PERSONAL ZYGOLOGY

A sermon I once heard was titled “Church Zygology”. If nothing else, the title alone catches your attention. The word may not be remembered by many; however, I’m sure the definition will be remembered. What is zygology (pronounced zig-ol-o-gy)? It’s the science of binding, of holding objects together. In the extra-cellular matrix of our body is found proteins called laminin. Laminin are what holds us together. They are cell adhesion molecules that hold one cell of our body to the next cell. Laminin is a vital for the maintenance and survival of tissues. Defective laminins can cause muscles to form improperly, leading to a form of muscular dystrophy, a lethal skin-blistering disease, and defects of the kidney.

The wonder of laminin is the shape of it. Laminin is formed in the shape of a cross. The cells that hold our bodies together are in the shape of a cross.The psalmist David recognized God’s hand in his creation when he states in Psalm 139, “For You created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know that full well.“ God bound our bodies together by a cross and He bound us to Him by a cross. The very cross Jesus sacrificed himself on for the forgiveness of our sins. Laminin is zygology of our bodies but Jesus is the zygology of our very soul.

The time we spend reading Scriptures, in prayer, worshipping, helping others are only a few ways we can strengthen the ties that bind us to our Savior and our Heavenly Father.

PRAYER

Matthew 26:41: "Watch and pray so that you do not fall into temptation, the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak."
John 10:3-5:"The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger, in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize the stranger's voice."
Conversing with God, some have no problem at all spending time with Him. They feel it is like talking with an old friend. Ones have described it as: sitting and having a cup of coffee with an Old Friend, going into the "war room" to speak with the Commander-in-Chief, spending time with Jesus.... For others of us though, it is difficult. It's hard for us to hear His voice....how can a conversation occur with Someone we can't even hear? What do I say to Him? Me, who am I to speak to the Creator of the universe?
Sometimes, it is easy to relate to one or a part of each of these questions. By becoming a sheep in the Good Shepherd's sheepfold His voice becomes audible. By totally and completely surrendered ourselves to The Good Shepherd, His voice became recognizeable. A few sentences later, Jesus tells us how it is possible:  "I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.They will come in and go out, and find pasture." God made us to have a relationship with Him. Now understand, there have been times I wished I could NOT hear His voice. However, it has been worth obeying every command He has given me. The Amplified Bible says my sentiments well in Colossians 3:15, "Let the peace of Christ (the inner calm of one who walks daily with Him) be the controlling factor, in your hearts (deciding and settling questions that arise). To this peace indeed you were called as members of one body (of believers). And be thankful (to God always)." The answer to any situation is to surrender all to the only One who can overcome any problem.

SORRY

I'm terribly sorry I haven't posted here in the last few days. Please bear with me. I'm leading two studies and they are in their final weeks. This week is the last week and there is extra work in summarizing and preparing reports for church office.  I will returrn to writing next week. Please be praying for me as God and I finalize this week and prepare for our next study. Thank you very much!!

LOVING YOURSELF

Isaiah 43;18-19,  "Do not remember the former things, or pongder the things of the past. Listen carefully, I am about to do a new thing, now it will spring forth; will you not be aware of it? I will even put roads in the wilderness, rivers in the desert." Amplified Bible

"Loving yourself isn't hard when you understand who and what yourself is. It has nothing to do with the shape of your face, the size of your eyes, the length of your hair or the quality of your clothes. It's so beyond all those things and it's what gives life to everything about you. Your own self is a treasure." Phylicia Rashad

Many of us have done things in our past that brings us shame. It doesn't matter how many years have passed, what we have accomplished, the act or acts still haunt us. For us, it brings nothing but condemnation and guilt. We are fearful that even God can't forgive us. Worst yet, we can't forgive ourselves. It's always there.

Yesterday, I read a post by a journalist I had met in my travels. Her name is Pat Bean. She made the comment, "The truth is, I didn't even like myself when I was 21. But I do love the plump, sagging, old broad I am at 76. The years haven't always been good to me, but they've certainly been good for me." These statments made me stop and ask myself, "Do I love me?" I definitely agreed with her statement about not loving myself at 21, but did I love myself now? I could also agree with her next statement but could I say I loved myself. 

Later in the day, I was studying, Priscilla Shirer's, Discerning the Voice of God, and was released from the feelings of guilt and shame when she wrote of this very problem. She states she suffered from guilt and shame over things she had done in her past and was released when in her Scripture studying she ran across the verses in Isaiah 43 and they spoke to her heart. Furthermore, she states, "The Lord reminded me that He seeks to deliver me from the guilt of the past and move toward the promise of the future." That is our God. He is love. He loves us so much He sacrificed His Son so we could lay these very sins at the feet of Jesus Christ so we no longer live in condemnation but love. Love of God and yes, we can love ourselves; without guilt, without shame.

