Covid-19: Why the Spike?

The increase, or strong spike in Covid-19 confirmed hospitalizations looks a lot like the increase in the financial markets. However, for Covid-19, the numbers have an unprecedented range between 50% — 150% — in increases. Yes, you read that correctly.

 

Coincidence? Let’s dive in.

Since the March low, the financial markets have roared — outside of any measurable, realistic data — a staggering 29.2% (using an approximate 3-month number of DOW 20,500–26,500.)

A few of the hardest hit states for increases in new, Covid-19 confirmed cases includes Arizona, California, Florida and Texas.

Arizona: Now one of the “Big-4” hot-beds; especially Phoenix.

California saw its highest, single day increase on Monday. More than half of the total cases are in Los Angeles county alone.

Florida reported 2,800 hospitalizations.

Texas reported 2,326 hospitalization on Monday, June 16.

On a positive note, the state of Vermont has seen a 50% decrease.

Shift, or Drift?

We were hoping for stabilization, or what the political community has termed, “flattening the curve.” We then hoped for a large decline, or steady decline at least, much like a bell curve. As mentioned in a previous article, we should have followed the model of New Zealand and Australia (i.e. “Let the scientists lead.”) What a novel idea! These two countries didn’t even have to worry about flattening the curve, much less combat a steep decline. It just didn’t happen. So now what?

It was once hypothesized that a warmer climate may be helpful in reducing the spread, despite the contraction of the virus being respiratory. Heat will make water dissipate and disappear; I get it. But where are the so called “hot-beds?” How about Arizona, California, Florida and Texas. Do you see a pattern between these four? Hot, Hot, More Hot Still, and Flaming Hot. Have you been to Houston in the summer months? Or even between the months of March to October, for “crying” out loud?

Vermont on the other hand, has recorded a 50% decline. Go figure. Heat is clearly not a variable worth consideration.

The single, most definitive factor in our intentional attack against COVID-19, is the harsh reality that testing is a lagging indicator. How to calculate this particular variable — the nasty, little lagging statistic — is pretty gray on the black-and-white scale. It would be hard to determine a formula unless we could extract some reliable data: 1) Current cases 2) Daily number of new cases 3) Tests conducted 4) Positive results with and without symptoms 5) Hospitalizations (against those tested/not tested) 6) Negative test results 7) Admissions vs. Releases at Hospitals/Medical facilities. 8) Those who are now healthy

These are not easy metrics to calculate and record, or a perfect model as a foundation to begin to solve for optimal results. Does anyone know the best bio-statistician or actuary in the U.S., or the world — or both?

And Therein, Lies the Rub

And we have a new variable waiting in the wings: Flu season. Oh, joy. Not I or anyone else on the planet, has the foresight to know how this will affect the overall health outlook as we head into fall. What I will say is this: all signs point to, Not Good!

The corona virus has an almost identical pathology in common with the flu, and that in and of itself, creates the most significant challenge. Only time will tell what it to come, and we won’t know it, until it is here, and then 3–7 days later. All we can continue to do, is make decisions with the best possible information we have at the time. I also [strongly!] recommend, feeling content with the blessings you have, that you may have missed, only three months ago.

Envy: Part I

In the form of a noun, envy is defined as, "a feeling of discontent or covetousness with regard to another's advantages, success, possessions, etc." Depending on the circumstance from where the "feeling" arises, it is much more than just a "feeling." It is a strong desire, or perhaps a heart-pounding, bleeding, all-consuming desire. This kind of "fire" that burns within us, unless it is for God's purpose, is not from God. It is another tool in the devil's toolbox to attempt to disrupt and destroy.

In an age where "keeping up with the Joneses" has become more prevalent than ever, it pays large dividends to check-in with ourselves; to take a personal inventory to see where we are. It does not have to be about things of monetary value. We can desire to have "the most perfect family," or the "most beautiful wife." Be extremely mindful; envy, has been the ruination of many. Many marriages, many families, many careers, many homes and many people.

To desire another's possessions, is something Christians are called not to do. "You shall not covet," is the 10th Commandment.

Exodus 20:17 (NIV) reads, "You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor." 

