CrossConnected------------ by dennis manor

Writing or Written?

2012-02-23T14:48:00.002-06:00

Some of you might know by now that I wrote a book, a novel. It has not - yet - been published in print, but it is available for Amazon's Kindle and Barnes and Noble's Nook. There are more e-reader services that it will be going to as well. It floated around in my head for quite some time before I ever started putting it down on paper. And all that happened a long time ago. The book, "Troubled Fields" would sit there for a period of time, and then I would go back and tweak, re-write, edit . . all that stuff.

It started out as a nice little Christmas story. Over time it changed and developed into something else. Then, after I "got saved" in 2007, it went through a couple more transformations. I don't have much of a bio as an author. When it came to the "about the author" part, I didn't have much to say. Instead, I wrote a little paragraph about what the book means to me. One thing I said there is that "Troubled Fields" started out as something that I wanted, written the way I wanted it to be. My greatest desire for it now is that it is only and all that God wants it to be. I truly hope that is the case, but I wonder.

You see, "Troubled Fields" began as my "great American novel". It was meant to bring great things to me. By the time I finished it for the fourth or fifth time, and pressed the "publish" button, it was meant to glorify God. I hope that in some way it does just that. Now, this book is not like a Sherwood Pictures movie. It's clean, but it still has a few of what some might consider rough edges. You won't read "God" in every chapter. What you will see is a man of faith, living by faith, and messing up from time to time, like "real life".

In this life, we don't always do the right thing, even after making Jesus Lord of our lives. I'm not making excuses. I'm just stating facts. The truth is that Jesus has made us perfect. All who are followers of Jesus need to accept that about ourselves. We are not going to reach that state of perfection and be perfect until that bright day when we leave this life and abide in His presence, but He has begun a perfect perfecting work in us. Until then, Christians are going to continue to do unChristlike things. But ain't it great to know that we are forgiven?

The problem that I have with my own book is that I took something that was written for another purpose and then found places to "write God in". When I first started doing this, those were places I chose in the story where I thought God would fit. And when I thought I had, at long last finished the book, and wrote "The End", I had a good overall story, with some great drama, but I felt that I had come up a little short in showing God at work in these troubled fields. I prayed that He would somehow be glorified by it.

Two of my "pre-readers" loved the story, but were very much highly terribly awfully greatly depressingly disturbed (does that adequately describe their feelings?) about what had happened to one of the characters. I have to admit that I, too, sat at my keyboard and literally cried over the same thing when I wrote it. (What you have to understand is that sometimes a story takes its own direction. You write something completely unplanned and not even in your range of thought at the moment, and then sit there quite surprised, stunned maybe, at what you see before you.) I didn't want it to happen, but it had great shock value, and it really made for some great drama. They respected my work as the author, but pleaded with me to see if something else could happen. I resisted, and then half-heartedly said, "OK, I'll see."

I fully expected, planned actually, to report back that nothing else worked, it was just going to have to be that way. But, a strange thing happened.. I found myself completely re-writing -again - the last seven chapters of the book and adding two more chapters. And God found His own places to show up! He surprised me because I found things happening that I didn't think could happen. Just like real life. (Thank you Angie and Bettie.) His ending to this story is far more satisfying than any I could come up with on my own.

"Troubled Fields" is not a perfect work of fiction. But, I believe I can say that it is a story that I started and God finished. On second thought, I'm sure it is a story that God wanted told. I tried to take it over, but when I gave it back, He readily took it and made it His.

This reminds me that God has a story for each one of us, already planned and written out in His own hand. We start out living the story that God wrote for us. But somewhere along the way we take it and start doing our own editing. We add dialogue here, drama there. We write chapters that were never intended to be there. From where we are it all might look good to us, or it might look like a complete mess. But, in any case, it is not the story that God wrote for us.

If you haven't done so already, put your pen down. Turn away from that poor attempt at plagiarism that you've been living. Turn your life story over to God. He will give you a new, fresh, clean and pure page to start on. All you have to write on it is, "Your story, Lord, not mine". And then live the story God has written for you. It is a story where your name is written in the Lamb's Book of Life. It is a story of great adventure, still filled with up's and down's, high's and low's. It's a story where you are never again alone and you are always and forever forgiven. And, speaking of forever, it is the only truly never ending story. And it is yours!

Psalm 139:16 Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

1 Corinthians 2:9 However, as it is written:“What no eye has seen,what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived”— the things God has prepared for those who love him—

Daniel 12:1 “At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people—everyone whose name is found written in the book—will be delivered.

Revelation 20:15 Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.

Connected,

Dennis

When it comes to the story that He has written for us, wouldn't it be great, as this song suggests, to sign His name to the end of each day? I'm sorry to say that there have been far too few of those for me.

Time Won't Let Me

2012-01-10T22:34:00.000-06:00

I've been thinking about this "New Year" stuff. You know, about how it marks a new beginning, a clean slate, another chance . . all that stuff.

God created time. We live in time. He lives in eternity. How eternity works, how it "passes", how it feels, I cannot say. I have no concept of life beyond time. But, then, I have no real concept of Heaven and how it might be to live there. I only know that it is a place that the word "wonderful" does not begin to describe. Taking the best of the best of our best moments in this life and imagining that this must be something like Heaven is to sell short the glory that awaits us there. I believe I do get glimpses of the bliss of the presence of God, but even that is, as God describes it, "a deposit of things to come". But, eternity and Heaven I cannot describe.

So, back to time. God created it and man recognized the markers God put in place so that we may measure the passage of time. Seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, years, decades, centuries, millennia . . . on and on it goes, and yet, someday, some moment, it will all end. Til then, we will continue to make perhaps more use of our measurement of time than we do of time itself. . . . Not that this is a good thing.

i.e. I'm gonna do that later.
   It's too soon.
   It's too late.
       It's time to go to work.
       It's time to finish work and go home.
       There's not enough time for that.
       That will take too much time.
       Next time I'll do better.
       I wish there was one more hour in the day.
       I wish there were more days in the week.
       I wish the week was shorter.
       When I get older I'm gonna . . .
       If I was younger I would . . . . .
   In another time and another place . . .
   etc . . .

Like rungs on a ladder, we reach for that next mark of time as if it can hold our weight and pull us up higher or further along.

We mark all the events in our life by time . . . everything that happens and every thing that doesn't happen. Because we consider "not now", "later", "tomorrow" and so on to show up in life as surely as they do on our clocks and in our calendars we can comfortably consider procrastination to be more a matter of rescheduling . . . indefinitely. We even say time changes everything, and we look at our measurements of time as if all important events in our lives are dominated by a past, present, or future moment in time or a date on that calendar. As I am writing this, I wonder if we might be guilty of worshiping the false god of time - sometimes. Worshiping as if time makes it happen.

God intended that time be measured and marked. "In the beginning. . . on the first day . . . on the second day . . . (whether they were literal days or not) He measured the lives of our ancestors by the many years that they lived. He gave specific time frames to the Israelites in which to accomplish certain tasks, and He set forth dates of months, and numbers of years in which certain celebrations and observations were to take place. In Ecclesiastes we have that beautiful passage that states "To everything there is a time . . ." And we are told by our Lord of an appointment ". . . about that day or hour no one knows . . .".

So, time is useful. Which is to say that time is to be used. Things happen in time and over time, but not because of time.

It is not the passing of the old year that wipes our slate clean. It is not the entrance of the new year that gives us yet another chance. You don't have to wait for the stroke of midnight on one special day out of 365 days to put your past behind you and secure a clean, pure present and future. You shouldn't wait because it just doesn't happen that way. And then there is such a thing as waiting too long.

One event happening in one moment in time eliminates our need to falsely depend upon anything else ever again. It happens once, and continues to happen every moment of our lives for the rest of our lives. Once it happens, it is a past, present and future happening. When it happens, it is the single most important moment of our lives. We are saved from the condemnation of our sins to a new eternal life in Jesus Christ. We are irrevocably saved, and we live out that salvation from that moment on. Never again will Satan hold any power or authority over us that we do not give him! And there aren't enough fireworks in all of the roadside tents and stands in all of America to adequately celebrate that!

So, where does time fit into this? And what do we do with the passing of the old year and the coming of the new year? Just my suggestions: Take a look at where you were. Take a look at where you are. Take a look at where God is leading you.

John 6:44 (NIV) “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day.

John 12:32 (NIV) And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”

By way of whatever path God has set before us, He is drawing us closer to Himself. He IS leading. The question is, "Are we following?". Are we closer to Him now than we were at the beginning of last year? Are we closer to Him today than we were yesterday?

John 17:22 (NIV) I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one—
As you have heard me say many times, Jesus has a great desire that we Christians become one. Just like everything else that He came to give us, this is a work that He does in us. Do we still let our disagreements divide us, or do we now stand together, despite our disagreements? Do we only want to "be right", to win the argument, or do we now seek His truth - even when we are proven wrong - which brings resolution between us and continues the process of our being made one? Are we still intent on self, or have we moved on?

John 13:34-35(NIV) “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

Do you and I love our brothers and sisters in Christ more than we did? (considering that true love is an act, not a feeling) We might say, "I couldn't love them more if I tried!" Well . . . try! And keep trying no matter how much love is already there. Unless we love with all the love of God there is plenty of room for more. And then there is that person that you just couldn't love last year. . . . How's that going? . . . I mean growing?

Matthew 5:14-16 (NIV) “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

Do we allow the light of Christ in us to shine in such a way that others give glory to God for what they see? It is Christ's light. He does the shining. If we sincerely ask, He will show us how to do that and He will give us opportunities to be His light to someone else. Does He shine brighter in you now than in years past?

I Corinthians 12 Now about the gifts of the Spirit, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed. . . . There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. . . . All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.

If you know Jesus, you have at least one spiritual gift. Do you know yours? Are you growing in the use of these gifts of the Spirit? Does the fruit of your Spirit contain the variety born of your spiritual gift? Are you more fruitful as time passes?

It's OK to look at ourselves as one year ends and another begins. Certainly we should. There are always positive changes to be made. For Christians, though, I believe it is so much more important to look within ourselves. Is the work of Christ within us evident? Is He growing within us? Does He influence our lives more and more as time passes? This is something that we cannot address on an annual basis. It requires daily and even moment by moment attention. And when we keep Him and His Kingdom at the center of our lives everything else we need or should want is added to us.

New Year Resolution? Resolve to rise.

Connected,
Dennis

Here is your video. Only 276 or so views on this one.. There are a lot of good ones like this, but one particular sign hit me hard. So that's why I'm posting this one. (I also just like the way it was done . . . and there is that great song.!)

and for fun . . . "Time Won't Let Me" The Outsiders

The Other Side of "Those Banners"

2011-12-22T16:34:00.000-06:00

OK. I usually don't blog so soon after a posting. Some things need to be set right, though, and I'm gonna try to do that. Yesterday's blog did not include the name of the particular town I was talking about. I'm quite sure most of my readers know which one it is. But, it's not about this city only. It's about what is going on in communities all across our nation and the world.

I may have gotten something wrong, though, as it pertains to "our town", and I certainly want to put the other side out there for you. It is not my goal to engage in misinformation, particularly when it leaves someone else open to criticism that they don't deserve.

About "those banners" (you can read about them in my previous post), I had a nice conversation with the mayor on the phone earlier. I had stated that a conscious decision was made to leave "Merry Christmas" out of the mix of greetings that are on the banners. Maybe I misunderstood, but that is what I heard from the source. Again . . . maybe I misunderstood. What I have now been told is that in all of the selection process, presentation to the businesses who sponsored them (whatever form that took), ordering the banners, etc. nobody noticed that there were no "Merry Christmas" banners. Not that it has to make me happy or satisfied, but I am both happy and satisfied with the mayor's explanation.

Next year, we will see some "Merry Christmas's" around town along with these same banners. That's great. Like I said, I have no problem with "Happy Holidays' and "Season's Greetings", we just should not leave "Christmas" out of Christmas!

So, apparently some other folks have been calling the city since this story was reported on a local tv station, with a little added controversy that really isn't there. Nobody seems to know how the tv station got in on this, by the way. I certainly don't, but, I'm thinkin' it was made to look like I was the instigator on that. In any case, I'm sorry that such a weight has fallen upon someone who does not deserve to bear it.

I have not changed my stance. And I still believe that this is a matter of great importance not only to our community but to the "whole entire world"! I just don't want incorrect information to be out there. Somebody, somewhere along the line should have taken notice that the city's Christmas decorations didn't say anything about Christmas, but no single person should have to bear the brunt of responsibility for that. (This is not to say that such an oversight does not carry some responsibility somewhere.)

I am reminded, again, of something I wrote about last month following the election and a very important vote. (See "issues with issues") As we celebrate the birth of Jesus and contemplate all that He brought to us and restored us to, let's remember that one of His greatest desires for all of us who believe is that we be One. Satan can so easily take our disagreements and the way we handle our disagreements to create division and resentment among us. In our attempts to honor Christ we can actually do just the opposite, especially when we find that our self-guided words and deeds divide us from others in the Body. Let's all remember to seek and accept the guidance of the Holy Spirit in the way we handle disagreements among ourselves. Always approach one another in the love given to us by Jesus Himself. We will be tempted to make it about us and our agenda, but let's strive to keep it about Him and His Kingdom. That's another reason that it is so important not only to keep Christ in Christmas, but in everyday 24 hours-a-day life.

So, hopefully, with that, I can quote the great Forrest Gump and declare, "That's all I have to say about that."

“ Glory to God in the highest,
      And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”

Have a Merry and Blessed Christmas,

Dennis

PS On another bit of misinformation; the tv station's website states that I am a resident of the particular town in question. Easy mistake to make. But, I feel compelled to state that I am not a resident of the town. If my left throwing arm was any good, I could just about throw a rock across the city limits from my house. We moved here a few years ago thinking that our neighborhood would be included in the city's incorporation. Years of legal effort and money - most before we ever moved - went down the drain when a judge ruled against our petition. My mail comes from the city, and I spend a lot of time and money in the city. I am a supporter of the city.. Since the day we moved, I have automatically told people that this is where I live. I do say "at" rather than "in". If this disqualifies me from commenting on this matter, so be it. I've been called an idiot, a cry baby, a zealot, etc. Whatever else I am, I'm an honest one.

Bothered By Banners

2011-12-21T20:48:00.001-06:00

Back in 1978, Mac Davis and Bernadette Peters were in a Christmas Special on tv. It was called "Mac Davis' Christmas Odyssey: Two Thousand and Ten". I remember the show. It was set in the distant future year of 2010. "Christmas Day" was a faded memory as it had long been replaced by "Commerce Day". There was no recollection of a celebration or observance of the birth of Christ. There was no recollection of Christ Himself, as I recall. I remember thinking how glad I was that nothing like that could or would ever happen. And 2010 seemed to be so far into the future that I could not imagine what life might be like then, . . . which is now.

A couple of weeks ago I was sitting at THE major intersection in our little town when I noticed some Christmas decorations, banners, hanging on the traffic signal posts, one on each corner. "Those are nice looking," I thought to myself. And then I began to read them. "Happy Holidays". "Seasons Greetings". "Happy Holidays". "Seasons Greetings". Four corners, four posts, four banners, four "holiday messages", and not one among them offered up a "Merry Christmas". . . . Not one. I pointed this out to my wife. And suddenly, they were no longer Christmas decorations. And they were no longer as nice looking. And they had no real meaning to me. It was obvious that a reference to Christmas had been purposefully left out. Any real meaning had been taken out of them. I mean, I know we are a superficial people, but "Happy Holidays" and "Seasons Greetings" are as flimsy as tissue paper with no holiday or no season to back them up. It's like a train without a locomotive. The cars are all loaded, but there is no source of power to take them anywhere.

Sometimes what is not said speaks much louder than what is said. The same goes for what is seen. And there are different ways to say things and to present things so that the thing you are saying is well understood without actually saying it, or drawing a picture of it. Case in point: It used to be that saying "Happy Holidays" or "Season's Greetings" fell right in line as another way of saying "Merry Christmas". And for non-believers, they were a great way to acknowledge and enjoy the season as well. "Merry Christmas's" abounded during the season and there was no purposeful effort to exclude "Merry Christmas" from acknowledgements and celebrations of the season. "Everybody" knew that it was the CHRISTMAS season, CHRISTMAS Day was coming, and CHRIST, whether they believed or not, was THE reason for the celebration. Also, if all was known, you would find untold numbers of "lost" people who love Christmas, love exchanging Christmas gifts, and love to say and hear "Merry Christmas". Christmas . . . CHRISTMAS . . . is a big deal to a lot of people.

Christ is the source of all true joy that is experienced during this time of year.

So, back to what is not being said on those banners.

Each banner was sponsored by a local business, and the name of the sponsoring business was prominently displayed on the banner. Obviously, the idea was to dress up the intersection, have local businesses pay for it, and, in return, the businesses get some advertising for adding to the "holiday cheer". "Surely," I'm thinking, "somebody involved in all this gave some thought to what these banners were going to say! Did they all get together and make a joint decision to leave "Christmas" out of the Christmas decorations???" As a business owner, if my name is on something I want to know what that something has to say. After all, if my name is on it, I am saying it, or not saying it, as the case may be. . . . One way to find out.

I called every business that advertised on the banners. They didn't know what was, or was not, going to be on them. They were just participating in a program to decorate the city in some way, not only for the Christmas season, but for other holidays as well. Two were surprised to learn that there was no "Merry Christmas" banner. They would not have participated had they known that would be the case. The others really didn't seem to have a problem with it. In fact, one seemed to have a problem with me having a problem with it!

I talked to "the city", where the banners were actually selected and purchased and, sure enough, the omission of "Merry Christmas" and the purchase of "Holiday Banners" was decided there.

"Does every Christmas card you get have to have "Merry Christmas" on it? Don't some of your cards say "Season's Greetings" and "Happy Holidays? What's the difference? We were just trying to do something for the community!" (Not all of these statements came from the city. In fact, the lady who made the purchase struck me as a very nice, sincere, Christian lady.)

And then there is the "have respect for other people and their religious beliefs" argument.

No, all of my Christmas cards do not have to say "Merry Christmas". That's because I know they are all saying "Merry Christmas" anyway. As for the community, leaving Christmas out of Christmas leaves out a huge section of our community.

So, what's the difference? Why does it even matter?

The difference is that, as far as I know, people who send Christmas cards to our house are not trying to eliminate Jesus from the celebration of His own birth. And Christmas is called Christmas because it is the day we have chosen to celebrate the birth of Jesus, the arrival of Christ on Earth. Those banners, like so many other things in today's society, were chosen with something else in mind.

To be fair, I doubt that anyone in this city's administration at the present time would actively and purposefully work to remove Christ from Christmas. Likewise, certainly two of the businesses involved and probably all four of them would not do such a thing. But, still, that is the effect of this display. If a decision was made to purposefully leave out, not that accidentally left out, an acknowledgement that we are celebrating Christmas, how else are we to view it? The city decided not to say "Merry Christmas" to and for the huge segment of her population that celebrates the birth of our Lord, our Savior, our Redeemer, our Deliverer, the Way, the Truth, the Life, THE Son of God

It would have been a way for the city to honor Him. If you think that is not important to God, go back and read the Old Testament. And, before anybody starts hollerin' "separation of church and state", you can also see in the Bible how God feels about those "states" that choose to separate themselves from Him. "It's the law," some may say. "It's everywhere! How are we going to change it?"

Well, 1,God's law is higher than man's law. "Yes, all kings shall fall down before Him; All nations shall serve Him." Psalm 72:11. And, 2, if we don't change it where we live, how are we going to change it anywhere else? "But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.” Joshua 24:15 Part 2 of 2, it is God who brings about the change. He fights and wins His own battles. "Thus says the LORD to you: ‘Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God’s." . . . "You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the LORD, who is with you, O Judah and Jerusalem!’ Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the LORD is with you.” 2 Chronicles 20:15b, 17

So, here is what we as believers can and should do, also from 2 Chronicles:

^". . . if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land."

This IS a big deal. It is a symptom of an already huge and growing problem in our country and throughout the world. Just like that tv special back in 1978 where "Christmas Day" had been replaced by "Commerce Day", mark my words; there will soon be an effort to replace "Christmas Day" with something else. Our cities and many of our merchants will gladly join in. They will be relieved that the "Christmas problem" has been taken care of. It may be presented as something designed to include and respect everyone, all belief systems. That is what it will look like. But, it will be a continuation of Satan's centuries old effort to erase the name of Jesus from before the eyes and mind of man. Satan is clever. He will use who he can where he can in whatever way he can, and those used may be none the wiser.

Just call some folks. Wherever you are, whatever city you live in or shop in, pick up the phone and call your local merchants who are, maybe unwittingly, participating in these things. Call your city administrators and officials and let them know how you feel. If they don't respond to your words they will respond to your money and your votes, or lack thereof. They may even be glad to hear from you. It helps to know what people are thinking.

We know that the day is coming when every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord! Let's not be found lacking in our prayers and our words and our actions that would seek to exalt His name above all others, now and always . . . not just at Christmastime, but always.

"May we shout for joy over your salvation, and in the name of our God set up our banners! May the LORD fulfill all your petitions!" Psalm 20:5

Merry Christmas!
Dennis

A Great song and A REALLY GREAT video!

Did You See What We Saw?

2011-12-15T15:55:00.000-06:00

I have always been fascinated by the story of the shepherds and the angels. What must it have been like to be there on that most special of all nights as a host of Heavenly Angels appeared in the sky to announce that the Savior of the world had been born just a short distance away in Bethlehem. Then to hear them sing their praises! It's hard to imagine.

And then, what of their very next encounter? What would they say to the first person they saw just after such a glorious occasion? Well, my abilities to describe this are so very limited. But, I do so enjoy writing scripts for church dramas . . . well, the two I have written . . . that I have been inspired by this poignant tale to try to put into words what might have happened on that night following that unimaginable visit. I think it would make an excellent drama for a Christmas program. (Not that my version will be excellent.) I'm very excited about what I have so far. I've completed the first scene and I wanted to share it with you, though it may be some time before the manuscript is completed, if ever.

It's hard to put myself out there like this, but, here goes.

It's totally character driven, so you will have to imagine voice inflections as they might occur in a normal conversation. It's a risky move, but I've added punctuation that might make it easier for your to hear as you read.

Did You Se What We Saw?

By Dennis Manor

Scene 1

(Men in shepherd's clothing are talking and gesturing excitedly as Ahijah walks into the camp.)

Benjamin: Ahijah, did you see what we saw?

Ahijah: I couldn’t see anything. It’s pitch black out there! I only found the lost lamb by following the noise he was making.

Caleb: You didn’t see?

Ahijah: See what?

Daniel: Who!

Caleb: Ahijah.

Ahijah: What!?

Caleb: I was talking to Daniel.

Daniel: What?

Caleb: I was asking Ahijah if he saw what we saw.

Ahijah: What!?!?

Daniel: Who!!!

Ahijah and Caleb: What?!!!

Daniel: Who! Who we saw, not what we saw!

Ahijah: I see.

Caleb: You saw???

Ahijah: What!

Daniel: Who!!!!!

Ahijah: You!!

Daniel and Caleb: What???!!!

Ahijah: I see what you mean. Who, not what.

Caleb: Who do you mean you saw?

Ahijah: I didn’t see anybody!! You did!!

Daniel: We did.

Ahijah: Who??????

Daniel: Us.

Ahijah: You???

Daniel: Who else?

Ahijah: What???????

Daniel: Who else saw what??

Ahijah: You just said you saw a who, not a what!

Daniel: We did.

Ahijah: What?!?!?!?!?!?!

Daniel: Saw a who!!

Benjamin: Lots of ‘em!

Ahijah: Lots of whats???????????

Benjamin: No, lots of whos.

Ahijah: Who did you see doing what?!?

Caleb: (looking off set) That lamb’s wandering off again. You better go get him.

Benjamin: We’ll tell you all about it when you get back.

Ahijah: What????????????

Benjamin: It.

Daniel: Who!

Caleb: Me.

Ahijah: God help us!

Benjamin: Oh! So you did see!

(All the other shepherds smile and nod knowingly to each other as the lights dim to black.)

(end of scene)

I can only hope that you were as touched by reading this as I was in writing it.

Connected,

Dennis

Of course there's a video!

Blue Blue Christmas, a Christmas vignette, by Dennis Manor

2011-12-05T21:14:00.001-06:00

Christmas . . . everyone around her can't wait for it to get here. She can't wait for it to be over.

"Christmas time is a jolly time." The man hawking baby portraits in the aisle of the department store was clearly running low on things to say that might attract attention to his kiosk. This particular phrase offered in his strange sing-song voice seemed to be sending potential patrons scurrying away. She walked past him as if he weren't there.

"Jolly time," she repeated under her breath. "I wish somebody would tell me what's so jolly about it!"

It has not been her favorite holiday since childhood. Something happened. Maybe it was in her mid-teens, but she can't be sure. Life became more and more of a struggle. Happiness was fleet and elusive and more often than not forced, which was no real happiness at all. It must have been all this stuff that has to be dealt with as you grow into adulthood. But, nobody else seemed to be having any problem with it. Maybe they just hid it better than she did. It was not an easy thing to hide. There were those times when it just wouldn't stay hidden. It projected from within her like some kind of self-armed, self-activated weapon. An automatic defense mechanism to protect her from the happiness of others that only served to magnify her sadness.

It took years to understand that something had changed inside of her. All of the "It's just you"'s were true. It was just her. Thing is, that was not the her she wanted to be. If only it were as easy to be happy as they all said it should be. Things that made "normal" people happy no longer had the same effect on her. She kind of went the opposite way. It might happen for no reason at all. Certain events and occasions seemed to bring it on more than others. And Christmas . . . Christmas was the worst.

Contrary to popular opinion she certainly had the desire to enjoy the whole Christmas Season as much as anybody. Nobody understood that she couldn't . . . she just couldn't. And trying to make someone else understand what you know but don't understand yourself, only comes across as weak excuses at best and self justification at worst. It just wasn't there. That happy gene, that attraction to festivity, dimmed to full dark at the mere mention of Christmas. Whatever switch turned that light off had no opposite motion to turn it back on.

Unlike the other holidays, New Year's, Valentine's, Easter, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, anniversaries, and even birthdays, Christmas was a month long event. A house decorated beautifully was still a home somewhat out of order. Shopping for gifts on a non-existent Christmas budget, trying to get what for who, spotting the perfect gift only to find that it is out of her price range. Traffic, crowds, people actually enjoying the experience. All that wrapping. And then the cooking. Her mother had never enjoyed it either.

What others experienced as a season of joy, she endured as a month of torture. Such sadness among such exuberant joy makes for a loneliness beyond compare. There was no place that she fit amid all this. She felt as if she were a square peg being pounded into a round hole.

She tried, but sometimes it all just became too much. And knowing that being in the kind of pain she was in caused pain to those closest to her made it worse and created a vicious, swirling, downward spiraling storm. "It could be worse," some would say. How well she know that, and how surely she expected that it would indeed get worse.

How is it that the sheer anticipation of one day out of three hundred and sixty-five does this to a person? Was there a disillusionment that had set in with the first Christmas that did not meet up to her childhood expectations and grown deeper and deeper with each succeeding Christmas? Maybe it was the emotion, the sentiment, the memories that were brought up by the season that made it so hard to deal with. She didn't know. All she knew was that as much as she had looked forward to it as a child she now dreaded it as an adult. It's a terrible way to feel, she knows. But, she can't help it.

