To Be a Hero...

Podcast loosely based on this blog entry available here.

All my life, I've dreamed of being a hero. The guy who pulls someone out of a burning building. The sailor who takes his injured shipmates topside while the ship is sinking. The guy who pushes a little old lady out of the path of an oncoming car.

Sadly, none of those opportunities have presented themselves in my nearly 41 years. My brother and a bunch of his buddies went into a burning house and took all the furniture out while the homeowner was away. I know a few people who have performed CPR on people and saved their lives. Once, when we were in very deep (~25 feet) water off Padre Island, my best friend saved my brother when he started sinking with a charley horse. Me, I've just been chugging along wishing I could one day be a hero.

Then, a couple of years ago, a friend of mine (a lady I called 'Mom' 'cuz I spent so much time at her house during my high school years) told me that I was a hero and was indirectly responsible for saving many souls for eternity. It kinda put everything in perspective.

My friend had four sons and a daughter. The two oldest sons were already out with families of their own. The third son was a year older than me and a good friend. Her daughter is a year younger than me, and the youngest son is a few years younger than her.

In 1982, their dad died of a massive heart attack. Curtis (number 3 son) tried to save him with CPR, but the ambulance crew said he was likely too late - even a few seconds afterward. I'd never been in a situation like that before. I attended church, and I knew a church was supposed to reach out to families in need. If anyone was ever in need, it was that dear family of my friends. I invited them to my church. Then, a few years later, I abandoned the church.

Mom joined the church. The two oldest boys are now preachers. Curtis, sadly, died of cancer a few years ago, but was happy to go to the LORD, for he knew that was his destination. The daughter has become very active in her church, even inviting several friends to turn their lives over to Christ.

And all because I grabbed them while they were sinking.

I learned that it doesn't take much effort to be a hero, really. After all, these lives on Earth are short anyway - and whether we are pulled from a hundred burning buildings, we will eventually go to meet God one day. That's when the real test is. Will your friends stay out of the fire or be burned? What about the co-workers who laugh at you about your relationship with Christ?

Can any of us be a hero? Yeah. We can all be. But it takes some courage. You have to open up your mouth and tell what Jesus has done for you. Remember this: What He did for you, He can also do for your friends. Tell 'em about it!

Can't Have Anything Nice...

Having one of those days, I guess.

Today, after pondering over the weekend the wisdom of repairing our washing machine and somewhat seriously considered moving to a mountain retreat where electricity was unheard of so we could legally wash our clothes in a stream, we spent $270 to repair it. That's $270 out of the Christmas fund. That's $270 out of next year's vacation fund (which, likely would have been camping at Garner State Park - if it's still open). That's $270 that we won't have to change the oil in the car - which will lead to more mechanical failures and more money down the road. Man, that mountain stream is looking more and more invitin'!!

On Saturday, out of desparation and a refusal to take our dirty laundry outside the house, we put some of our more 'necessary items' (read: underwear) in the bathtub. Using our kids' feet as agitators, we washed our clothes. When they got tired, we took over. We did two rinse cycles, complete with fabric softener. Then my feet and the hands of my wife and I wrung the water out of the clothes so we could put them in the dryer. It worked. In fact, those clothes are some of the brightest I've seen in a while. I think my wife's gonna kill me for publishing this fact. But we got a taste of that mountain stream...

So today we spent the money to repair the washer. After the first load, I find a spring in the bottom of the washer. I called GE and they said, "We can have someone out there on Thursday." I said no way and found the tech's cell phone on caller ID. Being a technician myself, and knowing the horror of someone actually calling your private line for 'free advice', I made it clear why I was calling.

He laughed and said, "I accidentally dumped my toolbox in the tub of the washer. I thought I got everything out! The part you described is from a dishwasher. It's not part of your washer." I thanked him and promised him this would be the only time I called him on this line.

So, I don't have to wait until Thursday to find out I can use my washer. Probably saved my $70 for the service call, too!

Anyway, I'm rambling. After spending the money, I get an offer to be an election judge for a Municipal Utility District (MUD) election. After hearing that it pays, I heartily accept. Well, just paid for the washer repair! Things are looking up again! I begin to wash clothes. And I wash clothes. And I forgot to turn on the dryer. And I have to wait for that load to dry... Oh yeah! Fix dinner! Get dinner done, keep folding clothes... Wife's gotta get up early in the morning and goes to bed before the kids.

Here's the part that really got my blood boiling, and the reason for the post (and for the title of the post). Getting the kids ready for bed, my youngest goes clear around the edge of the living room and trips over the power cord to my wife's laptop. The laptop that I managed to find enough spare parts to build. The laptop that I've poured a lot of time and energy into. The laptop that she loves 'cuz she hates being tied down to a desktop. It was supposed to be a birthday present in 2005, but took me so long to complete that it was a Mother's Day present (three months later). It's not much, it's an old PentiumII-300MHz with 64MB RAM and a 4GB HDD. I mean, $500 could get a much nicer machine today. There was no network built in, so she'd been forced to use Wi-Fi (Yeah, I did spring for a USB 802.11g and a wireless router). Life's tough, right?

