“Brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.” –Philippians 4:8
I spent the better part of my afternoon this day clearing the flower beds around my house. As I surveyed the work ahead of me, I wondered to myself why were dandelions and thistle ever created. I despise these two weeds with a passion I have yet to find the perfect way to rid my flower beds of these two nuisances. Both of these weeds have incredibly deep roots and it takes great effort to fully extract them. As I continued to pull these weeds and curse their very existence, I began to see a lesson in my labor.
Paul, in his letter to the Philippians, spells it out clearly. It is the desire of God that our thought life is to be that which would glorify God. That which we allow our eyes to gaze upon must be that which would glorify God. That which we do with our hands and feet must be that which would glorify God. However, we often times lead our lives in such a way that we allow the garbage of this world into our life. God has provided us with clear boundary markers but we think that we can move those boundary markers with no consequence. When we continue to allow those markers to be moved, we are only allowing ourselves to move closer to that area which God knows is will destroy. We as a people have allowed ourselves buy into the lie of this world that it really does not matter.
Finally, we wake up one day and begin to realize the mess that we have made of our lives by not being diligent in our walk with Christ. We did not get lost in our journey in an instant but rather we kept being enticed by the broad path that took us in many different directions rather then the straight and narrow path that Christ has called us to tread upon.
If I had spent diligent time in my flower beds, those weeds would not have taken root. If we all spend diligent time in making certain that our journey is upon the straight and narrow path, our faith will take deep root and will produce great fruit.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Friday, April 23, 2010
Stand Fast
“Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations. I will be exalted in the earth.” –Psalm 46:10
To me, this is perhaps the most powerful verse in the Bible. We spend so much of our time being busy in the ways of the world that we forget the need to slow down and listen to that still voice that is calling to us. I have found a place near my home that I like to call my God Spot. It is at a local park that sits atop a ravine. I just cherish the time that I spend at that spot taking in the beauty of God’s creation. Yesterday, God gave me a true display of His creation that spoke to me.
Near this spot is a bald eagles nest. I got as close as I was able to this nest and just spent some time observing. Perched on the edge of the nest was the female eagle tending her young hatchlings and the male was above the nest at the top of the tree line keeping watch. As I observed this, another eagle approached from the south and began to circle the nest. The male responded and flew towards this third eagle and began to protect his nest. A small skirmish between the two ensued with the 3rd eagle finally being chased away. The 3rd eagle return twice more with these small skirmishes continuing until it finally left for good.
The message was clear to me. As a man, I am called to stand guard and hold fast to the truth of the Word of God. God has blessed me with a lovely wife and wonderful children. I am to stand guard for those things that are not of God that want to circle my home looking for the opportune time to infiltrate. I must always be prepared to keep watch and when I see those things, I must jump into action and do everything within my power to chase them off as many times as I need in order to protect that which God has chosen to bless me with.
We truly live in a time in which things are happening at a rapid pace. Now, more then ever, is the time to stand fast and not allow that which is not of God to be that which I will follow.
To me, this is perhaps the most powerful verse in the Bible. We spend so much of our time being busy in the ways of the world that we forget the need to slow down and listen to that still voice that is calling to us. I have found a place near my home that I like to call my God Spot. It is at a local park that sits atop a ravine. I just cherish the time that I spend at that spot taking in the beauty of God’s creation. Yesterday, God gave me a true display of His creation that spoke to me.
Near this spot is a bald eagles nest. I got as close as I was able to this nest and just spent some time observing. Perched on the edge of the nest was the female eagle tending her young hatchlings and the male was above the nest at the top of the tree line keeping watch. As I observed this, another eagle approached from the south and began to circle the nest. The male responded and flew towards this third eagle and began to protect his nest. A small skirmish between the two ensued with the 3rd eagle finally being chased away. The 3rd eagle return twice more with these small skirmishes continuing until it finally left for good.
The message was clear to me. As a man, I am called to stand guard and hold fast to the truth of the Word of God. God has blessed me with a lovely wife and wonderful children. I am to stand guard for those things that are not of God that want to circle my home looking for the opportune time to infiltrate. I must always be prepared to keep watch and when I see those things, I must jump into action and do everything within my power to chase them off as many times as I need in order to protect that which God has chosen to bless me with.