And yet here she was shopping on Christmas Eve. Making one last stand against the tidal wave of depression that threatened to sweep her away for the next day and a half. Two presents left to buy and barely enough money for one. They were "extra's", though. An attempt on her part to make up for being so out of sorts on her last shopping fracas. "Try to enjoy it," she told herself. "just try."

It's the day before Christmas. If only it were the day after.

Walking aimlessly through the store, she finds herself on the toy aisle. Her poor children! Gazing at the noisy, brightly colored items around her, she struggled to remember Christmas gone by. It was as if she had missed most of them. The same cloud of depression that had covered the Day now allowed only glimpses of fragmented memories. Happy little faces. They didn't know any better. . . . God's mercy. She had tried her best to show them a good Christmas. She prayed that their memories of those Christmases were better than her own.

She is suddenly aware of a conversation going on beside her. The tones are whispered as if the couple is embarrassed at the prospect that someone else might hear.

"Oh, no," the young woman cries, "it's not on sale anymore! What are we gonna do?"

Her husband shifts his eyes quickly. Thinking. Trying to come up with a plan. "I . . . I don't know! I thought we would have enough."

"She has her heart set on it. "

"Another spoiled brat," she thinks to herself as she listens to the young parents discussing their options. "Just tell her you don't always get what you want in this world," she imagined herself telling them. "The sooner she learns that the better off she will be."

"We've been everywhere. This must be the last one in town," the young father said.

"She'll be so disappointed."

"No, she won't," the young man replied. "She will understand . . . just like she always does. I just hate that she has to deal with such things at her age. A kid should just be able to be a kid at Christmas. It's bad enough to tell her that we can't afford much for her birthday. How do we tell her Santa Claus couldn't bring her the one thing she wants more than anything else? It's not her fault that work is so hard to find."

"Is there anything left to sell?" the young wife asked, hopelessness in her voice.

"It's Christmas Eve. Even if we had anything left that anybody would want, there's no time left. She'll have to do without. . . . again."

"How short are we?" she asked as if their scant funds may have grown in the past couple of minutes.

"Near as I can figure, about fourteen, fifteen dollars."

"Well, we'll just have to find something else. She's always happy with whatever she gets."

"I know. I would just like to get her something she really wants for once. Fifteen dollars more and we could give her the surprise of her life! It might as well be fifteen hundred."

They took each other's hand and began to move away, looking at the few toys left on the shelves as they passed.

She wiped a tear from her eye. Digging into her wallet, she pulled out all the cash she had. This was no spoiled brat. "Forgive me, Father," she whispered. "Ma'am?" she called out to the young mother just before they turned to step out of sight.

She walked briskly toward them. "Ma'am? Sir?" she called again, frantic at the prospect that she could not catch up with them.

"Excuse me," the young lady said coming back around the corner. "Are you talking to us?"

"Yes, I am," she replied, relief obvious in her voice. "Here," she said shoving the money into the astonished mother's hand. "This is for your little girl."

"But . . ." the father began.

She interrupted him. "I wasn't eavesdropping. I couldn't help but over hear. She should have this . . . your little girl. And I think you two deserve to give it to her. There's not much there, but it is enough for you to give her that toy she has her heart set on and maybe a couple of other things, too."

"I don't know what to say. We . . . we can't take this," he replied reaching to take the money from his wife's hand.

"Please take it," she said. "It will make me very happy if you do, and it will make for a better Christmas for all of us!"

"Thank you, ma'am," they said in unison.

"It's so very generous of you," the young lady added.

Thinking for just a moment, the reply came. "You are not getting this because I'm generous. You are getting it because Jesus loves you and . . . He loves me . . . all of us . . . very much." It was hard to keep from crying as the truth of the words she said to them spoke to her.

The store was jammed full of late shoppers, all too busy and self absorbed to notice a lady gliding through the aisles on her way out, a slight smile on her face, 'Oh Come All Ye Faithful' barely audible in her voice, and a light in her heart.

The End

Give this video a listen. I think you'll like it!

MAYBE NEXT YEAR, a Christmas vignette - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - by Dennis Manor

2011-11-30T22:29:00.000-06:00

Time was, there were two days each year that were always good just because. The season was great, but nothing bad could penetrate the inherent goodness, the sheer magic of these two days. It was as if the days themselves were protected from even the faintest shadow of darkness or discouragement. And it was all just because.

Just because it was Christmas Eve, the day was defined by near unbearable anticipation of what Christmas Day itself would bring. There was that tangible feeling, the smells and sounds of the day. Christmas Eve . . . Everything came together on that day to create an atmosphere thick with excitement. He didn't walk through Christmas Eve, he swam in it. Christmas Eve . . . it was the exciting day.

It was fun just because it was Christmas Day. This is when it all happened. And it all always happened. It began by waking early from a sleep that was near impossible to find in the first place, followed by hurriedly dressing in the cold room. The little space heater had not yet done its work, but there was no complaining about the temperature this morning, no hiding beneath the covers until the room was warm today! Then, the kids waited for Mama and Daddy to open the hall door which resulted in a stampede to the living room and a mass dive under the far-reaching branches of the Christmas Tree.

Time seemed to move slowly amid the "look what I got"'s, the "How does this work"'s, and the "Daddy, can you put this together?"'s. After the socks they used for stockings were emptied to see what all Santa Claus had stuffed in there it was time to open the presents from each to all. Ribbon, paper, and bows, flew in all directions! There was no order to the event and it was over and done well within five minutes.

Next came the visits. Up the road to visit aunts and uncles and cousins. A little further up the road to visit the grandparents. It was a grand time . . . a favorite part of the day. Even outdoors the day had a certain feel to it. It was the way Christmas "seems". And all just because it was Christmas. It was only natural that they had to head back down the road to get home. After all, the same people they had just visited were now due to visit them! More hugs and jokes and "my, my, look at that"'s. Lots of laughter. And, just in time, everyone went home because it was a little past noon and Christmas Dinner had to be served. Then came all the food and deserts that you eat just because it's Christmas.

After a "quiet" afternoon playing, a meal of cherished leftovers, and maybe another family get-together, the day he didn't want to end ended. That was the fun day, and that's the way it always happened.

Years passed. Christmas changed. Well, the way he celebrated changed. He wonders if he should have held tighter to that magic during his teen years. Maybe that's when he lost it. He always wanted it to be the same, but, it changed and it never went back. Now, decades later, he longs for the Christmas he knew as a child. The coming of Christmas still arouses that child within him. He wants his family to know Christmas as he knew it. Everything that used to be just because it was Christmas is no longer just because. It doesn't just happen. He seeks it, and if he doesn't find it he makes it, he forces it. All because it should be. It should "just be". And he feels like such a phony.

Christmas, which once brought such excitement and anticipation just because it was Christmas, now serves as an annual reminder of just what a failure he is. Oh, he gets little notices all through the year, but Christmas really brings it home.

He will readily admit that his failings are largely material. Money is always tight. Always. But, for a man who wants to do so much and yet can do so little for his family throughout the year, Christmas, with all of its grace and goodness, continues to taunt him with his own deficiencies. Every year, he finds himself saying, "Maybe next year". He embarrasses himself repeating it yet again. It has become a joke. He laughs when he says it. . . . he hurts when he says it.

He doesn't really care about getting anything. It's the radiant joy on the face of the giver that blesses him. To receive from someone who enjoys giving is a gift in itself. It's not what he receives that matters nearly so much as how it is given. He is never disappointed in the gifts he receives. A book, a cd, a dvd, a pair of bedroom shoes offered with the joy of giving means just as much as a wide screen tv, a high performance sound system, or a whole new suit of clothes.

He can't seem to reconcile himself to that on the giving end though. He has never been able to give "the nicer things in life" to those he loves. "Maybe next year I can buy the real jewelry", he tells himself. "Maybe next year I can buy the nice clothes and send my wife out looking like a million dollars!" When the kids were little, it was the nicer toys, the things little children really wanted that eluded him. "Maybe next year," he said until enough next years had passed that they had outgrown toys. Then it became the clothes, the shoes, the cd players, . . . all the stuff that made for a teenager's "in" lifestyle. "Maybe next year" until they were grown and gone and it still hasn't changed. Every year . . . every "next year" seemed to stamp "failure" on his passport from one year to the next.

The thing is, no one else shares his disappointment. It's mostly internal. He loves them all too much to let the outside know what is really going on inside. If any of them knew the burden of the load he carries, the totality of their disappointment would be for him, not in him. They love him very much. He knows this. And they love how he "keeps Christmas". Disappointment in himself takes a back seat to the joy of the season. If he can't give the gifts, he can give the experience. He can keep Christmas, and they can keep it with him. And it is in this love, the love they share, that he continues to make the most of each Christmas that passes. It's how he keeps Christmas.

It's about the love anyway. The love of God who gave His Son. The love of the Son who gave Himself. The love that comes with knowing the Son. Love that wants to give and then give more. Love that doesn't care what or how much or if it gets. Love that is its own best gift.

It's here that he ultimately finds himself . . . every year. Loving . . . loved. . . . and keeping the Day . . . just because it's Christmas. Because that's the way it should be, and that's the way it has always been, and that's the way it is. After all . . . there's always next year!

the end

Golden Horses in Black and White

2011-11-23T14:03:00.004-06:00

This is a big weekend. Always has been, but the older I get the bigger it gets. I've never really thought about it in this way, but Thanksgiving is my 2nd favorite holiday.

I remember Thanksgiving as being a much colder day back when I was growing up. Our grandparents lived just up the road, so every Thanksgiving dinner was eaten either at their house or ours. Most of them were at our house. We didn't have hot water, except for what could be heated on the stove, but we did have a bathroom inside the house. I didn't mind the out house, but a cold breeze made for a particularly chilly experience. I even remember my first asparagus casserole. It became an instant favorite of mine, but I have had none in years. Before dinner, which is the meal you eat at noon, not the one you eat at night, as I constantly try to re-enlighten my sophisticated city-grown daughters, we would sit on the floor and watch the parades on our black and white tv. The floats were good, but I eagerly awaited the arrival of the horses on the scene. Horses were all around us as we were growing up, but they still were my favorite part of the parade. Those palominos decked out in their finest tack were something to see even if it was in black and white. Still are, 'cept now there's color.

Thanksgiving has changed a lot. It is warmer than it used to seem. Nobody makes asparagus casserole anymore. We still have Thanksgiving dinner at my Mama's house. The bathroom is warm and now there is always hot running water. My grandparents are long gone. Pop, my daddy, has been gone for years now, and we don't get both daughters at home for the weekend. God continues to give us much to be thankful for throughout the year and the day remains one on which we can emphasize our thankfulness for His mercy and grace and provision. And I grow more thankful each year for the memories of Thanksgivings past. I'm aware that a lot of people don't have pleasant, much less great, memories of their Thanksgivings. I pray for a good one for them this year.

Another reason that this is a big weekend is that Sharon and I will celebrate 35 years of marriage on the 27th! Our life together has not been one that I would have written, if it could have been scripted. Of course, as boring as reality seems, my written version would have been far more boring. I could not make up some of the things we've been through. But we have been through, and we are going through, and that is the important part. God reigns, God leads, and God provides. And I am excited about where He is taking us. So, to my wife, Sharon, I love you. Hang on! The ride continues!

And, last but not least, on the same day that we celebrate our wedding anniversary, I mark my 4th birthday. For 53 years, I was dying. I lived a life that was leading to death, not only physical death, but spiritual death. As some of you know, I was born and raised in the church, I was active in the church, a deacon, and a men's ministry leader. There were those who looked up to me and thought that I was something that I was not. I was a leader of sorts in my church, and anyone who would have followed me and walked the path that I was walking would have followed me into death, Hell, and eternal separation from God. God has forgiven me for that. Well . . . that makes one of us.

Along about 12:20 or so the night of November 27, 2007, technically November 28, God sat me down and finally convinced me that I was lost. I'm sure He had been trying to tell me ever since my false assumption of salvation some 44 years earlier. He sure does love me and you! As I've said before, I experienced the absolute worst and the absolute best moments of my life there within seconds of one another. To be honest, I had doubted my salvation many times over those years. I can now honestly and joyfully say that I have not doubted it since that night.

I carry a lot of regret for those lost years. I wonder how much difference it would have made to those first 31 years of marriage if I had been the man I professed to be, if the Holy Spirit had been leading my family rather than this deceived and lost man. I think about that from time to time, but I cannot dwell on it. To do so would not honor what Jesus has done for me and what he is doing in me now. So, I am indescribably thankful for the great gift of salvation and the life that goes with it. I was born on that night because that is when Jesus gave me life eternal! I don't have to worry about dying. Thanks to Jesus, I'm gonna live forever now!

We all have a past. And, if you are reading this, you have a future. We can't do anything about our past, but our future, our very next moment, is a different story. You have a moment coming up. What are you going to do with it?

Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good!
For His mercy endures forever. Psalm 107:1

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thankfully connected,
Dennis

Here's a pretty song you might not have heard before. I heard it for the first time today myself.

On our way home

2011-11-20T23:28:00.002-06:00

Acts 14:8-10 . . .Paul and Barnabas came upon a man with crippled feet. He had been that way from birth, so he had never walked. He was sitting and listening as Paul preached. Looking straight at him, Paul realized he had faith to be healed. So Paul called to him in a loud voice, “Stand up!” And the man jumped to his feet and started walking.

I had been working on a post inspired by this scripture, taking it in a much different direction, when I saw something there that I had not seen before. I suddenly wondered if I was like that man Paul and Barnabus saw that day. I think probably many of us are just like him.

If you are a Christian you know what I mean when I say that you and I were born at the moment we were saved. We had faith to be saved, but did we, or do we, have faith to walk? Now I'm asking myself these questions just as I am asking you.

Have you been like this man, crippled and unable to walk? Has fear and uncertainty crippled you to the point that you cannot walk where Jesus would lead you? Have you been unable to walk in the Kingdom of God because you are mired in the things of this world? Do you lean on the crutch of religion and legalism even as Jesus calls on you to run freely in relationship with Him? Do you lay paralyzed in your weakness on a cripple's mat when Jesus has command you to " . . . get up. Take your mat, and go home!"

"Go home." The operative word here is "go", "walk". For us, going home includes a journey in this life. A walk in the Kingdom of God. We are going home, but what will we do and how will we live along the way?

Your home is in Heaven, but, for the rest of your life on this earth, you are to live in the Kingdom of God. That's the route we take on our way home. Life in the Kingdom of God is a life of faith.

" . . . he had faith to be healed."

As a Christian you have been healed! You have been healed of the eternally fatal effects of sin on your life. You have been healed of the contamination and condemnation of sin that disqualified you from entering and walking in the Kingdom of God. You have been healed of all that sin and Satan have inflicted upon you. You have been healed by your faith, the very faith you had, and have, for salvation.

What is faith?

Hebrews 11:1 explains it.

New King James Version: Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

New International Version: Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.

English Standard Version: Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

New Living Translation: Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.

God's Word Translation: Faith assures us of things we expect and convinces us of the existence of things we cannot see.

Amplified Bible: NOW FAITH is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses].

. . . the substance of things we hope for (expect).

The man Paul saw that day heard the message of Jesus Christ proclaimed perhaps for the first time. This story is a great example of the truth that "faith comes from hearing". He heard and faith grew within him. From his faith, hope for healing also grew within him. His faith was the substance, the reality, of that hope.

. . .the evidence of things not seen.

His faith was the evidence, or the proof, that his healing existed.

If we do not have faith for what we hope for, then our hope is merely wishful thinking. Our faith gives our hope substance.
If we do not have faith in that which we cannot see, then that which we cannot see does not exist. Our faith is evidence of our hope's existence.
And, of course, it is God who acts on our faith. ". . . God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist." (from Romans 4:17)

concerning hope:

"For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have?" Romans 8:24

I hope for it because I have faith for it. I know it exists because of my faith for it. My faith is in God, who calls into being the things that are not.

There are things that I hope for in my life that I cannot see. They exist in my faith. It gets hard sometimes to keep that faith because I can't see them and I have no idea as to how they will be brought into being. One thing I know, if I lose hope it is because I have lost faith, and if I lose faith then the object of my hope will surely cease to exist.

I could write pages (not so much from knowledge as from discussing scripture) and still fail to adequately and fully explain what and where the Kingdom of God is. I confess that I don't have full knowledge on this. And maybe, like so many of the things of God, I complicate the Kingdom of God far more than I should. I heard it explained very simply one time and I'll pass this on to you, in case you haven't heard it. The Kingdom of God is where things are done God's way. And, the Kingdom of God is where faith "works".

So, I have to ask. Are things being done God's way in your life? Does God's will rule in your life? You have faith for salvation. Have you been crippled since you were born again? Have you never walked? I believe that, as weak faith is intended to grow strong, we have all been given "a measure of faith" that will allow us to walk in the Kingdom of God, where things are done His way and where all faith grows stronger and stronger!

I have already told you that I've posed these same questions to myself. So, I'll close by telling you what I've told myself.

"You have faith to be healed. Now stand up . . . and walk!"

Connected,
Dennis

Here's your video!

issues with issues

2011-11-09T21:51:00.000-06:00

I start a lot of blogs that never get finished. This morning, I started one that was to be a fine synopsis on the reasoning behind all those pro-lifers who voted "no" on prop 26 and how they were all wrong. I was going to say a lot, and I was going to change at least a few of those minds! Yessir! . . . and Ma'am! I was going to make a bold move and it was gonna be something to behold! I was. But . . . I didn't. I couldn't.

You see, the blog I posted just the other day - my most read blog thus far by the way - was all about dying to self so that Christ may live in us and through us. Now, that doesn't mean that we always keep our mouths shut and that we don't speak out. It does mean that Jesus tells us when to open our mouths and when to speak out and what to say. I was going to give you my two cents worth, and it may well have been right in line with His thoughts. But, I was reacting to what had stimulated my brain, not acting on His guidance. And, I can't really explain it, He just wouldn't let me post it here. Why I can express my opinion on another venue (and I always try to be Spirit led) and I can't always do so here, I don't know. He let's me do it there . . . holds me back here. I'm not complaining, though. It's His to do. But, I was about to mess up. Sometimes I forget that what I write for others to see is really for me to read.

The thing is, there is a bigger issue than prop 26 that is rising out of that controversy. As I was posting some comments on facebook earlier, I sensed that a very divisive issue was about to do just that . . . divide. I fear that it has already caused division among some Christians, and I felt that it was on the verge of happening to me. As Christians, we can discuss, we can disagree, we can even hold what might be called a civil argument. But, we must not allow ourselves to be divided.

I copied this from the very first blog I posted:

"John 17:23 (New King James Version)²³ ". .. I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one . . ."

When an individual comes to the cross and accepts Jesus Christ as their personal Savior, a connection is instantly created. The Holy Spirit comes into them, filling a place left void in humanity from the moment sin entered the world with Adam's act of disobedience. They are connected with Jesus. He is their personal Savior, Lord of their life. They are connected with God. ("I in them, and You in Me . . .") They are connected with every other Christian in existence. ( ". . . that they may be made perfect in One.") We are One. We're not perfect yet, but we are One, being made perfect by the work of Jesus Christ in us. We are connected by Jesus Christ by way of His sacrifice on our behalf on the Cross. We are connected by the cross. We are CrossConnected!"

I don't call this blog "CrossConnected" merely to reflect my own connection to God by the cross. I call it this to emphasize the connection all Christians have with one another by the cross. We need to make sure that, whatever we do, we are growing closer together, even in times of disagreement, that we may become of one accord. It's hard to understand how we can hold so strongly to so many different opinions, sometimes even totally opposite positions, at the same time that we are striving to have the mind of Christ. We pray fervently about particular matters and approach them fully believing that we are acting under the leading of the Holy Spirit, and we think we are in the right, and yet we find that other Christian brothers and sisters whom we love and respect have "been led" in a totally opposite direction!

Few things fit into the "what's right for one is wrong for another" category. Some things have only one answer. So, obviously somebody got it wrong. Here is where Satan can kill the relationship, steal the issue, and destroy the witness. Here is where Satan can take whatever Jesus has accomplished in making us One and send us farther back than our original starting point ever was, divided and unwilling to come together.

The vote, like everything that happened yesterday, is done. Hopefully, there will be another day. Let's agree right now, all of us, to pray for each other and to pray for that day. Let's pray that the Holy Spirit will do such a work in us that the whole Body of Christ will act with THE mind of Christ. This won't happen unless we all seek His strength and wisdom in setting aside our own thoughts and opinions while we seek to acquire His. We're on the winning team. Let's win!

As for our relationships:

Through the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23

It's a new day. Let's not fail one another, but follow our LORD'S example and extend grace and mercy to one another, and be faithful to each other as He is faithful to us in our failings. Let's not allow the stand we take on issues to cause us to stand apart. If we are fractured by the very things we approach as Christians, the world will have no idea of who we are. After all, "By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

I don't know just what "perfect in One" really means. But I can't wait to find out!
(And I'm glad, for once, that I didn't finish a blog post.)

Connected,
Dennis

Sometimes you step up by stepping out

2011-11-05T21:48:00.000-05:00

Big vote coming up here in the State of Mississippi. We are going to vote on an amendment to our State Constitution that would define "personhood" as beginning at the moment of fertilization of an egg. It is a controversial matter, to be sure. I am, however, surprised at where some of the controversy comes from.

I have stopped and given thought to some of those opinions that differ from mine, particularly as they come from those who I know to be my Christian brothers and sisters. I immediately weed out the ones with labels such as :"idiots", "haters", and so on. I'm not going to give much thought to an opinion that has to be propped up by such things. (By the way, this does not strengthen your position, it weakens it.) And the ones I do consider have not changed my mind. It just helps to know why someone feels the way they do. And reasonable arguments compel me to examine my own conclusions, and the reasons for them, more closely.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion, and, indeed, we all have one. You won't be seeing mine in this post. It is no secret. In fact, it is posted . . . often and prominently . . . on another venue. The real truth is, though, that my opinion doesn't matter. And, if you are a Christian brother or sister, neither does yours!

"My" opinion is born of self, and is, therefore, in any form, at worst sinful, or at best worthless. I equate it with my own worthless "good works". I cannot be good or do good apart from God. My own thoughts apart from God are equally worthless except that they may lead me to a God directed conclusion. "But, we have brains," you say. "Shouldn't we use them for thinking?"

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20

This is my "life verse". "My life verse" . . . it's not as big as it sounds . . . or as big as it should be. . . because I fall so short so often. But, I strive for this to be the ultimate truth of my life. I know many others who do a much better job of it than I do. The fact is, if, as Christians, we have died to self and we take up our cross daily, then we have no agenda of our own. God guides our actions, our words, our thoughts, and even our votes.

Sometimes we find it hard to discern God's direction for our lives. But, I think that is mostly because we make it so hard. "What do you want me to do here, Lord?" is a question that I often find myself in near agony over. One thing, though, is that the answer, or a confirmation of the answer, can always be found in His Word.

The issue before us Mississippians at the polls Tuesday is no exception. I don't know whether God ever intended that something like a definition for the beginning of life should ever be held to a vote. Who are we to even be voting on such a thing as the timing of our Creator's great gift of life? The more I think about it, the more I wish this particular initiative were not even on the ballot here in Mississippi or elsewhere. But, it is.

I'm no prophet. I'm not about to try to tell anyone what God wants us to do on this vote. As for God's teaching on the existence of life in the womb, I believe that His Word is very clear on the matter. Nonetheless, I pray that I dare not enter the voting booth on Tuesday to express my own thoughts and my own opinions.

Research it from all sides. But, above all, spend at least the same amount of time on your knees "researching" God's guidance. Be ready and willing, no matter what your present stance on the issue, for God to change that if He so desires. Do not fear the workings of man should this vote go one way or the other. God is sovereign. We must seek only to do His will rather that our want.

I pray that no Christian man or woman will vote their own conscious on Tuesday. I pray that we will, in ways we have never before experienced, seek and receive God's guidance on this matter, and that as we mark the ballot or pull the lever it will be as if the very Hand of God Himself is casting the vote, and that rather than voting our own conscious we will, indeed, be voting the will of God!

Connected,
Dennis

Here's your video. Somehow, it seems to fit. I hope you meet God's will every moment of your life.

Gas! Gas! Gas! . . . or, It's a Gas - Part 2

2011-10-24T15:29:00.000-05:00

OK. If you didn't read my previous blog, this one is not going to mean much to you. But, if you did read it then you will remember "the gas man".

You should know that my "It's a Gas" blog, that I posted last week, was actually written, for the most part, in September. So, the day after I wrote it, -THE VERY NEXT DAY - I had to go to one of our suppliers down on Terry Road in South Jackson. Usually, when I do this, I leave that store and head back the way I came, up Terry Road to get back to the shop. On this day, I decided to go on down to McDowell Road and out to I-55 so I could get something to drink at one of the 4 convenience stores that occupy the corner of McDowell and 55.

Those of you familiar with the area know that there is a fairly new Exxon where the old Dixie station used to be. I haven't been to the "new" Exxon, and I generally like to try out the new places. My plan was to stop at the Exxon, get my Diet Dews and go. Something was saying, though, "Go to the Shell", which is where I usually go if I go anywhere on that corner. I listen to the "something" a lot more these days, almost exclusively. Why? Because "We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps." (the question is not "Is He directing?", the question is "Are we listening?")

So, I listened. I didn't know whether the Lord was protecting me from some kind of danger (easy to get into in South Jackson these days) or whether He was directing me towards someone who needed encouragement, or whether He was sending me to someone who had some encouragement for me. I went into the Shell, bought my Dews and I'm walking out to my truck, which is parked all the way across the parking lot past the gas pumps. I'm looking down, watching my step, when I hear, "Help! Help! Ain't it something when a sixty year old man is out asking for help?"

I didn't have to look up. The voice and the line are now very familiar. "It sure is," I reply. I almost laughed as I'm thinking, "Lord, you really are something!" It's the gas man! . . . and not in Byram, . . . but in South Jackson! . . . and at the Shell station to which I was directed . . .at the time when I was directed there. . . . and, to my discredit, at a time when I was least expecting it, . . .and when I was least prepared.

"Don't look at my teeth," he says. (He has said this to me before knowing the conclusion that will lead to.)

I kept my cool and tried to talk to him as though I was concerned about him, which I am. I calmly informed him that this was the 5th time he had approached me with the same story. He said, "Well, sir, God has all kinds of children with all kinds of need."

"Yes, He does," I replied, "but I don't think gas is what you need right now."

My mind was racing. This was an appointment and I needed something to say to the man. Either it didn't come, or I couldn't hear it above my own thoughts. That was the end of our conversation. He didn't walk away angry or resentful or defiantly, as usual. He just hung his head and walked back to his truck.

Any guilt or remorse or conviction that he may have felt had little effect on him, though. I watched as they drove across the street to the Texaco. And I stand there in my own guilt and remorse and conviction. I should have said more. I should have said something different. I should have been ready, particularly in light of what I had written just the day before.

It's not that I think I'm going to change the man. I don't know that Jesus will change the man at a gas pump encounter. He can. Maybe, though, something said out among the gas pumps will stick with him and come back to him when he is alone with his thoughts and not out chasing some kind of artificial high. Maybe a desire to change, to have a better life, will grow within him, and God will keep making appointments for him until that heart is given over and all those chains are broken. You and I might not be thrilled when we see him and all those he represents coming toward us at a gas station, but all the angels in Heaven will rejoice when they see him coming to Jesus!

