This is Memorial Day.
It has become a strange holiday.
People don't seem to know what to do with it.
We're supposed to remember those who gave their lives for our freedoms.
Only fighting for freedom has gone out of style for about half of the country.
Seems that many people think since we have it, we can't lose it and if we lose it, oh well.
That's because they don't know what it is like not to be free.
They don't read books about it in school, because it is politically incorrect to teach that The United States of America is virtuous, or great...certainly not better than any other country.
In this nation of laws it has become fashionable to allow some laws to be broken for the sake of some ethnic convenience.
Historically, people from all over the world have struggled, sacrificed, studied, scrimped and saved to be able to come to this land of opportunity.
Now, all they have to do is cross the border, have a child and presto...instant ratification and gratification.
Now, instead of immigrants learning our culture and assimilating, we must bow to theirs, become multi-lingual, relinquish those things that have unified us in the past and cater to their needs, economic, social and medical.
For thirty one years my father served in the armed forces of our country. He was a career officer in the United States Air Force.
During World War II, he served in the South Atlantic theater in the field of communications.
My father was fiercely patriotic, understood freedom and was willing to give his life to preserve the unity and values of this country.
The other day I heard a United States politician call for a total withdrawal of our troops from Iraq.
He was giving encouragement to a group planning an anti-war demonstration, suggesting that they carry signs reading, "Support our troops...end the war in Iraq."
Well, I look forward to the day when our troops can come home.
Nobody likes war, except a few stupid warmongering pseudo-militia groups.
But I'll tell you this: the slogan, "Support our troops...end the war in Iraq," is a slap in the face of our current military personnel, a slap in the face of the service my father performed for these ingrates and is therefore a slap in my face.
It is not a slap in the face because it is anti-war.
People have a right to oppose war.
Many people, including my father, opposed our involvement in World War II.
But he saw the necessity for it, supported it with his life and would never have dreamed of saying or doing anything that would demoralize his fellow military personnel....period.
That, he thought, could best be left for after the war and for history to decide.
It is a slap in the face because it represents an attitude on the part of that Senator, and those who think like he does, that says "We will not respect the processes by which we as a nation have decided that these things are done and will not stand in unity for our country."
In any other time they would be branded as traitors and imprisoned or hanged for treason.
I brand them thusly now.
The slogan should be: "Support our troops...WIN the war against terrorists."
There are those who want to set a time-table for troop withdrawal from Iraq.
Aid and abet the enemy by telling them when we will quit.
Some have compared this war to the war in Viet Nam.
It is absolutely nothing like the war in Viet Nam, and anyone who thinks it is is either unbelievably ignorant, and knows (or will admit) nothing about the Viet Nam war, how we got into it, what went on during it or how we got out of it.
The only way this war will become like Viet Nam is if we quit in defeat.
There are those politicians who want to do that.
They are the ones who will turn this war into another Viet Nam.
So, on this Memorial Day, I urge you to pray for and support our troops by insisting that our political leaders see to their battle needs.
Give them the wherewith all to win this effort.
Mark my words, failure to do so will result in a future attack on our country, the inability to resist the attack and the eventual overthrow of our country.
We will lose our freedoms and will become a country where citizens are de-fingered for disobeying the despot-in-chief, beheaded for "crimes against the state," imprisoned for expressing their point of view.
We will become a land where women are possessions, must hide their faces, obey men's commands and subject themselves to horrors unspeakable.
Let us use this Memorial Day to remember the sacrifices made by our predecessors.
Let us remember the trite, but nevertheless true, saying, "Freedom is not free."
Let us realize that the desire for freedom beats in the heart of every human being as a God-given trait of our species.
Then, let us bring honor to the memory of those who have gone before us to make this a nation that is the not only the land of the free, but also the home of the brave.
Monday, May 28, 2007
Saturday, May 26, 2007
ANOTHER BLOG ABOUT PRAYER
The thing that makes me sad is that there are certain things that I know.
I don't think them, I know them.
But one cannot state that he knows certain things, lest he be accused of excessive pride.
Only what I know is the truth.
Not to admit that I know it would be lying.
So I am faced with a dilemma.
Exhibit pride or lie.
What kind of choice is that?
I was reading a post the other day in which the writer was asking people to pray for a particular physical thing.
Let me be quick to say that I believe it is superlatively important for us to pray about things.
Not everything, but in general, things.
Many people quote Matthew 6:33 "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness: and all these thing shall be added unto you." as though it is God's promise to give you things if you seek Him.
Of course you are smart enough to realize that the word "but" is used as a conjunction, connecting this thought to the ones that go before it.
Thus we know that the verse is saying that if we seek God and His righteousness above all else, that we don't have to worry about food, shelter and clothing.
We have to work for them, we just don't have to worry about them. Worrying about them will not add a cubit to your height or an hour to your life.
So many people find it necessary to pray about the minutia of life.
Such is not necessary.
For instance, you need not pray about whether it is God's will for you to witness the Gospel to others.
His Word tells us to do so in Matthew 28:16-20.
He said do it.
So don't pray about it, just do it!
For many people, prayer is a way to get God to go along with their wants, whether they be wants of healing, riches, stability or whatever.
I wrote a little verse about it. Sing it to the tune of "Puff the Magic Dragon," the Peter, Paul and Mary hit of years long gone.
It goes like this:
That is so pagan, so superstitious, so blasphemous!
Scripture tells us that when we abide in Jesus we can express to Him the desires of our heart and He will give them to us.
In the context of the whole counsel of God, though, this means that if our desires for ourselves match up with His desires for us, He will give us what we want because what we want is what He wants for us.
You see, prayer is not our way to manipulate God, it is His way of letting us know what He is up to and inviting us to go along for the ride.
It is also one of the means by which we die to self and yield to Him.
It is like a conversation with an expert in a field in which you are a novice, but one who does not look down on you, rather seeks to teach you His field.
Most of us pray gimmie, gimmie prayers (uh...myself included BTW).
"Lord, take away my illness. Give me health."
"Lord, make Aunt Suzie well give her health."
"Lord, you know I need $400.00 to make it through the month. Give me wealth."
(Don't you just love how we tell God what He knows?)
"Lord, Heal my marriage. Make my spouse a better person so we can live together."
"Lord, strike my jerk of a boss with lightning so I will have a better time at work."
"Lord, this business belongs to you. Make it prosper, 'cause it's yours."
"Lord, give apoplexy to that lady who cut me down at church the other Sunday. Get even with her for me."
How much more satisfying our prayer life would be if we would learn to pray:
"Change my heart, O God."
"Lord, help me be more like you every day."
"Lord, if this illness kills me, let me be looking forward to the unspeakable joy of being face-to-face with my blessed Savior."
"Lord, I give this situation to you. Do whatever you want to with it."
"Lord, give my boss a special measure of peace today and help me be the employee I should be to earn the paycheck I get."
"Lord, I offer myself as a living sacrifice to you today."
"Lord, I give this business to you. Help me to work hard so it can grow your way."
"Lord, this is your business. Do what you want with it."
"Lord, help me give myself 100% to my spouse today, expecting absolutely nothing in return and thus show forth your grace and peace."
"Lord, help me die to self a little more today than I did yesterday."
Life is very hard.
Because we live in a fallen world, things happen.
Living our lives for Christ is even harder.
Circumstances? Well, they are just that: circumstances.
Will they change?
Maybe.
But if not, like Paul, we need to say, "I have learned to be content in whatever circumstance I'm found."
I don't think them, I know them.
But one cannot state that he knows certain things, lest he be accused of excessive pride.
Only what I know is the truth.
Not to admit that I know it would be lying.
So I am faced with a dilemma.
Exhibit pride or lie.
What kind of choice is that?
I was reading a post the other day in which the writer was asking people to pray for a particular physical thing.
Let me be quick to say that I believe it is superlatively important for us to pray about things.
Not everything, but in general, things.
Many people quote Matthew 6:33 "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness: and all these thing shall be added unto you." as though it is God's promise to give you things if you seek Him.
Of course you are smart enough to realize that the word "but" is used as a conjunction, connecting this thought to the ones that go before it.
Thus we know that the verse is saying that if we seek God and His righteousness above all else, that we don't have to worry about food, shelter and clothing.
We have to work for them, we just don't have to worry about them. Worrying about them will not add a cubit to your height or an hour to your life.
So many people find it necessary to pray about the minutia of life.
Such is not necessary.
For instance, you need not pray about whether it is God's will for you to witness the Gospel to others.
His Word tells us to do so in Matthew 28:16-20.
He said do it.
So don't pray about it, just do it!
For many people, prayer is a way to get God to go along with their wants, whether they be wants of healing, riches, stability or whatever.
I wrote a little verse about it. Sing it to the tune of "Puff the Magic Dragon," the Peter, Paul and Mary hit of years long gone.
It goes like this:
God my magic genie does what I ask;
For Him to do what I command is not too hard a task.
Say the incantation, "In Jesus' Name;"
And when you've gotten what you want you'll know you've won the game.
That is so pagan, so superstitious, so blasphemous!
Scripture tells us that when we abide in Jesus we can express to Him the desires of our heart and He will give them to us.
In the context of the whole counsel of God, though, this means that if our desires for ourselves match up with His desires for us, He will give us what we want because what we want is what He wants for us.
You see, prayer is not our way to manipulate God, it is His way of letting us know what He is up to and inviting us to go along for the ride.
It is also one of the means by which we die to self and yield to Him.
It is like a conversation with an expert in a field in which you are a novice, but one who does not look down on you, rather seeks to teach you His field.
Most of us pray gimmie, gimmie prayers (uh...myself included BTW).
"Lord, take away my illness. Give me health."
"Lord, make Aunt Suzie well give her health."
"Lord, you know I need $400.00 to make it through the month. Give me wealth."
(Don't you just love how we tell God what He knows?)
"Lord, Heal my marriage. Make my spouse a better person so we can live together."
"Lord, strike my jerk of a boss with lightning so I will have a better time at work."
"Lord, this business belongs to you. Make it prosper, 'cause it's yours."
"Lord, give apoplexy to that lady who cut me down at church the other Sunday. Get even with her for me."
How much more satisfying our prayer life would be if we would learn to pray:
"Change my heart, O God."
"Lord, help me be more like you every day."
"Lord, if this illness kills me, let me be looking forward to the unspeakable joy of being face-to-face with my blessed Savior."
"Lord, I give this situation to you. Do whatever you want to with it."
"Lord, give my boss a special measure of peace today and help me be the employee I should be to earn the paycheck I get."
"Lord, I offer myself as a living sacrifice to you today."
"Lord, I give this business to you. Help me to work hard so it can grow your way."
"Lord, this is your business. Do what you want with it."
"Lord, help me give myself 100% to my spouse today, expecting absolutely nothing in return and thus show forth your grace and peace."
"Lord, help me die to self a little more today than I did yesterday."
Life is very hard.
Because we live in a fallen world, things happen.
Living our lives for Christ is even harder.
Circumstances? Well, they are just that: circumstances.
Will they change?
Maybe.
But if not, like Paul, we need to say, "I have learned to be content in whatever circumstance I'm found."
