What Wolf and Lamb Have in Common

We could probably agree on the idea that Christians are supposed to be Jesus to the world. We could also probably agree that God isn't necessarily or often going to drop solutions from the sky when we ask for his provision, protection etc.

In this respect I think I could probably build a convincing case that would find plenty of Christians agreeing that we are Christ's witnesses, we are Jesus' life incarnate (in the flesh) to the world around us. I'd probably find a lot less agreement arguing that we are also Jesus' death incarnate.

CHRIST PUTTING THE FLESH TO DEATH
In the first sense of death here I mean something controversial to Benny Hinn and the prosperity gospel crowd but not to pretty much any other form of Christianity (though a problem for all of us all the time): carrying with you the dying of Jesus. Suffering. Trading your sorrows and pain for the joy of the Lord is good and not being crushed and all that; but you've also got to carry about "the dying of Jesus that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body" 2 Cor 4:10.

If you never got into the suffering of the cross, its likely that you're still contemplating Christianity at the "Can I play Daddy?" level of difficulty and never actually pressed on (the button :P). Or you've just remained at the "Don't hurt me" stage of comfortable lukewarmness. Jesus was no pansy looking for a fancy chariot or Miata to carry him into Jerusalem. (to his unjust but willful death)

OK. Lets get to the more racy bit.

CHRIST PUTTING HIS ENEMIES TO DEATH
Maybe your first thought is, yeah, in the second coming Jesus is going to judge the world and wipe out all those who refused Him and carried on in spite of His Lordship over all. Well I'd say, heck yeah; but I mean it a little differently here, and I'm going to use Psalm 18 to illustrate it. Jesus isn't just destroying his enemies in the future, he's putting them to death through you: right now.

Paul said in the letter to the Romans, that we should never take our own revenge, but to let God do it (Romans 12:19). So far as I know, David, the king of the Old Testament who put to death personally or under his rule, thousands of men, women, children and animals, (under orders from God) was never said to have taken his own revenge. He was tempted: recall the story of Abigail and Nabal. Abigail restrained David's vengeance, God ended up striking that "worthless fellow" Nabal dead.

Taking your own revenge is the attitude of the heart that says "Bring 'em on!" it is a selfishness that does not respect the Lordship of God in justice; vengeance is His.

PSALM 18 - "I AM DEATH INCARNATE"
So what was different about David?
I can't do a big analysis of the entire chapter here but it would be really beneficial. I'm going to present some interesting point-counterpoints to ponder.

a) David crys for help and God hears (v.6) : The enemies of David cry for help and are ignored (v.41)

b) David is terrified and surrounded in darkness and death (v.4-5) : God comes in darkness and terror to bring death to David's enemies (v.7-15)

c) David says he was righteous and thus God saved him and brought him out of darkness (v.20-28) : David says it was God who made him righteous (v.32)

d) David says that God delivered him from and destroyed his enemies, taking vengeance for him (17-19, 39-40, 47-48) : David says that he destroyed those who hated him (39-45)

e) David calls his enemies violent (48) : David brutally beats his enemies to death (42)

Now you can take the route of saying that these are all contradictions and walk away from Jesus real fast. Don't, they aren't, (they disappear in the unity). God hears his children, and is going to destroy and IS destroying his enemies.

True Christians pass through death and bring it to their enemies in justice; all others & fakers create it because their father the devil is a murderer and has been from the beginning. But it is this latter people, mystically speaking, that has been raised up for the sole purpose of making wood for the fire, (Psalm 92:5-7).


David was a master in the art of destroying God's enemies. He was so good at it that he was described, with his mighty men, as a mother bear robbed of her cubs; fierce. He was not allowed to build the temple because he was a 'man of blood'. His forefather Jacob ?cursed? David's tribe (Benjamin) saying "Benjamin is a ravenous wolf; in the morning he devours the prey, And in the evening he divides the spoil." (Genesis 49:27)

But here's the rub: he was "a man after God's own heart", and the greatest king Israel ever had. But he knew he was not the Supreme King of the spiritual people of Israel, he lived under the wing of Jesus Christ, wore the cloak of righteousness Jesus wore by grace through faith, and under His command and lordship David was life and death incarnate.

"...behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades" (Rev 1:18)

Are you a wolf in the sheep's clothing or a sheep in wolf's clothing? Both love and kill. The former is made for death, the latter for life. You cannot live by the sword; it is a weapon wielded only by right authority; but you can live under right authority and wield the sword. (Romans 12:1-6)

If you do not live under the Lamb and live by the sword; expect the sword: across your throat.

You're ministers of life, you've heard that; but I say you're also ministers of death.

Save a lamb: kill a lion.

Bob Ross and Christian Existentialism

Who didn't like relaxing to the sounds of Bob Ross' (1942-1995) soothing voice and seeing the amazing transformation of the canvas with some simple brushstrokes?

