WORD!
God, Life, Love and Art
Avoidance is not an option!
Apr 30th
“Avoid a sugared gospel as you would shun sugar of lead. Seek the gospel which rips up and tears and cuts and wounds and hacks and even kills, for that is the gospel that makes alive again. And when you have found it, give good heed to it. Let it enter into your inmost being. As the rain soaks into the ground, so pray the Lord to let his gospel soak into your soul.” C. H. SPURGEON,
It’s true that we are always learning. But so many Christians today seem to settle for the halfway mark on many things, even when we go beyond the point of no return there are other points that seem to stop us.
Granted, the Bible is a book of inspiration to many in many areas. One of them is of course, the building of our faith. But seeing that faith is based on believing, we should consider that everything within the Bible is meant to build upon our faith. As Captain Kirk always bellows out “To Boldly Go where no man has gone before.”
I see too many of my brothers and sisters going through trials and tribulations and simply wanting to give it up. Yes, both trials and tribulations are hard, and sometimes we are pressed under so much of a weight that it seems too unbearable to bear. But we are taught that’s only the testing of our faith. Quite frankly, when it comes to sin in our lives, the trials and tribulations can often lead to a total mental breakdown.
But that’s what a non-sugared gospel is supposed to be.
I’ve never meant a man that has been swayed to repentance by a sugared over gospel. Such doesn’t lead to repentance nor a change in our attitude of sin. The love of Christ isn’t something sweet, at least it’s not meant to be. Christ’s love for us came under the most severe circumstances, there was nothing romantic, nor quiet about the ministry of Christ…He gave all He had under torn flesh, and broken hands and feet. He was cursed and shunned by the ones He so loved and died for.
One of my prayers for all Christians is that they shun an ineffective, sugar-laden gospel. If we find the gospel being preached to us is making us drowsy, ineffective, unshakable and unmovable, then we need to either wake up, shape up. shake out or ship out!
What about you? Have you ever heard or expereinced preaching that doesn’t, or didn’t move you? I would love to hear your thoughts!
Silent Women? No Way!
Apr 14th
Sooner or later the topic of women being silent in the church always pops up in Christian circles.
Let me be the first to say it: as far as I am concerned, women are the one’s that make the church spin it’s wheels.
I hate to say it, but men are generally lazy. We like lying around all Saturday on the couch, watching the afternoon movie. It’s a very good reason for wives and/or girlfriends to get rid of every TV/Monitor in the house. According to the women on the Jerry Springer show, we are good for TV watching only.
Did I just give myself away? Yes, I believe I did!
Ok, ok, I don’t really watch Jerry Springer. Actually I hate it! Too many fights, hair pulling, and too much censorship. I’m kidding, I’m kidding….
For a long time, women have taken over the male dominated role of leadership. It happened as far back as Adam and Eve, and became more pronounced with the prophetess Michelle and her sidekick Barack. Oops, I meant prophetess Deborah and her sidekick Barak.
Excuse me while I make a slight brain adjustment…getting off that couch has wearied me a bit….
God knew that men couldn’t go it alone…we either don’t lack the brains or the motivation to do so. Despite the age-old saying “Women…who needs them?”. which I am convinced was made up by a zombie…I am positively sure that with women, men would find themselves incapable of moving.
From our first interaction with women, we men are born to run the race…whether it’s to impress, to thrive, or survive. Let’s face it….impressing a woman isn’t just hard work..it’s a lifetime devotion to hard work. A man can be on the top of his game in life: his own house, his own car, a nice bank account, even a nice job/career. But all that can fade away in a heartbeat the moment he lays his eyes on the woman of his dreams…suddenly all that isn’t good enough, or at least it doesn’t matter. He can’t really do anything with any of that at the start, because it all comes down to his own charisma. And when it comes to that, he either has it, or he doesn’t!
If he doesn’t have it, he won’t win the chase. And if he doesn’t win the chase, then what he’s got left (riches, security, etc) won’t make him happy…it won’t make him complete!
A woman is the crowning achievement to a man’s life. She’s the thing that God sent us to balance us out. She’s the man’s helpmate, and the man’s alter-ego. She’s the wheels that make the man’s head spin, and the motor that keeps him running.
