No More "If Only"

Thoughts from my reading in Whiter Than Snow: Meditations on Sin and Mercy by Paul David Tripp.

Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. Psalm 51:5

It's so easy to slip into an "if only" lifestyle. I find myself slipping into it often. The "if only" possibilities are endless:

If only I'd been from a more stable family.
If only I'd had better friends as I was growing up.
If only my parents had sent me to better schools.
If only I'd been given better intellectual gifts.
If only that accident hadn't happened.
If only I'd had better physical health.
If only that degree program had been as good as advertised.
If only I'd been able to find a better job.
If only I didn't have to fight the traffic every day.
If only I'd been able to get married.
If only I hadn't gotten married so young.
If only I'd understood marriage more before I got married.
If only I had a more understanding spouse.
If only I'd come to know Christ earlier.
If only I'd found a good church when I was young.
If only I didn't have to struggle with my finances.
If only it was easier and more comfortable for me to communicate with others.
If only I could find a small group that I could be comfortable with.
If only I could have had children.
If only my children were more obedient.
If only I knew the Bible better.
If only that boss hadn't fired me.
If only I had a better place to live.
If only I could find some place where I feel like I really belong.
If only God seemed closer to me.
If only I didn't have to work so hard to make ends meet.
If only . . .

"If only" is the reality we live in. Our broken, sin filled world is messed up. Things are not what they could have been. The people who have sinned against us have done real damage.

Are we going to let "if only" determine our present and future? Here is a line from the devotional that sums it up: The "if only" lifestyle tends to say, "My biggest problems in life exist outside of me and not inside of me."

The real problem is sin. The thing inside us causes our deepest problems.

Think about it this way: it is the evil that is inside of you that either magnetizes you to the evil outside of you or causes you to deal with the evil outside of you in a way that is wrong. It is only when you begin to accept that your greatest problem in all of life is not what has happened or been done to you that you begin to get excited about the rescuing grace of Jesus Christ.

In admitting my sin, I get the help I need. God's grace enables me to deal properly with all of the external things that are not as they should be. They no longer control me.

Here is a question from the meditation:

When you are dealing with the often difficult realities of life in this fallen world, what are the "if onlys" that tend to flood into your head?

Here are a couple I think about: If only I had more money; life would be much easier. If only I could communicate better; those extroverts have it so easy.

Lord Jesus, thank you that you cause all things to work together for my good. Thank you that you can use the external circumstances of my life for your glory. Thank you that even my deficiencies can be used for good.

Philip
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Medical Marijuana: What the Colorado Constitution actually says

Colorado is in a dangerous place as politicians, under the guise of regulating medical marijuana, attempt to liberalize the current law. A constitutional amendment passed in 2000 allows medical marijuana to be used in closely controlled situations by a limited group of people.

Colorado voters rejected the legalization of marijuana in 2006 by 60-40 percent. Many politicians are now trying to subvert the will of the people. As dispensaries have exploded across Colorado, some politicians act as if they are trying to fix the problem but what they are doing will essentially legalize marijuana and is in no way listening to what people actually voted for in 2000.

One of the primary reasons for the explosion of marijuana dealers opening up shop in our neighborhoods is that in a lawless act, US Attorney General, Eric Holder, announced in February of 2009 that the Obama administration will no longer enforce Federal laws regarding marijuana in states that have medical marijuana laws.

Here is what the Colorado Constitution actually says about Medical Marijuana:

The first requirement is that the recipient has a debilitating medical condition. Stated examples are cancer, glaucoma and HIV. Also included is a chronic or debilitating disease or medical condition, or treatment for such conditions, which produces symptoms such as severe pain, nausea, seizures, spasms, etc. The mere claim of pain is not enough. A condition producing the pain must be clinically diagnosed.

When the people voted for medical marijuana did they really envision the 20-year old holding his back, telling the dope doctor that he “really, really hurts” and wink, wink, and the man in the white coat writes the referral? 90% of current registrants claim pain as the reason for application. Just five doctors in Colorado have authorized 49 percent of all recommendations.

Once a person has received a doctor’s recommendation for medical marijuana, they cannot legally possess marijuana until they receive their registry identification card unless 35 days have passed since they sent in their application and they have proof of mailing.

The law allows for a primary caregiver. The Colorado Court of Appeals has ruled that “to qualify as a ‘primary care-giver’ a person must do more to manage the well-being of a patient … than merely supply marijuana.” They went on to say that “the ‘significant responsibility’ contemplated … involves more than being accountable for just one aspect of a patient’s well-being … but also requires managing a patient’s well-being. The Colorado Supreme Court has interpreted ‘manage’ to mean ‘to direct, control, govern, administer, oversee.’”