Proverbs 16:33 We may throw the dice, but the Lord determines how they fall.

I have long said that nothing happens by accident in life. There are no chance encounters. This particular meeting proves it to me. All the "random events" that put the gas man and me at that place at that time were orchestrated by our God. There is His reason and His purpose behind seemingly insignificant and inconvenient events.

"Make me ready and able, Lord, to rise to the occasion, and always with Your purpose and Your glory at heart, and always speaking Your mighty Name into the situation whatever it might be."

As for the chains; It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. Galatians 5:1

I'm glad I get to post the video below. A great and beautiful reminder of what is at stake . . . and what is in store.

Connected,
Dennis

It's a gas!

2011-10-19T17:04:00.000-05:00

Jeremiah 22:15-17 (NLT)

¹⁵ But a beautiful cedar palace does not make a great king!
      Your father, Josiah, also had plenty to eat and drink.
   But he was just and right in all his dealings.
      That is why God blessed him.
¹⁶ He gave justice and help to the poor and needy,
      and everything went well for him.
   Isn’t that what it means to know me?”

This is taken from a portion of scripture where God has sent Jeremiah to tell Jehoiakim how things are going to be. Jehoiakim was a king of Judah who did evil before God. Josiah, Jehoiakim's father, had been a good, Godly king. For some reason, I keep running across this particular set of verses. Maybe I finally got it . . . or, at least, I'm getting it.

There's this guy who shows up in Byram from time to time. And he is always in a different truck. It's not that I know of his every visit to Byram, I've just seen him four times. I recognize him, but he never recognizes me. If he did, he would not keep asking me for money "for gas" to get to some place other than Byram. He pulls out a stack of papers, along with his driver's license, just so I know he's being truthful. He has also offered to trade a $20 Walgreen's gift card for $10 for gas. Imagine that!

He doesn't need money for gas. I'm pretty sure of that. If your problem is running out of gas every time you go to Byram (he's not from Byram) you don't need money for gas. You need to plan better. I really don't think gas or planning is his problem however.

I haven't handled the situation well. The last time he did this, after he repeated his opening spiel, but before he had a chance to go further, I told him - rather harshly - that he should start paying attention to who he is talking to. He got back into his "empty" truck and sped away. I don't know if I will see him again, but, if I do, I hope - no, I pray - that I can at least help point him to what he really needs.

"No hope of that," some might say.

Well, Jesus Christ is THE hope of the hopeless. I can't do anything for anybody, particularly people like that man. But, Jesus can use any of His children to accomplish the otherwise impossible in anyone.

Hopelessness is a mirage projected by Satan to lure us into that state of acceptance that says things are the way they are and they are going to stay that way until Jesus comes back. It seems that there are so many people who find a strange kind of comfort there. If you can convince yourself that the situation is hopeless then you don't have to even try to do anything about it.

Well, Jesus did come back - I'm not talking about the rapture - from death, and when He went back to Heaven he did not leave us in hopelessness. He left us with great hope . . . not a wishful sort of hope, but a hope of substance.

Romans 15:13 (NIV) May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Then there's this other guy. I'm ashamed to say that the first time I encountered him, I rather harshly turned him away. He looks like somebody that you would see in a movie about Gengis Kahn . . . from the losing side. His hair matches the look on his face. It's kind of wild. And he looks like he could easily turn on you at the drop of a hat To some, he might look dangerous. To me, once I really look at him, he looks like someone who is just trying to survive. And his "look" might help him accomplish that. He is not a big person. In fact he is rather small. Looks Oriental, hence the Gengis Kahn thing. Maybe that's just the way he looks. I don't think it helps him when it comes to asking strangers for money, though.

He really doesn't "ask" for money, he gestures for it. You know, palm upturned, rubbing your thumb and fingers together, the "money" signal. And that's what bugged me so much the first time I saw him. If you are going to ask for money, then ask. Don't make gestures! But, then, after seeing him a few more times in the same place, I have come to believe that he either cannot speak English, or he cannot speak at all. Or, yes, maybe he just has a great scam going. If the latter is the case, I don't think it is working out so well for him.

I saw him again, recently. He moves between a Shell and an Exxon that are next door to one another out on Highway 49. I was coming out of the Burger King at the Exxon contemplating something that God was telling me to do in there. (That's another story for another day.) He is standing right in front of my truck, so it was unavoidable. And I really had no intention of avoiding him on this day. He held out his Burger King cup, and made his gesture.

"Are you thirsty?" I asked.

He gestured again and pointed at the cup. I had two dollar bills in my pocket left over from my visit to Burger King. I reached toward him with the money, and he held out the cup, I suppose wanting me to put the money there. By this time I had come to the conclusion about his language skills, or lack thereof, that I have already told you about. But I had to try.

Throwing money at a situation such as this just to make it go away is just as wrong as doing nothing. (Yep, I've done plenty of wrong in this area already. . . . both ways.) Not that I have a lot of money to throw, not that I throw " a lot" of money, and certainly not that two dollars is a lot of money to throw. My "thirsty" question had drawn no response. So, as I am handing him the money, I'm looking into his eyes for some kind of spark when I say, "Jesus. Do you know about Jesus?" . . . Nothing. . . .No spark. . . . No recognition. . . .No acknowledgement of what I was saying or even of the money I placed in his hand. He turned and hurried away. It occurs to me, even as I am writing this, that the man may be deaf.

The thing is, it really doesn't matter whether this man can hear what I'm saying, or whether he acknowledges what I am saying, or whether he acknowledges what I am giving. I won't let that affect me the next time we cross paths.

Here's what I believe as it pertains to this type of situation. I believe that there are no chance encounters in life. God arranges them all.

Proverbs 16:9 (NKJV) A man’s heart plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps.

Therefore, He has a purpose in each encounter.

Philippians 2:13 (NIV) for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.

I believe that there is power in even the name of Jesus. When His name is not taken in vain, but rather spoken in obedience to and at the urging of the Holy Spirit, His power and authority are brought into the situation.

1 John 3:23 (NIV)And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us.

Philippians 2:10 (NKJV) that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth,

Colossians 3:17 (NIV) And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Acts 3:6 (NKJV) Then Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.”

Acts 3:16 (NIV) By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has completely healed him, as you can all see.

Acts 4:10 (NLT) Let me clearly state to all of you and to all the people of Israel that he was healed by the powerful name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, the man you crucified but whom God raised from the dead.

Acts 16:18 (NKJV) And this she did for many days. But Paul, greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And he came out that very hour.

There is power in the name of Jesus! And all who have accepted His wonderful gift of salvation have been given the authority and, indeed, the responsibility, to speak in His glorious name.

So, an encounter that could have ended like countless others, as if it had never happened, nothing new for either party, has had the powerful name of Jesus spoken into it. I didn't give much, but what I did give was given in the name of Jesus, not in the name of "go-away-and-leave-me-alone". Colossians 3:17 means something. That man at the Burger King may not even know the name, but that takes no power from the name. And the devil who has wrecked this man's life til now knows the name, and he cannot stand before even the mention of it!

I don't know what is going to happen next in this man's life. Maybe there is a bigger part for me to play in it, maybe not. Perhaps the power of Jesus spoken over this man's life will bring the next person along who God has gifted to take him a step or two further. Jesus changed the life of a naked man running around in a graveyard. He can certainly change the life of a dislocated man moving between a couple of convenience stores with a Burger King cup in his hand.

As for the other man, Jesus loves him, too, and I've got to do a better job of loving him. I have no doubt that I will again hear, "Ain't it a shame that a sixty year old man has to run around asking for help." I hope I can do better by him.

Lord, help me to be just and right in all of my dealings, and to give justice and help to these whom you send my way. You will bless me and everything will go well for me. After all, isn't all that what it means to know you? And I do want to know you, Lord.

Connected,
Dennis

Here are two videos for you. The second one is kind of strong, so some of you might need to stick with the first one! . . . great hair-do's, though. :)

Dry?

2011-07-14T00:13:00.001-05:00

2 Chronicles 29:3 In the very first month of the first year of his reign, Hezekiah reopened the doors of the Temple of the Lord and repaired them.

2nd Chronicles 31:21 In all that he did in the service of the Temple of God and in his efforts to follow God’s laws and commands, Hezekiah sought his God wholeheartedly. As a result, he was very successful.

As Hezekiah began his reign in Judah, there was no worship of the Lord, no praise, no prayer. The Temple of the Lord, so lavishly built and furnished and supplied by King Solomon generations earlier, had been misused, abused, and ultimately closed. In chapters 29 through 31 of 2 Chronicles, we see a spiritual renewal throughout Judah, and parts of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. In very short order, Judah was changed from a nation of spiritual desolation to a nation which pleased God with their worship. Judah went from a nation whose God was forgotten to a nation whose God was greatly praised and worshiped, and honored and obeyed. The nation was wonderfully blessed by Him. The nation and the people were revived.

And it all began with reopening the doors of the Temple of the Lord.

As a Christian, YOU are the Temple of the Lord. If you are experiencing a drought, it can only mean that your spirit cannot reach out, and God cannot get in. Your "door" is closed! Probably, you didn't realize the door was closed. But, it happens. Sometimes trials and difficulties, the pressure and stress of every day life press in on us. Our focus shifts, maybe ever so slightly, from our Lord, our Deliverer, to "the problem". The problem gains power in our lives. Before we know it, the problem has all of our attention. We are living to be rid of the problem rather than to worship our God, in whom lies the solution to all of our problems and needs. As the problem continues to press in on us, the door of our Temple swings shut.

It is the power of our own Holy Spirit inspired praise and worship that holds the door open. In the absence of true praise and worship a spiritual vacuum is created that pulls that door closed. We feel distant from God. But, He has not moved away. We have allowed a barrier to be placed between us.

King Hezekiah has shown us how to break down that barrier and open that door. The success of his effort to re-focus Judah's attention on the Lord was attributed by God to Hezekiah's wholehearted search for God.

Wholehearted . . . I think we sometimes fall short in what we call our own wholehearted search for God. In this day and time, with so many powerful distractions, I fear that we have watered down the true meaning of wholehearted. The word defines itself, though, doesn't it? Wholehearted. Hezekiah didn't put God at the top of a list of goals and priorities. God was the priority . . . the only priority. Wholehearted.

Does a wholehearted search for God mean that you forget your responsibilities in life? Does it mean that you ignore your problems? Does it mean that you walk around in some type of spiritual la-la land oblivious to everything happening around you? Of course not. After all, we are in the world, but not of the world.

Essential to living wholeheartedly for God is putting every part of our lives - everything -, our responsibilities, our problems, our livelihoods, our fun - everything - in His hands, under His watchful eye, under His guidance and approval. Did I say everything?

Simply stated, what has your attention? Why do you do what you do? Where does God fit into all this? Is He at the top directing you in all things as you "acknowledge Him in all things"? Or do you have Him off to the side somewhere, and are you hoping that He can't see you from where you think you have put Him?

The Word tells us how to go about a wholehearted search for God. It is filled with inspiration and practical, everyday life instruction. The Psalms in particular and Psalm 119 specifically are, just my opinion, unmatched in their guidance in the area of keeping God as our one priority. Psalm 119 is 176 verses of a wholehearted search for God. A long Psalm, but one worth studying over and over again as God imprints His message of "Search for Me" upon our hearts. I have resolved to study it at least weekly. "Lord, please help me remember this and to avoid the distractions that will surely be placed before me."

If your door is closed, push it open! Open the door to your temple by simply praising Jesus. Maybe all you can muster at first will be His name. But, that is enough. There is power in the name of Jesus. "Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, . . ." If it is all you can do, just repeat His name. Don't stop. Keep repeating. You might feel a little silly at first, but soon you will see that what you thought was the least you could do was the most you needed to do.

Repeat His name with a heart set on worship. The door will fly open and praise and worship will pour out from your soul.

At times, I feel that my "praise vocabulary" is so inadequate. It is not the words that matter, it is the heart. Even so, I like to go to Psalms and repeat out loud some of the multitudinous praise filled verses found there. Begin your wholehearted search for the Father with praise and thanksgiving for all He has done for you. Stay in the Word and be obedient to the God's revealed instruction as you learn to follow the urgings of the Holy Spirit within you. And always remember, regardless of our physical circumstances, there can be no drought in a Spirit filled heart!

Isaiah 55:10-11 (NIV)

As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

Whether you are going through a little dry spell or an all-out drought open your doors. Praise God, worship Him alone, and expect the rain to come and refresh your spirit.

And now, I get to post one of my favorite songs and videos - again. I hope it speaks to you.

Connected,
Dennis

Some Fathers Are Not

2011-06-23T08:42:00.004-05:00

Amid all the "Happy Father's Day" wishes being spread on FaceBook, there were a few whose day was not so great. They were wishing others a happy day, but Father's Day is not a happy one for them. Simply stated, they don't have much to celebrate in the father they had, or the father they married. (which is to say that of their children, or that who gave them no children.) I'm thinking maybe Father's Day is next in line behind Christmas as the holiday that produces great joy for so many, and great pain for some. I'm thankful that I can celebrate my father on that day.

Let's face it. Not all fathers are worth celebrating. Not all fathers leave good memories behind them. Whether in the home or not, at best, some are merely a male presence while others run the gamut of poor fathering from non-involvement to extreme abuse. And little children love anyway, and they want that love to be returned.

Some fathers are not . . . fathers, that is.

The lack of a father's love has life long effects on a person. I haven't experienced it, but I see it. I talk to people who are trying to deal with it as adults. It seems that as resilient as young children are, the effects hit in teens, or early adulthood. And then it is dealt with for life. I'm not the only one who knows someone, a father, who followed their father to the grave, these issues and effects still very present, unresolved, and continuing to eat away at them. Left to carry on are two more generations to whom the same issues have been passed, and so many others rocked by the ripples that inevitably pass through their lives.

This blog post is for the children - the grown-up children. Since I read those few messages on FaceBook the other day, I haven't been able to cast the obvious hurt from my mind. And like many things that stick in my mind these days, I soon feel the urge to write a blog on it. Failing to have anything close to an answer or the smallest bit of hope or help within myself, I have asked God to give me something that might be of help to you. Not just to sooth the wound for now, but to help you find the real victory over this situation that God has for you. And, yes, I know that some handle this very well for most of the year and then the holiday rolls around and disappointment and regret and resentment rise up for a short while. I wish you had an earthly father to celebrate. And I know you, at times, feel short-changed, cheated, defeated, unwanted, and unloved, and maybe like you are something less than you should be. You could probably add a few more things to the list. But, God wants you to know that all that is a lie. And He wants you to know the truth about yourself, because He wants you to start living in that truth.

Know this: You are a special creation of God Himself. No matter how any person wants or causes you to feel, the truth is you have had God's full attention since before you were born. You can live by what some other person has done to you, or you can live in what God has done for you.

Jeremiah 1:5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart . . .”

Psalm 139:13 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.

Ephesians 2:10^a For we are God’s handiwork . . .

Psalm 139:1-4 You have searched me, LORD, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, LORD, know it completely.

Know this: You are no accident. God was paying attention when He made you. Let's all face it. No matter what circumstances we were born into, we exist here and now because God wants us here and now. And we are all as He made us.

Psalm 139:14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

Luke 12:7^a Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered.

Ephesians 1:4-5 (NLT) Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.

Know this: You were created for a purpose. God's own purpose! Who can stand and call another useless, or a mistake, when the Creator of the Universe has work planned for us to do before we ever get here? God has set your value and you are precious to Him. Therefore you are precious in all of creation. No one gets to change that. You were made to bring glory to God and anyone who says or acts differently falls into the category of mockers and scoffers.

Ephesians 2:10b . . . created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

1 Corinthians 1:9 God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Romans 8:28b-29 . . . who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.

2 Timothy 1:9 He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time,

1 Corinthians 12:7-11 (NLT) A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other. To one person the Spirit gives the ability to give wise advice; to another the same Spirit gives a message of special knowledge. The same Spirit gives great faith to another, and to someone else the one Spirit gives the gift of healing. He gives one person the power to perform miracles, and another the ability to prophesy. He gives someone else the ability to discern whether a message is from the Spirit of God or from another spirit. Still another person is given the ability to speak in unknown languages, while another is given the ability to interpret what is being said. It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have.

Know this: You are so very much loved.

Isaiah 43:4Since you are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you . . .

Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

1 John 3:1 See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!

Jeremiah 31:3 The LORD appeared to us in the past,saying: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.

Know this: God is not mad at you. In fact, He thinks highly of you.

Isaiah 43:25 “I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more.

Romans 8:37-39 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Isaiah 43:6-7 I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’ and to the south, ‘Do not hold them back.’Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth— everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.”

1 John 1:9 (ESV) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Zephaniah 3:17-19 (NIV) The LORD your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves.He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.”

And know this: God has a good life planned for you.

John 14:18 (ESV)"I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you."

Isaiah 54:17 (NKJV) No weapon formed against you shall prosper, And every tongue which rises against you in judgment You shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, And their righteousness is from Me,” Says the LORD.

Philippians 1:6 (ESV)And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV) For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future

I know this is a long post. Longer than my usual long post. But, I can offer no apologies for it. I want everyone to understand that these words of scripture are real. That are the truth, God's truth. And they are true for you! Don't let anyone, including you, try to tell you anything about yourself that does not line up with the Word of God. And don't let anyone misuse the Word of God to tell you anything.

I'm sorry if your earthly father, or the earthly father of your children, was or is not there where he has been needed. I'm sorry if that love has been missing. One more time, know this: You have a Father in Heaven who loves you like no other can. And He is not distant or aloof or unconcerned with your life. He yearns to be with you, to talk to you and to provide for you in every way. This is truth. Live the truth God gives you, not the lie someone else tries to lay on you.

Connected,

Dennis

PS I've been looking for a video for this post, and I just found this one by Mandisa. It fits very well, because, after all, this post is about the truth about you!

Did I mention . . .?

2011-06-17T21:25:00.000-05:00

OK, I'm not going to write it all over again, but maybe you read my last blog, "Wanna trade regrets?" It tells of the greatest regret of my life. And that is that even though I have spent practically my whole life in church, I did not realize that I was lost and in need of forgiveness and salvation until just a few years ago. One of many, and perhaps the greatest, costs associated with my stubborn adherence to religious knowledge is that during all the years that I had my precious daughters at home under my roof and my daily guidance they missed out ("missed out" real-l-l-y does not begin to adequately describe the effect) on growing up in a family led by a man led by the Holy Spirit.

The purpose of that post was to put out a call to all those fathers (and mothers) who are in the same condition I was in. There are many. I didn't want that to be my "Father's Day Post". It looked like it might be, though, because nothing else was coming forth to take its place. And, today, I get this inspiration. So maybe you can just consider this Part 2.

I ended the other blog with scripture from Isaiah about not looking back, but seeing the new work that he is doing in our lives. Indeed, that part of my past rises up from time to time, but God mercifully does not allow me to dwell upon it. He reminds me that all that is in my past, and that my sin, all of my sin, has been forgiven and forever washed away. And He reminds me that because I now do have Jesus in my life a new work is being done in me.

So, I want to encourage you. Maybe you have seen yourself here. If you are a young parent, you still have time to turn your life around and live for Jesus and to raise your family in His power and love and guidance. Don't mope around because of what you haven't done and are not doing! You can change everything in an instant by accepting what Jesus is offering you.

For you "older folks", like me; just because you realize that maybe a generation has passed and you have yet to truly give your life over to Jesus, don't let Satan convince you that it is too late. Because it is not!

Maybe the opportunity to raise your children in the power of the Holy Spirit is gone. And realizing that, you are sad and feel defeated. Well, quite frankly, you should be sad. (Remember, I've been there.) You don't have to stay sad. And you don't have to live defeated. You can still have great victories in your life. Don't let Satan trap you by your past. That's his plan. Let Jesus free you from your past and carry you into His plan for you. (And, yes! He still has a plan for you!)

Giving your life to Jesus will have a profound effect on those around you. Particularly your children - your adult children. You may think you love them now, and in the best way possible, maybe you do. But, the love of God living in and through you is a love they have yet to experience. And, as children or adults, they need that love. There is no greater gift or comfort that you can give them at this stage of life than the hope and assurance that you will truly always be there to love them, whether here on earth in this life or in Heaven throughout eternity. There are a lot of very much loved people who will never, ever, be seen or heard from or remembered again. It is a sad fact. Don't let that be a fact of your existence.

And it is not all about you! Which is to say that it is not intended to stop with you. Jesus will use you to reach others. There is no telling how many people who indeed are facing that "sad fact" will be rescued from it because you asked Jesus into your life. We are all here for one another. You may be - probably are - just the inspiration someone else needs to make this very move in their life.

Opportunities come and go. Don't let all those missed opportunities behind you cause you to bypass all those before you. Your children will be proud of you and happy for you. Your friends will see a new you. Your life will never be the same, and your past will no longer rule you. If you are married, your husband or wife gets a new you. That alone should be very exciting to some people! :) And, if you are not married, or no longer married, you have a new you to offer. With Jesus, at any age, you are positioned to be all you can be. So be!

One more thing, Dads . . . Moms . . .,

Would you do anything for your family? . . . . . . . .Anything? . . . . . . . .Really?

Would you just consider your relationship with Jesus? How is it? Do you really have one?

Connected, (I pray)
Dennis

Here's your video, Dads

Wanna trade regrets?

2011-06-01T01:18:00.002-05:00

Father's Day approaches. For most it is a day of celebrating fathers and fatherhood. For some, it probably is not such a great day. It may be that their father has "gone on", like mine and like Sharon's, or it may be that their father has just always been "gone". For most it's "Dad's" Day! Pretty much everything is supposed to go his way on that day 'cause it's all about him. It should be a day also, though, when fathers think about the fathers that we are, or are not, as the case may be.

The approach of the day brings my children to mind. . . . That and they just left after spending a long weekend with us. Actually, they are always on my mind. The day designed to honor fathers causes me to think back to those short and few days when my girls were little babies and too soon in and through their child hood. I think of all I wanted for them, and I think of the father I wish they had, the father I could, no, should have been to them. I love my girls beyond love. And I don't think there was ever a moment in their lives when they doubted my love for them. Certainly, I made some mistakes. I always did my best. And that is the problem, I was only able to do my best.

Why I am writing this here, I don't know. Except for those who tell me, I have no idea of just who reads this blog. My readership is small - very small. And I do so appreciate each one of you. I am sure that most of those who read this will be be female, but I do have a few male readers. I don't know how this message will get out to those whom I would hope might be persuaded by it in some way, but, it will get written just the same.

Like I said, my daughters didn't get the father I wanted for them. It precedes that my wife did not get the husband I wanted for her either. It's a long story, and I won't subject you to that right now. The long and the short of it is that for the whole 22 years or so that I had at least one of my daughters under my roof I was lost. Jesus was not in my life, which means that the Holy Spirit did not live inside me, which means that our girls grew up with a father who could not lead in the light, the love, the wisdom, knowledge or power of God. Of all the things, wonderful and terrible, that my salvation at the age of 53 brought to light this is perhaps the most devastating of all. It is a regret that I cannot get past.

Not that I was a bad father in the sense that we might use the word "bad". And the whole time I considered myself, or convinced myself, that I was saved. So, in that sense, I thought I was raising them as a Christian father. They both found Jesus when they were young, and there can be no greater joy for a parent than to see their children come to know Christ as Lord and Savior. But, there I was, doing a poor job of leading them in the things of God, and not accepting the reason for it. I always jokingly, but with sincerity behind it, referred to myself as an example of what not to do rather than what to do. And I called myself a good father. (In case you didn't pick up on it, there is a lot of sarcasm in that last statement.)

That life for all of us would have been so much better with Jesus "at the wheel", I have no doubt. Jesus changes people, which changes the choices we make,.which changes the life we live. And then there is the power in the name of Jesus that is added to a person and their family. All that I wanted to do for them and couldn't, all that I wanted to give them and couldn't, all the places that I wanted to take them and couldn't . . . all that I wanted to be for them and wasn't. . . . It all would have been so much different. How much different and in what ways? I don't know . . . but, I do know it would have been so much better.

Life for anyone, saved or lost, has plenty of problems and struggles. Struggling with life under the guise of Christianity rather than under the guidance of Christ must be a confusing thing for a child to watch. Where is the example? Where are the victories?

Looking at Amy and Carrie now, what they are doing with their lives, what God is doing in their lives, I am so glad to say that they have turned out well. They were always good girls, good kids, impressive young adults and they are both fine young women. Different probably in more ways than they are alike, they each make Sharon and I so very proud. "So what's the big deal?" some may say.

The big deal is that God is a big deal. . . . The biggest! "No one comes to the Father except by Me. If you really know Me, you will know my Father as well," Jesus Himself said. I didn't really know Jesus in those days. It follows that I didn't know His father, God, either. Knowing about is not knowing. God blessed us, certainly. " . . . he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike." (And I know the difference between who I am and who I was.) But, the most important relationship a person can have was not there. The most important relationship I should have had did not exist. And that is due to me being stubborn and flippant and me failing to diligently seek my God. The single most important thing I should have done, been and given to my children - a family being led by a man being led by the Holy Spirit - I didn't. I have had a lot of failures in my life. This is my greatest.

The one thing I would most like to have done, I didn't, and I never will. I know I am repeating myself, but there is a point that I desperately want to get across.

This is not being written to cause anyone to feel sorry for me or my girls or anything of the sort. It is what it is. The truth is, though, that it did not have to be that way for me or them, and it does not have to be that way for anyone else. And children deserve a mother who has a relationship with Jesus Christ just like they deserve a father with that relationship. If this word reaches something inside of you, whoever you are, then take it for yourself, cry out to Jesus and let Him change your life and the lives of your children. If this seems to be a call for someone you know, then get the message to him or her. This is not the kind of thing that anyone wants to live with.

Will your children be better children and better adults because of this? Will life be all peaches and cream? Will all your decisions be THE right one? I can't answer that. I can only say that a Spirit-filled, Spirit-led parent has infinitely more to offer their child and their family. It is only when you know Jesus as Lord and Savior that you have everything within you to be all you can be. If I could go back, I would go back at least as far as 1979, and I would be all I could have been for my family. I can't. And God has blessed me so over these few years that I have known Him. Sure, I have regrets, but I do not live in despair. He will do the same for you or anyone you know. The past cannot be changed, but the future . . . that can be a different story entirely!

Isaiah 43:18-19 (NIV)

¹⁸ “Forget the former things;
   do not dwell on the past.
¹⁹ See, I am doing a new thing!
   Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness
   and streams in the wasteland.

You can live these words!

Connected,
Dennis

A Little Birthday Thing

2011-05-17T15:53:00.000-05:00

Driving to work this morning, on my birthday, and thanking God for this beautiful day, I was also thanking Him for the 57 years He has given me. This brought to mind my "new" birthday of November 27, 2007, which is the day I was born again into my new life as a true Child of God. Birthdays bring it home in such a profound way, but I very often find myself dealing with the realization that 53 of my years were wasted on sin, self, and religion. Late that night my sin was forgiven. I died to myself. And it gives me great joy, when asked about my "religious beliefs", to be able to say, "I don't have any religious beliefs, I have a relationship!"

