The Last Casualty

With the war in Iraq officially over, David Hickman, a member of the 82nd Airborne Division, stands as the “last” fatality of the conflict, killed just north of Baghdad last month. Hickman’s death brings the US military’s toll to 4,483 throughout the nine-year operation.

The Mayaguez incident between the Khmer Rouge and the United States from May 12–15, 1975, was the last official battle of the Vietnam War. The names of the Americans killed, as well as those of three Marines who were left behind on the island of Koh Tang after the battle and who were subsequently executed by the Khmer Rouge were also the last names included on the Vietnam War Memorial. These are the last known men to die due to the war in Vietnam. 
Just after 2 p.m. on August 18, 1945, U.S. Army Sergeant Anthony J. Marchione bled to death in the clear, bright sky above Tokyo. A month shy of his 20th birthday, Marchione died like so many before him had in the Second World War—quietly, cradled in the arms of a buddy. What sets his death apart from that of other Allied airmen is that the young man from Pottstown, Pennsylvania, died after the Japanese had accepted the Allied terms of surrender. He was the last American killed in combat in World War II.

Stirring isn’t it? The harsh reality of all wars is that there is always a last casualty. Someone ALMOST made it home. Just a few more hours, a few more days, maybe even just one more flight or mission…and yet they were lost at the last. A father ALMOST made it back to his children. A husband ALMOST made it back to his wife. A fiance’ almost made it home to his love. A boy almost made it home to his parents. Almost…

As the US military men and women marched out of Iraq a few days ago, signaling the official end to the Iraq War, they left behind so many brothers and sisters who gave their life on the battlefield. Most the victims of a vicious enemy, others victims of accidents or friendly fire, but all started the war but never saw it finished. This is so tragic, but so realistic.

America has gotten to where we can’t stand casualties of war. I am not talking about being happy about it, or thinking it’s good, but I am talking about realizing it is a part of war. Any time there is war, there will be casualties, and although none of us like that, it IS the harsh reality. The massive numbers sometimes blur to the common man, but to their families, these casualties are life changing events, and enduring grief. No one ever totally “gets over” the loss of a loved one in battle.

I have a brother due to deploy to Afghanistan in May, it is a part of his military career, and although I don’t like to think about it, it is possible for someone I love to become a casualty of war. My Dad served in Iraq, my Stepfather served in Vietnam, Grandparents in WWII and Korea, and just now I have a nephew finishing his training to be in the Air Force. Any time you have a loved one in the military, you stand at risk of having a casualty instead of a loved one, but there is no freedom without conflict. Someone MUST man the post of freedom and these brave men and women do so each day!

However, the saddest, most hard-hitting statistic I have ever seen is the list of names who were “the last casualty” of any war. They almost made it home safe. They were SO close. Sadly they will never know the joy of a triumphal march into the streets of the homeland after the battle was won, but they will only be known as “the last casualty”.

Mat 11:12  And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.

2Co 10:3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:
2Co 10:4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
2Co 10:5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

2Ti 2:3 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
2Ti 2:4 No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.

This is just a sampling of scripture that declares that we are in a battle, even a war, for our souls and the souls of men around us. We are commanded to fight the fight of faith, to war in the spiritual realm, and not in the earthly. Truly, living for God and doing what is holy and right in this present world is NOT easy and is akin to a constant fight. One we can and should win, but it all depends on us. Do you fight with or without the armor of God?

2Ti 4:7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
2Ti 4:8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

Some folks don’t like ANY conflict. Some think ALL wars are bad. I will just tell you, Paul said there was a “GOOD” fight to FINISH! Also there are some things to KEEP during this battle. The enemy of your soul would love nothing better than for you to die on the battlefield before this war is over. I am determined to finish. I am determined to still be standing when this war is over.

Will YOU finish? Will YOU still be fighting when that great peace treaty is a reality in heaven? Or will you be a casualty of war? This war is tough, it is brutal at times, and there are those we see fall, but something from within has to drive you to FINISH THE WAR. Often when I see someone backslide away from God, I have to ask….are they the last casualty? I hate to see anyone fall, I hate to see anyone die spiritually…especially after we fought hell from beside them in days past. It grieves me to place their helmet and boots up in memorial and say “we lost another soldier”….but somewhere, sometime, we will see the last one who “almost made it”. No one thinks it will be them, but let me encourage you, you don’t have time to walk away from God. We are nearing the end of the conflict! Jesus IS coming soon!

When the final chapter is written in the war…will you be remembered as “The Last Casualty” or “Oh, Lord I want to be in that number, when the saints go marching in”? I know I am determined that the enemy of my soul is NOT going to get me in the waning days of this war…I WILL LIVE ON!

Don’t “almost make it home”…Finish YOUR course!

Fatal Choices

WARNING!

TO AVOID DANGER OF SUFFOCATION, KEEP THIS BAG AWAY FROM BABIES AND CHILDREN. DO NOT USE IN CRIBS, BEDS, CARRIAGES, OR PLAYPENS. THIS IS NOT A TOY.

How many times have we seen THIS label on a plastic bag!? This has to be one of the signs that the Apocalypse is upon us. Are you serious, there are actually people in America that think their kid playing with a plastic bag is a “good idea”? There are folks who honestly consider placing these bags “in the baby crib or playpen” for Jr. to lay on? Wow, we have definitely come a long way…the wrong way…when this type of warning has to be in place!

I unwrapped a package the other day and noticed this warning label…it made me start thinking. I’m not the sharpest knife in the drawer some days, but it NEVER occurred to me that I should allow my baby to sleep on or play with a plastic bag. Then I thought about the cups of coffee from stores that now have to say “WARNING: Contents of this cup are extremely hot and can cause serious injury or death” or the warnings on ammunition “this is not a toy, handle with care”. Have we really gotten to the point that everything has to be spelled out for us in order to keep us from getting hurt? Soon, I expect to see a lighted sign at every intersection that says “stepping in front of moving traffic can cause serious injury and death” and on airplanes “opening door during flight can have damaging physical results” or some other ridiculous warning labels! For a country that spends billions of dollars a year on educating our young, we sure don’t seem to be getting any smarter.

