Spilt Milk

I’m awake and alive? Sometimes my soul falls off its rails and falls through the cracks. It seems to have slept and woke up in tingles—picks and needles. It’s half numb, but becoming more alive. 

Have I played a Rip Van Winkle?

Still foggy, but more awake, I see the children’s childhoods have all but gone. Now they are now young adults, bright, sharp, and ready to tackle the world ahead. Most important, they are in the faith that has kept them and me. In that, there is no greater joy! Even through a decade of haze, my Lord kept my children, His children. Perhaps my comatose state could have been avoided? I think not, the injury was too severe; but, could I have managed it better? Perhaps?  Spilt milk and Humpty Dumpty’s lays shattered on a wet floor. Rather than picking up the pieces, I ended up back on the Potters wheel, once again being shaped and molded. I feel the pressure of His hand and feel the filter of His word as He washes and shapes me. The worlds mold didn't fit, so to it I will not conform. David sang this: “He picked me up out of the miry clay.” Yes, believers fall in the pit too, but Solomon wrote it well:

^“15 Do not lurk like a thief near the house of the righteous,
    do not plunder their dwelling place;
¹⁶ for though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again,
    but the wicked stumble when calamity strikes.”

Proverbs 24:15-16 NIV

Through Christ we are made righteous, and we do rise again. Jesus started the work in us and He will finish it! 

The Common Experience

 Social overload! Well maybe that's a little exaggerated, but I’m not used to reading and writing on comments and such. But, overall community is a good thing. Through our communal experiences we interconnect. Sometimes it’s with old friends and family. Sometimes it’s with strangers on the other side of the globe. It’s been strange lately; I've found myself scrolling through a myriad of blogs. They are from all around the world. What’s interesting? Most of the pages are usually the same, from countries around the blogosphere. People write about what they are into. Whether it is academics, family, hobbies, politics, religion, or tech stuff from just about any country, they are all the same. Our human family has the same interest all around our globe.

No matter what you are into, someone else is too. Solomon put it well over 3000 years ago, “there is nothing new under the sun,” Sure technology changes the way we do life, but at its core people are the same. We love family and friends that love us. We hate what is different and distasteful in our eyes. But underneath all of this in our innermost being, our soul, we have a sense of a leftover remnant gifted to our first parents. That is the breath of God that made us a living souls that will live on forever.

The internet is making our globe small and smaller connecting people from all walks of life in all shapes, colors, and sizes. This “Net” is an equalizer of sorts, everyone has a voice. How we use it is up to us. If we use it for fighting and dissension, our voice is of no value and serves only to divide. If our words do divide us, may they be along lines of absolute truth. But, please dialogue, especially when you disagree.

Like everyone else on the web, I have a hobby horse. Though it is not a hobby, it is a relationship with my best friend, Jesus. I’m sure I've lost some at the mere mention of Jesus. Religion and rules, just seen so restrictive in our day, or do they? If the rules were all there were, I would fail, as would you. But, if the one who breathed life into you wanted to know you, and for you to know Him, wouldn't you want to? Not to mention, the rules are there for our protection and that of our neighbor.

So, I guess you could say is this about me. I want to know Jesus, the creator of heaven and earth and I want you to know Him too. There is good news in Jesus; He came to earth to pay a ransom price on our heads. He came to earth to give us eternal life. Believing He did it, died in our place and confessing your sin (agreeing with God you broke the rules chiseled on your conscience) allow us access into a relationship that finally fulfils. It also brings eternal life and helps us avoid damnation of a hell made for the devil.

Choose Life!

  

The Fool

I’ve decided to become more social. I even broke my privacy and opened up to Facebook—hopefully to share this blog, but connecting with friend and family that I never see would be a good thing. Me, I’m a pretty anti-social person. Not because I don’t like people or enjoy their company, but my nerves are shot. Noise and noisy situations just don’t agree with me. It’s like somebody’s turned up my sensitivity meter way up and I’m in overload. It’s like listening in at church or a concert and the PA system’s feeding back and everything’s out of control. So, I mostly keep a low profile. But, as I read the bible over and over, cover to cover I feel God’s Spirit purifying my mind. He is giving me back my mind. And with it, I realize too much of the time I’ve played the fool. Or have I? Well, at least some of the time.