I'm not sure that statement is quite true. I want it be absolutely, positively, 100% pure and true. I sometimes find myself acting, thinking, or speaking religiously. I guess it takes a while even for God to completely replace our religion with His relationship. So I join with God who "calls into existence the things that do not exist" as He has brought me from a nonexistent relationship into the most wonderful and important relationship any person can have. Jesus is renewing my mind, growing me and revealing His ever unfolding truth as He takes me into deeper and deeper relationship with Himself.

I'm not where I need to be and I'm far from perfect. (In case anyone was wondering! JUST KIDDING!!!) Religion calls upon us to be perfect, and to live in self- and peer-imposed discouragement, shame, guilt, defeat and condemnation because we're not. Relationship with Jesus frees us from all that and more. Jesus calls us to take up our cross - die to ourselves - and follow Him into a new life where all chains are broken, sin and shame have been erased, Satan has been defeated, and the work of the devil has been destroyed! The threat, the certainty, of condemnation has been forever removed!

Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.

This freedom come from relationship, not religion.

Looking back leads to much regret and can distort our view of today and tomorrow. Certainly I wish I had more time behind me lived for Christ, and because I don't, I wish I had more time ahead to live for Him to make up for all that lost time. But, I can't..

Psalm 39:5 (Holman Christian Standard Bible)
   You, indeed, have made my days short in length,
    and my life span as nothing in Your sight.
    Yes, every mortal man is only a vapor.

Our days might at times seem long, and time to just drag by. But, compared to what lies ahead in eternity, our time here is nothing. We must pay more attention to our lives, and be far more intentional about the way we spend the time we do have. In Jesus, God has given us everything. It all comes to us at the moment of our salvation. Just like unwrapping birthday presents, it is all revealed to us as we grow and progress and renew our minds in Christ. It is a lifelong process, working out our salvation, receiving and opening God's birthday presents to us. (Don't you sometimes open the Word of God and find yourself saying, "Wow! I didn't know I had that! Thank you , Father!"?) And as great as the gifts we give each other may be, nothing compares to THE Gift of salvation, the gift of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Jesus truly is THE birthday gift that keeps on giving!

I teased my mama a little bit today by thanking her for birthing me. On my natural birthday I say, "Thank you, God, . . . Father, for giving me life. And I cannot possibly thank you enough for giving me new life, eternal life, a relationship of freedom to replace the restriction of religion, through your Son, Jesus.

Born once, die twice. Born twice, die once.

Connected,
Dennis

If it's God's house, how can it be my seat???

2011-05-02T21:53:00.001-05:00

Except for the times that I have visited another church I have not sat on a church pew in years. And it's not that I have anything against church pews (well they are rather confining), but our church uses chairs. Nice padded chairs. Green chairs, but comfortable, just the same. And it's not that I have anything against green, (well it is a rather over-used, rather institutional, rather non-stimulating color). But the color green, for me, goes beyond the notion that it is not distracting, it is neutral and soothing and all that. Stare at a light green wall long enough and . . . Sorry, I forgot that I was talking about seating arrangements, not dull green paint.

So, anyway, we sit in chairs. Now, chairs in church are not so different from pews. It is where you sit. And you sit there every Sunday. In the same place. And that place, pew or chair, is YOUR seat! I don't have a problem with this. (except for the "THIS IS MY SEAT!!!" thing.) I, myself, sit in the same place every Sunday morning. It makes it easier for Sharon to find me if she is in the choir, or if she is doing the hospitality thing in the lobby , which means she comes into the service late. (It can be embarrassing to have to walk all over the sanctuary in an effort to find your spouse.) And when the girls are here, and they come in late, which often happens, they know where to find us, as well. This system works well for all families in a church.

We have a different area that we sit in on Sunday nights and Wednesday nights. We're pretty flexible here. Either end of the row, within ten rows or so works fine for us at these meetings. It's just that we are all the way across to the other side of the building. Go figure! And, oddly enough, it is the same with most people in our church. A few though, keep their same Sunday morning seats.

For some reason, though, I've not been able to "hold" a place for very long. My seating history over the past several years is as follows: I started out sitting a few rows from the back behind "the youth". I enjoyed watching them worship. As they grew in numbers, and some grew to be more interested in talking and playing around than in listening to anything being said in the pulpit, the surge toward the rear of the church pushed me back and back and back until I was "forced" to move across the aisle. I eventually settled in on the end, exactly "X" rows from the front. Yes, I counted. There were other well established sitters all around and I did not want to invade their territory.

Those occasions when I did mis-count caused tremendous problems over on our side of the church. (There should be a camera somewhere to record these things. It would make for a viral video, no doubt.) People would walk up and instantly go into a state of confusion. They would stumble around waving their arms and bumping into each other. "What are we gonna do? Where did our seats go?" "I don't know!" (kind of whiny.) "Well, where do you want to sit?" "I don't know. Where do you want to sit?" "I don't know where do you want to sit?" "I don't know. Where . . ."

This would be a good place to recount a couple of unintentional pew invasions I committed in my past. The first, many years ago, when our church was in a location where we did sit in pews, I decided to make a friend. I did not have many friends at the time. Most of my church relations were the "Hey, how ya doin'?" kind. Nothing with any depth to them. So, I spotted someone in my Sunday School class and decided that I would go and sit with them through the service. Sharon wasn't there that Sunday, so it was a good opportunity to do some relationship building.

I don't remember the reaction when I first sat down. I didn't really pay any attention. But, by the time the rest of the family and friends that, unrecognized by me until that time always pretty much filled out that pew, had arrived, I knew I had made a mistake. People are looking up and down the row trying to make room and trying to see what the problem is. Not a word was spoken, butt I knew that it was my rear end that was taking up precious space reserved for someone else. My mind was screaming "Abort the mission! Abort the mission!" But, it was too late. I was uncomfortable, unwanted and unwelcome. My quest for deeper relationships in the church ended until God began to put them together for me. (Another story for another time.)

Then there was the time I was visiting another church. Pews again, but that doesn't matter. I take a seat 2 or 3 rows from the front. In a few minutes I hear this heavy breathing beside me. And it has nothing to do with me being a hunk or anything. I wish blogger had sound effects, you would be quite entertained by the symphony of strange sounds produced by heavy exhaling, sucking air in through an almost closed mouth, rustling of clothing turning here and there and then something akin to stomps accompanied by grunts as they made their way onto the pew in front of me. It was the mama of a young family. Maybe she was noisily, but wordlessly, making the point to her husband and children that if they had only moved a little faster that morning they would not have had to sit a whole row closer to the front of the church! Anyway, as a visitor, I was made to feel quite welcome as long as my visiting did not upset well established seating arrangements.

Back to present times, I began to experience some "shuffling" of sorts of seating which increasingly affected MY SEAT. That is why I used "X" number of rows a little earlier. (the "X" is to protect the identities of those who, quite innocently, I'm sure, took the place where I preferred to sit for so long. They are fine folks, I assure you.) One Sunday, Sharon and I are there, somewhere near "our spot" when Bro Chris says something, I really can't remember what it was, that prompted me to whisper to her, "Next Sunday, we're moving down there." I was pointing to the right section, front row. "We are?" she responded with understated enthusiasm. . "Yes, we are." And we did. I like the front for several reasons, one of which is that we are in little danger of being crowded out down there and we can't be accused of taking anyone else's seat.

As a side note, one of our young men came to me and said, "I saw you sitting down there on the front row. I want to come sit with you." To which I replied, "Come on down, I would be glad to have you." He did and I was. His work schedule has interrupted that arrangement and we don't get to sit together much these days. I miss you, Dustin! You are always welcome on the front row! As is anyone else. And I would be glad to move again to make room for anyone who is excited enough about what is going on to fill up the front row!

Chairs! I'm supposed to be talking about chairs!

So, the thing about pews is, like I already said, they can be a bit confining, or restricting. But rows of chairs are just as confining and restricting. The thing about chairs is that they can be moved, reformed from 3 or 4 sections of long rows into many sections of shorter rows with more accessible aisles. This was done in our church recently to a very mixed set of reviews.

Easter Sunday! Resurrection Day, of all days, we come in to a very different seating arrangement. Gone are the 3 aisles running from back to front, or front to back, whichever is your perspective. We now have . . . well, I haven't actually counted them yet . . . a bunch of sections, offset so that there is not a straight shot to the altar, or the door, whichever a person might be seeking. And, personally, I like it!

Decisions are made every time we meet. And many times, those decisions are meant to be made public. I have often wondered if those folks sitting in the middle of the row might be more easily moved to make a public decision if the way were made easier to get up in front of the public. Now it is. It is a short trip from the center of any section to the aisle and then to the front of the church.

One thing I love about Hillcrest now is that people are moved to go to the altar and pray at various moments during the services. It is prompted by the Holy Spirit, and so many people feel the freedom to take these steps to the altar. I have even had times when I was moved to go the the back of the church to pray. Maybe others have as well. Whatever the case, whichever the direction, now. maybe more people will respond to the Holy Spirit when He calls us to move out of our comfort zone there at "our spot" and into His power and grace at the altar of God. Too much distance. Too many chairs to bump into. Too many toes to avoid. Maybe all that has been a deterrent, a spirit-quencher. I don't know. In the past, I've been held back by less. But no more. Because once you take those few steps a whole new path opens to you, in more ways than one!

To a lot of people I have talked to, our new seating layout has a "free-er" feel to it. The set-up itself seems to call for us to move around, try a different spot, sit close to a whole new group of people, engage someone that we otherwise might not. Expand the fellowship! (And Hillcrest is known for our fellowship.) Some may still be grumbling just a bit and trying to adjust. Change is hard for some folks, and that's OK. But change will always be upon us in one form or another. And, at the moment, I'm having trouble bringing to mind a time when God told anyone to stay in the same place for very long. Maybe God asks, "Who shall I send?" because he knows most would rather just stay put.

Maybe we should all be less close minded about where we are going to sit in God's presence, and be more open hearted about where He wants to take us when we surrender to His call.

Thank you, Lord, for reminding us that following You is not at all about where we sit down!

Connected,

Dennis

PS Tonight, Wednesday, I go in and what do I do? I went right back to my usual Wednesday night spot! If I counted right there were 4 of us that kind of "stuck out". I didn't really notice until the preacher did! Hmmm . . .

So, I was looking for a video or a song that would fit this blog, and this is what I found. Please take it with the humor intended.:

Come Sunday

2011-04-20T16:32:00.003-05:00

Friday they were distraught, desperate, weeping in their love, their loss, and their helplessness.

We don't know how they spent Saturday, how they felt as they observed their Sabbath. More weeping and mourning, I'm sure. Trying to understand, to remember, to sort it all out. Dazed, confused, wondering what it all meant. What was it all for? Following the law of the Sabbath, were they able to observe the Sabbath in their grief? Did they just go through the motions? And, though they did not realize it at that time and maybe for a very long time to come, what would have changed the way they spent this particular Sabbath had they known that this was to be the last Holy Sabbath as a new day dawned? Certainly their hearts and their minds were with the body that lay in a tomb. And their desire was to see that the body was properly prepared for burial.

Had the execution, the crucifixion, taken place a day earlier, the women would have been able to apply the spices and perfumes to the body prior to the burial. The body would have been placed into the tomb and the tomb would have been sealed. There would have been no need to return to the tomb. Perhaps everyone who was in Jerusalem for Passover would have simply returned to their home towns and villages having buried their loved one.

It seems that the only ones who were concerned with what might happen at that tomb were the Jewish leaders who had conspired to have Jesus crucified. They convinced Pilate to posts guards at the tomb to ensure that it remained undisturbed. Maybe I missed it, but I can't find where anyone else had made plans or had intentions of returning to the tomb.

But God's timing is perfect. He had it all worked out. He knew that the exact time of Jesus' death on the cross- as Jesus said, "Into thy hands I commit my spirit" - and observance of His law concerning the Sabbath would prevent His beloved Son's body from being properly prepared for burial before it could be laid in the tomb. He also knew that the body did not need to be fully prepared. But, that is not really the point. God knew that the women, in their love for Jesus, would be returning to the tomb as soon as they possibly could to apply the burial spices and perfumes. And He knew when they would come. He had something He wanted them to see.

Come Sunday, early in the morning, Mary, Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Salome, and "the others who were with them" (I compiled the names from the four gospels), went to the tomb to anoint the body of Jesus.

They saw that the stone had been rolled away and they peered into an empty tomb! Angels there at the tomb explained that Jesus is risen!

Come Sunday, Jesus appears first to Mary Magdalene, calling her by name!

The angels and then Jesus told the women to go and tell the others!

Come Sunday, there was great celebration as those who followed Jesus realized that He is the risen Lord, that Jesus lives!

Come Friday, we will reflect on the tortuous treatment Jesus endured at the hands of those who opposed Him. We can marvel at the forgiveness He extended to those who ignorantly participated in that torture, knowing that we, in our anger, would seek their destruction for what they did to our Lord and what they would do to us. We will wonder how and where, in His pain, and suffering, and humiliation, He found in us worth for such self-sacrifice.

Come Friday, "All this for me? . . . Why?", we will ask, possibly with tears in our eyes as we realize that it is because of my sin and for my salvation that the Son of God endured the cross even unto death.

Come Sunday! Come Sunday, there must be great celebration for what God has done! By the power of God, Jesus defeated death and rose from the grave! Jesus lives! And Jesus still offers eternal life to anyone who will accept it! Jesus will turn our tears of sorrow and shame into tears of joy! Come Sunday, may we follow the Holy Spirit which inhabits those of us who are Christians into nothing less than all-out uninhibited, unrestrained praise and worship of our Risen Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! Come Sunday, may we pray that the lost among us will hear, receive, and accept the call of Jesus upon their lives!

Come Sunday, . . .Celebrate! Sunday and every day!

Connected,
Dennis

PS It occurs to me that sin came to power on earth when Eve, a woman, "bit the apple". (I know, Eve was deceived, Adam willingly and knowingly followed.) Did God, in His grace and mercy, extend favor and send a message of a different sort of redemption by having Mary Magdalene, a woman, be the first to carry word of Christ's resurrection and thus the end of sin's power over mankind?

Enjoy 2 videos today!

This one is fun!

the Path - Pot Holes

2011-04-06T23:36:00.000-05:00

Well, I need to fix some pot holes in "the Path". I put them there, so I need to fill them, or hopefully remove them. If you drive the streets of Jackson for very long, you will find that pot holes make for a bumpy ride. They also knock your vehicle out of alignment. Some streets are so bad that you will avoid driving them altogether if you can. So it is with pot holes on our spiritual path. None of us want to see our progress disappear down a hole in the road! It is God's path, and He doesn't install potholes along the way.

In my blog, "the Path - Mile Markers", I talked about God's spiritual assignments for us, things to do, and how those are the steps that make up God's path for us. Even as I was writing that, I didn't feel just right about how some of what I said was worded.

"God is now guiding us from within to Himself and all that He has for us and for us to do," I said. BUT, God is not so much concerned with what we do as He is who we are. Because if we are, then we're gonna do. In other words, God doesn't want us to do, He wants us to be.

If all of our doing springs from a desire to be, we have missed the mark. That's the difference Jesus makes in our lives. I spent so many years doing in order that I might be. I saw other people who had close relationships with Jesus - real relationships. And I knew that I didn't have that relationship. So, I began to emulate what I saw as their behavior, their doing, in hopes that I, too, could build that kind of relationship with Him. It didn't work, and it never works. Works undertaken to achieve an end never work. Works don't work! (OK, have we got that? Or do I need to think of yet another way to put it?)

What I saw in those others was not their doing, it was being, and that not their own! And there is a big difference in being and doing.

Galatians 2:19-20 (NIV) “For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

If we are doing the doing then we are doing. If we are fully surrendered to Jesus then Jesus is doing the doing and we are being. (If you could see my hand gestures this might be a lot clearer.)

Isaiah 64:5-6 (NLT) You welcome those who gladly do good, who follow godly ways. but you have been very angry with us, for we are not godly. We are constant sinners; how can people like us be saved? We are all infected and impure with sin. When we display our righteous deeds, they are nothing but filthy rags.

So, from the moment we decide that we are going to go out and perform some kind of righteous work on our own, we are in trouble. Our own so-called righteousness has no value before God. In fact, it is sinful. We are not and cannot not be righteous in and of ourselves.

If you are a Christian you have been made righteous by the blood of Jesus. 2 Corinthians 5:21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

Only when our doing springs from who we are, our being in Christ, will those acts be counted as truly righteous. If we are trying to do these things under our own power then our doing is not of God. If the doing is appointed, directed and powered by God, then it is a righteous act before Him. It is Jesus living in us and through us.

Those things that I talked about doing in my previous blog, those assignments God gives us? He doesn't want you to "just do" those things. He wants you to be those things. Instead of give, help, encourage, love . . . be giving, be helpful, be encouraging, be loving. You see, our way, it is all a decision we make to do or not to do and to what extent. Jesus' way, you simply are, and it gets done to the fullest extent because that is who you are, no decision involved. And who you really are is the person God has made you to be. When we fall short of being who we are, we know it and we know it very well. It cannot be explained away or justified as can a decision to do or not to do.

"But aren't we told in the Word, to be doers of the word and not hearers only?" Yes, and we are also told that in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God . . . and the Word became flesh. As Christians, the Word, Jesus, dwells within us in the person of the Holy Spirit. If we truly take up our cross (die to ourselves) and follow Jesus, move out of the way, and allow Jesus, the Word, to live in and through us, then we are being, not doing. To be a doer of the Word is to live (be) the Word. Not that we are Jesus, but that Jesus is at the center of our being.

This may be a shallow creek for some of you , but it is a deep river for me and I am struggling to put this into words. ("Can you tell?" I say dripping with sarcasm.) I'm kind of hoping my next blog won't be titled "Uh-Oh . . . Fell In The Well"!

What it comes down to is this: We cannot work/earn our way into Heaven. That comes by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. So, our lives are not about the things we do. When Jesus comes into our lives He changes us. He makes us a new person. Our lives are about being that new person. Again, " . . . it is not I who live, but Christ who lives within me."

When asked His name, God said, "I Am That I Am". God simply is. God is love, so He loves. He doesn't "do" loving things. God doing loving things might indicate that there are times when God does not love, but God loves all the time! So it is with us, as much as it can be. Trying to do godly things does not make us godly. If we are godly people, we will do godly things.

Getting back to "the Path", God leads us down a path of being, not doing. All along the way He is teaching us how to be.

OK. I'm done re-repeating myself over again now. (You should see what all I deleted.)

"To be, or not to be." That truly is the question.

"Be!" That is the answer.

How else are we going to sign His name at the end of each day?

Here's your video.

Connected
Dennis

the Path - Mile Markers

2011-03-28T21:16:00.001-05:00

Do you spend a lot of time on your knees before God seeking His will for your life? Not that this is a bad thing at all. We should constantly be seeking His instruction. Sometimes we don't get it, though. Not that we don't get it, but that we don't get it. "I want to get on that path You have laid for me," we implore, as if God is keeping the gate shut. "Show me the way. Just shine some light on the first step of the path and I will take it!" We ask God for direction as if we are asking Him for directions.

So, what's the difference?

"Which way do I go? You just point the way , and I'll go on and go. And if I take a wrong turn or get lost along the way, after floundering around for a while I'll stop long enough to ask for more direction(s)." But, that is not the way it works. God does have a plan for us. He has our whole lives planned out. Take a look at Psalm 139:16. (I've posted it several times. In fact it is in my " and you give yourself away" blog.) And I have also posted several times how God's plans for us are to prosper us, not to harm us, to give us hope, and to give us a future. (That would be Jeremiah 29:11.) God didn't just put all this into place and then go sit down. His eye constantly watches us and His hand is ever upon us. So, it stands to reason that we can't go through life just checking in with God from time to time, and that mostly when we are in trouble.

Maybe we have been looking for a plan or a path that is set out like we human beings might design it. "Go here and do this, then go there and do that," and so on. And really, aren't we looking for a career path or a business plan from God more than anything else anyway?

Now, His path for us does include situations that a teacher would be in, doing the work that they do, or maybe a fireman, a factory worker, a salesman, a clerical worker in a medical clinic, business owner, pastor or church staff member, store clerk, at home homemaker - that's what stay at home moms do - doctor or nurse, mechanic, financial adviser, musician, actor, seamstress, cook, . . . It takes all kinds of people being occupied in all kinds of work that God has made them for and given them to do to "make the world go around" and accomplish God's purpose. This also goes for the retired and the disabled. There is no retirement from or disability to follow God's will.

These are the physical places that we do God's spiritual work. Some say that God is not really concerned with such things. But, that contradicts what God Himself says about his concern for us. And if God has anything planned for us, then He must have everything planned. How else is He going to bring us to whatever that anything is without being involved in the everything that gets us there? How could we fully surrender to a God who is not fully involved? God is concerned with and involved in every aspect of your life. Don't take anything less from Him. He has it all for you!

OK, I took a little side trip there. Back to the path.

God's path is a spiritual journey. For us, it is experienced physically, but it is traveled spiritually. God certainly has plans for us, and specifically created each one of us for His specific purposes. All this was set in place before we were conceived, and talents, abilities, and proclivities were built in as He was putting us together in our mothers' wombs. The vessel is packed from birth. But, I believe that the journey cannot begin until we make Jesus Lord of our lives. Until we are saved, God is guiding us, from without, to salvation. Then the Holy Spirit, now within us, is, as Jesus Himself put it, "our helper". (How 'bout that for use of the comma?) God is now guiding us from within to Himself and all that He has for us and for us to do. How can we know where God is leading without the Holy Spirit acting as our guide? And then some, as I have already pointed out, have problems in following the Holy Spirit's guidance.

Too often, we get it backwards. We enter "real life" after high school or college and we are more attuned to pursuit of things that please than things that matter, what we perceive as the good life rather than the God life. We take the lead in how we are going to provide for our physical needs when God has clearly told us to follow Him and let Him take care of that. "Seek first the Kingdom of God and all these things will be added unto you" plainly states that if we will follow God's plan for our lives and live within His way of doing things, the Kingdom of God, our physical needs will be met in a far greater fashion than we can ever provide for ourselves. ( I really wish I had caught on to that one 30 or 40 years ago. R-e-a-l-l-y!) And without this reality at work in our lives, we struggle so much to make a living that we cannot make a life.

Here is the problem: We have been looking for the physical part of the plan to take place before, or so that, the spiritual part can. But, that's backwards. You see, it's all spiritual! Not in the sense that what we see and touch here in this life is not really seeable or touchable. It is all very "real" even if it is all very temporary.

I consider myself to be a spiritual person. I have a very long way to go, but I have come to a place in my life where my spiritual search supersedes my physical search. My physical life has been given too much power in my spiritual life. In other words, I have lived as if I can't "do this" spiritually because I "am here" physically. As if the physical dominates the spiritual. This is not the way it is supposed to be. Ephesians 6:12 tells us "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

I am coming to an understanding that, for better or for worse, where we are spiritually dominates where we are physically. It is supposed to be better, but, with things in the wrong order, it can be worse.

And, for me, the reason I have not been able to clearly see God's path is not that the path is hidden, it is that the path set before me doesn't look at all like I think a path should look.

God truly does tell us where to go, which way to turn, when to stop, all the things we need to know to physically move about on this earth. We must learn - renew our minds - to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit's guidance in this way. We have to learn to discern God's voice from among all of the voices we hear as we go, including our own. But as we walk in this physical world God gives us spiritual assignments. No! That's the way we think. The way it really works is that as we walk in the spirit, following the direction of the Holy Spirit in our lives, the spiritual assignments that God gives us to do lead us along a physical path. We might think we are going "here" to change someone's flat tire, or we are going "there" to buy groceries. And we do go and change the tire and buy the groceries, but we are directed there to accomplish God's purposes. Now, we may completely ignore the spiritual aspect of these little trips, we might miss it entirely, but in doing so, we fail to move along God's path for us.

"Talk to that person over there. Tell him, or her, about me." "That man doesn't need money for gas. He needs to know I love him." "That lady really does need some gas. Give it to her in my name." "See that man over there? He needs the money in your pocket." "Yes, your waitress was not as good as she should have been. Show her grace in your tip. I'll make sure she receives it that way." "Go shake his hand. He needs to know that he is somebody." "She needs encouragement." "He needs to hear the truth." . . .

The message may be, "Danger! Don't stop for him" or "That woman is trouble for you", or "This one is not yours to handle. Do not take this from my appointed and anointed one."

He might want us to go to the altar of our church house to seek Him and to listen to Him - when no one EVER goes to the altar, or even considers there to be an altar. He might want us to cry out, as in OUT LOUD, to Him, whether we are alone behind the walls of our homes, or in the midst of prayer in our ever so quiet church services. (saw it happen recently - AWESOME!!!!!) He DOES want us to follow Him into worship of Himself and to remember that He is our audience of One. I would venture to say that in a crowd of any size in a worship setting is where most people fail most often to follow the prompting of the Holy Spirit. ( . . . just throwing that little observation, and experience, in there . . .)

Innumerable in number and immeasurable in impact, from what we would consider to be the smallest of gestures to the largest of sacrifices, we must search, seek out, be open, willing, prepared, and surrendered to every prompting of the Holy Spirit upon our lives. These are the mile markers of our progress upon the path God has set before us. These spiritual acts, performed in a physical world, are God's path for you and me.

Being used by God is the path. Our willingness and obedience are what propels us down that path. Our part is to be properly positioned before God. If our intents and desires are worldly, we walk our own physical path and maybe seek out spiritual "opportunities" along the way. Don't look for much of a spiritual nature along this path. God is not going to give you "a little something" to do just so you can feel better about where you are. Any such "opportunity" found on your own path is there to lead you off of the wrong worldly path and onto the right spiritual path.

If our intents and desires are spiritual in nature and set on following God's will in our lives, then we will certainly find ourselves not only moving but growing spiritually. We will "see" more and more those spiritual stepping stones that God Himself has laid out before us. We will grow beyond seeking the path, we will be walking the path, and we can use our knees for other matters before our God.

Proverbs 3:5-6 (NKJV) Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.

Isaiah 48:17 (NKJV) Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer,the Holy One of Israel: “ I am the LORD your God, Who teaches you to profit, Who leads you by the way you should go.

Psalm 32:8 (NKJV) I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye.

Galatians 5:25 (NKJVersion) If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

. . . and you give yourself away

2011-03-09T21:56:00.001-06:00

I have been trying to write this one for close to a year now. I just cannot get it out. But, it is rolling around in here and I need to expel it and move on. There is a video link following this post. (Nothing new for me but it might help explain what this is all about.)

I know this guy. He gets a little weird sometimes. Not Charlie Sheen weird, but . . . still. The song in the video is one of his favorites and this is his favorite version. I know his other favorite version, so I'll post that runner-up version on FaceBook sometime. He tells me that he listens to this song often, but the weird thing is, he doesn't hear -in his mind- the lyrics as they are being sung. He "hears" different words altogether. All except for the "you give yourself away" part. He hears that loud and clear and it haunts him.

Bono, of U2, wrote this song about the conflicts between his life on the road as a big star and his private life at home, trying to have a somewhat normal family life. Most people probably hear a song about a love that is quite a disappointing one-way affair.

This guy I know hears something altogether different. He hears a song about how he gave himself away - his life, whatever he was or would become - to some long ago idea that most people don't get what they want out of this life. He was in the most group. All you can do is give it your best as long as you have that to give, and hope that your best holds out and works out to a respectable end. His best always fell short. Not that he didn't try a few things . And the song covers those excursions very well. He hears how another of life's storms stirs on the near horizon as his latest failure twists in his side like a thorn. And he waits for something to work, something to happen.

