Trials I Must Need.

My groanings rise and fill the skies,
And all the atmosphere-
No man can soothe my aching soul
Or calm my doubt and fear.

I wonder why I must be tried
In such a grueling way,
And why these sore afflictions came
Upon my life today.

No answers come from fellow man-
No comfort can they give.
Appointed unto me are trials,
And in them I must live.

Almighty God has handed down
This time of testing sore;
I must endure the fire and flood,
Then peace God will restore.

My loving God will never send
An overwhelming test:
Unless He first has given grace
To help me do my best.

My ways are not the ways of God,
For His are higher still
Than all the intellect of man-
He calls His ways His will.

His will I seek as though for gold
Or treasure rare indeed,
And if through trials my road may pass-
Then trials I must need.

Our Test

Life is a path made up in time by choices that we make,
A road well worn by our two feet and all the steps we take.
Though wounded, weary, tired, and tossed- never ever quit!
Running, walking, crawling, scratching- never choose to sit!

Each time I fall it's not because I like to lie around,
And not because I have grown tired and love to feel the ground.
I fall because I have not been on this path e'er before-
I have not been this far in life, or seen what is in store.

Each day brings new and risky tests that I must take alone.
You see, no one may go with me, I must stand on my own.
The danger is not in falling down, but staying down my friend;
For others come behind us soon, and they too may fall in.

So we must boldly, bravely go to blaze a clearer trail,
To help the sick, the weak, the lame, the lonely, and the frail.
Others gone before us worked to make a clearer road
So to must we forge on to help the feeble bear their load.

Onward, forward all must march for pilgrim folk are we-
Dear one this place is not our home but testing ground you see.
For as we go to run our race and drink up our life's cup,
Our test is this- not if we fell, but if we did get up!

The Fellowship of Suffering

This poem was written for a friend who was facing a time of trial.

No fellowship is quite as sweet
Than that in time of trial;
No tie can bind like one of grief
While walking sorrow's mile.

Souls are betrothed when thrust into
The furnace of affliction,
And hearts are knit that suffer through
A time of grief's constriction.

No blows may weld a stronger bond
Than buffets from the storm,
And those that seem to overwhelm
Our fragile human form.

In weariness of soul and mind-
And with a flesh made weak-
Your character has voiced the thoughts
That tongue could never speak.

Through common burdens we have borne,
Our unsaid thoughts are spoken;
And though our hearts now ache and grieve,
We see that yours is broken.

For when, with you, we face the fire
Or come beneath the sword-
We find out what it truly means
To know our gracious Lord.

Your faith, unshaken, is a source
Of strength to all you lead.
Our battles are but skirmishes,
While yours are wars indeed.

A deeper form of love has grown
While suffering through the years;
From seeds of sorrow, grief, and pain
Oft fertilized with tears.

Though many victories were won
While traveling in the way,
The fellowship of suffering 
Must be our strength this day.

These earthly trials that we must face
Are fellowships with God.
A time when we transcend the painful,
Mortal paths we trod.

That we may know him and his power,
He often chooses pain
To draw us closer to His side
That His might we should gain.

Within Concealed

To love and lose is better still
Than safety's idle pause.
A venture brings its own reward-
To risk all for a cause.

Though loss may seem a bitter end,
Tis only if you dare
To cower down to failure's doom,
And in surrender share.

But those brave souls who must rise up
When challenges arrive,
Will find in starting o'er again
The strength with which to strive.

For in each human beating heart,
A choice has oft revealed
The power that no foe could match
Had been within concealed.

Thinking of How Blessed I am Today!

I took some time to reflect early this morning about how much of God's unmerited favor I enjoy everyday.  I was overwhelmed that God has allowed me to serve Him for another year!  I could not help but to shed some tears of joy for the incredible blessings I receive that I do not deserve.  On the occasion of my birthday, I have always- as long as I can remember- taken a look back at the past year to take stock of its blessings and also look ahead to the coming year to imagine what it has in store.  This morning, I prayed for a year filled with opportunities to serve.  I asked the Lord to increase my vision and to grant me the wisdom, discernment, faith, and strength to live out an enlarged ministry.  I only desire to be a help here, in the ministry God has placed me in, and to find new ways to serve the people here.

I couldn't care less about making any kind of name for myself, or rubbing shoulders with people who have big "names".  I love the fact that our ministry is kind of tucked away, and isn't at the center of anyone's attention...other than God's!  Now, we have a great ministry here, and what could be considered a pretty good sized church running about 600, but I love the fact that our Pastor and church have no desire to garner attention with any "camp" or any particular college or preacher- we just serve the people of our community, state, and the world by fulfilling the great commission.  I am truly blessed to serve in the capacity that I do in this wonderful ministry! 

I have been blessed beyond measure to have enjoyed the kind of wonderful friends I have been able to make through the years.  I have heard from many of you already today.  I have also been wonderfully blessed by the Godly influences that have impacted my life.  My Preacher, Dr. B.G. Buchanan, was a truly wise spiritual leader to me for 18 years as I grew up in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.  When I left to attend college, I was blessed to sit under the ministry of Dr. Jack Hyles and the First Baptist Church and Hyles-Anderson College.  I have also enjoyed learning from Dr. Eric Capaci, Dr. Keith Gomez, and my current pastor, Dr. Dean Miller, Jr.  Bro. Miller has been a wonderful preacher, spiritual leader, and boss- I cannot think of another man I would want to serve more! 

So, on my birthday, I am reflecting on how supremely I have been blessed of the Lord.  Take some time today to think about how wonderful your life really is.  Even if you are facing hard times, think of the provision of the Lord that has brought you through before.  If you are in the midst of the trial, consider the Hand of the Lord that has been safeguarding you and that will ultimately deliver you.  If you are enjoying the peaceful mountaintop, bow down and praise the Lord for His goodness.  Just be thankful!  Life is a blessing! 

God Uses Failures!

The thought for this poem was inspired by Psalm 12.

Throughout our land the righteous fail,
The Godly men have ceased.
Both near and far the faithful fail-
Help, Lord, please hear our pleas!

The mightiest among us
Still face failure in the way.
Oh, but let not fear deter us,
God uses failures everyday.

When we stumble and lose focus
And we gaze into the storm,
God is near and He is waiting
To give shelter from all harm.

We must reach out and cry, "Saviour!"
He'll be quickly by our side-
Through our failures, if repentant,
In God's will we can abide.

So when e'er you fail and falter,
Find yourself in miry clay;
Don't relent, reach up towards Glory-
God uses failures still today!

What You Don't Know Can Hurt You!

"My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children."- Hosea 4:6.  In this one thought-provoking verse, God makes it hyper-evident that we are to possess some knowledge to be able to lead a successful Christian life.  The knowledge you obtain along your life's journey will determine the quality of the journey.  Will your way be hard due to a lack of knowledge?  Will you be a vessel God can use, or will your lack of knowledge hinder your service to Him?

Sometimes what we do not know impedes our progress in life.  Many times, we are not even aware that we are missing out on something because that is what ignorance produces- lack of awareness.  The very definition of ignorance is a lack of awareness or information.  What we are ignorant of will be our weakness.  The areas in your life in which you lack knowledge will be the areas that Satan will attack.  If you are ignorant in financial matters, Satan will be sure to attack your finances.  If you are ignorant of Scriptural principles regarding morality and purity, Satan will undoubtedly attack your flesh through lust and desires.  The more knowledgeable you are in an area, it is less likely Satan will establish a foothold of attack against you in that certain area.  Your level of knowledge or lack thereof in any particular facet of your life determines how that part of your life will either prosper or struggle.

