Are You Instrument Rated?

Valerie Cullers 16 Comments

A few weeks ago, we were sitting at lunch with a newly licensed pilot. He was sharing an experience that happened to him several days before. The valley we live in has been socked in with smoke from forest fires for about a month. Sometimes the smoke is heavy and the visibility is almost nil. He decided to take his plane up because the control tower told him he had six miles of visibility. It seemed like that would work for him since he wasn’t Instrument-Rated. He and his wife flew around for a while and then decided to return to the airport. As they were coming into the valley, they couldn’t see the airport. It was socked-in with smoke from the forest fires. Because he wasn’t Instrument-Rated, he could not get his bearings. He sent a distress call to the tower and waited for instructions. After what seemed like an eternity (which was probably only several seconds), he received the heading that brought him in line with the airport. Within a short time, he could see the airport and was able to land safely. After he landed, he decided to not go up again in those conditions until he was Instrument-Rated.

On the way home from lunch, I thought to myself, “What a fitting metaphor for life.” Many times, we get in situations where we cannot see our way ahead clearly. At that point, we must rely on information we have gathered to keep us moving forward in the right direction. What happens to us, though, if we don’t have sufficient information to keep us on course (like the pilot who was not instrument-rated)? We can crash and burn if we aren’t able to get our bearings.

So how do we get Instrument Rated for life? First, we must find a source of information that is timeless, eternal and true. For me, that source is the Bible. I know that no matter what happens to me, I can rely on God and His word to get me through it. The Bible describes what God is like in hundreds of verses and gives us His promises to help keep us grounded and get us to our destination safely.

For instance, His word tells us that God is love. (1 John 4:16) We can be assured that a loving God will be there to help us no matter what comes our way. It also tells us that He is a merciful God and that His mercies are new every morning. (Lam. 3:22-23) We can rest assured that He will give us mercy in the midst of our difficulties. It tells us that all things will work out for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28) We can trust Him no matter what happens, knowing that He is working our situation out for our benefit. And then there are the coordinates for zero visibility: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6. These verses will take us home every time.

Think about the last time you were in a difficult situation when you couldn’t see your way clearly through it…how did you react? What did you rely on to help you navigate in the midst of the problem? Were you Instrument-Rated or did you crash and burn? There is a way to get Instrument-Rated for Life. We can check out the Bible and see what bearings we can get from the Ultimate Control Tower. Better to do it sooner than later when we find ourselves flying blind in the midst of another difficult situation!

Image by LimatMD Anf. Courtesy of Pixabay

Say the Word

Valerie Cullers 22 Comments

Every few weeks, my older brother calls. We talk about several subjects, and then the conversation moves to the topic he spends the most time on, the breakdown of civil society. He is a businessman and constantly dealing with people. He cannot believe the way people behave. He decries the corporate greed, the stealing that goes on, and the inhumane way people treat each other.

Mind you, I am not talking to any right-wing conservative. He is a far-left leaning liberal who cannot comprehend the moral breakdown in today’s society. It is a rare day if he mentions the word “God” and I have no idea what his religious beliefs are.

I, in turn, answer him pretty much the same way, phone call after phone call. “We, as a society, have lost our moral compass.” In previous centuries, most of Western society has based its laws and public morals on the Judeo-Christian ethic, i.e., a belief that some behaviors are wrong. Lying, stealing, adultery, usury and sexual perversion are examples, to name a few.

Since our society decided to cast off a belief in God, then of course, His word and the values that are attached to it have lost their significance. Behaviors that were once considered morally wrong have now been accepted. Not only are they accepted, but now they are flaunted. Relativism has taken hold, and all behaviors are judged relative to the situation in which they occur. Situational ethics is the term used now to describe this phenomenon.

Take stealing, for example, it was once considered wrong. Now, corporations can charge astronomical prices for goods, and it is an accepted practice. Credit card companies can charge exorbitant interest fees, and it is legal. Individuals feel free to walk into stores and steal as much as they can get away with, and feel no sense of guilt or shame.

You know we have reached a tipping point when universities have to teach classes in ethics in various disciplines because students have no idea what right and wrong are anymore.

There is a word that is no longer used in today’s society. It is a moral term: sin. Sin is defined as: “an immoral act considered to be a transgression against divine law.” Oxford Languages.

And really, why would we use the term anymore? If as a society we no longer believe that there is a divine law, then there can be no moral transgression against it. However, just because that moral law is no longer accepted as a societal norm, does not mean that it does not exist.

