But I Said It All In Fun...

There is something that I have begun to notice in the last year or so, and am starting to take note of more and more. This is something that I need to correct in my life, but then it may need correction in yours as well, so read on. It's this thing of people hurting each other with their words, all in the name of a little bit of fun. What I mean is, we say hurtful things to others, in such a way that we mean to be playful, but in reality ends up hurting the other person, even though they refuse to show it.

Of course when we do this, we say, "Oh, I didn't mean anything by that, I'm just having a bit of fun." And that may in fact be true, but what does it say about our character as Christians? I mean, didn't Jesus say that people would know that we are His disciples because we have love one to another? (John 13:35)

I have made the statement for years, that if I don't hassle you, then it means that I don't like you. I'm beginning to re-think that now. I mean, could I have been doing damage all these years, thinking that it is all in jest, and that has somehow caused people more harm, and inadvertently I have been helping the enemy to hinder my brothers and sisters in Christ?

Now, please understand me here, I'm not trying to place a list of do's and don'ts in front of you, that is not how the grace of God works. But take just a minute and think about it, have your words been full of grace to those that hear them? Or have they been more condescending, snarky and judgmental?

As I read in Ephesians 4 this morning I came across this passage of Scripture. Let's look at it in the Amplified Translation:

²⁹Let no foul or polluting language, nor evil word nor unwholesome or worthless talk [ever] come out of your mouth, but only such [speech] as is good and beneficial to the spiritual progress of others, as is fitting to the need and the occasion, that it may be a blessing and give grace (God's favor) to those who hear it.

³⁰And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God [do not offend or vex or sadden Him], by Whom you were sealed (marked, branded as God's own, secured) for the day of redemption (of final deliverance through Christ from evil and the consequences of sin).

³¹Let all bitterness and indignation and wrath (passion, rage, bad temper) and resentment (anger, animosity) and quarreling (brawling, clamor, contention) and slander (evil-speaking, abusive or blasphemous language) be banished from you, with all malice (spite, ill will, or baseness of any kind).

³²And become useful and helpful and kind to one another, tenderhearted (compassionate, understanding, loving-hearted), forgiving one another [readily and freely], as God in Christ forgave you.

This is stout language to us isn't it? I mean it seems pretty clear to me here that the Holy Spirit is showing us something that is important, it is important enough that He mentions the use of our words several times. In verse 27 of that passage, it also says,

27 Leave no [such] room or foothold for the devil [give no opportunity to him].

We are told not to give a foothold for the devil to use, to give him no opportunity to either a) use your words against you or b) to use your words against others. If we say something in a joking manner, even "IF" we are truly joking, the enemy can take the words that we speak and twist them in the hearing of the person that hears them into something else. You know this to be true, because we've all had that happen to us at one time or another in our lives.

I am seeing today that it is vital not only what we say to others, but how we say things to them as well. I am going to begin to ask myself, "Self, how would you feel if someone said that to you?" If I don't like the answer, then I'll change what I'll say. This may mean that you will not hear me say as much, but then a fool is counted as a wise man when he holds his tongue. (Proverbs 17:28)

Well, there's that. Let's get 'em up folks and go out and be a blessing for the Kingdom today!

Demoralization

There is this little insidious tool that the enemy has in his arsenal that he likes to use against believers. I have experienced this to a certain degree in the last few months and I can tell you that it is subtle and creeps up on you like a snake in tall grass. It's called "demoralization" and it can kill you if you let it. The definition for demoralization is, to undermine the confidence or morale of; dishearten. Let me explain what I mean with an example from my own life.

As you know if you have read my blog for any length of time, I am a Christian, a born again believer in Jesus Christ. This does not mean that my life is without challenges, not at all. Every life has its share of them, so to think that just because I'm a Christian will exempt me from problems is just not true. I have been walking with the Lord for a long time now, and I had, while I was in the shower yesterday this thought, (While coughing and hacking up a lung.) "Oh come on, are you kidding me? I'm going to have congestion and the mucus fun now? What the heck? It's just one thing after another!" And then my heart sank within me.

I'm no novice at this Christianity thing, I may not be a father in the faith yet, but I'm no novice. I realize that the rain falls on the just and the unjust, (Matthew 5:45) but for some reason I felt demoralized standing there in the shower. It seemed as if everything that I had ever wanted to do for the Lord was slipping through my fingers like the soap bubbles off of my body. I wanted to scream, I wanted to cry, and I wanted to whine a little bit. (Yes, you heard my correctly, I wanted to whine.) I finished getting ready for church and my bride, daughter and I left to go meet with our brothers and sisters in Christ.

We attended both services yesterday and I am so glad that we did. The first service was good, and my friend Daniel Shirley brought forth a strong word from the Lord about how the stone had been rolled away and that we should stop living under the law, and live under the grace that Jesus purchased for us. But it was during the second service, while Daniel was preaching that he made a comment about something my Pastor David Emigh had taught him. He said, "Preparation time is never wasted time, unless you waste it." And that made me sit up and take notice.

For a while now, I've been trying to understand the movings of the Spirit of God in my heart. There is something on the horizon for me and my family, but I'm not quite sure as to what it is. I've been searching, and asking but as of yet it is still a little hazy, the clarity has not come yet. And while I await the clarity, it seems that there has been one thing after another that has assaulted my heart for quite some time now. The death of my son, business appearing to not go as well as it used to and my not knowing where it is that God is leading me and my family right at this moment, and yesterday the fact that God's provision for my health was not where I wanted it to be. All of these things have been sucking the life out of me, and the real problem is that I have allowed them to.

You see here in lies the problem, it's not really the subtle attacks of the enemy that are major issue, it's the response that we give to them. The Bible teaches that the power of life and death are in our tongues (Deuteronomy 30:19). So when the attacks come, what are "WE" doing with them? Do we take a que sara, sara, whatever will be will be attitude? Or do we look a little closer into God's Word and find out what His provisions are for the thing we find ourselves in and take action?

Daniel and I were talking last night at dinner and he made the comment to me that after the sixth day, God quit creating. He put His creative power in mankind, and it is now up to us to create using our mouths. We really do have what we say, so what we need to be saying is what God's Word says about our situations, and not what we feel like saying. I've heard people say quit telling God how big your mountain (challenges) is, and tell the mountain how big your God is. And if we'll do that, then the weapon of demoralization will not have any effect on our lives.

Okay, so there's that...get 'em up folks, let's go out and whip something for the Kingdom today!

The Responsibility Belongs To Us, The Individual Believer

This morning I was reading in Ephesians 4:1-16 and the Holy Spirit did that "highlighting" thing again. I saw in verse 1 that Paul assumes that we each have a calling that is given to us by Jesus, the gift is found in verse 8. What that is specifically you need to take time with the Father and find out, it will be different for each of us.

Paul then goes on to tell us that we need to be completely humble and gentle; to be patient, bearing with one another in love. Or in David's vernacular, "using love, put up with one another". He then goes on to tell the disciples (us) to make every effort to stay in the unity through the bond of peace. Now what I really find interesting about this point is that he tells "us" not them to make every effort. That tells me that it will be opposed, but that I need to be the one to make the attempt, and stop waiting on others.