So how do we combat such a powerful force? How do we keep evil from stealing our joy? The answer, my friend, is contentedness. We need to be absolutely grounded in the idea that we have exactly what we are suppose to have, and to be satisfied with it. All things come from God. They are not our resources, they are His. What we are called to do, is to be good stewards. To prayerfully consider what God wants us to do with what He has given us. We all know they saying, "You can't take it with you," after all.

Let's reshape how we feel about what God has given us, starting with the foundation of contentedness. Make your own checklist. Just a few simple items that you are thankful for. I still have my mother and father, two brothers and two nephews, my wife and her two sons and my mother-in-law. This is just immediate family. I have a safe home to leave in the morning and to return to in the evening. I have a car, and I get to go to work. My wife has a job that she enjoys. We have health insurance for when we are sick. We have enough food on the table to keep our strength. We are able to tithe; the very act for which we are called to give; the "first fruits" of our labor. We are loved.

It is easy for me to think that all of you reading my short list above would wholeheartedly agree, and be able to make a similar list to mine above. However, beyond the basic--and most important--items on our list, where do we get lost? How is it that we take the most important blessings for granted? In just family and health, we are richly blessed.

To revert back to the very first move of the pencil in our list, our foundation if you will, let's look at a simple word that is grossly overlooked in society at large:  humility. 

Humility is defined as, "the quality or condition of being humble, modest opinion or estimate of one's own importance, rank, etc."

Some related words include:  lowliness, meekness, obedience, reserve, servility and subservience.

The question becomes, "How do I see myself?" 

Starting by seeing yourself in God's image is the beginning of humility.

What we are going to do in this chapter is turn envy on it's head. We are going to do a complete one hundred-eighty degree turn. We are going to take what is not of God, so we can recognize fault in our thinking, and redirect it back to God's will; keeping us in line with the Spirit.

Paul was anything but humble. He scorned people who talked about Jesus, spoke against the Christian faith and even killed others who believed in Jesus. But a monumental transformation was about to happen on the road to Damascus. God had earmarked Saul the martyr, for Paul the apostle. 
We see this transformation in Acts 9. Here is the the Word to from Acts 9:1-19, where Paul regains his sight and strength.

Acts 9: 1-19 reads:

"Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord's disciples. He went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?"
"Who are you, Lord?" Saul asked.
"I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting," he replied. "Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do."
The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by hand into Damascus. For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.
In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, "Ananias!"
"Yes, Lord," he answered.
The Lord told him, "Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight."
"Lord," Ananias answered, "I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem. And he has come here with authority from the chief priest to arrest all who call on your name."
But the Lord said to Ananias, "Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name."
Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord - Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here--has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit." Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, and after taking some food, he regained his strength. 

This is perhaps the most critical and monumental transformation of character in the Bible. God didn't give Paul a small task. His charge was not going to be an easy, walk-through-the-park journey. But a complete transformation had to take place. And it did; just as God had designed. I wasn't by chance. It wasn't by circumstance. It wasn't just cause and effect. God had a specific plan, for a specific purpose, and it was only that man that could fulfill God's purpose.

Go back above and read verses 11 - 19 of Acts 9. Jesus commanded the disciple Ananias to "Go to the house of Judas, to ask for Saul and that Ananias would find him praying. Saul had seen Ananias in a vision, said the Lord.

Ananias replied back to God about what he had heard about Saul to the Lord in verses 13-14.

But the Lord was firm. He was certain and unwavering. This decision was made long before in history. The Lord says, "Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel." We see, decisively, by reading verses 15-16 that Saul is chosen.

In the same way, you and I are God's chosen people. We have each been given a divine task by the Lord. It is a task that only we are equipped for. He has already given us the skills. He has already given us the ability. He has already given us the knowledge. What is required of us, is that we seek Him! 

Remember Matthew 6:33 which reads, "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."

And then Matthew 7:7 which says, "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened for you."

The type of envy that draws you to others--whether it be their looks, their possessions, their abilities--is not from God or of God. We are each uniquely and personally qualified for the task He has for us. There is no one like you; in the sight of God's divine purpose for our lives.


  

Prayer : Part VI

Stephen Covey has written numerous books, but is most famous for his study of "effectiveness," especially with respect to time management. In his book, "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People" he presents a principle on time management that is more relevant today than ever before.

You can classify all activities in your day using a two-pronged approach on urgency and importance. The  vertical axis of the "Time Management Quadrant" are things that are Important and Urgent; and horizontal are Urgent & Not Urgent. So in the four boxes, you have top left represented as Urgent and Important; top right as Important, but Not Urgent; bottom left, Not important, but Urgent; and bottom right;  Not Important and Not Urgent.