There is a God, a divine moral law, and consequences for breaking that law. Look around you. We are watching those consequences manifest themselves in practically every arena in society. If we want to describe this breakdown in a moral context, we must say the word sin, for it most certainly is the best way to describe what is happening. Sin against self, sin against others and most of all sin against God.

Where the Bodies Are Buried

Valerie Cullers 7 Comments

Have you ever started a new job and the person taking you around said, “Let me show you where all the bodies are buried?” You know that what they mean is, “Here’s where the dead files are” or “Here is where the office secrets are kept.” In the case of the lab where I worked in my early twenties, there really was a place where the bodies were (down the hall and to the right).

When you travel to various cities, they also have places where the bodies are buried. Some have beautiful cemeteries, and others have famous catacombs, such as Rome and Paris. Those places can be quite eerie to walk through, but that is literally where the bodies are buried.

When it comes to matters of religion, many religions can point to where the body of their leader is buried. Other sects that began in the distant past can only imagine where the body of their founder may be.

But for Christians, we cannot show you a place where the body of Jesus is buried. You see, He is not lying in any grave on this earth. He died, and three days later, he rose from the dead. This is a documented historical fact. When the women came to take care of his body after he had died, an angel said, “He is not here, He is risen.”

We can, however, show you where the bodies of certain saints are buried and where we believe others have been interred, but The Body…No. So the next time someone says to you, “Let me show you where the bodies are buried,” remember Jesus, the One Person who cannot be found in a grave and take hope.

Image by Pete Linforth. Courtesy of Pixabay.

No Substitutes

Valerie Cullers 17 Comments

Have you ever made a recipe and it said, “No substitutes?” Then you know that you have to have the real “thing” or ingredient to make the dish come out right. It’s that way with life; there really are “no substitutes” for having Jesus in your life.

Recently, I have been going through a difficult experience. If it wasn’t for the Lord, I don’t think I would have made it through. What about you? Are you going through a difficult experience? What are you relying on to make it through…drugs, alcohol, or something else to help you cope? If so, why not give Jesus a try? Just call out to Him and He will be there to help you!

He is The Good Shepherd – “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.” John 10:11

What more can you ask for? God Incarnate became a man who came to earth to lay down his life for all of us. He will always be there to provide for you, to lead and guide you, to heal and help you and to see you safely home.

In whatever situation you are going through, there is Someone who is waiting to walk through it with you; to help you in a way that no other person can. He will be with you every second of every minute of every hour of every day.

HE is there beside you, waiting to be asked into your difficult situation so that HE can be your provision. Why not give HIM a try? There really are no other substitutes for HIM and the help HE can give you!

Image by Jeff Jacobs. Courtesy of Pixabay.

Success vs. Impact

Valerie Cullers 26 Comments

As writers, we tend to judge our writing by the markers of success. We check the likes and comments on our blog posts. As authors, we check our reviews and the numbers of copies we sell. It is normal to look for success in our endeavors, but is that the only measure of their success or worth? What about their impact?

I have read hundreds of books in my lifetime, but the ones that made an impact on me are in a separate category. I love to be entertained by a good historical fiction book and an informative non-fiction book is always welcome but how many have made a significant impact on my life?

“IMPACT – TO HAVE A STRONG EFFECT ON SOMEONE OR SOMETHING.” Oxford Languages

When I think about the books (other than the Bible) that have impacted me in my life, I think about those I read as a teenager. First and foremost was “On the Beach” by Nevil Shute. It gave me an abhorrence for the thought of all-out nuclear war. “The Prophet” by Kahlil Gibran was a lovely book of poetry and prose that spoke to my soul. And of course, “1984” and “Animal Farm” showed me about the abuses of totalitarianism. Then there were those that spoke to me as an adult. “Hinds feet on High Places” by Hannah Hurnard taught me about the difficulty of the Christian journey and the faithfulness of Christ. The Zion Covenant series by Brock and Bodie Thoene taught me about the personal costs of World War II. “The Crucifixion of Ministry” by Andrew Purves is teaching me again (as I read it the third time) about laying down “my agenda” and letting Christ work in and through me.

Impact in writing is not always about a book, though. Articles in magazines have impacted me at just the right time when I needed help or information on a subject. And blogs, how many times have blog posts spoken to me and encouraged me? One blogger who always informs and educates me is Jack Parquette, who writes the “Quo Vadis” blog. I have laughed at his wry sense of humor and been enlightened by his historical view on many of the issues we are dealing with today.