How often do we see people that perhaps drain us emotionally, or just kind of get under our skin? I know that it happens to me, so it must happen to you as well, if you will actually admit it. My first thoughts are usually to go the other way, try not to make eye contact, or if I do end up having a conversation with this person, I try to minimize it as much as possible. That's not what I see that Paul is telling me to do here. I need to make the effort to keep the peace, and to make the other person feel good about themselves.

In verse 11 Paul talks about the five-fold ministry gifts; the apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor and teacher. These five gifts were given to the body of Christ so that it (the body of Christ) might be built up and reach the unity in the faith, and knowledge of the Son of God. To become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Basically what that means is that these five gifts to the body are there to help the body grow.

They are not to grow the body, what I mean is that it is not the job of the five-fold ministry to be the only people that are witnessing about the Lord Jesus Christ and making disciples. They should do that on a personal level yes, but as a part of the five-fold gifting that God has given us they are to help us (the body of Christ) to grow into what we are supposed to be doing; leading people to the Lord and making disciples.

What I've seen for too long is church members trying to get people to come to church in the hopes that when they come, the pastor or one of the other staff members can lead them to the Lord. I don't discount the fact that we should be inviting people to church, or that we shouldn't have altar calls at our church services, but that is not the main way that people come to know Jesus.

Jesus told us to go and make disciples. A lot of people will say, yes Jesus did say that, but He was telling the apostles to go and do that. And that is where the enemy has had us as believers for years. Letting us think that it was the job of the church staff to take care of this and not ours. We are called sheep and the pastors are called shepherds, sheep recreate sheep, not shepherds. What shepherds do is protect the sheep from wolves and make sure that they are fed and taken care of, sounds a little bit like what the five-fold ministry is for huh?

So I submit to you the reader, that if we are not seeing our church families grow then perhaps we need to take a look at ourselves instead of our leadership, and ask ourselves if we are in fact doing everything that we can to make disciples. Are we forming relationships and using the gift that God has placed inside of us to win the lost? If your answer is no, then maybe it's time for you to start. And if you don't know how, then ask the leadership at your church, and hey here's a novel idea, why don't we ask God? After all I'm pretty sure He knows what to do.

Well there's that folks, get 'em up, let's go whip something for the Kingdom today!

What Is Memorial Day Anyway?

On the last Monday in May ever since I can remember we have celebrated Memorial Day. It usually means a day off of work, or a long weekend for many. Oh, I know any more it has become just another holiday to spend time with friends and loved ones. It is typically hailed as the first cookout of summer, a time to break out the boat and camping gear and go party.

But do you really know what Memorial Day is for real? Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation's service. What that means, is that we, as a country have set aside one day out of our year where we remember all of those men and women who have died serving their country.

Now I don't want to be a downer, but how have we taken this day which is set aside to remember all of our fallen soldiers and turned it into a holiday to be celebrated around hot dogs and visits to the lake? That cheapens it for those families of the soldiers we are supposed to be remembering doesn't it?

I'm not telling you to stop your weekend celebrations, not at all, but I would like to encourage you to stop for just a moment and give thanks to God for the sacrifice of all of the men and women who have died serving their country. Who's sacrifice without, we might not have the freedom to celebrate with hot dogs and lake visits.

Let's remember our fallen soldiers and be safe this holiday weekend.

I Love The Smell Of Hash Browns In The Morning

I have been awake now for one hour, and this morning when I got out of bed I was famished. This happens sometimes when I eat right before going to bed the night before. So in an unusual manner and different than my usual morning routine, I turned on the oven and put in some frozen hash browns to eat.

A short while later, I went to pour myself another cup of coffee and walked past the oven to check the timer and see how much longer I would have to wait until those golden brown potatoes would be ready and saw that I had ten more minutes to wait. "What?!?" I thought. "How can that be, it feels like it's been an hour already!"

Have you ever noticed that when you're hungry and cooking some food that time just sort of stands still? I know the law of physics state that only fifteen minutes has indeed passed, but in my mind it seems like it has been longer. And none of this is helping that gnawing, rumbling sensation that is going on in my stomach.

How often does that happen to you spiritually? Just as our flesh cries out for sustenance, so does our spirit man. Only I don't have the sensation in my spirit that tells me to eat something like I do in my flesh. I mean if my spirit man cried out as loudly as my flesh did, I'd probably do more to feed him don't you think? How about you? Does your spirit man cry out for you to feed him or her?

Most people will feed their flesh three square meals a day, not to mention snacks, but when it comes to their spirit, they will only feed it a couple of cold snacks a week. And why is that do you suppose? What makes us spend more time on our flesh than on our spirit, even when we know that it is out of our spirits where the issues of life flow?

It can't be a lack of teaching, for most that is, because this generation is probably the most well taught generation of Christians there has ever been. Is it because as the news purports, that we as a people are just selfish? No, I don't believe that is it because we see people helping out when there are major disasters around the country. What I think the cause of this is, is the lack of discipleship.

Are you truly a disciple of the Lord Jesus? Do you spend time, on your own studying the Scriptures and spending time with the Lord daily? Or do you just go to church, expecting that the staff there will teach you all that you need to know in order to become a spiritual giant? That just won't happen. Going to church, while a good thing to do and we should, is not where we are truly discipled.

Remember what Paul said to Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:15, "Study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman who needs not be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth." That Scripture tells me that there is something that I need to be doing in my own spiritual life. What is God speaking to your heart? What areas of your life is He wanting to help you make changes? Are you even hearing His voice? These are things that we learn by actually having a relationship with the Father God, and that is what makes us disciples.

So how about some spiritual hash browns? Let's feed our spirits daily, just like we feed our flesh. Take the next thirty days and make a new habit for yourself, one of reading God's Word and listening for Him to show you things to come, and studying the Word for yourself. In doing so, I believe that your spirit man will begin to hunger after the things of God more and more. So get 'em up folks, and let's go whip something for the Kingdom today!

The Kingdom of Heaven Is At Hand and Heaven, Are They Different?

Jesus made the following statement while He was on the Earth, "The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand." Now I think that anytime you see Jesus say something, then it probably is something that we should take note of. But I think this statement gets caught up in the religiosity of the Christian community and takes on something other than what Jesus perhaps meant.

Here is what I mean, Jesus says, "The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand." and we hear, "Everything you will ever need you will have in Heaven." You've heard it said, and maybe even said it yourself to friends, family members and co-workers that are not born again, "Don't you want to get saved so you can go to Heaven?" (And yes, I too have used that lame line to try and win someone to the Lord. Father forgive me for misrepresenting You in that way.)

Yes I believe that if you die, and have been born again you will go to Heaven, but I don't believe for a minute anymore that that is the end all of what Jesus purchased for us with His death, burial, resurrection and ascension. Everything that Jesus did, He did for us here on Earth. He came to return us to the original design. (That would be Adam & Eve in the Garden with a personal relationship with God the Father.) Yet, we cheapen it for so many people when all we try and do is get them saved without telling them what the real purpose is for that.