Obtaining knowledge is paramount to achieving an abundant Christian life.  Studying the Word of God will surely add much knowledge and wisdom to your life.  Reading good books by good Christian authors will also be of help to those who seek to add knowledge.  Oftentimes knowledge can be gained by simply being observant and attentive in your everyday life.  We are to walk circumspectly, the Bible commands.  This means to always be inspecting everything around us as we journey through life; to literally take a close look 360 degrees about ourselves as we walk.  Lessons are there to be learned if we but take the time to recognize them.  This will involve discernment and judgment, and these skills can only be honed through knowing Scripture and studying it.  Having the mind of Christ is absolutely necessary to obtaining Godly discernment.  Once we are able to discern, we must be cognizant to put this skill to use in our everyday lives.  In your daily discourse, you will be able to glean much knowledge if you are on the lookout for it.  Be observant.

While a lack of knowledge will be a detriment to your life, an abundance of knowledge is also not a guarantor of success.  We must be careful to apply the knowledge we gain in a useful way.  A store of information that is never utilized is only wasted.  Knowledge for the sake of knowledge puffs up; it is a dangerous thing.  However, knowledge that is thoughtfully applied in life situations and is governed by Scriptural principles will be a valuable tool to help you lead a successful Christian life.

Proof of Your Faith

I Peter 1 tells us that our faith will one day be tried, like gold is tried by fire.  The Scripture is also careful to point out that our faith is much more precious than gold.  Our faith is what will deliver us in the day that we are tried.  The passage states that the end of our faith is the salvation of our souls.  So from this passage we see that our faith is important, and that a trial of it is a guarantee.  What then, proves your faith?  Is there any proof of faith evident in your life?

Before we get into what proofs of faith we should manifest, we must carefully define just what faith is, exactly.  The terms hope and faith are sometimes used synonymously, but they are really different in their core meanings.  Hope is a word that carries connotations of the future.  Hope is looking down the road, and believing that some good thing lies ahead.  Hope is largely based on emotion and can be influenced by exterior circumstances.  We catch a bad break, and suddenly our hope begins to wane.  Faith, on the other hand, is a solidly present tense term.  Faith is the knowledge that God will do what He says He will do.  Faith is knowing that God has always provided, and not wavering from that knowledge when a new situation of need arises.  Faith is what we must possess when facing a trial.  Faith is the comfort of knowing that God has always delivered before, and therefore will deliver again because He is unchanging.  Hope is not so concrete.  Faith requires a knowledge of God, and hope only requires a belief in God.  The difference is quite stark.

There are many who have a belief that God exists, and they may actually hope that He hears their prayers and will help them.  However, these people do not have a knowledge of God and have yet to place their faith in Him.  Their hope, while genuine, will lead them straight to hell.  Faith prompts us to action.  Faith is taking that step into the unknown, and placing all trust and hope in that which is unseen.  Faith is then rewarded with the knowledge and confirmation that it has found a true resting place.  God provides His Holy Spirit to live within the temple of man once that man places all his faith in Him.  This indwelling confirms in us the presence of God and is the proof that our faith has been correctly placed.

Faith is the thing that transforms our hopes into realities.  Faith is the tangible proof of a thing we once could only hope for.  We gain faith when we see its provision in our lives.  These fulfillments of hope become faith, so that our hope is no longer only a dream.  When we hope for a thing and unwaveringly cling to the belief that it will come to pass, we build faith.  Faith is then fully gained when the hope becomes reality.  Going through trials with a hope that God will deliver is rewarded with a new measure of faith at the end of the trial when God actually does deliver. 

So what proofs of faith are manifest in your life?  Do you know Christ?  The only way to succeed in the Christian life is to live by faith.  We are only alive to bring honor and glory to the Lord.  Without faith it is impossible to please God.  Faith is the key that will unlock the blessings of God in your life.  Faith is a substance; it is the catalyst that will activate and bring about the things for which you are hoping.  Do you have regular answers to prayer?  Is your life marked by the unmistakable goodness of God?  When was the last time you felt so overwhelmed by the love and presence of God in your life that all you could do was weep for joy?  How has the Lord conveyed to you His grace, mercy, and favor lately?  How much power has God granted you for His service?  Are you regularly seeing opportunities to witness, and seeing people trust Christ?  How sweet is your walk with Christ? 

If these questions give you pause, you may not be exhibiting the proofs of faith you should be exhibiting as a Christian.  Faith is the force that will enable us to experience all the goodness that God wants to pour out upon His children.  God does not intend for us to lead an anemic, meager Christian existence.  The earmarks of a blessed Christian walk are abundance and blessing.  Yes, trials will come; but in the trials His goodness and grace abound even more.  Let us not only hope for God's blessings but also possess the faith necessary to receive God's blessings.  Endeavor to stand firm in time of testing.  See your hope mature into faith by refusing to waver until the hope becomes reality.  Grow your faith so that its proofs will be readily evident in your life.

As a Man Thinketh...

So much time is spent by Christians these days trying to shake off worldly habits and avoid the pitfalls of Satan.  Many times we struggle with the same sins over and over again.  Why is this?  Because we, by and large, have not learned how to train and focus our thinking.  As we think, we are.  This is a guaranteed, mark it down, unchanging, everlasting Biblical truth!  You cannot become something unless you first think that thing.  We never do anything unless that deed was first born as a thought of our minds.

The mind is the joint or gateway between the spiritual and the physical.  Our mind is affected by our heart or our spirit.  As we commune with God, our hearts are stirred and our minds are provoked to think spiritual things.  Likewise, if we allow ourselves to be inundated with worldly influences, our minds will stray to carnal, temporal things.  The mind is the joint that connects the spiritual part of us to the physical.  Nothing we do physically has not been impacted by our mind first.  The way we feel in our spirit will determine how we think in our mind which in turn affects how we act.

The Bible teaches us not to be conformed to this world.  What does this mean?  It means that we should not take on and accept the worldly mindset or way of thinking.  We as Christians should not be accepting of how the world thinks and operates.  We are not to conform.  By taking on a worldly mindset, we are guaranteeing worldly thoughts, and thus we are setting ourselves up for worldly actions.  Having a carnal mindset will produce carnal thoughts, which can only lead to carnal actions.  This progression of events is guaranteed by Scripture.  No matter how much we may try to deceive ourselves into believing that we can overcome a worldly mindset, it simply cannot be done.  A man who possesses a worldly mindset is a ticking time bomb of worldly thoughts and deeds waiting to explode.

The maturity we possess as Christians is determined by our mindset.  The decisions we make influence and indeed determine our level of Christian maturity.  A man with the mind of Christ will tend to make wise decisions and will constantly be maturing and growing- provided he maintains a Godly mindset.  A man who is carnally minded will make carnal decisions, do carnal deeds, and never mature in his walk with Christ.  Our thinking determines what plane of maturity we will achieve in Christ.

The Bible commands us to be transformed by renewing our minds.  To transform something is to change that thing from its original state into something new.  This transformation is not a one-time event; it must be a continual process.  We must be constantly changing and allowing our minds to be renewed.  We must transform our mindset by exchanging our thoughts and beliefs with those of Christ.  We must accept His thoughts and deny our own.  We must take on His mind, and put away our way of thinking.  This is the transformation we must undergo daily to achieve a proper mindset, which will inspire proper thoughts, which will trigger proper behavior.

