Category: Insperational – Weekly Blogs

 “And when I am lifted from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself.” (John 12:32)

 I wonder how many non-believers, going through a difficult time in their lives, looked to the sky and saw a glorious sunrise or a majestic rainbow, and in that moment, realized there must be a God—a Creator of all that abounds, above and below.  They saw a sign that could be from no one other than God, and believed! 

 Nearly 1600 years ago, and a little over 300 years after Jesus Christ rose from the tomb, Constantine saw a sign. 

Constantine the Great was a Roman emperor from AD 306 to 337 and notably the first Roman emperor to convert to Christianity. He played a pivotal role in elevating the status of Christians in Rome. During his reign, he decriminalized the practice of Christianity, and under his guidance, religious persecution eased. 

However, Constantine wasn’t always a champion of Christianity. His early life was marked as a pagan, and during those years he rose through the ranks of the Roman military quickly, ultimately reaching his pinnacle as the supreme commander of the world; “Cesar – The Roman Emperor.” 

  On October 28, AD 312, in a conflict that would come to be known as the Battle of Melvin Bridge, Constantine’s troops took on the forces of Maxentius, another Roman emperor. 

In the days leading up to the battle, Constantine saw a sign that he thought could lead to victory. He saw a sign from God. But could a pagan commander follow such a sign? 

Just days before the battle, Constantine saw the sign as he was marching at midday; he saw with his own eyes the trophy of a cross of light in the heavens, above the sun, bearing the inscription “In this sign you will conquer.” He looked around and confirmed with his men; they saw it too! 

The following night Constantine had a dream in which Christ appeared with the same heavenly sign and told him to use it as a talisman in battle. Constantine followed the commands from his dream and marked his soldiers shields and the helmet he would wear with the sign, to ensure that God would be on his side. 

Maxentius’ forces were twice the size of Constantine’s. However, that day marked by the sign of Christ, they fought beneath God’s glory and protection and won the battle. 

The victory was a turning point for the Roman Empire and Christianity. The victory led to the Edict of Milan and things changed in Rome; persecution subsided, and Christianity flourished. The sign also proved to be pivotal in Constantine’s eternal life.

How many Christian lives were saved in the moment that Constantine saw the sign? His recognition of the sign and his obedience to its command not only changed his life but also changed the course of history.

Don’t miss the signs; they are all around us.

  When Adam and Eve saw the tree of knowledge of good and evil, God’s command certainly came to mind: “Do not eat!” God wanted His message to be loud and clear, so He made it as big as a tree. We know what came next; we live with the very consequences every day.

  Today we can use the vision of that tree in the garden as a sign of His intentions. God created the Garden of Eden to be paradise on earth. A paradise where we could walk in fellowship with Him forever by His side.

Oh, how quickly it all changed when God gave us free will and dominion over everything He created.

The choice Adam made did not change God or His desires; it changed us.

  If God desires for us to live our lives on earth in paradise, and we are not…, who’s made the choice? Back at the start, it was Adam and Eve who chose. Today the choice is ours. 

Choose to make your life one that’s lived in paradise. View God’s creation as a paradise, as the one it was created to be. Honor God’s gifts and accept His grace. Be joyful in every moment, and make life a pleasure, not a chore. Love all those around you. Remember, God designed Earth to be a paradise; it’s up to you to choose it to be. 

God has you right where He wants you. The question you need to ask yourself is, “Are you where God wants you to be?” 

If you’re not, get there. Keep your head on a swivel and use God’s signs as your guide…as your mileposts… try not to miss a thing. 

Heaven on earth, paradise today… Look and listen for God.

 Constantine didn’t miss God’s provision, and history was changed. Every day you live is your history; do not miss what God has provided you. Read the Bible!

  One sign stands above all others—the sign of The Cross. We can look to the cross and remember Jesus’ words. “When I am lifted from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself.” (John 12:32)

   “I tell you the Truth”

         Read The Bible

 

      Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another (Proverbs 27:17)

  My Monday morning small group writings started as a way to present a little biblical content to discuss something more meaningful, spiritual, and inspiring than today’s world news headlines. However, for me, it led to something much deeper and more valuable than I expected: The development of a more intimate, personal relationship with God and Jesus Christ. 

I still have much to learn and so much further to go, but I know that the time I’ve spent meditating on and listening for God’s directions and truths has helped me develop a closer personal relationship with Him. I truly believe I know Him much better today than I did yesterday. But what’s even more amazing to me about my growing relationship with God is the never-ending desire it creates within me to want to learn more. 

  I’m a logical guy, so it makes total sense to me for one to want to know his creator. However, what seems a tad obsessive to me at this point is my ever-burning desire to know Him more. 

I know who He is; I’ve read The Bible, I’ve meditated and studied, and I’ve done it again and again and again. Why do I have this need to know more? Why do any of us have the need to continually learn more about God? Isn’t it enough to know what we know and simply believe? 

Logic tells me love is not logical; it’s emotional, and trying to learn how someone can love you so much that they would sacrifice everything for you, right down to giving up their life, is tough to understand; it doesn’t make sense… it’s not logical. Is it? What did I ever do for Him that deserved that kind of sacrifice?

I don’t understand God’s love; how could I? How can I understand something so inconceivable, something I could never do?… Is this what drives me… Is this my need… to know the One who has that kind of love… the One who loves me that much… to understand what I may never comprehend?

I may never truly get it, but I think I will. I’ve come to know and feel closer to God during the simple act of writing these devotions week after week. Furthermore, I’m coming closer to God every day. And isn’t that what every day of our lives is truly about? Developing an intimate, personal relationship with God and Jesus Christ? 

I know it is… The Bible says it’s so. And the Bible God has given me even has Jesus’ directives in red, so I won’t miss a thing.  

  This past week, as I was reading God’s Bible, trying to come up with a plan for my weekly writing, I noticed a small book that my wife had set by my chair written by Andrew Wommack. Andrew is one of our favorite teachers, and we both feel that his lessons on God’s mercy, grace, healing, and undeniable truths are spot on. The small lesson book is called ‘Eternal Life.’ I didn’t realize until a few pages in that I had read this book many years ago, probably back when I still had hair. 

Rereading it brought back many memories in my life while at the same time reminding me of God’s words in the Bible and the years I’ve spent in earnest search for His truths.  

In rehashing some of Andrew’s written thoughts, the first thing that came to mind is how so many people have helped me along my way. There is no possible way that I could do this on my own!

We all need Jesus in our lives.His truths, and His strength. He is our rock, the cornerstone of all knowledge and truth. But to live in a world that engulfs us in an ideology that’s so contradictory to the truth, can sometimes make it difficult to stay focused. 

To develop knowledge of who He truly is and to know Him intimately can be challenging in this environment. We need to focus hard on God and Heaven above. We need a sharp edge in this battle, and if you want to stay sharp, it’s wise to have some iron by your side to sharpen against. 

Yes, it’s very beneficial to have the help of others; we need the church—God’s warriors. 

