“Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts” Hebrews 3:8

I guess that my age had something to do with it…but when I went for my yearly physical, the technician said that he needed to get an EKG. He then pulled out a razor and started shaving spots out of my chest hair for the contacts to adhere to my skin. Later, when I got home, I looked in the mirror and didn’t really approve of the leopard look. So I started THINKING…and THEN…took matters into my own hands!

I’ve seen pictures of body builders and younger tough guys. One thing they seem to have in common is a developed chest and 6 pack abs…and NO Chest Hair! Having worked out at the gym for about 7 months, I realized I wasn’t going to be getting ‘The Look’ anytime soon! But I COULD, AND had REASON to, get the hairless thing going! And RIGHT NOW! So I grabbed my razor.

OK. I went a little crazy. As the hair flew to reveal my un-chiseled white body, I felt more like a 7 year old than an Olympic champion! When Katie got home, I puffed out my naked chest to welcome her! She laughed and said, “What have you DONE?” Receiving verification of a dumb deed humbles a man!

We were going along nicely. At least according to the Bible. Our Country seemed to be recovering nicely from the stupidity of heathens who did not regard God and His Word as Primary. Looking at our local and global conditions today has had the same effect on me as those little, hairless spots in the mirror. I’m sick and I’m tired. With the same mentality in grabbing the razor, I want to quickly, and simply, rid myself of this imperfect spotted beast!

Spending time in devotion this morning, I was ashamed that emails of new stories about antisemitism on the rise and an anti-God agenda had grabbed more of my attention than Jesus did. I had unintentionally been sucked in and fell for it. But as I said, I am sick and tired. But I’m MOSTLY sick and tired of being made to feel weak and hairless. What I NEED…is some CHEST!

Everyone knows the slogan that says “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” I have championed a lot of things and been involved enough to make LOTS of folks to not personally like me. After this last election, I felt like I should let someone else step up and step out in Holy battle. But after seeing myself in the mirror beside God’s Heroes of Faith, I don’t like what I see! And… I’m starting to HEAR things!

NO one likes to go right back into the ring immediately. ESPECIALLY after a Whoopin! It takes time to heal the body, mind and spirit. And while I’m far from the ‘lock-n-load’ stage, I AM thinking of looking for my sword sharpener to see if it still works. Because if what I am hearing IS coming from my Master…it ain’t the chest that matters as much as what’s BEHIND it!

What are YOU hearing?

“clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” Colossians 3:12-13

For almost a year now our Church has been involved in an outreach ministry. Every Wednesday and Friday mornings from 9-10am, we stand on the busy corner of U.S. 41 and Laurel Rd. holding, what we call, Gospel Signs. Since Gospel means ‘Good News,’ AND since the world really needs it right now, we get lots of encouraging ‘honks!’ But yesterday, one particular HOOOOOOONK was not for us!

Travelers heading south can make a ‘U-Turn’ on U.S. 41. West bound traffic, though typically permitted to turn right on a red light, are cautioned with a sign saying ‘YIELD TO U-TURN TRAFFIC.’ And like today’s Bible Verse, MOST of us RARELY pay attention to the directive. Yesterday during our Good News ministry, someone who was wrong…HONKED at someone who was right!

I’ve seen it MANY times. The ‘Red Light Turner’ lets the ‘U-Turner’ know that they are imbeciles, morons or jerks by honking their horn at them! When in reality… the HONKER is the one who is legally in the wrong! Immediately I could ALMOST see Jesus flash a windshield sized message at the honker saying “YOU-TURN!” But then I realized “I” was wrong. Jesus doesn’t work that way!

Loving Jesus Christ as much as I do, I sometimes think that what I say, or the advice I give, actually COMES from Him! Often…it doesn’t! When my anger is border-line out of control, I often find myself standing BY myself all alone WITH myself. Screaming at the canyon only echoes noise…not help. When I realize I am honking alone, it humbles me to realize Jesus NEVER RUNS INTO my life with a sign pointing out that I am an imbecile, moron or jerk! Why??? Because I am HIS!

Because ‘I am HIS’ provides me with a TRUE vision of myself, Jesus Christ doesn’t approve of bashing fellow travelers on this road of life. EVEN when that traveler…is ME! I am called to look at myself as Christ sees me. And according to HIM… I AM MAGNIFICENT! Even when I’m honking! I am a child of the Holy, Mighty King! That He expects me to ACT like it is a given!

