“…(do) the will of God from your heart. Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people.” Ephesians 6:6-7

As I write this, a chill is running through my spine! THIS time, it is AFTER the incident occurred! I usually get a conscious warning BEFORE I sin, which is God’s way of leading me AWAY from possible failure. But now, I am literally questioning if I am a possible felon running from the law! And all I did was VOTE!

Around election time, I have a group of trusting people I go to. They are fellow Believers in Jesus Christ who are much more connected to the political process. I follow the process where it hits hardest in my world, like for School Board candidates and State legislators. But positions for Hospital or Charter Review board? I have no clue! So I go to trusted people who DO know and ask.

My request to the folks ‘who know,’ was to fill out a sample ballot that could be taken to the polls to check off the correct boxes. With that paper in hand, a voting official was yelling and accusing me of voter fraud! Folks started gathering around and my eyes were bugging out like a deer in headlights! The whole scene was as serious as it was silly. But rules are rules!

My accuser was stating that my sample ballot was ‘official’ and could not be used as a guide. After pleading for clarity, with both of us getting louder, I flipped the paper over and asked if an official ballot came with the sheet music for “When I Survey The Wondrous Cross” on the back? Then THEIR eyes bugged out and several women began to laugh!

All this proves is that tensions are high right now. BOTH sides of the political world are crying “FOWL,” even while looking at a squirrel with no wings! To be honest I rather like it, because now that there is so much at stake in the electoral process, people are requiring REAL truth to clarify the issues and candidates. When it comes to REAL TRUTH… there is ONLY ONE TRUE SOURCE! Jesus!

I learned LONG ago that it IS possible to fool ALL of the people, SOME of the time. But I CANNOT FOOL GOD! HE KNOWS! He knows my heart’s intentions, desires and wants. When I am sitting in the hot seat, He really doesn’t even need to speak because His Word is written on my heart. All He has to do is wait for me to shut up, stew, simmer down and then YIELD! It gets uncomfortable!

In the end, a couple poll workers were in hysterics. One said, “we have been doing this for 10 weeks and this is the most fun we’ve had!” No Joke! God tells me to serve Him with ALL my heart. Joy is presumed! As I see it, VOTING in America is not only a right… it is a Godly duty! Tomorrow is Officially Voting Day! How are YOU serving the Master?  Are you DOING what you profess?

“’Truly I tell you,’ Jesus replied, ‘no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life.'” Mark 10:29-30

The word is expressed REGULARLY and OFTEN in my house! And I ‘m not talking about ‘The Bible’ right now! It is the word, “HUH?” And it’s not just me! It comes from my lovely bride’s mouth almost as much as my own! Something is said, it is not clearly heard, therefore the next word is naturally logical… “Huh?” That is ‘IF’ the other person ‘REALLY CARES’ enough to know the will of the speaker.

Not usually one to defer responsibility or deflect failure, I admit my inadequacies. As an inherited trait, I don’t hear very well. My father wore hearing aids… now I do! It seems the older I get the less I can hear, smell, taste or stay awake! I don’t mind saying that Katie is superior to me in all those areas. But she is unwilling to admit that her hearing is beginning to wane. I’m yelling more!

“I can’t find my keys,” is a common statement from both of our mouths. “Huh?” is the response, because we love each other and want to know what was just said. No judgment or anger. Simply a request for clarification. In today’s Bible verse, I find Jesus, once again, responding to a “HUH?” from His people! I can tell when He starts off with, “TRULY TRULY!” It sounds like “HEY!”

The lesson Jesus is trying to get across is one that I proclaim more than any other. It is littered all through both Old and New Testaments. And so much so, that if that 1 message WAS litter all gathered together, the Bible would look like a dump! “HUH?” You say? But yes… you heard me! The message of serving the Master and the reward that comes with it is SHOUTED from His Word!

The central theme of today’s world is selfishness. I, Me and My are favorites that, even when not spoken, are clearly evident. And Jesus pulls ZERO punches. He says that ‘following me means SERVING me.’ And that ‘serving me WILL get you into harm’s way in the form of persecution.’ BUT HEY!!!! The REWARDS are HUGE! Even here and NOW! “Hmmmm…. did I hear that right?”