We were designed to have fellowship with the Father, Son & Holy Spirit, that is God's original idea. But because of the sin of Adam and Eve we fell, and that relationship was cut off. God sent Jesus to die for us, in our place, for the punishment of that sin so that we could return to the fellowship that God had desired in the first place. But until we actually accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we cannot be a part of that.

Look at Luke 4:17 -1 9: And there was delivered to Jesus the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord." And then He sat down and said, "Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your ears."

Jesus told the people there that this is why He had come, to bring the Kingdom of Heaven to Earth. We have everything that we need right now, are you poor, the Kingdom can make you rich; are you brokenhearted? Jesus was sent to heal your broken heart. Are you bound, then deliverance is yours. Can you not see (Either for real or spiritually?), then you can recover your sight. He has brought us liberty, and the year of jubilee, which when it happened meant you get all your stuff back! Hallelujah! That's good news.

So this whole thing is for the here and now, not in the by and by. We can have all of our needs met, whatever they are in the here and now, if we will just believe and act in faith. I don't know about you, but that makes me want to do a little happy dance. (Something I took time to do just now.) I am getting excited about my future, it is a bright one, and I will be operating in the Kingdom of God today, not when I get to Heaven, how about you?

Get 'em up folks, let's go out and whip something for the Kingdom of God today!

Discipline and Children

Last night while at church, I was talking with a friend that was in from out of town when I noticed that she was carrying a freshly made wooden paddle. I asked her if a man in my church had made that for her, and she said, "Yes he did."

My bride and I are no strangers to the wooden paddle, we've actually owned somewhere in the neighborhood of six to ten of them over the years. We've owned that many because I'm pretty sure that my son Noah had thrown a lot of them in the trash when we weren't looking. We did finally get smart and start keeping the paddle up high where our kids couldn't reach them.

I will say that for us, we believe in the use of corporal punishment as a way of training children. We do not believe in abusing children, and while I won't say we never disciplined our children when we were angry, we did our very best when we had to spank them to always do so in a loving and controlled manner.

I know that there are those who say that if you spank your children, you will only teach them that hitting is okay. And I would agree with that assessment to a certain degree, let me explain. If you are spanking your child without some ground rules, then you may very well be causing more harm than good. Let's take a look at some of the basic points in disciplining your child with a paddle, then we will break each of them down specifically.

1. Never spank your child for an offense that you haven't first explained to them.
2. Never spank your child when you are angry.
3. Never spank your child using your hand. (Hands are made for holding and loving your child, not hitting.)
4. Never spank your child and then just walk away. Always love on them afterwards.

Let me explain number 1, your house should have a set of rules that your children obey. They need to be age specific, that is don't make them too hard for your kids to understand, keep them simple. Things like, obey instantly, don't fight with your brothers or sisters and respect your parents. Explain these things to your kids, and tell them what the consequences are if they don't. Then the first time that they break one of the rules, sit them down and explain to them once more, making them repeat back to you what the rule is.

After that, when they break the rules, you talk to them, explaining what they've done wrong and have them repeat back to you what they did wrong (So that you know that they understand.) and then you give them a couple of swats on their butt (This is where the discipline should happen, not their face, arms, legs or anywhere else, just their butt.)

Now, for number 2, you should never discipline your child while you're angry. I know that from time to time it will happen, but you should do everything in your power to remain calm while you are doling out their punishment. It's not easy, but it can be done. If you need to take a minute and calm yourself down, do that, then proceed with the punishment. Remember, the reason you are punishing your child is to help them learn to replace the bad behavior with the good. And this won't happen if you are angry.

Number 3, never ever spank your children with your hands. In our home, we taught our kids to fear the paddle, not their parents. We love our children, as I'm sure that you love yours. We wanted to keep the relationship, (And parenting is all about relationships.) and not have our children fearing us. I have seen too many children recoil when their parents reach out for them with outstretched arms, and that is never good. Always remember we are to love our kids, and part of that comes from disciplining them, but in the right way.

Having the correct tool will help in this too. I don't like belts, switches or anything like that, what we used was a half inch thick, twelve inch long solid wooden paddle to get the point across to our children, and it works. I mentioned this before, but it bears mentioning again, when you are paddling your child, do so on their butt. That is the one area that God made us able to take this form of punishment. Also, when you are administering the spanking, do so that it leaves an impression but not a bruise. If you are bruising your children, then you are doing it incorrectly. In the state of Oklahoma (Where I live.) it is actually a misdemeanor offense to leave a bruise.

And number 4; once you've talked with your child to make sure they understand why they are getting a spanking, you've made sure that you are not angry while administering the punishment and you then have paddled their butt, be sure that you love on them. What we always did with our kids was give them a couple of minutes to cry it out (After all if they aren't crying then it didn't hurt and you didn't do your job right.) then we would have them come to us, we'd dry their tears and together we would pray and ask God to forgive them for what they had done wrong. After that we would love on our kids which let them know that we loved them so much.

Spanking, when done correctly takes about five minutes and helps to train the child in making the adjustments necessary so that they can become the productive member of society that they need to be. And if this is begun when they are little, then by the age of 8 - 10 you usually will find that you won't have to be spanking much at all. I've heard just about every argument against spanking a child, but none of them lead children where they need to go as well as using a paddle and following a designated plan. Well, there's that, remember be your kid's friend, but also their parents, because they need you as a parent now, the friendship will come later.

Hope Springs Eternal

"Hope springs eternal." I've heard this phrase for most of my life, but it wasn't until I encountered it at home with my dog the other day that I actually realized the true meaning behind it. We've got this little dog, her name is Midge and she is a Corgi / Yorkie mix. She actually belongs to my daughter and sleeps in her room, but I love her more than I ever thought I would.

Midge loves to play fetch, and when I mean she loves to play fetch, I mean she really loves it. She will chase after anything you throw, and she's quick to run after it and bring it back to you so that you can throw it again. (She's getting better at actually bringing it back to me, I used to have to get up and go get the object, now she lays it at my feet.) And even if I don't want to play fetch, she will bring things and lay them at my feet anyway, and begin the ritual of nudging my foot, or blowing air out of her nose in an attempt to get my attention. It's actually part of the game, and I thoroughly enjoy watching her try to get me to play.

We are still working on getting her outside to use the restroom instead of under my daughter's bed (Midge's preferred place to go do her business.) and when we go to take her outside, we will open the front door and say, "Come on Midge, let's go outside and go to the bathroom." (And yes, she is smart enough to understand what we are saying.) The funny thing is that Midge will not go outside if you just stand there and hold the door open for her, she will actually wait until we step out on the front porch too.

What I find really interesting, and this is where the phrase "Hope springs eternal" comes into play, is the fact that once we've stepped out onto the porch, Midge runs through the doorway fully expecting to go and play every time, even though we turn and go right back into the house. She fully believes that we are going to go with her and play her game.

