Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. Romans 8:5-6

anting to wash up a few dishes I turned the hot water on… and waited! Yes – I KNOW that there are ‘point of use’ water heaters available. No – I do not own one. But as I waited for the hot water I remembered that this is the 3^rd hot water heater in this house since I bought it 30 years ago. The point is NOT the water heater, but where I live!

Katie and I have each moved 21 times in our lives. We counted! As kids, our parents drug us where THEY went. But we haven’t moved from THIS house in 30 years. I guess you could say we like it here! Moving NOW would only be expensive… and honestly… selfish. What would we gain? A new view or different layout?

The Bible clearly says that where we live in our mind is based upon what we ‘desire.’ And as humans we have 1 of 2 choices. We can live according to our flesh, or our spirit. It ALSO clearly points out the results of each choice. If in my mind I live according to my FLESH… I will get death! If my mind chooses the spirit…I get a two-fer! LIFE AND PEACE! Choices like that SHOULD be EASY! But where I live is … well… it is complicated.

It would be SO easy to blame Eve and Adam (SHE ate first) for our sinful nature. But CLEARLY… when I look at the evidence of my life, I have to conclude that had it been Eve and K.C…. I more than likely would have beaten her to the fruit! I KNOW… in ME… the flesh is STRONG! So logical, easy choices, like WHERE I live… aren’t!

One of my favorite sayings is by George Moore who said, “The difficulty in life is the choice.” I was tempted to add bigger letters and flamboyant punctuation to emphasize some of the words, but THAT is NOT how HE wrote it! Just like MY choice to live in the flesh is NOT how GOD designed me. In my mind… I am a rebel!

I have lived as a Believer in Jesus Christ, BY CHOICE, for over 51 years. But I have made ‘night raids’ into the dark on many occasions. One of the benefits of getting older is more experience. And, as is suggested, bad judgment is the teacher good judgment. I have LEARNED that living with and for Jesus Christ is SO much more lively and peaceful than the other way. So I am going to stick here in the spirit! No matter the temperature of the water. Where do YOU live?

This is what the Lord says:“Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But you said, ‘We will not walk in it.’ Jeremiah 6:16

Over the last few weeks I have had a few instances if experienced irritability caused by both sight and smell. While visiting someone near the beach, it hit me instantly. Red Tide! The smell of dead fish and the stench from the Red Tide hit my nose and I immediately remembered from years past. This sinks!

I saw headlines in local newspapers of people lining up at the beach AND at city council as they demanded something be done… as if man can do ANYTHING to prevent a natural disaster! But they were SERIOUS! My spirit said, “This stinks!”

I am not a prophet like Elijah or Jeremiah. But I know God’s Word. And I DO know the proclivity of man to ignore it… AND God. Jeremiah 6:10 says, “To whom can I speak and give warning? Who will listen to me? Their ears are closed so they cannot hear. The word of the Lord is offensive to them; they find no pleasure in it.” In looking at the direction of the angst from our population, I feel a similar concern.

America was founded on ‘The Bible’ by people who ‘believed it.’ The Bible tells us that before the fall of Adam, we were made to rule the earth. But what has happened to us? We have forgotten that GOD is the one we should be turning to when we face individual and corporate struggles. NOT City Council or politicians. I hear God calling!

Will you join with me in praying together to God, the author of Creation, to remove this stench and nasty disaster from us? Do we not have His instruction to look to Him and simple ASK? How hard is it to acknowledge that we are simply flawed humans incapable of fixing ourselves. That we need God’s help in this time of difficulty? And ASK HIM!

Tonight at Bible Study at 6:45 pm we will take some time to go out by the Flag Pole and simply PRAY and ASK GOD to “Turn the Tide!!” Will you Join us? Other times are pending.

You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You be born again.’ John 3:7

Moving about the store, I ran into an old acquaintance I hadn’t seen in a long time. Immediately the teeter-totter of conversation began as questions and answers moved back and forth. “How are you? What have you been up to? What are you doing now? How is your family?” Words flowed between us and were personal. Until they weren’t! “How about getting together… what are you doing Friday night?” THEN…It got complicated!

If you know me well you know I am married and that Friday night is ‘Date Night’ with Katie, my wife. If you try to call me then, I don’t answer my phone. If any other night would have been picked, the complication would have remained because I do not do ANYTHING without coordination with her. And WE also have Church commitments. Not so simple right?

This verse of scripture is kind of like that. If you have studied Scripture for long you probably already know that the first ‘You’ mentioned is singular. Jesus is speaking to Nicodemus personally. The second ‘you’ in the same sentence is plural… Y’all! Go ahead and re-read it and work it out. You can see where I am going.

This chapter becomes even MORE complex when you read 3:11… “Very truly ‘I’ tell ‘you,’ ‘we’ speak of what ‘we‘ know, and ‘we’ testify to what ‘we’ have seen, but still ‘you’ people do not accept ‘our’ testimony.” Who is this ‘WE’ and ‘OUR’ Jesus is talking about? If you look through the chapter the answer is simple. God the Father, Son and by proxy, the Holy Spirit. The Trinity!

So let me just simplify this a little. A Joint Committee of God, put forth a mission and a call to the masses of the World, in order to invite 1 person to Their place…forever! In summary. John 3:16! If Y’ALL ever heard of this verse, ‘YOU’ should know that the ‘WHOSOEVER’ is to be taken personally! ‘WHOSOEVER’… is YOU! And that the invitation to be ‘Born Again’ and to have Eternal life is a SINGULAR and VERY personal invitation indeed.

So… what is your R.S.V.P. reply? The Savior is setting the table and THEY are waiting!

We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. Hebrews 2:1

Over the last several days I had been playing a game with the weather. I had some grass to cut in this VERY hot and muggy month, and each day I watched the Eastern sky as it built up great billowing clouds, signaling a downpour. I wanted to time it just right, getting to the grass JUST after the sun was blocked, but before the rain came down. The sun didn’t get blocked and it never rained! But the grass grew!

I am usually good at seeing a need and finding a solution. Lately tho, I have been stymied. I DID get the grass cut, but then saw that there was a need for a lot of trimming as well. As I jumped in to do just that, something made me stop! After 4 days of thinking and planning, I FINALLY heard ‘the voice!’ And it was very clear… “STOP what YOU are doing! And PAY ATTENTION to ME!”

Paying attention is very difficult for me. Self diagnosed with ADD, focus is the first thing thrown out the window. Especially when doing something undesirable. Lately, it has been even harder to focus and I think I know why. “I” has been getting WAY too much attention.

When I worked construction, then sales, it was easy to SEE the results of a ‘good day’ at work. Something was built or something was sold. It was a good way to keep score. But it is hard to see growth and effectiveness in my spiritual life and work. I have found that I am actually INVENTING things to do that will SHOW results of my days. Like piles of yard waste or a cut lawn. And I just sensed Jesus’ frown!

Like you I was created for MORE than just what this daily life is producing. Like you I KNOW that there is something calling to me, but I just can’t seem to gain a clear focus. But I have just heard ‘The Voice!’ So I must be getting close! He is telling me to ‘STOP’ and to PAY MORE ATTENTION to HIM!’