Musings of The Bearded Baptist aka Big Daddy

White Privilege and Censorship

2020-06-11T09:12:00.001-05:00

I just watched the co-founder of Reddit justify their apparent move to start filtering content by saying that because we (white folk) didn't have the same struggles, we deserve to experience a little pain right now. He used the analogy of breaking down muscles so that they come back stronger.

I've shared this before, but it is once again appropriate.

I was born in a small, Indiana town to a family that did not know God. That changed before I was a year old. The earliest memories of my dad are of him not having a job, and not having luck finding another one. I remember him working in a fruit stand, selling local produce for someone we knew. The only time I have ever ridden on a tractor was when he was helping that same man in the fields. I rode on his lap. We lived in government housing, projects.

Eventually my Pawpaw found Daddy a job in Alabama, and we loaded up our belongings and headed south. No home, just relatives to depend on. I remember arriving in Tuscumbia at Pawpaw's house, where we lived for a while.

Over the years we lived in houses with no toilet or tub, used an outhouse, bathed in the yard in a steel tub, stood in line for cheese and peanut butter, used food stamps, spent weeks without electricity because we couldn't pay the bill, carried drinking water in old milk jugs from Mawmaw's house or running off a bluff, wore secondhand clothes, wore whatever shoes the Dollar Store sold, often relied on charity for food, spent weeks eating potatoes and bread, learned to play for hours with sticks and anything else I could find, often found our best Christmas gifts waiting on the porch after a trip to the grocery store on a Saturday evening, watching and later helping my dad keep old rust buckets running so we had transportation, and again spent various periods of time in government housing.

I was ridiculed at every school I attended, after about third grade, for the second-hand clothes, no-name shoes, and the hairstyle I wore. I spent relentless hours with school jerks making fun of my parents' old cars. A story my brother loves to tell is about how thrilled we were when a former, black coworker of my dad's showed up with a giant can of potatoes he got from his new job at a canned produce warehouse. We were just about to eat government commodity peanut butter sandwiches on bread from the day-old bread store. Instead, we had buttered potatoes.

My wife had a similar upbringing on the poor side of Kansas City, MO, with added times of foster care and violent schools.

The reason why I am so terrible with money is because I grew up dirt poor and never had an opportunity to learn how to spend better. We are getting better, but it is a real struggle.

I say none of this to gain anyone's sympathy. I am blessed beyond measure. But when I hear these namby-pamby white punks talk about privilege, it makes want to drag them out to Spring Valley and leave them in a two room shack, sleeping on blankets piled up in the living room while rats and roaches run across the floor, and having to walk 100 yards to an outhouse just to use the bathroom.

I know there are plenty of white people who do not share my story, but I also know the majority of people I saw while mama and us kids waited for commodity cheese and food stamps were white people. That fact still holds true today. I also went to school with plenty of black kids whose parents worked at TVA or Champion paper mill, earning every week what my dad made in a month.

Poverty is an existence shared by all races. I'm sick of seeing "POC" claim they had it worse than me. I'm even sicker of seeing guilt-ridden white people try and make the case that their own upbringing is representative of mine.

I owe you nothing, regardless of your race, ethnicity, or level of "social justice" expertise.

By the Grace of God, I have earned every single "privilege" I now enjoy. I have no privilege that is not also available to every other human in America. I love every person on earth, not just because God commands it, but because I happen to have felt enough hate to not want to be the one dishing it out. You have to really earn the rarity of me disliking you. Even then, I will lump coals on your head by being as hospitable as I know how to be to you.

You will never censor the hate from people's hearts. Shutting down speech you dislike is the best way to fertilize it. They take it into hiding and when it boils over, people die. Let them spread their message where we can all see it. I learned of the racism of members of the alt-right due to their posts. I've seen nearly every friend of mine walk away from their leaders and influencers after I posted their hatred and racist associations. That's good that would not have been possible if they had been censored. They have actually since been censored. Do you know what they are up to? No, you don't. They still have their own avenues to spread their hate, but the general public cannot track them as easily.

Our founding fathers knew that the best way was for speech to be unhindered. Does free speech sometimes hurt? Yes, but it is the foundation of our rights, and it's existence is important, regardless of its content.

I will never feel guilty for being born white. Being white has never benefited me. Hard work and God's Grace are my only privilege.

Our Calamity

2019-10-12T07:55:00.001-05:00

A lot of people like to share memes that claim they just want people to be real, because they hate fake people.
Well, this is me being real.

The preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and that which was written was upright, even words of truth.
Ecclesiastes 12:1‭0

Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.
Ecclesiastes 12:13‭-‬14 KJV

If you're going to come on social media, seeking the sympathy of others, because your life is not going as you expected, be man enough to examine yourself and see if there is a reason for the calamity.

But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven. Matthew 10:33

Jesus says that if you deny him before man he will deny you before God the Father. That changes nothing about salvation, if you are already a child of God. But don't expect to be continuing in your sin, denying Christ through your actions and inactions, and expect him to perform his role as mediator between you and God.

He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination. Proverbs 28:9

When you complain about how others are treating you, consider how you have treated God.

Then came the word of the Lord by Haggai the prophet, saying, Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your ceiled houses, and this house lie waste? Now therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts; Consider your ways. Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes. Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Consider your ways. Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the Lord . Ye looked for much, and, lo, it came to little; and when ye brought it home, I did blow upon it. Why? saith the Lord of hosts. Because of mine house that is waste, and ye run every man unto his own house. Therefore the heaven over you is stayed from dew, and the earth is stayed from her fruit. And I called for a drought upon the land, and upon the mountains, and upon the corn, and upon the new wine, and upon the oil, and upon that which the ground bringeth forth, and upon men, and upon cattle, and upon all the labour of the hands.
Haggai 1:3‭-‬11 KJV

You have sought to find pleasure for yourself, but you have neglected that which pleases God. At some point you have to realize that the reason you're in pig slop is because it is time for you to return to God.
There is pleasure in sin, for a season. But eventually you have to come to realize that esteeming the reproach of Christ is far greater riches than all the treasures that you are seeking for your own pleasure.
God makes it very clear how he will react to our continued neglect of his will. Not only will he make sure that we do not prosper, but the Bible says that he will actually laugh at our calamity.