There are some things you just shouldn’t have to be told! Someone wrote a book I think called “The Death of Common Sense”. I never read it, and am not even sure of its actual existence, but I think I remember something about it. Folks, you and I don’t have to be Rhodes Scholars to be able to know kids shouldn’t play with plastic bags. You don’t have to be the teacher of parenting classes to know that you shouldn’t put plastic bags in the playpen or crib with your baby! At some point, we have to quit depending on everyone else to think FOR us and spell it all out, and we have to DESIRE to learn how to live. If I order a coffee from a restaurant and place it between my legs and drive off….and somehow it spills on my legs and midsection….I don’t think blaming the store and the coffee maker are the answer. I think at some point I need to take personal responsibility for my choices and actions and know that there are consequences for poor choices. I like a shirt I saw the other day that said “Never underestimate the stupidity of boys in large groups”. Truly, sometimes we make bad choices because of peer pressure, but at SOME POINT in life we have to realize that we need to THINK for ourselves and if it’s a bad idea, we don’t do it…regardless of how popular it is, or how many are doing it. If we do it, then accept your responsibility for it and quit blaming others! Our society has gotten heavily involved in “the blame game” to our own demise.

With that in mind:

Judges 17:6  In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes. 

There were no absolutes in this society. Here a man named Micah was making some REAL poor choices, but in reality he was self-destructing and didn’t know it. Why? His family had covered for him, there was no king in his life to give direction, and he was just left up to whatever he thought best. When humans are left to their OWN devices, they tend to really make a mess of not only their life, but of the lives of those they have care for and influence over.

Pro 14:12  There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. 

You know, it seems crazy, but our society has reached a place where they seemingly cannot discern the most obvious self-destructive and dangerous choices. I see on a daily basis the choices folks make in trying to raise their children, and it’s almost like there should be one of those OBVIOUS warning labels on that choice that says “DON’T LET YOUR KIDS DO THIS OR GET INVOLVED IN THIS…IT WILL HURT THEM AND MAY KILL THEM!”. We think the plastic bag warning is ludicrous, but honestly, I see many adults today who are apparently not smart enough to take the “plastic” out of their kids’ lives. When the Bible says “thou shalt not…” it isn’t just an attempt at control by a God who doesn’t want His creation to have any fun…it really is to keep humanity from self-destructive behaviors. Yet, in spite of all the modern-day examples of folks “suffocating on the plastic bag”, we still think we are the exception to the rule. Can I tell you, God was serious about those Biblical rules and commands…and it IS for your (and your kids) own good!?

So, although I can’t believe we are to this point in life, I guess that given the massive numbers of self-destructive habits and choices that folks seemingly just can’t quit making, there really should be one of those ridiculously silly warnings on the “plastic bag of life”. Some folks just can’t seem to make what seems like easy choices. God really does love you and I, and He has given us His Word to direct our paths and decisions. When you come to that fork in the road tomorrow, and one choice leads to death but is SO appealing, and the other road looks long and arduous, but it leads to life, I pray that you “read the warning” and don’t let yourself or your children “play with the plastic”. Being slowly suffocated by a wrong choice and the condemnation and guilt is NOT God’s plan. He has come that you may have LIFE, and that you may have it MORE ABUNDANTLY!

Choose to live. Get rid of the dangerous “baggage” of your life. Obey God’s Warning labels!

May the God of Peace reign in your life as you CHOOSE to obey the Word. God Bless

 

Spiritual Vandalism

I have noticed on many occasions, as have we all, the locations and destructiveness of vandalism. There is not a train that passes, an overpass that is exempt, a water tower too high, or a bathroom wall too dirty for vandals to think it “off-limits”.

As I was in a public restroom recently, I could not help but notice the amount of destruction on the walls, the stall door, the toilet itself…and even the toilet paper dispenser! Amazing, NOTHING was untouched by knife, pen, or anything else that could “leave its mark”. As I looked at the paper dispenser, I saw where someone had obviously held a lighter up to the plastic cover and nearly burned a hole through the outer covering. Now, this did not identify them (I wuz here), it did not make a statement…it was just pure unrestrained destruction of someone else’s property. Honestly, it made no sense to me. I understand the leaving of a name or phone number, trying to be funny or otherwise, the etching of gang symbols and such…at least that all has some twisted reasoning…but just to tear something up for the sake of tearing it up? What kind of person does THAT!?

I find this trait in humanity that is very disturbing. It is within all of us. It is not restricted to youth, to gang members, or to the weird, it is there within all of us. You may deny it right now, but let me explain what I mean.

Vandalism is not done in open sight. It is not done in the revealing light of day. It is not done where others may stop you. It is done under the cloak of darkness, the cover of privacy, or under the influence of mob mentality. Destruction. Damage. Defamation. It is the marking up of what used to be a clean surface. What once was new is now damaged and  defaced. I don’t know that I have ever been involved in any gross vandalism that I remember, but the propensity is there…just as it is in you!

You may think I’m wrong or crazy, but stay with me. What motivates vandalism? You’re right, there is no real valid reason. It is circumstances, locations, and a sudden urge to do something to “leave a mark” or “destroy” without getting caught to pay the consequences.

It is in the privacy of a bathroom stall…with a pocket knife…or a pen…the thought to write something funny, to etch your initials, to play a prank on a friend by posting their phone number “for a good time….”, we’ve seen it all! Under the cover of darkness to spray paint the entire town with the year of your graduation. To say “I love you” to your girlfriend…forever…on the highway overpass in big bright letters. Even to witness by vandalizing someone elses’ property with a Bible verse or something (think about the profound stupidity of THAT!). It is location, situation, and imagination, all colliding at the same moment and us lacking the power of restraint.