  I feel like I have a map in my head that leads directly to God. Sometimes, I struggle to find the proper route, and other times it’s as if the path has already been highlighted in yellow by somebody else. 

Today, as I was reading Andrew’s book on eternal life, I came to the pages where many years ago he gave me directions to God as he highlighted them in yellow on the map in my brain:

   Once after reading a verse or two, God showed me something I hadn’t seen before. It was scriptures that I read, but I began to see them differently. I wound up pushing the Bible back and just meditating on it. Then I remembered that I hadn’t finished reading my daily Bible readings. So, I shelved those thoughts and went back to reading. After reading a few more verses, I heard the Lord ask, “What are you doing?” I said, “I’m reading The Bible.” He asked, “Why?” I said, “So you could speak to me.” Then He went silent. After a moment I got to thinking, The reason I’m reading the Bible is so God can speak to me. He started speaking, and I basically rejected His voice because He interrupted my Bible reading! If God speaks to you on the very first verse you’ve read, forget the rest! It’s all about communion with God. It’s not about you checking off that you did your daily Bible readings. (Andrew Wommack, ‘Eternal Life’)

  When I first read Andrew’s lesson and elementary concept of what communion with God is all about, it spun me 180 degrees. A syllabus or reading plan can guide you, a friend or preacher can enlighten you, and a coach or mentor can motivate you, but at the end of the day, you need to find the wisdom to do what’s right. God has given us the tools that we need… The brain is in our head. The choice is ours, nobody else’s.

Andrew’s wise counsel enlightened me that building a relationship with God is as simple as following His voice. But being that he fed me this information, it also enlightened me to the fact that I can’t do it on my own. So what’s the right choice: Bible syllabus, plan, friend, preacher, coach, or mentor? 

Yes, yes, yes, and yes. You’re going to build a lot with all of those tools, but you’ll never build a whole house until you rest long enough to listen for God’s voice. 

The choice is ours; we can work, believe, and pray right up until the day that we walk through Heaven’s gates without ever truly resting and listening for the sound of His voice. Or…we can quiet ourselves of this world, rest in His love, and listen. 

God sent Jesus to give us eternal life today in the here and now. However; to receive, you must choose to learn to know Him and listen for His voice. 

Listen to what Jesus has to say about all of this: When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted his eyes to heaven and said, Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. 3 And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. 4. I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. 5 And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed. (John 17: 1-5)

Jesus said, “This is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ.”

  You can’t let anything get in the way of knowing God and Jesus Christ. The choice is yours… If you don’t have the close personal relationship you think you should have with Christ, and you know Him a bit but also know there is so much you don’t… then I encourage you, “Don’t wait another minute; find a way!” 

Andrews’ lesson did not say, “Don’t let the Bible get in your way”; it said, “Don’t let yourself get in the way.” God didn’t create a bunch of brainless followers to inherit the world. He created man in His image; He created us to be just like His son, Jesus Christ. 

God created man in His own image; He created us to be exactly like His son, Jesus Christ. We are meant to be warriors, kingdom builders, and servant leaders.

A leader always starts with himself; that’s what God did: Then God said, Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us. (Genesis 1:26) God started with Jesus and Himself and created you; now you must do the same. 

  Draw strength from the Church—God’s people—and use all the tools that God has given you to come to know God and Jesus Christ. Then through that relationship, you will become one and the same with them. Eternal life is a choice that must be made—choose it now! 

Thank you, everyone, for helping me make the right choice.

   “I tell you the Truth”

       Read The Bible         

 

  Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. 2. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. 3. Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up. 4. After all, you have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin. 5 And have you forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you as his children? He said, My child, don’t make light of the Lord’s discipline, and don’t give up when he corrects you. 6 For the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child. (Hebrew 12:1-6)

  While willpower can help you start a new habit or resist a temptation, discipline is what maintains progress over time. For example, willpower might get you to go to the gym on a tough day, but discipline ensures you continue going regularly, turning exercise into a consistent habit.

I think most would agree that it would be best if we had more willpower and discipline in our lives. I know this to be true because I often hear people express their need for more discipline in their lives, especially as they refer to their health and diets or lack thereof: “I just wish I had the willpower to…” 

Yes, we all know that leading a disciplined life will pay great dividends in all areas of our lives. However, it’s odd to me that I rarely hear people refer to needing willpower over sin in their lives, as much as they stress over their health or diets. Maybe it’s more typical for many to feel that the forces of this world overwhelmingly control their lives, seemingly enticing and guiding them to do things they know are not best…following like sheep to the slaughter with nothing to say. 

Why is it that so many people don’t view a lack of willpower as being their main problem in overcoming sinful things in their lives? We assume most people don’t want to air their dirty laundry, but as flies on the wall, we know that’s simply not true. They air their health issues out like clothes drying on a line for everyone to see; their injuries, their sicknesses—boy, people sure like to talk about the pain in their bodies and the suffering they endure.

A fly would have to wait a long time on the wall to overhear a conversation about how their neglecting God’s commands and rebelling against His laws. I’ve come to realize that many people don’t want to talk about sin or what they should be doing to overcome it. It’s just not what people want to talk about… I get it—but then again, I don’t.

People tend to lock those thoughts in their vaults, feeling it’s better to stick with talking about their pain and sickness… Not giving much thought or credence to the beating Jesus took, as He bore their sickness and disease. Did they forget about the cross? Maybe so, or perhaps not? One thing is for certain: they don’t often forget to think about themselves.

No, people don’t talk much about the sin in their lives, but they do often  talk about being sick, injured, or in pain. God doesn’t want you sick or unhealthy any more than He wants you to be sinful, so if they both exist in your life why is there so much talk about one and not the other? 

It’s a distraction! A way to confuse and deceive, an end around from the Devil to distract us from the truth—keep them talking about themselves and not focusing on God. The Devil wins, and they lose. They’re quick to talk about what keeps them out of the gym, slow to talk about what they should do to walk into Heaven. But at least everyone knows about their sore shoulder or bulging waistline. 

We need to get on the right side of this… We’re not called to be servants for the Devil; we are called to be warriors for the Lord—we need to get this straight.

  Let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. (Hebrews 12:1)

Notice the Bible says, “every weight.” Sin is not the only thing that hinders us in the race God has set for us. If we are living in sin, we have to quit it. But it’s important to realize there are other things that are not blatant sins that will hinder us in our race. 

Just as a runner will remove bulky clothes or anything of weight to achieve the best results, we have to rid ourselves of things that keep us from getting maximum results. These weights can differ from person to person, but things that occupy our time and keep us from the pursuit of God’s word are certainly weights in our spiritual race. 

  But all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life, the lure of wealth, and the desire for other things, so no fruit is produced. (Mark 4:19)

  How did Jesus run His race? We know that He won His race, but how? He was focused on “the joy that was set before him.”(Hebrew 12:2) Jesus endured pain and suffering as no one else ever has. He not only endured this in the physical realm as He bore the sickness and disease of the whole world, but He also suffered spiritually as He literally became sin for us. 

   For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin so that we could be made right with God through Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:21) 

Yet He wasn’t occupied with the suffering but with the spoils of victory for the Kingdom.