Did you?

“Only give heed to yourself and keep your soul diligently, so that you do not forget the things which your eyes have seen and they do not depart from your heart all the days of your life; but make them known to your sons and your grandsons.” Deuteronomy 4:9

I had heard ‘the boys’ down in the valley as they rode their motorized chariots back and forth, over and over again. I knew they were limited in how far they were allowed to go. Which is WHY they were now in my driveway at the Cabin. Bored, they came to visit ME for a possible adventure! I snickered in shock when they said, “Hey, is that an ax? Can we try to split some wood?!!”

Now these 2 tough guys are in their early teens. Teenagers are not typically prone to hard work, especially work that involves a splitting maul! Years of experience with teen boys and splitting mauls, I figured out that they had NO idea how to actually USE a splitting maul. So thanking God for the opportunity, I grabbed my gloves and headed toward the wood pile.

“First things first boys,” I said. “You MUST learn HOW to SAFELY handle an ax, saw and maul.” Then I set about explaining THE RULES! It was a test in itself. If they didn’t want to learn HOW, they would only get hurt. Then I had shock #2. THEY LISTENED! Soon, I was watching, advising, correcting, rebuking for close calls. Over an hour later, I was satisfied that they had it down.

Today’s verse starts, “Only give heed to yourself,” God’s way of saying, “Hey! PAY ATTENTION!” But it does not stop there. It follows with an extensive list of rules ‘The LORD of the Universe’ expects from ME. He has a safe and secure plan for me and mine, requires that I learn it and pass it on. Not just with words, but action, resolve and purposeful attention. Because the world… is dangerous!

I had to leave, but the young men didn’t want to stop. “Can we PLEASE keep cutting and splitting!” Shock # 3! What could I say? I had taught them, showed them, watched and confirmed their safety, so I added incentive, “go ahead, but if you get hurt I’ll break your fingers!!!” Shock #4! When I got back, they were gone, the tools were placed perfectly, and there lay a half-a-cord of wood!

Are you diligently giving heed to yourself in the arena of God’s wood pile? Are you skilled at remembering what He has taught and shown you? Are you passing that on to those in your world? That Bible verse was written around 3500 years ago! Long enough to become boring… but STILL at the heart of God’s adventure!  

“Nevertheless I have somewhat against you, because you have left your first love.” Revelation 2:4

Goal oriented, task in hand, and as usual, in a hurry, I was moving some things that I had previously moved in a former task. True to my character, I had been doing the same things then as I was doing now… but something happened! I found myself on my backside, looking up at where I had just been. Only now, I was experiencing pain!

I have lots of tools, things and stuff… and 2 garages to store that stuff. But I have not learned to apply wisdom, experience and the necessary organizational skills to MANAGE that stuff. Having placed a stepladder in a place I thought might be good, I needed it, used it, then hurriedly put it back in a different place, right over where I’d thrown my balled-up extension cord! Ladder, grab, trip… FALL!

I could easily dismiss the entire incident as being stupid, reckless, or foolish. But apparently those words mean nothing to me. When I say them to myself, or if I hear them in some form from someone else, I tend to brush them off. “Eh… I’ll live,” I’ll say. Often I go on to do stupid again! But I choked when the Holy Spirit hinted me a question, “why do you keep committing suicide?”

If the look on my face were recorded and shown back to me, I couldn’t have been more shocked! “SUICIDE? WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT JESUS?” But in my relationship with Him, I know when He is serious. I can spiritually see His arms folded, his eyes cast down at me, one eyebrow raised. He did not even need to speak a word! He had already done so MANY times before.

A trip, a fall, a stumble, a setback… they are all the same things. Moving in a forward direction USUALLY indicates a goal of progress. A mission to be accomplished. In Jesus’ business with people, His Book has been written, preached, taught, dissected and mediated upon for millennia! His plans and intentions are clear. He wants my heart and attention 24/7. To NOT give it… is suicide!