To take on the mind of Christ, we must not try to fit Scripture to the way we think.  We must change the way we think to fit Scripture.  There can be no compromise is this regard.  In this area, people often fall short of truly inhabiting the mind of Christ as they attempt to pick and choose just how they will accept a Scriptural mindset.  We oftentimes try to mix the mind of Christ with a little of our own thinking.  This leads to disastrous and heretical results.  This kind of living is the source of much of the problems that exist in the body of Christ today- well-intentioned people halfway conforming to the world while proclaiming to take on the mind of Christ.  This cannot possibly work, because what fellowship hath light with darkness?  If we have any of the old conformity to the world present in our thinking, we are not fully submitted to the Christ-like mindset we are commanded to have.  The transformation is not complete, and we do not have the power that is implicit in possessing the mind of Christ.  We only have a bastardized version of Christianity that is warned of in II Timothy. 

To become a mature Christian and possess holiness, we must take on the mind of Christ.  As we think, we are.  Holiness is nothing more than having the mind of Christ.  Allowing ourselves to come under the authority of Christ and accepting the transformation that Scripture will effect in our lives as a result is the process we must undergo to achieve holiness.  We will never mature as Christians absent this transformation.  Again, this change is not a one-time event.  Salvation does not guarantee spiritual maturity.  The one-time change of accepting Christ as Saviour is not the same thing as becoming spiritually mature.  Everyday we must crucify the old man, take on the mind of Christ, and journey in His will.  Exchange your mindset for the mind of Christ.  You will then see how your heart will be touched by Heaven, which your spur your mind to think on true, honest, just, and pure things which will produce actions pleasing to the Lord.

Your mind is a gateway.  From your heart, emotions become thoughts which become actions.  Your actions determine who you are.  What you do defines you.  So, in effect, how you feel which determines how you think is what defines you.  Think with the mind of Christ and you can be guaranteed to become a mature, holy Christian living in God's will and producing the fruit of the Spirit.

Been away from the Blog lately...

I realize that I haven't posted much recently.  My schedule has been such that I haven't had the time to post as I usually like to and enjoy doing.  I have a few great things (I think) in the works to share, so please check back often.  Again, I appreciate all of you who come by the blog, and I hope the content is helpful.

Trip to Arkansas

This week, I have been privileged to travel with our boy's varsity basketball team to Jacksonville, Arkansas for the March Madness Tournament and Youth Conference hosted by Bible Baptist Church.  I love being able to travel and be around our guys- we have a great group of sharp young men.  The tournament portion of the week is over, and although we didn't fare well, it has been a great experience for the team.  The main speaker for the youth conference is Pastor Jay Reed from Suwanee, Georgia.  I have known Pastor Reed for several years, and he is a great preacher and has done a great job so far.  I will share some great thoughts from his messages in future posts.  I am blessed beyond measure to be involved in ministering to our young men everyday- I have the best job in the world and I love it!

Staying Hungry

One of the keys to sustained excellence is staying hungry.  Being driven to not only achieve excellence, but also to maintain excellence is a hallmark of those who accomplish great things.  We must never rest on our past successes, nor dwell on our past failings and misgivings.  We must always be looking forward.

To truly achieve excellence, you must first learn to master whatever it is you are doing.  This can usually only be done through hard work- and lots of it.  To the athlete who desires to rise to the top of his sport, many hours of practice must be put in to accomplish that goal.  The basketball player who is possessed of some talent, attends practice with his team, but does no extra work may perform adequately and even have the occasional stand-out performance.  It is the player that stays after the minimum team practice time has been fulfilled that goes on to develop a great career.  Putting in the time, energy, and effort to master your job is vitally important if you want to attain excellence.

Putting in the work to become excellent and achieving that goal in the short term, however, is not the sign of true greatness.  Continuing to put in that work to maintain and even improve your performance is the only way to achieve an excellent record.  Again, excellence is not a short-term or one time event; it is the continued achievement of a high standard.  How does one sustain the energy and effort it takes to pull this off?  He stays hungry. 

Paul admonishes us in Philippians 3 to "forget those things which are behind" and to "press toward the mark..."  This is an example of staying hungry.  Have you had past failures?  Forget about them, they are where they will always be- in the past!  Have you been successful before?  Forget about that too, because past success is not a guarantee of future achievement.  Stay hungry!  Constantly have your focus on what is right in front of you, and on what lies ahead.  This is the only way to achieve excellence.  Having a desire to be excellent must be the motor that will drive you to act and behave in ways that will result in your development of excellent habits.  Absent the desire to achieve excellence, a man becomes apathetic and lethargic.  These are not becoming qualities for a Christian to possess.  Strive to maintain high personal standards of excellence, and stay hungry to do and be better than you were yesterday.

Entering the Fourth Quarter!

This week is the last week of the third quarter for the 2011-2012 school year.  This year has flown by!  I have learned so much in the course of teaching, coaching, and fulfilling my other daily duties since August.  It truly seems like it was just yesterday that I sat in our teacher orientation filled with excitement for the coming school year.  The possibilities and potential that lay ahead were inspiring, challenging, and humbling then for this young teacher.  As I look back on the first 3/4 of this school year, I am even more humbled, challenged, and inspired!

I serve an awesome God, and I am so thankful that He allows and empowers me to serve in the capacity that I do here at Central Baptist School.  It is only by God's grace and mercy I am able to have any sort of ministry.  I love, love, love the staff and students I get to work and serve with everyday- there is no other place I would rather be and no other thing I would rather be doing!  Praise God for a wonderful first three quarters.  I am looking forward to finishing this school year being even more determined and committed than I was back in August.

Raider Boys Basketball Team State Runners-Up!

I am so proud to have helped coached this year's Raider boys basketball team!  The guys fought through adversity to win a spot in the Gulf Coast Christian Conference Championship game.  They did this by winning three games in a row, all against higher seeds in the tournament.  As a 5 seed, no one expected us to play for the championship; but we believed we could and we did!  The guys gave everything they had but came up short against the overwhelming favorite number 1 seed and undefeated team in the final game.  Losing held no shame for the Raiders, as they truly left it all out on the court.  Persevering and achieving has been a hallmark of this 2011-2012 Raider squad.  I love each and every one of you, Raider players!  Keep on improving, and watch out next year GCCC- the Raiders are taking it all!

What My Tears Would Say

If you could see my heart of love,

So full about to burst;

And when words fail, it empties out

Like rain on ground athirst.

If you could read those tears that fell

And stained this page so dry;

If you knew from which well they came,

And when they fell and why.

Those tears would say, "I love you" and

"I'll go that extra mile."

They carry love so strong and true,

So pure and undefiled.

The tears would say, "I miss you" when

By chance you're ever gone.

They'd stream and flow right down my face

Until your journey's done.

The tears would say, "You're special" and

"There's no one quite like you."

They'd make you feel like royalty;

They'd cheer you when you're blue.

The tears would say, "I need you" when

No other seems to care.

They'd reach out and they'd want you,

And they wouldn't want to share.

The tears would say, "I know you" when

Some lie you'd try to tell.

The tears would keep you honest should

You try to cast some spell.

The tears would say, "I trust you" if

Some indecision came.