So she trips over the power cord and pulls the laptop on the floor. I was getting her bed ready for the night (her matress pad had been waiting for the laundry to be working). My oldest came in and told me what happened. In her hands were the pieces of the USB 802.11g network adapter. Only one piece is missing: The USB plug. In other words, it's broken. I was irate. I put the girls in bed and went and scrounged the parts. I think it's all there, but I am not a soldering technician. I don't like using solder, and there's a reason for it. Perhaps if I could handle a solder iron, I could fix it.

I can't figure out why we can't have anything. The girls insist on breaking everything we have. Why do they do it? If they're not breaking something, then time breaks it - like the washer. Either way, we're not allowed to have anything nice.

'Course, Jesus did talk about this. And writing about it is therapeutic in a way...Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. - Matthew 6:19-21, NIV

See, my treasures won't be destroyed by moth and rust, rather by my children. They've destroyed keepsakes from my childhood and dishes and gadgets we use every day.

But more importantly, they've destroyed the bond that kept me tied to my job and away from my family. Without them, I would have been a work-a-holic. (My wife's rolling her eyes saying, "Yeah, right!") Am I better off, then, without the stuff? I think so. I've gotten a handle on what's more important in life. Though in the heat of the moment I may fail to recognize it.

Prayer

Heavenly Father. You have dispensed grace upon those of us who did not deserve it. Help us to share that grace with those around us that we feel do not deserve it. Our attachment to material things is not what you have asked. You have asked that we divorce ourselves from these things.

Forgive us for not letting go. Help us to be the role models you want us to be for our children, and for the world. Help us to understand that our piddly 'treasures' won't even hold a candle to what you've promised us!

Help us forgive others when, through ignorance or intent, they destroy what we have. Guide our emotions to your forgiveness. Remind us of how we've grieved you and that you have chosen to discard our actions.

Thank you for cleansing our spirits, Father. Bless those we contact today. Shine your Light through us, so that others may see you in us.

In Christ's Holy Name we pray,
Amen.

Father, Take this Cup from Me

Matthew 26:36-39, NIV

Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, "Sit here while I go over there and pray." He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me."
Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will."

Mark 14:32-36, NIV

They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, "Sit here while I pray." He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled. "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death," he said to them. "Stay here and keep watch."
Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. "Abba, Father," he said, "everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will."

Mark 14:35-36, The Message

Going a little ahead, he fell to the ground and prayed for a way out: "Papa, Father, you can—can't you?—get me out of this. Take this cup away from me. But please, not what I want—what do you want?"

Luke 22:39-44, NIV

Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him. On reaching the place, he said to them, "Pray that you will not fall into temptation." He withdrew about a stone's throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done." An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.

In the Garden of Gethsemane, as these three accounts attest, Jesus asked his father to take away the cup - or, as The Message states, "get me out of this". Let's face it. His task was much more than His physical body could handle. Crucifixion was a horrible way to die, and it took many hours (sometimes days) to accomplish. And He knew what was coming. He knew that He would be crucified - and not for anything He had done. Rather, He would die for what we have done.

Though He knew his assigned fate was a necessary part of Salvation's Plan, He still asked that His Heavenly Father get Him out of this.

Many times, we are also faced with a task which we do not want to complete. This task may be something like visiting a sick person in the hospital or prison. Perhaps it's taking food to a family grieving the loss of a loved one. Or, maybe, we have to do the most horrible of all tasks: share Jesus' love with a lifelong friend who does not know Him. And, we, like Jesus, pray that God will get us out of this. We pray hard about it, just like Jesus, though it's not likely you have sweatdrops like blood.

But let's look at the rest of Jesus' prayer: "But please, not what I want—what do you want?" - Mark 14:36, The Message Did Jesus just try to bale out? No. He said, "Whatever you want me to do, I'll do it." See, Christ didn't just bale out. He acknowledged that this cup was going to be hard to swallow. He also acknowledged that drinking this cup was God's will and part of the Plan.

Perhaps we need to add that to our prayers when faced with an unsavory task. And, add this as well: "Please grant me Your strength and peace to complete this task in Your Holy Name." Asking for His strength in our daily struggles will assure us that we can complete His works. He has promised us this strength.

The Spirit shows what is true and will come and guide you into the full truth. The Spirit doesn't speak on his own. He will tell you only what he has heard from me, and he will let you know what is going to happen. The Spirit will bring glory to me by taking my message and telling it to you. Everything that the Father has is mine. That is why I have said that the Spirit takes my message and tells it to you.

- John 16:13-15, CEV

The Holy Spirit brings the promised strength. Through the Spiritual Gifts promised in scripture, Christ gives us strength to do our job. When we learn to completely trust in Him, we can completely surrender to Him and do the work He wants us to do.

Take this cup from me, but what I want is not important. Help me do what YOU want me to do.

Woman Spends Life-Savings to Lift Curse

Wo. Ya know, it's amazing what some folks believe.