I pray the next time that honking person comes by, they will take the time and actually READ one of OUR signs, along with the U-Turn one. If we were all truly following the Master with the Holy Spirit as our guide and Jesus in our hearts, we’d all be sitting at the corning waiting on the other guy to GO! Which…come to think of it…isn’t THAT bad of idea!

Are ‘YOU Turn’ing toward Him?

“In Him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by His Spirit.” Ephesians 2:22

Coming from the East I had an appointment on the Island of Venice. As I approached the first of only 3 roads to get there, I noted the traffic was backed up for half a mile. It was lunchtime and the bridge was up. Over the years I’ve come to believe that some rich slobs just enjoy yachting AND probably relish the fact that the whole Island has to wait just for them! So I took a detour.

Heading south on 41 bypass, I figured it would be quicker to go all the way down and come UP from the lower bridge. I hadn’t traveled a mile when I saw that road construction had shut everything down to a crawling 1 lane! Naturally I knew what I’d find. 1 crew of about a dozen men leaning on shovels…watching 1 guy run a machine! Disgusted, I shook my head, and suddenly felt God’s smack!

I was frustrated! So much so that I even blurted out loud in my truck, “HEY Look… I am busy! I’ve got places to go, people to see and ya’ll are IN MY WAY!” Then I felt the familiar smack AGAIN! As an experienced fool, there have been times I’ve had to get MUCHO smacked before Jesus had my attention. When I finally got it, I got it! It came in the form of this morning’s Bible verse.

I’m glad I’m not God. Among all the chaos and evil of the world, Jesus came down, slapped up a huge “Under Construction” sign in the form of a cross, and started interrupting everyone’s lives. Most don’t understand or CARE to understand WHY! Inconvenience pushes many toward the opinion of, ”How dare He! Doesn’t He know we have places to go and things to do!”

It was a genuine shock when I grasped this verse. ‘I’ am “being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit!” HUH???? Read it again only put YOUR self in there! Among ALL the turmoil, sin, despair, evil and chaos…God created a Construction site! And His purpose is FOR ME!!!!!! All so that HE can LIVE WITH ME! Oh.. and YOU TOO, of course! Are you shocked!!!!

It’s about now that the implications have actually HIT ME! There IS a rich slob on a yachting journey, holding everything up. And that SLOB is ME!!! Oh.. and YOU TOO, of course! That is if you belong to Him. He is using EVERYTHING in life to Build His home IN ME. And when I finally understand what all the FUSS is about, I am embarrassed at my whining. Because it really IS…all about ME! Oh.. and YOU TOO, of course!

Is God working on YOU?

“This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.” John 15:8

The pain in my eye started in the late afternoon on Friday. Saturday morning, I looked at myself in the mirror, a red eye staring back at me, and I had to finally admit I had a problem! Why do medical things seem to always happen on the weekend?? I called my Doctor, who is also my friend, and tried to describe my condition. “Send me a picture!” He said.

A stye is not something one hides. It was REDily apparent what was wrong when anyone saw me. And just by seeing, I started receiving free medical advice on how to get rid of the stye in my eye. I had already tried several remedies that hadn’t worked before I finally got smart and called my Doctor. He was kind and gracious to me, calling in a prescription for me on his day off. When I picked it up, I couldn’t believe what I saw!

The tube of stuff I picked up, when compared with chocolate syrup, wouldn’t even be enough to flavor my milk! Thinking he was joking, I could only chuckle at the pharmacist’s pronouncement of the cost! I knew he was serious when he didn’t laugh! He DID try to make me feel better by telling me the RETAIL cost of the stuff! NOT feeling like a prominent FBI Hostage negotiator, I shut my mouth and paid. After all, ‘I’ was the one with the stye!

A stye, I have learned, is a Staph infection. Katie did a study and told me that I’d probably picked my nose and then rubbed my eye! A thoroughly disgusting act that I could EASILY see myself doing. The ointment needs to be applied 5 times a day, is uncomfortable and makes my vision cloudy. But as the French say…”c’est la vie!” Such is life!

