Year In Review: My Top 4 Posts

Okay, I'm a little different. While most people who blog are posting their "Top 5" or even "Top 10" posts for the year I decided to scale back to my "Top 4". It was a very scientific process to choose my top 3 posts. I first had to open my Chrome browser and then choose "2012" from my blog list. It did get more difficult as I then had to read each post that I had written through the year. Yes, I realize that I was a slacker through the year and didn't have that many to choose from, but it was quickly evident that I had my 4 chosen. How? Uhm, I just liked them. Nothing more than that, no hit counts, no popularity search criteria; just my preference on the posts.

So here they are in reverse order, as to build a little suspense:

#4) God's Amazing Grace  - Written on my birthday of this year. I go back through my life and point out the grace of God throughout my life.

#3) Altar-ed Call - After seeing The Rhett Walker Band in concert I had to endure a very extended altar call before being able to purchase a T-Shirt.

#2) A Damaged Testimony - Just some reflections on how a lot of people perceive what a "testimony" is.

#1) The Scope Of your Influence - Yes, I am a huge Duck Dynasty fan. I love that show. The Robertson family uses the platform that God blessed them with to share the Gospel. I just was trying to point out that everyone has a distinct platform as well, or scope of influence, that no one else has and God can and does use that to reach others. Just because we are not millionaires doesn't mean that God can't use you to reach others. Actually that is His most common method, using His body. Plus I linked to clips of Phil and Jase sharing the Gospel before they were famous from their TV show.

Hopefully in 2013 I will be doing a little more writing. Pray for me to be able to do that. Although I am not a "real" writer, I do like to share what God puts in my life and on my heart through my every day circumstances. Hopefully I will be able to share how God is working in the midst of a great trial my family is embroiled in now, but can't at this time due to court proceedings. God has been gracious to me and my family. He continues to extend His yoke and allow us to put our burdens upon Him as He fights for us. He is our Rock and Shelter, He has promised nothing but good to us, even in the face of adversity we know that He is firmly in control and that no attack of the enemy has a chance against His will. We pray for those that seem to be our enemy, even though they do lash out and try to cause pain we still desire peace and to show God's glory through everything. We are not perfect and we have and sometimes still do react out of the flesh, but God still uses that to show us how much we desperately need Him in all aspects of our life - the valleys and the mountain tops. To God Be The Glory! Great Things He Has Done!

CCM Radio Observations From The Peanut Gallery

Admittedly, I do not listen to a whole lot of CCM radio. I've outlined the “why” in several blogs before (Here, Here, Here, Here, Here, Here and Here). The main reason is that Philips, Craig and Dean are prominently played and promoted and PC&D being heretics I cannot support that. A second, and close, reason is that the DJs are really “squishy” with what they say. Well, “squishy” is putting it mildly, they are sometimes heretical, and so I don’t listen. If CCM radio, in general, were to do away with the DJs and cut out the heretical songs and artists, then I might listen more often.

This past week was different in my listening of the radio. I basically worked alone in the office, so I pulled out my trusty boombox and turned on KLOVE. I did have to turn it down a few times, but being in and out of the office all day the turning down of the volume knob was few and far between. I was pleasantly surprised….. Except for one issue that has been being pushed this whole week; the 30 day music challenge.

On the surface we all say, “Yes, listen to Christian music exclusively and you’ll ‘feel’ better. You will ‘be happier’. You will ‘smile more’. You will ……..”. And therein also lies the issues, the music is being pushed as a cure to whatever ails you, wherever you have shortcomings in your life will miraculously be cured. Poof. That also opens up the true issue, pointing to music to change one’s life instead of pointing to Christ. Why can’t these DJs and stations (not only KLOVE – AFR does some of the same things) give a clear representation of the Gospel each hour instead of pushing their agenda to get people to listen to their station more? Why can’t a “Christian” station not promote Christ instead of what could very well be some great side benefits of an actual relationship with Him?