1Co 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
1Co 6:20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.

I am only a resident in the body that belongs to God. He bought it. He owns it. This body of mine is His, as is my spirit, and I am commanded to bring glory to Him in both of them. However, I find a vandal within me. A spiritual vandal. Given the right circumstances and the proper locations, that vandal can strike without warning. Sometimes it is to make a statement, to make an impression, or sometimes just to destroy.

Rom 7:15 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.
Rom 7:16 If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.
Rom 7:17 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
Rom 7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.

Rom 7:21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
Rom 7:22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
Rom 7:23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

Apostle Paul speaks of the plight of the human who is trying to live holy in an unholy world. We have a vandal within. That vandal is the human weakness and lack of resistance to sinful behavior. With the mind, I want to serve God, but there is another LAW within, it WARS against my made up mind (not just a one time battle, but this is WAR!) How much stuff has this vandal destroyed in my lifetime? I despise him. I wish he was not there. He is like the town vandal, only I can’t get away from him!

Rom 7:24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

Paul expresses this well in v. 24 when he realizes he is a WRETCHED MAN! You can sense his frustration when he says “WHO CAN STOP THIS VANDAL?” Oh, but he isn’t hopeless or even desperate…He knows. There IS a way to stop the vandalism of the body and spirit! The next sentence he answers his own question:

Rom 7:25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

Through Jesus Christ our Lord there IS deliverance. You can put this vandal in permanent lock-up with Jesus Christ as the Lord of your life! Don’t call him Lord if you won’t keep His commandments (Jesus said this, not me) Luk 6:46  And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?  You have to MAKE UP YOUR MIND to SERVE THE LAW OF GOD! DO WHAT HE SAYS! When you don’t have a determination to obey the Word of God and live holy in this present unholy world, that vandal within seizes the opportunity! He will get you in a private place, under the cover of darkness or secrecy, or even influenced by “the mob” and get you to do things that will forever scar, mark, or deface your body and spirit! Don’t you ever forget, there is a VANDAL WITHIN, waiting on the right opportunity and the right location to scar you forever. You don’t have to let him loose, but ONLY by being filled with the Spirit of Christ (the Holy Spirit) and obeying His Word with a MADE UP MIND can you keep this vandal in check. 

There is a spiritual vandal on the loose…he is inside of you! Don’t let him destroy any more of your life, your body, or your spirit…determine at repentance that you are NOT going to serve your flesh any longer, but with the MIND you WILL SERVE GOD’S WORD!

Let’s clean up the vandalism…your body doesn’t belong to you, so quit letting this vandal tear it up! Your spirit doesn’t belong to you, so quit letting this vandal tear it up! You know he’s there. You know he’s just waiting. Stay prayed up, filled up, and your mind made up and that vandal’s days are numbered! God Bless as we strive for perfection!

Mirrors don’t lie…

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall…Who’s the Fairest of them All…..The nursery rhyme of the “magic mirror” that supposedly continually lied to the ugly witch about her “beauty”.

One thing I have discovered…in REAL LIFE? Mirrors don’t lie. I joke around with folks all the time and claim my wife has installed those “circus mirrors” in our house that make me look short and fat…but in reality they are just normal mirrors.

If you get to thinking your pretty special, just step in front of a mirror and take a good long look, you will have a humbling experience. 🙂 This is the same exact reason why most people don’t like to have their picture taken. Why? Because it looks just like them! Pictures are a true reflection of us. I love it when folks claim “that picture makes me look fat” or “it makes my face look long” or “it makes me look old”….HELLO?? Are you listening? YOU ARE!!! I’m really laughing here. Mirrors don’t lie.

I have been working out and changed my eating habits drastically a couple of years now, and I have done VERY well. My health is much better, I have dropped a lot of weight, and I feel a thousand times better. Sometimes I get to thinking how good I’m doing and get happy about it….then I look in the mirror and realize I got a LONG ways to go to “look good”. I still got a pot belly, I still am getting old wrinkled skin, my temples are still graying, and my muscle tone is less than admirable! I’m not saying this to give you a sick visual image of my ugly physique, but to prove a point…Mirrors don’t lie! What you see in the mirror is a perfect reflection of what you really are. I hate mirrors sometimes!

James 1:21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
Jas 1:22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
Jas 1:23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:
Jas 1:24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
Jas 1:25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

Here in James, we see the Lord giving a GREAT analogy that we all understand. God expects us to not just be “hearers of Scripture” but He really does expect us to be “OBEYERS OF SCRIPTURE”! Hearing preaching, having Bible study, reading the Word of God, listening to audio Bibles, or so much more that is available today is all great, but if we never DO what God’s Word says, we are like the witch with the magic mirror. We look at the mirror and expect it to lie. Any time we look into the Word of God, we find things that need to be improved upon and changed. It may be in our lifestyle (yes, God cares what you do for entertainment, enjoyment, work, pleasure, activities…all of it) it may be in our attitudes (holiness is NOT just an outward expression, it begins with an INWARD purity) or it may be in our relationships (our relationship with other humans reflects our relationship with him…how can you love a God you have not seen when you can’t love your brother whom you have seen), but we always find something about ourselves that needs to change to be more like Him.

Some folks just figure it’s too much or too hard, so they either never look into the Word of God, or they just give up and hope for the best. This is foolish. We are supposed to PERFECT HOLINESS IN THE FEAR OF GOD! How can we know what God expects of us if we never look into His Holy Word? Are we perfect? No way! The real question is “Are you still trying to perfect holiness (God’s Nature) in your life or have you just given up?”. This is a challenging post I know, and one that is demanding of a response, but what have you DONE lately to try to better reflect Jesus Christ. Maybe you need to work on being more merciful, compassionate, forgiving…or maybe you need to work on lifestyle choices, entertainment choices, or relationships? When we look into the Word of God, it is like a “mirror” and if ever there was a totally honest mirror, THAT MIRROR WILL NOT LIE!