A fool is well described in Proverbs. A fool is not a person with out knowledge or instruction. The fool knows. He knows what is right, and does wrong. A fool knows there is a God, yet denies His existence—sounds like today’s college professor’s. A fool is one who does the same wrong thing over and over, even though he knows the right way. A fool lay’s a trap for his own soul and walks right in it. A fool is one who is drawn to the immoral woman whose path leads to hell.

Well perhaps I was too quick to judge myself; I’ve just made plenty of bad decisions in life. Perhaps the fool’s role is misunderstood in modern society. Perhaps being a fool is more serious than we think. Perhaps that is why Jesus said if you call somebody a fool, you are in danger of hell fire.

Just maybe Proverbs goes into such detail about this type of person because we are all prone to foolish behavior. We are often just part-time fools.

“Knowledge begins with respect for the Lord, but fools hate wisdom and discipline.

"You fools, how long will you be foolish? How long will you make fun of wisdom and hate knowledge?

Fools will die because they refuse to listen; they will be destroyed because they do not care. He will die because he does not control himself, and he will be held captive by his foolishness.

The wise do what they are told, but a talkative fool will be ruined.

A foolish person enjoys doing wrong, but a person with understanding enjoys doing what is wise.

Fools think they are doing right, but the wise listen to advice.

Fools quickly show that they are upset, but the wise ignore insults.”

These are a few one liners from Proverbs, New Century Version. You can find them is you look. I left out the reference points on purpose. Dig into the word and route out foolish behavior. 

Green Pastures

It would be easier to look in the file of things I’ve written than to write something new at times. But, something fresh is more nourishment for the soul. A couple years ago my church had a video conference on inductive bible study. Inductive bible study is the simplest, most productive way to glean scriptures truth. It uses who, what, where, when, and why as an approach to let scripture speak for itself. Anyway, I’m off on a tangent. During the series one of the speakers points have stuck with me to this day. When a pastor, teacher, writer, or even just a friend conveys God’s word there is dry stale brown old feed or there is rich fresh green pastures. The stale brown feed is feed from God’s word, but it is yesterday’s word. It is the things God did in the past. They are true and enriching and always useful, but it’s stale. The fresh green pastures of God’s word are what He is speaking into your life fresh and new. Sure these words are from 2000 to 4000 plus years old. But, just read the book and see if it doesn’t talk to you. It will.

^“1 The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
²     He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
³     he refreshes my soul.”

Psalm 23:1-3

Green pastures are waiting, refreshment for the soul is waiting. Our God spoke 800,000 plus words in His bestseller. He’s waiting to talk to you, just open the book. The bible comforts, convicts, encourages, and guides me every time I open it. It reminds me where I’m going, how to get there and how to act along the way.

^“12 For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. ¹³ Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” 

Hebrews 4:12-13 NIV

What is God doing in your life today? Yesterday’s gone.

God's Mind

Poke around somebody’s mind and you will find out what makes them tick. You’ll find out what moves them and pleases them. You’ll find out what their will is. I guess that’s the cool thing about God. We don’t have to guess what He wants or expects of us as His children. Perhaps we may still have a problem choosing what to do in life; however, we can know how to Do Life Right. (This is shameless; I actually put in a hyper link to my own stuff). We might not know who to marry, but we know who is excluded in our choice. We might not where to live, but we can know God places people is certain places at certain times, just so they can desire Him (Acts 17). Anyway, I guess the point of this is that we might not know where to go or what to do, but we can know how to act as we go, wherever it may be. We can know what pleases God as to how we treat people, do business, spend money, and even deal with the government. We can know the mind of God, well, for everything. In fact, this present world is scheduled for destruction, but His word will never pass away. I’ll just leave you with a verse to chew on.