The law also requires that the caregiver be designated in writing and the caregiver can only act in that capacity after such designation. If a patient changes caregivers then the same process must be followed within ten days. This prohibits using multiple caregivers.

A patient and caregiver, if there is one designated, may only possess collectively up to two ounces of a usable form of marijuana and no more than six marijuana plants, with three or fewer being mature. This prohibits wholesale growing operations and also prohibits a caregiver from possessing marijuana until designated by a specific patient. Almost all dispensaries as they are now operating are illegal under these requirements.

The 2000 amendment to our Constitution is being used by drug legalization advocates and politicians to pull the wool over our eyes. The dispensaries we see springing up in our neighborhoods do not fit the spirit of the law. There are more dispensaries in Denver alone than there are Starbucks in all of Colorado. At the beginning of 2009, after being in effect for 9 years, there were about 2000 registered medical marijuana users in Colorado. Thanks to the Obama administration’s action, it is now estimated that we will soon have 60,000.

We do not have to settle for the fix that many politicians are proposing. Contact your legislators and demand that they legislate according to the amendment and not liberalize marijuana laws.

The amendment approved in 2000 is Article XVIII Section 14 of the Colorado Constitution.
Access here.

The Colorado Court of Appeals decision cited is No. 08CA0624 announced October 29, 2009.
Access here.

Philip Faustin was a heavy user and seller of marijuana in the early 70’s and knows firsthand the effects and dangers of this powerful drug.

The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game

On Friday afternoon the book arrived from the library. I finished it Sunday night. I could hardly put it down.

I’ve seen The Blind Side movie three times. What an incredibly moving story. If you are not familiar with the story, it’s about Michael Oher and the family who took him into their home. Michael was the Baltimore Raven’s first round draft pick last year.

Michael’s life began in the third poorest zip code in the United States. How he got to where he is now is what the book and movie are about. I read that one studio turned the story down because “it was too good to be true.”

As I read the book I found out that the movie didn’t puff the story although there were things that were changed around for the sake of a movie. I found things in the book that would have made an even more dramatic story both in sadness and incredible happenings.

If you liked the movie you will love the background that the book gives.If you haven't seen the movie you should.

Philip

Book link:


Movie link:

Aren't You Glad You're Not Like David?

Thoughts from my reading in Whiter Than Snow: Meditations on Sin and Mercy by Paul David Tripp.

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet went to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba. Title of Psalm 51

Aren't you glad you're not like David,
Such blazoned sin, how could he?
Aren't you glad you're not like Saul,
Making up his own rules; what was he thinking?
Aren't you glad you're not like Cain,
Violence against his own brother?
Aren't you glad you're not like Rebekah,
Such planned deceit?
Aren't you glad you're not like the Israelites,
So easily seduced by idols?
Aren't you glad you're not like Absalom;
How could he be so jealous?
Aren't you glad you're not like Elijah;
How could he forget God, be so depressed?
Aren't you glad you're not like Nebuchadnezzar;
How could he be so obsessed with power?
Aren't you glad you're not like Samson;
How could he be so easily deceived?
Aren't you glad you're not like Jonah;
How could he run from the Father's call?
Aren't you glad you're not like the Pharisees,
So religiously right yet spiritually wrong?
Aren't you glad you're not like Judas,
Selling the Messiah for a little bit of silver?
Aren't you glad you're not like the Corinthians,
So much better at division than at serving the Lord?

The truth is, if we are honest we will see ourselves in them and identify in so many ways. They were human and so are we. They are like a mirror where we see our reflection.

We see that we are not righteous. We need mercy! Because of God’s great compassion and love, we can step out of darkness and self-deceit. We can admit who we are.

Here is a question from the meditation:

Do you humbly identify with the weakness, foolishness, and failure of the characters of Scripture, or do you tend to tell yourself that you are essentially different from them?

For many years, I didn’t look at Scripture in the way mentioned here. I didn’t think of it as a place where I could see myself in history. Of course I believed it to be God’s word and I studied it but for some reason I didn’t place my life next to the characters I read about.

I missed out on two things. One was the reality that they did stupid sinful things just as I do and the other was to be prodded to look at their lives and then to ponder if I have the same faults in myself.

I’m thankful for the grace of exposure and for the grace of change.

Philip
.

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