We truly live in a time in which things are happening at a rapid pace. Now, more then ever, is the time to stand fast and not allow that which is not of God to be that which I will follow.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Our Leaders
“Obey your leaders’ and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be no advantage to you.” –Hebrews 13:17
My lovely wife and I have the blessing and opportunity to lead a group of middle school aged children in trying to understand and apply the Word of God to their respective lives. Yesterday, the lesson that was presented centered on loyalty. As a warm up exercise prior to digging into the lesson, several sheets of paper were attached to the walls around the room. Each sheet of paper had a name of something on it and each student was asked to place marks upon each sheet to reflect their level of loyalty to the given title. They were allowed to put from 0 to 3 marks on each paper to show their given loyalty. Some of the titles on the sheets were Parents’, School, Friends’, Sport Teams’, etc. One of the sheets was title the President.
The exercise took a few minutes as the students decided upon their given loyalty to each topic. Also added to the time was the overall distraction of asking a group of middle school aged boys and girls to do something that required some thought and their interest to goof around was on full display. Once they were done, all were seated and we reviewed the marks that were made.
The sheet marked the President was marked in such a way to reflect a negative attitude many of these students had towards the leader of this nation. To me, I used this as a perfect teaching example.
Each week, these students are told of the importance of claiming the name of Jesus Christ in your life. Each week, these students are shown the importance of what it means to sell out ones life to the being of Jesus Christ. I tried to impress upon them that although our true loyalty is to Christ, we are called as followers of Christ to lift our leaders up in prayer. I stressed that in now way are we called to agree with our leaders but rather we are indeed called to lift our leaders in a prayerful way and there is a difference between agreement and prayer.
I too, like what certainly appears to be the families of these students, share a deep concern for the direction that this nation is moving and I find myself disagreeing more and more with the direction that I see our elected leaders moving this nation. However, as I proclaim the name of Christ, I in no way will allow my walk with Him to be diminished by what I feel is an over reaching government. Jesus Christ came as a new way to show true peace. The best that I can do is to live that example of peace in all my actions while always standing firm in the Word of God.
Just like the Israelites, God has given this nation the government it deserves. The Israelites were delivered into the Promised Land yet that was not enough for them. They had a desire to be ruled by kings and God granted their request and many of their kings led the nation astray. This great nation was founded upon the Judeo Christian ideals of our founding fathers, yet we as a people have failed to understand our proper history and have allowed it to be perverted and rewritten by those whose only objective is power and control. Perhaps the time with which we now find ourselves is our time to wander in the desert. One of the reasons that God allowed the Israelites to wander for 40 years was that was the length of time that it took to raise an entirely new generation. Maybe this time where we are now at will require that type of wandering before we are able to return to our preordained destiny.
Regardless, we of faith must submit ourselves to the governing authorities. If we are unable to do that, how can we truly submit our lives to He who provides all?
“Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.” –Romans 13:1
My lovely wife and I have the blessing and opportunity to lead a group of middle school aged children in trying to understand and apply the Word of God to their respective lives. Yesterday, the lesson that was presented centered on loyalty. As a warm up exercise prior to digging into the lesson, several sheets of paper were attached to the walls around the room. Each sheet of paper had a name of something on it and each student was asked to place marks upon each sheet to reflect their level of loyalty to the given title. They were allowed to put from 0 to 3 marks on each paper to show their given loyalty. Some of the titles on the sheets were Parents’, School, Friends’, Sport Teams’, etc. One of the sheets was title the President.
The exercise took a few minutes as the students decided upon their given loyalty to each topic. Also added to the time was the overall distraction of asking a group of middle school aged boys and girls to do something that required some thought and their interest to goof around was on full display. Once they were done, all were seated and we reviewed the marks that were made.
The sheet marked the President was marked in such a way to reflect a negative attitude many of these students had towards the leader of this nation. To me, I used this as a perfect teaching example.
Each week, these students are told of the importance of claiming the name of Jesus Christ in your life. Each week, these students are shown the importance of what it means to sell out ones life to the being of Jesus Christ. I tried to impress upon them that although our true loyalty is to Christ, we are called as followers of Christ to lift our leaders up in prayer. I stressed that in now way are we called to agree with our leaders but rather we are indeed called to lift our leaders in a prayerful way and there is a difference between agreement and prayer.
I too, like what certainly appears to be the families of these students, share a deep concern for the direction that this nation is moving and I find myself disagreeing more and more with the direction that I see our elected leaders moving this nation. However, as I proclaim the name of Christ, I in no way will allow my walk with Him to be diminished by what I feel is an over reaching government. Jesus Christ came as a new way to show true peace. The best that I can do is to live that example of peace in all my actions while always standing firm in the Word of God.