How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge? Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you. Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you. Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me: For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord : They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof. Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices. For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.
Proverbs 1:22‭-‬32 KJV

Throughout my life, I have probably had more people laugh at me than with me. The majority of that is probably my fault. But if God laughs at me, it is all my fault. I do not say this boastfully when I say that I know God has had his season to laugh at me. I cannot raise my fist towards heaven and declare him injust. The only way to stop him from laughing at my calamity is for me to shake my fist at the man I see in the mirror, and decide to return to the path God has for me. That path is declared in Ecclesiastes 12:13, Revelations 4:11, and elsewhere in Scripture.

Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.
Revelation 4:11 KJV

If you believe that this is aimed squarely at you, consider yourself among friends, because I do not know of a single Christian who can read these scriptures and not say, "Ouch!"
I have tried to include enough scripture that you could delete my commentary from this and still receive the instructions that God has given us.

"True" Christians

2019-05-31T09:24:00.001-05:00

I'm always perplexed when people use the term "true Christian."
Christian means Christ-like. You either are, or you ain't. If you ain't, you are still headed to Hell. Sin doesn't send you to hell. Stopping sin doesn't make you avoid hell. It's a matter of belief. Do you believe the Gospel, that you are a sinner, Christ died for you, was buried, and rose again? If so, you are already a "true" Christian.
It is similar to when George H. W. Bush was asked, on 9-12-01, if he was a Christian. His answer was yes, but not a born-again Christian, like his son. There is no other way to become Christ-like. Jesus said, "Ye must be born again."
If you HAVE been born again, you are already a "true" Christian. That does not mean that you have received some special work of Grace and are now sinless or perfect. It simply means that your sins have been forgiven, and as in Scripture, when Jesus forgives your sins he says, "Go, and sin no more."
Why then do we choose to segregate Christian into categories? If we had to take a lie detector before coming in the church to decide who sits on what side of the building, I am afraid the building's foundation would be weakened by everyone being on the "not true" Christian side.
We all still sin, but thankfully we have an advocate with the father. 1 John 2:1
When someone points out your sin, or alleged sin, they are not saying that you are not a "true Christian." They are saying that you might be in sin. They recognize it, because they have been there. Maybe not in the same sin, but we all know what it is like how to fail our heavenly Father. They point it out for many reasons, beginning with your spiritual health. But it might be for the help of another.

To the sinning Christian (that's all of us), be forgiven (ask) and go and sin no more.

To the person segregating Christians into true and not true, stop. "Not true" Christians are simply Not Christians and need the Gospel.

Social Media

2019-03-11T12:52:00.001-05:00

Getting my fourth, I believe, 30-day suspension on Facebook, and the possible actions have others close to me has caused me do you want to give my thoughts on social media and it's value to conservatives and Christians.

First, let me say that all of my suspensions have been over ridiculous stuff. The last two have been for using the term "white trash." The latest was me telling my son that using ALL CAPS makes him look like white trash.

Over the years, many people have proposed conservative just leaving Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and other social media platforms that occasionally ban us for saying stuff. While that sounds good on the surface, it is actually a white flag surrender to the liberals who run those platforms.

By "taking your ball and going home," you're giving the liberals exactly what they want. Is Mark Zuckerberg had his way, there would be no conservatives and Christians on Facebook. He made a big deal out of traveling all over the country, meeting ordinary folk, but then returned to Facebook and did nothing to meet the needs of those ordinary folk. It was just an excuse for him to travel around the country and make a few PR points.

I don't have a problem with people creating other platforms for those with particular interests. There are social media platforms out there for hunters, gun enthusiasts, Quilters, and just about any other group that you can think of. Those groups are great for those people communicating with each other. But that is kind of like the church only taking God's Word to saved people.

I'm not saying that any of my conservative and Christian posts are doing anything to change anyone's mind, but I am at least letting others know what is right. If I just shut down my account because I am ticked off at Facebook, or whatever social media account is involved, I no longer have any access to the people who could probably use a little truth and perspective in their life.

Yes, there are also dangers involved with participating in social media. Men have fallen for old flames, new flames, and just fallen back in love with their old single life, ruining their marriage because of online activity with social media. Despite the age restrictions put on Facebook accounts, children have been lured into dangerous and sometimes deadly situations because their parents are too sorry to monitor their social media accounts.

But I have a news flash for you. There is an inherent danger with leaving your house everyday. You could even die in your house, alone. We face dangers with everything that we do, including breathing.

There is nothing wrong with playing by the rules set forth by whatever social media platform you use, as long as those rules do not violate scripture. If they try to force me to add something that is pro-abortion, or Pro sodomite to my account, then I must leave. But if they are just trying to censor my speech a little bit, I will just continue to learn how to navigate around their rules to be able to have the platform that I want to have and share my views and ideas.

There is plenty of good in social media. That is actually my number one news source. I see the links to legitimate news that are posted and I look into those issues. I have not sat down and watched, or listened to an actual national news show in probably over 4 years. I follow local news personalities to keep abreast of the news and weather back home while I travel. I follow a lot of conservative personalities to keep abreast of national and international events. I also check out some of the stories that I see my liberal friends share. I actually do find it a value to know how they think on some of these issues. I usually find their thinking to be disturbing, but I come away with at least knowing how disturbing their thought process is.

If Facebook or any other social media platform is causing you to sin, then I suggest you get rid of it. But if you are just upset that they are censoring what you say, just be smart, and learn how to navigate their rules. America needs conservative voices in every Avenue available to them.

Stay in it!

2018-11-04T16:51:00.001-06:00

I spent Friday and Saturday at Circle C Baptist camp, just outside of Lexington Kentucky. They were having their annual Kentucky shootout. It is an event for men and boys to spend some time shooting, competing, and learning from God's Word.
Friday night, Pastor Don Letson spoke about never quitting on God. Most people who were in attendance probably applied this more to their Christian service than their daily walk with God.
But I know there are some people who might need to use this to look at their daily walk, or what used to be a daily walk with Christ.
I wish I had an actual recording of the message to share with you, because I know that I will fail, and therefore not even try to share the same powerful message that he delivered from God. Hopefully though I can say something that someone might need from what I gleaned off of his preaching.
While brother Letson was preaching, I let God work on me and kept my thoughts about myself. But I will be honest with you. As I've been driving the last 3 or 4 hours, and chewing on it, God has repeatedly put different people on my mind that I wish could have been there for the message.
I won't be so bold as to say that I've been where you have been, or that I have experienced what you have experienced, but I know that there are others who have. It doesn't really matter though because your problems and experiences are always going to be yours and yours alone. There is no grand scale that I can look at to weigh your tribulations against those of others. but if you are using those experiences and tribulations as an excuse to not continue with God, please keep reading and see what Paul went through in his service to God.

Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches. Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not? If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities.
2 Corinthians 11:23‭-‬30 KJV

I want to give a quick caveat to the tone that Paul was using here. When dealing with the Corinthian Church, a very proud and carnal Church, Paul had to speak on their level to get their attention. Then, once their attention was gained, he laid the truth on them.
Having said that, let me assure you that Paul was not actually boasting here. But all of the trials that he went through are real, and most are recorded throughout the New Testament.
We love comparing ourselves to others. I think it mostly stems from that small measure of pride that we just can't seem to rid ourselves of. But, it is not always a bad thing. After all, Paul tells us that he is given to us to be an example of how to follow Christ.

I know you were hurt. I know you reacted bad to some things. I know you did some things you wish you would have never done. I know it seemed like you were all alone and that all of this "Bible stuff" was useless. And I know that there are probably many things that I do not know about you or your circumstances, that caused you to walk away from God.
But what I do know is that he is still right where he's always been, waiting for you to return and someday see why it was worth not giving up.
Paul never gave up. I would hate to have to go through all that he suffered. I don't know that I could go through all that he suffered. At least, not on my own. Paul was not alone in his suffering.

For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth: but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me. And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
2 Corinthians 12:6‭-‬10 KJV

This is where Paul sets aside speaking on their level, and just starts plowing the truth.
God's Grace is still sufficient for us. It doesn't matter what your burden is. It doesn't matter how much someone hurt you. It doesn't matter how much you feel that you might have failed.
What matters is that God's grace is still sufficient for you. He has never left you. He has never turned his back on you. Like the father of The Prodigal Son, he is standing there looking down the road, waiting to see you coming home. And just as the father of The Prodigal Son, when you make a step in that direction he will run to you, wrap his arms around you and bring you back into his fold.

Paul never gave up. In trials and tribulations that would have killed most of us, he kept his eyes on what lay before him. He knew that one day he would be able to see and say that it was truly worth it all. He kept going, and eventually was able to say...

For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
2 Timothy 4:6‭-‬8 KJV

To quote my favorite radio duo, "Stay in it!"
If you have already quit, come back where you belong.

Entitled Much?

2018-08-11T04:02:00.001-05:00

Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God: And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ. But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.
Colossians 3:22‭-‬25 KJV

I will admit, that the scripture on using only has a cursory application to the incident that sparked my desire to write this blog entry. But here goes, anyway.
Well obviously, Paul is writing the scriptures to Christians. His use of the word servants does not mean that this only applies to a slave. It has a great application for all employers, contractors, or any other hired individuals.
I will just go ahead and give you the story. As I'm standing in a truck stop trying to decide what type of snack I want to buy, I hear a male employee talking about cleaning the showers. I missed the first part of the conversation with his co-workers, but he basically said that he was tired of putting forth the extra effort in cleaning the showers because it wasn't as if anyone was tipping him anyway.
For those not familiar with how truck stop showers work, anyone can stop at a truck stop and pay around $10 to get the use of a usually clean, private shower. If you stop at a sketchy looking truck stop, you might have a sketchy looking shower. But most major chains have very clean, modern showers. This happened to be at a Pilot in Mebane, North Carolina. Truck drivers also get a free shower for buying 50-100 gallons of fuel or more. It's been awhile since I've had to shower at a truck-stop.
I have left a tip before, but it is usually only when I see that the person cleaning the showers has left a note saying that they hope everything is up to my expectations. I know the purpose of that note is to bait me into a tip, but I have no problem dropping a dollar or two if I can tell they did a very good job cleaning the shower. But, that should never be expected. The person who cleans that shower is getting paid an hourly rate to do so. They agreed to that when they took the job. Only at larger truck stops do they usually hire people to specifically clean the showers and not really have any other duties. So at this truck stop, cleaning showers was side duty for other store personnel. Leaving tips in a shower is not even something that is common in the trucking industry. It's just another thing that we can blame on the Starbucks tip jar. There are certain service Industries that have always involved tipping, regardless of whether they were being paid a full salary or a waitress salary that expect tips. Delivery guys, household goods Movers, obviously waitresses and Waiters, and a few others are jobs that should typically expect to get a tip unless they screw something up. But ever since Starbucks started sticking out a jar to tip people who do nothing more than what they were paid to do, every other worker has tried to figure out some way to make tips.
This guy was brazen enough to register his complaint with several customers within earshot.
I obviously have no idea whether he is a Christian or not, but I am sure that all of us are guilty of expecting something extra when all we have done is what is our reasonable service. You can go look up Romans 12:1 on your own, but it is obvious that even God can see that some people think they have done something special, when all they have done are the simple things they're supposed to do.
In Colossians, Paul is specifically speaking to those who serve others in a secular sense. I have been guilty of awaiting a pat on the back for doing something that I thought was above and beyond. Occasionally, I have actually gotten that pat on the back. But on at least one occasion, the pat-on-the-back came as more of a reaction to the laziness of co-workers than the above expectation service that I rendered.
Don't work for your check, or for a tip. Give extra effort in everything you do, because you are doing it as unto the Lord. This is especially essential when you are known to be a Christian.

