Reformers Series #5

Reformation Day – October 31st

 

 

Somewhere in time, next week, it will be October 31^st. People will celebrate Halloween. I don’t understand the fascination with Halloween. Sure I understand a kid’s love of candy and even I like to dress up at times, but Halloween?  Why celebrate a holiday with dubious origins which focuses on witches, ghosts and ghouls.   Yes, I said this last year, but I believe it can be repeated.

October 31^st, should be celebrated as Reformation Day.

On October 31^st, 1517, Martin Luther nailed 95 theses of contention to the door of the Wittenberg church.  He was not the first person to attempt reform of the Christian church, but he is still considered the father of the reformation. 

Martin Luther did extensive studies on the scriptures and he realized the error the church was making.  He wrote his 95 disagreements on paper and nailed them to the church door for everyone to read.  People copied the notes by hand and handed them out to everyone they knew.  

He had good points and most people agreed with him.  The church however did not care for being publically challenged, so they called Martin in to answer the charge of heresy.  At the meeting, he was given the chance to recant.  His response was:

                              Unless I am convinced by proofs from scriptures or by plain and clear reasons and arguments, I can and will not recant, for it is neither safe nor wise to do anything against conscience.  Here I stand. I can do no other. God help me. Amen.

I love reformers, but I realize after a while the stories all sound similar.  They study God’s word, they normally translate it, they tell others and they are persecuted. It may be similar, but it’s always admirable. We need people to look up to when times get tough and reformers are such a group of people.  They stood up for what they believed against unbearable odds and they changed the world.    

Martin Luther wasn’t killed for his beliefs, but he did suffer for them.  Despite the persecution he stood strong and followed his faith.

Romans 1:16 (NKJV) “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.”

When I think of Holidays, I think it would be nice to celebrate something pure, holy or lovely.  If the Bible tells us to think on these things, it makes sense that we should celebrate them also.

Reformation day could be a day to stand up for what is right even against overpowering odds. This October 31^st let’s celebrate the reformers who took a stand for righteousness. 

Bill & Gloria Gaither - Heroes of the Faith (feat. Legacy Five) [Live] from bill-and-gloria-gaither on GodTube.

Aren’t you a character?

Creating Character

 

 

Somewhere in time, last month, I read a book by Angela Hunt about writing.  Angela Hunt is an author I truly enjoy reading. When she wrote some short booklets on how to write, I definitely wanted to read them.  Her book on characterization suggested many things, but on of them was putting your main characters through a personality test. This surprised me.

Being a product of corporate America, I have been subjected to more personality tests than I care to admit.  I will tell you most of them don’t truly define who I am.  The test she recommended came closer than any other.  I checked it out. I took a version of the test online while pretending to be my character.  I was impressed at how well the personality traits described matched the character I had created. 

One of her points in recommending this was to create characters that rang true.  To be a believable character, there has to be strengths and weaknesses, loveable traits and flaws.

Flaws

Sometimes when writing, I don’t like a character, so they get dropped on the rewrite. Many times, a character evolves and changes as the story changes. Ultimately, I’m a writer and I can make my characters say and do whatever I want them to, but I have to remember, a character can’t be perfect.  They have to be flawed. 

God is not like me.  He created us, but he didn’t want puppets, he wanted people. 

Psalm 139:13-14 “For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb.  I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.  Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well.”

We are not copies, we are originals, yet each one us is flawed. 

Does God just throw up His hands and say, wow, I never saw that coming. I need to give up on that character and start over.  No.  He lovingly says to us that He can use our flaws to make us stronger.  He can use our flaws to help us see our need for him.  

Flaws are a sign of being human.  Overcoming our flaws is a sign of God’s grace.

 

Tenth Avenue North - The Struggle (with lyrics) from tenth-avenue-north on GodTube.

Seeing Light

I’ve got an idea

 

 

Somewhere in time, this week, I needed an idea for this blog.  I’m kind of an idea person. I guess it goes hand in hand with being a fixer.  I have to have an idea of how to fix something and when I don’t, it drives me nuts. 

