“…we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” 2 Corinthians 10:5

Having JUST been convicted of my own stinkin’ thinkin,’ I got up to prepare for the day. I had some painting that needed done, but needed to run to the store as well. Deciding between “what to do and WEAR,” I started to do BOTH! It was between deciding against going to the store in nasty painter’s clothes, and ‘I’ll just carefully move that painted work aside…’ it happened! And ‘just that fast’ I was defeated!

Katie thinks I should look respectable when I go out in public since, “you never know who you might run into.” Standing there with paint on my hands AND jeans, I was upset with myself because I had already seen the potential of this very problem and thought, “I’ll just be VERY careful!” Then, “you dummy WHY did you….?” And the demons laughed!

As I sit here, I’m thinking that this is a dumb subject AND so tiny, that It isn’t even worth mentioning. Yet, this is the EXACT attitude the enemy of my soul wants to have! So while I feel bad about myself, HE sneaks off unnoticed! Leaving me with my peace destroyed! And it all started with that simple thought, “Go ahead, YOU CAN DO IT!”

As I see it, the BIG word in today’s verse is ‘EVERY!’ I have to admit that it doesn’t take much to get me off track, distracted, upset with myself and ‘out of the game.’ I can almost FEEL that evil referee pointing and shouting, ‘FOUL…DISQUALIFIED!’ All because I KNEW the potential for a problem, but FAILED in taking steps to eliminate it altogether! Enter Umpire Jesus.

Jesus is ALWAYS SO patient and gentle. I’ve NEVER heard Him call me ‘stupid’ or ‘idiot!’ He’s ALWAYS encouraging and kind, bathing my soul in His Grace. He’s always setting me up for another try, even when I want to quit! Sure…this is a little thing! But the outcome is the same as the intention of my enemy…to TAKE ME OUT! And I ALMOST fell for it!

In the end, whether the enemy’s shot hits my head or foot doesn’t matter. If that wound takes me out of the mission God has for me, my defeat is the same. That is why this Bible warning is SO crucial to me. There ARE NO small things and EVERYTHING MATTERS! If I am to get where god wants me to go, I need to pay attention to the small stuff!

Maybe THAT’S why I’m remembering a slogan, used by the U.S. Army for over 20 years…“Be all you can be!” Could that be God’s desire and goal for me too?

“And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.” Ephesians 6:18

Standing in a long line at the store, I could tell the woman, 2 ahead of me, was a heathen and headed to hell! She was slow and chatty with the checkout girl and the line behind me was long! When it came time to pay, she only THEN started fishing for her credit card, which she had no idea how to actually USE! I remembered this verse AND an episode of Star Trek!

If you are old, like me, you MAY remember Star Trek and Spock’s unique ability to implement “The Vulcan Mind Meld!” Placing his ‘V’ shaped hand on the subject’s face, Spock could actually meld people’s minds to his and get them to DO his bidding! With Ephesians 6:18 in MY mind, I decided to give it a shot…since it was OBVIOUS the hell-bent, insensitive heathen in front of me had NO clue on how to be a good Christian! Mesmerized, I could slowly FEEL my mind begin to meld…

Imagine my initial surprise when I realized MY mind was soon ‘melded’ with Jesus Christ! MY last thought before conforming was, “Oh RATS.. where did HE come from?” But I was already under His conviction. I KNEW, because I felt rather stupid! Not that Jesus made me feel that way! It’s just my usual feeling when confronted with my own selfish failure!

Initial reactions to being caught by Jesus in a wrong attitude are not abnormal. ‘Shame’ shows up, but NEVER hangs around long…since J.C. doesn’t like him much! ‘Conviction’ gives me, then Jesus, a high-5 before leaving a hole the line for ‘Dr. Peace’ to cut in. But I don’t mind cuz…I actually like the Doc! He’s pretty cool and USUALLY helps me see the light.

Back to reality, I KNEW that Prayer RARELY changes my situation, circumstances or other people. But I ALSO know that, when implemented properly, it can USUALLY and successfully change ME! I knew I HAD to be under the full control and spell of Jesus when I walked up to the lady (she MOVED slowly too) and asked, “May I help you load those groceries into your…CAR??????” OH NOOOO!!! SHE DRIVES!!!!!  

“But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” Isaiah 40:31

WHAT was I thinking? Like the old song, was I looking for a taste of things ‘The Way We Were’ or for a little, ‘I Got Sunshine On a Cloudy Day?’ Either way, my downhill slide began at the first snap of the Steeler-Browns football game. The ball went over the head of Ben, into the end zone and a Browns player jumped on it! Touchdown! I couldn’t believe it! My old friend, disappointment, sat beside me and smiled! My OWN fumble was my next mistake.