Yes, I can be offended

2018-02-20T11:35:00.001-06:00

You know what is offensive to me?
After every shooting, the left loves to say that we put our right to bear arms above the lives of children and other victims. They pretend that it is impossible for us to cherish both.
The "we" I mentioned includes gun owners, the NRA, and every other citizen that values our God-given right to self defense, guaranteed by the United States Constitution.
Not wanting to toot my own horn, let me tell you what my friends, part of the "we", do.
My gun owner friends work suicide hotlines. They volunteer time away from their lives to try and save the lives of those who intend to take their own.
My friends give of their time to counsel women who are considering to murder their own children before they are born. When they could be spending happy moments with their own families, they are crying on the phone, pleading with a stranger so that some unknown child can be born.
My friends are foster parents, as was I. They interrupt their own lives to swoop in and provide a stable home for hurting children whose parents have some issues to work out. They then must endure the pain of seeing this child, who has become part of their very soul, taken away when the state decides to return them home. They repeat the process, knowing that is simply how it works. They never expect to keep every child, but they cannot help but love them.
My friends adopt children for similar reasons as those who foster. They spend time, money, and much emotion on doing all they can to change a child's life. My adopted son is only my adopted son when I speak of adoption. The rest of the time, he is simply my son. No desire to have a son exists that is not fulfilled by my relationship with him.
My friends are among the most generous in charitable giving. Children around the world eat food provided by my friends' giving.
My friends volunteer to counsel prison inmates, not only sacrificing of their time, but putting their own safety at risk. Think what you want about prison evangelism, the facts show that despite the number of fake, jailhouse religious "con-versions", those who participate in Christian prison activities have a much lower rate of recidivism.
My friends spend their lives in service to others. Whether it be military, police, fire, or medical, my friends are the majority of those who volunteer to dedicate their lives to the protection of others. That's why the military votes conservative, they were conservative when they volunteered.
My friends spend Saturday and Sunday caring for kids who ride a bus to church. I've seen the parents of those kids admit to sending them on the bus, just to get a few peaceful hours without their little burdens running around the house. I've heard countless testimony of those kids going on to live productive lives, entirely different from their impoverished peers. Some of those testimonies have played out before my own eyes.
I could go on, but doing so would involve personal stories that aren't mine to tell.
Gun owners love children. Gun owners hate to see anyone murdered. Gun owners want to see everyone protected from evil.
It is the "we" who pushes for safer schools. A sign will never protect a school. A sign just gives a liberal the ability to say he/she "tried." But that "try" is not acceptable. We want our kids protected as much as our money, politicians, and celebrities. None of those are protected merely by a law. They have adequate armed protection. We regret the realization that society has fallen so much, but we recognize that extreme measures must be taken to protect our children. The technology exists, and there is no excuse to just be satisfied with the status quo.
We are your everyday, emotional, compassionate, concerned citizens. We differ from the rest in that we know that restricting the rights of law-abiding citizens has and will never prevent a tragedy. Those bent on destruction will always find an avenue to evil.
Yes, We can be offended. But it will not distract us from the defense of our rights.
We are perfectly capable of loving our rights and the rights and protection of others.

Born With a Silver Spoon

2017-10-06T14:23:00.001-05:00

Lou Holtz - Trust • Commitment • Love<-click

Wow! Lou just made me cry, laugh, cry, and laugh some more.
This isn't all there is to life and success, but boy howdy! it's a good start!

I look at the blessings in my life, and my childhood seems so foreign, yet so familiar. I hope my kids didn't miss something in life because God made me more financially capable.

My story:
Born in a small, Indiana town to a family that did not know God. That changed before I was a year old. The earliest memories of my dad are of him not having a job, and not having luck finding another one. I remember him working in a fruit stand, selling local produce for someone we knew. The only time I have ever ridden on a tractor was when he was helping that same man in the fields. I rode on his lap.
Eventually my Pawpaw found Daddy a job in Alabama, and we loaded up our belongings and headed south. No home, just relatives to depend on. I remember arriving in Tuscumbia at Pawpaw's house, where we lived for a while.
Over the years we lived in houses with no toilet or tub, used an outhouse, bathed in the yard in a steel tub, stood in line for cheese and peanut butter, used food stamps, spent weeks without electricity because we couldn't pay the bill, carried drinking water in old milk jugs from Mawmaw's house or running off a bluff, wore secondhand clothes, wore whatever shoes the Dollar Store sold, often relied on charity for food, spent weeks eating potatoes and bread, learned to play for hours with sticks and anything else I could find, often found our best Christmas gifts waiting on the porch after a trip to the grocery store on a Saturday evening, watching and later helping my dad keep old rust buckets running so we had transportation, and the list could go on.
But I also soared to the moon in a spaceship made from an old shopping cart. My brother and I traveled the United States in our RV/bed with the aid of an old Rand McNally atlas. I broke world motocross records on my flea market bicycle. I climbed mountains, fought ninjas, explored the darkest jungles, fought wild animals, carried out secret missions, and always got the girl, though she probably didn't know it. :)
Then I went home to a filling meal, a warm bed, and parents who loved me, and prayed for me.
Yes Lou, I, too, was born with a silver spoon in my mouth.

Just some thoughts

2017-09-22T19:24:00.001-05:00

Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.
Ephesians 5:25‭-‬33 KJV

Yes, the wife has duties to the husband. They are partially covered in the verses preceding my chosen passage. But I'm not a wife, and I chose to post my own responsibility to God and my wife. No need to paraphrase it. It's in simple English.
Note that their are no exceptions. I does not say ~husbands love your wives when hey are good to you. It says "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it."
You may actually encounter an incident that requires you to physically give your life for your wife, as Christ did for the church, but EVERY DAY you have opportunities to do such on a smaller, no not smaller, a different scale. Set aside you pride, your desires, your attitude, your own proclivities, and do everything with her in mind.
It does not mean that you won't occasionally have to make a decision she doesn't agree to. But you would be amazed at how often treating her right will cause her to want you to lead, and accept your leadership.
Go's had a plan for marriage and spousal relationships. He modeled it after the relationship of his Son to the Church. If you have not been her Christ, don't expect her to treat you like Him.

Be Happy

2017-07-21T12:56:00.001-05:00

Just a short, non-exhaustive list of true happiness.
NOTICE: No mention of wealth and fame...

Hearing of wisdom:
- Queen of Sheba to Solomon
Happy are thy men, happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and that hear thy wisdom.
1 Kings 10:8 KJV

Worship of Jehovah:
Happy is that people, that is in such a case: yea, happy is that people, whose God is the Lord .
Psalms 144:15 KJV

Receiving wisdom:
Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold.
Proverbs 3:13‭-‬14 KJV

Accepting correction:
Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty: For he maketh sore, and bindeth up: he woundeth, and his hands make whole.
Job 5:17‭-‬18 KJV

Possessing God as Lord:
Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God: Which made heaven, and earth, the sea, and all that therein is: which keepeth truth for ever: Which executeth judgment for the oppressed: which giveth food to the hungry. The Lord looseth the prisoners:
Psalms 146:5‭-‬7 KJV

Keeping the Law:
Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.
Proverbs 29:18 KJV

Children:
-The Psalmist, to Jody Brooks. Just kidding:
Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord : and the fruit of the womb is his reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.
Psalms 127:3‭-‬5 KJV

There is way more, but I need to get my beauty sleep. It takes a LOT!

2017

2017-01-16T11:32:00.001-06:00

Wow! It's been over a year since I posted here. Not sure anyone follows, so no harm, but I felt compelled to say the following today.

I'm really looking forward to 2017. It will be a great year because I have a great God!

Princes have persecuted me without a cause: but my heart standeth in awe of thy word. I rejoice at thy word, as one that findeth great spoil. I hate and abhor lying: but thy law do I love. Seven times a day do I praise thee because of thy righteous judgments.