Last night, up in the attic, after the ladder incident, I sat on top of a box to change my AC filter, which I’d put off 2 months ago! I had just gotten started when I heard a CRASH! Having been in a hurry to throw some stuff up there 6 months ago, I set a picture, with a glass face, face down on top of a box! THANKFULLY the shattered glass now lay on top of another painting!   I’ll just clean that up later!

This morning one of the sheep under my watch texted me, “I have learned that the more I seek Him, the more He reveals Himself. The less I do, the more trouble I’m in!” Coincidence? Or is the student teaching the teacher about suicide! Jesus loves me enough to warn and TELL me his plans, His Father’s will and goals for me individually… and the Church corporately. He expects love back in the form of obedience!

Are YOU heading toward a suicidal crash by putting other people, stuff and things before the Love of your Savior? Because He’s asking! Apparently He holds a grudge in that area… wouldn’t you agree?

“Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:16

In the place where I live and move and roll through, I had never actually seen it done before. But I wasn’t IN my usual world, I was in his… behind him… on a 4 wheeler… and he was slowing down! Sensing something was about to happen… it did! The old guy smacked the throttle and pulled 4 wheels back on 2… and kept on riding! Having JUST begun, I already knew who the leader was!

My new friend Wayne and I rode together a few times, but stopped often. I was intrigued by his spirit, knowledge and skill, and he mine, so we stopped often to talk, taking time to learn about one another. As a newer Believer, he had God questions. Being a leader in that field, I answered. We became fast friends. Soon… we had a following!

The best time of my vacation trip was when we rode with 9 vehicles and 11 people, most under 17. Wayne didn’t know the skill-set of several, so he said, “we’re just gonna take a little ride up behind my place before we get started.” And up the mountain he headed. I took the last position as watchdog of the crew… and was NOT disappointed!

Starting with a wheelie, Wayne headed the crew into a mountainous crevasse where he’d made a figure 8, then hit the gas! Pulling off and shutting mine down, I just watched the show as everyone followed him. Roaring engines, tight turns and a few lessons later, Wayne led the crew back up to me. As he passed I shouted… “ya ol geezer! I KNOW what ya just did!” “WHAAAA?” he replied!

When a kid places their butt over an engine, something happens. Same as when a kid’s hands go around the handle of a pistol! The experience of learning the what’s, how’s, do’s and don’ts from a skilled teacher are some of the most Holy of times in a kid’s life. Learning how to limit and focus outward power and bring it under control is a seriously Biblical term called ‘meekness.’ And Wayne knew!

Before we could SAFELY ride, Wayne needed to know each rider’s capabilities so he could lead us all on a trip that would be safe and enjoyable while fun and adventurous. Knowing how a trip turned out became easy. Wayne and I sat back and listened as riders talked and shared their personal experience of the group’s collective trip! With giggles and jabs, it made me think of ‘Church!’

My journey with Jesus is the most glorious, adventurous, most frustrating adventure of my life. Jesus ALWAYS pushes, tests, prompts and corrects. And then He expects another trip almost immediately. When highlights come up, both good and bad, He expects me to sit with Him and talk about it so I will become stronger, meeker and even more reliable upon Him. THEN He says, ‘GO SHOW & TELL!’

Are YOU showing the world what YOU’VE got with Jesus Christ as Lord? Are you following Him closely? Are you preparing for a next adventure? Because He’s ready to roll and He’s calling YOUR name!

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9

Here it is, only 7:15 in the morning and I am mad as a hornet! I agree the matter is trivial, if I’m talking dollars… which I am. $5.99 to be precise! But this is NOT ABOUT money. It’s about PRINCIPLE! And for me, principle takes precedence over cash! So, after looking for a contact, and getting more edgy, I FINALLY connected and ‘let ‘em have it!’

It should have been simple! Finding the items didn’t take long, But when the ‘place order’ came up, the screen told me they were giving me ‘Free Shipping!’ After ordering, I saw they billed me $5.99! As far back as I remember…. $5.99 isn’t FREE! I felt bad for the lady on the other end of the phone, but she said had no control over the order and asked me to ‘cancel and resubmit.’