This is where I want to be in my life. Where I fully expect and have hope that what I want to have happen, will happen each and every time regardless of whether or not it actually does. As humans I think that we have a tendency to give up too easily. If we don't see what we desire happen quickly, then we think it won't happen at all. We throw in the towel so fast, and I believe that often we quit right before seeing the very thing that we are desiring. I know that this has happened in my life way too many times.

I don't know if dogs can actually think, or have the capacity to know what's really going on around them, but I know this one thing, my little dog has me beat in the area of expectation and hope, even though probably 90 percent of the time it doesn't come to pass for her. I would have never thought I'd be looking to a dog to help me grow as a person, but I hope that I can grow in and have hope like she does.

Well there's that folks, get 'em up, let's go whip something for the Kingdom of God today!

Settling Accounts, King David & The Godfather

One of my favorite movies is The Godfather. It is a dark tale about the mafia and the nefarious underworld in which they live true, but the thing that I love about this movie is not that, but the story Mario Puzo and Francis Ford Coppola tell about the family.

What I found interesting this morning as I was reading in 1 Kings 2 about the death of King David and his final words to his son Solomon, was a parallel I'd never seen before. King David instructs his son to remain close to God, to follow in all of His ways, and to stay true to the law of Moses with all of his heart and soul, so that there will always be someone from the house of David sitting on the throne of Israel.

But then in verse 5 David says, "And there is something else..." and he begins to talk about some of the men who had caused problems for him. He tells Solomon to, "Do what you think is best." As I was reading this, a scene from the Godfather came to mind. Michael Corleone and his father are sitting in the garden talking about things that are to come in the very near future.

VITO CORLEONE:

So - Barzini will move against you first. He'll set up a meeting with someone that you absolutely trust - guaranteeing your safety. And at that meeting, you'll be assassinated.

(Later) Now listen - whoever comes to you with this Barzini meeting - he's the traitor don't forget that.

Then after the death of his father, Michael Corleone proceeds to take out the heads of the five families. It was an interesting thing for me this morning to see King David as an old man telling his son what to do after he was gone, and Vito Corleone instructing his son Michael in very much the same manner. Two powerful men, settling accounts with men who had done their fathers wrong.

Who would have ever thought that I would have seen something from the Bible like that in the movie The Godfather? Strange I know, but then strange is what works for me. Well there's that...strength and honor....

What Movies Do You Love, And Why?

There is one thing that I have always loved, and that is movies. And I don't just like some movies, I like them all; action, science fiction, dramas, comedy, chick flicks, you name it I like it. What I really enjoy the most about them are the stories that they tell, and movies are the easiest way for me to enjoy stories. Don't get me wrong, I love to read a good book as well, but it may take me three to four weeks to finish one and if I watch a movie I can get most of the same information and entertainment in just a few hours of my time.

"Once upon a time", is one of the best phrases that has ever been written down on a page. There is just something about those four simple words that are full of wonder and adventure. And unless you read past them you never get to know how the story goes. And after all, who doesn't love a good story? Story is written on our souls, it's the way we relate to everything and everyone isn't it? I mean, when you sit down to a meal with friends, do you interact with math equations, or filling out forms? No. When you sit down with friends to enjoy a meal, there is always conversations and stories about what has been going on with each

person.

The thing that I really love about movies are what I call the "teachable moments". These to me are the things in a movie that can teach me something about how I should live my life. When my kids were little and we would watch The Lord of the Rings, there is a part of the movie where Samwise Gamgee runs off into the river to chase Frodo Baggins to continue the journey to Mordor, even though Frodo has decided to travel on alone.

Every time we would watch this movie together, I would pause the

DVD at this scene and tell the kids about how Hobbits were suppose to be afraid of water, and that they could not swim very well because they just tended to sink. And that when you see Samwise willing to go to his death rather than leave Frodo alone to his quest, that is what a real friend would do. I would tell them if they were fortunate enough to have one friend like that in their lives they would be blessed for sure.

Movies have truly played a huge part of helping me to become the man that I am. I understand things about myself because of scenes that I have watched being played out in front of my eyes. And I have in turn, used those same scenes to then teach others what I have learned. Movies are more than just entertainment for me, they are a tool that is used to make me a better person. So how about you? What movies do you love, and why? What do they teach you?

Okay, so there's that, let's go learn about ourselves so that we can in turn help others.

What Is God Showing You?

I read this book called Real-Life Discipleship the other day, and it sparked my thinking about some things that we as Christians do in our walk with the Lord. One of the main things I wondered about is how much do people in my church study the Scriptures for themselves. We are told to "study to show ourselves approved" (2 Timothy 2:15) but I wonder just how many of us do that?

I have been amazed over the years at the people that I have known, that seem to be standing still in their Christian walk. I'm not judging them, I just wonder how it is that they think some of the things that they do, and actually do some of the things that they do. And understand me, I'm not perfect, not by a long shot, but I am concerned about why people don't seem to grow in following the Lord.

I think one of the reasons that so many people struggle is because they are not searching out the Scriptures for themselves. Oh, they go to church, maybe even on Sundays and Wednesdays, but never seem to grow much past their initial salvation experience. The one thing that I have learned is that if I wait for the pastoral staff at the church to teach me everything that I need to know about God and His Kingdom, I'm not going to grow very much. This is not to say that my pastoral staff isn't a good one, not at all they're the tops, but I can't just expect them to be the only way that I can learn from God.

After all God is about relationships, He wants to have a personal relationship with each and every one of us, and in that we will learn from Him. He longs to show us things, and teach us, if we'll let Him. And yes, that does come from a corporate church setting too, it's just not the only way that He teaches us. I mean who would you rather learn from, the man or woman who is an instructor or the person who created you and everything around you?

When I worked in Children's Church, it always amazed me the parents who would bring their kids to us on Sunday mornings and wanted us to turn them into spiritual giants. Never mind that the parents never prayed with their kids, or taught them Bible stories. They just thought their kids would get it by osmosis I guess. These types of parents are also the ones who think that their kids will learn everything at school, because after all isn't that the teachers job?

We have to study on our own, and besides if we have the Holy Spirit who Jesus said would teach us all things, then there is an untapped resource that many people are not using. I for one would hate to stand before God one day and have to answer for what I learned about His Kingdom and say, "Well I went to church on Sundays and Wednesdays the Pastor just didn't teach me everything." I don't think that will go over very well with God, do you?

So crack open your Bible and begin to read it. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you things, believing that He will and before long you will be learning all about God's Kingdom. The really cool thing is when God has been showing you things out of the Bible and you go to church and the Pastor is talking about the things that God has already showed you, that's pretty awesome!

So crack the book, and let's learn about God from God too...Shalom!

Shut Your Mouth!

There is an interesting story about John the Baptist's dad Zechariah found in the book of Luke 1. As he was burning incense in the temple, an angel of God appeared to him, telling him that his wife Elizabeth was going to bear a son, and then gave him instructions about the things that John was to do and not do.