You see similar issues through the year, most notably during their pledge drives. This is where they set aside a few weeks a year to guilt their listeners into donating money. What happened to God supplying the means in His ministries? Instead of “God has supplied” it has turned into “our listeners make this happen”. This is a firm, yet subtle, insistence that “we” humans make things happen and we are to be praised for it. Wrong. Hudson Taylor put it greatly when he said, “God’s work done in God’s time will never lack God’s supply”. Taylor’s words should ring true to all Christians that instead of a focus on funding and all of the “what can I do” thoughts, we should place our focus on God and let Him bring in the support. That would take a huge burden off of all those involved, that is if you actually believe God will support His ministries. It probably wouldn't be a stretch to say there are a lot of “ministries” out there, radio stations, shelters, food banks and even churches that a long time ago took God out of the equation and He has decided to stay out. What is sad is that these ministries keep on chuggin’ along, trying to make ends meet, doing a lot of “good” but doing it in their own power, which doesn't glorify God and may actually be sin.

It would be really good if KLOVE were to say, “Listening to CCM music may make you 'feel' better, but the only One that can change you is Jesus Christ”, then go into a full Gospel presentation. That is something that is noticeably absent from “Christian Radio” - the Gospel. When all that a ministry is is to share the Gospel, not relaying the Gospel really shows a lot. Of course “Jesus” is mentioned from time to time, but for the most part it is a lot of “Do, do, do” and works, like M.A.D. Monday (Make a difference Monday). M.A.D. Monday is the idea of just being “good” makes a difference in someone's life AND you don't have to say anything about Christ in the process. Sure, paying for my lunch in the drive-thru may make a $5 difference in my checking account, but how is that impacting the Kingdom? How is doing something for “goodness sake” letting someone know about Christ? This kind of thinking goes along with the quote from St. Francis of Assisi, “ Preach the gospel and use words if necessary”. It sounds good , but it is detrimental to the Kingdom. (See this article)

I really want to like CCM radio, I really do, but I just can't in its present state. I can't like the fact that know heretics are promoted, I can't like the fact that works seem to be a major focus, I can't like that funding is shilled like carnival barker coaxing patrons in with promises unfounded. Why oh why can't the focus be on Christ? Why can't the pledge drives talk about how great Christ is and therefore how great an honor it is to join in His work, instead of telling people how dependent the station is on them? Why can't listeners be encouraged to share the Gospel, with words and in tangible ways that will make a positive impact on the Kingdom? I guess my listening to CCM radio will continue as normal, sporadic, with glimpses of hope that one day they will realize their focus is blurred. Until then, I will continue listening to my music via my phone's MP3 player 99% of the time, all the time having hope that God will one day be the focus of radio stations that claim to follow Him.  

To The Breaking Point

I've seen it firsthand. Actually I am seeing it more readily now. The bending of morality to the point of breaking. Once a person's morals are weakened then it makes it easier for them to bend and break in other areas. So, what is the reason for this? Let's explore it together.

Any number of "bendings" may start the slide down the slippery slope, which is then followed by any other "bending". All are rooted in either personal gratification or an skewed view of humanity and the Aleister Crowley view of "Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law". In other words, "If it feels good to you then no one else can say anything about it". You may also have heard this, seemingly harmless, put as "Live and let live". It does sound quite cushy and respective of others, but it can and is very damaging. Of course, this way of thinking is built around the post-modern thinks of "all truths are valid", which is self-contradictory and refutes itself in those 4 words.

Truth is a "static" thing; it doesn't move, it doesn't waver and it is fixed. Nothing can change a truth, nothing can prove a truth incorrect or invalid. Some people today would have you believe that "truth" is whatever you perceive as reality. This could go as far as saying 2+2=5 can be correct to you. Of course, anyone with a 1st grade education knows that 2+2=4 and that there is no wavering and no other correct answer. In that same vein, we know that reproduction of life is by one male and one female, that is a law of nature. Some would have you believe that it is perfectly "natural" for those of the same sex to have "relations" and to have the same relationship that heterosexuals do. In scripture it is called sin and an abomination to God, since He created man and woman to be one, not a perversion for sexual desires between same sex people. But some, even some that call themselves Christians, would say that the Word of God is incorrect, even try to make a mockery of God's Word by pulling in archaic verses out of context while saying, "If you think being gay is a sin, then so is eating shrimp or cutting your hair". Of course this is proof that this person doesn't know the Word of God and that they hold human desires above scripture. This is a very dangerous place to be for a person. It would be better if that person would just deny being a Christian, as their portrayal of being a follower of Jesus is actually blasphemous when they try to speak contrary to the Word of God.