GREAT PEACE have they which love thy law:

and nothing shall offend them. Lord , I have hoped for thy salvation, and done thy commandments. My soul hath kept thy testimonies; and I love them exceedingly. I have kept thy precepts and thy testimonies: for all my ways are before thee.
Psalms 119:161‭-‬168 KJV (emphasis added)

The word "offend" used verse 165 is not talking about the common use of the word, as in being offended by someone's words or deeds. It speaks of someone "coming against you." It comes from the Latin word "offendere" - to strike against, equivalent to -fendere to strike.

What verse 165 says is that if we love God's law, nothing can come against us. It's akin to God saying the gates of Hell shall not prevail against His Church.

The passage begins with a negative. Wicked compasses us, and daily comes against us. The Psalmist then goes on to say that those offenses cannot succeed because of his love for God's Law, God's Word.

So, yes, regardless of what has already happened, or will happen, I know 2017 will be a great year because I love His Law! If that's not how you feel, maybe you should work on your relationship with God and his Word.

Selah

Small Beginnings

2016-02-05T11:31:00.001-06:00

The following is from a comment I made within one of my posts about my former friend, Jeff Eddie, now a convicted child molester. His crimes were committed while he was the children's minister of a fairly large church.
A very select few who claim to have known him in school, and one woman especially, sought opportunity to pat themselves on the back for "always knowing something was off" about Jeff. That is a farce. Jeff was the most mature high school kid I have ever met. He spent his life in jobs that helped others. He interviewed me for a juvenile detention position in the late 90's. Being a former Law Enforcement Officer, my main focus in the interview was my authoritarian and interpersonal skills I had gained as an LEO. Jeff, knowing I was a Christian, turned the tables and pointed out that his goal was to make a difference in the kids' lives. That is who Jeff was. Was is past tense
Here is the aforementioned comment:

Unless something arises to the contrary, this is something that changed about Jeff. He gave the devil a foothold in his life, most likely through the Internet porn, and eventually the sin multiplied.
Instead of using this as an opportunity to point out faults we all saw in Jeff, we should really let it cause us to search our own hearts. Not for disgusting stuff like what Jeff did, but for those little footholds that we've grown accustomed to overlooking as unimportant.
In his lifetime, Jeff Eddie has probably done more for God than I ever will. Yet, he was still able to fall farther than any of us think we could ever fall. That's our fallacy. We only think we couldn't fall like that. Satan never screams rape in our ear, he whispers lie, cheat, hide, scheme. It's those little things that we overlook as unimportant that slowly vex our souls.
In Scripture, Lot begins as a good man in whom God heaped many blessings. When given a simple choice that we all face, leaving the side of his guardian, he "pitched his tent toward Sodom." Though he likely remained the most moral man in town, he "vexed his righteous soul" until he was wicked enough to at one point offer his two virgin daughters to the sodomite crowd, and later got drunk and allowed the same two daughters to seduce him. None of us could see ourselves being so evil, but neither could Lot before setting his sights on Sodom.

Let me backtrack a bit in my statement. There is no reason to think that Internet porn was the starting point. The starting point can be way more vague. For example, I try to remind my wife to scan all catalogs before they get placed where we read catalogs in my house, the bathroom. As a healthy adult male, I do not need panties, bra, and swimsuit ads tempting me to lust. Oh, so you are better than that? Then you are either queer, or a lying fool.
I have no idea where Satan first got a hold on Jeff, but I can guarantee it was in a "small" sin.

Hebrews 12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

The "sin which doth so easily beset us" means that sin which we are most exposed to. I personally believe that actual unbelief is that sin for everyone. We live in a world that doesn't want us to believe in God, and on a more personal note we often cannot see God in our circumstance and both challenge our fidelity.
But don't limit Scripture to one precept, or purpose. We are surrounded with temptation. Even television commercials tempt us with sex while selling everything from a cheeseburger to computer repair. The advertising companies know that sex sells.
But it's not just sex. Sitcoms brazenly portray parents as idiots. A smart child can understand the exaggeration, but even he or she will subconsciously rely on these portrayals the next time they disagree with their parents.
Social media declares that we should be our own selves, while at the same time telling us that what that means is to be like all the other rebels. God says, " And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." Romans 12:2

Here's my conclusion, I offer for your consideration a thought and a question:
We look at Lot, getting drunk and impregnating his two virgin daughters. We look at Jeff Eddie, molesting children trusted to his care as a Christian minister.
We say, "I could NEVER do something like that!"
Yet neither began with those sins.
Lying, cheating, hiding, scheming, disrespecting, gossiping, hating, and a plethora of other "simple sins."
Perhaps we should be trying to declare that we could never do THOSE sins!

God sees sin as sin, we should, too.

Righteousness vs Desire

2016-01-27T12:50:00.003-06:00

Dallas debate between a sodomite claiming to be a pastor and Robert Jeffress

[Watch the video at the above link first]

The point that is often overlooked is that what scripture condemns, in relation to homosexuality (sodomites), is two things: effeminate men, and same gender sexual relations, both in I Cor 6 and elsewhere. If you choose to wrongly believe that people are born gay, that changes nothing.

God gave me, as a man, a healthy attraction to women. Not just a sexual transaction, but a desire for all things female (human). My wife is not foolish enough to think that I don't enjoy an attractive lady, hence my recent amusing Facebook post about Andie MacDowell getting special privileges on my airline. I've always thought she was one of the most stunning women in Hollywood. But ask Tammy who my Hollywood crush is and she'll probably say Helen Hunt, without hesitation. Nothing in Scripture forbids me from being a male with God-given attractions.

What scripture regulates is how I act on those attractions. I am forbidden from lusting after any women but my wife. Jesus, himself says that is the same as adultery. I am also forbidden from committing the actual act of adultery with any woman, regardless of how strong my attraction is towards her. There are also other prohibitions that we must add ourselves in order to protect our testimony and obey I Thessalonians 5:22.

The Bible very clearly condemns sex with the same gender, male with male and woman with woman, in both the Old Testament and the New Testament. Regardless of what you think your sexual preference is, or when you became that way, God's command is still the same. Thou shall not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination. Lev 18:22 and expounded in the New Testament in Romans chapter one.

Christ can change the desires of your heart, but regardless of what they are, desires do not trump God's commands and prohibitions.

God's "Permissive" Will

2015-12-18T10:29:00.002-06:00

John 7:16-17 Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me. If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.

What is God's Permissive Will?

Let me start with what it ain't: God's Will.