Remember, there is more to writing than the fleeting markers of success, there is the possibility of making a real impact on someone’s life.

Think about those writers, books or bloggers that have made a significant impact on your life. In the comment section below, please share some of them with us.

Image by Rony Michaud. Courtesy of Pixabay.

Emperor Worship

Valerie Cullers 28 Comments

As we know, many of the Roman Emperors wanted to be considered gods during the time they lived. Julius Caesar was declared a god upon his death, while Augustus allowed people in Asia to build temples to him while he was still living. Emperor worship began with the first two emperors of the Roman Empire. Many times, in order to show their loyalty to the state, a person was required to take a pinch of incense and offer it to a statue of whichever emperor was in power.

I doubt if many of the populace believed their monarchs were gods, and surely those closest to them realized their frailty but emperor worship continued on until the reign of Constantine in the fourth century. We look back and know for certain that those men were not gods and we think of it as part of an earlier time in history but emperor worship still continues today.

As we look around the world, we see that there are leaders who wish to be deified and demand worship from the people in their society. We just shake our heads as we watch the populace treat their leader like a god, and yet…

Look at the way some treat our recent presidents. Donald Trump certainly has a cult following. Those in his cult believe him to be a savior of this country and are willing to believe an outlandish narrative that has him returning to office this August. As with previous leaders, those closest to him know his frailties and have no illusions about him being a god or a savior of the union.

Lest we look down our noses at Trump’s cult following, we know that Obama had those that believed he was some sort of a god or savior not only of the nation but also of the world. Before he was elected president, he could garner crowds in the thousands in other countries and I believe his cult following continues to this day, hoping that someday he will return to power.

We might think that the people who regard our leaders in such a high capacity have not a belief in any form of religion and so accept these men as their gods or saviors, but that is not true. Many are believers in God, but somehow He seems to have been replaced in their thinking by these mortal men.

Why is this important? Because if we believe that any man can save this country or the world instead of the one true God, we have opened ourselves up to a huge deception and we will more easily fall for The Great Deception that is coming on the world. The Bible speaks of a man that will come on the scene who will want to be worshiped as God. In fact, he will demand it and those who will not worship him will be killed. (Revelation 13:11-17)

What is the first step in this false worship? It is looking to another human being as a savior of our country or our world. We need to ask ourselves if we have put any politician on a pedestal in our minds. Do we think that a person can save us from ruin? If so, we better put him back on terra firma where he belongs. If we don’t, we will be part of a modern day version of emperor worship, whether we know it or not.

Photo by Michael Cullers, taken in Ravenna, Italy.

THE MAN WHO WOULD BE KING

Valerie Cullers 2 Comments

agiaparaskevigerakas's avatarAGIA PARASKEVI

Written by Vladimir Moss

John Huston’s film “The Man Who Would Be King” (1975), based on the novella by Rudyard Kipling, has much to teach us about our holy faith…

Two rebel soldiers from the British army, Daniel Dravot (played by Sean Connery) and Peachy Camehan (Michael Caine) seek adventure in an expedition to Kifiristan, somewhere beyond the Khyber Pass. By making themselves indispensable to the villagers, and accomplishing some pseudo-miracles, one of them, Dravot, is acclaimed as king. Moreover, when he is brought to the high priest of the region, who sees a Masonic amulet around his neck, he is acclaimed as a god and the long-expected successor of Alexander the Great (who considered himself the son of Zeus). At first, this new “god” does good to his worshippers, settling their disputes and leading them to undertake useful projects, while becoming very rich himself. When the snows melt, Camehan…

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Counting the Cost

Valerie Cullers 19 Comments

My last post was about the different pressures we face in this world. I talked about peer, corporate, political and societal pressure. All real, for sure. I talked about being able to stand against the pressure and how we cannot do it well in our own strength. But there is another part to this equation: when we stand against this pressure, there is going to be a cost, and it is something you have to consider.

Let’s take peer pressure. If you don’t go along with your friends when they choose to do something wrong, you will pay a price. Perhaps, they will snub you for a day or they might call you names. They could drop you as a friend if you won’t go along with them. You could pay a small cost or an even larger cost for doing the right thing.

Think about corporate pressure. If the corporation chooses to do something that you believe is morally or ethically wrong and you choose not to do it, you may pay a very high price indeed. You could be blackballed, fired or overlooked for promotions for the foreseeable future.

What about political pressure? Let’s say your party decides to promote something that you believe is morally or ethically wrong. If you won’t go along with them, again, you may pay a very high price. You may lose funding in the next election or you may lose their support and even their nomination for your position.