To endure hardship, we have to follow this example of Jesus and fix our eyes on the good and not the bad. Jesus wasn’t oblivious to the suffering coming His way. We can see that during His prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, the night before His crucifixion, He revealed His anguish to His Father and asked to accomplish His will in another way. But when He understood that there was no other way, He put the suffering behind Him and focused on the joy that would come to you and me as the result of His sacrifice.

  Whatever we focus our attention on becomes bigger and more dominant in our lives. Whatever we fail to focus our attention on begins to shrink in importance and influence. 

We are the ones who place value or lack of value on everything that happens to us. That’s why people who go through the same things will have different reactions. Some become obsessed with the problem, while others can place a different value on what happened and move on by trusting God.

Controlling our thinking controls our endurance. Anyone who is weary and prone to quitting has already been thinking wrong. It’s not what happens to us on the outside that causes these reactions; it’s how we “think” about what happens to us that causes us to succeed or fail. 

Look at Jesus. He suffered more rejection, injustice and pain than any of us will ever have to. And yet He didn’t just survive; He thrived. He extended forgiveness to the very ones crucifying Him. If He could do that, we can do that. 

We thrive when we follow the scriptures and the life of Jesus Christ. We shouldn’t be focused on the pain but rather on the promise on the other side of the pain. If we look to the prize to be obtained instead of the race to be run, we will be able to endure, just as Jesus was able to.

  Many of us lack the willpower and the discipline to read the Bible every day. So many people say, “I wish I could read the Bible, but I just can’t find the time,” or “I know I should, but it’s just so very hard for me to understand.” However, many of these same people don’t have a problem defending the Bible. They know that the Bible is God’s gift to them and that the revelations within can be life-changing. 

They defend the Bible’s truths; however, they still don’t pick it up and read it. This is not only the purest example of a lack of willpower that I know, but it is also the reason God is not the ruler of this world for over two-thirds of its inhabitants. And many who are proclaimed Christians.

  Satan sets stumbling stones, not cornerstones. Satan is the architect of the antonyms of willpower. Weakness, self-indulgence, lack of restraint, absence of conviction, wavering commitment, watering down the Word—you name it—the devil exploits it. 

The Devil is absolutely delighted when you spend your time and energy defending the Bible, as long as you do not get around to actually reading it. When you let the world dictate what you do, and that directly opposes what you know you ought to do… you lose! 

Jesus didn’t only talk about standing up against the Devil; He had the willpower and discipline to actually take up the battle and go to war against him. If we are truly striving to become like Jesus Christ, we have to do as Jesus did. We cannot simply talk about what we should do; we must actually do it. You have the power of Jesus inside of you! Do you have the discipline? Do you have the will? 

  If you are not reading the Bible daily, pick it up and start now. Recognize the need in your life. Recognize the call to action. Stand up for good! Stand up against evil! Stand up for your Lord! If you’re going to fight, don’t do it empty-handed. Read the Bible and take up the Sword. “Fight the good fight of Faith” (1 Timothy 6:12)                                                                        

  “I tell you the Truth”

       Read The Bible

 

 

  But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light. (1 Peter 2:9)

  In Old Testament times, people did not approach God directly. A priest acted as an intermediary between God and sinful human beings. Under the Old Covenant, only the high priest could enter the Most Holy Place once per year to communicate with God. 

With Christ’s victory on the cross, that pattern changed. Jesus’ sacrifice established a New Covenant with believers. One that graces us with the authority to communicate with God directly and enter into His presence, as God’s very own possessions—as His royal priests.

When we read The Gospels of the New Testament, we are immersed in a time when Jesus walked the earth among men. A time when He came to make the change…

 “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)  

God saved us from this world that we twisted into our own, and in doing so, blessed us with the authority to communicate with Him directly—God sent Jesus to build the bridge. 

Now because of this bridge, through our born-again spirits, Christians have the power and authority to accomplish the same miraculous victories that Jesus did and communicate with God through the power of prayer.

  16 Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. 17 Elijah was as human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for three and a half years! 18 Then, when he prayed again, the sky sent down rain, and the earth began to yield its crops. (James 5:16-18)

By “righteous person,” James isn’t talking about sinless people, but rather those who can effectively pray for others because they have confessed their own sins and are in right relationship with God. And as Peter taught above in (1 Peter 2:9) we know that in God’s kingdom, every believer is a priest to other believers. 

  I recently started a new construction season. And I thank God that this new season has brought me right back to my past. 

I started my construction career in the early 90s building docks in South Florida, and then shortly later I moved to Atlanta, where I specialized in building decks; basically the same construction, just a little lighter duty and over land instead of water. 

Likewise, my new season is basically the same as my past… the same type of construction, only now I use a 24oz Estwing steel handle hammer instead of a 28oz I used back in the day—a little lighter duty. The nail heads just don’t seem to look as big anymore, and every ounce will be noticed at the end of the day, or when an old guy’s thumb gets in the way. 

I would have never thought, but today my building season is played on a miniature golf course site, and I couldn’t be more honored to have been invited to the game. And I thank God and Dave Bailey for giving me the opportunity to play. 

I never gave it much thought, but it turns out miniature golf courses need the talents of a carpenter. And although I’m getting a little long in the tooth, I’m blessed to still have some gas in the tank. 

Every mini course will have some sort of buildings. Whether it’s a building for checking out your putter, customer bathrooms, drink bars, ice cream parlors, game rooms, or pavilions. And all these structures will require the skills of a carpenter to be built. 

However, there is one structure that stands above all the rest. The Bridge: The one-off dock on pilings, a heavy wooden walking bridge, that sits atop the cave, crossing the lagoon at the base of the waterfall. 

The pinnacle of the course is the elevated waterfall that unleashes thousands of gallons of water, which fills the lagoon and then cascades over the openings of the cave below. It’s the main focal point on the site and is at the very heart of the day’s entertainment and enjoyment on the course. A well-constructed bridge to traverse this spectacular attraction is critical to the course’s design, function, and beauty. And boy, is it fun to build a bridge.

 Jesus was a carpenter early in His earthly life, and I’m sure He found great pleasure in building strong, beautiful things. Yes, Jesus had skills, and He carried with Him the most important set of building plans ever designed. His construction wouldn’t be measured by the ounces of His hammer but rather by the pounds of His flesh and blood. 

With perfect timing and infinite wisdom, God commissioned His plans for construction and sent Jesus on His way. At Calvary’s Cross, Jesus completed the plan. “It is finished.” 

Nobody had ever been entrusted to build a bridge from this world to God and Heaven before, and most of this world still doesn’t believe that Jesus pulled it off.

  Have you ever wondered, “If a tree falls in the forest and nobody’s around to hear it, did it make a sound?” If you weren’t there to hear it, how would you know?

How would the Creator of this plan market His bridge? How would God make sure everybody knew that it was built, and even more importantly, how could they know that this bridge was built specifically for them?… A bridge that was built for His very own children, so that we could enter as royal priests into His presence. What was detailed on His blueprints? What was His plan?