He is forced to recall those matters he misread, things that appeared to be one thing, good, but were revealed to be quite another, failure. "Not meant to be. Fate." He consoles himself and hopes those others affected will buy that one again. But, there is the agonizing wait, the search for the next chapter. Grabbing hold to what he thinks is it - the one. Having that, he is no better off with it than without it.

Trying . . . just trying . . . is so hard, and he can't say why. It is so easy to tear down what he's trying to build up. And all that trying gives is not enough. And he waits and wonders, "Where are you?" And again, with or without, makes no difference.

And then he is pounded. "And you give yourself away. And you give yourself away. And you give, and you give, and you give yourself away." Not just once! Oh, no! He keeps on giving himself away, as if he has no choice. And he is gone. And he struggles to remember, "What to? What for?" Mediocrity? A day dream? Air castles?

Finally, he is bound by his decisions, his choices, all that he accepted and allowed. The bruises are tender, but he tries to keep them covered. If the facade holds they don't show. After all this, there seems to be nothing out there to win, and he has nothing left to lose. It is obvious that he can never have that, and yet, he must continue . . . With - turmoil, defeat, decline, failure, pressure, tension . . . Without - hopelessness, done, uselessness . . .

And then, the chorus hits harder, "And you give yourself away . . ."

This guy could not tell you what it was that he gave himself away to. It was too long ago, and it was obviously the wrong thing. He just knows he did, and he can't get himself back. He is not so different from a lot of people. Not that being in that crowd helps.

So, I had a talk with this guy I know. (As you can see, he is a pretty weird dude. I doubt he will ever let me reveal his identity, so I think I'll just refer to him as Guy Noe from now on. He is an interesting character and might show up in another blog or two.)

Guy, all that is from a life past, a life you can't do anything about. Christ came into your life a short while back and when He did He made you a new person! He changed your life. You've said the same many times yourself. What you have to understand, and live, is that Jesus Christ is your deliverer. He is your redeemer!

Jesus has redeemed you from whatever it was that you gave yourself to whenever it was. No matter how strong that hold was on you, no matter how heavy the chains, the stronghold has been broken and the chains have been loosed! The only hold your past has on you is the hold you keep on it. Your past no longer defines you. If you are serious about your relationship to Christ, then Jesus now defines you. You gave your life to Jesus. He holds you now. It is time to give your past to Him as well. Give Him everything that gets in the way of being and doing all that God has planned for you and all that Jesus has set you free to be and to do. Nothing holds you back from that now!

God made you and wired you for something special, something He had planned for you. As I have said, Jesus set you free to do just that, and the Holy Spirit that lives within you has made you able. You may have come up short in life before, but now you are the TOTAL PACKAGE! You have given yourself to Jesus. He will never let you go, so you cannot give yourself to anything else. You could not and would not live without Jesus in your life, and now you will forever live with Him. Your life is not behind you. Stop looking back there! Look forward. There is your life! Sure, you gave yourself away. Jesus got you back! And Jesus has your back!

Psalm 139:13-17

¹³ You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body
      and knit me together in my mother’s womb.
¹⁴ Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!
      Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.
¹⁵ You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion,
      as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.
¹⁶ You saw me before I was born.
      Every day of my life was recorded in your book.
   Every moment was laid out
      before a single day had passed.
¹⁷ How precious are your thoughts about me, O God.
      They cannot be numbered!

John 10: 27-29 "My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me, for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand."

Luke 22:31-32 (NLT) “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift each of you like wheat. But I have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon, that your faith should not fail. So when you have repented and turned to me again, strengthen your brothers.”

Here is Guy's song. I hope you enjoy it.

Connected,
Dennis

Moving the Movies . . . or just typical stuff for Sharon and Dennis

2011-02-28T17:07:00.000-06:00

OK, this is a departure from the type of blog I usually write, but we had a little experience at the movies Saturday. Maybe you will get a kick out of it.

We don't go to the movies very much. Maybe once a year . . . on our anniversary. We went week before last to see True Grit. It just seemed to be one of those that you really need to see on the "big screen". We may have caught the last showing in the Jackson area. It was showing on one screen in one theater and there were maybe a dozen other people in there with us. But, I like it that way. Near empty theaters usually mean that there is nearly no chance of distraction. This didn't really hold true at True Grit, but it wasn't that bad. The kid was enjoying the movie. But, generally, I like near empty theaters.

So, Saturday, we decide to go see "The Grace Card". (2 within a week!!) I'm not much for opening weekends because of the crowds, but we wanted to help out the opening weekend numbers for this movie. Ask anyone. I am not known for being early to anything. I hate to admit it, but "on time" has a somewhat different meaning for me than most folks. (I'm not as bad about that as I used to be.) And, did I mention that I like near empty theaters?

"We need to get there early, so we can get a good seat," I say. The matinee starts at 4:40, we leave the house for Tinseltown at 3:40. We get there, get our tickets, and walk into the lobby at 4:00. "What do we do now?" Sharon asks. "Well, let's go sit down. There is no need to stand around in the lobby all this time." "The Grace Card" is playing on one screen, the sign is over the first screen to the right. There is no one there to take our tickets. "Well, we paid. If they want 'em they came come inside and get 'em." We go in. We are alone. We sit down. After a while we decided that we were a bit too close. So we moved. We had the whole theater to ourselves. We could have any seat we wanted!

Time passed. 4:20 rolled around, and we were still alone. In case you didn't know, I like near empty theaters, but this is kind of disappointing for opening weekend. "Maybe they are all coming to one of the later shows," Sharon offers. "Maybe so," I'm thinking, but I'm also thinking that we cannot possibly be the only two people both interested in seeing this movie AND holding on to the 4 or 5 bucks that a matinee saves you. Sharon decides that she better make a trip to the Ladies Room to . . . Sharon excuses herself for a few minutes. Now I am all alone.

So, I'm sitting. And I'm sitting. I try taking a brief nap, but that didn't work. 4:35 comes around and no one else has come into the theater. Not even Sharon! Her purse, with the tickets - and her cell phone - inside is beside me. Hmmm . . . Did she run into someone she knows? Did she get caught without a ticket and now Homeland Security has her under interrogation? Was there a really long line in the . . . the place she went?

4:40 has come and gone. No previews, no movie, no Sharon, no nuthin'! I'm thinking they are not going to show this movie because there are not enough people here. Will they give us a pass to the next showing? And what about Sharon? I could go look for her, but if she comes back in here and I'm gone she will go into a panic. 4:50. Me in the dark theater, still alone. I'm going to have to go look for her. My phone rings.

"Where are you?" It's Sharon, but whose phone is she on?

"I'm in the same place I was when you left me."

"But, I can't see you!"

"I don't know why not. I'm the ONLY one here. Where are you?"

"I'm in the theater! Where are you?" Her voice is growing a bit desperate.

A voice near her is saying, "Tell him to stand up."

"Stand up!"

"I don't need to stand up! I'm the only person in the whole place!"

"They are only showing it on one screen." She is getting a little frantic now.

"I know that, but they are not showing it at all."

"Stand up!"

"I don't need to stand up, there is nobody else in here!"

"But, they are only showing it on one screen!"

"I know that! And you are not in here! You're in the wrong movie!"

"I can't find you!"

"Where are YOU?"

"I'm in the theater!"

"You're in the wrong movie."

"Where are you?" She is really beginning to get a bit panicky now. Have you seen any of those movies where a husband or wife leaves the room and then mysteriously disappears? No one will admit to ever seeing them. Suddenly there is no evidence that they ever existed. And then you are locked away in jail or the psych ward? I had mistakenly and stupidly left my ATM card in the machine Friday night, so either the machine has it or someone who came behind me. Could this have anything to do with that? Have we been swept into some sort of elaborate espionage plot? Or is this one of those dream things, like in "Inception"? "Nope, she went to the wrong movie," I say to myself.

"OK. You go out the door. I'm coming out." (They are not showing this movie at 4:40 anyway. I'm going to find my wife and then we're going to find the manager! I'm thinking maybe we'll get two movies out of this. The very idea of advertising a movie at 4:40 and the screen is blank! We've got to have something to watch til the next Grace Card comes around.)

Sharon's purse in hand, I clamor down the stairs and out into the hallway. I look to the right and there she is, a young man in tow coming out of the screen, which would be the first door to the right of anyone emerging from the Ladies Room. Well, an honest mistake, I say to myself. She is coming toward me. I say, "What are you doing in there?" as I turn to point to the sign above the door I just came out of which clearly shows that this is where you would go to see "The Gra . . ." "Big Mama's" "BIG MAMA'S"?!?!?!?!

"That sign said "The Grace Card" when we got here," I tell the young fellow who seems quite relieved to be relieved of this crazy woman that is dragging him around looking for her missing husband.

"Oh. They changed it," he says.

Attempting to assuage any possible "what's-the-matter-with-you-people?" thoughts this kid might be having toward us (Sharon for losing me, me for sitting in a dark empty theater past start time) I muster up a semi-back at you duh kind of thing with, "Changed the signs! Why would they do that?" (Sometimes I'm not that fast on my feet when it comes to thinking up stuff to say.) In retrospect, that probably would have been better left unsaid. I don't think it worked. He was a polite young man, though, and he really wanted to get away from us, so we thanked him for his help and the use of his phone.

Going into the theater, Sharon moved toward the route that would take us to the front so everyone who had seen her frantically searching up and down the aisles for me would now see us walking in together. "Oh, that's sweet. He must have been lost. Poor thing." I could imagine someone saying. Or maybe, "You'd think they could get to the show before it started! Now they're gonna be crawlin' all over us to get to a seat and ruin the whole thing. Now I wish we'd never come!", the other lady's husband would bellow. Before she got too far, I grabbed her arm and led her up the stairs that come out on top in the back. Fewer people will see us. Maybe they won't recognize her. (I hope all of our laughing didn't give us away!)

We eased into some pretty good seats 2 or 3 rows down, and actually got to see the preview for "Courageous". And then we watched "The Grace Card" in its entirety. It was much better than "Big Mama's" would have been, I'm sure. And we had all that other fun to boot!

"We're not doing this again!" Sharon says as we leave.

"You got that right! Next time we're bringing somebody to go to the Ladies Room with you. Women like to go in pairs, anyway." (I'm thinking I might need a grace card of my own after that one.)

Connected (more or less)
Dennis

PS You should know that this kind of thing is not all that out of the ordinary for us.

Unforgiven, but I ain't like that no more . . .

2011-02-25T15:53:00.000-06:00

I was recently asked about forgiveness under circumstances where, due to some really extreme circumstances, the will to forgive is hard to find. I have been pondering this ever since. I don't know that I have any answers, but here is what I have come up with so far. (It is a great relief to know that I am NOT the answer man.) This mostly concerns forgiveness on our human level, but, for anyone who is a Christian, our one-to-another forgiveness cannot be separated from the forgiveness we have received from God Himself.

One of my favorite movies is Clint Eastwood's "Unforgiven". The movie's main character is a former outlaw named Will Munny. He did some terrible, irreversible things in his life. In the movie he is a widower, but he had married a woman who saved him from himself.

"I ain't like that no more. I ain't the same, Ned. Claudia, she straightened me up, cleared me of drinkin' whiskey and all. Just 'cause we're goin' on this killing, that don't mean I'm gonna go back to bein' the way I was."

Will Munny, somewhat changed though he may be, in no way feels deserving of forgiveness for his past and he has no place to go in search of forgiveness from those he harmed in any case. It is never even mentioned in the movie, but there is a sad certainty that these men who carry a great amount of regret for their past actions know that they will live and die unforgiven. I don't think they can find it within themselves to seek forgiveness of any kind. And that is the saddest part.

Of course, before the movie is over Will has done some more terrible things. We like it, though, because he does the terrible things to people who also have done terrible things so they deserve it. And we like to see people get what they deserve in the movies. In real life, maybe not so much. Because it's real. And we all deserve pretty much the same thing. And, quite frankly, if I demand that the other person get what they deserve, how can I insist on avoiding what I deserve?

My observation is that more people struggle with forgiving than with being forgiven. I cannot say that this same struggle is foreign to me in my own life. Certainly there are many who have committed hateful, hurtful, devastating acts and who yearn for forgiveness from those they have offended. Some, like William Munny, feel that they have offended to a point beyond forgiveness, so they don't ask. Some ask, but don't receive it. But isn't that then a problem in the other lane of the road to redemption? There are even those who would know forgiveness if they would only receive it. (Where does that come from?)

Of course, there are the minor things, the unintended things, the serious-but-handleable things. (It's my blog and I can make up words if I want to.) But, then there are those major things. The kind of things that can potentially knock us down and take us out.

Some acts can be so vile, hateful, thoughtless, and hurtful and can have lasting effects. People are hurt mentally, physically, emotionally, financially, even spiritually. Like a stone tossed into still water, ripples spread among family, friends, co-workers, acquaintances, all affected in some way by the offense, and all, at least in that case, innocent. And all because of one person's weakness. Such acts are born of weakness. It takes no strength, no moral character, no sympathy, . . . no love . . . to bring about such devastation. Is it ironic that this kind of lack is such a powerful force? Not really, because such things are of sin, self and Satan. And these are 3 powerful forces indeed.

It takes far more strength than you or I could ever muster on our own to overcome the forces and the results of such a powerful weakness. It takes supernatural strength to bring to bear the most powerful force in existence in mankind's war against that which would destroy us. And that force is forgiveness born of love. As the forgiven, our own sin, which would exert itself against us, has no more power over us than the power we give it. As the forgiver, we are exerting the power to negate the effect someone else's sin would have upon us no matter how great that sin may be, and thus refusing to go into a sinful state ourselves.

To forgive is to release. Forgiveness does not release the other party from his or her responsibility in the matter. Forgiveness removes the transgression from the relationship. It says, "I will no longer hold that against you." Some circumstances might call for an additional, "but you cannot be a part of my life in the same way any more", or "you can't be in that same position of trust any more". It is even possible that there may be words along the lines of, "I forgive you. This will not come between us again. But, you might have to go to jail for that!" Then there is the convicted killer who receives forgiveness from God and man or woman perhaps moments before he or she is executed for the crime. Like wrongs committed, forgiveness runs the scale from the simple to the extreme.

Forgiveness does as much or more for the forgiver as it does for the forgivee. As I just said, it is a release. It sets you free from the heavy chain that binds you to an act and to a person, both of which cause you pain and distress. An unforgiven act eats away at you. Bitterness and resentment, perhaps the same emotions that were behind the act in the first place, will grow within you. Unforgiveness can change the person that you are, and it will be an obstacle to becoming the person God made you to be. Unforgiveness may or may not affect the other person, but it definitely affects you. To forgive is not to give up anything worth having. It is not letting go of anything that is of real value to you. To forgive is to set yourself free to move onward and upward.

Still, we struggle at times to forgive. We know we should forgive. We know that we have been commanded to forgive. But, our situation is different. This is the kind of thing that you just can't forgive, isn't it? Surely, God, You don't mean that I should forgive this!

Well the issue of forgiveness was settled long ago, but, as in so many things we face in life, we keep looking for another answer. A loop hole. A way out. We know the reason to forgive. It's the way to forgive that eludes us. It requires that we take up our cross - die to ourselves - and allow Christ alone to thrive within us. Let Jesus be our sole source of strength and our sole guide to forgiveness.

If you only knew how many times I have started a blog on this subject, and from how many different angles I tried to approach it. The thing I learned is, any route that you try to take to get to or get around forgiveness that is not directed by Jesus Christ will lead to a dead end.

Sometimes the conduct of the offender is so constantly egregious that one might wonder what forgiveness is for. I mean you keep forgiving, the guy keeps hurting, so what is all of your forgiving accomplishing? Well, forgiveness is the nature of Christ, as is love. He loves the otherwise unlovable, and forgives the otherwise unforgivable. And it is through Him that we are able to do those things as well. If you are struggling with forgiveness, take heart. It could be the other way around. You could be lying awake at night conjuring up all kinds of ways to get revenge with the idea of forgiving anyone never entering your mind. The fact that you are struggling to find a will and a way to forgive is evidence that the very nature of Christ is alive within you and seeking to be known!

Proverbs 20:22 Do not say, “I’ll pay you back for this wrong!” Wait for the LORD, and he will avenge you.

Matthew 5:23-24 “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift."

Matthew 5:44-45a^". . . I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven.".

Mark 11:25-26 "And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”

There are so many verses of scripture that help us with forgiveness, but I think this next one sums it up best for us:

Ephesians 4:29-32 "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you."

When it comes down to it, forgiveness is a choice. So, where do you find the strength to make that choice? Go to the One who commanded it in the first place. He will never tell you to do something that He will not provide everything needed for its accomplishment. It is not about us looking "big". It is about showing how big our God is!

Forgiveness is a great testimony, a great witness to the power of Christ in our lives. When the time comes that forgiveness pours out from God and through us, some will no doubt say, "It takes a big heart to be able to forgive like that!" Won't it be a grand thing when our reply is, "Not really. It takes a big savior to be able to forgive like that."

Connected,
Dennis

PS Here is one of my all time favorites.

Why did the turtle cross the road?

2011-02-17T21:20:00.000-06:00

It's just not a good way to go, getting hit, or squashed, by a car. No matter what species the animal is I always mourn, to various degrees, when I see one lying on the side of the road. Man builds roads and all kinds of vehicles to travel those roads, and some animal that doesn't even know what a road is comes to the end of its life just because of a drive or instinct to get to the other side for whatever reason. It's sad. Everything from bugs to low flying birds, to frogs and turtles to cats, dogs, deer and the occasional larger animal. And it's not like people go around aiming their vehicle at the animal crossing the road. It's just an accident and the animal gets the worst of it.

Growing up in the country in Yazoo County, we had a lot of dogs. Never - NEVER - did one live out it's natural life as I was coming up. The ones that didn't run off somewhere "got run over by an oil truck". I don't recall ever witnessing it. That's just what we were told when we got home from school or looked up one day and noticed that the dog wasn't around any more. (hmmm . . .) I must admit that I don't remember being all that upset by it. It was just a part of life. But, the older I get the more such things bother me.

I have been known to stop and help turtles finish their journey across the road. Well, actually, I'm not known for it, no one has ever witnessed it. But, I do that kind of thing. Being squashed is not a fitting end for any animal, particularly one that is just too slow to have much of a chance against a driver who is not paying attention. So I'll stop, carry it on across to the other side, put it down facing away from the road and tell it to try to stick to crawling across dirt and grass in the future. (I don't know that talking to them does any good. I don't speak turtle and I doubt they understand English.)

So, anyway, just this past Tuesday night, I was driving home from the Mexican restaurant on Siwell Road in Byram. Four of us had gone out to eat after MAN ALIVE!!! (I don't mourn for the meat I eat. I'm not that sensitive!) I'm driving along and, too late to do anything about it, my bumper or my tire hits a deer lying in the road. The deer had already been hit, but, it was still alive. I would almost swear it was looking me in the eye when I hit it. "That deer is alive," I say to myself. Then I'm thinking, 'That deer is alive. Am I just going to leave it there in the middle of Siwell Road to get run over again?" Then I'm thinking, "Well, what are you going to do? It's not like you can nurse it back to health or anything." Then I decide, "I don't care! I'm not just going to leave it there. Besides, it is a hazard to other drivers."

I turn around, and spot it again. It is still moving, trying to get up. I pass it again, and failing to find a good turn around, I make an emergency U-turn. (Hoping that "emergency" part makes it somewhat legal.) By now, several vehicles had passed and I wonder how many more times that deer was hit. Stopping in the same right lane that she is in, a deer in the headlights, but this one seeing nothing, I turn on my flashers and exit my truck. I was thinking that I might have to call the sheriff's department to come finish what these vehicles had started. I had nothing to end her suffering with, and being where we were, I doubted the legality of such in any case. My decision had been made for me by now, though. I told her I was sorry that she didn't make it another 5 or 6 feet, and I dragged the now still body - call it a carcass, if you like - off the side of the road.

It struck me, looking down upon that deer, that God, who knows when a sparrow falls, knew that life had passed from this creature of His. And I told Him I was sorry that He lost her in this way. (I think it was a "her", I really didn't look.) I just thought in that moment that if God took note of this creature's passing, I should as well. And I'm not talking about turtle and deer funerals and such. I'm just talking about a proper respect for creation.

“Do you hunt the prey for the lioness and satisfy the hunger of the lions when they crouch in their dens or lie in wait in a thicket? Who provides food for the raven when its young cry out to God and wander about for lack of food? Job 38:39-41

“Do you know when the mountain goats give birth? Do you watch when the doe bears her fawn? Do you count the months till they bear? Job 39:1-2

“Who let the wild donkey go free? Who untied its ropes? I gave it the wasteland as its home, the salt flats as its habitat. It laughs at the commotion in the town; it does not hear a driver’s shout. It ranges the hills for its pasture and searches for any green thing. Job39:5-8

“The wings of the ostrich flap joyfully, though they cannot compare with the wings and feathers of the stork." Job 39:13

"Do you give the horse its strength or clothe its neck with a flowing mane? Do you make it leap like a locust, striking terror with its proud snorting?" Job 39:19-20

Don't ever think that God is not aware of what is happening to His creation, or that He does not care or love all things great and small.

Above all, and this is the point of this whole thing, don't ever forget where you stand before God in creation.

"Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows." Matthew 10:29-31

"Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?" Matthew 6:25-26, 28-30

When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them? You have made them a little lower than the angelsand crowned them with glory and honor. You made them rulers over the works of your hands; you put everything under their feet: all flocks and herds, and the animals of the wild, the birds in the sky, and the fish in the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas. Psalm 8:3-8

And of course there is Genesis 1:28 "God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”

Nothing and no one is insignificant in the eye of God. God's compassion for you is so great, and His love for you and His desire to be with you are so strong that He sent His only Son to die in your place taking with Him everything that separated you from God and making the way for you and I to live forever in His presence. Don't use anything of this world - people, places, or things - to gauge your significance. Your Creator has made it clear how very significant you are.

Oh, yeah. So, why did the turtle cross the road? Nobody knows. By the time he finally made it across, he had forgotten! (I know it's corny. If I had told you that at the beginning you might not have read this far.) ((Maybe I should have asked one of those I helped across!))

Just one more thing: Of all that we are, we are nothing without Him. But you already knew that!

Connected,
Dennis

"I YAM WHAT I YAM" Popeye 1933

2011-02-08T22:18:00.000-06:00

Are you who you are? You might say, "Yes, I am." You might say, "No, I'm not." Maybe it's just, "Huh?"

I have to tell you, I am not who I am. And that's kind of exciting! The "about me" section of my FaceBook profile says, "I'm not who I was." And that is true. But, I am not yet who I am. Or, am I?

After all these years I think I've got it! I'm coming to an understanding of a HUGE truth of life. For so long I missed it. I just missed it. (Yeah, I know, I say that a lot. That's just because I miss a lot.) Maybe I am alone in this, but I don't think so. I hear too many things, see too many comments. There are a lot of people who spend a lot of time dissatisfied with their lives, which is probably the way they express their dissatisfaction with themselves.

Why would we be so at odds with ourselves? Why can't "life" be what we want it to be more of the time? Well, there is your answer. We are at odds with ourselves.

"What are you talkin' about, Dent?" (I often counsel my self using my daddy's nickname for me) "If you are not you, who are you?"

That's a good question! That's the one we keep asking ourselves in so many ways! Who am I? Who am I supposed to be? What am I supposed to be doing with my life? (enter your version of the question here)

Not everyone struggles with this, and that is a very good thing. It shows the rest of us that it is possible to find our place in this world. And the good news that I'm reminding you of today is that it is quite possible, it is not that hard, and, as a matter of fact, it is intended for all, including you and me! And that from a person who is not yet there. BUT. I am finally on my way. And I am confident for the first time in all these years that I will get there. (Hint: If life is not playing out the way you think it should, change directors.)

Here is the truth about each and every one of us (including you!):

Psalm 139:13-17 (NLT) You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered!

God made you and me like no other. We are His handiwork, made in God's image, His unique image for each of us. Fearfully (reverently) made. Wonderfully made. Look at the world around you and the wonder that you witness every where you go. Look at God's wondrous works in the faraway lands that we are to this day learning new things about. The depths of the seas hold such amazing forms of life and man still has not seen all that is held there. Great telescopes are constantly discovering new wonders in outer space. The more knowledge mankind acquires the more we realize how wonderfully made and beyond our comprehension is this universe created by our God.

We look beyond ourselves, near or far, and our hearts are as filled with wonder as our eyes. We need to look within, and see and accept how wonderfully made we are. God placed His unique stamp on us. He worked on us in our mother's womb as individuals. And He has a unique place in His creation for each of us. He did not create us and forget us, nor did He intend for us to wander this life alone finding our way by the hit-and-miss system.

Ephesians 2:10 (NIV) For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Non-believers like to express their feelings of intellectual superiority over Christians by saying that we are just people who need a crutch to get through life, and Christianity is our crutch. This may sound harsh, but, I believe that many Christians do use their Christianity and the Word of God in particular as a crutch. Not in the same sense as we are accused, but as a crutch no less. God forgive me, I know I have.

Yes, God's Word has brought me through innumerable times of difficulty. There was a time, though, that once over the hump, once the rain was gone and the skies in my life were clear and blue or maybe even just "partly cloudy", the Word that is meant to be my daily bread went back in the corner. I gave a true heart felt thanks for deliverance and moved on to the next thing. My crutch stood there where I knew it would be until I needed it again. God's precious promises, so powerful and so true, relegated to something that helped me hobble through this life because I had been crippled by Satan's deception.

The truth is that God had good plans for you and me long before we were ever born. And, when He knit us together in our mother's wombs He built in us every physical and mental strength and characteristic that we would need to succeed in His plans for us. When Jesus Christ went to the cross and died and was resurrected, every scheme and weapon that Satan would ever bring against us was defeated and made ineffective against us. When we accepted the truth of Jesus and asked Him to be Lord and Savior of our lives we received everything we would ever need to defeat Satan's endless attacks upon us. When we, through the work of the Holy Spirit and God's Word, renew our minds - learn and grow and believe and increasingly understand what a wonderful thing God has done for us - we can increasingly and ultimately live the life that He planned for us so long ago.

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Jeremiah 29:11 was not given as a crutch to help us through difficult times when we experience doubt about what we are here for and whether God knows or cares about what we are going through. It was given as a statement of God's intention for our lives. It is to tell us what our lives are supposed to be. And God's intent is not like our intent. Even when our free will leads us to a faulty decision, God's intent does not change. God's intent is a done deal when we realize that, and when we agree with God to live that.

Romans 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

"All things" means all things! Even the mess we make. God's plan for our lives is not only possible, it is within reach. We really have only to grasp it.

So, back to "What are you talkin' about, Dent?"

How is it that I'm not me and maybe you are not you? Here it is. God created me uniquely to be me. He created you uniquely to be you. That is who we are. That little yet-to-be-born baby our mamas were carrying around is who we are. If we are living in any way or according to any plan other than what God made for us then we are living according to our own sinful nature. We are living out Satan's chaotic desire for us. Satan's plan, such as it is.

