Nov 14, 2020
Advancing Thru Adversity #0
Know It – Who I Am
By Louie Marsh, 11-15-2020
A college student was unhappy that he had to take a course in
ornithology, which is a study of birds. This class had the
reputation of being the most difficult class in the whole
curriculum. And the professor was an extremely difficult professor.
Everybody feared him. But it was a required course.
As the course began, the professor announced there would be a test
in 40 days & it would compose a large portion of the grade.
Everybody studied. They took copious notes. They made sure they
understood everything the professor said.
On the 40th day the students filed into the lecture hall extremely
nervous. On the stage was a table with 5 cages on it. Each cage had
a cover & beneath the cover they could see the feet & spindly legs
of a bird.
At the sound of the bell, the professor addressed the students,
“Here’s the test. You can see there are 5 birds & they’re all
covered except for their feet & legs. You must tell me the identity
of each of those 5 birds by looking only at their feet & legs.”
Everyone had studied long & hard, but no one had anticipated such a
test. And they were all sweating, trying to remember something,
anything, that could help them pass the test.
Finally, one student stood up & said, “This is ridiculous. This is
the craziest test I have every seen, & you’re the worst professor
in this whole school.” He said, “I quit. I‘m out of here. I’m
not going to take this test.” And he turned & walked toward the
door.
“Just a minute young man.” said the professor. “Who are you? I
demand your name right now.” The young man stopped, took a long
look at the professor & then pulling up both of his pant legs said,
“You tell me."
1) START with a big question: WHO AM I?
"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:13-16 (NIV)
SHOW BONHOEFFER PICTURE & POEM
Who Am I?
by Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Who am I? They often tell me
I stepped from my cell’s confinement
Calmly, cheerfully, firmly,
Like a squire from his country-house.
Who am I? They often tell me
I used to speak to my warders
Freely and friendly and clearly,
As though it were mine to command.
Who am I? They also tell me
I bore the days of misfortune
Equally, smilingly, proudly,
Like one accustomed to win.
Am I then really all that which other men tell of?
Or am I only what I myself know of myself?
Restless and longing and sick, like a bird in a cage,
Struggling for breath, as though hands were
compressing my throat,
Yearning for colors, for flowers, for the voices of birds,
Thirsting for words of kindness, for neighborliness,
Tossing in expectation of great events,
Powerlessly trembling for friends at an infinite distance,
Weary and empty at praying, at thinking, at making,
Faint, and ready to say farewell to it all?
Who am I? This or the other?
Am I one person today and tomorrow another?
Am I both at once? A hypocrite before others,
And before myself a contemptibly woebegone weakling?
Or is something within me still like a beaten army,
Fleeing in disorder from victory already achieved?
Who am I? They mock me, these lonely questions of mine.
Whoever I am, Thou knowest, 0 God, I am Thine!
Bablyon 5 – Vorlons & Shadows – The Shadows always asked, “What do you want?”
Vorlon’s always asked, “Who are you?”
2) UNDERSTAND what Jesus said.
“You – you alone are the salt of the earth…” Matt. 5:13 (RCH Lenski translation)
SHOW YODA PIC/QUOTE
Do, or do not. There is no 'try.' - Yoda (Fictional Star Wars Thing/Dude
3) CHOOSE to believe Jesus.
But if you don't want to serve the Lord, then choose today whom you will serve. Even if you choose the gods your ancestors served on the other side of the Euphrates or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you live, my family and I will still serve the Lord.” Joshua 24:15 (GW)
Salt is good, but if the salt has lost its saltiness, how will you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another." Mark 9:50 (ESV)
4) REFUSE to be discouraged.
7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. 8 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 2 Corinthians 4:7-9 (ESV)
Throughout Western history, Christianity has endured seasons when our faith should have been forever defeated, if not obliterated. The church of Jesus Christ should have had a funeral with the fall of the Roman Empire, the spread of Islamic armies, the Enlightenment, political upheaval in Europe, or the philosophical attacks led by Marx, Darwin, Hume, Nietzsche, and Freud. But God brings dead things to life, and at the heart of our faith is belief in resurrection. InRead more at location 2979
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The truth is, the world we live in today is a lot like the first-century context in which Christianity flourished. The Romans worshiped their nation and political leader; Pontius Pilate asked, “What is truth?”[234]; Paul encountered an “unknown god”[235]; the Greeks were openly pro-gay; the Ephesians were converted from witchcraft and demonic spirituality; and the Corinthian Christians needed to stop their cross-dressing and cancel their memberships at the pagan temples. But the gospel—the same gospel that’s alive and well today—transformed lives and spread despite all the conflict.
16 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. 17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18 as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (ESV)
In order to do ministry in the odd world of intolerant tolerance, Bible-believing Christians will need to toughen up and turn the other cheek—rather than crumple in a heap—when slapped with words like hateful, bigoted, intolerant, shameful, cruel, unloving, homophobic, prejudiced, discriminatory, and more. Jesus told us to love our enemies; his assumption was that we would have enemies to love.
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The tolerant god is curiously tolerant of everyone and everything except the real God—because the tolerant god is the same serpent who appeared in the Garden so long ago
5) PROVE I believe it.
14 My brothers and sisters, what good does it do if someone claims to have faith but doesn't do any good things? Can this kind of faith save him? 15 Suppose a believer, whether a man or a woman, needs clothes or food 16 and one of you tells that person, “God be with you! Stay warm, and make sure you eat enough.” If you don't provide for that person's physical needs, what good does it do? 17 In the same way, faith by itself is dead if it doesn't cause you to do any good things. 18 Another person might say, “You have faith, but I do good things.” Show me your faith apart from the good things you do. I will show you my faith by the good things I do. 19 You believe that there is one God. That's fine! The demons also believe that, and they tremble with fear. James 2:14-19 (GW)