Think about this verse from the KJV & LITV…

2Co 3:18

(KJV) But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

(LITV)  But we all with our face having been unveiled, having beheld the glory of the Lord in a mirror, are being changed into the same image from glory to glory, as from the Lord Spirit.

When we look into the MIRROR of GOD’S WORD, the Holy Ghost that is within us will motivate us to NOT JUST HEAR IT, but DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT! What is God trying to do by speaking to us with His Word? He is trying His very best to CHANGE YOU into THE SAME IMAGE as “the glory of the Lord” we see within the pages of the Holy Book!

In a world where they tell us there are no absolutes, there are no hard fast rules, and where they are telling us through example and instruction that God has somehow changed and doesn’t care about sinful lifestyle choices any more when His Word clearly states He does…we see the Word of God that will stand forever! If you are brave enough, and you MUST BE, why not look into the Word today. Why not look into the Word today with the intention of discovering something in your life that NEEDS to change to be more like Him. This is not for the casual reader, but the person who DESIRES to be a reflection of Jesus Christ in a world that is going haywire.

You won’t win any popularity contests or beauty contests. You see, Isaiah tells us that he was not beautiful that man would desire Him, but it was His Holiness that was a reflection of God…the expression of God…to a dark and sinful world filled with religious hypocrisy and ritualism. What is the hope for THIS generation that is filled with darkness and sin, and is filled with religious hypocrisy and ritualism? It is YOU. YOU were created to look into the Mirror and see what needed changed, and to be brave enough to DO WHAT YOU HEARD in His Word! YOU reflect His glory!

Look in the Mirror, the Mirror that will not lie, God’s Word, and take away the veil off of your face and see yourself EXACTLY as He does….then do something about it!

The old song says “To Be Like Jesus, To be like Jesus, ON EARTH I LONG, to be like Him…” It is a high calling. It is a good calling. Wouldn’t you open up and allow Jesus to really be more than a religious preference and let His Spirit begin to work on you?

Mirrors don’t lie….go ahead, take a look!

It’s all Plastic

I was cruising around the neighborhood the other day and saw this unique creation. A bicycle that has been made to look like a motorcycle! What an ingenious concept! Give a kid a bike, but make it look like he’s got a motorcycle. I am sure that among the local children that this is a real eye catcher and they probably all are telling their parents they want one!

The only problem with a bicycle made to look like a motorcycle is that it’s all just plastic and facade. Once you get behind all the plastic, you find a normal ol’ bicycle that is as unimpressive as every other bike in the neighborhood. You still have no powerful motor to drive the rear tire, you have no transmission to downshift for that extra power when you need it, and you still have those pesky little things called pedals on the sides! It may LOOK GOOD but it is no different than any other bike on the road.

Our world has become infatuated with image and appearance and isn’t nearly as concerned about what’s underneath. I am always amazed when I open a box of cereal or a package of some sort. Some settling may occur in shipment? Are you kidding me? The ONLY way the cereal could have settled THAT MUCH is if a 300 pound gorilla was leaping up and down inside the box while it was in transit! HUGE COLORFUL PACKAGING, but very little behind the label. I recently bought an item for my hunting equipment and when I opened the box, it was over 70 percent air. However the package was nice! Sick!!! I’m convinced that we could probably save the planet a lot more by making the marketing people only use the minimum size package to handle their product instead of worrying about pipelines and salamanders, but I digress…

Into such a world, the church has been commissioned to go.

2Ti 3:5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

I wish to give the definitions of a couple of Greek words out of the lexicon to make plain this powerful verse. This is said to be the state of many in the last days. This would NOT be referring to the evil and sinful folks, but obviously to the religious community.

FORM Greek #3446

μόρφωσις

morphōsis
mor’-fo-sis
appearance (semblance or [concretely] formula): – form.

DENYING Greek #720

ἀρνέομαι
arneomai
ar-neh’-om-ahee
to contradict, that is, disavow, reject, abnegate: – deny, refuse.

There really is no way around it, God said in this verse that there would be many folks in the last days who would have an “appearance” of godliness yet at the same time they would refuse or deny the POWER that brings true godliness.

What is this word POWER? It comes from the Greek word (#1411) dunamis. It is the same EXACT Word translated POWER in Acts 1:8 here:

Act 1:8  But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you:

Even a casual examination of the scriptures will reveal that there can be no true godliness without the infilling of the Holy Ghost. That is WHEN and WHERE you get this POWER from found in II Timothy 3:5 above! You receive this power AFTER the Holy Ghost is come upon you! So what exactly is God saying in II Timothy?

He says there will be many who have an “appearance” of godliness, but refuse (don’t receive) the Holy Ghost. Now, they won’t openly deny the Holy Ghost and they would never speak against the existence of this Spirit, but they just don’t want to receive it in it’s POWER! What a shame to have a church (appearance of godliness) or call oneself a Christian (appearance of godliness) and yet refuse to receive the Holy Ghost! This is NOT the will of God! EVERY BELIEVER (John 3, John 7, Acts 2) should receive the Holy Ghost and when they do they receive POWER…not just a silent confession, but REAL POWER! This is the birth of the Spirit Jesus told about in John 3, the church received all through the book of Acts, and Jesus said EVERY ONE WHO BELIEVES ON HIM SHOULD RECEIVE THE HOLY GHOST in John 7!

However, there are prophesied many who go to church and call themselves Christians that have not received this promised infilling of the Holy Ghost SINCE THEY BELIEVED! (read Acts 19) It is not enough to have an appearance of being a Christian. There must be some POWER inside that goes deeper than appearance.