Satan is a liar and a deceiver. He tells me that I came to Christ too late to be of any real use to Him. That's a lie. He tells me that all those decisions I made to direct my own life so long ago have taken me so far away from God's plan for me that I can never get back to it. That's a lie. Satan tells me that the things that I really want to do, the desire of my heart that God has given me, are not for me. They are the same worthless and frustrating day dreams that I have carried with me all of my life. I was never meant to be what my inner most being drives me to be. That's a lie. Satan will influence us to become anyone other than the person God made us to be.

Therefore, the person Satan influenced me to be is not the real me. The real me is the guy God created and made plans for. And he's still in there!

Satan goes to work on us directly and personally from the moment we take our first breath in this life. For we are then breathing air polluted by the effect of sin on creation. We grow up in an environment affected by sin and among sinful people. At some point in our young lives we become accountable for the things we do that are contrary to God's will for us and we become sinful people ourselves. Under the influence of our own sinful nature we become someone other than the person God uniquely made us to be. We all, at some point in our lives, become the result of the devil's work on us.

Romans 3:23^"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,"

1 John 3:8a "The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning."

But, help has arrived by way of Calvary, not the cavalry!

1 John 3:8b "The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work."

"The devil's work" covers a lot of territory. It includes all of creation. And, yes, Satan has been working on us from the beginning of our lives to make us someone other than the person that God formed in our mother's wombs, but Jesus came to destroy that work. Jesus came to destroy every work that Satan has performed upon you and I! Jesus has come to restore us to the person He made us to be. And He is well able to do just that!

There is a book titled "Your Best Life Now". I have not yet read it so I cannot speak for it or against it. What I can say is that your best life is THE life that God has for you, the one He specifically and uniquely designed for you. If you are not already, you can live that life now no matter how young or old you may be. You can start from where you are. Let God direct whatever moving is to be done. Don't get discouraged or tangled up in what should have been or could have been. We don't know what any of that might be and can't do anything about it anyway. Trust God to get you on track and get you into His plan for you from where you are right now.

As I said before, if Jesus is in your life, you already have everything you need. If you have not yet come to know Him as Lord and Savior, you can't even begin to know what God has in store for you because God has no plan for you that does not include Jesus. That is the beginning. From there, it continues with accepting the premise of the promise.

So, to wrap it all up, (This has been a long one. Sorry) I have stated that I am not who I was, yet I am not who I am. Does this mean "who I am" is a destination? Nope! As a matter of fact, I am going to step out, or up, right now and say that Yes! Actually, I am who I am! Because I am surrendered! A heart fully surrendered. That is who God wants us to be. For only the surrendered can be molded by God into what He wants us to be. And then we will realize the fullness of the person He made us to be! If we are surrendered, He will do the perfecting.

Dare I say it's easy? Just stop believing what Satan says about you and start believing what God -your creator, by the way- says about you. The destroyer? or the Creator? One who hates? or one who is love? It's your choice.

For everyone everywhere, the details may be different, but the story is the same. The need is the same. And the promise is the same and just as true! So much of what I have written here says I, I, I and me, me, me, and some of them are not so good. Please understand that I am not holding myself up as anyone to follow. All I want to do is lift Christ up as the only one to follow. Of course, I want to be everything that God made me to be. I have come to a place where I fully believe and trust that, by His grace, I will be. What I pray that you will see is the best of all these "I, I, I's" and "me, me, me's" as "you, you, you's" living everything God made you to be! And if you already are, then praise God and pass on the encouragement that such a life brings!

Here's you video. It's kinda neat. ( . . almost put the Who video up . . .)

Connected,
Dennis

And just for fun . . . Popeye, my old favorite!

Hey, Me, did you just feel that???

2011-01-27T22:18:00.001-06:00

I was going to blog about this, and then I wasn't, and now I am. The nature of a blog, I suppose, is that it can be very personal. Maybe I am not as good at it as I think I am, but I generally try to disguise or camouflage just how personal some of my blogs are - but, some, not so much. (see what I mean?) Anyway, I cannot get away from the personal nature of this one. So here goes.

I like it when God uses His inside voice. No, I'm not being sacrilegious or blasphemous. God is not the child, I am. I am talking about the voice of God that comes from within those of us who are Christian. I am talking about the Holy Spirit. And sometimes He whispers.

He has an outside voice, and it takes many forms. It might be in the form of a hurricane, or an earthquake, or a thunderstorm, or an event like a tragedy of some kind. (His loud voice) You will even hear His outside voice in what seems to be the most mundane or inocuous matters of daily life. (His quieter version) Does God cause or allow such things to happen just so He can speak to us? Maybe. Maybe such occurrences are wholly His voice, and then maybe He sometimes allows them for other purposes, but still He speaks through them. The thing is, God's outside voice cannot be ignored, particularly the loud one. It can be, and very often is, misinterpreted as something else altogether. But, there is no doubt that God has been heard even if He has not been acknowledged or understood.

That inside voice, though . . . I believe that it is always heard, often ignored, and too rarely understood. At least, that's the way it is in my life. This would be a very long writing if I were to recount all the times I have missed the inside voice only to have to hear the outside voice.

You see, I believe that God always speaks to you and I from "the inside" first. That's the kind of relationship He wants with us. And the ability for us to enjoy such a relationship with our creator came about through the sacrifice of Jesus. Because Jesus died in our place, was buried, and was resurrected we have been made righteous before God. Therefore, we can speak directly to God, and God to us. Because Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to live within us, we actually live with God in us! This is not the long distance relationship we too often make it out to be. Sometimes, though, we're not listening and God gets our attention in other ways.

I wish I was writing today about the inside voice I heard, because I did hear it. But, the truth is, I missed it. I wasn't paying attention, I didn't think it was anything from God. I didn't think it was anything at all, to be truthful. The whisper from within went unacknowledged. Suddenly and unexpectedly He used His outside voice. He spoke through an event, something that happened. And I heard Him, and I knew instantly, what he had been trying to get me to do. And, in that case, it is too late. And now I am gaining an understanding of something I should have been paying closer attention to. (And I probably won't use that many "and's" again in the same paragraph.)

I get these "reactions" to people. I don't pick 'em. Sometimes I cross paths with a person, often at church, and there is a reaction inside of me. I can only describe this as a disturbance. Not that it is a good disturbance or a bad one. It may be either. It's like water that is smooth as glass and still, and then some unseen force causes the gentlest of disturbances on the surface. Much like a quiet whisper would disturb the air around us. I see these people and, where the water was still, there is a disturbance. That's all.

Now, this is not like the normal array of reactions I have to all people. Am I right in assuming that we all react to everyone we see in some way or another? There are people that I really look forward to seeing. There doesn't always have to be active communication. It may be a wave, or a nod, or a smile. They may not even see me that I know of. I'm just glad to say to myself, "It's good to see (him or her)." (I hope that doesn't sound "stalky"!) My wife might disagree with this assessment as she is of the opinion that I have to speak to everybody in the place before I can leave! But, the point is that I do have identifiable reactions.

Sometimes the reaction is to be drawn to the person. I have to admit that sometimes the reaction is to head in the opposite direction. But, again, these are always identifiable reactions. I am aware of the reaction and the people involved.

The other - those whispers - I had not even perceived as a reaction until Monday night.

I answered the phone. Someone in our church had died. The call was intended for my wife, but I got the message. God spoke in His outside voice and the little ripple that I had barely noticed the day before became a tidal wave. I didn't know this person well. Only in passing. A "Hey, how ya' doin'?" kind of passing at that. It became so very clear to me at the very moment that I heard of her death that God had wanted me to say something to her. And I was reminded of those times that the water had been disturbed when I had encountered her at church. Immediately behind that revelation came reminders of other disturbances, other people.

What "something" meant, I don't know. He would have told me had I been paying attention and had I been obedient. She was saved, so she is in Heaven now. I thought she was, but, I initially wondered, "Oh, no! Was I supposed to help her come to know Jesus?" I made inquiries with someone who would know and I'm now comfortable in the assurance of her salvation. So, what then was our little talk to be about? Maybe I could have ministered to her in some small way . . . prayed with her, or for her . . . been an encouragement in some way. Maybe the Lord intended for it to be the other way around. (It's not like I'm all that when it comes to personal ministry.) I don't know. The thing is, whatever God intended for me to do, I didn't. I let all three of us down. And, no, she didn't die because God wanted to get through to me. (see preceding statement) God did speak to me, though, and He made some things very clear.

I don't understand why I could not hear Him before. After all, I do perceive very clearly "Go pray with this person", "Go speak to that person", among other things, very clearly at times. Perhaps I am sometimes just so wrapped up in myself and my own problems that I don't recognize God's voice when I hear it. A constant request before God is that He use me. Maybe I am thinking in terms of what I would consider to be more dramatic and grandiose - bigger - ways, so I don't even pay attention to the "little things" that He calls upon me to do. And yet I consider myself to be well aware that there is nothing in any way small about anything that God gives us to do.

The thing I know now is that I've been missing it, not only with this one person, but others as well.

Well, I'm thankful that He has opened my eyes to see my failures. My prayer is that He will make me sensitive to feel as a jolt the slightest of disturbance or ripple upon the smooth, still waters of my spirit. And that I will have the presence of mind in every instance to recognize his whispers, to stop and ask, "OK, Lord, what is this one all about? What do you want me to do?"

1 Samuel 3:1-11 (NIV)

The boy Samuel ministered before the LORD under Eli. In those days the word of the LORD was rare; there were not many visions.

One night Eli, whose eyes were becoming so weak that he could barely see, was lying down in his usual place. The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the house of the LORD, where the ark of God was. Then the LORD called Samuel.

Samuel answered, “Here I am.” And he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” But Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.” So he went and lay down.

Again the LORD called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” “My son,” Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.”

Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD: The word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him.

A third time the LORD called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” Then Eli realized that the LORD was calling the boy. So Eli told Samuel, “Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

The LORD came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!”

Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”

And the LORD said to Samuel . . .

I do love His inside voice. And I'm just as thankful for His outside voice. One says, "I'm with you." The other says, "I'm not giving up on you."

Lord, I love Your voice. Please make my heart attentive, that I may hear the softest whisper of Your inside voice, as you speak Spirit to spirit. May the slightest stir of the smooth, still waters of my spirit be as a wave that drives me to Your intent And forgive me, Lord, for the times that my spiritual deafness causes You to speak from the outside.

I suppose I could have just simply put "I have missed it" at the top of the page and posted this video. You would have gotten the message and I would not have confessed a failure. This is not just about me, though. I hope it is a help to someone else.

Connected,
Dennis

the Dumps

2011-01-20T15:41:00.000-06:00

Psalm 27:13

I would have despaired

unless I had believed

that I would see the goodness of the LORD

in the land of the living.

OK. I stepped off into a deep subject. This one may seem long, and it rambles at times, but I hope it helps. It is just me sharing what I believe to be biblical truth on a serious and sensitive matter. I could say more, maybe should say less, and I don't know if any of it applies to any among my small readership, but here it is. (I'm not even sure why I went here at all! This has just been on my heart.)

Different translations of scripture quote Psalm 27 verse 13 in different ways. The King James says, "I had fainted . . .". The New King James says' "I would have lost heart . . ." This one from the New American Standard, in my opinion, says it best. For without the hope of the Lord people can and do sink into despair. And despair is a terrible state to live in. Merriam-Webster defines despair as the loss of all hope or confidence.

Our pastor brought a wonderful message on depression Sunday night. And then, Monday, as I was driving to pick up lunch, Joyce Meyer (gasp if you like) was also speaking on depression. She pointed out that depression usually goes like this: It may begin with disappointment, which leads to discouragement, which leads to depression, which leads to despondency, which leads to despair. In other words, it goes from bad to much much worse.

Depression is real and it happens. There is depression caused or triggered by circumstances that pretty much every body is going to experience at some time in their lives. (Whether they will admit it or not.) Depression sometimes is brought on by other illnesses and particularly by certain types of surgery. In some, it happens in a very devastating way as it is a matter of "clinical depression", which is a physical chemical imbalance, rather than "circumstantial depression", and like so many illnesses it becomes a life long battle. I'm sure I will be corrected if I am wrong, but, I believe that the "season of depression" feels much the same whether it is clinical or circumstantial. The thing about clinical depression is that once the depressive cycle ends, you know it is coming back and, as Forrest Gump might say, ". . . for no particular reason."

Please be assured, it is no more of a sin to enter into depression than it is to have a cold, or the flu, or muscular dystrophy, or cancer or anything of the sort. Sickness and disease are a result of sin which entered the world through our many-times-over great grandparents, Adam and Eve. Such things are not necessarily a result of our own personal sin. They are a product of sin itself, which left all of creation, including our bodies, vulnerable to the effects of sin upon creation. (Did I just repeat myself?)

I really don't think there is anything that anyone can do to prevent depression. You can bring it on. You can make it worse. You can invite it in. But, I don't think you can stop it from coming. You can fight it at the on-set and maybe win. But, I do believe that depression can be prevented from entering the stages of despondency and despair. Certainly, a long cycle of depression can and will cause hope to fade. And it is during these times that you must hold to the truth. You see, depression is a liar. (It is not a lie, but it is a liar.) Depression begins to tell you that life will always be this way. Depression can very effectively block memories of happier times and tell you that none of that was real. ("You were putting up a front then like you are putting up a front now", Depression says.) Depression distorts the good and positive things that are happening right now by attaching a 'but" to all these things, or telling you that all this is just a lie. Depression magnifies, validates, and exaggerates all things negative. And the more one dwells upon such matters, the deeper and darker their depression grows.

So, while depression is telling you how bad things are and how much worse they are going to get, while depression is lying to you, you must hold to the truth. You must remember that even though depression is beating you up pretty good at the moment, it is using lies to do so. Depression is the very real way you feel for a season. But, you must remember that it is only the way you feel. (And you might really feel real bad.) It does not have to be the way things are, and it does not have to be the way things are going to be. And things don't have to change in order to overcome a period of depression.

Here is the truth: God is truthful. He cannot and does not lie. His Word is His promise. And not only that, His Word lives, because His Word is Christ. And if you are a follower of Christ, then Christ lives in you, so the Word lives in you, which means God's promise lives in YOU!

God says, "Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you." (Philippians 4:8-9)

This is practical life instruction. This is God telling us that there is a "bright side". And He is reminding us to concentrate on the good things of life. When depression says, "nothing is good anymore or ever will be again," God is reminding us that depression lies, and that His truth endures.

" . . . we had no rest, but we were harassed at every turn—conflicts on the outside, fears within. ⁶ But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us . . . 2 Corinthians 7:5-6

Before I am accused of taking the scripture out of context, the truth of 2 Corinthians 7:5-6 and any part of it is that God does comfort the downcast- the depressed. In this instance He used the arrival of a dear brother in Christ, and He may do the same for anyone in the form of a brother or sister in the Lord. The point is, and the truth is, God will comfort you.

As Bro Chris pointed out, In 1 Kings 19, God's treatment for Elijah's depression was sleep, food, more sleep, and more food, and then for Elijah to stand in the presence of God Himself. Elijah was so down that he was ready for his life to end, but God sent instruction to Elijah, which he followed and his spirit was revived within him.

God knows how you feel, and He knows how to lift you up. Follow the truth, not the lie.

Psalm 42 is an acknowledgment that things are not right mentally. And as the writer cannot understand why his state of mind is such as it is, he does acknowledge God, and seeks to praise Him yet! I won't post the entire Psalm here, but go and read it and meditate upon it. Let the Psalmist's acknowledgment of his condition and his desire to praise God be your guide in bringing you from the depths of depression.

I could go on and on with scripture that acknowledges and "treats" depression and despair. Anyone who is looking for them can find them. I'm just putting my two cents in. But, I want to get across that God knows about depression. He understands depression. Some of His greatest and strongest and most faithful servants had to deal with depression. He is not mad at you if you are going through a season of depression whether it is circumstantially based or clinically based. He can help you through it and He wants to. That is the truth of the hope that you must hold on to.

Depression is bad enough, despair is dangerous. For when all hope is gone, all is gone. Despair says, "God is not coming."

With all that I know, should I look to the Lord through the the circumstance of the day and say, "He is not coming."? Oh, God, forbid it that You should look to me and say, "He is not coming." For it is my desire to run to you!

Here, in despondency and despair, it is of the greatest importance to recognize the lie that brought you to this point and to cling to the truth that will lift you up from the pit of darkness you are in. I've already said, that I don't believe depression is a sin. But, I know that Satan and his demons most assuredly will try to use your depression against you in the worst kind of way. As in so many of the situations we face in life that are not sinful in and of themselves, Satan and our own sinful nature can influence us to sin in those situations. Depression is no different, except that a feeling of guilt might be more intense. So, it is important to be diligent to stand against temptation, but also to remember that you are forgiven. Satan seeks to kill, steal and destroy, and he will use whatever we leave open to him to accomplish his goals. God offers power to you, and life abundant. Again, the power of God lives within you if you are a Christian. And, again, depression lies and tells you that no such power exists for you. Hold on to the truth no matter how you feel! Live by what you know, not what you feel.

So when depression tries to tell you that God has forgotten you, and that He has no plan whatsoever for you, and that there is no hope and you have no future worth living, hold to this great truth, this promise that lives within you:

¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

Again I stress, a lie may be spoken loudly, but it is still a lie. The truth is the truth at any volume.

I began this blog with Psalm 27 verse 13. I leave you with Psalm 27 verse 14.

   Wait for the LORD;
         Be strong and let your heart take courage;
          Yes, wait for the LORD.

Well, apparently you've read this long, rambling blog, you may as well listen to this long song. It's a good one and a great lifter of spirits!

Connected,
Dennis

missed it!

2011-01-10T00:30:00.000-06:00

So, I'm sitting in church this morning, and it suddenly comes to me - should I admit it? - in the middle of Bro Chris' closing prayer, that I missed it. I missed it! I missed the point of the scripture presented in this morning's Sunday School lesson - the same scripture I've been studying throughout the preceding week.

I had spent my time in Sunday School recounting some very interesting and necessary-to-know history from the time of King David's death through the splitting of his kingdom, into and through successors to the throne, to the reign of Ahab and the appearance of Elijah.

The point that the people who wrote the Sunday School book wanted to get across today was that we must take a stand for God in our lives. I did eventually get around to making that point And indeed we must. It is just as Elijah said,

1 Kings 18:21 (NKJV) And Elijah came to all the people, and said, “How long will you falter between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.”

A great lesson, and a decision we all must reach. To take a stand for the Lord as Elijah did at that time. One man for God amid thousands who were committed followers of Baal. It was a courageous act of obedience on Elijah's part to take that stand.

But, I don't think that was the point God intended for me to make in class this morning. Had I spent less time going backward and more time moving forward, it may have hit me there in front of that group rather than near the end of our church service. So here it is: (and it shows up only a few verses later!)

Israel had forgotten and turned away from their God. They were seeking their wants and needs from other sources, their own false Gods. (Don't so many of us do much the same thing in a time of need or crisis?) In a great showdown of sorts, God proved himself to be the one true God, while Baal was proven before all to be a false God.

1 Kings 18:39 (NKJV) Now when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, “The LORD, He is God! The LORD, He is God!”

And there it is . . . the Lord, He is God!

In good times, the Lord, He is God!
In bad times, the Lord, He is God!
When the refrigerator and the pantry are full, the Lord, He is God!
When you don't know where your next meal is coming from, the Lord, He is God!
When all of your relationships are healthy and fulfilling, the Lord, He is God!
When your marriage seems to be falling apart, the Lord, He is God!
When work is plentiful and there is no end in sight, the Lord, He is God!
When there is not a job to be found with every human effort being made, the Lord, He is God!
For any and every situation or circumstance of life, the Lord, He is God!

The Lord, He is God of and in every moment of our eternal lives.

Just as Elijah took his stand for God, we all encounter situations in our daily lives that call for us to take a stand. It may be a very public stand, such as Elijah did. It may be just between friends or acquaintances. It may be that we have to take a stand in some bad situation such as I have described above. It may be just you or me standing there in the face of all kinds of adversity and declaring before that adversity that the Lord, He is God. And in doing so setting aside the fear and anxiety that those adversities designed by Satan are intended to create. For if the Lord is God of our lives what have we to fear? If the Lord is God of our lives it will all turn out according to His perfect will.

Point taken!

Connected,
Dennis

love close up!

2011-01-07T22:54:00.001-06:00

Our church is joining together to read all the way through the Bible this year. I will admit that I haven't attempted this since I was saved in November of 2007. All of my Bible study since then, though, has been so rich as God is now able to show me things in His Word that I just could not see before as one who was lost and blind. So "reading through the Bible" has become so much more than just reading the Bible. If we pay attention to what we are reading there is so much to be learned, so much that tells us who we are and who we are intended to be. I hope you don't mind me sharing that with you from time to time, as I realize I am often talking about things you already know.

Reading the lineage of Adam to Noah and his sons, we are reminded of how difficult life was in those days. God told that apple-eater, Adam, just how things would be.

Genesis 3:17-19 (NIV) To Adam he said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate fruit from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat from it,’Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you,and you will eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return.”

Generations later, Noah's father, Lamech, lamented about how difficult life was on God's cursed ground. (Yeah, I looked, but I couldn't find where the word "lament" came from "Lamech". But still . . .)

Genesis 5:28-29 (NIV) When Lamech had lived 182 years, he had a son. He named him Noah and said, “He will comfort us in the labor and painful toil of our hands caused by the ground the LORD has cursed.”

So God said life was going to be hard and Lamech certainly felt the effects of it. And because the ground was cursed it was going to be hard for everyone all the days of their lives. But, between Adam and Noah, one man had been relieved of the hardships of life in a world turned upside down by sin. His name was Enoch. A mere 4 verses of scripture tell us about Enoch. We would like to know more. But, in this brief passage that tells us so little of the man, Enoch, perhaps we learn all we need to know about ourselves.

(Now, Enoch is mentioned in Hebrews, and he is quoted in Jude. The quotation probably came from his own writings, otherwise known as "the Book of Enoch". Enoch's writings are not included in our Bible, and I can only conclude that they were not found to be the divinely inspired Word of God. It is interesting reading, however, and as far as I can tell, the Book of Enoch speaks to his close walk with God.)

Genesis 5:21-24 (NIV)

When Enoch had lived 65 years, he became the father of Methuselah. After he became the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked faithfully with God 300 years and had other sons and daughters. Altogether, Enoch lived a total of 365 years. Enoch walked faithfully with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.

BibleGateway.com lists 23 translations of the Bible into the English language. Enoch's walk with God in these various translations is described as "faithfully, steadily, in habitual fellowship, in close fellowship, with, and habitually with God". Most translations simply say that Enoch "walked with God". And, "then he was no more", because God simply took him away into Heaven! Enoch was so close to God that God took him into Heaven at the young age, in those days, of 365 years old. Enoch no longer had to toil painfully for life and he was spared the experience of physical death. From dust he came, but he was not required to return to dust. Enoch's fellowship with God brought him such favor and mercy that he was spared God's edict upon all mankind and blessed with an entrance into Heaven that only 1 other person throughout history, so far, has experienced. God loves being with Enoch!

So, what is revealed in Enoch's short story that tells us everything we need to know about ourselves? God loves us. We all pretty much know that. But, He wants to love us close up!. He wants to be right here with us in our journey through this life. And if He seems distant, it is not because He is the one putting space between us. It is because we are not consistently inviting and allowing Him into our lives in an intimate way.

There is a song called "I Love Your Presence". (uh-oh, I feel another video coming on!) And I do love His presence at those times that I feel Him near me. But, I need - we all need - to understand that, in much the same sense, God loves my presence! He loves your presence! He wants to be with us a-l-l-l-l-l the time for all of our time here on Earth and throughout eternity. And in His desire to be with us, He made a way for that very thing to happen. In His son, Jesus, He died to make it so. And, He did such a wonderful job of it that it is not merely a matter of Him being with us, as in beside us, He now abides in those of us who have simply accepted what Jesus did there on the cross.

So, for Christians, it is not that God leaves us or we leave Him or kick Him out or anything of that sort. He has promised that He will never leave us. This means that He is with us at all times. If we are out of fellowship with God for any period of time it is simply because we are ignoring Him! So often He is talking but we are just not listening, and at times we must confess that, for some really stupid reason, we just don't want to hear.

We sing another song, "Draw Me Close To You" (nope, I probably won't post a video of that one). I'm thinking I need to turn that around and I need to do the drawing. I need to draw nearer to God, because I'm the one who creates the distance between us.

Whether it is faithful, steady, habitual, close, or simply with, God seeks continual fellowship with us. We are not going to have that kind of fulfilling relationship with Him - fulfilling to us or Him - if we find ourselves forgetful of Him, or if we are going places and doing things where we have to leave Him outside, or in the car, or in the other room. Jesus gave it all, He paid it all, so we can have it all. He did this so that he can always be with us. So why do we consciously do things where we have to leave Him out?

Maybe for us the key is not so much WWJD (What Would Jesus Do) as it is WWJ (Walking With Jesus). After all, if we are walking with Jesus, we don't have to wonder what Jesus would do. He's right there to tell us!

"Enoch walked faithfully with God; then he was no more, because God took him away." I am convinced that Enoch's relationship with God is not being held up to us as something unattainable. Quite the opposite, we each have God's own personal relationship with us. And the depth of our relationship can, and should, match that of Enoch. We need to know that Enoch didn't create the relationship. God did! Enoch's was a faithful, steady, habitual, and close, relationship with God. And we have it better than Enoch! Because the Holy Spirit inhabits the saved, not one of those descriptive words is beyond our ability as God builds His relationship with us.

So be encouraged. God loves you like He loves Enoch. If you want that kind of relationship all I can say is "Go with God."

Connected,
Dennis

Worth getting all caught up in . . .

2010-12-23T10:50:00.002-06:00

OK, two blogs in one month from me is unusual, but two in one week?

Well, this should be a short one.

Christmas is upon us. And, to me, the Christmas season is a wonderful part of all that comes with the gift of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We all wonder, as expressed in a song I always identify with Elvis, "Why can't everyday be like Christmas?"

Well, Christmas is special. There is a spirit in the air during what we call Christmas Time that is not there every day. The thing is, the love and grace and mercy that so many of us show friend and stranger alike during this time of year is all around us all the time! That love and grace and mercy live in Jesus. And He is a 24/7/365 Savior!

He came in love, because He loves us, to love us! So, at this time of year as we celebrate His arrival here among us, let's all remember what He came here to do and why He came. Some sweet day it will be like Christmas for eternity!

I have gotten on a kick here lately of attaching videos to my blog. I'm not going to do this every time. This may seem like overload, but it takes these 3 videos to complete the message. I know time is a valuable commodity especially over the next few days, but if you can, take a few minutes to watch these. Yes, you've seen others like them before, but the very brief message in the last 2 videos makes these stand out to me.
(And sometime in the future, I might just share what surprised me (in a good way) about Pentecostals that I learned from these videos. I'm trying to post them in order. If you can't watch all 3, at least try to give the middle one a look.(Also, this gal sings her heart out, and, as much as I love a beautiful voice, I really prefer music where the voice expresses the heart.)

Before I forget . . . It's all about how He loves us, and oh, how He loves us!

Merry Christmas, Everyone!

It's Christmas! So why isn't everyone happy?

2010-12-22T00:41:00.000-06:00

I have started this blog twice before with a different purpose in mind each time, but I couldn't quite get them finished. In fact, as I was considering a blog on this very day, I looked back through my unpublished ones and I found this one! The last time I worked on it was December 21, 2009. My initial thought just seemed to lose steam before I could bring it home. It's one of those things where I know what I want to get across, but I just can't find the words. Maybe I'll make it this time!