Thursday, May 24, 2007
MY BLOG
A place where I tell you what I think and you can tell me what you think about what I think (but not what you think about what my other readers think)...I think.
There is an interesting string of comments on my post about Reality TV part one.
In it, an anonymous commenter made a comment to which I commented.
Then, an also anonymous commenter, came to the defense of the previous anonymous commenter.
I, of course, commented on all the comments, plus a few that had not even been made.
If there is one thing I hate (sorry if that's not a gentle enough word) it is anonymous commenters.
I never, ever leave their comments in my comments section, except when I do.
Which is probably as often as I delete them.
Maybe some commenters choose to remain anonymous because they don't have a blog and just happened by to read mine and commented on it.
Maybe they're just lilly-livered, yellow-bellied sap-suckers.
(The Yellow-bellied Sap-sucker, for the uninitiated, is a type of woodpecker.)
(Lilly-livered, on the other hand, just sounds neat.)
It could have been worse.
I could have called them a "fawning, earth-vexing, fustilarian ," but that might not have been considered nice.
I was actually reprimanded for not having been gentle enough in my response to anonymous commenter number one.
To which my response is, in the words of a famous cave-man, "Uh....what?"
Let me explain.
See, I take only Jesus seriously.
I do not take me seriously.
I do not take you seriously.
For the most part, the world just needs to lighten up and get a life.
We do not need to be offended on others' behalfs.
They will, no doubt, be offended on their own any time they want to be.
Especially if they spend much time on my blog.
The thing is, this blog is read all over the world.
Granted, only one person from each quadrant of the globe reads it, but still...that's all over the world...isn't it?
But the good news is nobody HAS to read it.
Why read something that offends you or that you think offends someone else?
There is too much to do in life to go around getting offended by various blogs.
After all, you are not going to "set anyone straight" (least of all, me) with your comments.
And, contrary to popular belief, my blog is not a democracy.
You have an absolute right to your opinion.
You do not have an absolute right to express it on my blog.
I practice censorship.
I censor foul language, stupidity (although one might make the case that I also practice same), and whatever else I feel like censoring.
It is downright un-American.
But then, so are some of my readers. They are from Great Brittain, Australia, New Dehli, and Old Amsterdam.
So read away, if you like.
If you don't like...just go away.
And remember: I may seem rough around the edges. You may think I am a pompous twit. Some people actually don't like me (snif-snif).
But I'm really a very loving, lovable, laid-back, easy-going, soft-spoken, life-loving, fun-having, smart-allically old grump.
My wife tells me I'm nuts.
I tell her, "Always keep that in mind."
There is an interesting string of comments on my post about Reality TV part one.
In it, an anonymous commenter made a comment to which I commented.
Then, an also anonymous commenter, came to the defense of the previous anonymous commenter.
I, of course, commented on all the comments, plus a few that had not even been made.
If there is one thing I hate (sorry if that's not a gentle enough word) it is anonymous commenters.
I never, ever leave their comments in my comments section, except when I do.
Which is probably as often as I delete them.
Maybe some commenters choose to remain anonymous because they don't have a blog and just happened by to read mine and commented on it.
Maybe they're just lilly-livered, yellow-bellied sap-suckers.
(The Yellow-bellied Sap-sucker, for the uninitiated, is a type of woodpecker.)
(Lilly-livered, on the other hand, just sounds neat.)
It could have been worse.
I could have called them a "fawning, earth-vexing, fustilarian ," but that might not have been considered nice.
I was actually reprimanded for not having been gentle enough in my response to anonymous commenter number one.
To which my response is, in the words of a famous cave-man, "Uh....what?"
Let me explain.
See, I take only Jesus seriously.
I do not take me seriously.
I do not take you seriously.
For the most part, the world just needs to lighten up and get a life.
We do not need to be offended on others' behalfs.
They will, no doubt, be offended on their own any time they want to be.
Especially if they spend much time on my blog.
The thing is, this blog is read all over the world.
Granted, only one person from each quadrant of the globe reads it, but still...that's all over the world...isn't it?
But the good news is nobody HAS to read it.
Why read something that offends you or that you think offends someone else?
There is too much to do in life to go around getting offended by various blogs.
After all, you are not going to "set anyone straight" (least of all, me) with your comments.
And, contrary to popular belief, my blog is not a democracy.
You have an absolute right to your opinion.
You do not have an absolute right to express it on my blog.
I practice censorship.
I censor foul language, stupidity (although one might make the case that I also practice same), and whatever else I feel like censoring.
It is downright un-American.
But then, so are some of my readers. They are from Great Brittain, Australia, New Dehli, and Old Amsterdam.
So read away, if you like.
If you don't like...just go away.
And remember: I may seem rough around the edges. You may think I am a pompous twit. Some people actually don't like me (snif-snif).
But I'm really a very loving, lovable, laid-back, easy-going, soft-spoken, life-loving, fun-having, smart-allically old grump.
My wife tells me I'm nuts.
I tell her, "Always keep that in mind."
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
TRY TO FOCUS!
What one thing characterizes Christianity?
Is it prayer?
Muslims pray.
Hindus pray.
Maybe its praise!
Muslims say, "Allah be praised," every time they speak the name of their prophet.
Hindus praise a myriad of gods.
Perhaps it is worship.
Muslims gather in mosques for worship.
Hindus gather at shrines to worship.
Singing! That must be it: singing!
Muslis sing.
Hindus chant (a sort of singing, I guess...think Gregorian chants, etc.)
Could it be sacrifice?
Animalists sacrifice.
So do Voodoo practicioners.
OK.
Sit down a grab hold of something. This is about to get really rough.
It must be the spirit of God.
Sorry.
Many pagan tribal cultures are involed with the "spirits" of the gods.
Let me tell you what sets Christianity apart from all other religions, sects, cults and religious segments.
It is a person named Jesus, who thought it not robbery to be equal with God.
It is a person named Jesus, who the Pharasees understood to be calling Himself the "Great I Am," and considered it a blasphemy worthy of crucifixion.
It is a person named Jesus, who was crucified and then was resurrected, as witnessed by the testimony of over 500 people!
(Think of that! In a courtroom, two or three witnesses are enough to establish the truth.)
It is a person named Jesus, whose followers were willing, individually, to die horrible deaths at the hands of others, rather than deny their faith in Him.
It is a person named Jesus, who sits at the right hand of God the Father and who shall someday judge both the quick and the dead.
It is a person named Jesus, who took upon Himself the sins of the whole world in order that God's wonderful plan of salvation might be accomplished in the heart of any person who will turn to Him in faith, trusting in, and only in, His finished work at the cross for salvation.
It is a person named Jesus, who was predicted over 600 times in the Old Testament to be born, live, die, to be raised from the grave and to return for His own.
It is a person named Jesus, by whom all things were made that were made, making Him the Very Creator!
It is the person named Jesus, who wrestled with men, walked in the furnace, and who is, and will be named King of Kings and Lord of Lords!
My friend, you can stand in an elevator and converse with people all you want about some generic god or gods and they won't bat an eyelash.
But talk about Jesus and you'll get a rise out of them.
Use His name for swearing, cursing or damning and that's OK.
Speak His name with reverence and awe and you'll be attacked, maybe verbally, maybe physically.
Tell somebody, "God loves you," and they'll smile and nod and say, "Oh, I know."
Even Oprah knows that!
But tell them to turn to Jesus for salvation and watch how fast they turn you off!
There are lots of people who call themselves "Christians."
There are few who find Him.
The Bible tells us that the road is wide that leads to eternal destruction, and there are many on it, whether they know it or not.
The Bible tells us that the road is narrow that leads to eternal life, and there are few on it.
Why?
Because the point is not prayer.
The point is not praise.
The point is not worship.
The point is not singing.
The point is Jesus.
He is the one who characterizes Christianity.
Just Jesus.
He is the physical manifestation of God.
He said, "He who has seen me has seen the Father."
Jesus.
What could I write to do today to get Christians to focus on Jesus?
What would God have to do today to get you to focus on Jesus?
Is it prayer?
Muslims pray.
Hindus pray.
Maybe its praise!
Muslims say, "Allah be praised," every time they speak the name of their prophet.
Hindus praise a myriad of gods.
Perhaps it is worship.
Muslims gather in mosques for worship.
Hindus gather at shrines to worship.
Singing! That must be it: singing!
Muslis sing.
Hindus chant (a sort of singing, I guess...think Gregorian chants, etc.)
Could it be sacrifice?
Animalists sacrifice.
So do Voodoo practicioners.
OK.
Sit down a grab hold of something. This is about to get really rough.
It must be the spirit of God.
Sorry.
Many pagan tribal cultures are involed with the "spirits" of the gods.
Let me tell you what sets Christianity apart from all other religions, sects, cults and religious segments.
It is a person named Jesus, who thought it not robbery to be equal with God.
It is a person named Jesus, who the Pharasees understood to be calling Himself the "Great I Am," and considered it a blasphemy worthy of crucifixion.
It is a person named Jesus, who was crucified and then was resurrected, as witnessed by the testimony of over 500 people!
(Think of that! In a courtroom, two or three witnesses are enough to establish the truth.)
It is a person named Jesus, whose followers were willing, individually, to die horrible deaths at the hands of others, rather than deny their faith in Him.
It is a person named Jesus, who sits at the right hand of God the Father and who shall someday judge both the quick and the dead.
It is a person named Jesus, who took upon Himself the sins of the whole world in order that God's wonderful plan of salvation might be accomplished in the heart of any person who will turn to Him in faith, trusting in, and only in, His finished work at the cross for salvation.
It is a person named Jesus, who was predicted over 600 times in the Old Testament to be born, live, die, to be raised from the grave and to return for His own.
It is a person named Jesus, by whom all things were made that were made, making Him the Very Creator!
It is the person named Jesus, who wrestled with men, walked in the furnace, and who is, and will be named King of Kings and Lord of Lords!
My friend, you can stand in an elevator and converse with people all you want about some generic god or gods and they won't bat an eyelash.
But talk about Jesus and you'll get a rise out of them.
Use His name for swearing, cursing or damning and that's OK.
Speak His name with reverence and awe and you'll be attacked, maybe verbally, maybe physically.
Tell somebody, "God loves you," and they'll smile and nod and say, "Oh, I know."
Even Oprah knows that!
But tell them to turn to Jesus for salvation and watch how fast they turn you off!
There are lots of people who call themselves "Christians."
There are few who find Him.
The Bible tells us that the road is wide that leads to eternal destruction, and there are many on it, whether they know it or not.
The Bible tells us that the road is narrow that leads to eternal life, and there are few on it.
Why?
Because the point is not prayer.
The point is not praise.
The point is not worship.
The point is not singing.
The point is Jesus.
He is the one who characterizes Christianity.
Just Jesus.
He is the physical manifestation of God.
He said, "He who has seen me has seen the Father."
Jesus.
What could I write to do today to get Christians to focus on Jesus?
What would God have to do today to get you to focus on Jesus?
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
REALITY TV? Part 2
Our local Christian TV station has started airing a lot of "non-mainstream" preachers.