I meet and see so many who have an appearance of godliness. They are such good loving people who believe in Jesus. They are faithful. They read their Bibles daily. They pray. They worship. They have EVERY appearance of godliness…..yet they are scared of, have been taught falsely against, don’t understand the promise of, or just flat out reject the truth of, the baptism of the Holy Ghost that is promised to EVERY BELIEVER! God warns against this.

It is much like the picture of the bike made to look like a motorcycle above. It may look like a motorcycle, it may be flashy and attractive, it may be appealing and popular, but if there is no power under all that plastic, it’s just an ordinary bicycle.

Does your church have the appearance of godliness, but reject the POWER!? I’m not being critical but would like to make you think…being godly is not all about appearances and professions. It’s about a power that brings it.

Pray that you may receive the Holy Ghost. That POWER will change your life forever! God Bless.

 

Just another piece of earth…

Roadside Memorial near I-44 West

Just Another Piece of Earth

 

 

As you drive down the roads of America, almost without fail, you will see an all too common sign of death on the roadside. One day a few years ago, I was riding my motorcycle down a rural highway near my home with my daughter and noticed something I’d seen MANY times, but it never really struck me like it did that day. As I rode mile after mile, the summertime rural roadside was filled with overgrown fescue and weeds and littered with trash from time to time…until I got to this roadside memorial for a young man. It was like a manicured lawn with a cross marking the site of his demise in the center. It was obvious that the family and friends of this young man deeply missed him and loved him, yet this roadside memorial intrigued me.

Here’s the thought that literally made me take pause and meditate upon what the Lord was trying to show me. This little patch of close cut, manicured beauty in the midst of all those weeds and trash, was just another piece of earth in the roadside ditch until someone died there. All it took was a tragedy to turn a normal meaningless piece of earth into a carefully loved memorial. Sad, but true, it was just another piece of earth until someone who was loved died there.

After the death, someone has to haul the lawn care equipment, take a GREAT RISK to work on the roadside without any safety markers, and as fast as the weeds grow, it takes near constant care to keep it looking nice. However, someone loved them, so the risk and effort required is worth it, because that one patch of earth now has MEANING!

Gen 2:7  And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

2Co 4:7  But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

We can see clearly here that God made man out of the EARTH, and we STILL are just “an earthen vessel”. No matter what our skin color, our nationality, our gender, or our preferences…we are all just pieces of earth. We are as “non-unique” from all other humans in this regard…we are all just earth. However, the Bible says…

Psa 103:14  For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.

We are all just another piece of earth, like all the rest of the humans around us, until someone dies in our little piece of earth. Who will die there? There is ONLY ONE who can…that is the one who lives there. I am just another piece of earth until someone I love dies here. No one wants to die…but die we must if this piece of earth is going to be anything besides an ugly, filthy piece of overgrown earth. When we die, our Father begins the risky, laborious task of cleaning up our piece of earth and making it stand out from all the rest.

Sin is ugly. Sin messes up our life. Sin pollutes the soul. Sin destroys. Sin is ugly. The reason it doesn’t always seem so is that all the rest of the earthen vessels around us are also sinful and so sinful earthen vessels  just all blend together. Sinful humans are ugly, polluted earth.

There are those normal pieces of earth that one day are weary with just blending in and being meaningless earth. Someone they love dies there. Someone the Father loves dies there. I died there. I did not physically die, but I repented. Repentance is a not so often preached about in many circles. After all, we wouldn’t want to make anyone feel bad in this overtly politically correct society, now would we? People don’t go to church to feel bad! Come on preacher…be sensible. REPENTANCE IS THE FOUNDATION that a relationship with God is built upon. A real relationship with God cannot be built any other way than upon the foundation of repentance. It’s not popular, it’s not fun, but repentance is spiritually killing your old nature. Look here:

Rom 6:5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
Rom 6:6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

Repentance is the crucifixion of our old man. Our sinful nature. It MUST BE DESTROYED…not to hurt us, but so that we should NOT SERVE SIN! It is not the will of God for us to serve sin, but rather to serve godliness. It all begins with the killing of our old sinful nature. This ONLY takes place through TRUE repentance. Godly sorrow is what makes repentance work.

2Co 7:1  Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. 

When someone I love dies in my piece of earth, a PROCESS begins whereby we start a spiritual cleansing of flesh and spirit. Yes, BOTH matter. Holiness is NOT just an outward manifestation, but neither is it only an inward manifestation. When the human will truly dies, the inward and outward perfecting of holiness IN THE FEAR OF GOD begins. Need I remind you that dead men don’t resist? When someone is always resistant to the Word of God teaching them to get rid of sinful things they are not repented yet. Until they truly repent, they can never be anything but “just a piece of earth”…but OH HOW BEAUTIFUL does that piece of earth become when the Father can groom and cleanse it.

The next time you see a roadside cross, with the area all manicured around it, remember that was just another piece of earth until someone who was loved died there. The Father will take the risk to clean up your earth and beautify your vessel with holiness if you will only die first. Repentance matters. It’s not fun, it’s not pretty, but the end result is a piece of earth that stands out among the rest…the cross made the difference.

God bless….

Was A Single Jewish Soldier Worth it??

The news is filled today with the “prisoner swap” between Palestinian rebels (Hamas) and Israeli government where one Jewish soldier, Gilad Shalit, was released by the Palestinian authorities in exchange for HUNDREDS (over 1000!) of their own captured rebels.

Quoting from a Yahoo News Report:

“Defending a deal that left a bittersweet aftertaste in Israel, Netanyahu said he felt the pain of the relatives of Israelis killed by some of the Palestinians released, but saving a soldier from captivity was a Jewish Biblical imperative.

“It is a difficult day,” he said, describing the price Israel paid for Shalit’s release as high.”

End Yahoo Quote.