There is a lot of pressure at Christmas. And when I say "Christmas" I am not just talking about "the day". I'm talking about the season, which for my family starts on Thanksgiving afternoon as decorations begin to go up. The pressure takes many forms: shopping, cooking, cleaning, parties, cards, programs, wrapping, music (we must get the music in because it just does not sound the same come Dec 26) . . . and the list goes on.

When it comes to Christmas, though, the greatest source of stress for more people than any of us know is the pressure to be happy. Christmas doesn't just automatically make everyone happy. Whether it should and whether it could is not something I will address here - just that "it" doesn't.

Nothing evokes what I call "emotional memory" like Christmas. By "emotional memory" I am not referring to actual memories that we all carry of Christmas past, though that is a part of it. I am talking about the way we feel when the subject of Christmas comes up and particularly when the Christmas Season comes upon us. It is a deep rooted physical, mental, spiritual, emotional feeling that springs from our core, our soul.

And as wonderful as it is for some, it is not always a such good feeling for others. Instead of anticipation it brings anxiety. Instead of wonder it brings dread. Instead of hope it brings hopelessness, instead of belonging it brings loneliness. Instead of happiness it brings a painful sorrow. Instead of good memories of lost loved ones it revives mourning. While so many regale in memories of years past, some are annually confronted by a past that they wish they could forget. Their greatest Christmas wish may well be that they could just leave their past in the past never to be reminded of it again. But they can't. How often has someone told you that they wish they could just go to sleep after a good Thanksgiving meal and wake up on December 26?

And, for all of these, being constantly reminded that they should be happy only serves to make it worse. It is not like they want to feel that way. It is frustrating because you are dealing with people who are going through things you cannot understand. And for some it is true that they don't make it any easier for themselves or anyone around them.

Indeed, in what may seem to be their quest to not enjoy Christmas, any "dis-enjoyment" they can bring to yours just further validates their claim that Christmas is not to be enjoyed by anyone with half a brain. On the other hand, many of those who are burdened by all things Christmas are equally burdened by the effect their attitude has on those around them who really are trying to enjoy the season. It can be a frustrating time all around.

It is difficult to understand. We would say that Christmas is a time of joy and happiness . . . a time of spiritual and emotional relief that the everyday stresses and strains of life should not impose upon. But, that is not always the case. For most, they can't. They just simply can't find a way or a reason to sustain a happy, cheerful, or even joyful attitude throughout the Christmas season. And they are all the more saddened by that fact.

So, why even bring all this up at the risk of saddening the few people who might actually read this blog? (Now that I mention it, I'm not sure that I should. But, I've gone this far.) For one thing, more people are touched by this than are willing to reveal it. (As if no one close to them knew!) And it is frustrating, maddening, and saddening. But, what can you do?

Let them have their time of sorrow. Be sympathetic, not judgmental. Support them right where they are with love and prayer. I know . . . that is so very hard to do. You want them to be happy. And there will be moments of happiness for them. (They may go by unnoticed and unregistered by them, but you will see real smiles, hear genuine laughter.) Build on those moments. Amplify them. If you can, talk them through. You know, love fills most any void for a time. Jesus has told us that nothing is worth doing if love is not motivating the doing. Emotional memories of Christmas are made up of actual memories of Christmas and life in general. Do your best to make good memories for all those around you. In time you may see their reaction to Christmas change. Sure, the "bad times" are still back there. They cannot be erased.They can, however, be diminished and even overcome in their ability to rule the present.

Before I start repeating myself, I will just say that there are those dealing with circumstances in their lives that make what the rest of us might call "just every day joy and happiness" impossible to achieve. Just as Christmas heightens our anticipation of fun and excitement and a short while of near carefree living- creating a "lightness" of sorts -, it multiplies the weight of trials and troubles and sorrows in many individuals. Whatever is there the rest of the year, there just seems to be more of at Christmas time.

As Christians, we serve the very One Whose arrival on Earth is "THE Reason for the Season". And we do indeed have reason to celebrate because ". . . For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil." 1 John 3:8b (NKJV)

As I mentioned earlier, the Son of God has called upon us to do one thing over and above anything else. And that is to love as He loves. In this season of Peace on Earth and good will to men . . . and women, when we all seek opportunities to give and to spread the Word, perhaps our greatest ministry opportunity will be simply to love someone who is not having such a great Christmas just like Jesus loves them. All the gifts in and of the world may be meaningless to them, but the love of Christ is never offered without meaning, and it is the only gift that truly keeps on giving and giving and giving and . . .

With all of this in mind, I want to sincerely wish one and all a Merry Christmas. May God grant you peace. And I would like to offer this song that so wonderfully addresses this issue.
Oh, yeah! If you happen to be one of those I've been talking about here, if nothing else . . . just allow yourself to be loved.

Connected,
Dennis

Does it take a raise to get a rise?

2010-12-16T22:49:00.000-06:00

^{From 1 Kings:} Solomon showed his love for the LORD by walking according to the instructions given him by his father David, except that he offered sacrifices and burned incense on the high places.

. . . Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.”

Solomon's tangible expression of worship and praise to God pleased God to the extent that He commanded Solomon to ask for whatever he wanted. Ultimately, God gave Solomon more than he asked for. And it all started with focused, true, and tangible praise and worship. Shouldn't this tell the rest of us something?

Our pastor and his wife attended a Chris Tomlin concert a couple of weeks ago. He spent much of the service the following Sunday morning talking about how much he enjoyed the concert. He wasn't just talking about the music though. It was the praise which filled the building that impressed him so. The level of praise that was very freely offered up by the 2500 or so people there at Pinelake Church only increased his desire to see that kind of praise raised up in our own church. Preaching from Psalm 135, he called upon our congregation to return in a week prepared to more freely and openly and without fetter worship and praise our God.- - -(fetter - my word, not his that I recall - ¹fet·ter, noun \ˈfe-tər\ ,definition of FETTER 1 : a chain or shackle for the feet, 2: something that confines : restraint ) - - -

Question: Is there tangible evidence of our praise and worship before God?   . . . not as a "show" before other people, but before God? Another way to ask that question might be, "Is your praise fettered?"

We talked about this in Sunday School that same week, having no idea of the message that was to come just a short while later. And then Bro. Chris comes out preaching on true praise. I believe that this is one of God's ways of communicating His will to us. A word or an impression comes to us in one situation and then it is confirmed in another situation. What can we do but act on God's revealed will for us? (And it is not as if God has not told us many times before how he loves our praise of Him.)

So, back to my question. I asked our Sunday School class this same question. Whether you raise your hands in praise or not may not matter. If you are standing or sitting there wearing an expressionless face, or even a solemn expression, no one around you knows what is going on inside. Maybe you are moved and you are praising your heart out, but only God can see. Well, that's ok, because He IS the object of your praise, not the people around you. But, doesn't God want to hear our praise? Hebrews 13:15 (NKJV) "Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name."

On the other hand (no pun intended), maybe you are there standing with arms raised and to all the world you appear to be very actively praising God. That may be the case. Maybe you are in a state of praise, but then, not all outwardly visible praise is genuine. Sometimes, it's just a show.

So, hands at your side, arms folded, or hands in the air, it is how you express the praise in your heart that matters. That is what God sees, not only your heart, but your tangible expression of what is in your heart. But, is it possible that you and I are somewhat inhibited or restrained, so that our praise is not fully expressed. So instead of a full expression of praise and thanksgiving, God gets only what we are willing to allow someone else to see?

Think about the things you enjoy in life: sports, business deals, physical accomplishment, weddings, anniversaries, birthdays, good news of any sort, . . . you get the drift. What excites you? What makes you stand up and cheer or shout, or at least gets a rise out of you? What stirs you? These are all what I would call tangible expressions. God certainly sees what all of these things bring out in us. So what does God bring out in us?

I have seen people in any number of public places uninhibitedly displaying their pleasure, or lack thereof, over an equal number of occurrences. The truth is they really don't care what anyone else thinks about them at that moment. But, in a public praise and worship setting they won't open their mouths or take their hands out of their pockets or off of the chair or pew in front of them. In truth, it mostly comes down to the fact that they are too concerned with what the people around them are going to think of them. The Spirit may be moving them to praise, but the Spirit is quenched. The end result is that some ball player or some entertainer or some precious little child taking his or her first step gets the praise that is due them . . . and God doesn't! "Well, that's different." YES, it is!


So, does the presence of God tangibly move you? Is your praise evident to God? When He looks into your heart does He see you praising Him, . . . or does He see you holding back? (When I say "you", believe me, I ask myself this question as well.)


Is it important that others see you praising God? Yes! I can attest to that in my own life. Some years ago, when our church, Hillcrest Baptist, was in transition from one area to another, we met in an elementary school auditorium/lunch room. A young couple there, Paul and Natalie, very freely and very visibly worshiped and praised God right down there on the front row. It was all-the-more evident because they were about the only ones praising and worshiping in that manner at the time.

I will admit that I was distracted by it at the time. Even from my spot on the back row. I didn't understand it. I couldn't. I didn't even know that I was lost at the time, and there I was making judgments about how someone else expressed their relationship with Jesus! Over time I came to recognize the purity of their worship for what it was, and I began to wonder what it was that I had missed. Why didn't I feel that? Why couldn't I worship and praise God in that way? In all probability, this is where I first recognized that something was wrong with my relationship with God. This may well be where the first crack formed in my own hard veneer of religion, and where Jesus first began the breakthrough that would lead me to true salvation. So, yes! It matters what people see. Natalie and Paul were not "putting on a show" with their worship. But, God reached me through their worship and showed me how very distant I was from Him.

Big letters here, so I'm not misunderstood. I am saying "praising and worshiping" because there is a difference between the two. Praise is a part of our worship. So, when you see me refer to "worship" here in this post, please remember that I am referring to praise as it applies to worship. (And some of what is said here can be applied strictly to worship as well.)

So, am I advocating a particular "style" of worship? No. Far be it from me to judge the way in which anyone worships the Father through the Son by the power of the Holy Spirit. I am advocating true worship, whatever form it takes. God calls us to worship and only God can determine the way we worship.

All I am saying is open up and be true to your God, your Savior, and The Holy Spirit in your worship.

John 4:23-24 (NIV) "Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”

In His own words Jesus uses the term "true worshipers", which implies that false worship is indeed practiced. He also says that God seeks those who will worship Him in the Spirit and in truth. God seeks worship! True worshipers can only be those who know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. For only those inhabited by the Spirit can worship in the Spirit. And only those to whom the truth, the Word of God, has been revealed can worship in truth. What a wonderful gift we have as Christians that we can be - should be - "the true worshipers"!

We know from as far back as Cain and Able that some worship is acceptable to God while some worship is not acceptable to Him. If worship is not directed by the Holy Spirit in accordance with the Word of God, the worship is false and unacceptable to God. It has nothing to do with what we feel like doing or not, or what we decide we want to do as worship. So we have to be very careful. Just as lack of emotion, or a reserved nature, might stifle the worship God seeks from us, unbridled emotion and giving ourselves completely over to the way we feel might result in a form of false worship as well.

Keep in mind that among the vast multitude of things that Jesus set us free to do, one of the greatest is to worship Him freely, "in the Spirit and in truth". We must never think in terms of worshiping in the way we want to worship. If our worship is going to be good and right and acceptable before God it must be the kind of worship He seeks, not a feeling that we seek.

Psalm 100 (NIV)

¹ Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.
² Worship the LORD with gladness;
   come before him with joyful songs.
³ Know that the LORD is God.
   It is he who made us, and we are his;
   we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
⁴ Enter his gates with thanksgiving
   and his courts with praise;
   give thanks to him and praise his name.
⁵ For the LORD is good and his love endures forever;
   his faithfulness continues through all generations.

When it comes right down to it, all of our relationships are defined by their confines, their boundaries. It is how far we will go, what we are willing, or not, to do for someone else that sets the boundaries of that relationship. Our relationship to God is no different. Our relationship with God in this life will never go beyond what we are willing to do for Him at His beckoning. I believe that if we want to live in the fullness of His boundless grace and mercy and love for us, then our love and our willingness to follow Him must be boundless as well. I also believe that, as we see in Solomon's story, unfettered praise and worship is where our boundaries, our self-imposed limits, are erased.

When we fall before our Savior in worship and praise and adoration, it is then that we will rise!

MAYBE NEXT YEAR ?

2010-12-01T20:56:00.000-06:00

I have never been satisfied with what I am able to give for Christmas, Birthdays, and Anniversaries. Never. And for all of 34 years of marriage and 31 years of fatherhood that feeling has persisted. I want to give good things to my wife and my children.

I really don't care about getting anything - really - except for the joy I have seen on the face of the giver. It gives me great pleasure to give and to be given to in the true spirit of giving. I would not take away the joy some people get in giving for anything in this world. The size, shape, cost, color, or brand of the gift - even the usefulness - are insignificant in comparison to the spirit of the giver. The love or the caring or the appreciation that motivated the giving is the real gift. The item is a symbol of the spirit. Yeah, when you think about it, it's the thought that counts!

On the flip side, there is not much pleasure in giving to someone who is hard to give to, for any number of reasons, and little real pleasure in receiving from someone when the giving is a burden or a chore. Did I say it's the thought that counts?

So, for givers, not being able to give is hard. Especially at Christmas. In a very real way, a lot of emotional well being is wrapped up in Christmas. And, like Christmas itself, it is not all about giving and getting. But, that's what I'm talking about today so I'll stick to the subject . . . sort of.

Every year I find myself saying, to myself if not to someone else, "Maybe next year." (Of course, I'm not the only one repeating this phrase.) I was driving to work this morning and praying as I drove, and that thought entered my mind as I was asking God for some "provision", "maybe next year". I asked God to help me not be so concerned with the size, quantity, or cost of what Sharon and I are able to give. As soon as that thought was expressed I realized what it must sound like to God, of all beings!

When we fall into the devil's trap of allowing our lives to be defined in terms of material lack . . . or excess, it is good to be reminded of the true riches that are ours in Jesus Christ.

^"I am the least important of all God's people. But God was kind and chose me to tell the Gentiles that because of Christ there are blessings that cannot be measured." Ephesians 3:8 (CEV)

More than adequate in every need and lacking in nothing, Jesus Himself has promised, "Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it." John 14:12-14

"Give me, please, God, a constantly conscious and grateful heart for the size, quantity, and cost of Your great Gift to me. And give me the love and the opportunity and the words to boldly tell others of this same Gift you have for them. And when it comes to sharing the truth of this Gift, our Lord Jesus, with others, may I never say "maybe next year" or even "tomorrow". This I ask in your name, Jesus.

We human beings tend to lose perspective from time to time. Some might call it a reality check, but I would say it is a good thing to do a "God check" just to make sure we are seeing things as they really are. We can always depend on God to put us right and to help us see things in the proper perspective if we are willing and listening.

So, yeah, I still want to do good things for the ones I love. (I think I get this trait from God.) And, yeah, maybe next year. But, this I know. God will take care of next year, just as He is taking care of this year, and all the years that came before, and all the years that are yet to come.

There is a gift that keeps on giving. And, no, it is not a subscription to The Jelly Of The Month Club. The gift is salvation. And there is more to this gift than I could ever describe here even if I could fully describe it. The gift of salvation comes by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. It is a gift, meaning that it is free. There is nothing that can be done to earn it, no price that can be paid to purchase it.

If you do not have this gift among all that you do have, and if there is only one gift that you receive this Christmas season, get this one. There is nothing greater to be had and it's yours for the asking.

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." John 3:16

Next year? Why not now?

Merry Christmas

Love Like That . . . for at least the next 34

2010-11-26T14:11:00.000-06:00

"I Want To Be Loved Like That" is a great country music song from the 90's by the band "Shenandoah". The song mentions the on-screen love between Natalie Wood and James Dean. It also talks of the love between the songwriter's own parents. So-called "great loves". Television, movies, music, and history itself are filled with stories of great loves. The kind of love everyone wants. So many pine away their lives or go through life making terrible decisions in pursuit of such love. An ideal has been created, but the tv show, the movie, the song and even history fail to provide real life instruction as to how to achieve that great love.

In all of these presentations of love-like-we-want-it there is a script or lyric sheet carefully written to convey an exact message or feeling, there are producers and directors, editors, sound, lighting and cinematography experts, and historical re-tellers - some might say hysterical re-tellers - all working to create a picture of that perfect love between a man and a woman. Real life doesn't work that way. Even amid all of the books, tapes, cds, dvds, and seminars, perfect and true love escapes so many.

But it doesn't have to. It is freely available to everyone. And for those of us who are Christian, that love lives within us. But, we have problems with it, mostly because of two little words: submit and sacrifice. Could the problem be that we really don't understand the true meaning, God's definition, of these words that we so often stumble over?

Real life instruction is found in the Bible in Ephesians Chapter 5, beginning with verse 21. It is important to keep in mind that the truth of this Word from God is directed to marriages where both parties are Christians. Such love will not be found nor can it exist outside of the bond of a Christian marriage. And, unfortunately, that is not to say that it always exists within the bond of married Christians. (Yes, there is a difference between a Christian marriage and married Christians.)

²¹ Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

This word from God actually applies to all Christians. It does not mean that we become subservient to one another, but it does mean that we are to serve each other. No Christian should consider themselves as superior to another Christian, for in God's eye we are equal. We are to place ourselves into service for our Christian family, the whole Body of Christ. We are to place others before ourselves. We are to listen to each other, accepting counsel and even rebuke, when necessary. Submission to one another is to recognize God's authority in each others lives.

If this command applies to all Christians, it certainly applies to Christian husbands and wives within the context of their marriages. Submission as is called for here actually demonstrates equality in that it is a choice . . . the choice of the "submissor" not the "submissee". Let's go deeper and maybe this will become clearer.

²² Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. ²³ For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. ²⁴ Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.

On the surface, this is a tough one, particularly in this day and time. But, if it is difficult to swallow, that is only because we continue to see this only through our own eyes and our own definition of wifely submission and not God's. And, again, this is written to married couples where man and wife are Christians.

When this was written women had few or no rights, married or not. To this day we see vestiges of those societal and religious attitudes in many cultures. Some Christian denominations misinterpret and misapply this command to their own detriment and to a distortion of the Word. But, here, God is telling these Christian women that they are equal to men in His eye, and therefore must be held as equal in the eye of mankind. By issuing the command, God is saying you have a choice. You can submit or not. You can obey (God) or not. And you can follow the Creator of family into His design for YOUR marriage and family - the only path to true joy and fulfillment - or not.

So, what is meant by "submission"? This is an important thing to know, especially since any derivative of the word "submit" carries such a negative connotation. In this day and time and in our culture, the idea of a woman submitting to any man is likely to get a "Yeah. Right." Simply put, a submissive wife recognizes, respects, and accepts her husband's God given authority in the home. Accepting the role of submission in marriage is to submit to God. And can you ever go wrong when you are being obedient to God?

Think about this. When a Christian submits to Christ, the power of Christ is unleashed in the life of the Christian. Are wives being told here that submission in marriage carries benefits - blessings - in marriage commensurate to those blessings which come to the church from submission to Christ? Do you want a spiritually charged marriage? Then put the Holy Spirit in charge of your marriage!

OK, men, here we go.

²⁵ Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her ²⁶ to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, ²⁷ and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. ²⁸ In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. ²⁹ After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church— ³⁰ for we are members of his body.

Husbands hearing this in the Church of Ephesus were in for a shock. I'm sure that submission thing delivered to the women sounded pretty good to the men. But, now, husbands were being told to take a good look at Jesus and His love for the church - His body - and to love their wives just like that. Not something like that, but just like that! Love just as Jesus loves. A tall order, but no where near impossible. "Fetch my slippers, my foot!"

Jesus gave Himself, all He had, in His love for us. It started when He left Heaven to come down and be born as a human being and to begin His walk on this earth. What did He give up? What did He leave behind? The Living Word by Whom this vast universe was created came to know hunger, fatigue, physical pain, emotional pain, human loneliness, fear, rejection, humiliation, temptation, and even death. He left a place of perfection and unimaginable wonder to come down here and experience all of the above and more. And He did it all for us in love and in obedience to God, the Father. He sacrificed Himself for us. Brothers, that is what we are called to do. We are each to love his wife just as Jesus loves us.

I've not yet fully grasped it, but as I read these 5 verses from Ephesians, I have come to believe that there is something very powerful in obedience to this command. Something far beyond what I have considered love to be capable of accomplishing. We see what Christ has done for the church in His love for her, making the church holy and blameless, presenting the church to Himself ". . .as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish,". And we are told to " . . .love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her . . .".

Can it be that a husband's Christ-empowered love for his wife has such an effect upon her and how she may stand before her husband, set apart for him and wholly accepted, being made in his Spirit-sighted eyes all that God intended for her to be? . . . and beyond that to be spiritually enriched and to serve at her husband's side as God's own portrait of His saving relationship with His creation?

I can't explain it all. Submission and sacrifice. Respect and love. And that's alright because I'm not supposed to. I'm just here suggesting that we all look deeper into our role in marriage. That is what it is. It is a role. Man and Woman are equal before God, and He has given us, Man and Woman, a role to fulfill in our marriages. How can we enter into Holy Matrimony and ignore or resist God's instruction to us as to the only way we can achieve His ideal marriage?

When there is a problem and we wonder what's wrong, what the problem is, perhaps we should go to Ephesians 5. Am I fulfilling my role as defined by God? NOT, is she, or is he, fulfilling their role. But, am I following God's instruction? You see, marriage was not designed for jr high schoolers. Certainly marriage will not survive without give and take, without compromise. But, there is no room for "I will if you will" where the roles of husband and wife are concerned.

It is a matter of trust. Maybe, at the present time, you don't fully trust your wife or your husband to follow God's instruction in Ephesians 5. It doesn't mean that you don't love them, or that they don't love you. It just means that you recognize that all is not as it should be in your home. That is why, first and foremost, our trust must always be placed in God. We can only - excuse me - must only do what God tells us to do. We can't obey God for someone else or make anyone else obey Him. And we don't get a pass just because someone else passes. But we can trust God in all things to honor our obedience to Him. He may use one person's obedient countenance to bring the other person around. He may work in some other way. But, He will work. He simply does not make room for us to refuse to obey Him based on someone else's failure to obey.

And really, who best for us to rely on to make a great marriage? Self? . . . or God? Pray! Pray Ephesians 5 into your marriage.

God's design for marriage must be what we as Christians seek and pursue with all of our might. Any marriage that does not have Christ at its center is a failure, no matter how great it looks from the outside. That is because a marriage made without regard to God's design and will and plan is counterfeit. Let's face it. God designed marriage so His design can be the only true definition of marriage and family there is. We human beings have no right to redesign or redefine it.

So, here at our 34th wedding anniversary, when I have so little to give to my wife, and she has long known that I am no great prize, I am saying to you, Sharon, that I am praying and asking Jesus to teach me to love you like He loves us. You know I don't like to ask for directions, but I am asking Him, and He will guide, and I will learn. My love, I have found is flawed, just as I am flawed. His love is perfect. And that is what I seek for you and that is where we are going.

I want a love like that. I want to love like that.

Happy Anniversary!

Lit!

2010-11-23T00:11:00.000-06:00

Psalm 119:130 (NKJV) The entrance of Your words gives light;

I have loved this part of this verse ever since I first heard it some years ago. Even then, before I was saved, I could see the truth of these words. Since my salvation, however, the light provided by the Word of God is evermore bright. Just as sunlight is essential to the growth of plant life here on Earth, the light (understanding and application) of God's Word is necessary to the spiritual growth of a Christian. That light doesn't always show us what we want to see, though.

From time to time, as I am studying my Bible, certain scripture - usually Old Testament - shows me something of who and what I was. A light is focused on something that I have not taken to God in its fullness. Things I thought I had dealt with through prayer and repentance rise up. When this happens I realize that I have not dealt with it specifically, or maybe on the level of attention it deserves.

"Forgive me for my sin whatever it might be" does not always work. Sometimes we have to confront issues from our past because we've not yet fully realized their impact on our lives and the lives of others. We have not yet dealt with some things properly before God. We don't want to admit these things to ourselves, much less to God. But when we do He is faithful to forgive, and He so mercifully frees us from the hold they have on us.

As I seek God's guidance that I may follow Him into becoming the man He intends for me to be, I find more and more just how far from that I really am. This is not disheartening to me, though. Because now I see it! All those years as a phony wannabe were spent in darkness. Try as I might, I could find little real meaning for my life in the Word. Nothing worked. It couldn't. The power source that propels a human being's life along THE path of God's perfect will for THAT person was not alive within me. I was a dead man walking for more than 40 years, and the worst part of that is that I didn't see it. I thought the light was in me and yet I knew that I was spiritually blind. My spiritual problem, I found, was that I had no real spiritual life.

Only when God opened my eyes to the darkness that I was could He shine His glorious Light upon me in grace and mercy and forgiveness. The truth of those beautiful words in "Amazing Grace", "I once was blind, but now I see" really do have meaning. If the words of the Psalmist are true, "The entrance of Your words gives light;" then we have to also recognize the truth of “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12.

Life is a journey.

For the lost it is a long, rambling walk in darkness. The shiny things of life pull this way and that, offering temporary gain, temporary pleasure, temporary allure. The truth of that path is obscured by a more-often-than-not unrecognized sinful nature. And the journey of the lost comes to no good end. In fact, it does not end. The worst moment of earthly life for the lost may as well be their best by comparison to the torture of eternal separation from God in a place that offers only pain, no rest, no peace, no pleasure . . . and no light.

For those saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, life is a guided tour through the will and the way of God. And tourists we are, for this earth is no longer our home. Some sweet day we will live eternally in Heaven, in the very presence of our Maker, our God, in a dwelling prepared for us by the Son of God Himself!. We will dwell in a place of unimaginable beauty and wonder. If you have ever felt the presence of God here in this life, then you have to agree that being there before His throne in praise and worship will be an indescribable experience.

On November 27, 2010, I will be 3 years old in the Lord! I cannot praise Him and thank Him enough for keeping me alive long enough to secure eternal life. And though I long to be with Him, I am so thankful that He has kept me here to tell others what He has done for me in hopes that they will accept what He has done for them as well. I do a poor job of it, but, still He abides with me.

The light of God's word doesn't always tell us what we would like to know about ourselves. If we take an honest look, we can see our own sinful life reflected in those words written so long ago. As much as we might regret our past we cannot constantly look back. Because the true Light of the Word, the Light of the World, the Word, came to offer forgiveness. If we know Jesus, then we know that He has set us free from our past. All of the chains that bound us have been broken! He has made us righteous and holy and able to enter into the most holy of places!

The same light that shows us who we were shows us who we can be, what God made us for and what Jesus Christ has made a way for us to achieve. I truly believe that the answer to any problem we have can be found in the Holy Bible.

"The entrance of Your words gives light;"

You don't have to wonder. You don't have to live in the dark!

I was darkness itself. Now I am light. Why would anyone reject this in their own life?

You wanna get lit?

Ephesians 5:8 (NIV) For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light

Oh, Lord, do I really HAVE to like (fill in the blank)?