By the time the first quarter of that game ended, THEY had 28 points. WE had ZIP! Though born in Pittsburgh, I had lived in Cleveland for 8 years! Now I live near Tampa! I SHOULD have been happy, since all 3 of my ‘hometown teams’ had made the playoffs! Then I remembered the MOST important thing. My happiness is not, and never should be, centered around a ball, a score, an outcome or other people. DUH!!!!!!

Years ago I had the opportunity, and honor, to deliver the Baccalaureate address to 2 of my kids graduating High School seniors. I preached on this very verse as a way of escape when life deals a disappointing blow! Like ALL good advice, the HARDEST part is FIRST humbling myself in order to receive it. In order to get RIGHT, I had to FIRST admit I was WRONG! And boy…was I ever!??

Losing is HARD. Not getting my own way is PAINFUL. Dying to my own desire is DEPRESSING! The really ridiculous part is, I should be good at it by now! It should be simpler! But it isn’t! So much of the time I have to remind myself that life, ‘ain’t about me!’ Which takes some convincing before I can start to see a turn around.

‘He who expects nothing ain’t gonna be deceived,’ is one way of looking at life. But it isn’t God’s way. He WANTS me to have goals, plans and expectations. But those plans are EXPECTED to be rooted in HIS plan for me. The WORLD likes to create its own truth. In fact, Baccalaureate Services are no longer even held anymore. But that doesn’t stop God’s Expectation that I will place my life and hope on HIM! ALWAYS

Now that I admit my attitude was wrong and admitted it to God, I have a new ‘old’ song to sing! Today…I’m going to, ‘Fly Like an Eagle!’ How about you?

“Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world… with integrity and godly sincerity…relying not on worldly wisdom but on God’s grace.” 2 Corinthians 1:12

Apparently I had done it again! And once again, I hadn’t even realized it. But the look of the faces looking back at me confirmed that what I had said was not in the realm of what the other folks in the room were used to hearing. I wanted to crawl under a rock!

Being WHOSE I am comes with significant benefits! Being HIS for a LONG time has significantly CHANGED me. The problem is, I don’t usually SEE it in myself. For example, imagine if, in the middle of your church, work or classroom, the door opened and Donald Trump walked in! Or Tom Brady…or Taylor Swift! Can you imagine the faces in the room? Yup…it was just like that! But without the fame!

I spend a LOT of time reading, studying, praying and preparing to be a better more faithful follower of Jesus. Yes…some days are better than others! But slowly and over time, that kind of effort AND, with the aid of the Holy Spirit, changes a person. I am a Faith guy! And much more so than when I started out on this journey 53+ years ago. Knowing WHO HE IS has seen to that. Thus…the problem!

‘KNOWING God’ always trumps thinking you know ‘God doesn’t exist.’ The former is personal. The latter presumes the knower ‘knows’ everything! Having seen the work of God SO many times, I realize nothing is impossible for Him. And while I believe flashy miracles are so passe! The BIGGEST miracle of God performs these days is a changed life filled with peace and joy. Which are promises from God Himself.

I wasn’t TRYING to be a jerk when I walked into a room of fear with my normal Faith face. I guess I COULD have been more considerate, which MIGHT have prevented such a reaction. But I didn’t! Hence…the stares! BUT…I WAS honest and sincere! Maybe this is what they meant back in the 70’s when they called followers of Christ…’Jesus Freaks!’ Go figure! Maybe I gotta work more on that Grace thing!

How do YOU look to the world?

After yesterday’s news, my phone rang and I heard from many.  People are ANGRY.  And I believe, rightly so.  But God!    And after all, isn’t HE The Point?  Most folks, when pressed to their limit, want to FIGHT!  But that ISN’T God’s Way!  God knows PERFECTLY what is going on.  And He is NOT going to call you to be a 1 man or woman army to take up arms and go to war. He wants us RESTING in HIM..NOT RESISTING everything else!  This devotion says it well.  THIS is the Call of Christ to His Church.  If you want peace and joy… Let God have it!

Love in Him – K.C.

For all who love pride and power with empty vanity and the display of arrogance, and all spirits who desire such things and seek their own glory by dominating others, are bound together in one association… And all men and all spirits who humbly seek the glory of God and not their own, and who follow Him devoutly, belong to one fellowship. Nevertheless, God is most merciful and patient with the ungodly, and offers them an opportunity to repent and be corrected. ~ On the Catechizing of the Uninstructed, 19.31, trans, S. D. F. Salmond*. 