Sin is that disgusting stuff that gets in the way of my relationship with God and prevents me from seeing Him as He really is. Dr. Jesus has the remedy, which is FAR too expensive for me to pay. But out of His love for His Father AND for me, He paid it and gave it to me for FREE! But the way I see it, there’s more to the story.

God is a Gentleman. Which means He doesn’t FORCE me to ‘take my medicine’ like an angry parent might do. He KNOWS it’s for my own good, but then… so do ‘I!’ He sought, fought, bought and caught me to offer me the ONLY remedy for my stink eye! But He leaves the application up to ME!

It is shocking to me how many folks have home remedies for sin and death. I don’t have to have an opinion as to their effectiveness, because Jesus already stated, “My way is the ONLY way!” I don’t understand why so many folks refuse to take the time to actually seek, try and apply God’s medicine to their vision problem! Except that time and money are ALWAYS a part of the problem AND solution. But that’s another subject!

How do YOU see it?

“Jesus answered, ‘Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit.'” John 3:5

I am a good father and have THE 4 most wonderfully, amazing kids ever born. But I’m not braggin’! I can SAY the first thing because of the second, and the second thing because of the first. Time is the factor that allows me to conclusively make that statement in the first place. My kids aren’t kids anymore and range in age from 34 – 40, which is old enough to know AND prove that they really are…wonderfully amazing!

I was there for every birth. Since Katie had willfully determined to go ALL IN with the, at the time, new, Lamaze method of natural childbirth thing, I was in the room when my kids came in to the world. And while I’d heard of Dad’s ‘cutting the cord’ of their children to welcome them into the world, I neither asked for, nor was given, the opportunity to actually do so. Could THAT be the secret to wonderful kids??

I don’t feel cheated because I didn’t cut my kid’s umbilical cords. After all, it’s just a symbolic ritual anyway. I deliberately went looking for today’s verse because I HAVE been given the opportunity, commission and duty to birth new babies into this, and another world! And it happened again yesterday. Not symbolic…but LITERALLY!

A week ago I had the privilege to witness and lead a man to New Birth in Christ. Once done, we were BOTH joyfully excited. YESTERDAY God completed the team when Katie and I were honored to witness the rebirth of his Wife, while the whole family sat around a table for lunch! All of us were blessed to watch God move and work, through His Son, by the power of the Holy Spirit…as old ties of THIS life of sin and death were cut to make way for the NEW!

I am ALWAYS blown away by the act of someone being Born Again in Christ. From understanding that they are sinners deserving of the Lake of Fire, to the asking and receiving a NEW Life because of Christ’s death and resurrection, some births may seem more emotionally exciting than others. But no matter HOW one FEELS at New Birth, the birthing process is ALWAYS MESSY! In a labor room, 1 goes in and 2 come out. In the ‘New Birth’ process, the patient literally DIES.. and a NEW person is born! And Funerals are not pleasant!

I do not miss having babies because I am just that kind of person. To me, no amount of cooing can overcome the crying, pooping, puking and fidgeting of a new baby. But that didn’t mean I didn’t do my part as a father. In New Birth of Salvation, SOME inclinations are overcome by the power of the Holy Spirit. But there are lots of learning steps to growing up in Christ. And each step, with the help of Jesus People, moves HIS baby toward AMAZINGLY WONDERFUL!

How Amazing are YOU?  

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” Colossians 3:23-24

The phone beeped the sound that a text message had just come in. Having recently completed some hard physical labor in very humid weather, I had been resting comfortably under a ceiling fan. Since it was easier, I called Jason back instead of texting. How was I to know that a simple question would lead to an opportunity to touch, and BE touched, by the Lord of the Universe?

Jason was working on the children’s playground at church and just wanted to know where he might find something. He wasn’t asking for physical help, but I just couldn’t help myself. I quickly put on my scruffy work clothes and headed his way. As soon as I had I arrived and opened my truck door, it was as if I had entered the Holy of Holies.

Taking a survey of the situation, Jason was on his hands and knees…but he wasn’t praying. He was working on a hold in the ground beside the swing-set! His truck door was open and an awesome Christian song was blasting truth into the air. Knowing I was about to sweat, I didn’t care. And under the shade of the big oak tree, I couldn’t help but summarize the moment by saying what I felt. “Doesn’t this feel like we’re stealin’?” He quickly laughed and agreed.