2010-10-19T23:41:00.001-05:00

Ephesians 4 (NIV)

¹As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. ²Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. ³Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. ⁴There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called— ⁵one Lord, one faith, one baptism; ⁶one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. ⁷But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it

This little piece of scripture is a little piece of what our Sunday School lesson was supposed to be about this past Sunday morning. As it turned out, this little piece of scripture is as far as we got. When I first read this the previous Sunday or Monday night, I felt like I was going to spend a lot of time on this particular section, with all of its "one's", but I didn't know why. And, even then I thought it would be approached from a different perspective than it was presented in the Sunday School book. But, that is what happens when you turn it over to God. He might take it in a different direction from that of the author or from my own impressions, which I admit sometimes differ from that of the authors.

It is powerful, though, so I thought I would share with you, my 2 or 3 readers.

Paul, inspired by God, unerringly, I might add, is echoing one of our Lord's greatest desires for us, the church. On the eve of His crucifixion, a night for saying the most important of things, Jesus passionately emphasizes His desire that we believers love each other just like He loves us and that we become one.

John 13:34-35 (NIV)

³⁴"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. ³⁵By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."

John 15:17 (NIV)

¹⁷This is my command: Love each other.

John 17:20-23 (NIV)

²⁰"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, ²¹that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. ²²I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: ²³I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

I'm not going to re-state what it takes to live worthy of our calling to Christ. (It's right up there in Ephesians 4.) And we all know that human relationships can become very complicated. Jesus knows that, too. That's why He reminds us through His command, that love is something we do more than a way we feel. (Have you ever noticed, though, that when you do loving things you feel more loving?) And the feeling always follows the doing, but the doing does not always follow the feeling.

But, issues arise, disagreements turn into arguments, arguments produce anger, divisions occur, relationships damage and shatter, and love seems to fly away. So, how then are we to love in the midst of all this? And what of all these fractured relationships? (And before you think I am saying that anger is a sin let me hasten to add: Ephesians 4:26-27 (NIV) "In your anger do not sin": Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. Anger is not a sinful emotion, but improperly managed it can lead to sin and it can give Satan a foothold in our lives and our relationships. How often does that happen?)

Unity among believers, the body of Christ, is so very important. Can you imagine what might happen if there was a breakdown in the unity of the Holy Trinity? Jesus didn't want to go to the cross. He asked if that cup might pass without His having to partake of it. He had the power and the free will to keep Himself off of the cross. And yet, knowing the torture that was to come, He submitted His will to that of His Father, and He willingly laid down His life for you and I. He kept unity with God at the highest of costs and reaped the highest of rewards.

We, who are believers, make up the body of Christ. Just as aches and pains and breaks and severed connections keep a human body from functioning properly, damaged, broken, and severed relationships among believers keep the body of Christ from functioning properly. Thus Jesus' call to be One.

No one knows the day or the hour of Jesus' return for the church. Just a question: Does the functionality of the body have anything to do with the timing of His return? Are our divisions delaying His return? Is the fact that a divided body cannot do the work of a united body preventing some key elements from going into place which are intended to prepare us and the world for that great moment in time?

Does it make sense, then, in light of Jesus' great desire for unity among us, that our disagreements and differences and divisions go far beyond the focus we place on ourselves in such times? When Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior to Whom all power and authority in Heaven and on Earth has been given, prays fervently that we love one another, and commands us to love one another, and counsels us through His servant Paul not to sin in our anger, and not to let the sun set upon our anger, does this not at least raise the question of eternal implications of our relatively petty arguments?

Yes, it gets complicated. Among Christians friendships dissolve, marriages fail, families shatter, churches divide. And Christian on-lookers, lay-counselors, co-conspirators, so-called friends. and concerned parties say "too bad", "so sad", "bound to happen", "couldn't be helped", even "you will be so much better off". And all the while our Lord's command to love one another and His great desire that we become One fade through the background of "I can't go on like this anymore."

How does this happen? Why does this happen? It happens because we are human. And if, as Christians, we continue to live out our relationships on a strictly human level, then those relationships, no matter what their origin or basis are going to fall victim to our flawed human way of maintaining things. Like all things of this world, worldly relationships, even under the pretext of Christian love, will not survive in tact.

What, then, can we do? How do we fix this? What is the cure for a sick and dying relationship?

Just as for all worldly ills, there is one cure . . . one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called— one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all . . .

Move all of your relationships from the worldly level to the spiritual level. Consider that nothing in your life should be separate from Christ including your relationships. When cracks appear and irritations arise, when disagreements give way to to full blown arguments, resist the urge to turn to self preservation. If the relationship is Christ centered remember that the relationship must be preserved and that such is the ultimate in self preservation. If the relationship is not Christ centered and cannot be brought into the realm of your submission to Christ, then simply get rid of it. It is a sinful relationship and has no place in your life.

Complicated relationships? They certainly can be. But, the answers are found in the simple application of the Word of God as led by the Holy Spirit.

"Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love . . ."

"that all of them may be one . . ."

"As I have loved you, so you must love one another . . ."

"This is my command: Love each other."
And, yes, it takes everyone involved whether two or three or a multitude. Our responsibility before God, however, is to do all we can do.

Do all you can do to preserve unity for the sake of the Body of Christ. "Do all you can" is not to let you off the hook. "Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace." This is to say do ALL you can through the leading of the Holy Spirit. (That's the Holy Spirit who gives you power to do ". . . even greater things that these." Just so you know, all you can do is more than you think you can do.)

Relationships . . . I could go on. But, . . . I won't. (for now)

And YOU CAN do whatever Jesus calls you to do in any relationship because ". . . to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it." (He already gave you what you need!)

Connected,
Dennis

Impressions From "The Shack"

2010-08-10T14:13:00.000-05:00

Please believe that I mean no offense or criticism to those who are big fans of this book.

This might be a short blog. Then again, it's hard to say. I am writing this because I said I would, and because this is just what the title of the blog indicates. I read "The Shack" maybe 2 years ago. (It could have been a year - I lose track of time.) Admittedly, I read the book with some trepidation. I really didn't know what to expect and my sensors were set to "discern" something like blasphemy. So, now, a year or two later, I am left with impressions of the book based on my poor ability to retain a lot of detail about anything I read or hear.

I am going to read this book again. And I will blog on it again regardless of changes, or lack thereof, in my present opinion. This reading will be more open than the first one. By "open" I mean that I will give it a fair shot. I will allow "The Shack" to state it's case without interruption from my own self-righteous spiritual outbursts. My spiritual guard, however, will stay up.

I will begin by saying that I don't like the premise of the book. Or maybe I should say I am uncomfortable with it. . . . No! I don't like it. "The Shack" is a work of fiction featuring God, ("Papa" in the book), Jesus and the Holy Spirit, whom the author chose to give a name: Sarayu - which is a river in India, and also is an Indian name meaning wind. (Indian, not In'jun.) "Christian fiction" normally tells of people seeking, finding, struggling, hurting, obeying, winning, etc. without faith, with faith, because of faith, without God, with God, because of God - any and all combinations withstanding. In "The Shack" we have a fictional story (that is all to real for so many who go through the same kind of loss as "Mack", the protagonist, did) featuring the very real Holy Trinity as speaking, moving, doing characters. And when I say this almost fictionalizes Them, I understand that many would say that the way the author has portrayed Them makes God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit ever more real. I think, though, that this is sometimes confused with the fact that the book "humanizes" them. Jesus, I believe, IS in His glorified human body. "The Shack" portrays His sacrifice very well. God is NOT human. And the Holy Spirit as described in "The Shack" is . . . well, I'm gonna have to read the book again.

However, I do believe careful inspection will find that these "character portrayals" fall short of God as He has revealed Himself through The Word. In fact, I don't recall mention, or validation, of the Bible in "The Shack". I'm not saying it is not there, but I do not remember it.

"The Shack" does a wonderful job in telling of God's unlimited unconditional love for us. But, it falls short, and does a great disservice in telling of God's love without telling how we receive the full benefits of God's love. I know it makes mention of Jesus' death upon the cross. But, our absolute need for the gift of salvation offered by Jesus because of our sin is just not there. There is no allusion to repentance nor to the great spiritual battle being fought over us - you and me.

In this, my next-to-final analysis, (I'm going to read the book again) I going to have to say, amid certain cries of protest, that "The Shack" bears false witness.

Yes, it points to an unconditionally loving God in a way that many have not seen before, and yes, it points to a Jesus that is approachable, supportive, sacrificial, easy to talk to and lean on, and yes, it gives a thought provoking if incomprehensible description of the Holy Spirit. But, as I recall, it fails to address the awesome Holiness of God. God is enthroned on high. Angels encircle Him with unending cries of "Holy, Holy, Holy". In my heart of hearts I cannot take God, as revealed in the glory of His creation, as revealed in the truth of the Holy Bible, and as revealed to me by the Holy Spirit, from His Heavenly throne and put Him at my kitchen counter making biscuits from scratch. (There is a "whole 'nother" blog brewing about how God created me and is re-making me from scratch. I get the metaphor.)

The Holy Spirit, as far as I know, has no name. He may have one that will someday be revealed to us. But, in the meantime, who are we to name the Holy Spirit? The Holy Spirit marks us, not the other way around. AND, my main problem with "Sarayou" in "The Shack" is that there is no mention, that I can recall, about the indwelling nature of the Holy Spirit. (That would have called for explaining just how that comes to be.)

And this brings me to Jesus. All I will say here is that "The Shack" points to Jesus in a way that we want to know Him so much more intimately than we do. The book tells us of a Jesus who does know us intimately and wants to walk so very closely with us as well. It just doesn't tell us how to get there. In fact, my sense of "The Shack" is that it is saying that there really is no "getting there". There is no sin, there is no shame, there is no guilt, there is no repentance. No forgiveness required.

"The Shack" can be a good read for strong Christians who can glean from it ways to explore a growing and closer relationship with the Trinity. It can, however, mislead the immature Christian, and misdirect the lost. (And, yes, some people do get their theology from works of fiction.)

Jesus offers us so much. Jesus is everything! The path to Jesus does not end at the doorways of the "shacks" of our lives. The path to Jesus leads to the Cross where we are set free from our shacks, and our shackles.

2nd Chance?

2010-07-13T09:52:00.000-05:00

Recently, I was looking at an article on one of the Yahoo sites. The article, actually a series of videos, was titled "What would you do with a second chance?". I have to admit that this is something that I have thought about quite often down through the years. (I didn't do so well with my first one.) To be honest, most of the time spent pondering such things amounted to little more than day dreaming. (I have some great day dreams, by the way!) After all, few enough people get a good "1st" chance in this life and 2nd chances seem to be even harder to come by. And even when one does pass our way, how many of us actually reach out and take it? Would we recognize it if we saw it? Or would we just stay in the agonizing comfort of what we already know?

Epiphany: (from Webster's Online Dictionary)
2 : an appearance or manifestation especially of a divine being
3 a (1) : a usually sudden manifestation or perception of the essential nature or meaning of something (2) : an intuitive grasp of reality through something (as an event) usually simple and striking (3) : an illuminating discovery, realization, or disclosure b : a revealing scene or moment

So, I don't know whether I had an epiphany or I just remembered something I already knew. (Maybe it's all the same.)

It struck me, as I was thinking how nice a second chance would be, that when we accept Jesus Christ into our lives we get something far better than a 2nd chance! We get a new life! We get a life where we can now do anything God enables us to do! We can now have anything God desires for us to have! We can now go anywhere God leads us to go! We can now discover anything God offers to show us! We can now face any challenge God allows to come before us! We can now be the person of our creation!

Colossians 1:16-17 (NKJV) For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.

Ecclesiastes 3:1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

Revelation 4:11 (NIV)"You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things,and by your will they were created and have their being."

2 Corinthians 5:17 (NKJV) **Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.**

Just like the 1st one, there are no guarantees with a 2nd chance. We can mess that one up, too! When we think in terms of another chance we think of all the things we would do differently. "I would do this. I would do that. I wouldn't go there." Even with a 2nd chance we would still be pursuing our own agendas whatever they may be. In a new life, surrendered - not committed, but surrendered - to Jesus we are following the very architect of life itself. We have left behind our own pride that says "I know what is best for me" and we are in step, or truly seeking to be in step, with the One who does know best. We have admitted that God's plans and desires for us are immeasurably greater than our own could ever be and we seek to walk that path.

As we grow in Christ, we come to realize how limited our former self was, and, understanding that we are indwelt by the one, the only, limitless God, we begin to see what Jesus meant when He said, "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." John 10:10 (NKJV)

I can't say that I know everything about this "abundant life". Certainly, I view it much differently than I did before I started living it. I know that I have it. And I know that my understanding and realization of it are growing. I know the best is yet to come. And I know that it is only found in Jesus Christ.

Times change. Things change. People change. The world changes. There is only one constant, eternally unchanging thing, and that is God!

Hebrews 13:8 (NKJV) Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

And yet He brings such awesome change into our lives.

2nd chance? Who needs it!?!

I have a new life! . . . so, what am I gong to do about that?

(And, by the way, when I wrote above that "It struck me . . .", I have to say nothing struck me. The Holy Spirit simply addressed the issue. (He's like that.))

Saving Private Ryan . . . and Saving Us - - - - - THE Difference

2010-04-02T09:40:00.005-05:00

There is a scene just before the end of the movie, "Saving Private Ryan", where a dying Captain John Miller (Tom Hanks) says to young Private James Francis Ryan (Matt Damon), "Earn this." You see, Capt. Miller is the last of several soldiers to die in carrying out their mission to find Private Ryan so he can be sent home, the last survivor of four brothers involved in the invasion of Normandy. "Earn this." . . . two small words that obviously had a profound affect on James Ryan's life. In the final scene of the movie, he is an old man with his wife, children, and grandchildren nearby as he stands beside Capt Miller's Normandy grave. He speaks of how he hopes that the way he had lived his life was enough to earn the great sacrifices made for him. "Tell me I've led a good life," he says with great emotion to his wife. "Tell me I'm a good man."

Many such sacrifices have been made and are being made by people for other people. Whether they can be earned, I don't know. And I certainly don't want to diminish these great acts in any way.

But, in contrast, the greatest sacrifice of all time and eternity was made - for all - on a cross outside of Jerusalem in Israel over 2,000 years ago. The very Son of God gave His life so we - you, I, and everyone else - could live eternally in the presence of God. Jesus took my sin, and your sin, upon Himself, and He was punished in our place. He paid the price that was ours to pay.

And what a price it was. The cost of sin is Death. Eternity in Hell, separated from God, separated from every one and every thing we love for eternity. Never again to experience joy, happiness, comfort, pleasure, love, companionship, peace or rest.

Jesus saved you and me from that. And never once has he uttered the words, "Earn this." His words were "Father, forgive them. For they know not what they are doing." We could not earn Heaven in the first place, and we cannot now begin to earn Jesus' sacrifice which has given us Life. It's wrong to try! Jesus does not ask us to earn what He has given us, because then it would not be given! For us to say in any way that we could or should "earn" Life takes God's grace out of it.

Ephesians 2:8-9 (NKJV)⁸ For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, ⁹not of works, lest anyone should boast.

Earn this? . . . no way!

Live this? . . . absolutely!!!

4 to 7 and the fade in between.

2009-11-08T20:55:00.005-06:00

There is a song that you may or may not have heard called Slow Fade. It is done by Casting Crowns, who are one of my favorite groups. I have listened to the song and watched the video all the while saying, "Yeah, I know somebody like that. I see it happening." Did you catch that? "Somebody" - as in "else".

Why is it so easy for us to see a decline in someone else, and yet we don't recognize when the same thing is about to happen to us? And praise God that He sees it coming, and He sends up red flags, flashing lights, and various and sundry other warnings that we are free to heed or not. And, thank you, Lord, for the eyes to see and the ears to hear and the spiritual feet to move away!

A video was forwarded to me through e-mail by a good friend a couple of weeks ago. (I'll post the link below because you really should see this, if you already haven't.) The video is a brief, but powerful teaching from Mark Hall, of Casting Crowns, on Psalm 1. The beginning words in this scripture paint a portrait of a person on a "Slow Fade". In his teaching, Mark points out that a fall from Christ never really happens all at once. It may begin in ways that seem so innocent or harmless to us, but that only leads to the next step, which seems just as harmless because the first step is already behind us, and after all, whether we realize it or not, we have begun a downhill slide, and we are bound to pick up momentum. (it gets easier).

I was immediately struck by the truth and simplicity of the message. I actually thought how wonderful it would be if God used me and gave me insight like that so I could help others avoid the "slippery slope". (HAH!)

A very short while later, at some point in the day, one of my posts contained "4" - nothing else. The next day, I entered "7" - nothing else. Neither these numbers nor their objects would mean anything at all to anyone else, because there is no way anyone else would have known what they were about. It was purely a matter of me entertaining myself on FaceBook. (Entertaining myself on FaceBook - How pathetic is that?!?) My conviction came when someone on FaceBook asked what it was all about. I had to stop and think, "What is it all about?" And then I saw it, an almost imperceptible, ever so slight, fade.

(Deep breath. Here we go.) On FaceBook, these ads and apps keep popping up on the right side of the screen. They cover a wide range of subjects from "play this game" to "watch this ad". One of those is something called "Rate A Hottie". Up pops this picture of a young lady, dressed appropriately for the subject at hand, with an invitation to use that app to "Rate A Hottie". I have not used that app. (I don't use those apps.) But, I wouldn't use that one anyway. They just kept showing up from time to time, until one appeared that looked so "self aware" (for lack of a better term) that I said to myself, "O.K., I'll rate you." So, I typed a "4" into my post. No one would know, or care, what it concerned, and even if they did, they would not have seen that particular photograph by which to register their own agreement or disagreement. It was just something to do.

Later, after several more such ads popped up, I decided one was a "7". Didn't want to go where I suspect that app is designed to take me, so I did not push that button. Could have just stated it in my mind and gone on to other things. But, I didn't. This might be fun. These mysterious numbers appearing in my posts for no apparent reason. Very entertaining . . . to me. (There I go again!) So I entered "7".

One morning soon after, here comes a question on FB to the effect of "What's going on? What is all this counting about?" Conviction begins to move in. Then a comment from another person that really brought it home. "That's just Dennis being Dennis."

Suddenly, I didn't feel so funny. I didn't feel so self entertained. I did not want this episode to be any part of me being me. I have already acknowledged my suspicion that the app itself, "Rate A Hottie", probably leads to a darker place, a place that I do not want to go. (Did you notice how I subtly inferred my moral strength?) But, God was showing me that my own "harmless, innocent enough" fun was pointing me down a path I didn't want to follow. The "4" was ok. "Poor thing. She really thinks she's all that. She's trying so hard to be Miss Hot that she's definitely not."

The "7" is something else altogether. You see, after arriving at the 7, I realized that I had to consider what would make a 9 or a 10, or a 6. I had to go beyond innocent appreciation of God given beauty. I was being drawn into a game that should not be played because to continue to do so would require me let down my guard. The game would require that I actively and voluntarily think in terms that I actively and intentionally guard against! I would have to knowingly take myself away from God's protection with the intent to move in and out of the game under my own power. (and how long can that last?) And I am not talking about immediate lewd, vile, and indecent thoughts.

Let me hasten to say that there was no lust involved in this process. None in the least. No "lewd, vile or indecent" thoughts. It was just "innocent fun". But, don't you see? That's the way it works. "It's a slow fade." If we allow ourselves to get away with even the slightest compromise, there will be another, and then another, and then another . . . Until one day we find that we have compromised away our commitment to living our lives in a way that pleases God. We have compromised away our witness. We have compromised away all that God ever wanted for us. We have compromised ourselves away from God . . . away from His influence . . . away from His protection.

A Slow Fade that we never even noticed.

As for me, God warned, I heard, and I took a step back. I won't be rating any more "Hotties" - not for my own "innocent" entertainment or anyone else's. Was I on a fade? Or was that just a little stumble, a "bobble", a rock kicked down life's path? Have I made too much of it?

Well, all I can say is, by comparison, ask an alcoholic, "Of all the drinks taken, of every sip of whiskey, glass of wine, or can of beer that passed through your lips over the years, which was the most devastating? Which one caused the most damage? Of every swallow of alcohol you've had through out your life, which is the one you most regret? Is there a single drink you wish you had never taken?" The answer will probably be, "I wish I had never taken the one that seemed so harmless . . . the first one."

"It's A Slow Fade . . . It never crumbles in a day."

There are a lot of paths that we can take that will cause the light of Christ to fade within us. We should all take a look in the mirror every now and then just to be sure that we still shine just as bright as we did the moment Jesus entered our heart. Call it a fade check!

And, about my 4th paragraph, apparently I needed to learn it before I could teach it! Thanks, Sandy.

And thanks to Gail and Marcelle. You didn't know it, but you made me look .................at me.

Please take a few minutes to watch these two videos. You will be blessed by them.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9JgrJjyNzg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-8SYA6rfbs

Connected,
Dennis

A few words about the home depot thing. And, NO, I will not capitalize the name!

2009-10-30T23:46:00.002-05:00

Some think this is a small, insignificant thing.

I have been stating over the past few days that I have not and will not make any more purchases from a place "they" call the home depot. I have said this because the home depot fired an employee in Florida for violating their dress code. The violation, attached to his home depot apron, was a button with a picture of an American flag on it and the wording "... one nation, under God... INDIVISIBLE". Reportedly, he had been wearing this button for about a year. He recently began bringing his Bible to work and reading it on his breaks and lunch hour. He was told to stop wearing that button and offered one that says "United We Stand". He chose to take a stand, and that was to stand up for his belief in God and country. home depot fired him.

It is interesting to note that home depot had no problem with the button until he started reading his Bible on his lunch hour. When home depot saw that this young man, Trevor Keezer, was serious about his relationship with God, home depot decided to end its relationship with Trevor. Apparently, home depot feels that their business is better off without God in it. (Except for the money they take in which has the statement "In God We Trust" on it.)

Trevor is making a stand, and I am standing with him by no longer shopping at home depot. I have already made a phone call to home depot's headquarters in Atlanta, as well as every home depot store in our area to tell them that I will no longer be doing business with them.

What difference will that make? Well, if it is just me, then I can only make my stand, with little or no effect on home depot. But,I can stand! And you can, too! If it is all of us, then it certainly makes a difference. You can continue to shop there. You can make a reference to this situation with every little nail or light bulb you buy there. But, as long as they are getting your money, nothing will change. You see, this decision by home depot is motivated by neither religious, moral, nor spiritual values. It's all about the money. If they can make more money by keeping God out of their stores than by allowing their employees to acknowledge Him in their stores, they are going to keep doing what they are doing.

As long as protesting Christians continue to drop their money into home depot's coffers, home depot will continue to deny people like Trevor the right to even passively express their belief in our Almighty God. How many other home depot employees do you think have been intimidated into removing their "I serve God" buttons and pins? And, do you think it is only home depot who enforces such a policy? Call Belk and JC Penney and any other large retailer and ask if their employees are allowed to say "Merry Christmas", even as they are processing YOUR Christmas purchases!

A small, insignificant thing? Huge losses are made up of small compromises. Please understand, God has lost nothing here. But, we Christians have given ground and given ground and given ground until we can hardly recognize the landscape around us. This is an easy stand to take. It may mean we have to suffer a little inconvenience. How are we going to have the faith and the strength for the very difficult stands to be made in days to come when we won't stand here? Satan is pushing. He certainly won't stop with home depot.

This is not about requiring home depot to believe in or even acknowledge God. We cannot and should not even attempt that. It is about honoring God with His provision. It is about saying "My money is God's money, and it will not be spent at any establishment which will not allow Him to be honored."

Romans 11:36 (New International Version) For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.

And what wonderful things might our God bring from this simple matter?

Connected,
Dennis

CrossConnected------------ by dennis manor

Writing or Written?

Psalm 139:16 Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

1 Corinthians 2:9 However, as it is written:“What no eye has seen,what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived”— the things God has prepared for those who love him—

Daniel 12:1 “At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people—everyone whose name is found written in the book—will be delivered.

Revelation 20:15 Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.

Connected,

Dennis

When it comes to the story that He has written for us, wouldn't it be great, as this song suggests, to sign His name to the end of each day? I'm sorry to say that there have been far too few of those for me.

Time Won't Let Me

John 6:44 (NIV) “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day.

John 12:32 (NIV) And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”

John 13:34-35(NIV) “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

The Other Side of "Those Banners"

Bothered By Banners

Did You See What We Saw?

Blue Blue Christmas, a Christmas vignette, by Dennis Manor

MAYBE NEXT YEAR, a Christmas vignette - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - by Dennis Manor

Golden Horses in Black and White

On our way home

issues with issues

Sometimes you step up by stepping out

Gas! Gas! Gas! . . . or, It's a Gas - Part 2

As for the chains; It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. Galatians 5:1

It's a gas!

Jeremiah 22:15-17 (NLT)

Romans 15:13 (NIV) May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Philippians 2:13 (NIV) for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.

1 John 3:23 (NIV) And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us.

Philippians 2:10 (NKJV) that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth,

Colossians 3:17 (NIV) And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Acts 3:6 (NKJV) Then Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.”

Acts 3:16 (NIV) By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has completely healed him, as you can all see.

Acts 4:10 (NLT) Let me clearly state to all of you and to all the people of Israel that he was healed by the powerful name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, the man you crucified but whom God raised from the dead.

Acts 16:18 (NKJV) And this she did for many days. But Paul, greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And he came out that very hour.

There is power in the name of Jesus! And all who have accepted His wonderful gift of salvation have been given the authority and, indeed, the responsibility, to speak in His glorious name.

As for the other man, Jesus loves him, too, and I've got to do a better job of loving him. I have no doubt that I will again hear, "Ain't it a shame that a sixty year old man has to run around asking for help." I hope I can do better by him.

Lord, help me to be just and right in all of my dealings, and to give justice and help to these whom you send my way. You will bless me and everything will go well for me. After all, isn't all that what it means to know you? And I do want to know you, Lord.

Dry?

Some Fathers Are Not

Some fathers are not . . . fathers, that is.

Know this: You are a special creation of God Himself. No matter how any person wants or causes you to feel, the truth is you have had God's full attention since before you were born. You can live by what some other person has done to you, or you can live in what God has done for you.

Jeremiah 1:5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart . . .”

Psalm 139:13 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.

Ephesians 2:10a For we are God’s handiwork . . .

Psalm 139:1-4 You have searched me, LORD, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, LORD, know it completely.

Know this: You are no accident. God was paying attention when He made you. Let's all face it. No matter what circumstances we were born into, we exist here and now because God wants us here and now. And we are all as He made us.

Psalm 139:14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

Luke 12:7a Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered.

Ephesians 1:4-5 (NLT) Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.

Ephesians 2:10b . . . created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

1 Corinthians 1:9 God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Romans 8:28b-29 . . . who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.

2 Timothy 1:9 He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time,

Know this: You are so very much loved.

Isaiah 43:4 Since you are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you . . .

Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

1 John 3:1 See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!

Jeremiah 31:3 The LORD appeared to us in the past,saying: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.

Know this: God is not mad at you. In fact, He thinks highly of you.

Isaiah 43:25 “I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more.

Isaiah 43:6-7 I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’ and to the south, ‘Do not hold them back.’Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth— everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.”

1 John 1:9 (ESV) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Zephaniah 3:17-19 (NIV) The LORD your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves.He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.”

And know this: God has a good life planned for you.

John 14:18 (ESV)"I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you."

1 John 3:23 (NIV)And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us.

Ephesians 2:10^a For we are God’s handiwork . . .

Luke 12:7^a Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered.

Isaiah 43:4Since you are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you . . .