 Jesus has the power of God, by which he has given us everything we need to live and to serve God. We have these things because we know him. Jesus called us by his glory and goodness.

2 Peter 1:3 NCV

He has, “given us everything we need to live and serve God.” He is telling us how live by the book. One more thing, if you doubt that the bible gives you all these things, think about John 1. The “Word,” the “Logos.” became flesh and dwelt among us. God lived out His word in Christ. To emulate Jesus, we have to, need to know what to do in any situation. Knowing God’s word will get you there.

Friend Of The Lonely

I've never been comfortable in life, just being me. I am socially inept. I remember in second or third grade, finding myself once again in a new school, knowing absolutely no one. I remember that loneliness because it comes often, and it somber and still. But, while I was awkward in new surroundings, I distinctly remember the presence of the Holy Spirit being my friend, when I had none. Dad joined the Navy when he was about 30. So, he was off at boot camp, and so we moved. Everybody thought He was crazy. But, He just wanted a steady living to provide for His family.

Growing up in a ministry family is difficult at best. Ministers usually are poor and we were. I’m sure if Dad had stuck it out in one place, God would have blessed. I’m sure if Dad would have confessed and forsook his sins, God would have blessed. I’m sure if Dad would have loved His wife as Christ loved the church, God would have blessed. Sorry to say none of these things happened, and my dad ran off with another lady. It took years for him to repent, but He did.  What most Christians don't realize is that there ministers are just like them. They have the same temptations, the same human imperfections, and the same sin nature fighting against their soul as the rest of us. The difference is ministers are reluctant to talk about such things, their job is at stake. And know this, hidden temptation often leads to sin. Accountability in ministry is rare, but needed. Jesus living with 12 men gave Him instant accountability. Do you think the disciples would have died for a hypocrite? I’m trying to get past my own hypocrisy and grow in grace. In doing so Christ is the ultimate example, men always are flawed.

Our Lord laid out an example of total self-less-ness( spell check says this is wrong, but it’s what I'm trying to say). I've met good and bad ministers. I've yet to meet one like Christ. But, an imperfect man called of God to do a job that is humanly impossible is quite the task. Only through Christ’s Spirit is spiritual work of any kind done.

But the spiritual work done is first done in the individual. The work can start with a lonely child on a friendless playground (think of David being a shepherd in the middle of nowhere) . In my lonely moments, it’s most often when the Spirit ministers to me. Proverbs says,

“One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin,
    but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.”

Proverbs 18:24 NIV

Love Never Fails

Lord let me be willing to let You change me. Left to my own devices, I would destroy myself, but Your plans for Your children are greater than that. You tell me in Jeremiah,

“ For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Jeremiah 29:11 NIV

Are most of Your children are stubborn and stiff-necked like me? Israel time and time again departed from Your truth and paid a heavy price over and over. Why do we take so long to learn what is plainly declared in Your word? You’d think the Church would figure out obedience is the key; love for Jesus is obedience. Love for Jesus loves one another.

" If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love.  I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.  My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you."  John 15:10-12 NIV

Help us to love one another. Help us to be submissive to one another and especially to You and Your word. Father, help me walk in obedience. Help me lead as a father.

A sign the other day in town said this, “Parents are a child’s guide book to life.”

Father, I want my children to see a broken man that loves Jesus and fights to obey and love Him whole-heartedly. Father let me leave nothing in reserve away from You. Open and clean out my hidden dark corners. Blow the cobwebs out of the attic of my mind. Turn every table, look into every crevasse, and search my soul for things that displease You.

Father, forgive my selfish sins. Father, forgive my hidden sins. Father, help me to hate evil and love Your goodness. Hold me and keep me to the end. Teach me what is wise. Give me Your heart, Your love, and help me endure to the end. Help me to fight the good fight; help me to finish well and strong.

Father, Your glory shines through Your Son, Jesus! To Him who finished well and strong, Jesus, we give the glory to You!  

Amen