Have you ever found yourself in a conflict without hope of reconciliation? Perhaps someone wronged you, and the person who hurt you was unwilling to ask for forgiveness. Perhaps you were the one at fault and weren’t able to swallow your pride. 

We have different ways of responding to these situations.  

Sometimes we lash out and let our anger get the better of us. Sometimes we do everything in our power to make the other person go away. Sometimes we do our best to ignore the individual, despite the unresolved conflict lingering in our hearts and minds.  

Augustine tells us unresolved conflict lies at the heart of every culture: Those who seek justice often find themselves at odds with those who seek domination.  

The humble will never find common ground with the proud.  

Yet God chooses to be patient even when we are not. Until the bitter end, He gives even His worst enemies an opportunity to change and to be reconciled both to Him and to those whom they have harmed.  

If you are like most people, you have unresolved conflict in your life. It might be ever-present, or it might wake you up in the middle of the night without warning. Ask the Lord to take your place in that argument. Give the conflict to Him. Pray He will give you His heart, His patience, and His grace to desire reconciliation — even until the bitter end.  

Excerpted with permission from God Above All, copyright Zondervan. 

God is most merciful and patient with the ungodly, and offers them an opportunity to repent and be corrected. Have you ever been locked in a conflict you can’t get out of wondering why God doesn’t intervene? Maybe He is! Maybe God is using this conflict to get into the heart of the person on the other end of the conflict. Have patience. Give it to Him. 

“Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father?” Hebrews 12:7

In order to give my wife the new pavers she wants, this palmy, planty thing must first disappear. When I asked if it was valuable in the landscaping world, my contractor friend simply said, “nope!” And with those words, I set out to remove it…only to discover WHY it could never be transplanted in the first place. This thing is just one big system of ROOTS!

Having been told, “ALL those roots have to come out,” I didn’t think it would be such a big deal! Until I started. Dig, dig, dig, cut, chop, snip, dig! And while it LOOKS gone, I’ve barely scratched the surface! I have my work cut out for me and I’m already sore and worn out! Having started, it seems a long way to the finish. This is HARD!

I have discovered that ‘easy’ and ‘fair’ are NOT God words. In the verse today I note that God doesn’t even TRY to disguise that fact. He sounds more like a Marine Drill Sergeant than a tender mommy. Which is exactly the point he is trying to make. With a whistle in hand, God often barks and bites because He’s called FATHER! Having kids of my own, I appreciate the position.

This last year has been like a sea of emotions, with it’s up’s and down’s! Last night I heard news that will, more than likely, make life for my family and friends even more difficult. When I turned to God to whine, THIS is the verse that popped into my head. Which really means…hardship is where I’m headed. God already has my suit of armor ready!

To eradicate old sin, habits, attitudes and stinkin’ thinkin’ takes work. HARD work. There’s no getting around it. My conscience meter is ALWAYS running, pointing out areas that need cutting, chopped or trimmed to make way for God-like attitudes. I’ve TRIED to ignore, brush off and even disregard His directives, but it only delays the inevitable.

Hardship is a promise from God, but today I read a little farther to learn that IT comes with a promise as well. Verse 11 says, “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.” And while I may rebel at the idea of getting righteous at times, I ALWAYS love peace! I’m pressing on!   You dig???

“(God) set His seal of ownership on us, and put His Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.” 2 Corinthians 1:22

Well…I guess it’s time! Though I always get sad at this time of year when Katie starts taking down the Christmas decorations. But now it’s official…this Merry Merry Holy-Day is HO HO Over! Now It’s time for her to box it all up and put it away until next year. And that last sentence is not intended to sound as if it came from a male chauvinistic pig. Even though I am one.

After 43 Christmases together, there is a ritual that has formed to become “THE WAY” we do almost EVERYTHING. Boxing up Christmas is a prime example. I watch as my artistic and finicky wife takes down each decoration and, if breakable, carefully wraps it in paper to place it in a labeled box for next year. Often an old label is crossed out to relabel the current contents. But nothing is ever lost this way! MY job is to lug it all back to storage!

To me, Christmas is all about anticipation as learning, enjoying and spending time with those we love, all move to the ultimate crescendo of celebration! After that, the party’s over! Even tho it’s not really! The seeming letdown of this time of year proves that the Birth of The Promised Messiah is a wonderful event to remember…and no joke! Before ‘The Promise’ came, men lived in darkness, clinging only to an old STORY of hope. But not anymore!

Because He CAME, I no longer need to fear or feel hopeless! God didn’t use a ‘special star’ to guide me, but the Holy Spirit prompted me onward toward my own search for the ‘Savior,’ Having found Him, and unlike the Angels to the shepherds, He has never REALLY left me. Even though sometimes it may SEEM that way.