I use the word, "non-mainstream," because I don't know what else to call them.
One of them began this rant about how God wants all of His children to prosper.
He proceeded to equate God's prosperity with the accumulation of goods and monetary wealth.
He said we did not drive the car we want because our faith is weak.
He drives a Beemer.
He told us of how he has "visioned" in his mind the house he wants, and God has provided it for him, complete with a pool, two stories, three bathrooms for himself, his wife and two kids (why not four bathrooms, by the way?), and a two-and-a-half-car garage.
"All you have to do," he said, "is to envision the wealth God wants you to have, and He will provide it for you.
Of course, he provided plenty of scripture passages to prove his points.
"Give (to his ministry, of course...as a "seed") and it will be given to you, pressed down...", well, you know the rest.
I wondered to myself: Why is this man preaching this message to the richest people on earth?
Why doesn't he take this message to those who really need it?
He should be preaching to the Christians in India, who are prohibited from earning a significant living.
He should be preaching to the Christians in Somalia, where the next meal is very much in doubt.
He should be preaching to the Christians in China, who must worship in underground churches.
Do not the very Scriptures he was "sharing" with us apply in poor countries?
Do not the very Scriptures he was "sharing" with us apply in countries where Christians are being put to death daily for just being Christians?
What, I wonder, is the cross he bears?
What, I wonder, is the sacrifice he makes?
What, I wonder, is he doing for those poor people in China?
I'm not at all certain that he and I worship the same God.
I use the word, "non-mainstream," because I don't know what else to call them.
One of them began this rant about how God wants all of His children to prosper.
He proceeded to equate God's prosperity with the accumulation of goods and monetary wealth.
He said we did not drive the car we want because our faith is weak.
He drives a Beemer.
He told us of how he has "visioned" in his mind the house he wants, and God has provided it for him, complete with a pool, two stories, three bathrooms for himself, his wife and two kids (why not four bathrooms, by the way?), and a two-and-a-half-car garage.
"All you have to do," he said, "is to envision the wealth God wants you to have, and He will provide it for you.
Of course, he provided plenty of scripture passages to prove his points.
"Give (to his ministry, of course...as a "seed") and it will be given to you, pressed down...", well, you know the rest.
I wondered to myself: Why is this man preaching this message to the richest people on earth?
Why doesn't he take this message to those who really need it?
He should be preaching to the Christians in India, who are prohibited from earning a significant living.
He should be preaching to the Christians in Somalia, where the next meal is very much in doubt.
He should be preaching to the Christians in China, who must worship in underground churches.
Do not the very Scriptures he was "sharing" with us apply in poor countries?
Do not the very Scriptures he was "sharing" with us apply in countries where Christians are being put to death daily for just being Christians?
What, I wonder, is the cross he bears?
What, I wonder, is the sacrifice he makes?
What, I wonder, is he doing for those poor people in China?
I'm not at all certain that he and I worship the same God.
Sunday, May 13, 2007
REALITY TV? Part 1
I was watching our local Christian TV station.
A preacher was standing at the front of the platform, just about to fall off, or so it seemed.
The congregation had locked arms and was swaying forward and backward when suddenly the preacher swept his arm in front of himself.
As he did so, the entire congregation fell backward like dominoes.
WOW! I thought. What power the Holy Spirit must have! He can knock people over!
How edifying!
How up-lifting!
How Christ-like!
How Biblical!
Biblical?
Oooo!
I ran and got my Bible to look up all of the instances where the Holy Spirit caused whole congregations to fall over when motioned at by the preacher.
Not one example.
How can this be, I wondered?
I must be missing something.
I looked in Bible dictionaries, topical Bibles, concordances, commentaries.
Nothing.
This is terrible!
If the Bible is God's revelation of His character, His love for His creation and His plan for its redemption, where is the part about dominomic congregations?
If "everything you need to know about God is found in the Word of God, nothing you need to know about God is not found in the Word of God and everything you think you know about God that is not in the Word of God you just made up," then God must have made a mistake leaving out the part about falling backward in unison at the sweep of a preacher's hand.
God made a mistake!
He did not reveal enough!
He must have much more to reveal!
That, my friend, is Voodoo Christianity.
He has revealed all He needs for us to know.
There is no further revelation.
Not one single preacher has learned one single thing about God that He has not already revealed for us all to know in His Word.
If you are not satisfied with what God has revealed in His Word, you are not satisfied with God.
If you are not satisfied with God, you are not saved.
You need to come to know Him by placing your faith in, and only in, the finished work of Christ at the cross of calvary and His resurrection.
You do not need to place your faith in your extra-Biblical experiences.
You do not need to place your faith in some prosperity "gospel" (which is no gospel at all).You do not need to place your faith in God's healing power.
You need to find sufficiency in Christ alone.If God chooses to give you wealth, that's His business.
If God chooses to heal you, that's His business.
Our only business is to take up our cross and follow Jesus.
When we do, we will receive the gift of persecution.
When we do, we will receive the gift of a daily death.
We will also receive the gift of eternal life.
We need nothing more.
Those are the marks of real, saving faith.
Friday, May 11, 2007
LOCAL?
As you know, I work at Kingdom FM Christian Radio .
We are a local Christian radio station.
"What does that mean, " I hear you asking earnestly.
To some people "local" means running a few local pastors' programs, doing a local weather forcast and maybe a traffic report here and there.
That's local...right?
Wrong.
As important as local programming is, it is not what it means to be local.
Being local means that radio personnel are involved in the community.
To be local, a station must have a presence at local events: walks-for-life; see you at the pole; So-and-So Men's conference; This-and-That Women's conference; local ministry luncheons and whatever other local ministry events take place.
The station should do a remote broadcast from these events whenever possible. This does not have to be expensive. Even a cell phone can be used to do a remote broadcast.
To be local, a station must be personally involved in local churches.
Personnel should visit local churches with a simple 5 minute presentation about the station and how it can help the church.
To be local, a station's personnel should visit local Christian businesses, letting them know about the radio ministry and making them aware of opportunities for them to let the community know they support Christian radio.
Looking for opportunities to interview as many local minintry leaders as possible is another way to make the station local.
Not only is the ministry leader involved in this way, all the people he or she leads are involved, too, because they will want to listen for their leader on the radio.
Stations can be even more local by doing brief local news programs and public affairs shows.
Public transportation information, shows about parks and recreation availability, water restriction information, local informational seminars and other areas of interest could easily be put into a five or ten minute program.
These also help fulfil FCC's requirement for public affairs broadcasts (although care should be taken not to be political).
All of this accomplishes two things: 1) it keeps the name of the station in front of the local community at all times and 2) it demonstrates to the community that they are what's important about local Christian radio.
Just broadcasting local sermons is good...but that's not all there is to being local.
If you ever wonder how to best increase your audience, what you put on the air will help, but what you do in the community will actually grow the audience.
We are a local Christian radio station.
"What does that mean, " I hear you asking earnestly.
To some people "local" means running a few local pastors' programs, doing a local weather forcast and maybe a traffic report here and there.
That's local...right?
Wrong.
As important as local programming is, it is not what it means to be local.
Being local means that radio personnel are involved in the community.
To be local, a station must have a presence at local events: walks-for-life; see you at the pole; So-and-So Men's conference; This-and-That Women's conference; local ministry luncheons and whatever other local ministry events take place.
The station should do a remote broadcast from these events whenever possible. This does not have to be expensive. Even a cell phone can be used to do a remote broadcast.
To be local, a station must be personally involved in local churches.
Personnel should visit local churches with a simple 5 minute presentation about the station and how it can help the church.
To be local, a station's personnel should visit local Christian businesses, letting them know about the radio ministry and making them aware of opportunities for them to let the community know they support Christian radio.
Looking for opportunities to interview as many local minintry leaders as possible is another way to make the station local.
Not only is the ministry leader involved in this way, all the people he or she leads are involved, too, because they will want to listen for their leader on the radio.
Stations can be even more local by doing brief local news programs and public affairs shows.
Public transportation information, shows about parks and recreation availability, water restriction information, local informational seminars and other areas of interest could easily be put into a five or ten minute program.
These also help fulfil FCC's requirement for public affairs broadcasts (although care should be taken not to be political).
All of this accomplishes two things: 1) it keeps the name of the station in front of the local community at all times and 2) it demonstrates to the community that they are what's important about local Christian radio.
Just broadcasting local sermons is good...but that's not all there is to being local.
If you ever wonder how to best increase your audience, what you put on the air will help, but what you do in the community will actually grow the audience.
Tuesday, May 08, 2007
I'M BAAAAAAK!
I had to go to, and speak at, my Brother-In-Law's funeral.
It was a sad day, but as funerals go, it was tastefully and nicely done.
My sister is adjusting well.
After I got back, I got a bad case of the flu.
I strongly recommend against it.
I was going to give you a play-by-play of my illness, but when I mentioned that to my good friend and co-worker, Caleb, he discouraged me from doing so, seemingly thinking that you were not particularly interested in graphic word-pictures of my projectile V & D.
So, fear not.
In the interest of securing your sensitivities, I will forgo the V & D descriptions and will move on to my "sick" humor.
One of my experiences included a high fever (104) and chills.
While under a bed sheet, two wool blankets and two comforters, I was shaking like a leaf in a hurricane and my teeth were chattering uncontrollably.
My sweet wife, whose lot it fell to care for me during this ordeal, came to my bedside to ask, "Is there anything I can do for you?"
My answer was, "Would you please close the meat-freezer door?"
At one point I suggested that we move the bed into the bathroom.
But that is getting too close to discussing V & D, so let's not go there.
Later, as the fever began to break, I began to sweat.
My bed sheet, blankets and comforters now weigh 7 times as much as they did.
I, on the other hand, weigh eight pounds less.
So it wasn't all bad.
I'll get back to writing soon.
See? I wrote a whole post without once getting into a discussion of V & D.
But it was hard.
It was a sad day, but as funerals go, it was tastefully and nicely done.
My sister is adjusting well.
After I got back, I got a bad case of the flu.
I strongly recommend against it.
I was going to give you a play-by-play of my illness, but when I mentioned that to my good friend and co-worker, Caleb, he discouraged me from doing so, seemingly thinking that you were not particularly interested in graphic word-pictures of my projectile V & D.
So, fear not.
In the interest of securing your sensitivities, I will forgo the V & D descriptions and will move on to my "sick" humor.
One of my experiences included a high fever (104) and chills.
While under a bed sheet, two wool blankets and two comforters, I was shaking like a leaf in a hurricane and my teeth were chattering uncontrollably.
My sweet wife, whose lot it fell to care for me during this ordeal, came to my bedside to ask, "Is there anything I can do for you?"
My answer was, "Would you please close the meat-freezer door?"
At one point I suggested that we move the bed into the bathroom.
But that is getting too close to discussing V & D, so let's not go there.
Later, as the fever began to break, I began to sweat.
My bed sheet, blankets and comforters now weigh 7 times as much as they did.
I, on the other hand, weigh eight pounds less.
So it wasn't all bad.
I'll get back to writing soon.
See? I wrote a whole post without once getting into a discussion of V & D.