The angel was Gabriel, and he tells Zechariah that his prayer has been answered and that he will have a son. Wow, that's cool, how would you like to get the answer for your prayer delivered by Gabriel? Anyway, Zechariah listens to what Gabriel is telling him, then answers him by saying, "How can I be sure of this? I am an old man, and my wife is along in age." It is at this point that Gabriel says, "I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their appointed time."

Zechariah did what a lot of us do, he chose not to believe the Word of God and what it was saying to him. He did not believe Gabriel's words, and consequently was mute until the time of John's birth. We have a choice just like Zechariah did, each and every time God shows us something in the Bible. We can either choose to believe it or not believe it. The only difference is that we don't have an angel shutting our mouths to keep us from speaking words of doubt and unbelief.

The Kingdom of God works on this principle; you believe it, and speak it and it will come to pass. In Romans 10:9 - 10 we see that if we confess with our mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in our hearts that God raised Him from the dead, we will be saved. Because it is by believing in our hearts that we are made right with God, and it is by confessing with our mouths that we are saved. This is how everything works in the Kingdom of God, we believe in our hearts and confess with our mouths and we will have what we say.

The interesting thing is that people want to put everything off on God, and the reason they don't have what they desire is because it is just not His will for their life. The thing that really bothers me about this line of reasoning, is that they don't understand what His will is for their life, and if they don't get something, or see an answer to a prayer they attribute that to the fact that God must not want them to have it. Never mind what the words are that are coming out of their mouths, that part just doesn't figure into the equation for them.

For instance, let's say that I pray for the Lord to help me out of a financial bind that I've gotten myself into. I see in Scripture that it says that God will supply all of my needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:19) Then after I pray and ask Him to help me, I begin to talk about how hard things are, that the economy is bad, my needs aren't being met and I don't know how we're going to make it. What I have done in effect is basically undo all of my praying and believing. Truthfully if I do that, (And I have to be quite honest with you.) I am not believing what the Scriptures say. And so I am getting what I say, not what I pray.

It is really simple to know God's will for our lives, it's in the Scriptures. We just have to choose to believe it and then act on it with our faith. Remember faith is believing what the Bible says is true contrary to what our five physical senses tell us. We're called believers, because that is what we do, believe. But we can't discount our part in all of this, saying the right things, and not just speaking words of doubt and unbelief.

If we can learn this one thing, I believe we will see huge growth in our spiritual lives...I for one need to learn this better, and that's what I'm going to work on this week, watching what I say! Get 'em up folks, let's go out and whip something for the Kingdom this week!

What If Jesus Did Return Today?

There is a man who has made headlines this week by stating that Jesus will return today at 6PM. (Now I'm not sure what time zone that it will be either, I'm not sure he said that part.) There have been all kinds of comments made about his prediction, and since he also predicted that this would happen in 1994 and it didn't, I don't hold out a lot of hope for him to be correct this time either.

What I have been pondering however is would I do things differently if I actually did know that Jesus was coming back at 6PM tonight? And that answer is yes. I wouldn't be going out and partying and running up credit card debts, I would be doing everything in my power to let as many people as possible know so that they too would be in the catching away of the church.

I probably wouldn't be tempted to waste my time on such trivial things as poor attitudes or withholding love from those who need it. I'm for sure that my last little bit of time here on the planet would be spent in such a way as to bring glory and honor to my Father God, not to heap more hedonistic pleasures on myself.

Why is it then, that I don't do that all the time now? I mean, I'm not a true hedonist in the sense of the word. (Definition: A person who believes that the pursuit of pleasure is the most important thing in life; a pleasure seeker. In case you were unaware of what that means.) But I do believe that we all seek a little pleasure in our lives don't we? I'm not saying that we shouldn't enjoy a little pleasure in our lives once in a while, but are we truly living for God if we spend more time living for ourselves? It's just a thought.

I think I'll spend less time wondering if in fact Jesus will return tonight, and more time on how I can give to those that are around me. Maybe forgo a little pleasure for myself to bring a little joy into the lives of others. So while I don't believe that Jesus will return at 6PM tonight, I think I should start to live like He may. Well there's that...get 'em up folks, we've got a job to do!

Could It Have Been?

Many were the days as a young boy that I spent in the backyard of my parent's home fending off dragons and rescuing fair maidens form evil men of old. Much like Don Quixote's windmill, I had an old, gigantic oak tree that served to feel the brunt of my wrath. Many were the leaves that fell to the ground as dragon's scales slowly giving way to the behemoth's soft underbelly. I always vanquished my foe, and rescued the maiden, yet the beast always returned to challenge me the next day.

One of the saddest days of my life was the day I realized that I really was too old to continue fighting imaginary dragons, and hung up my sword and shield. You may have had a similar experience, where the realization that adulthood was near and you would have to leave all of your childish dreams behind. I hated to leave the nobler days of knighthood behind me; it was one of the toughest things to lose in my childhood. Little did I know that a mere twenty-five years later I would begin to re-visit some of those thoughts and dreams of my youth.

Knights of old have always fascinated me. I don't know if it is the swords, the chain mail or just the ideals they stood for, but I have always found them interesting. I always wanted to be the knight that fought against overwhelming odds, with truth as my shield dispensing righteousness with my sword and triumphing over every evil enemy all the while winning the heart of a fair maiden. Any movie with swords and knights seemed to call to me saying, "Come join us in our noble adventures."

I remember my sword, which in my mind's eye always gleamed with the shine of polished silver with gold inlaid in the handle, but which in reality was made of wood. That sword was my constant companion and I was quick to dispense justice to any brigand who dared behave in any manner unworthy of the crown.

There was a time when I wondered if I had been born into the wrong time, and that maybe I should have been born during the era of knights and kings. Then one day I gave my heart to Jesus Christ and received the free gift of salvation and realized that He had a plan for my life and it could not have been fulfilled during that time period, but had to be in this present day.

As the Spirit of God told Jeremiah, "Before you were formed in your mother's belly I knew you." (Jeremiah 1:5) It was by accepting Jesus as my Lord that I was removed from the kingdom of darkness and placed into the Kingdom of Light. I went from not having a King, to having one in a moment of time.

One of the things that I find curiously odd is that the Holy Spirit moved on James the king of England to have the Bible translated so that all men and women would be able to read God's Word. This was done during the time when knights roamed the European countryside. I mean God could have chosen any time to move upon someone to translate the Bible into a common tongue, why did He choose that time?

Could it be because that what the knights of that time stood for were very similar to the attributes that God wants His men to achieve? After all when God talks about the armor of God in Ephesians, His equipment list is that of a knight's isn't it? (Ephesians 6:10 - 18) This excites me to think that perhaps there is more here than a little boy's fantasy about slaying dragons and saving damsels in distress?

Maybe, just maybe God has a plan for us as men and we were closer to understanding it when we were ten playing in our back yard. Perhaps that wasn't as much playing, as it really was preparation for the lives that He wants us to live, the lives of knights of the realm, His Realm.

Well suit up then men, let's go out and whip something for the Kingdom today!

Are You A Decision Maker Or Just A Decision Planner?