Every good set of construction plans has an incredible amount of detail on every single page. And any good builder will tell you that, to build something right, you need to study the plans and every one of those details. 

Can you imagine what God’s building plans were like? Details? He’s the master creator of details. He designed the eyes in our heads and the brain in our skulls—His details are evident in every molecule of life and every breath that you take.

   When I get to Heaven and Jesus and I are shooting the breeze about carpentry and the beautiful things that we built back in the day, I’m going to ask to see God’s plans. And it’s my belief that when He whips out those plans, I will find along with the details a stamp on every single page that reads,*See The Bible. The Bible was at the heart of God’s plan from the very beginning, so it must be referenced over and over again in His blueprints.

The Bible is all about Jesus from the very beginning to its end, and when we study the pages of The New Testament Gospels, we find Jesus at work marketing God’s plan. What’s going to work? How will they learn? What’s going to stick?… How can He possibly get His point across to a bunch of knuckleheads who aren’t even certain the earth’s round? 

Hallelujah—Jesus came to play, and He plays to win. He’s not going to simply get His point across…He’s going to present God’s spiritual truths in such a way that they will stick in our souls like gum to your shoe.

  Jesus replied, “Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again. 14 But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.” (John 4:13-14)

  In a book, when a character uses a metaphor, you get a sense of their worldview. In the Bible, Jesus used metaphors to help people understand His point without long and tedious explanations. Jesus deliberately chose His words to convey profound spiritual truths that enable us to understand the nature of God, His truths, and all that He created.

Jesus often used metaphors to explain His role or mission, such as (John 6:35), where He says, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” Jesus’ use of common day experiences like farming, shepherding, eating and drinking, building and laboring, were especially powerful. Listeners recognize these everyday elements and could easily connect the imagery to spiritual realities, even if the fullest meaning required prayerful thought.

Jesus was also able to make complex concepts more accessible to our minds by using parables, short stories to illustrate moral or spiritual lessons. For example, the Parable of the Good Samaritan teaches about compassion and loving one’s neighbor, regardless of social or ethnic differences. 

Jesus’ distinctive use of parables and metaphors was intentional, demonstrating that spiritual truth surpasses mere intellectual philosophy. As you turn the pages of the Gospels, you come to find that every word Jesus used was true to God’s word—they were the same. “The Father and I are one.” (John 10:30)

Jesus—God as man—was the master of all things, and maybe none better than getting His point across. His teachings lead us closer to Him every day. 

  Jesus’ metaphors and short parables often pop in my mind and help keep me focused on Him as I’m navigating my way through this world. I use metaphors and analogies daily because of what Jesus taught, and none are wired in my soul more than those about a builder, one that builds off a solid foundation. One that builds bridges for others to walk into Heaven.

Building on the foundation of Jesus Christ is as fundamental to me as loving my wife. For me and my family, the Bible and its words filled with Jesus’ wisdom and truth is the path to the bridge.  And for me particularly, metaphors and parables about building, carpentry, and bridges, become some of the most reassuring and inspirational lights on this path. Thank you, Jesus!

  A bridge was built, one that most of the world will never see. That’s no fault of the builder; God designed a plan and a blueprint from the very beginning so all could see. The blueprint is filled with Jesus’ spiritual directions and truths that enable the righteous to discover how to receive the authority to communicate with God and effectively pray for others as New Covenant priests. You may not be a builder or a carpenter, but once you understand the truths in the Bible you will discover that the details in God’s plan, list you as a bridge builder too. Read the Bible and become the bridge builder you were designed to be.

  “I tell you the Truth”

     Read The Bible

     An inspiring carpentry parable not found in the Bible.

Once upon a time, two brothers who lived on adjoining farms fell into conflict. It was the first serious rift in 40 years of farming side-by-side, sharing machinery, and trading labor and goods as needed, without a hitch. Then the long collaboration fell apart. It began with a small misunderstanding, and it grew into a major difference, and finally, it exploded into an exchange of bitter words, followed by weeks of silence. 

One morning, there was a knock on John’s door. He opened it to find a man with a carpenter’s toolbox. “I’m looking for a few days’ work,” he said. “Perhaps you would have a few small jobs here and there I could help with? Could I help you?” “Yes,” said the older brother. “I do have a job for you. Look across the creek at that farm. That’s my neighbor. In fact, it’s my younger brother! 

Last week, there was a meadow between us. He recently took his bulldozer to the river levee, and now there is a creek between us. Well, he may have done this to spite me, but I’ll do him one better. See that pile of lumber by the barn? I want you to build me a fence—an 8-foot fence—so I won’t need to see his place, or his face, anymore.” 

The carpenter said, “I think I understand the situation. Show me the nails and the post-hole digger, and I’ll be able to do a job that pleases you.” The older brother had to go to town, so he helped the carpenter get the materials ready, and then he was off for the day.

The carpenter worked hard all that day—measuring, sawing, and nailing. About sunset, when the farmer returned, the carpenter had just finished his job. The farmer’s eyes opened wide; his jaw dropped. 

There was no fence there at all. It was a bridge… a bridge that stretched from one side of the creek to the other! A fine piece of work, with handrails and all! And the neighbor, his younger brother, was coming toward them, his hand outstretched… “You are quite a fellow to build this bridge, after all I’ve said and done.” 

The two brothers stood at each end of the bridge, and then they met in the middle, taking each other’s hand. They turned to see the carpenter hoist his toolbox onto his shoulder. “No, wait! Stay a few days. I have many other projects for you,” said the older brother. “I’d love to stay on,” the carpenter said, “but I have many more bridges to build.”

— Author Unknown

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“I have written this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may have eternal life” (1 John 5:13)

  The Bible is a very personal book. Through its Spirit-inspired writings penned by many godly men, God has handed down a narrative detailing the essence of His nature…. To know the Bible is to know God. 

To know God’s nature is to know His truths and promises. Through the biblical stories and the numerous testimonies of Jesus’s walk on earth, we learn about the nature of our creator and are drawn closer as we develop a deeper and better understanding of God the Father.

  Early on I didn’t comprehend how fundamentally important the Bible would become in my life or how it would end up leading me to a close personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

As the years passed, I began to question many things in my life. I wanted to know why I made some of the choices I chose, particularly the ones that didn’t end well, and what could lead me to making wiser decisions in the future.

I was being told by those I trusted that I should read the Bible, that it was there that I could find the answers to my questions. At the time, I also somehow instinctively knew, that reading the Bible was something I needed to do. 

So I took up the book, set up a plan, and started reading. I instantly fell for the Old Testament stories; for me, it was like watching my favorite movies that I had seen in the past. The stories were like grand fables, displaying heroic characters as they accomplished noble deeds. I enjoyed reading the stories about these iconic men and the challenges they overcame. 

I was especially interested to learn of the warrior mentality of many of these men. I had heard about most of the men before, but now learning about them straight from the source was both thrilling and fascinating. 

However, the tales of these men and the ultimate significance of things learned from their lives—the importance of the words on the pages—never really hit home with me… Things were about to change. I was about to discover what it was all about.