But it was hard.
Thursday, May 03, 2007
DEFECTIVE LEADERSHIP - PART TWO
The defective Christian leader has a really effective punch to throw in defective leadership:
GOD.
God is the Christian defective leader's "ace-in-the-hole" for the ultimate in condescension and control.
"God told me to tell you this."
"Do a good job, now...God likes thoroughness."
"Did you double check your work? God hates mistakes."
What it amounts to is that for many so-called Christians, Christianity is a matter of who can exhibit the best behavior.
But Isaiah 64:6 tells us: "But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away."
By this we know that our behavior can never please God in-and-of-itself.
If it could, Christ's trip to the cross was for nothing, for we could effect our own salvation by right behavior.
When another tells you that God told him this or God told her that, you are up the proverbial creek.
Can't argue with God.
Does God like perfection?
Well, yes, He does.
In fact He inspired Matthew to record the words of Jesus: "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." (Matthew 5:48)
This, of course, is talking about showing love to the unlovely.
The entire book of Job is about self-proclaimed religious people who used their religion to try to convince Job that he was doing something wrong in God's eyes.
God said of them: "I am angry with you and your two friends, because you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has." (Job 42: 7b)
In the end, it was Job who was instructed to pray for them, not them for him.
A real leader would NEVER play the "God card."
Only a dysfunctional, deffective leader would.
GOD.
God is the Christian defective leader's "ace-in-the-hole" for the ultimate in condescension and control.
"God told me to tell you this."
"Do a good job, now...God likes thoroughness."
"Did you double check your work? God hates mistakes."
What it amounts to is that for many so-called Christians, Christianity is a matter of who can exhibit the best behavior.
But Isaiah 64:6 tells us: "But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away."
By this we know that our behavior can never please God in-and-of-itself.
If it could, Christ's trip to the cross was for nothing, for we could effect our own salvation by right behavior.
When another tells you that God told him this or God told her that, you are up the proverbial creek.
Can't argue with God.
Does God like perfection?
Well, yes, He does.
In fact He inspired Matthew to record the words of Jesus: "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." (Matthew 5:48)
This, of course, is talking about showing love to the unlovely.
The entire book of Job is about self-proclaimed religious people who used their religion to try to convince Job that he was doing something wrong in God's eyes.
God said of them: "I am angry with you and your two friends, because you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has." (Job 42: 7b)
In the end, it was Job who was instructed to pray for them, not them for him.
A real leader would NEVER play the "God card."
Only a dysfunctional, deffective leader would.
Tuesday, May 01, 2007
DEFECTIVE LEADERSHIP
How NOT to lead.
There have been many books written on becoming an effective leader.
I have noticed that there is a dearth of books on how to become a DEFECTIVE leader.
What a shame!
There are so many business owners, ministry leaders and others who seem to want to become proficient at defectivity in leadership.
So, thankfully, I am here to fill the void.
I have studied defective leaders and have compiled a sort of "to do" list on how best to be a defective leader.
1) Do NOT know your business inside and out.
If a truck pulls up to your unloading dock with widgets and galvin rods on board, tell your employee to unload the galvin rods, when you really needed the widgets unloaded.
This will cause the employee, who knows what both widgets and galvin rods are, to be confused and wonder if you have learned your company's terminology.
2) NEVER provide a job description for your employees.
Wait until they fail to do something you thought they knew to do and then castigate them for failure to do the task. If possible, redress them in front of other employees.
This will heighten their anxiety and may even move them closer to heart trouble, thus decreasing the surplus population.
The other benefit of not having job descriptions is that you can yell at anybody you want to when something goes wrong.
3) Whatever experience your employees may have in the business, be certain NEVER to draw upon it.
You will understandably feel threatened by the knowledge your employee has.
You will be much better of blustering, huffing and puffing, not to mention bluffing, your way through each day.
4) Do NOT use purchase orders, work orders, production orders, or any other kind of standardized written instructions for work needed.
Help employees depend on their memories to get work done.
Better yet, make THEM write your instructions down.
That way, if they misunderstand what you want done, there will be someone to blame when a task goes wrong.
5) Do not give true authority for decision-making to any employee.
To be a truely defective leader, you must not trust anyone.
You must be a strict perfectionist, and therefore must micro-manage every little detail of your business.
6) NEVER be consistent.
Consistency is so boring.
Employees should never know what to expect next.
Keep them guessing.
7) DO NOT show employees how important they are by greeting them pleasantly the first thing when you arrive.
You are the center of your business.
Why you could do this business all by yourself.
You don't need anybody, much less this miserable group of no-accounts.
Why be pleasant, anyway, especially if your business is some kind of ministry?
Making people feel loved, wanted and needed would only make people think the Holy Spirit had control of your life.
8) When you finish a telephone conversation, slam the phone down without any of the usual civilized pleasantries.
It is not really necessary to even say "Goodby." It's such a waste of time and might make somebody feel too good.
While on the phone, talk very loudly and abruptly. Be cryptic.
Whatever you do, don't sound genuine, unless, of course, the person you are talking to has something of value that you want...like money.
9) Do not learn the "inner workings" of your business.
If a supplier makes a mistake, or if a shelf is not put up correctly, or if a file is misplaced, you don't want to be the one who knows how to fix the situation.
You don't want to be seen as a person of Christ-like compassion.
After all, you hold all the chips, being the one who controls the paychecks.
10) Never live by the words of Jesus, "Do to others what you would have them do to you."
A much better plan than the "Golden Rule" would be the "Rule of Gold": He who holds the gold makes the rules.
11) If you lead a ministry, be sure to look spiritual at the right times, but don't let spirituality get in the way of your day-to-day activities.
Have a prayer time every day. But don't be overly influenced to pray for your staff.
Especially don't let your prayers translate into polite behavior.
12) Expect apologies, but never apologize.
A true leader would be quicker to apologize for a misdeed than he would to expect an apology from others.
You wouldn't want someone to mistakingly think you are a real leader.
John Maxwell once said, "Look behind you. If there is no one there, you are not leading...you are just out for a stroll."
I say, "Look behind you. If there is someone there, whatever you are doing...STOP. Someone might confuse you for a leader."
After all, being a completely defective leader takes work...loud, stressful, irritating, Type-A personality-developing WORK.
There have been many books written on becoming an effective leader.
I have noticed that there is a dearth of books on how to become a DEFECTIVE leader.
What a shame!
There are so many business owners, ministry leaders and others who seem to want to become proficient at defectivity in leadership.
So, thankfully, I am here to fill the void.
I have studied defective leaders and have compiled a sort of "to do" list on how best to be a defective leader.
1) Do NOT know your business inside and out.
If a truck pulls up to your unloading dock with widgets and galvin rods on board, tell your employee to unload the galvin rods, when you really needed the widgets unloaded.
This will cause the employee, who knows what both widgets and galvin rods are, to be confused and wonder if you have learned your company's terminology.
2) NEVER provide a job description for your employees.
Wait until they fail to do something you thought they knew to do and then castigate them for failure to do the task. If possible, redress them in front of other employees.
This will heighten their anxiety and may even move them closer to heart trouble, thus decreasing the surplus population.
The other benefit of not having job descriptions is that you can yell at anybody you want to when something goes wrong.
3) Whatever experience your employees may have in the business, be certain NEVER to draw upon it.
You will understandably feel threatened by the knowledge your employee has.
You will be much better of blustering, huffing and puffing, not to mention bluffing, your way through each day.
4) Do NOT use purchase orders, work orders, production orders, or any other kind of standardized written instructions for work needed.
Help employees depend on their memories to get work done.
Better yet, make THEM write your instructions down.
That way, if they misunderstand what you want done, there will be someone to blame when a task goes wrong.
5) Do not give true authority for decision-making to any employee.
To be a truely defective leader, you must not trust anyone.
You must be a strict perfectionist, and therefore must micro-manage every little detail of your business.
6) NEVER be consistent.
Consistency is so boring.
Employees should never know what to expect next.
Keep them guessing.
7) DO NOT show employees how important they are by greeting them pleasantly the first thing when you arrive.
You are the center of your business.
Why you could do this business all by yourself.
You don't need anybody, much less this miserable group of no-accounts.
Why be pleasant, anyway, especially if your business is some kind of ministry?
Making people feel loved, wanted and needed would only make people think the Holy Spirit had control of your life.
8) When you finish a telephone conversation, slam the phone down without any of the usual civilized pleasantries.
It is not really necessary to even say "Goodby." It's such a waste of time and might make somebody feel too good.
While on the phone, talk very loudly and abruptly. Be cryptic.
Whatever you do, don't sound genuine, unless, of course, the person you are talking to has something of value that you want...like money.
9) Do not learn the "inner workings" of your business.
If a supplier makes a mistake, or if a shelf is not put up correctly, or if a file is misplaced, you don't want to be the one who knows how to fix the situation.
You don't want to be seen as a person of Christ-like compassion.
After all, you hold all the chips, being the one who controls the paychecks.
10) Never live by the words of Jesus, "Do to others what you would have them do to you."
A much better plan than the "Golden Rule" would be the "Rule of Gold": He who holds the gold makes the rules.
11) If you lead a ministry, be sure to look spiritual at the right times, but don't let spirituality get in the way of your day-to-day activities.
Have a prayer time every day. But don't be overly influenced to pray for your staff.
Especially don't let your prayers translate into polite behavior.
12) Expect apologies, but never apologize.
A true leader would be quicker to apologize for a misdeed than he would to expect an apology from others.
You wouldn't want someone to mistakingly think you are a real leader.
John Maxwell once said, "Look behind you. If there is no one there, you are not leading...you are just out for a stroll."
I say, "Look behind you. If there is someone there, whatever you are doing...STOP. Someone might confuse you for a leader."
After all, being a completely defective leader takes work...loud, stressful, irritating, Type-A personality-developing WORK.
Friday, April 27, 2007
SOMETHING NEW EVERY DAY
I thought that by the time I was sixty-five years old I would know everything there was to know.
I thought at least that I would know more than I knew when I was a teen-ager and thought I already knew everything there was to know.
But I have discovered that the old adage "You learn something new every day," is quite true.
In 1982 God led me into Christian radio ministry.
My first manager had led the station at which I worked to become a nationally known, award winning station.
He taught me quite a number of things.
For instance, he taught me that contributions follow ministry.
In other words, if the listeners perceive that they are being ministered to they will support the ministry.
And they did...to the tune of $350,000.00 per year, plus.
Furthermore, I learned that the needs of the listeners as a group were more important than the needs of any individual listener, including any single contributor, business underwriter or church member.
I was also taught that we didn't depend on our opinions of what listeners needed, we actually regularly surveyed them and found out what they needed, in order to provide their listening needs objectively, not subjectively.
He also taught me that we work together as a team.
It was nothing, if one of the staff was put on a task that pulled him/her away from his/her regular duties, for the manager to step in and do the duties until the staff could get back to them.
In fact, the entire staff had the attitude, "If something needs doing and the person normally responsible for it could not get to it, I'll do it for him/her."
The station manager thought that was a good thing.
It was.