This lady goes to a psychic and pays $75 to light some candles. "When she said she lights candles, it automatically makes me think it's like a spiritual thing ... a good thing ... you're praying for somebody." But it wasn't enough to be ripped off once, she had to go back and be ripped off again. The second time she was told that there was a curse on her family. It wound up costing her $220,000. And there was a threatening letter written in blood demanding $63,000 or Satan would take someone from her family instead of the cash.

That's when the lights came on and the police were called in.

Read the story here.

What do I believe?

Do not turn to mediums or seek out spiritists, for you will be defiled by them. I am the LORD your God. - Leviticus 19:31, NIV
I will set my face against the person who turns to mediums and spiritists to prostitute himself by following them, and I will cut him off from his people. - Leviticus 20:6, NIV
A man or woman who is a medium or spiritist among you must be put to death. You are to stone them; their blood will be on their own heads.- Leviticus 20:27, NIV

"Ah," you say, "but that is Old Testament Law. That no longer applies under Christ!"
Really?

So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.

The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

- Galatians 5:16-21, NIV

There's a New Testament Scripture for ya. Witches call upon demons for their power. So do fortune-tellers.

Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. This girl followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, "These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved." She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so troubled that he turned around and said to the spirit, "In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!" At that moment the spirit left her.

- Acts 16:16-18, NIV

So what's the difference between God's prophets and fortune-tellers?

Her leaders judge for a bribe, her priests teach for a price, and her prophets tell fortunes for money. Yet they lean upon the LORD and say, "Is not the LORD among us? No disaster will come upon us."

- Micah 3:11, NIV

Prophets receive the Word of God and tell the people what God says. They rarely receive the word in plain language, rather in riddles as Numbers 12:6-8 shows:

"When a prophet of the LORD is among you, I reveal myself to him in visions, I speak to him in dreams. But this is not true of my servant Moses; he is faithful in all my house. With him I speak face to face, clearly and not in riddles; he sees the form of the LORD."

So, God speaks to prophets in visions and dreams. And He tells them to write exactly what they were told. Hence the cryptic manner of Isaiah and Ezekiel. And prophets do not charge money. Nor are the LORD's prophets ever wrong.

You may say to yourselves, "How can we know when a message has not been spoken by the LORD ?" If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the LORD does not take place or come true, that is a message the LORD has not spoken. That prophet has spoken presumptuously. Do not be afraid of him.

- Deuteronomy 18:21-22, NIV

My thoughts about this poor lady who lost everything to a false prophet - "I hope you learned a lesson".

But don't believe me. Check out some of these articles:
AlertNet: Secrets of a Telephone Psychic
Slate Magazine: My Life as a Phone Psychic
CourtTVnews: Seeing the future -- or just dollar signs?

I pray that you won't be misled by false spiritists and seers. I also pray that you will see where the 'real' ones get their power - from the Father of Lies, himself! Your soul (your money, too) are way too precious to be wasted on drivel such as this. Spend your money at Dave and Buster's instead! It's my favorite place to waste money!

Should I Stay or Should I Go?

The old Clash song has taken on new meaning. And, it is with fair trepidation that I write this. This may strike a nerve with some readers...

I have been attending two churches for several months. My home church is a wonderful group of people. They introduced me to the Lord. They saw me through many issues, including the loss of my job and the depression that followed. They have helped us financially and spiritually. I have served on ministry teams, and am currently on the Audio/Visual team and the Praise Team. I have made many friends there, and am very happy with MY place in that group.

Yet there have been problems. While I have settled in quite nicely and found my place there, my family has not. My oldest daughter is the only girl in her Sunday School class of seven regulars. Occasionally another girl will visit, but most of the time it's her and 6 rowdy boys. Outside of the Tuesday Morning Ladies Bible Study, there is an annual retreat for ladies. My wife works, so she's only able to attend the retreat. And, they charge money for every dinner or party they have. With our income lately, we simply cannot afford to pay all the time, and who wants to constantly be a charity case? And they don't like pot-luck because they used to have them so often the members got tired of them. Well, I can tell you that's been over five years sincethe last one, 'cuz we've been members there for five years now. When they do have an event, there is nothing for the kids to do. We usually wind up leaving early.

So, I started looking elsewhere on Wednesday nights. I found a nice church, closer to home, with a lot of great programs - some of which I've already become involved. There are more girls in my daughter's class and there are programs for women with jobs. So, a couple of weeks ago, I picked up a New Member Packet.

The following Sunday, one of the leaders at my church remarked that they were trying to find ways to 'grow' the church. I mentioned a few things to him, but didn't get to the meat of the issues until the next Sunday when I mentioned the above problems. He was taken aback. He did not know about these issues, as his kids are grown and gone. We discussed this at length, and I mentioned that my wife would like to join in this conversation as well. I said that we would be available to share our ideas with the elders, the administrative team or anyone who wants to listen.

During the week between the first and second discussion, my wife and I prayed about changing churches and came to the conclusion that it's the same as running away from a problem. That church is our home. The theology is right on, and the people are friendly. We've already carved out a niche there. Why leave? We threw the New Member Packet from the other church in the trash.