The tears would back you up in times

When others issue blame.

The tears would say, "I'll hold your hand" and

Would comfort all your fears.

They'd drive away detractors and

Cause loved ones to draw near.

The tears would say, "Forgiven" if

You ever went astray.

The tears would never hold a grudge,

Not even for a day.

The tears would say, "I'm sorry" when

The tables have been turned.

If I'm the one found in the wrong,

And you're the one that's burned.

The tears would say, "You're lovely" should

Some haters mock and scorn.

They'd spread a balm where you'd been pricked

By critics' spiteful thorns.

The tears would sacrifice and give

So you would never want.

The tears would always acquiesce 

So you could glow and flaunt.

The tears would serve and gladly bend

So you some rest could take.

The tears would carry all your load

So your back never aches.

The tears would never breathe again

So you could draw one breath.

The tears would face your every foe, 

And if they could, your death.

The tears would do these things and more,

And in that way express-

But you can't read them, they can't speak-

So now I must confess:

Sometimes I get so overwhelmed,

And when my words fail me-

Just see my tears and know, my friend,

What all they'd say and be.

Leave Your Troubles

Another sleepless night, I fear

Of restless, wistful yawns.

Sleep evades me once again,

And soon the new day dawns.

The day that was had lingered so

I could not leave behind.

The cares and burdens it had held

Still weighed upon my mind.

With the setting of the sun,

My soul cried out for rest!

And though my body didst agree,

My mind would get the best

Of me and keep me up this night

While others drift away

To be refreshed, recharged, renewed;

But me, I had to stay.

And so all night I wondered why

I could not join that band,

That blessed troop that occupied

Sweet never-never land.

My eyes would burn but never shut,

So full of sand and fire.

Try as I might to slow it down,

My mind just wouldn't tire!

Whizzing, whirring, overloaded

From a day of care-

The topsy-turvy pace it kept

Belied my frozen stare.

Behind dull eyes, my brain's aglow

With worry, woe, and thought.

And deeper into night I drift,

While not a "ZZZZZ" I've caught.

But then I realized the thing

That I should have before-

The reason that I cannot rest

And slumber, sleep and snore-

I've carried burdens all day long,

Borne sorrows, pain, attacks.

The worries of the world had weighed

And bent and bowed my back.

I hurried through and did not take

The time to shed my load.

I should have left that heavy weight

Along life's busy road.

That road we all must travel as

We make our way through life.

The road that takes its twists and turns

Through sorrow, pain, and strife.

The road that brings us down dark trails

Of danger and despair,

O'er faulty footholds, unsure paths

That seem to go nowhere.

Beside this road each day we stop

To rest and catch our breath-

Not hurrying to reach its end,

For we know that it holds death.

But on our way we sometimes find

Redemption, mirth, and grace.

And with these helps we soldier on

To find a better place.

Then as each day draws to a close,

Night signals to us, "Sleep.

Lay down your burdens and your cares,

These through the night can't keep."

We must let go and on the morrow

Wake to find again.

But oft they seem to disappear

As though they hadn't been.

Sometimes we find them on our way,

And with them we contend.

Another day we carry on

New daylight hours to spend.

Toiling under strain and stress-

Something we all must do-

Working in the noon-time sun

Until the day is through.

Leave the troubles of the old day

In the setting sun.

Maybe in the morn discover

All of them are gone!

Maybe some are waiting right beside

Your chosen way.

Not to worry though, dear friend,

You only carry them one day!

2,345 page views in February!

Thank you once again to all you readers!  You made last month the biggest by far in the short history of this blog.  I sincerely and ever so humbly appreciate your taking time to come to the blog.  I am motivated to continue to provide content that I pray will be helpful.  Thank you so much for supporting the blog- I hope that you are in some way helped, blessed, inspired, or challenged by what you find here.  Thank you all so much!

Quiet Confidence

So much of what determines how promoted a thing is in the world today depends upon how loudly that thing clamors for attention and promotes itself.  "Swag" has become the buzzword in sports and entertainment.  Gone are the days of humble superstars like Bill Russell and Cal Ripken Jr.  Now we deal with self-aggrandizing athletes like Lebron James and Alex Rodriguez.  How much braggadocio you exude will often determine your place in the food chain.  This trend of "look at me" and putting self first is diametrically opposed to Bible teaching.

There is nothing wrong with having confidence.  A man has every right to the natural self-confidence that he gains after devoting his time and energies to achieve.  However, this confidence need not be an overt attitude of "look what I've done".  The true confidence gained in giving your all and succeeding will be an inner peace and sense of fulfillment.  This self-worth cannot be gained any other way, but it has to be earned.  It cannot be achieved through the compliments, praise, or laud of others.  The praise of men is but a shallow ringing in the ears that fades away and is soon gone.  To place too much stock in it is folly and self-deception.  Pride puffs up.  True confidence keeps you hungry to get better and do more.

Pride tells you that you are the best; confidence urges you forward to get even better.

The quiet confidence you earn from working to achieve does not need to trumpet itself.  The good work you do will be its own testament to success.  Oftentimes it is those who have actually accomplished little and are capable of the least that blow their own horns the loudest.  The one who is possessed of true confidence feels no need to seek for the approval of others because he knows that even though his past accomplishments may have been good, his next will be even better.  This is because he does not have pride whispering "you have arrived" in his ear.  Do not be deceived by those who seem to clamor for attention the most with boasting and self-promotion.  This will be a sign that there is really not much there worth your while.

The Bible teaches that pride comes before a fall.  Having confidence is necessary if you want to achieve great things.  We must be careful that we do not allow a good confidence to crossover into being an unjust pride.  Pride will often puff up a person because it bases worth on comparisons to others.  Keep yourself humble by comparing yourself to the measuring stick of the Bible and Christ- these are the only comparisons that matter.  If the Bible says that the best I can do is filthy rags, then what right have I to become boastful?  Stay quietly confident in yourself and in your will do work to achieve.  Shun the vainglorious, self-promoting tendencies of the wordly culture.

Patience

I hate to wait!  I am not a big fan of having my time wasted, and waiting- be it in lines, at traffic lights, at appointments, or at the microwave- almost always seems to be wasted time.  Waiting is torture.  Waiting is also necessary.  Waiting does not have to be wasteful.

The pace of many things has sped up in our modern time.  Travel times are mere fractions of what they used to be.  Food preparation has been made more efficient with microwaves, convection ovens, and infrared cooking.  Communication is instantaneous where it used to takes days, even months.  But there are still many instances throughout the day where we find ourselves waiting.  Of course, dealing with having to wait is the issue at hand.  We know waiting is necessary sometimes, but how it is that we approach waiting is the question. 

When we find ourselves waiting, we should know that time spent waiting is time spent accomplishing something.  While waiting at a traffic light, we are accomplishing the task of getting somewhere.  It may not seem like it, but we are making progress.  You see, waiting at traffic signals or stop signs is part of traveling on our modern highways.  As we pass through each such stoppage, we have made progress towards our overall goal of getting to wherever it is we are going.  When we wait on things to happen we are actually in the process of accomplishing that thing.