Another thing he taught us was that no station issue was worth sacrificing our health, our interpersonal relationships, our families or our church involvement.
The result of that was that the entire staff had confidence that they were safe from ridicule, disrespect and unfair practices.
Community involvement was a high priority at that award-winning, well supported Christian radio station.
We regularly could be seen at local church and para-church ministry events.
If a community ministry had an event such as a walk-a-thon, or a car wash, or a Bible conference or a special concert, we would be there...often doing a remote broadcast from the event.
We also were regularly found at the evening worship services of various churches, often with five minutes of platform time to promote the station and to survey the congregation, thus finding out their actual preferences.
The manager taught us that this was an important part of serving the local community.
Another thing that was drummed into our little heads was that we were there to serve as many different ministries as possible.
We actually sought out opportunities to make announcements about special events of interest to the general Christian community.
The manager believed that the more announcements about local ministry, church and para-church events we were able to make, the greater our listening audience would be.
We learned that the greater the audience, the greater the support.
The manager realized that employees in Christian radio are not employees in the worldly sense, but are actually as much ministers as a pastor, worship leader or educational director in a local church.
There were times when a staff member would make a mistake or an error in judgement.
At those times, the manager would adopt the Biblical principle of gentle restoration, being a spiritual person himself, helping the staff member to learn from his/her mistake.
He never would have dreamed of correcting a staff member in front of other staff members, but realized that such behavior was invariably, totally counter-productive.
He would have considered such behavior barbaric and instead would have dealt with the staff member calmly and privately.
His demeanor would never have been loud, abusive, derisive or hateful. He would have considered yelling as being un-Christlike.
The manager not only believed in, but practiced the Biblical admonition not to sin by being angry, and not to let the sun go down on any anger he might have had.
To a person, the staff sought to please the manager, not out of fear, but out of love, gratitude and respect.
In fact, the relationship among the staff is one that continues to this day.
The station I worked at was bought out by a national Christian network and eventually everybody was let go (except for one person, who still works for them). The station lost its local flavor and is now a regional station.
Yet the former staff still gets together once a year for lunch or dinner to catch up on what each one is doing and to remember various good times.
God has allowed me to remain in Christian radio.
Our station is Kingdom FM .
I've had to unlearn a lot of what I had learned.
There have been a lot of very, very different things to learn.
I am actually glad that even as an elder (in the age sense, not the church office sense), I can still learn.
But some things never change.
The only thing instilling fear in an employee accomplishes is to cause him/her to run from it.
There are no circumstances in which the imposition of fear causes an employee, even one who should be considered a minister, to want to do a better job.
I thought at least that I would know more than I knew when I was a teen-ager and thought I already knew everything there was to know.
But I have discovered that the old adage "You learn something new every day," is quite true.
In 1982 God led me into Christian radio ministry.
My first manager had led the station at which I worked to become a nationally known, award winning station.
He taught me quite a number of things.
For instance, he taught me that contributions follow ministry.
In other words, if the listeners perceive that they are being ministered to they will support the ministry.
And they did...to the tune of $350,000.00 per year, plus.
Furthermore, I learned that the needs of the listeners as a group were more important than the needs of any individual listener, including any single contributor, business underwriter or church member.
I was also taught that we didn't depend on our opinions of what listeners needed, we actually regularly surveyed them and found out what they needed, in order to provide their listening needs objectively, not subjectively.
He also taught me that we work together as a team.
It was nothing, if one of the staff was put on a task that pulled him/her away from his/her regular duties, for the manager to step in and do the duties until the staff could get back to them.
In fact, the entire staff had the attitude, "If something needs doing and the person normally responsible for it could not get to it, I'll do it for him/her."
The station manager thought that was a good thing.
It was.
Another thing he taught us was that no station issue was worth sacrificing our health, our interpersonal relationships, our families or our church involvement.
The result of that was that the entire staff had confidence that they were safe from ridicule, disrespect and unfair practices.
Community involvement was a high priority at that award-winning, well supported Christian radio station.
We regularly could be seen at local church and para-church ministry events.
If a community ministry had an event such as a walk-a-thon, or a car wash, or a Bible conference or a special concert, we would be there...often doing a remote broadcast from the event.
We also were regularly found at the evening worship services of various churches, often with five minutes of platform time to promote the station and to survey the congregation, thus finding out their actual preferences.
The manager taught us that this was an important part of serving the local community.
Another thing that was drummed into our little heads was that we were there to serve as many different ministries as possible.
We actually sought out opportunities to make announcements about special events of interest to the general Christian community.
The manager believed that the more announcements about local ministry, church and para-church events we were able to make, the greater our listening audience would be.
We learned that the greater the audience, the greater the support.
The manager realized that employees in Christian radio are not employees in the worldly sense, but are actually as much ministers as a pastor, worship leader or educational director in a local church.
There were times when a staff member would make a mistake or an error in judgement.
At those times, the manager would adopt the Biblical principle of gentle restoration, being a spiritual person himself, helping the staff member to learn from his/her mistake.
He never would have dreamed of correcting a staff member in front of other staff members, but realized that such behavior was invariably, totally counter-productive.
He would have considered such behavior barbaric and instead would have dealt with the staff member calmly and privately.
His demeanor would never have been loud, abusive, derisive or hateful. He would have considered yelling as being un-Christlike.
The manager not only believed in, but practiced the Biblical admonition not to sin by being angry, and not to let the sun go down on any anger he might have had.
To a person, the staff sought to please the manager, not out of fear, but out of love, gratitude and respect.
In fact, the relationship among the staff is one that continues to this day.
The station I worked at was bought out by a national Christian network and eventually everybody was let go (except for one person, who still works for them). The station lost its local flavor and is now a regional station.
Yet the former staff still gets together once a year for lunch or dinner to catch up on what each one is doing and to remember various good times.
God has allowed me to remain in Christian radio.
Our station is Kingdom FM .
I've had to unlearn a lot of what I had learned.
There have been a lot of very, very different things to learn.
I am actually glad that even as an elder (in the age sense, not the church office sense), I can still learn.
But some things never change.
The only thing instilling fear in an employee accomplishes is to cause him/her to run from it.
There are no circumstances in which the imposition of fear causes an employee, even one who should be considered a minister, to want to do a better job.
Sunday, April 22, 2007
MANAGING IT
The other day I got angry.
As I look back, in the great scheme of things, it was a petty thing.
But I chose to get angry over it.
And that is my point.
I spent many years of my life being angry, from the inside out.
Let me tell you a thing or two about anger.
1) Anger is always about self.
Suppose you are driving along and some person cuts in front of you.
You can do as many of us do and react in anger.
But do you have to?
No.
You could just slow down and let him in.
So why don't you?
The thinking goes like this: I didn't want that person to cut in front of me. I wanted that person to let me do my driving the way I wanted to. That person caused me to do something that I did not want to do, that is, slow down. But I didn't want to slow down, but I had to so I chose to get angry.
Notice how many times the reference to "I" showed up?
2) Anger never solves the problem.
No matter how angry I get, the other person STILL cut in front of me. Not only that, he/she went on his/her merry way oblivious to my anger (unless, of course, I chose to express my anger by blowing the horn, which could have no effect at all, or could result in him/her getting out of his/her car with a 12-guage and blowing me off the map).
3) Anger feeds anger.
Ever notice that when you get angry, you tend to get angrier?
Ephesians 4:26 says, "Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:"
Most people struggle with having to twist this and turn it to make it make sense.
Actually, that's not necessary.
A little understanding of 1611 King James English will help.
They would have understood it to mean: Don't sin by being angry.
"What?" I can hear you ask. "Didn't Jesus get angry when He tossed the money changers out of the temple?"
Uh...read me the part about His anger.
Fact is, you concluded that He was angry, but the text does not say that.
I'm not saying that He wasn't angry...I'm just saying that the Bible does not SAY it.
In the end, whether you get angry at a given situation or not, is 100% your choice.
I recommend that you choose not to be angry.
You'll feel better.
As I look back, in the great scheme of things, it was a petty thing.
But I chose to get angry over it.
And that is my point.
I spent many years of my life being angry, from the inside out.
Let me tell you a thing or two about anger.
1) Anger is always about self.
Suppose you are driving along and some person cuts in front of you.
You can do as many of us do and react in anger.
But do you have to?
No.
You could just slow down and let him in.
So why don't you?
The thinking goes like this: I didn't want that person to cut in front of me. I wanted that person to let me do my driving the way I wanted to. That person caused me to do something that I did not want to do, that is, slow down. But I didn't want to slow down, but I had to so I chose to get angry.
Notice how many times the reference to "I" showed up?
2) Anger never solves the problem.
No matter how angry I get, the other person STILL cut in front of me. Not only that, he/she went on his/her merry way oblivious to my anger (unless, of course, I chose to express my anger by blowing the horn, which could have no effect at all, or could result in him/her getting out of his/her car with a 12-guage and blowing me off the map).
3) Anger feeds anger.
Ever notice that when you get angry, you tend to get angrier?
Ephesians 4:26 says, "Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:"
Most people struggle with having to twist this and turn it to make it make sense.
Actually, that's not necessary.
A little understanding of 1611 King James English will help.
They would have understood it to mean: Don't sin by being angry.
"What?" I can hear you ask. "Didn't Jesus get angry when He tossed the money changers out of the temple?"
Uh...read me the part about His anger.
Fact is, you concluded that He was angry, but the text does not say that.
I'm not saying that He wasn't angry...I'm just saying that the Bible does not SAY it.
In the end, whether you get angry at a given situation or not, is 100% your choice.
I recommend that you choose not to be angry.
You'll feel better.
Saturday, April 21, 2007
THIS IS THE DAY
Today is my wife's birthday.
She is...well, never mind.
She's the pretty one on the left in the picture.
Let me tell you about my wife.
She is the light of my life in this world.
She is the reason I hurry home from work each day.
She puts a smile on my face.
She calms my frazzled nerves.
She smiles better than Mona Lisa.
She wiggles her nose better than Peter Rabbit.
She can wrinkle up her face cuter than our two pugs.
She can flash her eyes better than a Fourth of July fireworks display.
She is so cute I get joy just being in the same room with her.
She laughs at my jokes (most people just moan).
She scratches places on my back that I cannot reach, and her touch is ten times better than that wooden back-scratcher we have.
She compliments my cooking.
She always thanks me when I do something for her.
She talks to me and with me...I love that.
She loves me...I don't know why, but she does.
She loves computers as much...no, more...as I do (she has bunches of websites).
She gets up with me at 5:00 am and we have breakfast together before I go to work.
If I leave this world before she does, I will stand before our Lord, praising Him with all of my being, but I will always be looking out of the corner of my eye, looking forward to the time when she joins me in forever.
Bonnie J. Scoggins, I love you from the depth of my being.
Happy birthday, my sweet love.
Friday, April 20, 2007
TIME FOR A CHANGE
I was reading Sweeter than Ever. It's a great post about using each day to its fullest in terms of time.
Time is an interesting concept.
Einstein believed that time was both physical and relative.
That's hard to grasp, but we have all had the experience of one hour passing more quickly than another.