Just like the Israelites, God has given this nation the government it deserves. The Israelites were delivered into the Promised Land yet that was not enough for them. They had a desire to be ruled by kings and God granted their request and many of their kings led the nation astray. This great nation was founded upon the Judeo Christian ideals of our founding fathers, yet we as a people have failed to understand our proper history and have allowed it to be perverted and rewritten by those whose only objective is power and control. Perhaps the time with which we now find ourselves is our time to wander in the desert. One of the reasons that God allowed the Israelites to wander for 40 years was that was the length of time that it took to raise an entirely new generation. Maybe this time where we are now at will require that type of wandering before we are able to return to our preordained destiny.
Regardless, we of faith must submit ourselves to the governing authorities. If we are unable to do that, how can we truly submit our lives to He who provides all?
“Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.” –Romans 13:1
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Behold
During my college days, one of the classes that I took was a Political Theory class. In writing my term paper for that class, I used Aldous Huxley’s “Brave New World” and George Orwell’s “1984” to support my idea of the dangers of government run amok. Both authors paint a very dark and bleak picture of what could be when the people turn over all their rights and liberties to that which is made from man. Both Huxley and Orwell attempt to display just what life would be when men allow their God given rights and liberties to be subjugated to an all controlling government that is more concerned about the rights of the collective over the rights of men.
As far fetched as some of idea’s displayed in both of these tomes as I read them in the mid 1980’s, one thing is certain as I watch the events of the present day unfold, we are much closer to both of these novels being reality. The technology of “Big Brother” exists as described by Orwell and we certainly are a society of zombies walking around with the latest and greatest pharmaceuticals’ that divorce us from true reality just those described by Huxley who relied upon their “Soma” to make it.
I have never been interested in the type of theology that fully focuses upon the Book of Revelation. However, it cannot be argued that each day we are closed to the end of times described by John. It has struck me that one of the descriptors of the end times will be a time of super knowledge. 100 years ago, if you were to go to the store, chances were that you jumped upon your horse. The horse was the primary mode of transportation 100 years ago and has been the primary mode of transportation since before the time that Christ walked the earth. Today, transportation takes us to places that even 40 years ago were unimaginable. We are able to communicate with others on the other side of the world in a matter of split seconds.
In the Book of Revelation, Christ declares, “Behold, I am coming soon.” He is always faithful and fulfill this promise in His time. The question that I have to ask myself is just what am I doing each day in bringing someone closed to the Kingdom? Is that not what I will be judged upon? Am I striving each day to be a man of peace and to not allow the spirit of the anti-Christ to take hold?
As I prepare my heart and mind for the most meaningful day for a Christian, Resurrection Sunday, I have to ask am I living a life worthy of being called a child of the Great I Am.
As far fetched as some of idea’s displayed in both of these tomes as I read them in the mid 1980’s, one thing is certain as I watch the events of the present day unfold, we are much closer to both of these novels being reality. The technology of “Big Brother” exists as described by Orwell and we certainly are a society of zombies walking around with the latest and greatest pharmaceuticals’ that divorce us from true reality just those described by Huxley who relied upon their “Soma” to make it.
I have never been interested in the type of theology that fully focuses upon the Book of Revelation. However, it cannot be argued that each day we are closed to the end of times described by John. It has struck me that one of the descriptors of the end times will be a time of super knowledge. 100 years ago, if you were to go to the store, chances were that you jumped upon your horse. The horse was the primary mode of transportation 100 years ago and has been the primary mode of transportation since before the time that Christ walked the earth. Today, transportation takes us to places that even 40 years ago were unimaginable. We are able to communicate with others on the other side of the world in a matter of split seconds.
In the Book of Revelation, Christ declares, “Behold, I am coming soon.” He is always faithful and fulfill this promise in His time. The question that I have to ask myself is just what am I doing each day in bringing someone closed to the Kingdom? Is that not what I will be judged upon? Am I striving each day to be a man of peace and to not allow the spirit of the anti-Christ to take hold?
As I prepare my heart and mind for the most meaningful day for a Christian, Resurrection Sunday, I have to ask am I living a life worthy of being called a child of the Great I Am.
Monday, March 15, 2010
Duty and Honor
September 19, 2003, Hurricane Isabel bore down upon Fort Myer located in Arlington. Fort Myer is the home the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) conducts memorial affairs to honor our fallen comrades and ceremonies and special events to represent the Army. If you visit the Arlington National Cemetery, you will have the honor to watch these soldiers in action as they guard the Tomb of the Unknowns.