Also while waiting, we should realize that we have been given precious time apart from the things we are doing.  These wait times are like little "time-outs" in life.  These moments can be spent in reflection, thought, or prayer.  Or they may be simply enjoyed as a moment to take a deep breath and refocus.  Take advantage of time spent waiting to catch your breath when life becomes harried and overwhelming.  In the hustle and bustle of getting things done, we often have waiting times interspersed throughout our day.  Instead of anxiously tapping your fingers or pacing around waiting your turn, use that time to extract yourself from the moment and enter a time of peacefulness within that time of waiting. 

While waiting may be tedious, do not forget that it does not have to be wasteful.  Utilize your waiting time purposefully and it will become beneficial time. 

The Power in Pain

No one likes to endure pain.  No one enjoys suffering.  No one looks forward to hardship.  But there is extreme power in pain.  Pain and suffering are the keys that unlock a great store of power. 

Pain is never fun, but pain is always profitable.

Pain is promised.  Pain is a part of life.  There is no escaping it.  If you are alive on this earth, you have experienced pain of some sort.  The fact that you are breathing means that you have endured some sort of hardship.  If you haven't, prepare yourself- it is coming.  Pain is inevitable, unavoidable, and.....necessary.  If we are to ever gain power to do and accomplish great things, we must first suffer and travail.

Pain is profitable.  To bring a child into this world, a mother must endure great pain.  The anguish of childbirth is what allows the mother to have such joy as she holds her newborn babe for the first time.  The mother's agony of the delivery is soon swallowed up by the euphoria of having and holding a child that she brought into the world.  Her pain was the doorway she had to walk through to enter into the rest and comfort of caressing her child.  The workman toils and labors all day long and must endure many trying things in the course of his work.  But that pain is the passageway to the living he earns and the sense of self-worth and accomplishment he possesses at the end of a long week.  The athlete subjects his body to intense, painful training so that he may attain an edge in competition.  The painful sacrifices he makes in denying his body certain desires and appetites is the catalyst that will propel him to glory in his sport.  Without pain, there is no profit.  Absent toil and hard work, there can be no achievement or progress.  Comfort, casualness, and leisure have never wrought anything lasting.  

Only pain has the power to bring profit.

Pain is power.  Pain is in and of itself the power that moves and drives accomplishment.  Pain is not only powerful, it is power.  Our sufferings are the fuel that fire our drive to get past the suffering itself and move on to better times.  The "fellowship of suffering" Paul speaks of in Philippians 3 is the power that will allow us to know Christ, and to know Christ is to have power.  Only through pain may we gain the power we need to do the things Christ has for us to do.  Through this fraternity of hardship we take part in the pain Christ endured for us by taking up our cross daily and living a crucified life.  In this, we gain access to the power that is inherent in the pain.  

Pain is perfecting.  We are perfected in Christ the more we take part in this fellowship of suffering.  Unlocking the power that we need and that is available to us can only be done through taking part in pain.  Many see pain as a trammeling force that stunts progress or sets things back somehow.  They miss the crucial part of the process of pain.  Pain, after it is wrought, works to perfect and complete.  If we are faithful to endure the pain and accept the trial, then after we come through it we will reap the benefit of pain's power to perfect us.  Pain is the only way we will ever gain intimate knowledge of Christ and the immense power He promises those who partake in His fellowship of suffering.  Pain will grant power and pain will perfect us.  So don't think it strange when fiery trials come your way.  Do not shrink in fear when faced with a tiresome trial.  Stand firm in the confidence that Christ is simply working to perfect you.  Move boldly forward to face the hardship in the knowledge that you will be the beneficiary of the power that may be gained in the midst of the hardship's pain. 

Thank You! Best month ever!

Already this month, the blog has been viewed more times than in any other single month ever!  Yesterday the blog topped 1,600 unique visits for the month, putting the monthly total over that of January 2012 and April 2011 which were the previous high months.  Thank you all for continuing to come by!  I am humbled and motivated by these numbers.  I will continue to try to provide content that is worth your time.  Thank you!

Make New Friends...

The other day I found myself singing a little short song I heard from I don't remember where.  Maybe you've heard of it, "Make new friends, but keep the old- one is silver and the other gold."  This little saying sums up perfectly how we should view friendships and approach life always looking to make new friends.

I have been blessed to meet and make many friends in my lifetime, as probably have you.  However, I am always on the lookout for someone new that I can befriend.  Recently I was able to do so with someone in my church that I previously had not had much close interaction with.  I had seen him and known him from being at church, but hadn't really ever said more than, "Hello", to him.  I was able to spend some time with this person and buy him dinner, and get to know him a lot better.  I made a new friend.

The wonderful thing about making new friends is that you don't have to replace the old ones.  

Whenever you enter into a new friendship, you do not have to terminate an existing one.  Your pool of friends can grow and grow!  This is reflected in the body of believers.  As many people that want to, come to Christ and find that He accepts them when they place their faith in Him.  Christ doesn't unfriend someone each time a new person comes to Him.  Neither should we forget about the friends that we have had for a long time.

Treasure those friends that have known you for years and years.  These are the people that probably know you best, and given that fact it is amazing that they remain to be your friend!  They are comfortable with all your quirks and eccentricities.  They value you for....you.  Their gift of friendship to you is priceless and cannot be overvalued.  Likewise, cultivate your newer friendship so that they too will grow into the kind of deep, abiding relationships you share with your long-time friends.  

Be a friend, above all, and do not seek to only have people be friendly to you.  Go out of your way to befriend someone that cannot reciprocate the things you are able to do for them.  Find someone that cannot give back to you of their resources and be a financial blessing to them.  Find someone that cannot intellectually better you and be a teacher or mentor to them.  Find someone whose time is constrained and offer to do things for them.  Seek to be a blessing.  Actively pursue to surprise those you love with acts of "unprovoked friendship".  Random notes, letters, phone calls, or gifts from a friend could be the thing that lifts someone's spirit in a time of upheaval and personal crisis.  A kind deed or word could be the diamond among the rough of someone's day.

Make new friends and you will never be lonely.  Keep the old friends and you will always feel loved.  If you brighten the corner where you are, then everybody benefits.  To be a friend is to be a blessing.  To have a friend is to be blessed.  Have both to enjoy a life filled with the blessings that only come from loving and being loved. 

Should I post about this...

I went back and forth about whether or not I should share anything with you about what I am about to share with you.  Ultimately, I decided that it may...may be a help to someone out there, and that I would share this information on the blog.  This post and those subsequent posts that are relevant to it will be extremely personal.  I hope that they may encourage someone out there, and I do not share them with any vain intentions at all.

I have started a diet recently, and to be more accurate, I have changed certain lifestyle habits.  I had reached a point in my personal health that I was not happy with.  I needed desperately to make certain changes.  I began that journey in earnest on February 12.  Since that date, I have lost 14.6 pounds and have seen my body fat percentage go down by a little over a percentage point and have seen my BMI go down a point.  I was overjoyed to have seen results such as those in just a week.  The changes have been hard to adjust to at times, but adhering to them has paid dividends.  I have felt my energy level increase, and have been more alert and enthusiastic.  I feel great.

If you have reached a point of dissatisfaction with your personal health, start the change today.  Now is the only time you have to make a difference.  Starting tomorrow means that you will never start!  If anyone needed to change personal habits to improve their health, it was me- so I am by no means professing to be an authority on the matter, but I am someone who has made the leap to do so.  Take it from someone that has been disappointed in how they had let their health decline- make the changes you know you need to make starting right now.  Deal with the pain and inconvenience now, and avoid the drastic pains and consequences that await further down the road of poor health.