And the older you get, the faster time seems to flow.
Maybe it's only the perception of time that seems to flow faster.
At any rate, I'm 65 years old.
I can tell you that time seems to move very rapidly.
When I was in my thirties, I remember thinking time was passing faster than it had when I was in my teens.
Now it goes by even faster.
How can this be?
Yet, when I am timing my boiling egg, three-and-a-half minutes seems to take too long.
I used to get impatient with the mail.
Then I got Internet access and I got impatient with dial-up email.
Now I have high-speed Internet, and I hate waiting the twelve or so seconds for my email to load.
And nothing is more time consuming than standing in line at Wal-Mart.
(Does anybody remember the signs at Wall-Mart that use to say: "At Wal-Mart you're always next in line?" They're gone, now...must be a sign of the times).
My doctor tells me that I'm living on borrowed time.
Does one pay interest on borrowed time?
Maybe I could loan some time to someone so that I could draw the interest.
But then what if they didn't pay it back?
How does one best spend one's time?
How are we compensated for the time we spend?
To be sure, we are laying up treasures in Heaven when we spend our time the way God wants us to.
Does that mean that I should only do things that are "heavenly" in nature?
If so, what does that mean?
If I spend time with my wife, does that count as treasure laid up in Heaven?
How about my kids?
Or time in a prison ministry?
I don't mean in jail...I mean visiting prisoners.
If the word "amuse" comes from roots that mean "without thought," is it wrong for me to watch a funny show on TV?
What if it makes me laugh? A merry heart doeth the body good.
Someone said we should spend more time with God.
If I am a Christian, is it possible for me to spend time without God?
I thought God was omnipresent, omnipotent and omniscient.
So.
Do you have time to read this post about time?
What time is it, anyway?
Well, as I live and breathe!
It's time for me to take a nap.
Time is an interesting concept.
Einstein believed that time was both physical and relative.
That's hard to grasp, but we have all had the experience of one hour passing more quickly than another.
And the older you get, the faster time seems to flow.
Maybe it's only the perception of time that seems to flow faster.
At any rate, I'm 65 years old.
I can tell you that time seems to move very rapidly.
When I was in my thirties, I remember thinking time was passing faster than it had when I was in my teens.
Now it goes by even faster.
How can this be?
Yet, when I am timing my boiling egg, three-and-a-half minutes seems to take too long.
I used to get impatient with the mail.
Then I got Internet access and I got impatient with dial-up email.
Now I have high-speed Internet, and I hate waiting the twelve or so seconds for my email to load.
And nothing is more time consuming than standing in line at Wal-Mart.
(Does anybody remember the signs at Wall-Mart that use to say: "At Wal-Mart you're always next in line?" They're gone, now...must be a sign of the times).
My doctor tells me that I'm living on borrowed time.
Does one pay interest on borrowed time?
Maybe I could loan some time to someone so that I could draw the interest.
But then what if they didn't pay it back?
How does one best spend one's time?
How are we compensated for the time we spend?
To be sure, we are laying up treasures in Heaven when we spend our time the way God wants us to.
Does that mean that I should only do things that are "heavenly" in nature?
If so, what does that mean?
If I spend time with my wife, does that count as treasure laid up in Heaven?
How about my kids?
Or time in a prison ministry?
I don't mean in jail...I mean visiting prisoners.
If the word "amuse" comes from roots that mean "without thought," is it wrong for me to watch a funny show on TV?
What if it makes me laugh? A merry heart doeth the body good.
Someone said we should spend more time with God.
If I am a Christian, is it possible for me to spend time without God?
I thought God was omnipresent, omnipotent and omniscient.
So.
Do you have time to read this post about time?
What time is it, anyway?
Well, as I live and breathe!
It's time for me to take a nap.
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
DEALING WITH THE UNDEALABLE
Thirty-two people are gone for no reason.
Their lives taken by a disturbed person whose mind we cannot fathom.
Why does what happened to Don Imus seem so empty now?
Why is there no global warming on the front page today?
No non-missing missing emails are of any concern today.
Thirty-two people who had hopes, dreams and plans are gone.
Is it, after all, true that the very essence of life is more important than the inane, day-to-day fallderall in which we choose to imerse ourselves?
There are those insensitive drones who will (and already have) try to politicize this horriffic event.
Meanwhile, thirty-two people with heights to rise to and appointments with destiny are gone.
"Shouldn't the school have been locked down after the first shootings?" one very stupid reporter asks.
Inept reporters on CBS, NBC and ABC have asked the very same questions...as if these questions were burning on our minds and hearts.
Are you so out of touch, o venerable reporters that you really think that's what we are asking?
You want to know what we are asking? Here's what:
Why are thirty-two people, who deserved to live as much as you do, gone?
Is this a wake-up call to the need for more gun legislation?
What if six of the students in the building had had hand-guns.
Maybe only six or eight would have died before the gunman was dispached.
But that all misses the point right now.
The point is, thirty-two people who were trying to make themselves the best they could be are gone.
Can we lay the blame at the feet of the Virginia Tech administration.
Not if you have one ounce of decency about you.
You lay the blame at the feet of the crazed gunman or you are no better than he.
Like it or not...believe it or not...wish it were not so or not, this is a sin-filled world and the fact of its sinfulness laid bare yesterday for all to see.
And thirty-two people are gone.
Over twentyfive hundred military personnel and civilians were killed in an attack at Pearl Harbor, and that was hard to understand. But it was, after all, an act of war.
Almost three thousand people were killed on what has come to be known simply as 9/11. And that was hard to understand. But it was, after all, an act of war.
Over three thousand military personnel have been killed in Iraq, and that is hard to understand. But it is, after all, an act of war.
But this....
Thirty-two people killed by one man, one at a time, in just minutes.
Talk about hard to understand.
How many more wake-up calls will it take before we finally decide to run to the outstretched arms of a waiting God who offers refuge?
How many more debates will there be by politicians who have only their self-interests at heart until we discover that they will not...cannot solve our problems?
How long before we discover that our society has sunk to a moral level beneath that of a back-alley prostitute?
How long until we admit that we have lost all sense of propriety, politeness, dignity and respect?
My thinking is that it is still a long way off.
Issue all the decrees you wish.
Pass all the gun legislation you will.
Give us all bullet-proof vests to wear.
Put bars on all of the doors and windows.
Make us prisoners in our own freedoms.
And still, in time, there will be another day when thirty-two people (perhaps more, perhaps fewer) will be gone, killed by the hand of a disturbed person.
Columbine gave us a chance to learn a lesson.
We did not learn it.
We have been given other opportunities.
We did not take them.
Isn't it time to start learning?
Lord, even as we praise your very goodness, we ask for your special peace to fall upon the families affected by the deaths of those at Virginia Tech. Show us how we can help and enable us to do so. We pray it in Jesus' name.
Their lives taken by a disturbed person whose mind we cannot fathom.
Why does what happened to Don Imus seem so empty now?
Why is there no global warming on the front page today?
No non-missing missing emails are of any concern today.
Thirty-two people who had hopes, dreams and plans are gone.
Is it, after all, true that the very essence of life is more important than the inane, day-to-day fallderall in which we choose to imerse ourselves?
There are those insensitive drones who will (and already have) try to politicize this horriffic event.
Meanwhile, thirty-two people with heights to rise to and appointments with destiny are gone.
"Shouldn't the school have been locked down after the first shootings?" one very stupid reporter asks.
Inept reporters on CBS, NBC and ABC have asked the very same questions...as if these questions were burning on our minds and hearts.
Are you so out of touch, o venerable reporters that you really think that's what we are asking?
You want to know what we are asking? Here's what:
Why are thirty-two people, who deserved to live as much as you do, gone?
Is this a wake-up call to the need for more gun legislation?
What if six of the students in the building had had hand-guns.
Maybe only six or eight would have died before the gunman was dispached.
But that all misses the point right now.
The point is, thirty-two people who were trying to make themselves the best they could be are gone.
Can we lay the blame at the feet of the Virginia Tech administration.
Not if you have one ounce of decency about you.
You lay the blame at the feet of the crazed gunman or you are no better than he.
Like it or not...believe it or not...wish it were not so or not, this is a sin-filled world and the fact of its sinfulness laid bare yesterday for all to see.
And thirty-two people are gone.
Over twentyfive hundred military personnel and civilians were killed in an attack at Pearl Harbor, and that was hard to understand. But it was, after all, an act of war.
Almost three thousand people were killed on what has come to be known simply as 9/11. And that was hard to understand. But it was, after all, an act of war.
Over three thousand military personnel have been killed in Iraq, and that is hard to understand. But it is, after all, an act of war.
But this....
Thirty-two people killed by one man, one at a time, in just minutes.
Talk about hard to understand.
How many more wake-up calls will it take before we finally decide to run to the outstretched arms of a waiting God who offers refuge?
How many more debates will there be by politicians who have only their self-interests at heart until we discover that they will not...cannot solve our problems?
How long before we discover that our society has sunk to a moral level beneath that of a back-alley prostitute?
How long until we admit that we have lost all sense of propriety, politeness, dignity and respect?
My thinking is that it is still a long way off.
Issue all the decrees you wish.
Pass all the gun legislation you will.
Give us all bullet-proof vests to wear.
Put bars on all of the doors and windows.
Make us prisoners in our own freedoms.
And still, in time, there will be another day when thirty-two people (perhaps more, perhaps fewer) will be gone, killed by the hand of a disturbed person.
Columbine gave us a chance to learn a lesson.
We did not learn it.
We have been given other opportunities.
We did not take them.
Isn't it time to start learning?
Lord, even as we praise your very goodness, we ask for your special peace to fall upon the families affected by the deaths of those at Virginia Tech. Show us how we can help and enable us to do so. We pray it in Jesus' name.
Monday, April 16, 2007
HOW TO READ PART WHATEVER
Let's do a BIBLE study!
Let's look at Matthew 28:19.
Most people do not seem to understand this passage, as evidenced by their actions.
Perhaps they have trouble reading it, so here I am to help.
In this Bible study, you will be given some choices from which to choose that will help you with your understanding.
For simplicity's sake, we will take it one word at a time.
Matthew 28:19
"Go..."
Select the best meaning for the word, "Go:"
1) Move from where you are to somewhere else.
2) Stay
3) Meditate
4) Pray
5) Give money to missions
Did you choose number one?
Oh, good! You can read two-letter, one-syllable words.
Let's try another.
"Ye" (Some translations use the word, "you." Others adopt the conventionally understood "you" as the subject of the sentence).
Select the best definition of the word "ye:"
1) You, yourself (as opposed to someone else) - Second person singular or plural.
2) Nobody
3) The other person
4) Men only
5) Women and children first
Did you select number one?
Oh, good! You have reinforced the idea that you can read two-letter, one-syllable words.
"Therefore"
Select the best definition of the word "therefore:"
1) A conjunction connecting the thoughts of this command with the thought Jesus iterated that He has the power and authority to tell you to do it.
2) If you want to
3) Who knows?
4) A shout used on the golf course to keep others from being hit by your ball.
Did you select number one?
Oh, good!