Joyce Meyer's radio show was playing in my truck this morning as I headed to work. I just caught the tail end of her message but there was something that she said that made me begin to examine whether or not I am a decision maker, or just a decision planner. Here's what I mean.

I tend to do a lot of introspective thinking about my life, and when doing that I will often come to realize through the help of the Holy Spirit that there are changes that I need to make in order for some of His plans for my life to come more into view a little bit better. What today's message got me to thinking about was whether or not I actually implement those plans into my walk with the Lord, or rather do I just make plans to do so?

It's as if something is revealed to me and I see the change that needs to be made, yet what I tend to do is begin to lay out the plan for how that change is going to look in my life. I start drawing up spiritual blueprints for the changes that God wants me to make. And while I have always wanted to pretend to be an architect, perhaps named Art Vandalay, God does not need me to be the architect, but the builder. And while making plans is not a bad thing to do, if you don't do anything with those plans that can be a very poor choice.

Now coming to this realization is not one of those "Ah ha!" moments that I really like, because what this tells me is that I have been having the appearance of Godliness but denying the power

thereof. (2 Timothy 3:5) The interesting thing, is that I have thought that I was doing the right thing all along. It appears that the enemy has snuck up on me once more and brought me to a place of not being where I thought I was.

The really cool thing is that 1 John 1:9 is still working, and that the

Holy Spirit revealed this trap of the enemy to me, so now I can begin the work of building what the blueprints say instead of just piling up more and more blueprints on my spiritual table. How about you? Have you made plans, but failed to act on them? Well then, there is hope for you too. Confess your mistake to God (1 John 1:9) and then pick up that blueprint and get to work building. Let's do this folks, get 'em up...we've got an enemy we need to whip, so let's get after it!

The Acts of the Flesh

In reading Galatians 5:19-26 today, Paul listed out the acts of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit. One thing that jumped out at me is that the acts of the flesh are things that you do, while the fruit of the Spirit are things that grow within you. The one is a decision the other is a byproduct of your life. One comes as a decision to go and do whatever we want, while the other comes naturally as we grow in Christ.

As I was thinking about this, I saw that the acts of the flesh are like a vine which grows on anything it can attach itself to. It goes which ever way it desires, and if left alone

will quickly and entirely cover whatever it has chosen as it's host, devouring it in the process. A tree however is different, in that it grows roots deep into the earth, growing for a while before developing its fruit.

And that is what the acts of the flesh are like. If left unchecked, they will cover and totally consume our lives. Think of the man who starts to indulge in just a little pornography, it will not stop there unless he quits at the beginning. If he stays with it, the need for pornography will grow and grow until he finds himself looking at things that are truly heinous. His need has grown to the point that just a little skin won't satisfy him. And it grows so quickly, just like a vine.

While the fruit of the Spirit is something to be developed and cultivated in our lives, much like a real fruit tree. In order for the tree to properly grow and begin to produce fruit it takes time. This is something that most of us don't want in our lives, we want it to happen quickly. We live in this fast paced, give it to me now and let me have it my way society which unfortunately works contrary to the ways of the Kingdom of God.

Not only does it take time for the fruit of the Spirit to grow in our lives, but there is also a pruning that needs to take place in order for the fruit to grow bigger in our lives. Pruning is a cutting away of the branches that are keeping the fruit from developing. And this happens in our spiritual lives as well. God will in fact work on us like a master gardener works on his fruit trees, cutting away the things in our lives that we really don't need and that are keeping us from getting the "Sonlight" that we do need.

This pruning or purging of things in our lives that are not needed is not always pleasant, but it is needful. And if we will allow God to do this for us, we will end up in a much better place, and with much more of the fruit of the Spirit showing. This can seem to be hurtful at times, but just know this, nothing that the Father does in bringing us more like the image of His Son Jesus, is ever a bad thing.

I want to bear the fruit of the Spirit in my life, and not be a vine that just takes and devours all that it has attached itself to, even if there is a little pain in the process of allowing the Lord to do prune me once in a while. Well there it is folks, get 'em up, let's go out and whip something for the Kingdom today!

I'm Tired, Why Won't I Just Go To Bed?

Why is it that on the few occasions that I decide to start a movie late at night, I will force my eyelids to stay open in hopes of actually making it all the way to the end? And even when I decide that I should go on to bed, I just stay up farting around instead of climbing into bed to get the rest that God designed my body to need?

There must be a "stupid gene" that is inside of the male species. That is really the only reason as to why I would still be up even

though as I type this I have one eye closed and the other is watering from the amount of yawning coming out of my mouth. This "stupid gene"is the same one that influences young males to try and jump off of the roof of their parents house to the ground to see if in fact it can be done without a bone being broken. *Note* Flexing your knees at the moment of impact and rolling across the ground will in fact make it much easier to do this without getting hurt or having a broken bone.

Okay it is now 1:30 AM and I have been working on this post for about thirty minutes. Interestingly enough, I'm writing my blog about not going to sleep and taking more time away from said sleep in order to finish this before going to bed. Talk about have a double dose of the "stupid gene" in manifestation right now. Sheesh, I've taken this blogging thing to a whole different level it appears. I must really like writing to be doing this to myself, and I know that in less than six hours when my alarm goes off, I'll be paying for it.

Well, now I am going to have to go to bed, because that eye is closing even as I write this last sentence, and my vision is going blurry from tiredness. So much for this blog folks, maybe tomorrow will be better. I would ask one favor from this posting however, and that is please tell all of your friends to check out my blog, I'm starting to get quite a few readers, and surprisingly enough from all over the world...that's kind of cool too! Thanks for reading, and if you are reading this shortly after I post it, well then get off the computer and go to bed!

Strength and honor for the Kingdom and the King!

I've Got The Joy, Joy, Joy, Joy Down In My Heart

Last night at my church, we experienced a time in the Presence of God unlike the which I've not seen in a while. Our Associate Pastor Chad preached a sermon about joy, and how we as Christians should be the most joyful people on the planet, yet most days if there is any joy in our hearts, we have forgotten to notify our faces.

Joy is not an emotion, it is a fruit of

the Spirit. And as Chad said last night, an orange tree doesn't have to work to produce oranges, they just form naturally. Now there are things that you can do with the orange tree to make it's fruit become larger and more succulent, you can add fertilizer and prune the tree.

And just as it is possible to do that with a natural orange tree, we can also do that to ourselves spiritually. We can add fertilizer to our hearts, through reading God's Word and prayer. We can also do that by helping others when they are in need. As Christians, we are suppose to be faith people, and in last night's service I was made aware of how far from faith I have been lately. There have been things in my life that have brought stress, confusion and strife, and instead of doing what I've learned and been taught all of my Christian life, I just laid down and let the enemy run rough shod over me. Well, no more.

Life is hard, that is a fact. Life is good, and that also is a fact. These two things at times seem to be at odds with each other whenever we try and reconcile the two into our daily lives. See, being a Christian doesn't mean that we float around on flowery beds of ease, not at all. The early day saints had it rough, Roman occupation, being chased out of cities for spreading the truth of Jesus and what He had done. That was definitely not an easy life.