I believe men (and that includes women) were created to Glorify God in a unique way. God has VERY POWERFUL ANGELS that circle Him constantly proclaiming His Holiness and perfection. He doesn’t need a dirty, sweaty man to do that. MY uniqueness, and even BETTER Glory for God, comes when I choose to partner with Him to do HIS work, and will, in an evil world…behind enemy lines. Which was what we were doing!

To lead Christ calls us to follow. To live, we must die to ourselves. And to be served, we are told we must serve. It wasn’t a mystery that Jesus Christ was there. I could almost see Him leaning down and peering into that hole right alongside Jason. I certainly sense the Holy Spirit’s presence as we, a Father and a Grandfather served, not only our OWN children, but others as well. Knowing Jesus’ opinion of little ones, it was no wonder He was there so powerfully.

We worked, talked, shared, served and got even more dirty and tired. But in the end we really didn’t notice. We had gone where NO angel has ever tread before. For Angels know NOTHING of weary bones, hot days, sweaty bodies and making Godly choices under the duress of fatigue, sin and human logic. Only men can have that experience. And it ALWAYS requires CHOICE!

As we left Jason told me that there was still some more work to do, but that he’d do it himself since it wasn’t much. I couldn’t believe he was actually going to STEAL from me like that! I commanded, “whenEVER you plan on being here, you’d better let ME know what time!” Angels don’t know anything about working under a clock either!

Are YOU working out for Him?

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.” James 1:2-3

It’s that time of year again and I have a war on my hands! Years ago we planted Florida Pitch Apple, or Autograph Tree. Because of HOA rules, we cannot have a fence between houses. But this plant does the job! TOO well! Capable of growing up to 40’ tall, I have to trim it back every year to keep it in check. So far this year, I have filled 20 cans and am not quite half done. But THAT is NOT the war!

When this tree is full and green, it is BEAUTIFUL. As you can see by the picture, it isn’t anymore! And THAT’S a problem for Katie! Ever since I started cutting it back, she has grumbled like I was cutting off her toe! To make matters worse, we have been watching a TV series where the husband did the same thing to THEIR trees, and the wife won’t stop grumping! To make matters worse, THEIR trees haven’t grown back YET!

I’m getting older and the base of these trees is getting bigger. It takes more work, time and a higher ladder each year to do the job. And I’m gonna tame these trees if it KILLS me! Because it just may! But before anyone thinks negatively of my wife, its a fact that MOST women hate tree trimming. When it comes to trimming and pruning away the overgrowth of our flesh, most men do too!

There are overgrowths in my life that need to go! Big, bushy things that look attractive and beautiful to me. But are noting but ‘work suckers!’ They take time and energy away from my TRUE spiritual life and rob me of GENUINE joy. And while ‘I’ may like these big shady things, Jesus does not! And when Jesus doesn’t like something, His Father doesn’t either! Soon, the Holy Spirit will be sent with a VERY BIG SAW!

Cutting back, pruning and taming overgrowth is ALWAYS painful. But as The Bible says, it is NECESSARY! A good soldier cannot run in battle carrying 100 pound backpacks! And while my Army Ranger friend may argue, it’s a FACT they can’t run far or long! My flesh LOVES a good time. If given a choice, it would STAY on vacation! God makes sure it doesn’t HAVE a choice, since He’s in the business of growing saints. Not trees!

Spirit is opposed to Flesh and Flesh to the Spirit. God uses MANY tools to get rid of the pretty…but unnecessary! And no matter HOW much I may scream, He won’t stop. Because, as I have learned, when in HIS hands, PRETTY becomes MUCH more BEAUTIFUL. And He loves me FAR too much to let me just root and shoot!

What is God cutting away in YOUR life? 

“By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles?” Mathew 7:16

Wanting to surprise my wife with a clean car, I was detailing around the backseat. When the cleaning cloth hit something gooey stuffed inside the window button…I yelled “WHAAAAAAAAT”? Right there, in that little nickel sized area, was a wad of ABC gum (Already Been Chewed!). As I tried to remove the evidence, I HAD to come to the logical conclusion that at least ONE of my grandchildren is EVIL!!!