I believe too many people get caught up listening to some Doctor of Divinity expound on seven different types of God's will. What are we doing grading on a curve? Do we have a merit/demerit system like a college frat house? "Well, you get two merits for perfect will, one for permissive and a demerit for resisting." <<
The most conservative of expositors will claim two forms of God's Will:

1) The Decretive Will of God

and

2) The Preceptive Will of God

Then more will add or substitute the Permissive Will of God for one of the above.

Decretive simply means God decrees it and it happens.
Genesis 1:3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
God performs Hid own will here.

Preceptive is a command to man.
Exodus 20:4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:
Exodus 20:12 Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
These are performed by man in either doing what he said to do or not doing what he said not to do.

Permissive is said to be what God allows. Kind of like saying if he didn't strike you down with lightning, then you were in His permissive will.

I won't go into the plethora of other alleged levels of God's Will.

Decretive is not really dealing with us at all, so it needs no discussion. There is no question of following it because God both wills it and completes it.

Preceptive, to me is God's Perfect Will. This is the path he has chosen for each of us.

Psalms 37:23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way.

Each of us was born into a plan that God laid out for us. With each disobedient act that plan must change because sin causes us to lose ground that cannot be regained.

Now, onto this matter of Permissive Will.

I believe this to be an attempt at the misuse of Grace.

Let's face it. Most of us are probably outside of God's Perfect Will for most of our days. Permissive has the sense of a positive endorsement. That is not true. God's allowance does not imply permission.
We see bad things happen and here comes folks talking about permissive will again. "Well, God allowed it, so it must be part of his plan." No, no, no, no!
Yes, God prevents some things from happening, that is part of his sovereignty. Just as he said, "Let there be light", he can say, "Don't let that bus hit Ralph." Both are actions HE performs.
But when man does something wrong, whether he lets us live, or not, does not determine whether it was His will or not.

If God said "DO" and you didn't, then you are in sin and outside of God's Will. Whether he kills you for it, or lets you live. Same thing when he says "DON'T" and we do.

James 4:17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

This verse is not reversible. It cannot be made to imply that if someone doesn't know to do good, they will be exempt. They will not.

Romans 14:23 And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.

The last phrase is my reason for using the verse. Paul confirms that if we do something without faith that we are right in doing it, then we are in sin.
This, too, cannot be reversed. We might have 100% faith that doing something is right, but if it's already been declared wrong by God, then it's wrong.

What exactly is God's Preceptive or Command Will to man?
Matthew 5:48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

Change perfect to any other synonym and you still get the same meaning. Many describe it as complete. Well it's a comparison to God, who is perfect, so if we are to be complete as he is complete, then we are to be perfect. Stop taking the long road, just accept what the Holy Spirit wrote.

So let's stop trying to sound like Dr Righteous Britches and worry about what stage of Grace we are in. Right now, at this very moment, you are either in God's Will or you are not. It really is that simple.

The great thing is that when we find ourselves outside of His will, we have a way back in:

1 John 1:8-10 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

Blessed

2015-07-31T10:23:00.001-05:00

I just had a Wow! moment.
While at Bob Evans, a disabled man walked by me on his way back to his seat. I saw him stop my waitress, who clearly knew him well, and speak to her. He's about 4'6", walks with a special cane, and cannot lift his head off his chest. I really don't know if it is acceptable to pity someone in his and similar conditions, but that's what I feel in my gut when I see them.
Then this happens!
The waitress comes to me and says, "Larry wants to buy your meal."
How do you respond to that!?
I barely stuttered out, "That's not necessary, but tell him thanks." (he had already sat down facing away from me)
She gave me my ticket and left.
I sat there wondering if I should personally thank him for the offer, or if that would offend him since I rejected it.
I then overhead him ask the same of his own waitress and heard him say, "The one with the beard."
She looked back at me as I tried to act ignorant of what was going on. She never approached, so when I finished I walked on by him and went to pay.
I'm sure you know what comes next. The cashier and her manager said it had already been paid. A giant lump grew instantly in my throat.
I walked over, took a knee beside his table, thanked him, and said, "God Bless you, Larry."
While Tammy would love for me to say my epic beard won me a free meal, that wasn't it. You see when he had passed my table I had just raised my head from praying and saw that he had stopped, barely in my peripheral, while I thanked God for my breakfast. He wanted to bless me because I asked blessings over my meal. That didn't hit me until I was walking back to the hotel. I hope no one saw my eyes swelling up.
Hebrews 13:1-2 Let brotherly love continue. Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.
Larry might feel I was his angel today, but in reality he was mine. One who was way more deserving of being blessed chose to bless me. That is not unlike Christ.
Romans 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
I don't deserve anything but hell, but Larry chose to bless me with a meal, and even better Christ chose to bless me with eternal life. Not just me, but for all who believe.
Do me a favor, say a prayer for Larry in Bowling Green, Ohio today.

Sick of the P.C. garbage

2015-07-09T21:50:00.001-05:00

Patterson Hood is a politically correct moron. He never liked southern rock until he discovered he could make money off it. He does not speak for the sector of Alabama we both once called home.
He is not a scholar. He is ignorant of history.
As several others are doing, he's choosing to be a pathetic sympathizer to the ignorant masses rather than educate them to the truth.
It's really a shame that a Detroit born southern rocker, Kid Rock, understands more about the flag than an actual southern born man with a legendary father.
I was never taught that slaves were not mistreated. Having all of my schooling in an Alabama classroom, I was actually taught the exact opposite. I was taught how Wallace opposed integration, then flip-flopped when the political winds changed. All of this while a rebel flag flew on the state Capitol, not just on a war monument.
I was also taught that our state battle cry was "Dare We Defend Our Rights!" That same phrase echoes in nearly every thing I do. I exercise my rights, at times, simply because a right not exercised is a right lost.
You cannot forcibly dictate that any of my actions, speech, or expressions are for any motive other than what I insist. I have never hated any person because of their race. I am equally kind, and at times equally angered at people of all races.
I'm sick and tired of people who are too lazy to educate people about their own heritage. It may be easier to just furl the flag you don't like and move on, but you do so at the expense of history.
Did people that hate blacks fight under the battle flag? Yes, but they also fought under the Stars and Stripes on the opposite side of the field. It was American flags that flew from horses, wagons, and barges as American Indians were herded across the wilderness leaving so many dead in their wake. Yet we would not accept an Indian walking on our flag.
Well, I don't accept you walking on the flag of my southern ancestors.
I hope Mr Hood will remember, a REAL southern man don't need him around, anyhow!