After watching some videos there's a few things I've gleaned from Bob Ross as I filter them through my own worldview.

1. We don't make mistakes, we just have happy little accidents.

Now right away I want to say, we actually DO make "mistakes", and pretty awful ones at that (Romans 6:23), but if you believe that God is ultimately in control of all history and all events (Isaiah 45:7...amongst many others) and that God has a plan for your life which cannot be thwarted and you are open to this, then Bob Ross is absolutely right. In life, as well as paintings, at a metaphysical level, or a divine level, (in God's eyes via Christ) we don't make mistakes, we just have happy little accidents. (If I might be so blasphemous)

If you make mistakes in life, or on the canvas, don't brood on whats been done. Chances are, you've already learned from it, and better still, its already time to get moving again. You might be surprised what beautiful things can come out of what look on life's canvas to be terrible errors or deviations from "the plan". All things work together for good for those that love God and are called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28) God didn't save us so we could beat ourselves up for our lack of holiness, but so that we could share with him the joy of recreating the world in His image.

2. If it makes you happy, do it; and do your best at it, because that is how we make others happy.

Again I can take a bunch of verses out of context and preach some kind of convoluted heretical sermon leading you to moral corruption; but of course what I'm meaning is that the conscience and squawking voices from others can condition our thinking about what we ought to be doing with our lives.

I can't tell you how many times I've read examples of people who have given up everything or taken enormous risks to do what made them happy; and when they did, it made them heroes and benefactors for the rest of humanity and in some cases, great servants of God. This is just general wisdom: don't do something if it makes you miserable. It might sound stupidly simple, but I do not think it a great leap to say that a great many people are miserable in what they do but don't change their job or change their attitudes.

You can waste a lot of time being miserable doing something you hate or doubting something you love. Do what makes you happy, "Lets have a little fun." and do your best at it, and it will make others happy. Don't be ashamed of it. Bob often talked about being who you are when you paint: you have to do the same thing when you live. God made you a beautiful scene. Its your job to present it back to Him on canvas.

3. Beat the Devil out of it!

If you've ever watched Bob Ross paint you'll know that he derives great pleasure from beating the brush after cleaning it in his "odourless thinner". You have to beat the devil out of your paintbrush daily: if you start painting with old colours and the wrong mix, your painting isn't going to look right.

The paintbrush of life? It is the heart. "Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life." Proverbs 4:23

Watch what colours are getting into your brush. The wrong ingredients can choke out the colours you intended.

4. Make big decisions.

It sounded funny when Ross used to say that in his happy little paintings that "we have to make some big decisions here". But this is perhaps the most interesting little effluence from Bob Ross I have ever heard.

There are of course an infinite number of things that one could paint on a canvas. That's scary enough without realizing that one's life is exactly the same conundrum. We don't want to screw it up...so we stop painting. (Or so we think). But you are painting. There's no such thing as not making a choice. You are making a choice: a choice to do something or nothing. Each of these will have consequences. (This is an idea found in existentialism more generally as well)

Make decisions. Sin bravely as Martin Luther said so many years ago. Don't let naysaying prevent you from doing the most outlandish things: so long as you are aware of the consequences, and who you'll have to answer to in the end.

Rejoice young man, during your childhood, and let your heart be pleasant during the days of young manhood. And follow the impulses of your heart and the desires of your eyes. Yet know that God will bring you to judgement for all these things... (Ecclesiastes 11:9)

While you still have life and breath "whatever your hand finds for you to do, verily do it with all your might..." Whether you like it or not, you're painting your life. You might as well be making big decisions for God rather than letting the world, flesh and devil make them for you.

Lastly: 5. Everybody needs a (happy little) friend.

Don't try to do life on your own. You don't have to have a lot of friends, you just need a few good ones. "A man of many friends comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother." (Proverbs 18:24)

Conclusion

Bob Ross was in the air force for many years, and you might be surprised to learn that his soothing voice, according to Ross's wikipedia article, was once used to ream out air force personnel. You can read the short bio yourself from the link. I can't tell you if Bob Ross was a committed Christian or what he viewed as his happy little accidents in life. I can tell you this much however, that Bob Ross lived for the joy of painting. What or who am I living for, and what am I doing about it?

"God bless my friend, and goodbye for now."

Overtraining

Working out is truly great for personal morale. However, I've been doing it so much so fast lately, I've gotten myself sick.

It's a little too easy in our culture to be guilted for being a little idle. Take some time to be idle. I mean pleasantly idle. It's like meditation but you don't have to do anything. Like, no TV, no games, no books, no running around, just sit, drink something you enjoy, and stare at your cat (or something else that inspires your sense of idleness).

I am not the first to expound the evils of busy-ness. That's for sure.