Unfortunately, the merchandising business these days has outmaneuvered the ‘service factor.’ Far too often I have tried to contact a company, only to be run through a computer with NO ability to actually TALK to a person. If an order is lost, late or unavailable… the word from the computer is… ‘too bad… not our fault! But thank you!’ And it only seems to get worse.

‘FREE” is my favorite 4 letter ‘F’ word! So, just for curiosity’s sake, I went to my computer browser to look up the word FREE and how it relates to Salvation in Jesus Christ. After all, The ‘Corporate Church’ has been bragging that Salvation is ‘FREE’ forever! After my Bible search, my face registered the same kind of shock as I had with my computer order! Because… it isn’t there!

The Bible does it say that Heaven and Eternal life are FREE! As I write, I can sense the Holy Spirit laughing at my lifetime ignorance, or stupidity! The Bible tells me that I have been SET FREE from sin and death. But it NEVER says that the TRANSACTION was free. After all, God reminded, it took the death of His Son Jesus to BUY IT! And MY death to redeem it! It’s a gift… but NOT free.

Maybe that is the problem with the whole Jesus business. I find most people who call themselves Christians FAR too lazy or presumptuous to actually put time, shoe leather and sweat into their relationship with the God of the universe who suffered HORRIBLY to set me free. When I received Salvation from God by accepting His offer of Grace, we traded titles. Mine for His. His for mine!

God expects me to LOVE Him, FOLLOW Him, SEEK Him, STUDY Him, WORSHIP Him. That means working at finding out what He wants from me and OBEYING Him! THAT is NOT FREE. It takes time, patience, determination and setting Him as Priority 1! ALL THE TIME! But what I get in return, AFTER my investment, is PRICELESS.

Have YOU ordered a life from God you think should be FREE? If so, you may want to cancel that order and resubmit! Because true Worship… is a verb!

“The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it…” Psalm 24:1

I found the balled up former Marine with his chest in my face rather humorous, since he was standing in my driveway! I was glad he was there, because I had invited him. He had a problem with me traveling over a piece of property that he called HIS! But the only legal claim was his testosterone, which I already dismissed… just like he had at my attempts of ‘reasoning together.’

The story is not really worth telling because it is repeated everyday by people of all ages. I’ve seen it, and cried it FAR too often. Within family and siblings, children at school, between adulthood friends and acquaintances, by bosses and land owners alike. Like a crease forcefully cut and chiseled under- ground, the darkness is called, “MINE!” The very word itself… simply an empty shaft of nothingness!

I had shared this idea with 2 young men in a beautiful mountain scenery, a picture of which would adorn any room. “Who owns all this, boys?” I asked. After failing to guess, I gave them the REAL answer, which is today’s Bible verse. “God owns EVERYTHING,” I said. “And He owns you too!” With that, I asked them, “so what are you doing with His property because… He WILL demand to know!”

Now admittedly, I was a very selfish child. My mom even gave me a label… “me first-er!” If there was a line for a church dinner, I felt, being the preacher’s kid, that I had a right to be at the front of it. If my siblings had something and I wanted it… I took it! Even if it wasn’t MINE! I actually felt like MY desires superseded their actual rights! But I was headed for a catastrophic and inevitable crash!

‘Telling’ cannot relay the pain and anguish I suffered when, after receiving His free gift of eternal life, I looked at Jesus, after a pointed request, and said, “No… that’s mine!” Being an experienced father of 4, I learned to laugh at my children’s unlearned bent toward selfishness. But I laughed only briefly. Like Jesus, I knew THAT attitude HAD TO GO! And with me… Jesus set about it. The HARD way!

I told that fellow standing in GOD’S driveway that he was a bully. I don’t like bullies because I used to be one and hate the reminder. I learned that Jesus can be much like a pig! Getting into the mud-pit to fight Him made me realize… HE LIKES IT! And I’m glad! I learned the lesson that I don’t OWN ANYTHING, even myself.  Giving God His rights over my everything gives me MORE than everything.

