Tulsa

Our community out here in the Tulsa area of Oklahoma is a buzz with activity and excitement with the arrival of President Trump and Vice President Pence later this afternoon.  People have been lining up and camping out in the parking lot of the BOK center in downtown Tulsa, where the President will be speaking, for many days now.  His upcoming rally has been the top story for the local TV and radio stations for weeks.  Most of their coverage and interviews that I have seen is very positive and shows a spirit of excitement, comradery and unity.  It has actually been rather refreshing compared to some of the national news coverage of the event.  It is pretty eye-opening to see how opposite people’s point of views can be.

I had to laugh and shake my head when I noticed some of the articles and pictures from the various national news agencies that I glanced at on my home page this morning, as they seemed to portray us Oklahoman’s as a bunch of country bumkins or illiterate yokum’s!  I have heard it said that “Ignorance is bliss” but in this case, I believe that it is not only hurtful and destructive to our nation’s unity at this critical point in time, but it most definitely demonstrates how totally out of touch and dangerous a majority of the mainstream media seems to be when it comes to their very visible lack of understanding of the people living in major sections of our great country… where the citizens just might not agree with their liberal ideas and policies.

I’ve been studying from Romans chapter eight lately, and have learned a lot of the reasons why some folks tend to not be able to see differing views.  The chapter starts out by bluntly declaring, “So now the case is closed. There remains no accusing voice of condemnation against those who are joined in life-union with Jesus, the Anointed One.” (Romans 8:1 The Passion Translation) 

That statement alone makes it clear what side people stand on when they make condemning judgements against those who do not agree with their way of thinking.  Then the Apostle Paul goes even further as he discusses the difference between those who keep a keen ear (or heart) to the spiritual side of things in comparison to those who tend to look only at what they see right before their eyes, or what their intellect is telling them.  

In verses five and six Paul states that, “Those who are motivated by the flesh only pursue what benefits themselves. But those who live by the impulses of the Holy Spirit are motivated to pursue spiritual realities.  For the mind-set of the flesh is death, but the mind-set controlled by the Spirit finds life and peace.” (The Passion Translation) 

When I first read that a few days ago, I literally jumped up in my seat with a couple of quick revelations that answered questions I’ve had for a number of years now.  The first thought was that those who are focused exclusively on what they see, think, feel or have been taught in the natural realm, tend to see any explanation of a life that is different from their personal understanding, as a course of action that will lead only to failure and/or death!  While those of us who have the mind-set that is focused on the Spirit of God and the truth of his Word, are much more optimistic because we tend to look for the things of God that bring life and peace.

It has always bothered my kids and I that we know some people that seemed to have had given up on Piper years before she actually moved to heaven.  And then when she was gone, they talked (the few times they’d even mention her name) as if she’d been gone for a long time and not just a few months.  But now, thanks to Paul’s explanation in Romans 8:6, I suddenly understand that they (using his terminology) had their eyes on the flesh and were thereby convinced that her only path was one that led to death… and not to sound harsh… but to me, it looked like they simply wrote her off way before her heavenly exit occurred.

While Piper and I, along with our kids, some old and new friends and certain family members were “motivated to (continually) pursue spiritual realities,” concerning Piper’s needs, and to seek out and “find life and peace” in the midst of all the pain of the situation, the other’s simply began to fade off into the distance.  I am not sure about how each of you may think, but even though its been a few years now, I get very excited and thankful when the Lord begins to give me understanding to things in life that have stunned or hurt me, about things I’ve questioned, or the things that seemed to have simply come out of nowhere… if you know what I mean!

I can’t help but say over and over again… “Isn’t God Good!”

So yeah… I’m excited this weekend!  I’m excited that the President of the United States is coming to my town, that the people in my community are united in their support of him, that God continues to answer my quest for knowledge of why things happen the way they do, and in the fact that Fiver and I are going camping tomorrow, at a beautiful Oklahoma State Park with our youngest daughter and her family!  Now come on… that’s exciting right?

What is also exciting, is the Biblical fact, that as you and I keep our focus on the things of the Spirit, through God’s Word, in prayer and through fellowship with other believers, that we will find His life and peace… right smack in the middle of all the craziness and unrest that seems to be going on all around us!

Isn’t God Good!