So, the perception that lying is normal is one of the things that some people bend on. Others may be drunkenness, drugs, theft, hatred, gambling, sex outside of marriage, speeding, slothfulness, abortion and any number of other things that go against the Truths of God. Once you have bent and broken one, it is not hard to bend and break another, then another, then another and then end up in the mind state of "Live and let live. To each his own. Who am I to say something is wrong?" That is exactly why we, as the human race, need a solid foundation in which to put our trust - Jesus Christ.

God is unchanging (Malachi 3:6, James 1:17, Hebrews 13:8), very unlike our human existence. Look at the rise and fall of societies, look at the short life of the U.S.A. for example. See how morality has declined in just the past 40 years. This may be due to the lack of reverence for God or the lack of reverence may just be an evidence of the human quest for independence from God, the view that "we" are god and "we" choose our path. Thing is that "path" is a path to destruction without God. Wavering on just one single fact that is plainly laid out in scripture will always lead to other errors. Laying aside known Truth will always end in destruction, which is where our country and our world is headed.

In 1973 Roe V Wade set the path for infanticide, which  has now led to a President and government that wants to force Christians to pay for this murdering of babies. This one court case, set into motion a series of events, a decline over 40 years that has culminated in 1.5 million baby murders per year, in the U.S.A alone. Our government not only allows these murders, but they promote and provide these murders.  Show me in scripture where killing babies is a "good thing". Show me where telling a lie is acceptable or there is room given to make excuses for telling a lie to try and change the outcome of something. Where in the Bible does it say that "all truths are valid"? None of that is in there and Scripture condemns all of that. So we can only conclude that anyone who promotes the things that God condemns cannot be a Christian at all, they are trying to make a mockery of God and His Word.

The breaking point is always within our reach. This is why we must always rely on and go to God's Word for EVERYTHING. While it may not lay out, in detail, the particular issues you may be facing, the principles are there. Do not try to bend God's Word to fit your stinkin' thinkin'. Turn your heart to the Word and allow your mind to be transformed by the Word

Romans 12:2

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

The Gifts To The Messiah

Over the past 3 weeks I did a short study with my Sunday School class on the 3 gifts listed that were brought by the Magi (Wise Men) to Jesus in Bethlehem. Admittedly I had thought, "Gold? Yes, I can see that. Frankincense? Uhm....... whatever. Myrrh? What is myrrh anyway?

In our culture we lose what these last two gifts actually are. To the audience that the Gospels were originally written there would have been no denying what these other two, seemingly lesser to us, gifts actually were.

I just wanted to briefly highlight the significance of each of these gifts. This is in no way exhaustive, but I would encourage you to do a deeper study to open the deeper meanings within these three "gifts".

Gold, as we know in our culture, is very valuable. I have seen, in my lifetime, gold increase in value from $39/ ounce to nearly $2,000/ ounce in 2011. That is a large range, but it shows how much value we place on material things. Of course, even in the days of Christ gold had great value, probably more than today as it was much harder to come by. Today we have heavy excavating equipment removing tons of dirt to filter out mere ounces of gold. There are even reality shows, such as Gold Rush, that chronicle the elusive search for the riches contained in the Earth. Just watch an episode or two of this series and you will see just how difficult it is to mine gold. It is not easy. So, I look at how valuable and scarce gold must have been 2,000 years ago and understand that you couldn't walk to your corner Zales and purchase a gold ring or necklace.


Gold in the days of Christ was, for the most part, owned by the elite, wealthy and royalty. So, the gift of gold was to signify that Jesus was royalty, the King of kings and Lord of lords (1 Timothy 6:15; Revelation 17:14; Revelation 19:16). 