I guess I could say I am like a very special Christmas ornament to Him. I have been purchased, put on display, and now marked with a permanent seal for a time in the future. And even though I may sometimes FEEL like I’ve been put on hold in a box, I have been MARKED and GUARANTEED for a time that will ultimately be the Greatest Holy-Day in History. And though a little sad now, I have EVERY reason to hold onto His Comfort and Joy! WITH anticipation!

How about YOU?

“Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” Mark 5:19

Waking up to a Monday is not really that big of a deal. After all, they come around once a week! But today…THIS Monday…is a little different because it’s the first Monday after a long Christmas break. For me, being kind of semi-retired, I don’t HAVE to BE ANYWHERE! But for some reason, it seems like I should be!

Katie is getting ready to go to work. Having enjoyed over 2 weeks of being allowed to sleep-in, the time has come to get up and DO what we NORMALLY do! Being fresh on the heels of 2021 after such a churned up 2020, it is easy to ask the question, “But what is normal?” If you’re like me, the desire to crawl back in bed can be almost irresistible!

Facing a New Year can be a challenge, because I can’t escape the fact that, while ALL of us are on the same ship, EACH of us has different responsibilities. A cruise, a break or vacation is fun. But ‘Normal’ is where we live! In today’s Bible verse, Jesus had just made a special trip, through a storm to rid a guy of his demons. As Jesus was getting back in the boat, the healed man wanted to tag along. Until Jesus gave him his new job…”GO HOME!” HUH????

After many years of work and preparation, my oldest son Clint started his new job as a Harbor Pilot. This picture came across my phone yesterday on his first run! He told me the feeling was overwhelming, as the responsibility is a big one. Bringing ships in and taking them back out requires an INTIMATE knowledge of what home really is! For at home, thar be LOTS of close and treacherous obstacles to avoid!

Clint didn’t get there alone. His brother Colt was a big help, since being home to him is in the same place! He introduced him to people using HIS contacts and knowledge, to prepare his brother to succeed. Our whole family prayed and supported and encouraged along the way. Now we ALL get to celebrate the culmination and joy of the journey!

Exotic new places can be thrilling. New things to do that don’t’ seem so boring are ALWAYS a temptation. But reading this story today helps me to realize that Jesus isn’t really asking me to do something I am unqualified to do. It helps to remember that, when I’m looking for something big and spectacular, Jesus simply tells me to “go home and tell THEM what the Lord has done!” Which MUST be important!     And I think I just did!

“Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Mathew 28:19-20

I must have missed the knock yesterday! But the evidence was plainly there on the doorknob. We had had a visitor. It was a salesman to be sure, based upon the flier hanging there, with an opportunity presenting itself. But would I take it? This got me thinking…”What if it had been Jesus?”

So I imagined I moved across the country. The big city is new to me. Having small town roots I’m excited to give one of the nation’s largest metropolises a try. I’m looking forward to the excitement and settling in. With boxes still unpacked, I decide to sleep in and rest before tackling another day. But at 6 am, I hear the doorbell ringing…and it won’t stop. I put on some old clothes, hoping that I look O.K., then answer the door in mid ring. Standing before me is a man holding a briefcase, along with about 14 other people I DON’T know, right behind him. He glances at his watch. “GOOD MORNING” he booms, then says.. “I am SO delighted to catch you at home! May we come in?”

Before I can answer he pushes his way in and the others follow. Before I know it I’m holding fresh coffee in carry out cup. And it’s JUST the way I like it! Then I see on the table, not 1, but 2 of my favorite doughnuts. I quickly notice that every eye is upon me. The man is bubbly, jovial and genuinely excited to be at my house. He then begins his pitch! Since I‘m now eating his doughnut I feel like I’ve got to at least hear him out.

“I am the mayor and I actually heard you were coming into town. Don’t ask, I know all sorts of things. But I was MOST excited upon YOUR arrival because, well, our town, though big and of large reputation, suffers from a decline in … well GOODness! “ I have decided that I want to make YOU the vice mayor and place YOU in charge of helping to rebuild this town into one with an image that will make people WANT to come and live here! The salary is 2 Million dollars a year and I need you to start… right now!” Then I woke up!

Does that sound strange? Unbelievable? Well not according to today’s Bible verse! Being His, I recognize that story and understand what He is trying to say to me. And not JUST me! Because the story is quite true!! YOU and I have been hand-picked PERSONALLY…By Jesus Christ Himself….to join His welcome wagon team. 2021 is right behind Him. And He’s waiting for an answer.

Oh…I think I just heard YOUR doorbell!