The Purpose of Memory (A Memorial Day Premeditation)

I’ve been thinking a lot about memory.  Whether memories can have accuracy.  Whether we can blur memory through the imaginary.  I just finished a movie called “Shuffle” that is all about remembering our lives, how our lives flash before our eyes right before we die.

As I emptied the trash I asked God what the purpose of memory is.  He re-asked me the question.  I though of communion, but felt my brain in pain.  I knew we were to remember the Sabbath, to take communion in remembrance of Christ.  But my mind drew a blank. 

Then God revealed it.

The purpose of memory is to honor God.   

These are the ways we do so:

Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, "I find no pleasure in them"—Ecclesiastes 12:1

We are to remember our Creator, the Creator.  That in the beginning He was.  Before us, He existed.  Without us, He existed.

We remember our Creator, and thus remember we were created.  We call to mind that we are creatures, existing for God, and not God for us.

We remember that He made us, and all that He has done for us.  Every time we thank God, we remember these three things:  The Creator, His Creation, and His blessings upon Creation.

We remember salvation, that Jesus died for us.

We remember all of the promises He has kept, and thus the promises He will keep.

We remember that He will come again.

We thus remember why we are alive.

The True Definition of ATTRACTION

The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king.”

When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed stands here before the Lord.”  But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:1, 6-7

Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.

Proverbs 31:30

What is the true definition of attraction? 

What truly makes a man or woman attractive? 

What is the real standard of attraction, and who is the real judge?

God.  The Creator and Maker of man and woman.   

He alone knows the definition of true attraction.   

And this is His true definition attraction: The Honor of God.

Men and women who supremely honor God are attractive to Him.  He speaks highly of them, or praises them.  He looks from the inside out, to the depth of a man or woman’s being.  

God looks at the heart.   

If He finds a heart that is dedicated to Him supremely and exclusively, then He finds what He defines as true beauty, as the word of God says:

“He who honors me, I will honor; but He who despises me will be lightly esteemed.”

Think of it like this.

When a baby looks at you and smiles, it makes you feel good, or beautiful, or likable, because babies are beautiful.  To be beautiful to one who is beautiful makes you feel beautiful.

It’s the same with men and women.  If you’re a man, and a very attractive woman finds you attractive, then you MUST really be ATTRACTIVE!  If you’re a woman, and the man of your dreams says you’re the woman of HIS DREAMS, then you MUST be a dream woman! 

This is even more so with God, who IS beauty!   

If God honors you, then you are truly honorable.   

If God praises you, then you are truly praiseworthy.   

HE IS THE STANDARD OF TRUE ATTRACTION.   

HE IS THE JUDGE TRUE ATTRACTION.

We all want to know how we are seen or perceived.  This is why we are captivated by cameras.  The camera simply shows us what’s there, good or bad.  So we see ourselves from the outside, as everyone else sees us.  We hope we look or come across a certain way on camera, because what you see is what you get.

God is the ultimate “Camera.”  He sees us through and through, inside and out.  If we want to be truly attractive, we should make it our goal to be attractive to Him.  If God is drawn to us, then we can know we are desirable in the truest sense of the word.  And we are the true definition of attraction.

EMOTION INTOXICATION (PART 3)

(For Part 1, click here.  For part 2, click here.)

Someone may hear the word “authority” and feel uncomfortable, especially in the relationship with me and the girl with her dog.  But when you think about authority in the context of emotion intoxication, think of perfect control over your mind, will, and emotions.  Shouldn’t you rule these with complete sovereignty?  Over these, shouldn’t you be a “control freak?”  Your mind is your mind!  You should have complete control over your perceptions and imagination.  This daze I speak of takes control over you so that you don’t fully know who you are at the time.  You don’t know what’s going on in you or around you.  This should never be the case for adults.  Nor should it be the case for children to the extent that we can teach them self control.

And that’s what authority is in this context:  Self control.  Every adult human being has this, and should have it.  Emotion is meant to fuel motivation, but never to cloud perception and thus hinder our words and actions and relations.  Again, emotion is not the enemy, but can be used by the enemy to create blurry realities.  We must resist this.  Maintaining a sober mind.  Staying alert.  Seeing ourselves and everything else clearly.  Securing accurate memories, instead of living in fantasies. 

EMOTION INTOXICATION (PART 2)

Wherever we go, someone in authority defines reality.  They give us focused purpose.  They keep us from emotion intoxication.  How so?

As I write, I’m an officer.  I once responded to a back up call.  I entered the scene and felt the dazed craze haze maze.  The blurry reality. 

A long time ago I planned to meet a young lady.  Our “relationship” was “up in the air” so to speak.  I waited for her, and she came walking her dog.  (She did this to appear to be simply walking her dog, not coming to meet me.  I on the other hand, sat at a table, with no dog or book or anything to hide the fact that I was waiting for her.)  Again, I experienced the haze of crazed daze maze.  A reality that was blurry.

As I thought and prayed about these two situations, I realized they had this in common:  Unfocused purposelessness.  At my job, there was no lead officer giving specific directions and instructions.  With the girl who walked her dog, our relationship had no clear beginning or ending. No origin or destination.  In both situations I felt intense emotions.  With back up calls, adrenaline flows.  With this woman, attraction.  In both, an unclear reality.