How would you deal with problems such as those I've mentioned? Would you church-hop 'til you found the right one? Would you suffer in silence? Or would you choose to voice your opinion? I'll be honest. Had I not been asked (indirect though it was), I would not have said anything. We likely would have begun the transition to another place of worship. Instead, my wife and I would like to work with the church leadership to address these issues. We believe that addressing these issues will help to 'grow' the membership.

Hey, Bering is our home. Leaving there would be like cutting off relations with our own parents.

Response to Amos 9:14-15 comment

I was going to do this in a comment, but I'm a rambler and it won't fit in a comment. :) Sorry, GR!

Regarding my previous post and a comment on it...

Amos 9:14-15 (NIV) -

I will bring back my exiled [g] people Israel; they will rebuild the ruined cities and live in them. They will plant vineyards and drink their wine; they will make gardens and eat their fruit. I will plant Israel in their own land, never again to be uprooted from the land I have given them," says the LORD your God.

Yes, it does seem to contradict my statement. But when I read the entire passage, beginning with verse 11, I think it agrees with my statement. Read Amos 9:11-15 (NIV):

"In that day I will restore David's fallen tent. I will repair its broken places, restore its ruins, and build it as it used to be, so that they may possess the remnant of Edom and all the nations that bear my name," declares the LORD, who will do these things.
"The days are coming," declares the LORD, "when the reaper will be overtaken by the plowman and the planter by the one treading grapes. New wine will drip from the mountains and flow from all the hills.

14 I will bring back my exiled people Israel; they will rebuild the ruined cities and live in them. They will plant vineyards and drink their wine; they will make gardens and eat their fruit. I will plant Israel in their own land, never again to be uprooted from the land I have given them," says the LORD your God.

Amos wrote before the Northern Kingdom was taken by Assyria. He witnessed first-hand the long-term Assyrian plunder. He told the people why this was happening and that they needed to repent. But, he did shine a light of hope, much like Jeremiah and Isaiah who promised that the Kingdom would return. He spoke of the coming LORD and His Kingdom.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary tells it like this:

Christ died to gather together the children of God that were scattered abroad, here said to be those who were called by his name. The Lord saith this, who doeth this, who can do it, who has determined to do it, the power of whose grace is engaged for doing it. Verses #(13 to 15) may refer to the early times of Christianity, but will receive a more glorious fulfilment in the events which all the prophets more or less foretold, and may be understood of the happy state when the fulness both of the Jews and the Gentiles come into the church. Let us continue earnest in prayer for the fulfilment of these prophecies, in the peace, purity, and the beauty of the church. God marvellously preserves his elect amidst the most fearful confusions and miseries. When all seems desperate, he wonderfully revives his church, and blesses her with all spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus. And great shall be the glory of that period, in which not one good thing promised shall remain unfulfilled.

And Edmund Halley's Bible Handbook says this of Amos 9:

Further Prediction of Captivity (1-8). Within 30 years it came to pass, and the apostate kingdom ceased to exist.
The restored Throne of David (8-15). An ever-recurrent prophetic vision of radiant days beyond the gloom. Amos lived near Bethlehem, the city of David. He took it to heart that the Ten Tribes had renounced the Davidic Throne, which God had ordained for his people, and for 200 years had obstinately declined to return to its fold. His last word: In coming days David's Kingdom, which they had despised, will recover, and rule, not over one nation only, but over a World of Nations in Eternal Glory.

The restoration of Israel is, as I said, Christ's Kingdom. It's you and me, brother! It has nothing to do with the current physical city of Jerusalem. It has nothing to do with the mountainous land just west of the Jordan River. It has to do with the people Christ claimed for Himself. Praise God! We will be restored into a land of milk and honey!

Thank you for your comments, GR. I did a lot of reading today.

Morning 'Cokkee'

My three-year-old is hooked on her morning 'cokkee'. Well, the rest of us call it 'coffee', but she's still working through pronunciations. 'Kingles' is sandals. 'Ca' is water. 'Gucky' is either yucky or hungry, depending on the situation (and there are times when we get confused - like the time she peed her panties and was crying that she was 'gucky' and I kept telling her "that was your choice! you should've used the potty!" then found out that she was hungry...)

Anyway, she likes her morning coffee. The coffee has evolved out of the morning drink, but she doesn't know it. It's now warm milk with a touch of Italian syrup and sugar, but she still thinks it's coffee. Soon the sugar and syrup will completely evolve out and she'll be left with warm milk. It's my wife's fault; she got her started on it. I was opposed to giving an energetic child caffeine in the morning. But in all reality, it started out as a splash of coffee (about 1/4 inch deep) in her sippie cup.

So, she is like her mommy and daddy - she likes her morning coffee. Ya know, you just can't start the day without it. I don't know how I managed to get going for 30 years without it. For several of those years I started the day with a beer. Then my wife got me hooked on coffee. Started off sorta like my daughter's cup, 1/4 inch of coffee in a cup filled with sugar and milk. That's still the way my wife drinks it. Now, I brew a different pot for myself. Mine's dark roast. And strong. And I don't add anything to it, except the very rare heavy cream.