That's a big one. Two syllables and nine letters!
How well you are doing!
"And"
Select the best definition of the word "and:"
1) A conjunction connecting the first command in the verse with the commands to follow.
2) A small, six-legged insect found at picnics.
3) Particles of silica found on beaches
4) A word inserted to confuse you.
Did you select number one?
Oh, good!
We're making progress!
"Teach"
Choose the best definition of the word "teach:"
1) Transfer information meaningfully from one person to another.
2) Preach
3) Run
4) Nag
Did you select number one?
Oh, good!
How are you doing so far?
"All"
Choose the best definition of the word "all:"
1) Including each and every one
2) Some
3) A few
4) A sharp pointy tool
Did you choose number one?
Oh, good!
We're rollin' now!
"Nations"
Choose the best definition of the word "nations:"
1) Countries where people live
2) Vast, void expanses of water
3) Underground oil deposits
4) The undercarriage of your car
Did you select number one?
Oh, good!
Progress used to be GE's most important product.
"baptizing"
Warning!! Trick question!
Choose the best definition of the word, "baptizing:"
1) Dipping a saved person beneath water in representation of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus.
2) Dipping a person beneath water as a part of his/her salvation package
3) Dripping a little water hither and yon
4) A religious ritual affirming that one is not Muslim, Buddhist or some other religion, therefore one must be Christian.
Did you select number one?
Oh, good!
You actually know how to read the part in terms of the whole.
To make a long story short (have you ever noticed that when people say that it is usually too late?), we'll skip to the last three nouns of the verse.
"Father," "Son," "Holy Ghost"
Choose the best definition of the nouns: "Father," "Son," and "Holy Ghost"
1) The three persons manifested by God of His ultimate being, to which we have give the name, "Trinity."
2) Three different Gods worshipped by "Trinitarians"
3) Three random and meaningless names found in the Bible
4) A dad, his kid and and expression of surprise.
Did you selection number one?
Oh, good!
You got it right.
Now that you, by your own evidence, understand this verse,
What are you actually going to DO?
Let's look at Matthew 28:19.
Most people do not seem to understand this passage, as evidenced by their actions.
Perhaps they have trouble reading it, so here I am to help.
In this Bible study, you will be given some choices from which to choose that will help you with your understanding.
For simplicity's sake, we will take it one word at a time.
Matthew 28:19
"Go..."
Select the best meaning for the word, "Go:"
1) Move from where you are to somewhere else.
2) Stay
3) Meditate
4) Pray
5) Give money to missions
Did you choose number one?
Oh, good! You can read two-letter, one-syllable words.
Let's try another.
"Ye" (Some translations use the word, "you." Others adopt the conventionally understood "you" as the subject of the sentence).
Select the best definition of the word "ye:"
1) You, yourself (as opposed to someone else) - Second person singular or plural.
2) Nobody
3) The other person
4) Men only
5) Women and children first
Did you select number one?
Oh, good! You have reinforced the idea that you can read two-letter, one-syllable words.
"Therefore"
Select the best definition of the word "therefore:"
1) A conjunction connecting the thoughts of this command with the thought Jesus iterated that He has the power and authority to tell you to do it.
2) If you want to
3) Who knows?
4) A shout used on the golf course to keep others from being hit by your ball.
Did you select number one?
Oh, good!
That's a big one. Two syllables and nine letters!
How well you are doing!
"And"
Select the best definition of the word "and:"
1) A conjunction connecting the first command in the verse with the commands to follow.
2) A small, six-legged insect found at picnics.
3) Particles of silica found on beaches
4) A word inserted to confuse you.
Did you select number one?
Oh, good!
We're making progress!
"Teach"
Choose the best definition of the word "teach:"
1) Transfer information meaningfully from one person to another.
2) Preach
3) Run
4) Nag
Did you select number one?
Oh, good!
How are you doing so far?
"All"
Choose the best definition of the word "all:"
1) Including each and every one
2) Some
3) A few
4) A sharp pointy tool
Did you choose number one?
Oh, good!
We're rollin' now!
"Nations"
Choose the best definition of the word "nations:"
1) Countries where people live
2) Vast, void expanses of water
3) Underground oil deposits
4) The undercarriage of your car
Did you select number one?
Oh, good!
Progress used to be GE's most important product.
"baptizing"
Warning!! Trick question!
Choose the best definition of the word, "baptizing:"
1) Dipping a saved person beneath water in representation of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus.
2) Dipping a person beneath water as a part of his/her salvation package
3) Dripping a little water hither and yon
4) A religious ritual affirming that one is not Muslim, Buddhist or some other religion, therefore one must be Christian.
Did you select number one?
Oh, good!
You actually know how to read the part in terms of the whole.
To make a long story short (have you ever noticed that when people say that it is usually too late?), we'll skip to the last three nouns of the verse.
"Father," "Son," "Holy Ghost"
Choose the best definition of the nouns: "Father," "Son," and "Holy Ghost"
1) The three persons manifested by God of His ultimate being, to which we have give the name, "Trinity."
2) Three different Gods worshipped by "Trinitarians"
3) Three random and meaningless names found in the Bible
4) A dad, his kid and and expression of surprise.
Did you selection number one?
Oh, good!
You got it right.
Now that you, by your own evidence, understand this verse,
What are you actually going to DO?
Thursday, April 12, 2007
GETTING THERE IS HALF THE FUN
One of my favorite friends is Steve Gimbert.
He can be heard on www.kingdomfm weekday afternoons 3:00 to 6:00.
He sent me this.
Get a laugh.
NEW YORK TO LONDON
Take 60 seconds to do this, I guarantee you will show someone else, it's too funny not to.
1. go to www.google.com
2. click on "maps"
3. click on "get directions" (under the search box to the right)
4. type "New York" in the first box (the "from" box)
5. type "London" in the second box (the "to" box)
6. click "Get Directions"
7. scroll down to step #23
He can be heard on www.kingdomfm weekday afternoons 3:00 to 6:00.
He sent me this.
Get a laugh.
NEW YORK TO LONDON
Take 60 seconds to do this, I guarantee you will show someone else, it's too funny not to.
1. go to www.google.com
2. click on "maps"
3. click on "get directions" (under the search box to the right)
4. type "New York" in the first box (the "from" box)
5. type "London" in the second box (the "to" box)
6. click "Get Directions"
7. scroll down to step #23
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
A NEW DAY DAWNS
I have no idea what that title means...it just sounded melodramatic, so I used it.
For newcomers to this blog (as well as oldcomers), I offer the following:
1. This is my blog.
2. Everybody is welcome to read this blog (although I think that might bring the entire Internet to a stop...I guess you could say it would get blogged down).
3. Anyone who wants to, may comment on this blog, caviatus followingus: no foul language; no disparaging remarks about other commenters and no actual physical contact allowed.
4. This blog will deal with whatever swirl of sense or nonsense is on my mind at the moment I begin a post.
5. You may disagree with me if you must. This is America (at least it is the location at which I usually post)...you have the absolute right to be wrong.
6. All opinions expressed by the "writer of this blog" (don't you just hate that expression? I know I do...I think that means "me"), are both humble and correct.
7. If you want my opinion on something, just ask. I have one on nearly everything.
8. If you don't want my opinion on something...why don't you?
9. I am the sole arbitor of what gets to exist in my little corner of cyberspace.
10. When in the course of human events it becomes necessary for one nation...oh, never mind.
11. Some of my thoughts are original with me. Most are stolen from somewhere. Feel free to steal mine, as well. Or not.
12. My sister and I know the answers to almost all of the world's questions. You need to know, though, that if you ask me a question I will most likely refer you to my sister.
13. I love the Lord, Jesus, with all of my heart, mind, soul and strength...I confess, though, to having a little trouble with my neighbor, as well as myself.
14. I take Jesus very seriously.
15. I do not take you very seriously. I don't even take ME very seriously.
16. I have been a Worship Leader, Youth Director and/or Education Director in Southern Baptist churches since I was 17 years old. I am 65. You do the math...I'm too tired.
17. I am also an "announcer" (we are far too sophisticated to be DJs) at a Christian FM radio station, Kingdom FM, in Fort Myers, Florida. You may click on the following link to listen live. I do an on-air shift from 9:00 AM until Noon, weekdays, so you might want to listen some other time. Kingdom FM Christian Radio
18. I am disgusted by Voodoo Christianity: that which does not find absolute sufficiency in the person of Christ, without the addition of fakey, non-edifying, emotionalistic balder-dash.
19. I am very disturbed (at least that is the opinion of many...but I digress) by the number of times I have used the personal pronoun, "I" in this post.
20. Do you think I suffer from "I" trouble?
For newcomers to this blog (as well as oldcomers), I offer the following:
1. This is my blog.
2. Everybody is welcome to read this blog (although I think that might bring the entire Internet to a stop...I guess you could say it would get blogged down).
3. Anyone who wants to, may comment on this blog, caviatus followingus: no foul language; no disparaging remarks about other commenters and no actual physical contact allowed.
4. This blog will deal with whatever swirl of sense or nonsense is on my mind at the moment I begin a post.
5. You may disagree with me if you must. This is America (at least it is the location at which I usually post)...you have the absolute right to be wrong.
6. All opinions expressed by the "writer of this blog" (don't you just hate that expression? I know I do...I think that means "me"), are both humble and correct.
7. If you want my opinion on something, just ask. I have one on nearly everything.
8. If you don't want my opinion on something...why don't you?
9. I am the sole arbitor of what gets to exist in my little corner of cyberspace.
10. When in the course of human events it becomes necessary for one nation...oh, never mind.
11. Some of my thoughts are original with me. Most are stolen from somewhere. Feel free to steal mine, as well. Or not.
12. My sister and I know the answers to almost all of the world's questions. You need to know, though, that if you ask me a question I will most likely refer you to my sister.
13. I love the Lord, Jesus, with all of my heart, mind, soul and strength...I confess, though, to having a little trouble with my neighbor, as well as myself.
14. I take Jesus very seriously.
15. I do not take you very seriously. I don't even take ME very seriously.
16. I have been a Worship Leader, Youth Director and/or Education Director in Southern Baptist churches since I was 17 years old. I am 65. You do the math...I'm too tired.
17. I am also an "announcer" (we are far too sophisticated to be DJs) at a Christian FM radio station, Kingdom FM, in Fort Myers, Florida. You may click on the following link to listen live. I do an on-air shift from 9:00 AM until Noon, weekdays, so you might want to listen some other time. Kingdom FM Christian Radio
18. I am disgusted by Voodoo Christianity: that which does not find absolute sufficiency in the person of Christ, without the addition of fakey, non-edifying, emotionalistic balder-dash.
19. I am very disturbed (at least that is the opinion of many...but I digress) by the number of times I have used the personal pronoun, "I" in this post.
20. Do you think I suffer from "I" trouble?
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Give Me A Hypocritical Break!!
Imus.
He always has been, is now and always will be an idiot.
But if he gets fired for calling women the "h" name, then every hip-hop, rap and rock singer who has ever done the same must be fired, too.
If you think Imus should be fired, and they should not be, you are an inconsistent hypocrite as vile as he is.