Of course, that all depends on the right woman. I am assuming my readers have the right one! If not, never settle for less 
So it’s clearly evident, at least to me, that a woman’s role in the church is vitally important. It’s true that some churches may actually prefer women to be quiet, but their presence within the church is screaming nonetheless. Men may consider themselves to be the leadership of the church, but it’s the women that make the church a living reality.
We need to give women credit…when it comes to keeping out houses in order…women are at the heart of our homes, just as they are the center of our own heart.
I hope that as men we go out-of-the-way to both cherish and boldly show the women in our lives how much they mean to us. Not just on their special days, but all the days that they are in our lives. They sure do deserve it!
And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. And Adam said , This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man Genesis 2:22
Forgiveness
Apr 11th
Forgiveness is a power action. It’s also a powerful word. There is so much power in forgiveness, that most, if not all of the time, forgiveness will break the hardest heart.
Forgiveness, if communicated properly, can build bridges, and it can also restore burned ones.
A friend once told me that to truly forgive means closing the door on past failures, upsets, dis-harmony and sins. It means never going back and re-visiting them. Forgiveness can bring life to old bones, and a change of countenance. It can bring out the sun on overcast days and strengthen hearts and bonds.
A Christian can be born again and yet still carry un-forgiveness in their hearts. It’s not always easy to see that it’s still there, but many times God will see to it that we are confronted with it. Yeah, it’s not always easy, because most of the time, forgiveness has to do with relationships. and like relationships, there are layers that we have to go to in order to get to the good stuff. When we have an unforgiving, and an un-forgiven attitude, it’s like the shell of a pomegranate… impregnable, but you know the good stuff is inside, so you keep trying.
The funny thing about un-forgiveness is that once we get around to “mastering” it..yes it’s even possible to master un-forgiveness…then we have no way of being offended to the point of being unforgiving.
I believe that it takes a heart that has been taken over completely by God to accomplish this. It certainly does take a humble one at that.
Of course, I am reminded of the many, many examples of Jesus forgiving others in the Bible. It seems that almost everyone that Jesus spoke to was near death many times over. Many were almost stoned, indeed, they were stoned. Many were accused of doing wrong. Yet Jesus came to them and said “I forgive you!”Many were about to whip Him, and they did, many wanted to crucify Him, and they did.
But Jesus simply, and truthfully said “I forgive you!” WOW! Such a powerful statement at the hour of our greatest need! And no matter who you are, those words are like a sonic boom to the face.
Forgiveness is always followed by peace, and that’s a peace that all involved can benefit from, and of course, it extends out from all.
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:34-35
Your thoughts are always welcomed. Have a blessed day!
Barabbas
Apr 8th
But the whole crowd shouted, “Away with this man! Release Barabbas to us!”(Barabbas had been thrown into prison for an insurrection in the city, and for murder.)
It’s strange that Barabbas as evil and as crooked as he was, was chosen by the people to be set free instead of Jesus.
Or is it a prophetic sign of what was to come?
I’m reminded that not much is mentioned of Barabbas, who had been thrown in prison for insurrection and murder. The only thing that is mentioned is that the people would rather have Him set free instead of Jesus.
This is NOT a coincidence. There is a great probability that it was God’s plan, just three days or so before the ressurection, to set “the worst of the worst” free.
Jesus died in place of Barabbas. Jesus died for him. Jesus died for us….are we worse that Barabbas? Are we worth just as much as Barabbas was to Jesus…that He would give up His life, to set Barabbas free?
I hope you had a super nice, blessed Easter my friends!
Build Bridges
Mar 29th
Why do we take the time
To make a rhyme
When we can’t even
Give a dime?
The preachers in the poor house
Preach to the millions
While the people in the rich house
Count their billions
Who really reaches more
Or extends their generosity:
The business man dealing on the phone
Or the poor man hoping for a bone?
What right do we have?
To rant and rave
About what Jesus gave
When we don’t do the same
It’s time to shut up and shut down
To put away the hi rise buildings
And build bridges.
Givenchy Two-Button Wool Jacket
Mar 27th
By now we all know the Prosperity Doctrine is old news.
Any Christian that has ever tuned in has heard the hook, line, and sinker of the Prosperity Preachers. They are mostly on Cable nowadays, but a few can be found in our own towns and cities.