So it looks like this:
                                           Urgent                                      Not Urgent
                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------


Important                                                    -----                                                    Important
                                          Crises                -----               Prevention
                                                                    -----
                                                                    -----               Planning
                                          Emergencies     -----
                                                                    -----               Improvement
                                                                    -----
                                -----------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                    -----
                                                                    -----
                                                                    -----
                                           Interruptions    -----                 Time Wasters
                                                                    -----
                                                                    -----
Not Important                                             -----                                                    Not Important


                              -------------------------------------------------------------------

                                        Urgent                                          Not Urgent

The point of using this as a reference on "time management" is again about focus. And not just focus, but being able to filter the noise of the urgent, identify the important and by determining what is truly important and focusing on that, we can therefore not waste our time.

Does Prayer represent something that is both Important and Urgent in your life?

Time is an invaluable commodity. You may think you can determine, "Well, this time in my life was worth...," but can you really place a value on time and complete the statement?

We are all allotted a specific amount of time, to the millisecond. In your last breath, are you going to be able to say, "It is finished." as Jesus did? If that is a personal desire, you need to focus on the important with respect to your time. Agreed?  

Prayer needs to be both important and urgent for us as Christians. So how do we do that?

Think about the Muslim community for a minute. The people who practice the Islam faith pray five times a day, every day. There are certain times that they pray. Prayer is not just another item on their calendar. It is protected time that they give freely, and willingly, in reverence, service and in prayer. As a community, they do not have to be reminded when to prayer. It is a part of their DNA. It is a part of their faith. It is an important and urgent part of their lives. 

What would happen in the Christian community, if we were as dedicated to protect our time each day, in prayer? "Faith" can move mountains. "Prayer" can move mountains.

Mark 11:23 says, "Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea, ' and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them." 

Another great point of reference is Matthew 17:20 

Matthew records as it was said by Jesus, "He replied, "Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."

In Mark 11:23, Jesus is speaking to the disciples about the fig tree Jesus cursed, and he had also cleared the temple courts. In Matthew 17:20, Jesus healed a demon-possessed boy. The disciples had asked Jesus why they could not drive out the demon? In both of these verses, the answer is about faith.

As sinners, we will nearly always have a faith that is wavering. They goal is to do everything in your power to make your faith represent what could be defined as unwavering. Prayer, is a not only an urgent and important part of the entire equation; it is our equalizer. The solution to "move the needle of our faith" from wavering to a more unwavering manner; by definition, can only be accomplished by prayer + faith.

We will all waver, but here are a few tips as we spend more time in prayer, that we may grow our faith.

1) Have a "running conversation" with God.

It is equally as important as Christians, to have "protected time" in prayer. Perhaps for you it is first thing in the morning, or when you lay your head on the pillow at night after the day has come to a close. Challenge yourself not to prayer once, or twice or even five times daily on a schedule. What I mean by having a "running conversation" with God is that you take whatever time you can carve out throughout the entire day, and use it to pray. My time is early in the morning; outside and by myself, as I am drinking coffee. I enjoy my coffee and pray outside, as I like to pray out loud. It gives me a sense of connection. God hears my voice and I can listen for His. It is relational, in the same manner as you would have a conversation with a colleague, a friend or your spouse. God is your best friend, and your Savior! Should we not be having a "running conversation" daily; and throughout the day, with Him?

2) Embrace the fallacy of "control"

I recently had a conversation with the officiant of my wedding. I shared with him that I am beginning to realize more and more each day, how little I can "control." Control is deceptive. It is an illusion. It is a "never-ending mirage" in the desert of life.

Men; it is even harder for us to embrace the idea of reliance--by giving up control--but that is exactly the reason for the words of faith, prayer, submission and trust.

Let's ask ourselves just four questions:

1) Would you rather trust in yourself, or in God?

2) If you were to submit to the will of anyone, would you not choose God above all others?

3) How about faith? How many people on earth, do you have faith in?

4) How many mountains do you believe prayer can move?

For me, it is a struggle to keep a running conversation with God, but I am working on it.

I also know and understand, intellectually, the fallacy of control, but it is hard work to employ  
faith + prayer + submission + trust.