I've learned that there is something better with which we can start our days. It's a morning communion with our loving Father in Heaven. I know, I've started many days this way. Those days seem to be peaceful and easy to manage. I really enjoy the days that begin with a prayer. So why don't I start every day with a prayer?

Well, this morning, I woke up at 5:00 to help my wife get ready for work. Then I went back to bed. I told myself that I'd pray when I got up at 7:00. My alarm went off at 7:00 and I hit the snooze button; several times. When I finally got up, it was almost 8:00. I had to get online and check my e-mail, the status of Tropical Storm Beryl (even though it's nowhere near Texas) the news... and get my morning coffee. I neglected to pray.

Other mornings, I wake up and start praying, only to fall back to sleep 'cuz I was too lazy to get out of bed and talk with the awesome One that created me. Still other mornings, I just don't think about it. I allow the enemy to steal my time away from me. And many of those days I suffer the consequences.

A morning devotional and prayer time makes a marked improvement on the day. It's really worth the attempt to continue. Won't you join me in committing to a more active prayer life? I'm not asking you to give me 30 minutes of prayer every morning. If 30 seconds gets you started, do it. Soon you'll find, as I have, that it may take much longer.

And you'll find your days filled with peace, I promise.

Be cheerful no matter what; pray all the time; thank God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live.

Don't suppress the Spirit, and don't stifle those who have a word from the Master. On the other hand, don't be gullible. Check out everything, and keep only what's good. Throw out anything tainted with evil.

May God himself, the God who makes everything holy and whole, make you holy and whole, put you together—spirit, soul, and body—and keep you fit for the coming of our Master, Jesus Christ. The One who called you is completely dependable. If he said it, he'll do it!

- 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24, The Message

The End of the World... hey - it's right around the corner!

It's the end of the world as we know it.
It's the end of the world as we know it.
It's the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine.

I've heard a lot of people relating the Israel/Hezbollah "police action" in Lebanon to the Gog/Magog war. Is it? Well, I read Ezekiel 38 and it doesn't make a lot of sense to me, even from the Message. Not much of Ezekiel or Isaiah do. But, I do know one thing. When these prophets (and Revelation) talk about Israel, they are not necessarily talking about a geographic nation, but a group of people.

The word Israel means "Prince of God". When the people of Israel were carted off into Assyrian Captivity 740 years before our Lord was born, the nation of Israel ceased to exist. Therefore, the prophets could not be speaking of a geographic nation. When the nation Israel was established by the United Nations in 1948, it was not founded upon the Laws of the Torah, therefore it was not a nation of God and not the Israel spoken of by the Prophets.

So, we are left with a group of people. But which people? Moses said, in Deuteronomy 18:15-19:

The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own brothers. You must listen to him. For this is what you asked of the LORD your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly when you said, "Let us not hear the voice of the LORD our God nor see this great fire anymore, or we will die." The LORD said to me: "What they say is good. I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers; I will put my words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him. If anyone does not listen to my words that the prophet speaks in my name, I myself will call him to account.

That prophet was the LORD, Jesus Christ. Peter affirms this in Acts 3:22-23:

For Moses said, 'The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people; you must listen to everything he tells you. Anyone who does not listen to him will be completely cut off from among his people.'

So, if today's Jews have not accepted Christ, they have been cut off. They cannot be the Israel, the Prince of God of whom the prophets spoke. That leaves only one group of people: Christians.

Now, when we read end-of-the-world prophecies concerning Israel, we see that they are speaking about Jesus Christ's true Church. The people of Christ in all parts of the world. And Satan has declared war on us from day one. From Roman persecutions to modern apathy, we have been at war.

Who is Gog? He is the Father of Lies. He is Satan. He has declared war on God and Christ, and on all of us who call Him King. Where is Magog? All the Earth, as Satan is puppet-master of princes and principalities.

Now, to answer my previous question: Is this recent Israeli action against Hezbollah (and, presumably the entire Arab population) the end of the world? It may seem like it when nukes start flying, but my belief is that God did not specify this particular group of combatants.

Comments appreciated...

Anakin Skywalker - revisited

Perhaps I should call him Anakin Frywalker?

Image courtesy of Entertainment Earth. Click here to see their site!

This is Darth Tator. My wife knows how much I've enjoyed the Star Wars series, particularly Revenge of the Sith. So, she bought me this keyring of Darth Tator. Combine my warped sense o' humor (see my banner above!) with my love for Star Wars, and you get this.

I'm yer po-tater, Cuke! Come to the dark side!

OK, it's lame. But it's all I could think of...

Kinda Pierces your Heart...

Some friends of ours have adopted their grandchildren. The parents (the generation in between) have been declared unfit parents. There are three children involved. Right there, that's enough to make a grown man weep. The curses are three-fold:

• Children taken from their birth parents
• Parents who can't get off drugs long enough to raise their own kids
• Grandparents who should be celebrating and spoiling their grandchildren have become mom and dad.

