“Let no one be found among you who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead.” Deuteronomy 18:10-11

It’s Halloween. And like it or not, the day of controversy and decision making has come. I remember it like it was yesterday… waiting for darkness to fall so my brother and sister and I could go out to ‘trick or treat’ for candy. It was an uncomfortable day back then too!

I remember how I felt cheated when I looked out the window and saw Billy already hitting up the neighbors door… and the sun hadn’t even gone down yet! “How come HE gets a head start while I have to wait?” Timing seemed EVERYTHING.

I remember the smell of the plastic mask I wore, held on by one thin band of rubber that ALWAYS broke long before we got home. I remember, as I breathed into it, the smell getting worse… and my mom saying repeatedly.. “put your mask back on or they’ll know its you!” They can see YOU mom! “Just do it,” was her reply. Pretend and cover-up was the key.

I remember measuring success by comparing how much candy I got in MY bag as compared to my siblings! My sister seemed to get more cuz she was a girl! Apparently reward was not equal.

I remember sitting down and looking at MY pile of candy, then eating my favorite stuff first. Over the next couple days, as the stash got low, I STILL ended up eating what was left! Then lusting after my brother’s stuff… since he was a hoarder and stretched his out! I thought, “Why couldn’t I help him with HIS before it spoiled? Why doesn’t HE share?”

Halloween bring controversy!!! To participate or not? Do we go door to door or to a Church ‘Fall Festival’ instead? Will participation bring some demon into my life that will spiritually cause me harm? Just how bad is it?

Southern Baptist Convention President J.D. Greear said in a recent podcast that the holiday doesn’t have to be divisive. He refers to Romans 14 and differences in acts of conscience, and that we should not be divisive or judgmental if our brothers differ in opinion over non-essentials. A good work indeed!

I think you can see that I didn’t need demons poking at me to make me a mess! Being human and selfish, I seem to wear masks much of the time! Ultimately I thank God that He ‘treats’ me better than I deserve!

“I preached that they should repent and turn to God and demonstrate their repentance by their deeds.” Acts 26:20

Maintaining a level of calm that ONLY comes from years of experience, I paced around pretending to do something of importance. But inside I was freaking! My wife usually gets home from work about 4:00 pm. It was almost 5:30 pm and she wasn’t home. I hadn’t heard from her and when I tried to call, she didn’t answer! Conclusion? She was either hurt, dead or kidnapped! I started cleaning my closet!

My brain can easily be coaxed to behave like a flock of chickens on LSD! Or is that a brood??? All it takes is one little thought of paranoia, and the screen in my head starts playing the movie ‘Halloween!’ But being older and wiser, I am SUPPOSED to maintain a level of calm. Cleaning my closet helps take my mind off of the horror! ‘Oh THERE’S the hat I lost!’

At 5:42 pm my wife walked through the door. Her hair was different and she caught me staring as my temperature started to rise… “Could she be having an affair?” I thought. “Where were you?” I asked… fighting to maintain my composure! “I told you this morning, I had a hair appointment after work. Don’t you remember?” Fade to unsuspecting, fake look of manly security!

Forgetting seems to be a more common occurrence with me. As I read this morning, I discovered Paul’s own added testimony of what happened to him after he was transformed from Saul to Paul. This verse puts his calling and mission into 1 very simple sentence that I need to remember every moment of my day. ‘Repent, turn to God and DEMONSTRATE my ‘God dependence’ by my actions. Simple right? Well… kind of. Until I forget and the movie starts!

Faith is a demonstrative action that requires choice. It is NOT automatic. I must CHOOSE to believe that God has me and TRUST that He isn’t late, lost or lacking. My life either shows it or it doesn’t. Interestingly enough, both He and I KNOW if I am faking it by the evidence of my life’s deeds and by what is going on in my mind.

So… what do YOU think?

“But the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.” Psalm 67:6

FINALLY the weather has changed. In most of America, fall falls in September. Here in Florida, it slips in later October. It has been hot and muggy here. But last night, while sleeping with the windows open, we had to throw on another blanket! AHHHHH! What a wonderful change! Unfortunately, there were casualties!

My wife wanted to grow sunflowers. Buying seeds, she set about carefully putting them in potting soil and out into the sun. When it is hot outside, I sweat. That sweat seems to remind me that the plants are probably dry and in need of water. But the evenings have been cooler. Apparently no sweat meant no thought about those plants. But the sun just kept on shining! When we walked outside yesterday and saw wilted plants, “OH NO!” was all we could say.