Being a father of 4 kids, and now 10.5 grandkids, I didn’t even KNOW there was such a thing as parental PTSD . But there HAD to be because I was experiencing it! I remember the back seats of, not one but TWO vans we had trashed when our kids were young. Climbing ‘back there’ was ALWAYS like entering ‘The Cave of Disgusting Surprise’! Now that my wife’s nice car had been hacked, I felt violated…or something!!

Immediately, after finding the gum, I started a checklist! “Who has been back here and who is the culprit!?” We don’t drive grandkids around that often, and since I had no way of carbon dating the evidence to an exact date, I quickly surmised that it could have been ANY of them. And then, “since ANY of them COULD have done it, they’re ALL GUILTY!” I finally settled with, “Grandchildren are EVIL!”

After coming to the ‘evil grandchildren’ conclusion, I realized I was actually smiling! The memory of those vans took me back to incredibly busy, but wonderful, days with my children. Children bring a whole blessing of their own because, nowadays…we’re just busy! So I cleaned up the gum as best as I could, dropped the desire to discover the perpetrator, and then told Katie. She wasn’t happy but…she smiled too!

Lately, the Lord has been showing me some rather messy, uncomfortable facts. Specifically, that the evidence of actually being a son of God ISN’T that I said a prayer one time when I was young, to ask Jesus into my heart! The EVIDENCE is ACTUALLY… my FRUIT! In other words…what I DO proves EXACTLY WHO’S I AM! And while I have gotten a LOT better and BEING better over the years, I STILL show ENOUGH evidence of EVIL behavior to make me nervous! Which is actually a good thing!

The old saying “Once saved ALWAYS saved” has Biblical merit.” Once I am born again, I CANNOT become UNBORN. But rebirth comes with real and hard physical evidence. If I am a new creature, I will hate and despise the things that God hates, and be COMPLETELY disgusted at myself when I DO them. Loving worldly things is evidence that some folks really AREN’T ‘Born Again!’

After cleaning up the mess, I was convicted that ‘I’ had made a mess of my own. Being reminded, I faced my Father and admitted it, thanking Him for forgiveness and the strength and wisdom to not do it again! Then I smiled! Because I realize that it ISN’T that I’m simply saved…it that I am saved and CHANGED!

Are YOU?

PS  THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRAYERS.  Dickie is SUPPOSED to come home today.  

“whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave—just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve…” Matthew 20:26-28

This is a picture of my dear friend Dickie. As I write this, Dickie is in the hospital with some sort of infection. From what I can tell, no one seems to know what is wrong with him or what type of infection he exactly has! Which, as his friend, is frustrating. I can’t even imagine what it must be like for Dickie! I took this picture yesterday when I went to visit him… for a reason!

When I walked into Dickie’s room he was slumped over. Since he can’t move on his own, he must have slid into that position. Having no idea how long he had been like that, I knew it would take someone who knows HOW to move someone with Cerebral Palsy…to move him. At that moment, it wasn’t me. So I went and got a nurse. After a couple nurses adjusted him and left, I saw a plate of food beside his bed.

Since Dickie can’t move on his own, he can’t feed himself either! Heck. He can’t even TELL anyone he’s hungry…since he can’t really talk either! So there I was with my friend, who loves Jesus more than anything, AND a conundrum. Troubled, I threw a prayer to our mutual Lord saying, “what should I do?” Within a nanosecond I could picture Jesus with His hands up saying…”DUH… FEED HIM!”

Loving Jesus Christ has produced times when I was called to step out of my comfort zone and DO something. Times that require action and not just thought. Knowing Dickie had ended up in the hospital because he was not swallowing his food well, I picked up the spoon and started feeding him little bites…all the while saying to my friend…”now buddy if you don’t swallow, or if you choke and die, I’m gonna be in a WHOLE LOTTA TROUBLE here!” As I fed him, we had church!

Holy moments often come when not expected. Understanding God often comes from simply acting upon what God says. In that moment, I better understood what God meant when Paul wrote, “God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.” I wasn’t shamed, I was humbled. AND BLESSED by my friend.

I said I posted his picture for a reason. I’d like to ask you to join with me in praying for Dickie and those who surround him. That if they are medical staff, that they will wisely get his condition diagnosed and remedied. And if they are non-believers, that they will see God in Dickie. And that WHEN God finds YOU in a situation that makes you uncomfortable, that you will step up, listen to Him, and then DO what He says!

What is God asking YOU to do?