The oldest of the three is the only one who really had spent any time with his parents. He lived with them until he was three and he's now six. The second and third were taken shortly after birth. The oldest is, predictably, emotionally scarred by this transaction. Today, at a rehearsal for a children's musical at church, the oldest kid started bawling. Not just whimpering, but let it all hang out bawling.

I picked him up and asked, "What's wrong, big guy?"

He said, "I miss my mommy and daddy."

Wow. What can you say to that? I've never been in his shoes. My mom and dad raised me 'til I was 30, and I plan on keeping my kids until they're ready to leave - somewhere around 45. But this... How am I supposed to respond?

I just held him until he quit crying. But there wasn't anything I could say. This kid has some deep problems. His grandparents are getting him to counseling, and they say it's helping. I just let him know that I loved him and he is loved by everyone in this church.

This was more than I was ready for today. With the Lord's grace, I think things went okay. He was able to finish his work on the musical, and when his grandmother came to pick him up (great-grandma in tow!), he was happy with life.

Jesus tells us "Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me." (Mark 9:37, NIV)

What I did today did not come from scripture, but from the Holy Spirit. I saw a little one crying, and all I wanted to do was hold him. Prior to this day, I've not wanted to hold any kids buy my own. Today, I wanted to hold him and make his tears stop. I really felt like finding his dad so I could show him the tears. "Get your life together, man. Show this child of yours that you love him! He is yours and all you can do is bring pain into his life."

But, I won't do it. If I ever do meet his dad, I'll likely just say "Hi," and mutter something unintelligible.

Pray for all the abandoned children. Love them. They are the innocents of this world. And when they act up, they need to be disciplined in love. Welcome them into your life, and you have welcomed Christ into your life.

A Church in Mourning

Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality.
Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.

- Romans 12:9-16, NIV

In the wee hours of the morning on Saturday, July 8, 16-year-old Ashton Glover was declared missing from her home in Sugar Land, Texas. An active member of the First Colony Church of Christ Youth Group, she was well-known and loved within the community and her church. Texas EquuSearch, a mounted search and recovery team, began searching on Monday, July 10. That afternoon, her body was found - five miles from where she had last been seen. She had died from blunt-force trauma to her head.

Sugar Land is a small community just southwest of Houston. According to the city's website, Sugar Land is the eighth best place in the USA to raise a family, and among the top 50 places to live in the US. Nearly 75,000 people call Sugar Land home. Sugar Land is also home to the largest Church of Christ in the Houston area, First Colony Church of Christ - where Ashton was a member.

Sugar Land, even with it's close proximity to Houston, is a relatively quiet place to live. As residents said this week, murders are something you just don't hear about in Sugar Land. How could something like this have happened here?

I've been attending First Colony on Wednesdays, and have been feeling a part of the family. Though I did not know Ms. Glover personally, tonight I felt a strong sense of loss. The service was going as normal, with little indication of the heavy hearts many people felt. But roughly 30 minutes into the service, in came a throng of people - Ashton's family and friends - with news that two suspects had been caught trying to cross the border into Canada just minutes before. Then they burst into tears.

Pastor Ronnie Norman ended his lesson - less than a minute into a biography of Mother Teresa - and asked that we abide by Romans 12:15 - mourn with those who mourn. Emotion flooded throughout the church as even those of us who were strangers to the family began to weep.

I pray that Ashton's family can find peace in this ordeal. I pray that those involved will find refuge in Jesus Christ. I pray that we can all be available to mourn when our brothers and sisters in Christ are in pain, as I saw demonstrated tonight in awesome power.

Whose Turn?

In the continuing chess game that is my life, God and I take turns moving. If I move out of turn, I am penalized (example: I'm pretty sure I bought my house when it wasn't my turn, and now it's the biggest heartbreak I know). So, every now and again, I come to a point where I have to ask "Whose turn is it?"

Funny thing is, He and I are on the same side. We are not opponents.

God is very gracious, and will often let me make mistakes without penalty. Many times, He will even fix my mistakes for me or tell me how to do it. Then, there are times that I like to call the 400 years of silence. I'm in one of those right now. Granted, it hasn't been 400 years since God last spoke, but it sure feels like it.

So, here I am. I'm writing a blog (well, two are mine and one I share), and I'm beginning a 'spoken word' ministry that may eventually go beyond my webpage. What's next? I can't support my family with the income I'm receiving from my blog or my ministry, not that I ever expected to. But there's got to be something more.

I've lost track of who made the last move. Was it me, or was it God? If it was Him, I now have to open a door. My wife tells me it's not my turn, because I don't know which piece to move.

I ask for your prayers as I continue to move pieces with God. Pray that I may find the right move. Pray that whatever I wind up doing, I do it for His glory. And, pray that whatever I wind up doing, it relieves my wife of some of the burden she's currently enduring.

Thank you.

The Name of God

What is the Name of God? He told Moses (and Jesus later used this name) that His name is "I Am". Throughout scripture, we see Him called YHWH - a name that the ancient faithful dared not even write down, much less speak! But what is His Name?