Frankincense is one that we lose out on, because it has no perceived "value" in our society. We think, "Oh great, they brought Jesus incense." But when you realize what frankincense was to the audience of Matthew 2:11 it begins to open up a bit and reveal much more.
Frankincense was used in temple ceremonies as part of the worship to God. This was prevalent in the Old Testament, but was also mentioned in the New Testament, Jesus' time, as well. Our understanding of O.T. worship ceremonies is not really good, but the N.T. also uses this same type of worship ceremony (Matthew 2:11). We also know that the name frankincense in the Hebrew language meant "white", which we can also assume stood for purity. Putting all that together allows us to see that the gift of frankincense was an act of worship to Jesus the Messiah.

The last gift on the list was myrrh. This one was always a mystery to me. Even the name sounds odd and the spelling is quite odd in our English spelling. Myrrh is mentioned 16 times in the KJV version of the bible and as many as 19 in other versions (ESV). We know the myrrh was a spice and that it's most common use was as a perfume. Also, it was used during the burial rituals after the bodies were wrapped, the myrrh was applied. This was more than likely done to help mask the odors that would emanate from the body as it decomposed in the tombs. We also know that it was a very valuable commodity in the days the bible was being written.
If you read Matthew 26:6-13 you see the story of a lady that did something that some of the disciples got a little upset about. This lady, in the house of Simon the leper, came to Jesus and poured, what is believed to be, myrrh on the head of Jesus. They began to rebuke this lady for "wasting" the oil that she had poured upon Jesus' head and that it should have instead been sold and the money given to the poor. Jesus stopped their rebuke and said; "“Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a good work for Me. For you have the poor with you always, but Me you do not have always. For in pouring this fragrant oil on My body, she did it for My burial. Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.”

We can then start to see that the gift of myrrh was to signify that Jesus would die, that He would be our Sacrifice. The myrrh was somewhat of a prophetic gift to the babe in Bethlehem. The obscure view that we have in the 21st Century would have meant very much to the readers of Matthew 2:11. Our view in this, as a side note to the gifts, means we must always look at the context of whom the bible was written. We cannot try to force into scripture our 21st Century lifestyles and instead should first look at the original audience and their understanding.
So, we now see a whole different and wonderful meaning to the gifts of the Magi. Instead of just simply being gold and a couple other expensive things we can see that each gift pointed to something wonderful about Jesus Christ, the Messiah. He was royalty, He was being worshiped and He was our sacrifice. No longer will I look upon the gifts as I have my entire life, I will see their beauty in proclaiming to the world that "God is with us!"

(As a side note: nowhere in scripture are there "3 wise men" listed. This is an assumption made because there were 3 gifts listed. The gifts would also be used by Mary and Joseph as they fled to Egypt to finance their journey and life in Egypt.)

Allowing The Body To Be The Body

Do you put a blindfold over your eyes when driving down the road? Do you tie your hands behind your back when having dinner? Do you bind your feet when going swimming? I didn't think so. Then why can't we allow the Body of Christ to work as God designed it to?

So many times we (and by "we" I mean "me") want to handicap the Body. I make excuses and have false reasonings  but what it comes down to is sin. God has been gracious to us, His children, to place us into the universal Body of Christ, but it actually goes further than that. He has placed us within local bodies, that must be given the opportunity to function.

I am learning this through a trial that is in my life at this moment. I have no control over anything, which is scary for me. I am a "fixer", I like to know what's going on and I try to figure out all the tangents that my puny mind can think of. Know what? Most of the time I am wrong and things work out differently, so my worries have been for naught. Of course scripture has a lot to say about this and I "know" these things, but only on the occasions that things are out of my control do I learn the lesson all over again. Why can't I seem to remember this in my daily life? Why can't Matthew 6:20-34 sink in without a trial?