THE ROCK

Isaiah 26:4 "Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord, is the Rock eternal." NIV
                   "Trust (confidently) in the Lord forever (He is your fortress, your shield, your
                     banner), for the Lord God is an everlasting Rock (the Rock of Ages) AMP

There is so much happening in the world. We have mass shootings, beheadings, crucifixions, floodings, hurricanes, and the list goes on. In the last year, I personally have had two friends who have had members of their family murdered in horrible and cruel methods; one close friend die of cancer, several are fighting or have fought cancer this year, one suffered a heart attack. In the last week alone my next door neighbor had her two neices killed in a horrific car accident and a friend who had very close friend whose daughter died in another horrific car accident. Some are asking, "Where is God?" Others are saying, "If there is a God, why did He allow this to happen? Why didn't He stop it?"
When I was young, we had dogs. My father kept insisting he hated dogs. However, when our first dog died, my mother was able to shoot a picture of my father sitting on a log crying. When these horrific, sad events happen I picture God sitting on the log, His arms arounds us, crying.

CONFORMED/TRANSFORMED

Romans 12:2, "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transfored by the renewing of your mind."

Like our friend here, do you sometimes stand out in the crowd? That's not always a bad thing. Unfortunately, too many times though we desire to give in to our "earthly desires: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, and greed, which is idolatry" (Colossians 3:5, NIV).. Paul goes on to tell us we must rid ourselves "of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other..." (Colossians 3:8,9). Now its probably fairly safe to say if the first group doesn't apply, there is something in the second group that fits.  Unfortunately, I didn't even make it through the first group of no-no's. You see, there is a certain coffeemaker I have been eyeing for some time. Recently, I have been spending an inordinate amount of time checking online comparing prices and availability at different stores. I don't mean just once or twice. I mean everytime I turned on my Ipad I would look. After all, the prices could have changed overnight. I was even going to stores to check (well, the prices could have been wrong on the internet). It became an idol that stood between me and God. I believe that is called idolatry.  Yes, that is standing out in the crowd for all the wrong reasons. Hey, just a minuate you say. If no one knew than how can you be standing out in the crowd. Ah, from God's perspective, I stood out in the crowd for all the wrong reasons. I was allowing the ways of this world to conform me.

The good news is the minute we become/became Christ-followers we were given the Holy Spirit. Priscilla Shirer describes the Holy Spirit as "God's control tower". He sees the end from the beginning and seeks to guide us through this life." When I allow God's messages to get through the "control tower" I am able to be "transformed by the renewing of your (my) mind".Then when I stand out in the crowd, it is as a "light" bringing praise to my Father in heaven. 

PEACE

John 14:27, "Peace I leave with you, My Peace I give to you. Don't let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." NIV Bible

Peace is defined as freedom from disturbace, quiet, tranquility, calm, restfulness. Several years ago, I was on a bus tour of Switzerland and met a thirteen year old young lady and her father from Israel. We were enjoying the morning on the top-deck of a touring boat on Lake Lucerne. While her father was in discussion with others on the tour, I happened to mention to this young lady how beautiful and peaceful it was this morning. It was a beautiful crisp, Fall day with a gorgeous blue sky overhead filled with fluffy white clouds; much like in the above picture except the mountains of the Alps were surrounding us. When I mentioned the word "peaceful" she looked at me very puzzled and asked innocently but very seriously, "What's peace?" In her young life she had never experienced peace. She lived with wars, bombings,  and snipers all her life. She didn't know when her father left in the morning if she would see him that night. She didn't know if when left for school if she would come home that night to her mother and brother in a their house.
Is your life filled with unrest, turmoil, or anxiety. Whether we are Christ-followers or not we can have times when we are filled with one or all of these emotions. Last Sunday, the husband of a very dear friend experienced extreme weakness to the point, a neighbor had to assist him into the house and into bed. He has lymphnomic cancer on top of having Alzeheimers. She called to ask for prayer. Her husband was hospitalized later that night. During the next two days he received a blood transfusion and had tests to determine the cause of the bleeding. During this time she could have been filled with complete unrest, extreme turmoil, and experienced extreme anxiety but none of this occurred. Why? Because she knew God was in control. Her Savior had told her "Peace I leave with you, My Peace I give to you. Don't let your heart be troubled and do not be afraid." She believed Him. Last night, she brought her husband home from the hospital with no new complications.
Beth Moore in her study "Believing God" tells us "God is who He says He is and God can do what He says He can do?" This Peace, God's Peace, is available to everyone 24/7. All you have to do is believe God is who He says He is and believe God can do what He says He can do. It truly is as easy as that.