I too, need to be asking myself these questions. While the answers are clear as mud, I must still put in the work to increase my faith.

I would rather trust in God, than myself. I would rather submit to God, above all others. It is great to have faith in others, but are we not all sinners? Do we not ALL fail? And while I do believe that faith can move mountains, do I really employ--with all it's power and ability--prayer and faith enough to move them.

Many of you would agree with my answers, but are you "working on it?"

Remember the song from Bible school or Bible camp, realize your inability to control even the full power of yourself, in light of your personal answers to the questions above, and remember...

"He's still working on me..."

  















                                                                                                     

Prayer: Part V

In Part IV we looked at three key verses that can help us focus on, and improve, our prayer life.

Take a moment to review Matthew 6:6 and Matthew 7: 7-8. In short, respectively, the practices are
1) Go to a secret place, and 2) ask, seek and knock.

A valuable takeaway from these verses are two principles that will help you as you offer prayer(s) to the Father. Focus and Persistence.

It is becoming increasing harder to do both of these things in a world that runs exponentially; via technology, at the speed of light. Do a quick Google search. Having conducted one just now using the word focus, the resulting information available to me was 1.45B results in .55 seconds. Just a few results on the first page was a Catholic collegiate outreach organization, the new song Focus by Ariana Grande, the trailer from the movie of the same name starring Will Smith (Warner Brothers, 2014) and the definition per Merriman-Webster. My point:  there is so much information available within milliseconds, that focus is a word that arguably, could be seen as becoming as irrelevant--at an exponential rate no less--or more so; in a one hundred-eighty degree direction as technology moves forward. Focus and the Speed of Technology are therefore polar opposites, with speed on the opposite end of the vertical line increasingly pulling away from focus.

How many times each day are you interrupted--when you are trying to focus on something important--by things that you feel need to be addressed immediately, when they really could wait? And probably for a while. That incoming text message, email, phone call, Facebook notification (insert any other "app" here,) and you can easily see why this entire country is both confused and distracted by the day, by the hour, by the minute and even the second and milliseconds of time.

When are we (read:  you) as a country and culture going to realize--not only theoretically, but also in practice--how to manage our time? Can that text message not wait until after hours; or least till after lunch? Is that phone call from a friend important to take when you are in the middle of a company meeting? Must we comment on that post, picture, article, etc, at this very second?

When does time become important enough to us that we become consciously cognizant and aware of how precious our time really as; and therefore make a second, conscious decision, to use focus to our advantage? Many of us, sadly; would have to spend a good amount of time focus(ing), on the true meaning of the word itself--at the level of which it is defined--and apply with discipline and persistence, so that focus could have a chance at becoming a habit; and then honed with additional, daily practice, allowing the art of focus to become a tool that you can use to your advantage.

Please forgive the use of italics in that last paragraph, but it was important to draw your attention to the key words. It takes a lot these days (by way of practice, it seems) for people to focus on the important. 

Take just a moment and ask yourself:  What are the things in my life that I place the highest level of importance? Above all others? What are my core values, and how do they drive my decisions?

And perhaps the most important question:  Do I allow things that should not be defined as important effect my decision making?

I'll continue with this thought tomorrow citing a few studies, some personal thoughts and verses from the Bible. I want to help us identify how and when we should evaluate, re-frame and adjust our thinking toward focusing on the important, not the immediate, and how we can use this thought process to our advantage as we strive to elevate our prayer life.

Do you desire to have a more effective Prayer Life? 

Prayer: Part IV

Let's recap where we ended yesterday. In Matthew 7: 7-8 we see some critically important words. We also need to heed and embody Matthew 6:6 so that we can receive the promises.

Matthew 6:6 says, "But when you pray, go into your room, and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you."

And then in Matthew 7: 7-8, "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened for you."

It is not by coincidence that the order is such. Matthew 6:6; praying in secret, and then            Matthew 7: 7-8; asking, seeking and knocking.

Matthew is recording these principles, that our prayers to the Lord will be effective.

Going to the Father in secret is about reverence. It is about getting alone with God the Father. It is about aligning yourself, vertically, in an undisturbed environment. Full respect for the relationship; just you and God.

Then we ask. We seek. We knock. Asking here is the first step after we go to our secret place.