Plants do not have a choice as to where they grow. External forces move seeds to their final resting place, where they either grow or don’t. Having no voice or choice, they cannot care for themselves, cry out for help or move to a better location. Not so with men! Sadly, men have no excuse for their wilted condition, since WHERE and HOW well they live is ALWAYS a choice.

There are 2 ways of looking at this verse. Either the rebel willfully MOVES to a sun-scorched land by choice, or he is MOVED there BECAUSE of his choice… the end is the same. Being a man AND, at times a rebel, I am smart enough to know that either way, wilting is the result of rebellion. The choice to stay there and wilt is 100% mine alone.

Having received Christ as my Savior over 50 years ago, I KNOW when I am in His will and care. I KNOW what it takes to stay there too! Bible reading, prayer, Christian community and constant evaluation keep me near the Son. When there in His care, NO weather can wilt me, as I am adequately fed and watered. Even pain and sorrows are not final.

Jesus promised me He would NEVER leave me forsaken. Therefore, and here is the lesson I got, wilting is not a sign of His displeasure, but a signal that I am not where He is! Whether or not I STAY there… is completely and 100% up to me!

Where are YOU living?

“Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.” 1 Corinthians 12:7

The Garden at the church was looking rather rough and needed a ‘spruce up’ for the weekend. Living in a tropical forest (Florida) presents many challenges, weeding and trimming being part of the deal. I was looking forward to the dirty, sweaty work mainly because I was NOT going to be working alone. Having asked a couple of my seniors to give me a hand, they readily agreed.

Our church has a Memorial Butterfly Garden. It was my dad’s idea, many years ago, to have a place for Church members to bury the cremains of loved ones passed on. A place devoid of tombstones and cemetery paraphernalia, its purpose is to be a pretty and peaceful place where remembrance and prayer are the keys for entry. God is ALWAYS there, as it is one of His favorite places to meet. Working with living loved ones always makes it a special time for me.

There was no boss or structured plan. It was enough to know that the Garden needed tending. Each of us interpreted that differently as Helga raked and Howie pulled weeds with his hands. I learned that Howie doesn’t use gloves… as well as HIS plans for when He passes on to his heavenly home. Helga and I remembered her husband Steve, and I was shocked it had already been 5 years since he passed. We miss him. I remembered MY family members who were right there as well. Just awaiting ground-breaking Rapture!

Church is not a building but a people. All of us have a mission to serve Christ here on earth as He works His mission in and through each of us… differently but together. I heard a saying years ago that I like to repeat. “No one of us, have it all together. But all of us together, have it all.” John 15:1 are words from Jesus Himself. “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.” It is the Father’s Garden and He has graciously invited US to help tend to the business of serving His son.

There is a sweet spirit that falls upon garden tenders as, together, we work toward the common good. Yesterday’s garden work gave way to love, joy, reminiscing and our future certain hope. Being together as the church, we HAD church! And it was VERY good!

“I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.” John 17:23 ESV

The alarm clock rang at the regular time. I had gone to bed a my regular time. But I felt ANYTHING but regular! Yesterday was a HARD one. You know what that is like. When nothing seems to go your way. Life is like a ballgame sometimes. The rebound bounced to the other team, I was called for a ‘Technical Foul,’ and I wasn’t even near a ball! I had to push myself to get out of bed when all I wanted to do was pull the covers over my head and go back to sleep!

My beautiful wife has an answer for MY difficulties and the battles I face. She teaches preschoolers. “Just turn that frown upside-down,” she said. When I shot her a quizzical look, she went Def-con on me and said, ”when I get tired of negativity, I choose to not even think about it sometimes!” Did I mention one of her heroes is Mr. Rogers?

One of my church members lost his wife a month ago. Yesterday I had to go tell him that his son was just killed in a car accident! Then I went to the hospital where a long time member was ‘unresponsive’ and not expected to live. Then I had a memorial service to prepare for. Then I got a complaint from someone who didn’t like a point in my sermon on Sunday! Let’s just call it ‘slow death by life!’

I had indirectly mentioned a little of what was going on in my life in a general email. After hitting ‘send’ I shut down my computer and went to go do some manual labor at the church. Manual work, and listening to ‘Elvis Gospel Songs’ on my IPOD is a sign I’m feeling mighty low. Feeling better when I got home, I checked my emails to find a response from a friend I had met in Israel. He had taken the time to write words of encouragement to me. And then a suggestion!