When my readings reached the New Testament, I found my new home. It was like walking from a pitch-black room into one full of light. If my mind started with a key, these books were that key. And once my mind fired up, it seemed like I never wanted to turn it off. 

The red words in the text hit me like the waves in the ocean… One after another, they hit me again and again and again. I kept thinking, “How does He know me so well… He knows who I am today and who I wanted to be… Every worthy thought in my head… Every concept I knew to be right and every one I knew to be wrong… How could Jesus know—how could this be?” 

How could His words be so personal to me? He knew me better than anyone in my life. Better than my mother or father, brother or sister, even better than my wife! He knew me personally in a way that I never thought possible. 

The red words in the Bible were the same as the thoughts in my brain…they could only come from the same place. That’s the only explanation I had, and now it was up to me to reciprocate that relationship.  

What came next astonished me… All the Old Testament stories became true; they now all made sense. It turned out all along that I needed to start near the end to get to the beginning. Now I could see that the Bible is about Jesus, from the beginning to the end—from the Old to the New. And if the words of Jesus in the New Testament were real, then the ones in the Old were too.                                                                                                               

  That’s how it happened. That’s how I found the answers… and how my purpose became clear. Now I’m on the path God wants me to be.  And it all started by picking up the Bible and making it so.   

Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. 32 And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”  (John 8:31-32)

  The Bible introduced me to a relationship with Jesus Christ. A personal relationship that, before reading the Bible, I never thought possible. A relationship that, if I was willing to engage in, would fulfill every worthy thought and desire I ever had. A relationship that will continue long after my time on this earth, one that will continue for all eternity by Jesus’ side. 

The Bible holds wisdom on every page. However, for me, when I read the pages from the Gospel of John, that is when it all became real. Jesus spoke directly to me, and my life was changed… Never underestimate the words of the Bible!  

  The Apostle John, one of Jesus 12 disciples, wrote five books in the Bible. It’s estimated that John wrote his Gospel around 52 to 57 years after Jesus’ death and resurrection. Several years later he would go on to write three epistles (1 John, 2 John, and 3 John). And soon after that he wrote The Book of Revelation, the final book in the Bible.

John walked and spoke with Jesus, saw him heal the sick, heard him teach, watched him die, met Him once He was risen, and saw Him ascend. John knew God… he had lived with Him and had seen His glory. He enjoyed fellowship with the Father and the Son all the days of his life.

“I have written to you” (1 John 5:13)  

 John wrote his Spirit-inspired words sincerely for you! Unlike many of the other epistles written, his were untitled and presumably written to no particular church. As an eyewitness to Christ, John wrote authoritatively to give all new believers assurance and confidence in God and their faith… John wrote to you!

John’s words are his personal testimony of his walk with God, and he wants you to read them. Just as he knew Jesus loved him, he also knew Jesus loves you. John wants you to know your Creator just as he did. And through his uniquely close relationship with Jesus Christ, his words are there to turn your key.                                                      

  Jesus already has a relationship with you; He always has. He was there from the beginning when God created it all. It’s up to you to have a close personal relationship with Him.

For me, it never took hold until I started reading the Bible. And once I did, it became all so simple. Read the Bible and learn about God… Read the Bible and learn the truth… Read the Bible and abide by its commands… Read the Bible and become a better man.

Make it personal. Read the Bible!     

 “I tell you the Truth”  

 

 

  Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. 4. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. 5. You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. (Philippians 2:3)

“You must have the same attitude as Jesus.” Paul is talking about one’s perspective that forms their  convictions, a point of view, a “mindset.” Paul says an attitude like Jesus, is a “must.”

Sounds like a good idea to me; sign me up! But what does having an attitude like Jesus look like? 

The verse says to be humble and take interest in others; sure, that’s simple enough, my dog Squirt does that between naps. 

There’s got to be more to this attitude or mindset that Paul is writing about, that we need to figure out. As you continue to read Paul’s letter to the Christians of Philippi, you’ll find that he talks a lot about working hard, not complaining, living innocently, praising God, and being a light. 

Ok, now I’m getting it; that sounds a lot like the Jesus I’ve read so much about. How’s this for an “attitude like Jesus” game plan? We will be humble, think about others, work harder, complain less, view life with the eyes of a child, and thank God every step of the way while all along being a light for His Kingdom for all to plainly see. 

This is a good plan—so simple. Our love and faith in the Lord should be all the conviction and strength we need to focus on Jesus and follow the plan. Well, this plan may be simple to conceive, but it’s not so simple to execute.

What stands in the way as we execute this plan? Who or what could possibly keep us from winning this attitude game? The opponent could-That’s who.

Every good game plan will have to face an opponent, whether it’s a team in helmets and pads or the world and its legions of demons at its command. Never be caught underestimating the opponent; that’s often a quick path to defeat. We must recognize the opponent for what he is and study his tactics so you know what to expect. 

When up against a plan like ours, the world almost always runs the same play. It’s the single most effective play in Satan’s book, and he runs it over and over again. This play is so effective that it often totally neutralizes a good game plan before it even starts. 

Satan’s strategy is to throw anything and everything at you to get you to focus on something other than your plan. It’s that simple: if you lose focus on what you’re trying to accomplish/if you get distracted/if something convinces you it’s not a worthy plan or it’s too difficult to accomplish/ if you question yourself and feel that you don’t have what it takes…If you do any of these things, then you just took your eyes off the ball; you let something or someone other than Jesus get a foothold on your mind—you’ve stopped focusing on Jesus. And if you don’t have your head on a heavenly swivel, you may not even realize a play was ever run. 

  So how do we keep our focus on Jesus and prepare for this first play of the game? Where should we start? Church on Sundays, a small group with our friends, the TBN video library… With all these resources available for our team and for executing our plan, it’s like having all the fans in the stands, on our side.

  I believe Paul got it right; this is a “must,” and we need to make this critical in our lives. And recruiting the best team we can find is critical; however, it won’t guarantee a win. 

This “must win” game never has an off season or day off; it’s always being played. And maybe never more, than when you’re alone. Winning this game will not just be having an attitude like Jesus when it’s convenient or on Sunday at 9am. It is an all-the-time thing: good times or bad, sickness or health, rich or poor, sunshine or rain.

And remember, having a highly recruited team with you on the field is important, but you also need to be able to play this game with only four men on the field: God, the Son, the Holy Spirit, and you. It comes as no surprise that God designed a playbook just for you, and He built into you the ability to run all the plays on your own.

Ok, you’ve built a team from your resources that you feel can help you run your game plan the best. Now think hard: what do all the resources or players have in common? The focus at church is on Jesus, and it teaches from the Bible. Small groups typically focus on Jesus and do workbooks on the Bible. TBN, most shows are about Jesus, and every show is based on the Bible. 

Now even a black and white mind should start to flicker in Technicolor: To get the mindset of Jesus, we need to focus on Jesus, and to stay focused on Jesus, we need to focus on the Bible—The Word. The Bible is ground zero for developing an attitude like Christ. The Old Testament, New Testament, Gospels, and Epistles are all about Jesus. The Bible is about Jesus from the very beginning until its end. 