Seeking is about heart. What is on your heart? What should we do when we bow before the Lord, as a measure and practice of humility. This is why you should be on your knees. It implies respect. The posture represents humility. And it represents submission. We as children of God have far less control than we can ever imagine, ever fathom, ever understand. This is a problem for all Christians, but especially challenging for men. We are called to be the Leaders of our household. We are also called to develop our vertical relationship, so that we might find favor and blessings in our prayer life.

Think of knocking as the second door. A room implies that there is a door that we can close behind us. It can be a room in our house, the door of our car, the privacy of the garage; wherever a door might be. But, we also need to use imagery. There is so much capacity in the brain and mind that goes untapped; unused, underdeveloped. So, can and would that be another important compartmentalization that we can ask for? Can we find and develop a specific compartment of the brain designed specifically; and only, for our vertical relationship with the Holy Trinity? God, the Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit? What I am trying to present is an idea of having a room reserved, both on earth and in the unseen, by imagery and imagination, that creates in the mind; a reserved tunnel that is a Holy place; a tunnel that begins with a door closed behind us, a door that is opened where we have found and knocked, that it might be open. That tunnel is yours and yours alone; and it begins with you--a door closed behind--and ends with God. A vertical tunnel reserved only for you!

Spend time in reflection today. Real reflection. Imagery and Imagination. Build a tunnel; one reserved only for you for your own vertical relationship, private to you, and between only "you and God."

What does your "Tunnel" look like?

I challenge you to build yours today. Internalize that special place. It is reserved only for you. Use it daily.

Develop. Compartmentalize. Repeat.

Prayer: Part III

As a continuation from Part II, I promised to dig a little deeper into Ephesians 6:10-18, the passage by Paul written to the Ephesian church, and better known as "The Armor of God."

Paul writes in Ephesians 6:10-18 (NIV):

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

Therefore, put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord's people." 

There are many applications and many pieces of wisdom in these 9 verses, perhaps as many as grains of sand on any beach you might pick. Theologians and Biblical scholars the world over can find different and unique ways to find intricate and relevant details within this passage, that can help you understand a situation or situation(s) where the strength of these verses, would be beneficial; and in some cases, critical.

Here are just a few immediate thoughts that come to mind, at a very basic level.

Paul uses the imagery of a Roman soldier. Six different and important parts of a warrior prepared for battle are mentioned:  1) The helmet of salvation, 2) the breastplate of righteousness, 3) the belt of truth, 4) the feet (prepared and filled with the gospel) , 5) the shield of faith, and 6) the sword of the Spirit.

Paul advises us in verse 11 to put on the "Full Armor of God," so that we can--from verse 10--be "strong in the Lord and in his mighty power," and the result of donning the "full armor of God," so that we can "take your stand against the devil's schemes," in verse 11. 

The helmet guards your head against potentially deadly strikes. If you cannot think, you cannot   fight; cognition and awareness of your surroundings are paramount. But we also need to see the importance within the imagery of the two parts:  helmet and salvation. A soldier's helmet protects the entire face. The eyes, the ears, the nose, the mouth and of course the brain. Every sensory ability necessary to be effective in peace, and especially in war; can be found on the face. With our mouths, eyes, nose, ears and our mental ability, we can look up as if we are searching for God in reverence, speak to Almighty God asking Him to forgive our sins; praying for his hand of blessing to be upon us and keep us safe, breathe in and out from the nose as part of our reflection, listen for His response; be it visual or auditory and use the focus that we have given by our mental ability to praise and worship Him.

And those are just a few thoughts for the "helmet of salvation." But I digress...

Prayer is one of the basic practices and values that should be present, in a relationship with God the Father. It is our "direct-line." My mother always believed that my grandfather had a "direct-line" to God in prayer. Her opinion was biased, of course, but I too, saw the prayers that were answered as a result of his relationship with God. And God gives us a few promises in Matthew. Two examples are in Matthew 6: 5-8 and Matthew 7:7-12

The first says,

"And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him."

And Matthew 7: 7-12,

"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
"Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets."

Here are just a few things to note in the verses above. First and foremost, what follows Matthew 6: 5-8 is "The Model Prayer" in verses 9 - 13, "Our Father..." Jesus tells us that we should pray alone, in secret, to God the Father; "the unseen" (verse 6.) He tells us to be direct, and he tells us that "your Father knows what you need before you ask him" (verse 8.) He then tells us how to pray as recorded in Matthew 6: 9-13.