Why can't I share my burdens with the rest of the body so they can come along side me in prayer? Why do I feel the need to deprive the plan of God to allow His body to function in the way that He designed? The short answer is, of course, sin. The long answer includes pride, our stubbornness or maybe even just not wanting to burden someone else with what we see as "our issues". I think it is the latter for me as I hear others who are striving and asking for prayer I "feel" that it wouldn't be "fair" to encumber them any more than they already are. Know what I'm finding out? That the saying "Misery loves company" should actually be "Needs need company".
This is wonderfully summed up in Galatians 5:13-14:

For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

Then Paul goes on to tell us in Galatians 6:2:

Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

It really doesn't get much plainer than that. We are to actually take the burdens of others as our own and "bear" them along side. No prerequisite that we are to not have any burdens when someone else does, nothing about not wanting to impose on anyone else, just the admonition to "bear one another's burdens". What does that look like? I can speak from experience that it looks just like it sounds. We all have our "problems" and we all come along side one another and pray, seek God, comfort, hold up, lend a shoulder, cry together, whatever it takes to "bear one another's".

God has been so good to His children. Even in what looks to be a challenging time He has shown His grace and mercies. He is teaching me some things through a current trial, actually re-teaching my stubborn self. I will be sharing in the near future the trials that are before me and my family and ask for you, others in the Body of Christ, to bear our burdens and to function as He designed. He works through His people and He loves to lavish Himself on us. What may seem daunting is nothing for the One who created the Universe. Even if we can't see the end, you can believe that is a sure sign that you should immediately turn it over to Him.

Still learning and still asking for prayer.


Matthew 6:34:

Therefore don’t worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

A Country In Mourning

I continue to mourn the lives lost of so many many children. What a horrific thing to lose so many children so brutally. My heart weeps each time I hear of their young lives snuffed out so quickly. No hope of defense. No hope of safety.

With the events this past week in Connecticut my heart is very heavy. My eyes well with tears thinking of this each time I hear a news report, each time a person mentions it. I can't imagine the horrors these children faced. I've fought myself on drawing a contrast to abortion and up until now have been successful. I've not said anything because these families, in grief, lost their dear children in a very different way than abortion.

These families got to know their children. They saw that these lives are viable and that the embryo that grew within the mother's womb was a life. A living person was conceived and was born, lived, and was taken, brutally. Abortion is the same, except the mother, father and the rest of the family never got a chance to know that dear child. They never had the opportunity to kiss their cheek, they never got to hear them cry because their diaper was full, they never got the chance to watch them play soccer, they never got the chance to hear them sing or to even see them smile. Their precious lives were snuffed before any opportunity of life.

 How great the horrors of Sandy Hook and how great the horrors of the abortion clinics across the United States. 20 children were heartlessly gunned down Friday and the nation cried together. Our President gave, what I believe to be, a heartfelt speech on the atrocities of that day. For once, since President Obama was elected, I saw a commonality with him. We cried together.

/>Thinking of that day and the days since, the memorials, the tears, the news stories, I hear wounded people searching. What I don't see is the same wounds for those that never even got the chance to attend school. Since Roe v. Wade America has grown callous toward human life. In the name of convenience or any other false rationale we murder children by the millions. The difference? That killing children by a medical procedure is "legal". I do not want to discount or even remotely lessen the crimes at Sandy Hook, but want to use that to emphasize how depraved our society has become. It is so hard to not see the hypocrisy of our President, of the media and of the others that rightfully condemn the actions of the gunman, but turn around and say killing other children is a choice. It's just doesn't make sense. A few years earlier the media that condemns this shooting would have championed the "healthcare choice" of the mother to kill this same child in the womb. Can they not see the irony in that?

What it comes down to is a need for the Gospel. Just as everything else in this world does. Christians need to stand up for life, they need to proclaim the Gospel and they need to be the voice for the voiceless. In a place in time that humanity has so collectively turned their backs on God there still is Hope. God is longsuffering with us. He knows how black our hearts are and He waits for us. But, He will not wait forever, He is returning one day (soon hopefully) and Christians need to be diligent in proclaiming His Name to all they come into contact with. God can and will use people to make a difference, that is His mode of operation that He chooses more than any other. He has commanded Christians to be the salt and light in this dying world and we must do that.... daily.... every minute.

Rise up followers of Christ and proclaim His Name. Shower this dark world with His light that He shines through you, the Light, the Christ.