Apparently the Words of the Day had sparked an interesting idea into his head. So along with His Jesus words of encouragement to me, he suggested writing about a ‘Selfie’ with me and Jesus. Being a brother from another mother, we are cut from the same cloth. So I went looking through my pictures… and dog gone it! There it was. Hmmmmm! Jesus taking a selfie with me standing right behind him. And in His own home town at the WAILING wall no less! Some things need no words and this is one.

I think I am going to choose to go represent Jesus to someone out there who may need Him. After all. That’s the Gospel!

“He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed”. Matthew 25:24 ESV

It was a busy day and the weather was hot. Needing to pick up some things at the grocery store (flowers for my wife since I made her morning not so fun) and the drug store (Jesus’ Church was running out of paper towels and they were on sale there), along with running to the bank (obvious), I wanted to get home before my wife. So I was in a rush. But Jesus didn’t care!

Coming out of the store I loaded up my truck and noticed another shopping cart right in front of the aisle. With no thought, I moved to put MY cart right along with it! At that precise second, Jesus showed up with a request! “Put the cart where it belongs… and take the other one with you as well!” And he didn’t even say “Please!” I did what I was told.

I have to admit that being in a rush and it being hot, MY instant reaction was not ‘Christ-like.’ In fact, I have to confess I found His appearance in my spirit, by HIS Holy Spirit, kind of inconvenient and just a little rude. After all, they pay people to go around and pick up the carts anyway. But by experience, I already knew THAT argument was not going to fly. So I complied. I have learned that when Jesus shows up, it is best to simply obey. It makes Him happy… then He makes me happy!!

The verse today comes straight from the Master’s own mouth. It has a terse ring tone to it, because after the servants makes the excuse for NOT tending to the Master’s business profitably, the Master says, “You wicked, lazy servant!’ replied his master. ‘You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed… throw this worthless servant into hell!” “Too harsh,” you say?

It is SOOOO very easy to forget that God owns EVERYTHING. Even ME! This life is about HIM not me! Getting caught up in the world and its ways can easily make me blind to the Master’s wishes and purposes for my life. I am a servant. Period. And if the Master wants to have a couple carts returned to their proper place, His wish should ALWAYS be my command! Me doing it is just like HIM doing it.

So yesterday Jesus showed up in a crowded, hot and busy parking lot and performed a miracle. Even though the only person that noticed… was me! I am SO grateful that He chose me to get things done in His name. And strangely, I thank Him for His intrusion into my hectic life. Our little parking lot meeting made Him, AND me, smile… so I am listening for His voice regularly for a repeat.

How about you?

“Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God— even as I try to please everyone in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved.” 1 Corinthians 10:32

Remember the children’s book, The Little Engine That Could? The story of the little engine has been told and retold many times, but the underlying theme is the same — a stranded train is unable to find an engine willing to take it on over difficult terrain to its destination. Only the little blue engine is willing to try and, while repeating the mantra “I think I can, I think I can”, overcomes a seemingly impossible task. It has been used since 1902 to teach the power of positive thinking and how to meet challenges ahead.

Since the little train is only a story, and as trains cannot think or will anything, it should be safe for me to derail this little guy! After all… its only a story! Trains are inanimate objects lacking any kind of personality. The idea that all the other bigger trains refused to haul the big load over the mountain kind of mocks their creator! That is WHY they were invented in the first place. Secondly, trains cannot go where there are no tracks… and SOMEONE had to LAY them over the mountain in the first place! In other words, trains were CREATED to go over mountains on tracks! The little train ‘could’ because that was what he was created to DO!!! Now how about people?

There is 1 train and 2 tracks. God created mankind to Glorify AND to be in a relationship with Himself. And like most things in life, we run on a dual system of tracks that give us a firm footing, but only when we follow them.

The Bible clearly shows that just DOING something doesn’t make it right. It is often not just WHAT you do, but HOW you do it. Since it is possible to do right things in a wrong way. Likewise, it is not just WHERE we go, but WHY we go there! Our motivations of where we move have to coincide with our creator’s purposes, or we will derail! Just being one’s ‘self’ does not a hero make!

I find that when I come to God, He checks me on my how’s and why’s MUCH more often that He does on my where’s and what’s. He’s kind of nit-picky about that. And if you love Him, you will find His Holy Spirit nudging your spirit when you try to go it alone, or for your own reasons. After all. We were created for HIS very purpose. We are a TEAM called Church! His Bride! And He takes us VERY personal.

Are you motivated for Him?