What did I do to achieve the results I saw?  I ate less, much less, than I had been eating.  I kept close track of what and when I ate.  I began taking supplements and vitamins to improve other areas of my health, and I exercised more than I had been.  Sitting at a desk or standing at a chalkboard or podium is not very taxing, so I had to figure out ways to get more physical activity in everyday.  I took stairs whenever possible.  I parked further away instead of looking for the close spot.  I didn't eat past a certain time (usually 6pm depending upon schedule limitations).  I started actively thinking about what I put into my body.  Our bodies are the temple of God and we should take extreme care to be good stewards of our physical bodies.  I had to begin to care more about my lifestyle choices and how they affected my health.  I had to be more conscious of how I ate and slept and exercised.  Nothing super complicated, but simple things that I had to discipline myself to do each day.

Supply and Demand

Recently, when studying to teach a history lesson, I found myself getting into a bit of economic study.  Explaining certain elements of the financial machinations of our country to junior high students can be challenging.  However, one element that is somewhat easy to illustrate is the principle of supply and demand.

While pondering the application of supply and demand within the history lesson, I also couldn't help but think of how the principle applies to our Christian walk.  When the demand to serve God within our lives is high, the costs to do so will also be high.  It costs you something to maintain a close relationship with Christ.  The Bible speaks of taking up a cross daily, crucifying our old man, and denying ourselves- Christianity isn't easy as we perceive easiness.  It is work, and there are certain costs associated with serving God.  When demand is high to serve the Lord, the devil will be sure to attack.

If your demand to serve God is low, the costs associated are also high- albeit of a different nature.  The costs associated with a high demand to serve the Lord will eventually work to enrich and strengthen.  We know this because "All things work together for good..." and God promises to aid those who seek Him.  The costs associated with no demand to serve the Lord are damaging and destructive.  These costs will result in the inevitable demise and death promised in Scripture to those who are not saved or to those Christians who neglect to serve God with their lives. 

When we have no demand to serve Christ, the costs are always higher than we can afford.

If  we maintain a high demand to live for God, there will be costs involved.  But those costs are quickly repaid to us by the blessings of the Lord.  We will find that His supply never runs out.  God has unlimited resources of wisdom, strength, truth, love, mercy, and grace that we may draw from daily.

The spiritual law of supply and demand may differ a bit from how the financial law operates, but I rejoice in the fact that our Lord will never withhold any good thing from us if we maintain a high personal demand to serve Christ.  Put this principle of spiritual supply and demand to the test.  Increase your demand to serve Christ and have a daily walk with Him, and see how the Lord will help you to pay the costs that it will incur.

Appetites

Recently, I began to make a change in my eating habits.  I disciplined myself in regards to food choices and portions.  I did so because I desired to become a more healthy person so that I am at my peak and able to offer my absolute best in my service to the Lord.  This has been a challenge.

I did not realize that certain appetites of mine had become very strong!

It was only when I began to attempt to alter and deny those appetites that the extent of their grip on my life became evident.

As I continued to stick with my plan, I noticed certain appetites began to wane.  At one time almost crippling, certain appetites were now all but gone.  How did this happen?

How could this happen- how could these cravings seemingly just disappear?

I realized that my appetites had become so potent because I constantly fed them!  The appetites began as a mild, almost subconscious urge.  I fulfilled those urges and satisfied them- momentarily.  By giving in to the urge and indulging it, I legitimized it to my conscious being as a need.

Now the urge had permission to come back- and this time more strongly.

Imagine a salesman knocking on your door.  If you invite him in, entertain his presentation, stop short of buying, but maintain a friendly demeanor he may be inclined to come back.  Should he come back, and that time you made a small purchase he would be even more inclined to keep coming back.

Now imagine that you had strongly rebuffed his initial proposition.  The chances that he would have returned have now been significantly lowered.  If he did return, and was turned down again, the likelihood of another return has been diminished even more.  The same principle applies with appetites.

Begin to deny them and they gradually lessen; feed them and they grow.

To avoid being overtaken in our fleshly, sinful appetites, we must resist them.  Denying our urges can only be successfully done through the power of the Lord.  We cannot fight fleshly urges in the flesh!  As we deny our appetites and begin to purge our lives of harmful things, we must remember to replace those things with useful things.  As I eliminated certain poor food choices from my diet, I had to add better options to take their place.

Walk in faith and trust in the Lord to grant you the strength to resist harmful appetites.  Trust in God to provide good things to add to your life to replace the excised damaging appetites.

Don't Turn back!

All of us go through painful times in life.  We all share the common experiences of loss, hurt, sorrow, tragedy, grief, and hardship; but the sun rises to break midnight's dark grip on the day. 

The rainbow only shows after the rainstorm.  

When coming out of a tough stretch in life, how eager are you to enter into another time of testing?  Or do you desire to embrace the light that is flickering at the end of your tunnel?  Of course the natural instinct is to leave behind the dark times and relish the newfound peace and calm of the blessed times.  We must be careful to take this approach as it concerns our sin.

When we sin, it is a dark time in our life.  Living opposite the will of the Lord will never make it onto the highlight reel of any life.  We must seek to confess and forsake our sin.

Why is it then, that we so often return again and again to our sin?

Purposing not to turn back is not enough.  Simply have a desire or intention to not backslide cannot sustain one in the fulfillment of that wish.  It has been said that the road to hell is paved with good intentions.  We must have a plan and proceed in the strength of the Lord to ensure that we do not turn back to our sin.

The first thing we must do is see our sin how God sees our sin- vile and wicked.

We have become soft on sin.

We must utilize the mirror of Scripture to reflect back just how dirty our sin really is.  Go to Scripture each day to bathe in it and renew your spirit.

Additionally, we must flee from sin.  We must plan purposefully prepare to "get away" from sin.  In my school building, we have a procedure that tells us how to exit the building in the event of a fire.  That plan allows us to "get away" from the flames safely.  

We must allow Scripture to be our emergency escape plan from sin.

Finally, we must remember how bad it was when we were in our sin.  We must not allow ourselves to forget how low we were when God reached down into a miry pit to save us.  We must not forget how low we sink whenever we revisit our sin.  Just as we do not wish to return to times of personal tragedy or hardship, let us resolve to abstain from turning back to our sin.

 

How Deep is Your Faith?

I'm often fascinated to listen in when I hear folks discussing living a life based on faith and relationship with God as opposed to living a life based on following certain rules and standards that have become the norm for fundamental Christians.  More often than not, the dialogue follows a pattern similar to this: the advocate of having an inwardly focused "relationship" with God (who is usually a bit more comfortable with the newest trends, a tad more accepting of things outside the old-fashioned fundamental "norms", and who may be a bit younger) will say something like, "To me it doesn't matter what I wear, or where I go, or what I listen to, or what I watch, or what I allow to influence me, or what I say and do on social media, or how I live away from the church because I don't do things to impress men.  I have a "relationship" with Christ and I am not bound by the law and all its rules anymore." 

And then, inevitably, the person who thinks that everyone should follow THEIR standard of living and cling to certain rules and traditions will pipe up and say something like, "Well bless your heart, you just don't fit in with my preconceived notions of what it is to be a Christian.  You are a lady and you wear slacks.  You are a man and a new convert who is 15 minutes old as a Christian and you still have that earring in?  Maybe one day, you can attain the level of personal holiness that I inhabit."