What silly things are you holding onto that YOU call “MINE?” Why not set yourself free and make them HIS?

“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:22-23

Returning from vacation in the Pennsylvania mountains, it was interesting to discover that what I heard up there, was exactly what I had been hearing in Florida. And still am! With summer in full swing, often the first words uttered in greeting are, “Wow, it’s hot out here!” It’s a perceived opinion that comes from real individual experience, yet is assumed to be held by all. In Pa…. I just smiled.

My roots go back to Southwestern Pennsylvania. When we visit, Katie and I enjoy both new and old experiences. On a historical tour of an old industrialist’s mansion, our guide suggested our group assemble under “the shade of that big tree” since… “Wow, it’s hot out here!” We winked and thought, almost in a bragging way, “this is NOTHING compared to Florida!” But we held our tongues.

Going to my mountain cabin does many things for me. Having been born and raised up there, I have deep seated memories and emotions tied to ‘The Cabin,’ a former old closed church that my father purchased 48 years ago. A place like my grandfather’s cabin, further north, where I had even learned to walk! It’s a magical spot in mountainous woods that many STILL call ‘God’s Country!’ And I concur.

Growing up, I spent hours walking through those woods with a BB gun and feeling like a big game hunter. Then I was saved in those mountains as a young teen. Now, mountain mornings find me sitting in a chair facing them with God’s Word in my lap, the Holy Spirit in my heart, and Jesus Christ sitting right there with me. It is the holiest place on earth! But that is MY experienced perspective!

“Wow, it’s hot out here,” is not just a summary of air temperature. It can easily apply to the current ‘world atmosphere!’ As population grows, individual demands form group similarities, which often turn toward evil, selfish political demands. But while the world roasts, I smile! Because today’s Bible verse, from experienced perspective, is as real and refreshing to me as my mountain cabin in hot July.

Do YOU know and experience the COOL love, compassion and faithfulness of God? If you do, why not share Him with some poor sweating soul?

“…they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the Gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things.” 1 Peter 1:12

The only one who drives my truck is me. Not being a vehicle guy, I am completely unconcerned about how it looks. As I see it, a truck is a tool to get me from 1 job to another. That said, tools and things have a tendency to store up in the cab behind my seat. This is not a problem because nobody sees back there anyway! Which recently proved to be an eye opening revelation!

I had a reason to clean out the back of my truck last week, and cringed at the thought. Removing each item, 1 at a time, I had to decide, “save” or “pitch?” With a trash can beside me, each item was either deposited in the trash or onto the garage floor for sorting later. Strangely, the trash can was not filling up as fast as I thought, as treasure after treasure was found!

Over the last few months I have had the need for Duct Tape but could not find any. Cleaning out my truck, I found 4 rolls of the stuff! I had lost my garage door opener about 6 months ago when voila’… there it was! Right under the pile behind my seat! Which begs the question… since they remained in my possession, were those items ever LOST in the first place?

These thoughts may signal I am losing my mind… or that I just need a vacation! But as I lay in bed last night, a serendipitous thought broke through the clutter of my mind, and it concentrated on this verse today. I figured it was God trying to tell me something, since I hadn’t had a thought about angels since before I lost the garage door remote!

Being a man with flaws and failures, I don’t really feel like a wonder. In fact, much of my time I spend fighting off satan’s attempts to bring me down by the remembrance of my failures. But this verse suddenly SCREAMED something at me I had never realized… the ANGELS in Heaven are actually JEALOUS of ME! It appears that I possess something they cannot even begin to treasure! Hmm!

It’s a fact that Good News can’t come until Bad News settles in. That all of us are sinners destined for the eternal trash bin should be common knowledge. That lost trash could rule the heavens is a treasure greater than anything I can fathom. But is it true? Could God be cleaning me up to prepare me for something so BIG, that even the Angels are mystified???! I’m gonna look into this!

Could it be that God is trying to prepare YOU for something eternally big???