Every time I go to the shopping center, I hear women called the "h" word. I hear the "F" word. I hear the "S" word. I hear words I don't even know what they mean.
I see women "flippin' " men off, men "flippin'" women off, women "flippin'" women off and men "flippin'" men off.
Most of them have even "flipped" ME off.
Don't give me that pathetic whine about society becoming insensitive. What a total crock!
Of course society is becoming insensitive! And most of the most insensitive are the most highly paid.
Actors do it and its OK.
Journalists do it and its OK.
Take Michael Moore (Good idea...would somebody please take him). He is as vulgar as they come. And a liar. And fat.
How about Mrs. John Hines-Kerry (or is it Kerry-Hines)?
She is a very vulgar, despicable person.
Far from the "Hippy-Dippy weatherman," there's George Carlin. He's made a career of using offensive language and calling people names.
Has he been fired?
Get REAL!
Now, I hate what Imus said.
I wish he would come to the Lord and never even think such a thing again.
But fired?
That's just plain STUPID.
He always has been, is now and always will be an idiot.
But if he gets fired for calling women the "h" name, then every hip-hop, rap and rock singer who has ever done the same must be fired, too.
If you think Imus should be fired, and they should not be, you are an inconsistent hypocrite as vile as he is.
Every time I go to the shopping center, I hear women called the "h" word. I hear the "F" word. I hear the "S" word. I hear words I don't even know what they mean.
I see women "flippin' " men off, men "flippin'" women off, women "flippin'" women off and men "flippin'" men off.
Most of them have even "flipped" ME off.
Don't give me that pathetic whine about society becoming insensitive. What a total crock!
Of course society is becoming insensitive! And most of the most insensitive are the most highly paid.
Actors do it and its OK.
Journalists do it and its OK.
Take Michael Moore (Good idea...would somebody please take him). He is as vulgar as they come. And a liar. And fat.
How about Mrs. John Hines-Kerry (or is it Kerry-Hines)?
She is a very vulgar, despicable person.
Far from the "Hippy-Dippy weatherman," there's George Carlin. He's made a career of using offensive language and calling people names.
Has he been fired?
Get REAL!
Now, I hate what Imus said.
I wish he would come to the Lord and never even think such a thing again.
But fired?
That's just plain STUPID.
Monday, April 09, 2007
The Gloves Are Off
OK.
The gloves are coming off!
I've had it!
No more Mr. Nice Guy...I'm tellin' it like it is (for you purists: as it is).
Let me start with this truth: God is sovereign.
He can do absolutely, positively, anything He wants to do, when He wants to do it, where He wants to do it, for whatever reason He wants to do it.
He is God.
I am not.
Neither are you.
You do not get to tell me what God is like, and I don't get to tell you what God is like.
God tells us what He is like, and He knows best.
So don't go saying that Joe Scoggins doesn't think God can do anything. He can.
Is that clear? 'Cause that's important.
That said, God has told us what He is like and what He chooses to do.
He has done that in His Word, the Bible.
Everything you need to know about God is found in the Word of God.
Nothing you need to know about God is not found in the Word of God.
Everything you think you know about God that is not found in the Word of God, you just made up.
That goes whether you are a liberal (many of whom make up things about God), a conservative (many of whom also make up things about God), or a "moderate," (who is just someone who does not know what he/she believes and won't take a stand...many of whom also make up things about God).
People make things up about God because they either don't know what He really says, they want Him to say (or do) more than He says, or they are unsatisfied with the Person of Jesus and His finished work at the cross of Calvary.
"OK, Joe," I can hear you say. "Where is this rant coming from?
I have been watching our local Christian TV station a lot lately (Most of secular TV has no relevance to me any more).
Our local Christian TV station has changed hands and has started airing the most outrageous, un-Biblical, spiritual nonsense programs you can imagine...all claiming to be Christian.
Balder-everlovin'-blue-eyed-dash!
There is nothing remotely Christian about what they are expounding.
Here's the rub.
One program claims that you can get extra blessings from God by tithing to them.
Heresy!
Another claims a "fourth" dimension.
Heresy!
Still another prays over a stack of what is supposed to be letters of healing requests in a box three feet high, two feet wide and five feet long and proclaims that all of those requests have been healed.
Heresy!
On one program the "worship leader," or whoever he is, just walks around looking spiritually smug and self-importantly serious, saying almost nothing while the congregation convulses and writhes physically and emotionally.
He calls it the work of The Holy Spirit.
Heresy!
One guy (actually several of them do this) starts to babble mono-syllables, some of which are repeated over and over and over and over ad-infinitum, calls it the Spirit speaking through him in "tongues," and then tells us to send money.
Heresy!
There is a "preacher" who dresses in a sort of modified Nehru outfit and seemingly hits people in the head with the palm of his hand, knocking them over, and then grinning with a silly look as he proclaims them "healed."
Heresy!
Now I am not arguing whether or not God heals.
Neither am I addressing whether God can use unusual methods.
I'm not even considering the so-called gift of tongues as erroneously practiced in many religious venues today.
What I am saying is the following.
God has given us a model of the things He wants us to do.
For instance, He has given us a model prayer (we often mistakenly call it "The Lord's Prayer").
Instead of following the model of the very prayer Jesus, Himself, gave us, most of us pray "gimmie, gimmie gimmie...God do this...God do that...let me explain to you, O Holy God, how You should handle this situation...then do it my way so I will continue to believe in and trust you and bless you with my approval."
Another model He has given us is the model of laying down our lives.
Jesus said, "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friend."
After He said it, he demonstrated it.
At the cross.
And, yes, He demonstrated healing.
God heals.
God heals when He heals.
He does not mess around.
When He heals, his healing is immediate and complete.
When He does not heal, He does not heal.
He gets to choose, 'cause He is God and I'm not.
I can't understand how He does it when He does it, why He doesn't do it when He doesn't do it.
And I don't need to know.
He is not required to check with me.
Nor is He required to report to me.
He is not responsible to me.
But there is not one single solitary model of the heresies listed above found in Scripture.
Sadly, the venues in which these programs take place are filled with people...hundreds, even thousands of them, who seem totally caught up in the emotional, idiotic, unscriptural falderall taking place.
What it really boils down to is this: for this group of leaders and their followers, the finished work of Jesus at the cross and His subsequent resurrection for the remission of our sins is not enough. If He is to be followed, He must do and/or be more.
Funny thing is, if His death, burial and resurrection is enough...totally enough...and you want/need nothing more, there is, paradoxically, more to come!
Don't fall for that "junk Christianity."
Avoid it like the proverbial plague.
In your life, make sure that Jesus, just Jesus is all sufficient.
Focus on Him, love Him, trust Him, serve Him and give your life for Him.
You won't need that other stuff.
The gloves are coming off!
I've had it!
No more Mr. Nice Guy...I'm tellin' it like it is (for you purists: as it is).
Let me start with this truth: God is sovereign.
He can do absolutely, positively, anything He wants to do, when He wants to do it, where He wants to do it, for whatever reason He wants to do it.
He is God.
I am not.
Neither are you.
You do not get to tell me what God is like, and I don't get to tell you what God is like.
God tells us what He is like, and He knows best.
So don't go saying that Joe Scoggins doesn't think God can do anything. He can.
Is that clear? 'Cause that's important.
That said, God has told us what He is like and what He chooses to do.
He has done that in His Word, the Bible.
Everything you need to know about God is found in the Word of God.
Nothing you need to know about God is not found in the Word of God.
Everything you think you know about God that is not found in the Word of God, you just made up.
That goes whether you are a liberal (many of whom make up things about God), a conservative (many of whom also make up things about God), or a "moderate," (who is just someone who does not know what he/she believes and won't take a stand...many of whom also make up things about God).
People make things up about God because they either don't know what He really says, they want Him to say (or do) more than He says, or they are unsatisfied with the Person of Jesus and His finished work at the cross of Calvary.
"OK, Joe," I can hear you say. "Where is this rant coming from?
I have been watching our local Christian TV station a lot lately (Most of secular TV has no relevance to me any more).
Our local Christian TV station has changed hands and has started airing the most outrageous, un-Biblical, spiritual nonsense programs you can imagine...all claiming to be Christian.
Balder-everlovin'-blue-eyed-dash!
There is nothing remotely Christian about what they are expounding.
Here's the rub.
One program claims that you can get extra blessings from God by tithing to them.
Heresy!
Another claims a "fourth" dimension.
Heresy!
Still another prays over a stack of what is supposed to be letters of healing requests in a box three feet high, two feet wide and five feet long and proclaims that all of those requests have been healed.
Heresy!
On one program the "worship leader," or whoever he is, just walks around looking spiritually smug and self-importantly serious, saying almost nothing while the congregation convulses and writhes physically and emotionally.
He calls it the work of The Holy Spirit.
Heresy!
One guy (actually several of them do this) starts to babble mono-syllables, some of which are repeated over and over and over and over ad-infinitum, calls it the Spirit speaking through him in "tongues," and then tells us to send money.
Heresy!
There is a "preacher" who dresses in a sort of modified Nehru outfit and seemingly hits people in the head with the palm of his hand, knocking them over, and then grinning with a silly look as he proclaims them "healed."
Heresy!
Now I am not arguing whether or not God heals.
Neither am I addressing whether God can use unusual methods.
I'm not even considering the so-called gift of tongues as erroneously practiced in many religious venues today.
What I am saying is the following.
God has given us a model of the things He wants us to do.
For instance, He has given us a model prayer (we often mistakenly call it "The Lord's Prayer").
Instead of following the model of the very prayer Jesus, Himself, gave us, most of us pray "gimmie, gimmie gimmie...God do this...God do that...let me explain to you, O Holy God, how You should handle this situation...then do it my way so I will continue to believe in and trust you and bless you with my approval."
Another model He has given us is the model of laying down our lives.
Jesus said, "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friend."
After He said it, he demonstrated it.
At the cross.
And, yes, He demonstrated healing.
God heals.
God heals when He heals.
He does not mess around.
When He heals, his healing is immediate and complete.
When He does not heal, He does not heal.
He gets to choose, 'cause He is God and I'm not.
I can't understand how He does it when He does it, why He doesn't do it when He doesn't do it.
And I don't need to know.
He is not required to check with me.
Nor is He required to report to me.
He is not responsible to me.
But there is not one single solitary model of the heresies listed above found in Scripture.
Sadly, the venues in which these programs take place are filled with people...hundreds, even thousands of them, who seem totally caught up in the emotional, idiotic, unscriptural falderall taking place.
What it really boils down to is this: for this group of leaders and their followers, the finished work of Jesus at the cross and His subsequent resurrection for the remission of our sins is not enough. If He is to be followed, He must do and/or be more.
Funny thing is, if His death, burial and resurrection is enough...totally enough...and you want/need nothing more, there is, paradoxically, more to come!
Don't fall for that "junk Christianity."
Avoid it like the proverbial plague.
In your life, make sure that Jesus, just Jesus is all sufficient.
Focus on Him, love Him, trust Him, serve Him and give your life for Him.
You won't need that other stuff.
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