You see, as I heard of this trade, it seems as though Israel got the short end of the stick! They got ONE prisoner of war, who may or may not have ever been guilty of anything worse than joining the Israeli Military, while Hamas received in return 477 convicted killers today and will receive the balance of over 1000 next month. All that for ONE JEWISH SOLDIER?! Are you kidding??? I couldn’t help but ask the most obvious question in the room….was it worth it?! I know everyone hates to say so, but this price-tag from Hamas seems a little steep if you ask me!

With that said, allow me to ask you…what if that was you or your family member? I guess we’d say “Any Price” then for sure, but the fact is, the asking price that Hamas demanded for one Jewish Soldier was over the top. Now, this is just my opinion, but I see a great analogy here.

I was a rebel. I lived a lifestyle of rebellion and sin. It had nothing to do with me wanting to be that way, it’s just that I was born into that group. That vile rebel group known as “Human” instead of Hamas…Just being human means I was “born in sin and shapen in iniquity” so without really any choice in the matter, I was born a sinner. As I matured and grew, I naturally began to assume the lifestyle choices of a sinner. Oh, I made choices to sin, don’t get me wrong, but I was born in sin…thanks to the curse of sin introduced into our world by Satan and Adam…and my growing up brought me to the natural course of sin. All sin is based in rebellion. It is rebellion against God, His Word, His Spirit, and His Expectations. “For ALL have sinned and come SHORT of the Glory of God”. There you have it, just being part of that rebel group called “Human” makes you one of the large mass of rebel prisoners who are responsible for an incredibly ridiculous price paid for by one Jewish Soldier.

Sin demanded judgment. It demanded judgment in blood. Thousands upon thousands of innocent lambs died…and yet sin was not fully judged. Thousands of rebel humans died because of sin, and yet sin was not judged fully. It was my sins…and yours, too…that caused the death of one Jewish Soldier. For the sake of the release of thousands of rebels…one Jew had to pay a price higher than being a POW for 5 years…He paid with His blood!

Heb 2:9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.
Heb 2:10 For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
Heb 2:11 For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren,

One man…One God…the Incarnate God, God IN Christ, Emmanuel-GOD with us, the Holy ONE of Israel, the Savior, Jesus Christ the Righteous…they took you and abused you, cursed you and hated you, beat you and challenged you, gave you opportunity to deny the process you were enduring, falsely accused you, and eventually took your very life. Just to consider the price you paid, as the ORIGINAL SOLDIER of the Cross…so that thousands of rebels could be set free…is nothing short of humbling and makes me feel unworthy.

Thousands of sinners have been set free through obedience to the message of truth. When sinners asked for the very first time “What shall we do…” in response to the realization that THEY were responsible for the death of Christ…the response was “REPENT, AND BE BAPTIZED IN JESUS NAME FOR REMISSION OF YOUR SINS, AND YOU SHALL RECEIVE THE GIFT OF THE HOLY GHOST”.  Are you kidding me? All I have to do is THAT and I can be set free from sins and inherit eternal life? And what exactly did that ONE JEWISH SOLDIER have to pay so that I could be set free?

Anyone that knows me and you should probably ask….Was it worth it?

I want to live my life so that Jesus, the Captain of MY Salvation, believes He did not die in vain…

 

Storm Chasers

Tornadoes!!! If you don’t live in a place were these things drop out of the sky without rhyme or reason, you may not appreciate the power of these funnel clouds! They are a force that is without equal as they literally destroy everything in their path, and seem to pick and choose without reason to leave some stuff while obliterating others. Here in Missouri, we KNOW the force of this natural phenomenon and have seen too often up close the destruction left in its path.

Then we consider the Storm Chasers. Are these folks nuts? What do you do when you “catch one”?! Do you sincerely desire to catch a storm (which essentially, storm chasers are REALLY chasing tornadoes)? I know we all appreciate the “coverage” and the “pictures” but sincerely, there is something just crazy about “getting closer” to these unpredictable monsters! There is a reason that the weather service sounds ALARMS and encourages you to RUN FOR COVER AND HIDE from them! They are dangerous, deadly, and disassembling to anything in its path….and you REALLY want to chase them? Something is seriously wrong with that concept.

Pro 6:23 For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:
Pro 6:24 To keep thee from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman.
Pro 6:25 Lust not after her beauty in thine heart; neither let her take thee with her eyelids.
Pro 6:26 For by means of a whorish woman a man is brought to a piece of bread: and the adulteress will hunt for the precious life.
Pro 6:27 Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned?
Pro 6:28 Can one go upon hot coals, and his feet not be burned?
Pro 6:29 So he that goeth in to his neighbour’s wife; whosoever toucheth her shall not be innocent.

Now I KNOW that this is a dicey topic, and one I have NO stones to throw in writing! I assure you of that one thing, but it NEEDS to be talked about IN THIS GENERATION! We are living in a very immoral, promiscuous society! Public nudity and clothing designers with accentuating the areas of the body that attract men are becoming a REAL problem. No, I’m not suggesting that it’s EVER a woman’s fault if she is forcibly violated…but a woman DOES need to recognize that she CAN use her body to glorify God or she can use it to tempt the imagination of men. Not both.

The Bible, which is ALWAYS right, commands men to “NOT ALLOW LUST TO CONTROL THE MIND”. It all begins in the fantasy realm of the mind. You cannot chase the storm and eventually it not destroy and kill things you love and don’t want to lose. There is something innate within humanity that seems to be excited when we are in close proximity to the dangerous and destructive! Oh, how my flesh likes it when it is walking the narrow line between life and death, morality and immorality, holiness and sin! It is often this “excitement” that gets us in trouble. We by nature are “Storm Chasers” as we play with fire in the areas of lust within the mind. The porn industry is a BILLION dollar industry that allows sinful flesh to take private mental pleasure in lust without “doing it”. This is SO dangerous that Jesus warns us that to lust after a woman in our heart is akin to the actual act. Why? Because He knows that the line between the two is a VERY thin line!