What do we notice in Matthew 7: 7-12? If we are asking as we have been taught, the we can "ask, and it will be given," "seek, and you shall find," "knock, and the door will be opened," (verses 7 and 8.) Notice that id does not say maybe, it does not say might, it does not say perhaps. Just as God calls us to be direct  in promises, His promises are as well. They are definitive.

Jesus than shares with us the analogy of our innate understanding of caring for our children as an example, in a parable. We would not give our children a stone, or a snake, when they have asked for a piece of bread or a fish. Once again, look at the imagery and representation in verses 9 and 10. The bread ban be a reference to what keeps us nourished and strong. It is also what Jesus broke at the table and shared with his disciples at the Last Supper, as He prepared them for His sacrifice for all of us. Stones were used to kill. I

n verse 10, we see a fish and a snake as items of imagery; and representation. Jesus fed over 5,000 with 5 loaves and three fish. The snake has many applications; the devil, the snake in the Garden of Eden, Satan. I think here Jesus is referencing sin. In verse Matthew 6: 11, we see the following statement that can complete the reference, of the snake versus a fish, going back to Genesis 3. "If you, then, though you are evil..." seems to be a direct reference to sin. We know how to care for our own flesh and blood, so how much more does the "One Who Shed His Blood" for the entire universe able, desire and want to care for you?

Finally, in verse 12, we see Jesus conclude with the basic statement of what has been called, "The Golden Rule." Matthew 6: 12 reads,

"So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets."

Quite a bit to ponder--with the curiosity of a child--and reflect on.













  

Prayer: Part II

Do you pray "globally" or specifically?

While it is interesting enough--in a tongue-in-cheek kind of way--to think about God having a "30,000-foot view," it is we who need to maintain the direct line of communication. That is our job. Let's build the foundation for effective prayer.

In the gospel of John; John 15:5 to be exact, the apostle records the following,

"I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing."

Nothing is a strong word. Nada, Zilch, Zip, Zippo, Fugghetabouitit! I am admittedly no preacher from Brooklyn, NY, but I can read and comprehend clearly. Nothing means; well, nothing. It scares me enough to desire not only to "remain in Him," but to foster that relationship, grow and strengthen my relationship with God and learn how to tap into the resources of the entire Trinity. I want to experience the full abundance of God's blessings.

As a leader in my home and in yours, we are called to be the foundation, the rock, the face of stability and the warrior of faith. Your family needs to trust you implicitly in all you do, so that you can "drive the family bus." Rain, no problem? We will wade through it. Snow, no problem? Our tires have chains for safety. Extreme heat? God provides us with air conditioning and water. And last and not least, remember the windshield and the windows. Think of your car as a hedge of protection. If you have already put on "The Armor of God," you are protected from the inside; your body is safe. You have a windshield you can see through and can even see the sky to pray as you travel. You have the steel barrier around you--albeit, aluminum mostly these days--that protects you from other cars that don't have "Jesus at the wheel." And you have windows. God will always provide a way out when trouble comes your way.

To recap:  You have the "Armor of God" on you. The windshield for seeing the heavens above. The exoskeleton of the car (think of this as the bubble or hedge of protection around you, better known as as the Holy Spirit.) And finally, windows for which to escape.

Despite what the insurance companies say, your car might be the safest place on earth you could be; theoretically. Perhaps I should have been a bus driver instead of a writer. Time will tell, I suppose.

Where can you find the passage that defines "Putting on the 'Armor of God' ?" None other than in Paul's letter to the Ephesians. In Ephesians 6:10-18 (NIV) Paul writes,

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore, put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God.

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all of God's people."

Tomorrow we will dive in a bit more into the "Armor of God" passage from Paul to the Ephesian church. It bears noting that there are specific words and actions that Paul uses. Think of the imagery and the symbolism of each part of the Armor and what it represents. This also will require quite a bit of reflection on my part, so I am going to take time to do my own reflection. I will prepare for the ways that these symbols, pictures and principles can be learned; and therefore the resources we can tap into from this short, but extremely powerful, nine verse stanza.

We will reconvene with an analysis--the best I have, that is--and take a closer and more pin-pointed and precise look before continuing on the principles of, and for, effective prayer.

Are you prepared to dissect Paul's writing with me?