  Try thinking about it like it was a sport and you wanted to develop the skills for a game. What’s the most important thing to focus on first: the rules of the game, the strategy or game plan, or the skills needed: running, jumping, shooting, catching, throwing, tackling, kicking… What should you focus on, and where do you start? It’s basically the same in every sport you’ve ever played: You start with the ball. You focus on the ball, and then, like many have said, “You become the ball.” 

Golf: Head down, eye on the ball. Basketball: Follow the ball. Football: Go to the ball. Tennis: See the ball hit your racket. Soccer: Go to where the ball will be. The ball, it’s all so fundamental; focus on the ball, and no matter what your skill level, you can be playing the game today.

  Going with the fundamentals in everything in life—it makes everything so simple. What’s fundamental to Jesus’ attitude?  His mindset—The Truth! And who established this truth?—God! Where do you find God’s truth?—The Bible! When you start with the Bible, you start with the very Truth of God’s Word. It doesn’t get more fundamental than that. 

  Do you want a mindset like Jesus? Then focus and fill your mind with God’s Word, and you will have no room for Satan’s lies. Do you want to acquire wisdom like Jesus has? Then apply God’s Word to your life. Do you want to be like Jesus in everything you do? Then grab a pad and pencil, open the Bible, and if you’re honest with yourself, you’ll discover your shortcomings quickly, and you’ll know right where to start. 

  Are you having a hard time communicating with God? You can’t seem to hear what He’s saying to you. He just doesn’t seem to communicate with you, so how could you possibly become like Jesus? Well, God may be silent in your life because your Bible is closed. 

You say, you can’t be like Jesus…He didn’t have a 9 to 5 job or kids to haul to practice… He was able to spend all day teaching His followers and meditating on the Scriptures and the truth of God’s word. You don’t possess that kind of time; you have obligations and more important things to do. 

A wise man once said, “The most foolish person in the world is the one who has the opportunity to read, absorb, digest, live in, and be immersed in worship-reading the Bible—but doesn’t do it because of preoccupation with other things of this world.”

Having the mindset of Jesus Christ will never be achieved without putting in the time and effort—without paying your dues. Are you willing—is it a priority to you?

If having the same attitude as Jesus Christ is a priority to you, and you don’t already have it, then let’s get to work. Start with the fundamentals, God’s truths, and go back over them again and again and again. Remember the enemy will be fighting you on this, so you can’t just do it once in practice and think you’ll win the game. You have to do it again and again and again. Keep your focus on the truth. Meditate on the Word—the Truth of the Word—the Words of the Bible. If you’re going to get in the game, play to win.

  I want a mindset just like Jesus Christ. I want to wear the same mind as God and my Savior Jesus Christ. Furthermore; I intend to know and live The Truth, God’s Truth, until it fills my body like concrete fills a form, with certainty and a firmness that continues to cure and harden, growing more solid every day. 

I would like to focus on the big picture of eternity in Heaven, not the in-my-face, here-and-now of the world. 

Paul said, “You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.” The “attitude” is our mission, the “must” is our priority, and “Jesus” is our focus. The Bible is the tool to get the job done. Get to work and set your mind right. Right, like Jesus Christ—the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

  “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. 2 There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? 3 When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am. 4 And you know the way to where I am going.” 5 “No, we don’t know, Lord,” Thomas said. “We have no idea where you are going, so how can we know the way?” Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. 7 If you had really known me, you would know who my Father is. From now on, you do know him and have seen him!” (John 14:1-7)

  Jesus said, “When everything is ready, I will come and get you.” One day we will be with Jesus in Heaven and be perfect in mind and body, just like He is. But today you’re not; I know this to be true because you’re reading these words. Today your work is laid out in front of you. God sacrificed His Son so you could become just like Him… in spirit, mind, body, and attitude—today! Not tomorrow, not next week, not Sunday at church—Today!  

  Attitude is everything in life, and having one like Jesus’ is a must! Just like in a sport where a ball is a must. 

Excuses are for the weak; with the right attitude, you can play football with a basketball, basketball with a soccer ball, and pickleball with a whiffle ball. However, the best ball in the bag is the one given to you to play with today. Get your attitude right. Pick up the ball God has given you—grab the Bible and get in the game.

    “I tell you the Truth”

       Read the Bible.

 

 

 

 “Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.” (Philippians 2:4)

  God calls us to not only focus on our own needs but also to compassionately care for the needs of others. Compassion goes beyond feeling sympathy; it requires action. Serving others with compassion is an essential part of living out our faith, and when we do, we reflect Christ’s love. 

Serving others with compassion can take many forms—whether through helping a neighbor, volunteering, or offering a listening ear. It doesn’t always require grand gestures. Sometimes, the smallest acts of kindness are the ones that make the biggest impact. 

Compassion opens our hearts and helps us live as Christ did, loving and serving those around us. Through compassion, we make God’s love tangible to others.

  God showed us what true compassion looks like through His Son, Jesus. And Jesus showed countless examples of selfless service; maybe none illustrated it better than when He washed His disciples’ feet. 

    When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. 13 “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. 15. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16 Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.” (John 13:12-17) 

  We also should serve others with the same selflessness that Jesus demonstrated. We must look beyond our own needs and seek out ways to bless those around us. We should always be alert with our heads and our hearts on a heavenly swivel and readily armed with the courage we need to act when we see the pain and struggles of others. 

Through our actions we shine a light that reflects God’s love and encourages others towards faith and righteousness. As Christians, we have been called to be lights, and when we engage in acts of kindness, compassion, and selflessness, we become beacons of hope and encouragement in a sometimes dark world. Let us strive to be that light, inspiring others to find peace and strength through Christ’s love as we take steps together in faith.

  “In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16)

  “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:35)

  I bet that every one of us has a good friend or a family member who is always right there when we need them… The one you can always count on… The one you can call whenever you need anything… They always seem to be ready with an encouraging word. When they know you’ve fallen, you can bet they’re running to help you up. They’re always the first to forgive and never hold a grudge. And one thing you can be certain of is they are always the first to join your fight. 

What gives? Why is it that these people are always at your service and place you so high on their list? We hear these people described all the time as simply being good friends and good servants, and rightfully so, but to me, I like to think it’s so much more. These are people of action—God’s Warriors—people at work for the Lord. They fight for God’s glory as they build His Kingdom here in this world. 

 Jesus called us to seek ways to serve others, to be ready and willing to respond to their needs. This is the way of life Jesus calls us to—a life that reflects the actions of Jesus.

  We love each other because he loved us first. (1 John 4:19)     

  I want to encourage us all to be the person God made us to be and glorify God with all that you say and that you do. 

  So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image. (2 Corinthians 3:18)                        

  One day all born-again Christians will be by Jesus’ side in Heaven, but as for today, let us say, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:15) 

The time is now, and the place is here. Act in accordance with how you were created. Act with the love that reflects Jesus love, just as He acted out of love for you. 

“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

To God be the Glory—Thank you, Jesus!