Paul admonished us to “FLEE (run AWAY from, not towards) youthful lusts, which WAR AGAINST the soul!” We are not ignorant gentlemen, we KNOW what youthful lusts were, and are to this day…and godly men are commanded to NOT chase it, but to FLEE from it. There are some things that God wants us to run from. Joseph in the presence of Potiphar’s wife LOST HIS SHIRT, but KEPT HIS INTEGRITY! May I be so crass as to say “it’s never too late” to RUN AWAY from this whirlwind of destruction known as sexual sin? Gentlemen, (and yes I know ladies read this blog, so don’t use it against your man!!!) our minds are the battleground. The Proverb above says “Lust not after her BEAUTY in thine heart (mind)”. This is where it all begins. If you KNOW you are attracted to someone who is not your wife, if you KNOW there is “chemistry” there that is dangerous….don’t play with fire! NO, you cannot go there, even in your mind, or IT WILL BURN YOU TO THE GROUND!

Just like the unpredictable tornado, you never know when this thing called lust will drop on you from the unexpected. This you CAN’T avoid, you just have to pray you survive the storm that has the potential to kill and steal what you love in this life. However, it is the STORM CHASERS that I am talking to…those men who get a thrill out of getting as close as they can to the edge without actually being caught up in the storm.

I know this blog will have marks all over it where it has been touched by a 10 foot pole today…as this topic is such a quagmire…but if one man can spare his family the heartache of a broken home, if one man can spare himself the damage done by playing with fire, if one man can realize the danger of STORM CHASING….then I have accomplished what I set out to accomplish with this volatile post. Men of God, I beg of us all, me included, let us FLEE YOUTHFUL LUST and embrace a godly future free from sexual sins and destruction of what we love. Tornadoes always leave scarred earth in their wake, and sexual sin scars these tender earthen vessels of our children and wives…and yes, even the man who falls prey to this storm will be scarred forever!

Storm Chaser? Nah, I think I’d rather keep my home, my kids, and my wife. Boring? Maybe it is at times, but I see no reason to chase destruction. What will I do with it when I catch it?

God Bless

What is that in my nose?

I have arrived. Where you ask? I don’t want to tell you!

I have reached the stage in life known affectionately as “middle age”. I look in the mirror each morning and see the face of my father. My skin is not tightly stretched across face anymore, my eyes have these little sagging spots early in the morning that I never knew were there before…and what is THAT tickling my nose!? Oh, I also now have hair growing in places that I didn’t know was possible.

My barber cuts my hair, and then kindly asks me…ME, the young, muscular, well fit, DID I MENTION YOUNG? man……if I’d like my eyebrows and ear hair trimmed!! At first it bothered me. I thought…I can’t believe this! What happened to the youthful young man who used to inhabit my body?

The loss of youth is often a trade-off with wisdom and understanding, but you can’t SEE those attributes, all the while the grey hair, the poor skin tone, and the weakening muscle tone are SO easy to see.  We live in a country where youth and agility are king, but we look to the Word of God to see what GOD thinks about this transition…

Pro 16:31  The hoary (grey) head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness.

Lev 19:32  Thou shalt rise up before the hoary (grey) head, and honour the face of the old man, and fear thy God: I am the LORD.

Although the Bible doesn’t specifically address nose hair, the implication is obvious. Aging gracefully IN THE WAY OF RIGHTEOUSNESS is something to be honored, not despised. I am amazed as I see so many Americans striving to “stay young”, and often with that perpetual seeking of the fountain of youth, is an immaturity retained as well. It seems that one cannot stay “young” without missing the DIVINE PURPOSE for the aged…the glory of looking old and having the wisdom of the aged. Western culture certainly makes it look like the Bible is wrong, but I’ll take God at His Word. He said old age was GLORIOUS. Not because of the shallow realities of looks and feeling, but due to the HONOR and WISDOM that age bestows upon the elder.

I never imagined I’d get old. I’m not by definition yet, as I still am in my middle ages, but I am not young by ANY stretch of the imagination! I find the truthful signs of age creeping up on me no matter how hard I try to prevent it. It was inevitable. It was also a gift from God, just one I didn’t recognize at first. 🙂

What a privilege to be able to talk to the youth of today with KNOWLEDGE gained from just living a few years. I still am amazed at the knowledge and understanding I have gained from living to this stage in life, and there is nothing I like better than being able to share that information with someone who needs it and watch as they avoid heartache or are able to do something WITHOUT the mistakes that I made to learn it! They will never know the price I paid for them to simply receive this information, but THAT is the beauty of being older…you know that one day, they will realize how you got so smart! It has taken me a long time to appreciate the wisdom of the elders in my life, but now I know that they weren’t “born wise” it was the divine gift of God that is only granted with age.

In Titus chapter 2, God commands the OLD to instruct the YOUNG on modesty, family matters, and spiritual things…again, we see a world turned upside down! I just read an article online a few weeks ago about “Why Mom’s are trying to dress like their teenage daughter” and I immediately thought of this verse. Mom should be teaching her daughter how to dress and live in MODESTY…but you see, that is so old-fashioned. Old men are to instruct young men how to raise their families, stay loyal to their wife, and WORK. It seems as though that is old-fashioned as well nowadays. Our world has got what is right turned upside down…but God said it would be so:

Psa 146:9 The LORD preserveth the strangers; he relieveth the fatherless and widow: but the way of the wicked he turneth upside down.

So many are calling what is Biblically defined as wrong right, and what is Biblically right they call wrong. In an upside down world, God has spoken truth to make what is wrong with our society right again…what is it?

Jer 6:16  Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.