“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” John 10:27

Climbing down from the attic I was a sweaty, disgusting mess. Standing with a look of shock on my face, my wife took one look at me and said, “Oh.. I ‘m sooo sorry…you look AWFUL!” I grinned, then jumped into the pool!

For years now my bride has wanted an electric fireplace with the TV on the wall above it. Being a guy, I don’t see the attraction of a TV suspended 1 foot higher than it is right now. But I’m a guy! Guys, left to their own thinking, don’t think much. Several times she has seen something she THINKS she would like, but like a gal, after thinking TOO much about it, changed her mind. This time… she didn’t!

Sitting near our front door are 3 boxes that constitute an entertainment center… WITH fireplace! The FIRST thing I did was pull out the requirements for the electric needed to run the thing. And just as I suspected… it needed a separate power source. Carefully measuring ceilings and walls, then making 2 trips to Lowes, I entered the attic with 100’ of 12/2 wg wiring and tools. It’s Florida and the temperature was 92 degrees. Now you know WHY… 1. I looked awful… and 2. she felt sorry!

I love my wife. Sometimes I don’t like her so much. But this wasn’t one of those times. I was genuinely happy to get nasty because I knew what it would take to give her what she really wanted. The work was the gift. A little smile and a jump in the pool, after her display of appreciation for me, was all I needed to set the world right! I have the same relationship with God!

Loving God means loving, listening and following His Son… Jesus Christ! He is His Father’s favorite person. Loving Him opens Daddy God’s appreciation for ME as well. As I come to know Jesus more, I learn and discover, with the help of the Holy Spirit, what HE likes and wants from ME. Our relationship grows over time, and like a good marriage, we lean on each others giving us what need, and often want! But not ALWAYS!

Many times believers, including myself, become selfish. We can easily become ‘self’ centered and whine about not getting OUR needs met, or OUR way. When we drift along in that dingy, God’s love seems like an angry ocean with no land in sight! It is EASY to NOT see God when I am only looking at ME. My relationship with God requires that I first fix my eyes on His Son.

Life gets dirty, sweaty, hot and disgusting. Shock is not uncommon! But dropping our own comfort and looking to the Son is all we really need to set the world aright. Because pleasing HIM… ALWAYS brings me more joy than any comfy chair in front of a TV on the wall. Even if it has a fireplace underneath it!   Do you know Him?     Are you following?

“Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.” Luke 9:26

A church friend has a Karaoke business and having not been in a long while, my wife and I headed off to the bar! Bellying up, I ordered a Diet Coke and listened, as one by one, people came forward to sing. One particular fellow stood out, singing an old, harder ‘rock’ song by heart as he walked around the bar. Though strange, something familiar about him kept drawing my attention. He was certainly different!

My name showed up on the screen, and being an old Elvis fan I was going to embarrass myself with one of his hits. It was then my friend said, “Hey… how about singing that one you do, “’Jesus is Just Alright with Me’ by the Doobie Brothers!” I smiled, took the mic, and ‘stood out!’ After I was done, Mr. Rocker walked right up to me, in front of EVERYONE, and shook my hand. He didn’t SAY a word… just stood there. When I asked him if He knew where he was going when he died, he smiled! It was then I recognized the ‘something familiar’ about him. He was a brother in Christ!

Decades ago, being urged by the Spirit to be more vocal about my faith, I found myself embarrassed of how I might ‘stand out.’ “What will people THINK of me?” kept going around in my head. Until one day, while reading this verse, God personally delivered His message to the front door of MY heart. I was ashamed. But immediately resolved…no more!

This same story verse is found in Mark chapter 8, only worse! Jesus starts off in verse 34 with the words, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. It goes downhill from there because He pulls no punches. He then clearly said, “K.C., this life is NOT about you… but ME! Now what is YOUR next move!?” Jesus can sure be blunt!

Things in 2018 are a LOT harder than they were in the 70’s. If there is one thing that you can be SURE of today, it is this… if you want to become unpopular… bring up Jesus Christ! Why? Because strange things happen to people when you do. There is nothing like the name of ‘Jesus’ to cause folks to dig out the hammer and nails! Looking to Jesus for relief, He just smiles and says, “Told ya!”

Fellow Pilgrims, please know this for sure. When you step outside today, there WILL be opportunities to cause a stir. In fact, Jesus PROMISES those conditions. But with His hand upon you, there will be a decision to make. His Father is watching what you will do… and so is the devil. The question is…”are ya gonna sing?”