The Regimental Commander sent word to the nighttime Sentry Detail to secure the post and seek shelter from the high winds in order to ensure their personal safety. Those soldiers chose to disobey this order. They stood their post in the face of the storm. That evening, the winds from Isabel were strong enough to flip vehicles and turned debris into projectiles. One soldier was quoted as saying, “I’ve got buddies getting shot in Iraq who would kick my butt if word got to them that we let them down. I’m sure as hell have no intention of spending my Army career being known as the idiot who couldn’t stand a little light breeze and shirked his duty.”
1 Peter 2:9 declares that those who follow Christ “are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” I do not take lightly the calling that has been placed upon the followers of Christ that we are indeed a priesthood of believers. In ancient Israel, the temple priests were charged to ensure that the word of God stood as the primary guidepost for the people. The priests were in a sense the standard bearers for all that God asked of His people.
In my short time in this life, I have come to realize that storms are going to occur. I was able to witness first hand the destruction of a storm as I spent several weeks helping to clean up from the aftermath from Hurricane Katrina. I arrived in that area within 72 hours after the storm had run its course and it was very obvious that those things structures built upon a firm foundation were better able to withstand the wind and water then those things that were upon a less then firm foundation.
As I watch the current events of the world unfold, I find myself convinced more each day that there will soon be some extreme storms coming in this world. Now is the time for those who acknowledge the being of Jesus Christ in their life to stand firm in the face of the storm. As a follower of Christ, I take my calling into the priesthood as a duty and an honor. I know that someday soon, I will have to stand before the Great I Am and in no way do I want to be the idiot who couldn’t stand a light breeze and shirked my duty. Regardless of what storms the world has ahead, I will stand my post firmly and resolutely.
The Regimental Commander sent word to the nighttime Sentry Detail to secure the post and seek shelter from the high winds in order to ensure their personal safety. Those soldiers chose to disobey this order. They stood their post in the face of the storm. That evening, the winds from Isabel were strong enough to flip vehicles and turned debris into projectiles. One soldier was quoted as saying, “I’ve got buddies getting shot in Iraq who would kick my butt if word got to them that we let them down. I’m sure as hell have no intention of spending my Army career being known as the idiot who couldn’t stand a little light breeze and shirked his duty.”
1 Peter 2:9 declares that those who follow Christ “are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” I do not take lightly the calling that has been placed upon the followers of Christ that we are indeed a priesthood of believers. In ancient Israel, the temple priests were charged to ensure that the word of God stood as the primary guidepost for the people. The priests were in a sense the standard bearers for all that God asked of His people.
In my short time in this life, I have come to realize that storms are going to occur. I was able to witness first hand the destruction of a storm as I spent several weeks helping to clean up from the aftermath from Hurricane Katrina. I arrived in that area within 72 hours after the storm had run its course and it was very obvious that those things structures built upon a firm foundation were better able to withstand the wind and water then those things that were upon a less then firm foundation.
As I watch the current events of the world unfold, I find myself convinced more each day that there will soon be some extreme storms coming in this world. Now is the time for those who acknowledge the being of Jesus Christ in their life to stand firm in the face of the storm. As a follower of Christ, I take my calling into the priesthood as a duty and an honor. I know that someday soon, I will have to stand before the Great I Am and in no way do I want to be the idiot who couldn’t stand a light breeze and shirked my duty. Regardless of what storms the world has ahead, I will stand my post firmly and resolutely.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
A True Mans' Man
“Since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” Hebrews 12:1
We all need heroes in our lives. We all need to have someone to look to who has come before us and run their race in such a way to mark themselves in such a way that they have grounded themselves in a core set of beliefs. Sadly, many misunderstand the need for a hero in their life and rather practice hero worship which will always disappoint as man is not perfect.
My favorite hero from history is Richard Winters. His exploits were chronicled by Stephen Ambrose in “Band of Brothers” and were later put on film in a mini series of the same name. As I read Ambrose’s tome and the subsequent memoirs that were published by Winters himself, I was amazed at the courage and strength displayed by this man. His actions during WWII can only be described as a man who understood the times and knew what he must do. Winters thrust himself into the situation and became part of the best among the best as he led Easy Company who were part of the Allies march to liberate Europe. To me, Richard Winters epitomizes what it means to be a “Mans’ Man.”
Each generation will have their time and the true men of that generation will need to take their stand by understanding the times in which they live. The greatest example that any generation can take is to understand those who came before them and to build upon the lessons that were learned by the witnesses to times in the past. The “great cloud of witnesses” described in Hebrews were those who faced great strife but were able to muster strength and courage through their faith and create their individual testimony by how they reacted to understanding their time.