I pity both sides of that discussion, because both sides miss the mark.  Galatians 3 offers a clear-cut perspective on how we as Christians should view the law, or "standards", and how we should view living within a relationship where rules are not what govern us in our daily walk.  Rules and standards and the law are meant to drive us to a relationship with Christ.  When we are growing as Christians, we need a certain set of standards and expectations to govern how we act.  These rules will act as a safeguard to keep us from sin.  Our relationship with Christ has not progressed to the level of doing right just to please Him.
  
We must be made to do right, and we must bring ourselves in subjection to rules and standards as a child is under the authority of parents and teachers.  Once we begin to mature as Christians, the law takes on a less important role as our relationship begins to strengthen and deepen.  


It is sad to see people who profess to be Christians with a deep, abiding love for Christ misuse the liberty that He affords as an excuse to get lax with personal standards.  To be accepting of and influenced by the world because you no longer are "bound by the law" is a tragic mistake many fall into because of liberal teaching and thinking that has become accepted by many Christians.  Compromising false ministers will peddle a philosophy of relevance and acceptance in order to gain inroads with the world.  They fail to see the fatal flaw in their own twisted logic.  They are willing to pander to a certain crowd, gain their acceptance because they then can identify with them, and then they profess to have a desire to change them? 


How can someone assimilate with a faction of people, and turn around and try to affect change within those people?  It just cannot work, and it doesn't.  

Those kind of ministries accomplish nothing for the cause of Christ, and serve only to do it harm.

These people must realize that absent the influence of the law, we are prone to wander.  I must allow rules and standards to drive me to a relationship with Christ.  I must grow and mature under the safe tutelage of those rules and standards and allow their rigidity to provide the structure of my early Christian life.  Then, as my faith and relationship deepens, I no longer live "under" the rule of law but I abide in love and affection for Christ and seek only to do those things which please Him.  Once I do reach that level of faith, I will find that Christ will speak to me about how it is I am to live. 

The closer I get to Christ, the farther away I am from  the world.  The deeper my love for Christ, the stronger my hatred of sin becomes.  The sweeter my walk with the Lord, the more sincere my love for people will be. 

To say that I have a relationship with Christ, and then flirt with the world is delusional thinking and false doctrine.

I also believe that the harsh critic who clings to his standards in a pharisaical way is tragically far from being in a true relationship with Christ.  This person is often bitter.  This person has replaced the close, sweet walk with Christ that he should have with a set of standards to which he rigidly adheres.  His life is not marked by the fruits of the Spirit.  There is a severity with which they deal with those who don't meet "their" standard.  They look down their nose at growing Christians who, though sincere, have not "cleaned up" enough to meet their standard. 

These people have, in essence, replaced Christ with the law.  

They fail to see that given their own personal failings (because no one is faultless), the law they love and cling to is the very thing that condemns them!  If they reject the true relationship they should have with Christ, then they become responsible to keep the WHOLE law.  This is impossible. 

To go too far to one side of this discussion or the other will find one in error.  Christ demands that we keep His commandments: whether we do this out of obligation to the law, or out of love for Him does not matter.  The whole duty of man is to obey Christ.  Early in our Christian walk, we need to be subjected to the law.  After we begin to mature, we should follow Christ out of love.  However, this does not mean that every now and again we may need to be brought under subjection of the law again.  We all fall short and sometimes backslide. 

Be where it is you need to be in regard to your current position in Christ.  

If a babe, do not buck against the law- it will be your safety net.  If mature, enjoy the liberty that is found in a relationship with Christ, realizing that a true relationship will now result in your misuse of said liberty to flirt with the world.

Thank you for reading!

This blog received one thousand five hundred and sixty-nine unique visits in January, the most for any one month in the short history of this blog!  This month there have been over 1,100 unique visitors- I hope we can break the record set last month and continue to grow.  God bless you for taking time to visit the blog.  I pray that what you will find here will always be helpful.  Thank you!

Industriousness

How strong is your will to achieve?  How potent is your desire to excel?  Do you seek to find ways to better yourself?  Are you an industrious person?  So lacking in our modern, convenient world is a sense of industriousness.

We are spoiled.  We press buttons, flip switches, and even simply speak to accomplish things that used to require work or effort to accomplish.  Our cleverness has been the undoing of our industriousness.  Always seeking an easier or more convenient way to perform a task does not necessarily translate well to life.  There are no shortcuts to take in relationships.  There is no way to make dealing with a tragedy easier or more efficient. 

A return to industriousness would spark a revival in this country of good old-fashioned getting things done!  Having a strong sense of industriousness does not preclude one from also being clever.  The reality is quite to the contrary- being industrious has been what has propelled great minds to their clever discoveries, inventions, and achievements.  Without that strong work ethic, cleverness becomes mere cuteness.  A neat idea stripped of the hard work that develops it only produces novelty.  However, when a clever mind employs a strong desire to excel, greatness is achieved.

Don't shy away from being industrious.  Success travels in the company of very hard work.  There are no shortcuts.  Let your industriousness couple with your cleverness to produce excellence.

I Stand Amazed!

What amazes you?  What leaves you speechless?  What moves you?  In a world where it is increasingly more difficult to shock, amaze, and move most people, I find that I am still amazed at Jesus!

The spectacular is constantly being updated and challenged.  What was once rarity is today commonplace.  Feats that previously had been thought to be impossible have been achieved.  The great play of yesteryear is now an every game occurrence in the modern era.  What surprised and amazed people of past generations barely elicits a yawn these days.  The alley-oop that only a few pros could pull off now happens in high school and AAU games.  The leaping grab that was once reserved for NFL top-tier receivers to make is now made by amateur athletes all over the country.  What was shocking and amazing on television and in movies is now what comprises most of our commercials.

As time marches on, the bar is constantly being raised on what it takes to amaze.  Yet, as our ability to achieve and surpass our predecessors increases, one thing should remain constant- our amazement at the goodness of God!  The one thing in my life that has never been topped is God's unbelievable generosity and grace in my life.  The mercies of the Lord are new everyday!  God routinely leaves me amazed and speechless in His presence.  I often go to Him and cannot audibly say anything, but my heart is overflowing with praise and thanksgiving.  God's undeniable and undeserved working in my life is the one thing that is guaranteed to never be upended by some other newer thing that is better.

One reason that is so, is that there is nothing greater than my God!  He is the reason I live, and He alone grants me the strength and ability to carry on living in this wicked world.  God is the undisputed champion in my life!  Secondly, God is constantly one-upping Himself!  Just when I think that the Lord could not bless me any more- He does!  Just when I think I have reached the limits of God's mercy and patience- He grants another chance!  God is good!

If you have grown dissatisfied with the instability of this ever-changing world, taste and see that the Lord is good!  Allow the Lord to be the focal point of your life.  Give yourself to Him, and He will not let you down.  You will be constantly amazed, satisfied, fulfilled, and left with the overwhelming feeling of being loved, uplifted, protected, and promoted by the Lord.  God never fails, and He will not fail to leave you amazed in His presence.

Pyramid of Greatness

UCLA basketball coach John Wooden became an icon for his success and achievements on the court.  Without a doubt, he is the greatest coach in NCAA basketball history.  The titles (10, including 7 in a row- no other coach has more than 4), the perfect seasons (4, no other coach has more than 1), and the 88-game winning streak cannot even begin to sum up the greatness of Coach Wooden.  His greatest achievement may have been that he taught his players not just how to play, but how to live. 

