God look like’, Jesus replied; “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? ¹⁰ Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works.” (John 14:9-10)

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