I started to think about ideas or better yet, conundrums.  Those issues that you think about and worry about are conundrums.  For me, I feel like I’m walking in darkness. When I get my answer and when I solve the problem, it’s like a light goes off in my head.   I move from darkness to light in regards to whatever I’m working on.

                                                        
You know there is a story in the Bible of another person who saw the light. This was a totally different sort of light.  Saul was a man zealous for his faith.  He believed the followers of Jesus Christ were preaching a false doctrin and he did everything he could to stop them.  Then one day, on the road to Damascus, he saw a light.

Acts 9:3 – 5 “As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven.  Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” And he said, “Who are you Lord?” Then the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.  It is hard for you to kick against the goads.””

When ever I’m wondering about something, or trying to figure something out, I pray.  It always helps. Jesus helps me when I feel I need answers. He also helped Saul even when Saul didn’t realize he needed answers. 

When you have questions, pray.  God has all the answers.  Pray, even if you don’t have questions, because God may still choose to lead you to the light.

Jason Crabb - I Saw the Light [Live] from bill-and-gloria-gaither on GodTube.

A Life Story

Roadside Angel

 

 

Somewhere in time, this week, I heard a song about stories.  It told a few stories and said how God is the God of every story.  It made me think, I have quite a few stories but most of them are fiction.  I have a few true ones and this week, I’m telling a story.  This one is from way back, over twenty five years ago, when I was young and single and well, broke. 

Roadside Angel

I was having one of those days.  The kind when nothing seemed to be going right.  I had worked all day and the customers were unusually needy and complaining. I was tired and worn out. I was working hard, but barely making enough money to survive.  After working all day, I would attend college at night. My plan was to become a teacher.  Financially I wouldn’t be much better off, but at least my job would have a purpose.   

The day had been hot and after school I drove home wishing for a bath and a chance to put my feet up.  The obstacle was that my car was sixteen years old and not in the best shape.  I couldn’t afford to replace it and I couldn’t afford to fix it.  I prayed to God it would never break down, but that prayer was answered with a no.   I was driving down the freeway, when I blew a tire.

As I mentioned the day had been abnormally stressful and I already felt I had taken all I could handle when this happened. I pulled the car over, frustration forced tears into my eyes which I stubbornly tried to keep in check.  Why God, I found myself asking.  I got out and accessed the damage. As I got out, the door on the driver’s side broke.  It would no longer shut. I walked to the trunk for tools, any kind of tools and I had nothing.  No tools, no roadside assistance and no cell phone to call family.  I just stood praying for some kind on inspiration on how to fix this situation.

I always believed there was a verse that said God never allowed more than you can handle.  I have never been able to find it, so I’m pretty sure it doesn’t exist.  It does say he will never leave you or forsake you, but this day I felt a little forsaken.  As I assessed the damage, I became more and more discouraged.  Even, if I could change the tire, how could I fix the door?  Even if I fixed the tire, how could I drive down the road holding the heavy car door shut?  I was losing the battle with tears and just about to give in to self-pity.

As the tears ran down my face, my heart cried out in desperation, please God, I can’t take anymore. Just as the prayer escaped my thoughts, a car pulled up ahead of me.  Out of the car exited a man.  I didn’t know what to think.  It was dark and I was a young woman.  I hoped he was there to help and worried he was there to make the situation worse.   

 He never said a word, but he looked at the tire and then at me.  Even in the dark, the open trunk showed the absence of any tools for fixing the situation.  He opened his own trunk and retrieved tools.  He changed my tires and I thanked him.  He smiled and watched me get in my car.  He reached over to shut my door for me and noticed he couldn’t.  I still had the problem of the non-shutting door.  He went back to his car, brought out another tool and fixed the offending door.  I can’t describe the feeling of relief that washed over me and I smiled and tried to thank the Good Samaritan again.  He just smiled, got in his own car and drove away.

Life is hard at times, there is no avoiding that.  But God truly doesn’t leave us or forsake us.

Romans 8:31 “What then shall we say to these things. If God is for us, who can be against us.”

Laura Story: God Of Every Story (Official Live Video) from laura-story on GodTube.