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2015/07/09/magazine/the-souths-heritage-is-so-much-more-than-a-flag.html?referrer&_r=0

Judge not?

2015-07-02T02:37:00.001-05:00

What did Jesus say that he came for? "To seek and to save that which was lost" Luke 19:10
2 Peter 3:9 declares, "... not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."
The best commentary on the Bible is the Bible, so in light of the above verses, what is Jesus's main focus in the first five verses of Matthew chapter 7?
It's definitely not that if I'm guilty of a certain sin, I'm forbidden from telling others it's wrong. The standard is always God's standard, not mine or that of anyone else proclaiming God's Truth.
The focus of those five verses is for me to make sure I examine myself, to be certain that I'm not as guilty as the other guy. If I am, the two verses, and countless others, declare that God would rather have me get right, than avoid the subject.
That principle is illustrated in verse 5 where God says to remove the beam from my eye so that I can see better to help my brother remove his mote.
God's Word is never about condemnation. We are already condemned. His desire for us is reconciliation with Him. He's always talking about us getting right.

http://yellowhammernews.com/faithandculture/judge-not-rick-bubba-set-the-record-straight-on-what-the-bible-actually-said/?utm_campaign=shareaholic&utm_medium=facebook&utm_source=socialnetwork

Fear

2015-03-08T07:58:00.002-05:00

Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Proverbs 1:29 For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD:
Proverbs 3:7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.
Proverbs 8:13 The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.
Proverbs 9:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.
Proverbs 10:27 The fear of the LORD prolongeth days: but the years of the wicked shall be shortened.
Proverbs 14:26 In the fear of the LORD is strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge.
Proverbs 14:27 The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death.
Proverbs 15:33 The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom; and before honour is humility.
Proverbs 16:6 By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil.
Proverbs 19:23 The fear of the LORD tendeth to life: and he that hath it shall abide satisfied; he shall not be visited with evil.
Proverbs 22:4 By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, and honour, and life.
Proverbs 23:17 Let not thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the LORD all the day long.

Fearing, or attempting to devalue, the fear of the Lord is not only foolish, but absolute sin. Fear does not preclude love, nor does love preclude fear.
We look at fear, anger and jealousy as negative attributes because in our imperfect flesh we don't manage them as well as we could. But just as God coming into our lives makes all thing new, His presence also affects these attributes.
To may people these days seek to change God's Word by removing these attributes and always presenting them in a negative light through some perversion of the Gospel and Grace. God addresses "changers" in Proverbs, also:
Proverbs 24:21-22 My son, fear thou the LORD and the king: and meddle not with them that are given to change: For their calamity shall rise suddenly; and who knoweth the ruin of them both?
They say we shouldn't be motivated by fear, yet God says without fear, we can possess no true knowledge, wisdom, or confidence. God says fear prolongs our days. God says the fear of the Lord tendeth to life, itself.
They say God is not angry. God says:
Romans 1:16-18 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
Follow these connected verses. The Gospel is first given a stated purpose, salvation. Next verse begins with "For," tying it to the orevious verse. Salvation is wrought by God's righteousness, not ours. Then the next verse also ties in with with "For." There we see the WRATH (anger) of God being against man's sin. Almost seems out of place until you see the connection. God wants us to know that we are accepted into His fold on His merit, but He also wants us to know that he abhors sin and his anger is kindled unto them that not only sin, but those who do so while holding the truth. The word translated "hold" in verse 18 is elsewhere translated as possessing. That's a definite nod to the saved.
Proverbs 19:23 The fear of the LORD tendeth to life: and he that hath it shall abide satisfied; he shall not be visited with evil.
Don't fear fear.

Fearfully and Wonderfully Made

2014-12-16T14:03:00.001-06:00

Psalms 139:14 KJV

I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.

A friend is pregnant and said she feels a bug coming on. She is a good mommy and has chosen to stay Rx free.
That made me think of this verse. I don't think it's a coincidence that God made maternity just long enough for the baby, in his mother's protection, to experience nearly every seasonal change.
We know our immune system is programmable, otherwise we'd be wasting time with a lot of early childhood shots. So there in protection of the womb, mommy's immune system starts training Jr how to deal with the climate long before mommy gets to bundle him up for the 5 second walk to the car.
I'm not going into a rant against medicine and immunizations, they've both, along with better food preparation and preservation, contributed to longer life. But have you ever wondered why young children were ever able to survive being born and raised in harsh climates prior to all the medical discoveries?
Perhaps it's because we are fearfully and wonderfully made by a marvelous God.

Happy Veterans Day

2014-11-11T17:08:00.001-06:00

"I, Ralph Harold Fiscus, Jr, do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God."

It matters not the reason why one takes this oath. The noble call of patriotism, a ticket away from home, college money, a "job", travel, or just a childhood dream, all mean the same. Your enlistment presents your life as a blank check, payable on any battlefield your country needs you on.
No soldier loves war, but all soldiers are willing to fight one with the hope that it's the last one.
Say a prayer today for the men and women still fighting and standing for our freedoms.
I offer a heartfelt Thank You to all my brothers and sisters in arms, past and present. It was truly an honor to serve with you.
Thank You to the greatest country on earth for affording me the opportunity to serve. I am who I am today because of hard-nosed NCOs who wouldn't allow me to give up, and if I failed, taught me to adapt and overcome.
And Thank You to every person who takes the time to thank us for our service, a period of our lives where we believe we gained more than we gave.
Happy Armistice Day!
Happy Veterans Day!

All about Me

2014-09-04T13:20:00.001-05:00

You wanna know why we have more suicides and mass shootings? Because we are a selfie driven society that has been fed the lie that it's all about "I".

Matthew 22:36-40 KJV

Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

We have no problem sharing our assumed "beauty" with the world through endless selfies, promoting our own selves like we're running for office, but we place service to others on a lower level. How about doing something solely for the benefit of others? What's wrong with serving?
Notice that directly below loving God, Jesus places the command to love our neighbors. That's everyone, not just those nearby. He says "as thyself." He uses that because as he says elsewhere "No man hateth himself." He knew that no command needed to be given for us to love ourselves. The Bible tells us to esteem others better than ourselves. It's not about YOU, it's about THEM.
Just a short time ago we all asked how Robin Williams could make so many people happy, yet be so depressed. It seemed that he thought only of us, his fans, and neglected himself. No, it's the exact opposite. Sure, he made us laugh, he even did things for others at great personal cost, but his substance abuse and final exit reveal that his care of himself won out over his care for others. He left at his own hand, not caring what it meant to his wife, his kids, or his fans. That's selfish.
So we live in a self-help world where money is made hand over fist telling us how to love ourselves. That's why Mrs Charlatan Osteen was able to get a resounding amen from the crowd after saying we shouldn't be serving and worshipping for God, but for ourselves. That's the kind of heresy that makes money in our "all about me" society.
Do something for others today. Not because they can't do it themselves, but because your Creator says it's the very next greatest thing to loving God.