Let’s think about societal pressure. You hold a state or national office and the winds of change are blowing and not in a good direction. You are facing pressure to cave into what the mob wants and you know it is wrong. If you stand up for what is right, you many be voted out of office in the next election. You will certainly be vilified by many and your life will probably be threatened by more than a few…not a pretty picture.

No matter what type of pressure we are facing; if we decide we are not going to go along with it and will have to take a stand, there will be a cost to pay. It may be slight or it may be something life-altering, such as a loss of a job or profession. We would be well advised to consider the cost of the actions we plan to take. We must not be foolish or naive and think that just because we chose to do the right thing, there will be no cost to pay. There will always be a cost.

Even Jesus, told those who wanted to be his disciples, to consider the cost they would pay before they decided to follow him. In Luke 14: 28-33, He talks about a man who wants to build a tower and how he must consider the cost of building it and having the resources to finish the job. He then uses another example: He talks about a king going to war and how the king must consider the forces he has to use to fight the battle and if he has the ability to win.

When taking a stand against the crowd, against the pressure, there are easy answers and there are right answers but there are no cost-free answers. No matter what we decide, we must always count the cost, pray for wisdom and move in the direction we believe to be right.

Peer Pressure

Valerie Cullers 14 Comments

When we think of peer pressure, our minds automatically go to teens. We are concerned with the friends they have because we know that they will influence their decisions, both positive and negative. Peer pressure is real, and it begins a lot earlier than the teenage years. Peer pressure begins the moment we begin to make friends. We are only human and want to be accepted by those in our social circles, and so, from the time we make our first friend, we begin to experience it.

Peer pressure is a strong driving force but it doesn’t end when we graduate from high school. It continues on through college and as we get out into the workforce. Depending on where we find employment, we may begin to experience something stronger than peer pressure; it is corporate pressure. It is the pressure our corporation puts on its employees to think and conform to its particular agenda, political or otherwise.

If you decide you want to go into public service, you open yourself up to a stronger pressure than corporate pressure, it is political pressure. This pressure comes at you from all sides, political and otherwise as people want their agendas enacted by their elected officials.

If you happen to make it into state or national office, you face an even stronger pressure, it is societal pressure. The whole of society looks to you and pressures you to again follow their agenda, whatever it happens to be at the time. As we know, most politicians buckle under that pressure sooner or later. We all remember the name, Pontius Pilate. He was the governor of Judea at the time Jesus was brought before him. The political leaders wanted Jesus crucified but Pilate realized they were jealous of Him and he didn’t want to give in to them. Pilate would not go along with Jesus’ accusers in the beginning, but when the crowd began screaming for His death, he caved into the pressure.

No one is immune to peer pressure, corporate pressure, political pressure or societal pressure. We must all deal with a certain level of it wherever we find ourselves. So how do we deal with it? We can rely on our own strength and hope we can withstand whatever we are faced with, but I don’t think that is a very strong place to stand. We are all human, and we have been dealing with this pressure in one form or another from the time we were youngsters, and we didn’t always do so well when faced with it.

As believers in Jesus Christ, we must recognize that the only way we will be able to stand in a society that continues to deteriorate morally, ethically and spiritually, is to stand in the strength that He can give us. We must look to Him and ask Him for the strength to stand against whatever we are facing each day.

“Finally my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.” Ephesians 6:10

Image by Zibal Media, Courtesy of Pixabay.

7 Essential Habits of Christian Writers

Valerie Cullers 8 Comments

Need a good book to read this summer to inspire you to keep writing? I recommend  “7 Essential Habits of Christian Writers.” It is a collection of essays written by writers of InScribe, a Christian Writers’ Fellowship in Canada. I first found it when I was looking through Kimberley Payne’s books on Amazon. Kimberley is just one of the writers of this book.

I would love to introduce you to Kimberley. She is a motivational speaker, author and writer of spiritual and physical fitness topics. Her devotional writings relate to raising a family, pursuing a healthy lifestyle, and everyday experiences that include building a relationship with God. Kimberley has written over twenty books (most available on Kindle) for adults and children alike. You can visit her website at kimberleypayne.com.

A brief list of her books include: Fit for Faith, Trees in the Bible, Animals in the Bible, Oma Loves Her Grandbug, Feed Your Spirit, Fit For Prayer, The Four Habits of Raising Joy Filled Kids, ABC’s of Psalms for Kids, and Food for Thought.

Why not check them out today on Amazon.com?