   “I tell you the Truth”

          Read The Bible

                                                                 

  “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. 15. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.” (Matthew 5:14-16)

  Opportunities abound, not just once in a while, but virtually every second of the day for people to shine light with what they do and what they say. Think about an athlete and the opportunities they get simply playing a game. People love to watch others compete; sometimes it’s a small group, just the players parents and friends; other times it may be broadcast for millions to see. 

How a player handles the challenges on the field and the pressure of competition shines a light directly upon them and their maker, as all eyes are on them as they put on their show. Discipline, honor, commitment, and character all come out on the field. How about after the game—victory or defeat…what light will they glow?

A prime example can be seen just about every time an athlete is interviewed at the end of a game that we watch on TV. The player who just spent tremendous physical and mental energy, and is often still working to catch their breath, finds they still have work to do for the folks paying the bills. 

A network sideline reporter pushes a microphone in their face. The advertisers hold their breath; the game is over. Can they keep the fans tuned in, or will they turn off the tube? Here’s the opportunity: Which athletes are going to enlighten us with their words? 

It’s rarely the ones that simply rehash the plays as they describe and relive the incredible plays that wowed the fans. Sometimes it’s interesting to hear their take during those moments—to hear what they were thinking during a play. However, often it’s simply redundant, as viewers, we just saw the plays with our own two eyes—sometimes in slow motion numerous times. 

It doesn’t hurt to shine a light on one’s accomplishments, but if the players are sharp enough to understand that they’re not just athletes but entertainers, then they know that’s best left for the camera…that’s what it does best. 

There’s a light that our souls ache for to see… A light our eyes want to see and that our ears yearn to hear… It’s the glory cast by the light of our God—the Creator—that we all need. 

The words of the athletes who honor their opponents efforts and courage, their appreciation given to the supporters and fans, their heartfelt recognition to all those who help with the game, and the very homage they give to the game itself—that’s the light the world needs to see.

And Amen, brother, when an athlete stands strong and recognizes that it’s not about them but for the glory of God that the game was even played. That’s the light we all want to bask in—it’s warm and it’s good; it’s what’s meant to be. 

Every time I hear an athlete express themselves like that, I smile and get choked up a bit. It brings joy to my soul. It’s basic to give glory to God. Humble yourself and cast light where it belongs. I’ve become a loyal follower of that athlete because of the light that they shined—see how it works? Shine a light, and they’ll follow. 

  If we live for Jesus, we will glow like lights, shining brightly with His love. Many who are living in spiritual darkness will be attracted by our light and want to step into it. Jesus’ light always reveals truth. “But while I am here in the world, I am the light of the world (John 9:5). 

Jesus told us that we need to let our light shine before all men just like He did. “In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.” (Matthew 5:16)

 “Everybody knows Jo Jo!…” My wife and I live in a vibrant Florida master-planned community that offers abundant opportunities to socialize and shine. Pickleball and tennis courts, workout rooms and swimming pools, golf courses with restaurants, and even a poolside cabana. All fantastic places that offer ample opportunities to socialize and radiate your light. It’s as if the development was built just for Jo Jo, and she enjoys finding time for fellowship and all that it offers.

Socializing for me, not so much. I’m more reserved and find time spent socializing with my Lazy Boy about as comfortable as it gets. Jo Jo and I are opposing forces that, through our union with God, work together well. One is dynamic and bright as the sun, the other more like a bear roaring one minute, hibernating the next. I have my moments, like when I’m writing these thoughts, but my wife’s light shines 24/7—In her, God’s glory is always aglow.  

   The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.       (1 John:4-5)

Jesus was the light of the world, and His purpose of putting light in us is so that we might shine His light on all those in the dark. 

For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light! 9 For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true. (Ephesians 5:8-9) 

We are called to be light for this world. Goodness, righteousness, and truth all are produced from the light of Jesus Christ, which resides in and emanates from within. The world needs more beacons like Jo Jo—lights that enable people to see.

  We all have opportunities to be lights for this world: an athlete playing a game or expressing his thoughts, a boss overseeing his employees and calling the shots, friends having a drink and shooting the breeze. It’s a choice that you make—it’s choosing to be full of God instead of yourself. God is the light the world needs, and when your focus is squarely on Him, there’s no force in this world that you can’t overcome. 

  We need to get serious about this; the light of God and of Christ is not simply an analogy or a semblance. No, being a light is not a metaphor; it’s an act. The light is a physical embodiment that Jesus has installed inside of us through the Holy Spirit that emanates from the body of all born-again Christians. 

Do not take this lightly (excuse the pun); it’s a gift of grace from our Savior. To wrap it up in a blanket or cover it with a basket only dishonors your Lord. Live as people of light! Let your light shine so bright that all those who see can only know that the light is not of this world, that it is not of you, but that of God. 

God built you to be a thousand watts of love, joy, truth, and wisdom. Give God the glory He deserves and light the way!  

  Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. 32 And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31-32) 

Read your Bible, learn the truth, and shine the light. 

   “I tell you the Truth” 

 

 

  So prepare your minds for action and exercise self-control. Put all your hope in the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world. 14 So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. 15 But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God, who chose you, is holy. 16 For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:13-16)

  The very fact that Peter admonished these believers not to live their lives as they did before salvation shows that change isn’t automatic in the Christian life. People can be saved and yet not change outwardly if they don’t renew their minds through the truths of God’s Word.        

The imminent return of Christ should motivate us to live for Him. This means preparing our minds to be mentally alert, exercising self-control through discipline, and grounding yourself in your hope and trust in Jesus Christ. When self-control and discipline are typically mentioned by Peter, Paul, James, or any of the other writers in the Bible, it’s usually talking about one’s need to control fleshly desires through discipline and obedience to God’s word. 

  My simple mind understands the concept of discipline best as it relates to sports, physical fitness, and exercise. The endeavor of developing one’s athletic ability typically requires bettering one’s health and physical conditioning. And along with that comes the development of worthy character traits that are just as or more important than the actual athletic and conditioning results themselves. 

Many of the athletes I know have been able to develop a level of commitment and discipline that may have only been achievable because of the love for their sport. Simply put, the amount of enjoyment they received from exercising while playing a game developed characteristics that they may not have acquired elsewhere.    

Life goes on after the game is over; however, the developed skills, discipline, and commitment remain. Success in marriage or business can often be attributed to the discipline and level of commitment one developed while doing what they love. Along the way, relationships were formed: coaches or trainers became mentors, friends or teammates were encouragers, and blessings were received. 

  You won’t find a person who doesn’t agree that our fallen world is in desperate need of discipline. And from a purely physical fitness and body composition perspective, we don’t need to look very far to realize that most Americans would create more value renovating themselves instead of their homes.

Here’s the rub: If a person doesn’t have the discipline to build a closer relationship with Jesus Christ, which is what God created us to do… Then it isn’t likely that they would have the discipline to put down the pastry and respond to the mirror.

In this world, a realization of the need for discipline is necessary—and honoring to God. 