We know Him as God. He is the One True God. He is the King of Kings, Lord of Lords. But didn't ancient names have a meaning beyond "mommy and daddy thought this name sounded neat"?

One of the names mentioned in scripture has always stuck with me. "God is Love." That's a name with meaning. If your name is love, isn't there something implied about your character? If you are love, then what else must be true abou you?

Let's compare that with what we already know about God. He's infinite, eternal. He covers everything because the entire universe, with its millions of stars and planets, isn't big enough to hold Him. He's omniscient - He sees and knows everything. He created everything.

Add to these attributes the ingredient love. Now you have infinite love - a love without limits. A Father who will do anything to keep His children with Him, even sacrifice Himself. A Father who, though rejected regularly, is still waiting for Hs children to come to Him.

Eternal love never ends. It is that simple. Your Heavenly Father loved you before you were born, He loves you now (even with all your sin) and he will love you for all eternity - even after the very end of time itself. God is always going to be there for you, even when it seems like the whole world is out to get you.

God's love covers everything. Everything! There is not a spot in all of creation that cannot feel or experience God's love. He made everything. He touches everything. His love permeates the deepest dungeon with the same intensity as on the mountaintop. You cannot escape it, though you may, at times, want to.

He loves you, even though He sees your heart and deeds. He loves you, even though He knows you. Can you say the same of your friends? Your family? Your spouse?

Let's be honest. None of us is as goody-goody as our family would like, let alone our Heavenly Father. Yet "He loved us while we were still sinners."

Romans 5:8

Finally, His love for us is a simple, unconditional love that a Father has for His children, and the love an Artist has for His work. We are His children, and we are His handiwork. His love for us is above and beyond all that could possilbly try and come between us.

Have you felt the love of the Father? Have you felt the peace that only the Lord can provide? He's waiting to give it to you. All you have to do is ask with a truly repentant heart. He gave you life. Give it back to Him and He will fill it with joy.

Do you have any questions? Let me know.

The Mountain of God

Thought that I was all alone
Broken and afraid
But You were there with me
Yes, You were there with me

And I didn't even know
That I had lost my way
But You were there with me
Yes, You were there with me

'Til You opened up my eyes
I never knew
That I couldn't ever make it
Without You

Even though the journey's long
And I know the road is hard
Well, the One who's gone before me
He will help me carry on
After all that I've been through
Now I realize the truth
That I must go through the valley
To stand upon the mountain of God

As I travel on the road
That You have lead me down
You are here with me
Yes, You are here with me
I have need for nothing more
Oh, now that I have found
That You are here with me
Yes, You are here with me

I confess from time to time
I lose my way
But You are always there
To bring me back again

Sometimes I think of where it is I've come from
And the things I've left behind
But of all I've had, what I possessed
Nothing can quite compare
With what's in front of me
With what's in front of me

- The Mountain of God by Third Day

A friend of mine once asked "How do you get out of the valley?" It sparked a memory of when I lived in a valley - literally.

From 1976 until 1978, I lived in Pahrump Valley in Southern Nevada. Among Pahrump's claims to fame are: cotton, amazing wines, Art Bell, and it was the first place blown up in the movie "Mars Attacks!" Summers in Southern Nevada are hot. Though the temperature regularly tops 100°F, it's still more comfortable than the routine 90° with 95% humidity here in my new home. And, when the temperatures are high in early summer, you can drive up to the top of Mt. Charleston and, occasionally, cool down in snow. This is Mt. Charleston viewed from Pahrump.



During the summer months, when you are struggling with the heat, you take a break and go play in the snow. Now, this is not as easy as it seems. That mountain is quite a distance from you. It's 11,918 ft tall, and your elevation is about 2,800 feet. So, you have to climb 9,000 feet to get to the top of the mountain. Load up the 4x4 with food, make sure your spare (or two) is good, and pack a lunch. You're gonna be there for a while.

It takes a couple of hours to drive up the mountain. There are no roads. When you get there, you've got to spend some time in the snow. Then a couple hours to drive back. And you don't want to drive where there are no roads after dark. And night comes early in the valley.

Yeah, it's kinda like the Mountain of God. Your valley is where you live. You struggle and struggle to maintain some sort of sanity as life throws all kinds of curve balls at you. But, you look up on God's mountain, and there's snow. So, you prepare (study the Word), and get yourself ready for the journey. You pledge yourself to be God's worker in this world. You promise that you will head up that mountain whatever it takes. In my case, I lost my job. That was part of getting ready.

When you're prepared, you start climbing up that mountain. There's a lofty (literally!) goal ahead of you. You want to touch the face of God. And, one day, you will make it to the summit. It's going to be hard. Getting up that mountain is not easy. But when you meet God, it will all make sense.

I pray for each of you, as I do for my friend, that the journey up God's Mountain will be as painless as possible. I pray for peace as you struggle. Please pray for me, as well. The journey is difficult, but I know I'll see every one of you in the end.