I don’t blame them for turning the Word of God into a money-making way of life. After all, if they tried to do anything else, they would probably fail.
I do notice one good thing about them though. It’s the simple fact that they are good encouragers. No one can preach so effectively as to want people to throw their hard-earned cash at them. That takes a lot of practice to get people to do that.
Me? If I were to get up on a stage in front of a world-wide audience….they’d probably be throwing stones at me.
Mostly for my jokes…people hate my jokes! They hate them so much, they actually send me money to help me stop my jokes.
I’m not against any preacher who preaches the Prosperity Doctrine and uses the money to help the helpless. The only thing I am against is the fact that a man who chooses to wear a Givenchy Two-Button Wool Jacket that he purchased for $2,175.00 doesn’t realize that no one really notices or cares that he’s got a shiny new jacket on. The only thing the people, especially the women, notice is just how good-looking he may be, thanks to A LOT of affordable plastic surgery, and the fact that he’s successful!
Oh come on now! Do you really think that good-looking blonde woman in the front row is Praising the Lord? Naaaa….no way, she’s just there to catch herself a Prince Charming. 
I really think that the majority of these preachers, if they tried really hard, would be awesome encouragers. But that would only work if they tried to get the message across that life is so much more livable if you made the best of every day, not focusing on your surroundings, but reaching out to those who are way less fortunate than yourself.
Because, truthfully, when you consider the fact that it isn’t money that makes you, its God who does that. And if God wants you rich, then you would have already been rich!
By the way….the prayer of Jabez has nothing to do with money. And the fact that Solomon the Wise asked for wisdom didn’t mean that God had to give him money. That was simply a blessing from God. In reality, if we need anything, God already knows it before we ask Him. And even then, He may decide that what we currently has is enough. And guess what? It is! If we can’t survive on everything that God has already given us, then we won’t survive on anything more than He should bless us with.
As a God-fearing Christians God has promised you and I that we will have everything that we need in order to live. That comes down to three, maybe four, even five things: water, food, shelter, clothes on our backs and our hands. That’s it! That’s what God has promised you, what He’s blessed us with, and what we need to survive!
Wait…do you think that you need money to survive? Think again, especially when there are millions of people whose only real need is food and clean water! I don’t know about anyone else, but seeing the images of these poor children and people makes me angry that even a small percentage of the money goes into providing internet access to the worker’s whose job it is to travel the world and photograph these needy people!
I’m going to say something that will perhaps shock you.
Here goes….
You don’t need a cel phone, you don’t need a Porsche, you don’t need a Hummer, you don’t even need a quadruple speed bicycle, you don’t need a mansion, you don’t need a big screen TV (ok, ok, I’ll give you that one, just because : ) ) You don’t need a swimming pool in your back yard, and you don’t even need a church building!
All you need is God!
Now send me all your money.
Ok, Ok, I jest! I jest! Sheesh!
What’s one way that you encourage people? Do you think that paying $2,175.00 for a suit is too much?
The Student Who Scored 0% On His Exam
Mar 11th
After reading this one I just had to share!
STUDENT WHO OBTAINED 0% ON AN EXAM
I would have given him 100%
Q1. In which battle did Napoleon die?
* his last battle
Q2. Where was the Declaration of Independence signed?
* at the bottom of the page
Q3. River Ravi flows in which state?
* liquid
Q4. What is the main reason for divorce?
* marriage
Q5. What is the main reason for failure?
* exams
Q6. What can you never eat for breakfast?
* Lunch & dinner
Q7. What looks like half an apple?
* The other half
Q8. If you throw a red stone into the blue sea what it will become?
* I t will simply become wet
Q9. How can a man go eight days without sleeping ?
* No problem, he sleeps at night.
Q10. How can you lift an elephant with one hand?
* You will never find an elephant that has only one hand..
Q11. If you had three apples and four oranges in one hand and four apples and three oranges in other hand, what would you have ?
* Very large hands
Q12. If it took eight men ten hours to build a wall, how long would it take four men to build it?
* No time at all, the wall is already built.
Q13. How can u drop a raw egg onto a concrete floor without cracking it?
*Any way you want, concrete floors are very hard to crack.
I hope everyone has a great week. Remember, there’s GOT to be some humor in our everyday lives, even if it looks bleak.