We are instructed in Scripture that it is the joy of the Lord that is our strength. (Nehemiah 8:10) And Jesus told us that in Him, we might have peace or joy. (John 16:33) So joy should be a mainstay staple in the Christian life. I wonder then why it isn't always? It is a choice that we have to make to overlook the things in our lives that cause us to not be joyful, and decide to be joyful in spite of what the circumstances tell us.

This is not always easy, and it appears that this is the thing that the Lord is instructing me in at this point in my life. Now I'm not complaining because I know in the end it will be for the benefit of me and my family. So now I will pick up the joy that is in my heart, which is my strength and I will put it on my face so that those around me can see the fruit of joy begin to blossom in my life.

Strength and honor for the Kingdom and the King!

Did You Hear? Jesus Returns May 21, 2011!

I noticed this morning as I casually glanced at my Yahoo! internet browser a blurb about a rapture party. I didn't think much about it, and truthfully still don't, but I went to the site to read what was up. Apparently there is a man out there who has claimed that Jesus will return as a thief in the night on Saturday 21, 2011 somewhere around 6:00 pm. (I'm not sure it that's Eastern, Central, Mountain or Pacific time, not to mention all the other time zones around the world.)

Now I'm pretty sure that I read where Jesus was quoted in Matthew 24 about the return of the Messiah. (Matthew 24:33 - 44) It really doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what Jesus is saying here either. But just in case you've never read it, or it just doesn't make sense to you, here it is: NO MAN KNOWS THE HOUR, DAY, MONTH, OR YEAR OF JESUS' RETURN! Only the Father in Heaven knows, and he has not shared that information with anyone else, including Jesus. (If we believe what we've read.)

Now with that said, what should our response be as Christians? Nothing. Yes, you heard me correctly. We should do nothing or say nothing in response to this man's comments. Here is where Christians usually get tripped up, we feel the need to expose or to clarify to the world around us that we are not like the person who is making the outrageous statements. Most times, this makes the Christian community look worse. And I think that is what the devil is trying to do, get all of us up in arms about issues that are not that important.

Well, if the opportunity arises and you find yourself in a position of having to defend Christianity, don't. Take the higher road, and let God fight this battle, after all He was big enough to put this whole world and us together, so I figure that this kind of thing hasn't caught Him unaware. I'm pretty sure He didn't say, "Uh, oh!" If asked about the hope that is within you, give the quick and sure answer of your testimony and then follow up by asking them where they stand with the Lord. We were called to make disciples, and that is what we should be doing every day.

Okay folks, let's get 'em up...the enemy has drawn a line in the sand and we need to face off with him...let's whip something for the Kingdom today!

Bilbo Baggins, Super Heroes and Me

I am currently re-reading The Hobbit for the I don't know how manyeth time. (Yes, I am aware that "manyeth" is not a word, but it fit my need for it here.) I love this little book, and no matter how many times I read it I am caught up in the wonder and truly amazing entertainment value of it every time.

I was probably sixteen the first time I read of Bilbo's exploits with the Dwarves and Gandalf. You see I have always loved a good story, and as a kid I was introduced to science fiction and super heroes in comic books too! Something about all of these types of stories just grabs my heart and imagination unlike anything else.

I wasn't the kid that read these imaginary stories and just wished for super powers, no that was never the intrigue for me, not that those powers wouldn't have been cool mind you, that was just not the part of the stories that I gravitated to the most. What always got me, was the sheer unlikeliness of the characters and how fate chose them to carry those powers and what they did with them.

In most stories the hero is not the person that you would expect to come through in the end.

They typically wanted to either stay home or stay out of the limelight. There was the occasional one who wanted a little glory for themselves (Like Peter Parker in Spider Man.) but we would always be a witness to how that choice was the poorest of choices. (Like causing the death of Peter Parker's beloved Uncle Ben.)

The thing that I would see in these stories is how it wasn't the "special" or "popular" people that were usually the ones who became heroes. It was people who were just living their lives and something extraordinary happened which propelled them to the place where they could make a huge difference in the world. And that's what always hooked me. You see one of the things that I want more than anything is to make an impact on the world around me, and I often wonder if in fact that is happening.

These stories helped me to see that anyone can make a difference if they are willing to give it a try. One of the things I love about Bilbo Baggins the most is how he really feels inferior to the Dwarves once the adventure begins, but as he progresses through the journey it is actually he that makes it so that the Dwarves have the ability to make it to the Lonely Mountain. I love that Gandalf saw something in Bilbo that he didn't.

And this is something that the older I get, the more I look for. I am always on the look out for those people in my life that see things in me that I either can't or don't see in myself. Who we are on the inside, and who we "see" on the inside is very important and I am ever so thankful to those who speak into my life in this way. I want to know that at the end of my life I will have been able to have become the person that I was suppose to be. And I am thankful to J.R.R. Tolkien and all the countless other authors who have inspired me through their stories to look to those who can help me become who I am suppose to be.

Well, get 'em up folks, let's go out and whip something for the Kingdom today!

What Is My Life For Anyway?

For the past little while, I have been contemplating what my life is exactly for. As I reach the half-way point in my life (And yes I expect to reach 100.) I find myself asking more and more what is my life for anyway? Am I just to live to work most of my days, reaching the end of my life and be satisfied that I have worked and provided for my family? I know that Scripture teaches that he who doesn't provide for his family is worse than an unbeliever. (1 Timothy 5:8) So I understand that this is a part of it, but there still seems to be something more.

I don't know why there seems to be something more that I want. I mean can't I just be content with what I have? Apparently not, as I am not content at this point in my life. The thing that bothers me about this, is that I want to be content. I'd love to be at a place in my life where I knew that for the next 20 - 30 years I had a plan of what I was going to do in that time.

Following God is hard some days. There I said it. I know there are some people who would counsel me by saying, "You have the Spirit of the living God inside you. You should know each and every day what your next step is." And perhaps that is true, maybe I'm just not being spiritual enough, but many days, I spend wondering what the next step is, even after praying. It seems that a lot of times God is just being quiet.

Rocky (Sylvester Stallone) said it best in the final Rocky movie, when he told his son, "Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain't all sunshine and rainbows. It is a very mean and nasty place and it will beat yo to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it."

This is something I know, and yet I find myself where his son was in the movie; blaming other things for the way that he himself was feeling. For me, it's the economy, my place in God's Kingdom or some days just a plain old why? This is the part of me that becomes melancholy and wants to withdraw from society and that I know is wrong. So I stand against the enemy and his attacks against my soul, and yet wonder if all of my questioning are really just attacks, or if there is some truth behind some of my questions.

Part of this could just be the changes that are taking place in my home, what with the graduation of my son and him soon going off to continue his life's journey which will lead him away from home. My daughter is soon to have more freedom afforded to her as she gets a car and her driver's licence. My babies are growing up, and they no longer need me for the things that they used to, and that in itself is probably part of my problem, that feeling of insignificance. Which leads back to the question what is my life for anyway?