Wooden was given a seven point creed by his father when he graduated from grammar school as a boy.  These were the points:

1. Make each day your masterpiece
2. Be true to yourself
3. Help others
4. Make friendship a fine art
5. Drink deeply from good books, especially the Bible
6. Build a shelter against a rainy day
7. Pray for guidance, and give thanks for your blessings everyday.


No wonder John Wooden matured into a great man!  Wooden truly took these principles to heart and created his own Pyramid of Success.  His chart is good not only for coaching and teaching basketball, but is also applicable to the game of life.  Wooden would instruct his teams in the x's and o's of offense and defense and shooting and passing- but he would often mix in nuggets of truth like, "Be quick but don't hurry" or "Failure to prepare is preparing to fail."

Let us each strive to make each day, each moment of our lives count towards some greater good.  As a member of a team, it is sometimes necessary to make individual sacrifices for the overall good of the unit.  We sometimes may have to make personal sacrifices to achieve the Lord's will for our lives, but in so doing we reap the ultimate reward of a job well done for the Lord.

Friendship

On a day dedicated mostly to the romantic, I would like to offer up a praise of friendship.  I am extremely thankful for friendship.  Absent friendship, my life would be devoid of much happiness and depleted of fun and excitement.  The friendships I enjoy give my life the color and depth that I so need to break up the drab reality that makes up so much of my work-a-day existence.  Among the daily, mundane trivialities are interspersed those random and joyful interactions with....friends. 

At this time, I am unmarried.  I have no spouse from which to derive the daily pleasures of conversation, encouragement, or companionship.  I am not in a "romantic" relationship, so I must treasure the true gift of friendship.  Even on a day that the world has by and large turned into a celebration of lust (some of the Valentine's cards I've read this year were downright dirty and should have had a warning label!) by focusing solely on what kind of pleasures sensual relations bring, don't lose sight of those good friends who also love and cherish you!

Happy Valentine's Day!

I pray that you will all enjoy a wonderful day today, and share many warm wishes of happiness and affection with those you love.  Remember, you can never tell those close to you how much you love and appreciate them enough!  Cherish today, as you should each day, and make many fantastic memories.

The Most Forgiving People Should be the Forgiven

One of the hallmarks of Christian character should be the capacity to forgive.  Being forgiving of the faults, foibles, and failures of others should characterize our everyday behavior.  Why is it that this should be the case?

Being forgiving involves a complicated equation of emotions.  When someone offers forgiveness to another, immediately implied is the fact that forgiveness is necessary.  That is, one person has been wronged, and another has done wrong.  Someone is the offended, and another the offender.  Wrapped up in the hurt of being done wrong and the desire to get even, must be a stronger sense of compassion and responsibility as someone who has also had to seek forgiveness.  Overpowering the emotions to avenge the wrong done must be the capacity to forgive.  Forgiveness involves taking yourself out of that complicated emotional equation.  For true forgiveness to be offered, you must view the situation not through the lens of your own emotions, but through the prism compassion and your own true standing. 

As someone who has been forgiven, it is important to remember that mercy has been granted to your account.  Who are we, then, to withhold that same courtesy from another?   The Lord demands us to remember our true standing in His sight: lowly and deserving of hell.  We are not so important that we cannot overlook our own faults and need to be forgiven to hold another to a higher standard.  When you feel that you have been wronged or hurt, consider that you have been in the offending person's stead yourself.  If the holy God of heaven can look down and forgive a wretched sinner such as yourself, how much more should we offer forgiveness when necessary.  As the forgiven, we should be apt to forgive and quick to seek healing and restoration.

Effort Reflects Expectation

Have you ever been given some task to perform and not been sure of how to proceed?  Oftentimes this could be the result of not being told what specifically was going to be expected.  If you are unsure that you will be followed up with or uncertain as to what you should be doing exactly, your effort will tend to reflect that.  On the other hand, if you have been given a job that has been outlined thoroughly, and expectations have been made clear and directions have been explicit, you will be certain to give your best.

Applying oneself to a task is an exercise in personal responsibility and self-motivation.  Absent expectation, our own personal drive to excel and achieve can sometimes lag behind where it would be given a high expectation.  Only a select few people possessed of an intense personal motivation to consistently best previous personal efforts tend to maintain high standards in the absence of expectation.  Simply put, very few of us have the drive to apply our best effort unless we know that that is what is expected.  The tendency to slack off when the boss isn't around is testament to this.  When no one is around to motivate, we tend to let standards slip a little. 

When we as Christians think about this issue, we should acknowledge that God sees all.  There is never a moment when God is not "around" to observe how we are behaving.  The expectations of how we should act are laid out for us in Scripture.  We cannot use ignorance as an excuse for poor behavior.  The Bible contains the principles that are to be our motivation.  The expectations of the Lord have been made extremely clear in Scripture, and given that fact we should live accordingly. 

In the daily struggle of life, remember that much is expected of you.  To whom much is given, much is required.  We have been given the power and indwelling of the Holy Spirit, so we must be willing and usable vessels to accomplish the work of the Lord.  Our efforts to please the Lord and to live out His will should directly reflect the expectation that Christ places upon us.  We should endeavor to live a daily life that meets the high calling and expectation of Christ upon us. 

Hattiesburg Architecture- Saenger Theater

As someone who maintains an avid interest in architecture, it is only natural for me to highlight some of the architectural gems of my area.  The first building I will share with you is the Saenger Theater in downtown Hattiesburg.

Saenger Theater on opening day in 1929.

 The Saenger brothers, Abe and Julian, built six other ornate movie palaces throughout the South in the late 1910's and early 1920's.  The theater in Hattiesburg was their seventh and final project completed before the sale of their enterprise to the Publix Theater chain, which had ties to Paramount Pictures.  The Saengers enlisted New Orleans architect Emile Weil to design and build their Hattiesburg theater.  Weil was an architect of some note in New Orleans, having overseen the building of properties that had become highly respected for their design.  Weil had opened his own architecture firm in 1899, so by the time he was contracted by  the Saenger brothers, he was well established.

  This is one of the ornate mansions in New Orleans that contributed to Emile Weil's sterling reputation.

The Saenger Theater opened in Hattiesburg on Thanksgiving day 1929, and was immediately a well received property.  It soon became known as "The jewel of downtown Hattiesburg".  The theater was art-deco in its ornamentation and style, which was the style du jour in the 1920's and 1930's.  The theater could seat over 1,000 and featured a full orchestra pit and a 778-pipe Robert Morton organ.  This organ would be used to accompany the silent movies that first played in the Saenger, and also during intermissions between pictures.  The organ was known for being one of the finest in  the South.

A good example of art-deco style ornamentation from the Saenger lobby.

A balcony light fixture from the Saenger.

The main chandelier in the theater auditorium. It weighs over a ton, and contains more than 500 pieces of glazed glass.

Art-deco sconce from theater auditorium.

The Saenger Theater was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979, and was the recipient of a full restoration in 1999 by  the city of Hattiesburg.  The theater had sadly fallen into disrepair in the 1980's, and had passed into the ownership of the city of Hattiesburg.  Today, the theater is host to concerts, plays and other theatrical productions, and civic events.  The Saenger is a good representation of the art-deco architectural style, and is indeed a gem of the Hattiesburg downtown area.

The Saenger present day.