Matthew 25:34-40 KJV

Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

Convictions

2014-06-24T14:51:00.001-05:00

1 Corinthians 6:12 KJV

All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.

If I were perfect, I'd have no need for Christ. Thankfully I do have Christ.
Because I have Christ, there are some things that are not profitable or expedient in the Holy Spirit's quest to conform me to the image of Christ.
That fact puts many of my friends in two categories:
1) Some find my convictions and preferences silly, antiquated, and unnecessary. Those people tend to, by word or deed, attempt to persuade me to ease up and let some things go.
2) Others see unprofitable things still in my life and, out of concern for my family and I, will bring those concerns to me. Yes, it happens. I wish I could say I always heeded their counsel, but I remind you of my opening statement, "If I were perfect, I'd have no need for Christ." But as a certainty, I count these people as my only true friends.

Church is full of imperfect saints. Our commission is sharing the Gospel, but the purpose of our fellowship with each other is edification.

Vain Service

2014-05-25T14:12:00.001-05:00

Matthew 7:22-23 KJV

Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Notice that the claim of prophesying, casting out devils, and many wonderful works is not disputed. Because of that, I have no reason to believe that these people didn't actually perform those acts, in the name of Christ. But He said he NEVER knew them.

Never let your service fool you into believing that you stand where you ought to be with God.
We obtain salvation through belief in Christ. If these folks could have the faith to confront devils, but not even actually believe in Christ, then you better believe that YOUR service will not hide your disobedience in other areas. It's not a shell game with God. If your response to rebuke is a prideful pointing out of what "you" do for Christ, you've missed the whole point.

1 Samuel 15:22-23 KJV

And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord ? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord , he hath also rejected thee from being king.

In a way, service can often be obedience, but in its truest form it is a sacrifice of our time, efforts, and ability. It is NOT to be neglected, but it is also not to stand alone. It will not cover sin in our lives.

I Stand With Cliven Bundy

2014-04-12T08:21:00.002-05:00

Those who oppose Nevada Rancher Cliven Bundy because he is breaking the law, opposing court orders, might want to consider the implications had the men in this picture simply "obeyed the law," stopped their protest, and went home, complying with every whim of their government.

The rights of free citizens are at jeopardy when the government can claim ownership to land within the sovereign boundaries of a State, leave that land to just waste away, then charge a fee for ranchers to just graze their cattle on unused land. That land belongs to the State, not the federal government.
In the 60's men saw segregation as normal because if hadn't even been 100 years since blacks were considered property. As a nation we still had some maturing to do on the issue.

With the Cliven Bundy issue it is just the opposite. 200 years ago no one in this nation would stand for our centralized government seizing State lands. Nobody ever deeded that land to DC, they just took it. But over the years as we slowly began accepting DC control into every aspect of our lives, we have lost freedoms inch by inch, yard by yard, mile by mile, farm by farm, and ranch by ranch.
Even my own initial opinion was slanted due to my strict law and order views. But when I discovered the deeper aspects of this case, I realized the I AM CLIVEN BUNDY. We are ALL Cliven Bundy. Does he have a personal struggle with DC? YES! But he also realizes that his struggle is a much bigger issue of citizen rights.

The black men in this pic are breaking the law. The law says they are not really men, not granted the same rights as the white guys in the pic. All across the country they broke laws. On buses, bridges, courthouse lawns, and university property, they broke laws and many were arrested, beaten, and jailed. But eventually thei actions led to change. So much change that in modern society, just 50 years later, one would never dare posting a whites only sign on any business.

This is the kind of change that needs to come of the Bundy Ranch crisis. While he might lose his battle, and might even be killed by the jack booted thugs and snipers, his actions and the actions of others need to lead to a world where in some short time from now, we will no longer even fathom the idea of DC claiming ownership to state, city, or even personal property.

It starts now. Mr Bundy has opened a door that we all MUST enter. Not doing so just makes you a slave, and not a man.

Condemned

2014-01-16T07:52:00.001-06:00

John 3:17-21 KJV

For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

The seemingly most overlooked phrase in Scripture: "but he that believeth not is condemned already"

We love to read the part about God not sending His son to condemn is, but we neglect the fact that condemnation is a done deal for the unrepentant man.

Speaking to the Pharisees in John chapter 8, Jesus told the unrepentant Jews that regardless of their earthly heritage, they were born into sin, and therefore condemned.

John 8:44-47 KJV

Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not. Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me? He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.

Unrepentant men do evil because it's learned from their father, the devil. That is man's problem, and man's need. We needed someone to bring us from the condemnation we already possessed.
When someone speaks against sin, we get defensive and say he's judging us. No, he's judging sin, and if you are a willing participant, you voluntarily associate yourself with that judgment.

2 Corinthians 5:17 KJV

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

So, when we truly repent (no other way to heaven) we are no longer a child of the devil, bound by his deeds. We become children of God, reconciled to our Creator, constrained by His love to us to serve Him.

Salvation isn't about drinking, drugs, sex, immorality, murder, or any other fleshly deed. Those are just symptoms of a far greater disease.
If all a doctor did for a man with an infection was give him pain medication to ease the pain as the infection aye his flesh, that man would die with, and from that infection. Jesus came the we might be healed of the infection of sin that we were born with. Many of the sins we partake in in are actually just pain medication to ease the pain of sin. But the cure is much greater. And only the cure will heal us.

We are a hurting people. We have no means, on our own, to achieve eternal life. We are ALREADY condemned to eternal death.

Romans 5:6-9 KJV

For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

1 Corinthians 15:1-4 KJV

Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

Romans 10:8-14 KJV

But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?

Sin is just a byproduct of living after the flesh. If we had the power to actually avoid fleshly deeds, yet still didn't believe, we'd still be condemned.
We were born condemned, but we don't have to remain that way.
Christ offers a pardon. Believe on Him, that he died in your place, was buried with your sin, and rose again with your victory over death, hell, and the grave. Then you become a child of God and walk after the Spirit.

The Christian life is not one of perfection, but one of forgiveness.