The definition of insignificant is: lacking meaning or importance, not worth considering, lacking influence. Am I just afraid that I am becoming insignificant in my life? That the roles I am playing at this point in my life are having less impact on the world around me? What is in this Lord? Why does this bother me, and what are You trying to show me through this revelation? Could it be that because my impact on the world is now changing to a different area that it is causing this feeling of insignificance? That could be a possibility, I'll have to pray through that a little bit more today.

So as you can see, life for old Dave isn't always sunshine and roses, and that doesn't mean that I can't ask questions about myself either. I think one of the best ways to find out where you are, is to ask yourself hard questions and to seek the answers with the Father in prayer. What I don't want to do is find myself at a point in my life where I am doing the same old thing, never even taking the time to ask if I'm doing the right thing. Well there's that, get 'em up folks, let's go out and whip something for the Kingdom today!

A Study in Grace Versus the Law

Last night my son Micah and I were in the living room flipping channels on the television when we came across the movie Les Miserables. Until seeing a couple of scenes from this movie at one of John Eldredge's boot camps in 2008, I had never seen the movie or the musical. I have

since seen the movie dozens of times, and still await the return of the musical to our local theater. I will be taking my family to see it when it finally returns to Tulsa or Oklahoma City.

I think one of the things that I so love about this story is the differences between two of the main characters, Jean Valjean and Inspector Javert. One is a study in grace, and how that it can remake a man into something more than he ever thought. The other is a study about the absolute rule of law, and how that leads a man to his demise. There is something of both men in each and every one of us I believe, and much we can learn from both men.

In the story you can see such a difference in the men's approach to life. Even while hiding in Paris, Valjean continues to do good works to those less fortunate in the community. Javert on the other hand is the personification of a man whose entire identity comes from what he does. He is so blinded by his need for order that he cannot see past his duty, and show mercy in any form.

I am amazed every time I watch this movie, at how different these two men are, yet at some level they are very similar. I often wonder what they could have accomplished had they been able to get past their differences and work together. And as with all movies, I am able to see a little bit of me in both of these characters. I can be rigid and strict when it comes to things that I refuse to bend on. And I can show mercy to those less fortunate than myself.

It's interesting, it is like these are two sides of a coin, grace and mercy on one side, and the rule of law on the other. I flip this imaginary coin in every situation I encounter, some times being merciful and others not. This is not to say that I am a callous or heartless person, it is just the two sides of my personality that I endure on a daily basis. What I am trying to learn, is to not flip the coin, and just let the merciful part of me shine forth. It is a battle let me tell you. For whom much is forgiven, much is required as the saying goes.

I'm reminded of that story Jesus told in Scripture about the man who was called into his boss's office and told he would have to settle his accounts. He begged his employer for mercy, saying that he would pay all if he was given more time. The boss forgave his considerable debt, and all was forgiven. Later that day, the man who was forgiven the great debt, came upon a man who owed him a little bit of money, and he demanded that he be repaid. This man did likewise, and begged for mercy, yet instead of showing mercy, he had the man put into debtor's prison. When the boss heard what had happened, he confronted the man and in the end put him into debtor's prison along with his entire family, until the entire debt was paid. (Matthew 18:23 - 35)

I don't want to be like that man, so focused on what is going on in my own world that I cannot be any good to those around me. I want to be like Javert when it comes to confronting the devil and his workers of iniquity, but like Valjean, full of mercy and compassion on those less fortunate than myself. It's a great story, with a great many things to learn from. So get 'em up folks, let's go out and whip something for the Kingdom today!

A Psychological Case Study In Shoes

I sell the Nike Shox in my shoe store. And because of the popularity of them, we have to take the left shoes out of the boxes and put them on a shelf which is about 7 - 8 feet off the ground. What I find interesting is that without fail, when someone enters my store, and they see the Shox on that high shelf, they will always try to reach up and grab those left shoes to see what they are. When that happens, I always lead the customers to where we have all the Shox displayed and they are a little easier to reach, but without fail the customer will always end up back at the high shelf trying to see which shoes are there.

It has finally just become funny to me, I don't know why exactly they feel the need to see and touch those left shoes. It's almost as if they think I am hiding the best stuff from them. And that is what I really think is funny. This is a retail shoe store after all, we make our money by selling the shoes to people. How good of a merchant would I be if I hid the merchandise from my customer's view? I'd have to be a pretty bad one actually.

There must be some psychological thing to this. You know, kind of like when our parents told us that we didn't need to know something as a child, we would continue to pester them until they either told us, or we ended up getting into trouble for it. Why is that do you wonder? I'm sure that if I had taken a psychology class in college we probably would have discussed it and I'd know the answer. As for now, I'll just keep steering people towards the easier to reach display shoes and chuckling to myself when they go back to those on the higher shelf.

Life is interesting, and you never know what you're gonna get...I like that I think!

Look Mommy, Look!

Have you ever had one of those profound moments in life? You know, some call it having an epiphany, others a revelation from God. For me it came sitting outside on my porch with a cup of coffee in my hand.

I was enjoying the Presence of my Father, taking in the cool morning and watching the various animals on a parade of His glory, all the while thinking about myself and what is going on in my life right at this time. You know those times when you begin to evaluate where you are at, and why you are where you are, that kind of thing.

In my thinking, I was reminded of something that I learned about myself many years ago, and that is how as a child I was always looking for affirmation that I was a good boy, that things I did mattered. The really funny thing is that I will be forty-eight later this year, and it dawned on me that I am still looking for that affirmation. I basically am still saying, Look Mommy, look what I've done!" It just kind of snuck up on me too.

The only problem with that, (And I might add I thought I had dealt with this part of my childhood and put it behind me.) is that when you are looking to others for affirmation that you are doing a good job, if you don't receive the praise that you are wanting it leaves you feeling like less than the person you were hoping you were. And in that, you begin a downward spiral that never leads you anywhere good.

As I sat there on my porch thinking about that, I thought, "Where is this coming from? Why now Lord?" I think we all have this need to know that who we are is important, and that we are making a difference in our world. Yet when we come up short, it's almost as if it seems that we are unimportant, or the impact that we are making on the world isn't worth much. Of course that isn't true. And unlike George Bailey in "It's a Wonderful Life", we may never know just how large of an impact we've made on others.

Now, does this mean just because the Lord has revealed this to me that this is over in my life? No. As I stated earlier, I thought I had resolved this issue years ago. Looks like there is still a residual part of it there in my soul that needs attention. Affirmation in itself is not the problem, we all need to be affirmed, heck even God the Father affirmed Jesus on the day of His baptism. "This is my Son in whom I am well pleased." (Matthew 3:17) It's the "need" for affirmation that I need to work on, so I guess I will.

I need to work on it, because the "need" for affirmation means that I am placing on those around me this hope that they will meet, which truthfully they cannot fill. So while I'm being set up to fail because of this "need for affirmation", I am also setting those around me up to fail when they don't give me what it is that I perceive as needing from them. It's a double whammy kind of set up from the devil that causes everyone to lose. Well, I've got to stop doing that.

Get 'em up folks, let's go out and whip something for the Kingdom today!