My Thoughts about Ken Lay & Enron

I live in Yewsten, Texas. In 2001, I worked for a large oilfield-support company. I had been in downtown Yewsten for a while with a desk by a window on the 26th floor. Outside my window, I watched a parking lot be transformed into the Enron II Building. It took six months to dig the hole, then they added a floor a week until I was transferred and couldn't watch construction any more. :(

After 9/11 came the Yewsten IT crunch. Maybe it was a nation-wide IT crunch. Either way, I was out of a job. And none were forthcoming. Here in Yewsten, all fingers pointed to Enron. I don't know how Enron could have affected my job with an unrelated company, except for the fact that so many experienced people were dumped on the job market at one time. Those in charge of Enron began to be villified for what they'd done.

Now, I'll be honest. I'd never met Ken Lay or Jeffrey Skilling or any of the others who took the heat for their role in the fall of Enron. But Prison Ministry has given me a new outlook on people. Prisons are full of hard-core, violent people as well as a lot of good people who made a mistake. In fact, my experience in prison, both as an inmate and a minister, shows that the latter are a vast majority over the former.

I believe that those who were responsible for Enron's failure fall into the latter category. Let's start by looking at all the good they did.

• Enron Field - The Astros were looking for a new home. They needed investors to build a new stadium, and Enron topped the list. They bought the naming rights to the stadium, but lost the rights after they couldn't pay any more. It is now called Minute Maid Park (Minute Maid headquarters are right here in Yewsten).
• Ken Lay YMCA - Ken Lay donated much of the money needed to build a YMCA branch in Katy, Texas. I've been there. It's one of the nicer YMCA facilities in the Yewsten area. After his conviction, the YMCA began considering a name change. They don't want a convict associated with a Christian organization.
• The Ken Lay Foundation - donated $2.5 million in 2000 to various organizations.
• Kenneth L. Lay Chair in Economics - At his alma mater, University of Missouri - Columbia.

Kenneth Lay was, for the most part, a good man. Like so many in prison, he made a serious mistake. A mistake that was serious enough to forfeit the rest of his life. And in true American fashion, all the good he did was completely forgotten.

Now that he's gone, we need to let bygones be bygones. The appeal of his conviction will never happen. Wherever he is, he can't take it with him. I pray that his family finds peace; that society leave them alone. We cannot undo the past. As Christians, we are called to forgive and love.

Many have told me that the reason I lost my job was because of this man. I don't care. I look at what he did in the first 59 years of his life, and see a great deal of good.

The Devil and Anakin Skywalker

SPOILER WARNING!

if you have not seen the Star Wars series, and you wish to do so, stop reading now!

Click here for PodCast.

This weekend, we rented the first three Star Wars DVDs. My daughter likes Jar Jar Binks. Well, I think he was put there to keep the kids happy as Mom and Dad watched a good movie.

When Star Wars first came out, I was a Han Solo fan. Yeah, Luke was the hero, but I liked Solo. Yeah, Darth Vader was cool, but I liked Solo. All that changed when I grew up and George Lucas offered us the 'prequels'. I watched 'cuz I wanted to see how Darth Vader got in the suit. What I got was a life lesson that continues to haunt me.

Anakin Skywalker was a good kid. Born of a virgin (part of the story I have issues with, but I'll overlook that for this discussion), Anakin was stronger in the Force than any living Jedi. We would say he was more spiritual than anyone. But, as I have found, spirituality does not mean you are a good person. Anakin, as a boy, was good. "He gives to others without thought of reward."

When he began to be recognized for his abilities, however, he began to feel pride. The pride led to jealousy since he wasn't recognized as highly as he thought he should be. The one person that did recognize him was someone who just wanted to use him. A guy named Palpatine, a 'Sith' lord, was Lucas' version of Satan.

But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.

- 2 Peter 2:1-3

Just as Satan rejected God in his search for power, Palpatine rejected good in his search for power. Satan pulls his most effective workers from the pews. Palpatine plucked his recruits from the ranks of the good Jedi Knights - the galactic defense squad. Satan twists truth and logic to make evil appear good. Palpatine did the same.

Anakin Skywalker, obsessed with his forbidden love, believed that she would die if he didn't take steps to prevent it. Enter Chancellor Palpatine. With a lie, he begins to plant the seed that would undo Anakin's goodness. "You can save her life, if you bow down to me." With that, Anakin rejects his vow to the Jedi and becomes evil. He becomes Darth Vader.

How he gets in the suit is now immaterial.

Anakin rejected the Jedi in much the same way many of us reject God. We are trying to find our own way to fix things that are best left in God's hands. Yoda tells Anakin, "Death is a part of life." We must believe that what God is doing needs to be done. We must believe that God is guiding us into His path. And, we must allow it to happen.

Oh, and don't forget that Anakin repented at the end of the series (which came out before the beginning...). He knew he couldn't kill his own son, even though the devil told him to do it. So, he destroyed the evil that had twisted his mind.

Have you rejected the Lord in favor of doing it your way? It's not too late to ask for His forgiveness, and that's all you have to do is ask.

If you'd like to talk about it, let me know.

Here's Lena's Pan