As each of us moves forward in our respective walks, never forget those who came before you. Never allow their sacrifice and their courage to go to waste. Build your faith upon that which you have been shown.
We all need heroes in our lives. We all need to have someone to look to who has come before us and run their race in such a way to mark themselves in such a way that they have grounded themselves in a core set of beliefs. Sadly, many misunderstand the need for a hero in their life and rather practice hero worship which will always disappoint as man is not perfect.
My favorite hero from history is Richard Winters. His exploits were chronicled by Stephen Ambrose in “Band of Brothers” and were later put on film in a mini series of the same name. As I read Ambrose’s tome and the subsequent memoirs that were published by Winters himself, I was amazed at the courage and strength displayed by this man. His actions during WWII can only be described as a man who understood the times and knew what he must do. Winters thrust himself into the situation and became part of the best among the best as he led Easy Company who were part of the Allies march to liberate Europe. To me, Richard Winters epitomizes what it means to be a “Mans’ Man.”
Each generation will have their time and the true men of that generation will need to take their stand by understanding the times in which they live. The greatest example that any generation can take is to understand those who came before them and to build upon the lessons that were learned by the witnesses to times in the past. The “great cloud of witnesses” described in Hebrews were those who faced great strife but were able to muster strength and courage through their faith and create their individual testimony by how they reacted to understanding their time.
As each of us moves forward in our respective walks, never forget those who came before you. Never allow their sacrifice and their courage to go to waste. Build your faith upon that which you have been shown.
Monday, February 22, 2010
The Sword
“Put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God.” Ephesians 6:13, 17
In days of old, when a conquering Army would capture an opposing soldier and decided to make that soldier a slave, his thumbs would be removed. The reason for removing a prisoner of war thumbs is that he would never again be able to grasp a sword is such a way that he could use it as a weapon. When this former warrior was no longer able to utilize his training, he had to succumb to what ever desires and whims that his new master would place upon him.
In the book of Ephesians, the Apostle Paul describes the full armor of God. A soldier would only go into battle by placing his full armor allotment upon himself to make him the most effective warrior he could be in the full face of the onslaught of the ensuing battle. Without his armor, the warrior was at a great disadvantage. The greatest weapon a true warrior would utilize was his sword. Those warriors that were the greatest were those who were skilled in the use of their sword. Perhaps one of the most skilled with the sword was Eleazar who was described as one of King David’s Mighty Men. Eleazar “stood his ground and struck down the Phillistines till his hand grew tired and froze to the sword.” (2 Samuel 23:10)
Our enemy that we must take our stand against is Satan. Satan is very crafty and knows that the best and most efficient way to enslave us is to hinder us in our grasp of the word of God. He sends his minions around our culture in their efforts to remove the word of God from all aspects of our society. His minions truly believe that the way of man is what sets us free and they will stop at nothing to push this ideology.
“The word of God is living and active. Sharper then any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12)
As a man of faith, I have decided to take my stand. I will stand for the TRUTH of the word of God. Each day, I take my stand and firmly grasp the Sword of the Spirit.
In days of old, when a conquering Army would capture an opposing soldier and decided to make that soldier a slave, his thumbs would be removed. The reason for removing a prisoner of war thumbs is that he would never again be able to grasp a sword is such a way that he could use it as a weapon. When this former warrior was no longer able to utilize his training, he had to succumb to what ever desires and whims that his new master would place upon him.
In the book of Ephesians, the Apostle Paul describes the full armor of God. A soldier would only go into battle by placing his full armor allotment upon himself to make him the most effective warrior he could be in the full face of the onslaught of the ensuing battle. Without his armor, the warrior was at a great disadvantage. The greatest weapon a true warrior would utilize was his sword. Those warriors that were the greatest were those who were skilled in the use of their sword. Perhaps one of the most skilled with the sword was Eleazar who was described as one of King David’s Mighty Men. Eleazar “stood his ground and struck down the Phillistines till his hand grew tired and froze to the sword.” (2 Samuel 23:10)
Our enemy that we must take our stand against is Satan. Satan is very crafty and knows that the best and most efficient way to enslave us is to hinder us in our grasp of the word of God. He sends his minions around our culture in their efforts to remove the word of God from all aspects of our society. His minions truly believe that the way of man is what sets us free and they will stop at nothing to push this ideology.
“The word of God is living and active. Sharper then any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12)
As a man of faith, I have decided to take my stand. I will stand for the TRUTH of the word of God. Each day, I take my stand and firmly grasp the Sword of the Spirit.
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