When was the last time you wished we could “go back” to the way things “used to be”. Back when church was not just a social club. Back when youth RESPECTED the elders or they got seriously corrected! Back to the time when wrong was wrong if everyone was doing it and right was right if no one was doing it! Back when there was a belief that the Bible WAS ABSOLUTE TRUTH! Back before preachers had the same level of public honor as a used car salesman? Back when you actually had “church clothes” because we honored the House of God!

My, how I wish we could go back. There are still some places on this earth where people are standing “in the way” and actually ASKING (PRAYING) FOR THE OLD PATHS! God said the old path was the good way….but a lot of folks wouldn’t walk it. Prophecy fulfilled….right here in the good ol’ USA that I love so much! When was the last time you REALLY were hungry for the “Old Paths”….

Pray for them to return…it is the ONLY hope we have as individuals and as a nation. God save us from a world of “new paths”….

 

Hey, you can’t park THERE!

We have a growing trend in our generation that is very telling of where we are headed.

As most of you know, I also drive a school bus along with my “real job”. I have a young boy in the front seat nearest the door who is in 1st grade. He’s a great kid! Loves to talk, and is very open and honest…to a fault sometimes. Yesterday, we pulled up to the stop of a new kindergartener’s drop off, and the child’s father always meets the bus to pick up his son. I know the family somewhat, so I always greet the dad by name and we chat for a few seconds as his boy is getting off the bus, and then we move on. As we spoke yesterday, the talkative boy in the front seat leaned up and stuck his head out the door. He said “Hey, is that your car parked in the grass right there?” (now for the sake of you understanding the story….the father backs his car into the grass between the road and the drainage ditch in a place obviously not intended for parking :)) The father looked at the boy and said “yeah, that’s my car” to which the boy replied “You can’t park THERE!”. This kind of set the man back and startled me too, so after an awkward pause, the man said “there’s no SIGN SAYING I CAN’T!” and looked at me for affirmation. I just kind of shrugged it off, told the boy to sit down, waved at the dad and drove off.

Now, I couldn’t argue with the kid, he was right, the man SHOULDN’T have been parked there, but he does it every day. Besides, it wasn’t a big deal and I have bigger battles to fight without worrying about a man parking on the grass! However, I did get to thinking about the encounter as I drove the rest of the route, and realized that this little incident shows the thinking of MANY of our modern society today….and it REALLY bothers me.

Here’s what I’m talking about. Why should there HAVE TO BE A SIGN SAYING “DON’T PARK HERE” when it is obvious that you shouldn’t park there? Some have talked about “the death of common sense” but I think it is worse than that. I think we have watched a generation arise who sees very little if any absolutes and doesn’t believe in ANYTHING if it can’t be proven or enforced! Everything is not that way, but it may still be right! For instance, just because there is NOT a sign that says “don’t park here” does NOT mean that you have permission to do so!

I was thinking of this attitude in relationship to the modern church. I, for one, believe in ABSOLUTE TRUTH! I do not believe it can be debated, argued, nor is there room for discussion of some things that are unchangeable truth. Jesus stated in John 17:17 “Sanctify them through thy truth, THY WORD IS TRUTH”! Only by searching the Holy Scriptures can one be made wise UNTO SALVATION (II Timothy 3:15) There are some definite “thou shalt” and some “thou shalt nots” contained within the written Word of God. The true believer and honest diligent seeker is promised to find the truths contained within the Bible. However, some of the great truths contained within the Word are in principle and honest application of those principles to the current situations. The Word reveals the very nature of the Almighty Holy God, and with a little honesty and hunger, anyone can live pleasing in His sight if they so desire.

Yet, we are seeing a generation arising that says “There’s no sign saying I can’t park there” about many things today. You see, the Bible does NOT directly address many new inventions and forms of entertainment by EXACT name, but a simple application of the Holy Word and what I call “the spirit of the law” will clearly show the way! In this modern world I find this to be increasingly true….Ecc 7:29  Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions. 

Humanity was intended to live godly and holy and upright in God’s sight, but our sinful nature causes us to “seek out MANY inventions” that by implication here is inventions that are the opposite of holy! Yet, this generation will say to the man of God that stands up and says “YOU CAN’T DO THAT AND PLEASE GOD” and they respond “the Bible doesn’t say EXACTLY that I can’t do it word for word”! This sounds and really is so immature. It is like telling your kids not to jump on your bed…and you find them in their room jumping on the bed. You say “DIDN’T I TELL YOU NOT TO JUMP ON THE BED” and they reply “No, you said not to jump on YOUR bed”….they kept the letter of the law, but didn’t apply the spirit of the law! You have to SPELL IT OUT to kids, and if they can, they will find a loophole! Our walk with God should NOT be like that!

Whether the Bible specifically addresses our sinful lifestyle, sinful choices, or ungodly behavior or not, the principle is still there. I could give DOZENS of examples, but that is not the purpose of my blog, so suffice it to say this attitude disturbs me. If you have the Holy Ghost inside of you, that is God’s Holy Spirit! It is supposed to write His laws upon your heart instead of on tables of stone. I think He knew that we would one day live in a world that you honestly can’t preach and name every single thing that folks should or should not do. That is no excuse to stop trying, but at some point, folks have to get holiness in their heart and quit trying to live like the have to see it “written in stone” before they will believe it or obey it. Holiness is something the Bible says without it, no man will see the Lord. Sounds pretty important.

Don’t let the attitude of a modern religious world mess you up. This is the same mindset that Satan used in the Garden of Eden against Eve. “Did God REALLY SAY EXACTLY THAT>>>>>>>” You know how that ended…it wasn’t pretty! Yet we are seeing a modern religious world that has to have signs posted everywhere about everything or they won’t stay “in bounds”. Some things are just “common Holy Ghost sense” if you will listen to Him. Just because God didn’t specifically address some new invention or entertainment or way of dressing does not mean He has no opinion.

So, go out and keep it between the white lines and whatever you do “Don’t Park THERE”!!!!