When I imagined things being different in both of these scenarios, it was clear to me the issue was boundaries.  If I practiced what I learned in the academy, seeing, thinking, and responding (STAR), then I would have understood that I was entering Officer X’s territory, under her authority.  She defined reality.  My focused purpose:  Assist and guard Officer X. Period.

With the girl and her dog, I could have defined our relationship BEFORE our so called meeting that day. If she didn’t want to be clear, then I could refuse to exist in a relationship limbo.  I could refuse to let my emotions, in either situation, flow without clear definition.

Emotion intoxication.

So wherever we go, we should seek out the one who defines reality in that territory, and assume his focused purpose.  We should join our will with her will.  And if we are the ones in authority in a specific territory, we should know and stand on our God given focused purpose.

EMOTION INTOXICATION

Be sober minded, be watchful.  Your adversary the devil roams around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.  1 Peter 5:8

Blurry reality.  Emotion illusion confusion. 

Imagine:

The worst arguments you can think of, or arguments like them.

What was a constant issue in the argument?  Simply agreeing on what ACTUALLY happened to cause the argument, or the ACTUAL words said before and during the argument.   It’s like you spend the whole time simply trying to get the other person to REMEMBER what you ACTUALLY said!!

“That’s not what I said!”

“YES, YOU DID!!!”

“I know what I said and what I meant…..I said THIS!”

“I don’t feel like going over the whole conversation again!!”

“But that’s the problem.  You are taking my words out of context.  You’re putting words in my mouth!!!”

“I distinctly remember you saying THIS!!!!”

“I DID NOT SAY THAT!!!!!!!!”

And on it goes.  You wish there was a tape recording of the argument because memory seems completely untrustworthy…especially the OTHER PERSON’S MEMORY!  Yours is working just fine!

Why does this happen?

I call it Emotion Intoxication--The loss of mental soundness or clairity which comes from some emotional overload, good or bad.

I hate feeling like I’m in a daze or haze or illusion, when I don’t know whether I’m being experienced as I really am, or whether I am experiencing the other person as he or she really is.

I’ve thought and prayed long and hard about this, the source and solution of emotion intoxication.

This is what I learned:

There must be a clear focused purpose in which the authority in the specific territory defines reality….(To be continued.)

The Power of Life and Death

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  
John 1:1

The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.  
Proverbs 18:21

Before time...The Word.
The Word began time.  Began beginnings.  Began endings.
With God.  Is God.

The Name that should not be uttered in vain.
The Name above every name.
The Name by which demons flee.
The Name in which believers pray.

God
Jesus
Some say these two words without thinking or feeling.
Perhaps God and Jesus never say the names of the irreverent.   
To be nameless in heaven is hell.

The word shone on the first day when He said it.
The clouds rose when the words came out of His mouth.
The visible tangible audible came from the invisible intangible inaudible word of God.

People live by every word from God’s mouth.

Prophets ate words.

What do you hear when you read my words?
When people think your name, what comes to mind?
When you hear your name, why is it hard to ignore or not answer?

Some words jump off of pages, creating rages.
A song brings memory.  Poetry imagery.

One text changes a day.
No text--depression.

How are two united in marriage?

Vows.   
Words.
“I will.”   
“I do.”
How do marriages end?

Words.

One thing that expresses the character and power of God

"When there are many words, transgression is unavoidable, but he who restrains his lips is wise." Proverbs 10:19 NASB

"Every matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses." 

Deuteronomy 19:15b

 

 

The Spirit of God gives believers His character and power. 

His character is known in scripture as “the fruit of the Spirit.” 

His power is known in scripture as "the gifts of the Spirit."

Every believer in Christ should have the character and power of God. 

 

Let's focus on one thing that accomplishes both things. 

 

One verse that does this is Proverbs 10:19. 

 

In this verse I find an expression of God’s character and power—self-control and wisdom. 

By restraining my lips, or limiting my words, I experience a fruit of the spirit and a gift of the Spirit.  In one action I have a divine combination.

 

 

Self control and Wisdom.

God's Character and Power.

A fruit of the Spirit and a gift of the Spirit.

 

We can be  one with the Spirit by these two witnesses.  

The Spirit agrees with these, giving us His very own experience. 

For example:

Ramon listens to you in complete silence.  Focused eye contact.  He lets you completely express what is on your mind, or what you are feeling.  His look communicates connection and makes you feel comfortable and free to say whatever you want.

 

What impression do you have of Ramon? 

Does he seem self-controlled?

 

 

I’m sure he does.  We all know how hard it is to listen without interruption.

 

 

Does he seem wise? 

Very much so.  You know that he fully heard you, and you at least have the impression that he understands you.  Understanding is a component of wisdom.  It is highly likely that if he responds, his response will be beneficial. 

Is Ramon like God when he listens like this?  Is there something about him that is godly?

 

 

Definitely.

Think about a judge who fully hears both sides of a case before speaking.  This self control and wisdom carries authority.  The same is true for a parent with a child, or a husband with a wife, or an employer towards and employee.  Silently listening communicates God’s character and power.  As it is written,

 

"Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise; when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent."

 

 

Silence is the one thing that expresses the character and power of God.