  And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. 2. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. (Romans 12:1-2)

  By no means am I suggesting that what’s important in a Christian’s life is to have a six-pack or to look like a supermodel. Rather, Paul tells us in the scriptures above to be a living and holy sacrifice… Let God transform you into a new person, the kind He will find acceptable.

  In Genesis we learned that God found Abel’s offer of meat to be more acceptable than Cain’s offering of roots from the field. Now, I know I was made in God’s image, so I assume that He, like I, would much rather have a slightly marbled, lean, juicy cut of meat rather than a fat-laden backstrap.

  We all make sacrifices every day. They are nothing like the sacrifice Jesus made for us, but they are still sacrifices. You are more important to God’s plan than you probably think. Always remember that God is looking down on you, but everybody else is looking up… God created you to be a ladder to Heaven, not an obstacle. 

What are you offering God? Strength or weakness? Muscle or fat? Discipline or indifference? 

We all need to eat our vegetables, but let’s not be one… Another ribeye, please!

   “I tell you the Truth”

          Read the Bible

 

 

  Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. 2. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. 3 For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory. (Colossians 3:1-4)

“Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.”  Now there’s some advice that cuts right through all the nonsense in this world and hits the nail dead on the head. Paul’s words above rank near the top of the best advice anybody could ever receive. 

What other wise advice have you been blessed with… Advice from your pastor, your father, or maybe a coach—wise words that have stuck by your side like a childhood best friend. 

We can see from above that great advice doesn’t have to be some extravagant thing: a scientific revelation, some grand theory or idea… No, we usually find that just simple thoughts, those that get straight to the point, are the ones that work best as we navigate our way in this world.

“How you start is important, but it’s how you finish that counts.” Have you ever heard this advice before? I certainly have; my father used to say it a lot. I never asked Dad when or where he first received this piece of wisdom, but it was obviously important to him. 

When my father gave advice, it was always short and straight to the point and wasn’t always, but usually, delivered on a playing field. I think athletics is where my dad shined the most, and I loved hearing his advice as he coached: “Jimmy, keep your head up when you’re making a tackle, and your head on a swivel at all times on the field.” 

His tackling advice turned out to be short-lived in my life—the last thing I tackled was a big meal, and I don’t particularly remember keeping my head up. However, “Keep your head on a swivel” is advice I still follow every day.

  God has given me many gifts, but it’s His gift of the talent to build beautiful things that brings me the most joy. I feel extremely blessed to be a carpenter, and as my carpentry skills have grown, they’ve enabled me to build a wide range of things. First, furniture and dog houses, then docks and decks, and then the next thing you know, I was building houses and then subdivisions, including their water systems and roads. Recently a friend has enticed me with miniature golf courses—what’s going to be next? 

God has graced me with a uniquely diverse building career and a heart and mind that find all construction to be interesting and fun. But, I think out of all that I build, I like to help build godly people the most. 

  As far as I can tell, things like nails, concrete, and wood aren’t able to show emotion. However, if a nail did show emotions, it certainly wouldn’t spend its time sitting around worrying about getting pounded all day. 

Just like a nail, construction for me has never been an extremely emotional thing. I love it to death, and it brings me great joy, but I don’t stress much if things don’t go exactly as planned. However, when you build a house, there often comes a point where others affect your emotions—where the world rears its ugly head. It’s at this point where you and your team, the men who built the house, will need divine wisdom the most.

People are variables, and just like in sports, you are not alone on the field. So you need to be able to handle the curveballs and fumbles that will be coming your way. I think it’s all part of God’s plan. It’s truly the nature of the beast when you create beautiful things.

When the soon-to-be new homeowner walks in the house, it’s like when a designated hitter struts to the plate. During most of the game, both the buyer and the hitter stayed on the sidelines; now they are needed, which gives them some control and a big stick in their hands. 

You typically know that the ballplayers thought is to swing for the fence. However, the homeowners thoughts are harder to figure—sometimes out of nowhere, they swing for your head.  

   One afternoon, I saw one of my young superintendents sitting in his truck. He was nearly in tears and shaking like a leaf. One of our new homeowners had just swung their stick and connected with his head.

When people with bad intent swing their stick, it’s as if they’re trying to say, “Don’t hold your head so high; it’s just going to get in my way. I’m in charge now. I’m going to swing at you hard, so you better duck, or better yet, you better bow down.”  

Boy, did this light me up. It was all I could do not to run to that house and set those animals straight. But I had been through this before, so I took some deep breaths and got a hold of myself. 

The memory of us sitting at the side of his car and expressing our thoughts is as fresh in my mind as if it happened today. He told me about the blow that he took to the head. But even confused and enraged, he still got it right; he proved the man we all knew him to be, and he got out of that house without a fight. 

We spoke about how important it was to keep a level head when those around you are swinging their stick. We must always remember that their values are theirs and theirs alone and that we cannot control what they do or what they say. Through our faith and control, we show that their stick could never hold any power over us.

I told him, “Jesus took it all…all the hate of the world. You’ve shown the same strength and courage. I love you, and I’m proud that you’re committed to doing it right. The start of anything that’s worthy is very important, but in the end, it’s how you finish that counts! Good job! Our thoughts are of Heaven—we do it to glorify God and nobody else!”   

Those may not be the exact words we used, but they were the truths we shared that day.

Today that young superintendent continues building the kingdom as well as homes—thank you, Jesus, for witnesses like him. Through God’s grace and a heavy dose of his own, he glorified God as he took the hit but didn’t bow to the stick. 

  We all have a start and a finish, a birth and a death. We have no control in the start—our birth is totally out of our hands. The finish is different; we have total control of all we do. God created it that way. God gave man dominion over the world and free will to choose which way it would end. Heaven or hell, the choice is totally yours.

The world is not lacking for knowledge, and it’s becoming more accessible every day. What’s needed in this world is wisdom… The wisdom that comes from knowing God.

I like to think of the canon of the Bible as the written archives of God’s wise advice. And just like I heed my father’s advice to keep my head on a swivel. I’m honored and graced to receive God’s advice to do the same: Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.  (1 Peter 5:8)

  I love reading my Heavenly Father’s wise words in the Bible. His words hold the wisdom we need to overcome this world. And they provide us the exact advice we need to glorify Him in all we say and do.

Why are we here—what do we exist for? When you “Think about the things of Heaven,” it’s all so clear: We are here to Glorify God in all that we do and all that we say.

For the Lord grants wisdom!
From his mouth come knowledge and understanding. (Proverbs 2:6)

 “I tell you the Truth”

    Read the Bible

 

  For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized. And with him you were raised to new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead. 13 You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. 14 He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. (Colossians 2:12-14)

  In 2021 a massive cargo container ship got stuck in the Suez Canal. The ship was wedged across the canal at an angle that made it impossible for other ships to pass by. 

Over 12% of the world’s trade ships pass through this canal. The ship was stuck for over a week, and the blockage was estimated to cost hundreds of millions, if not billions, of dollars in negative revenues. 

They enlisted the brightest minds to solve the problem. And they tried every means imaginable to dislodge the ship. Engineers even tried digging it out with massive cranes and pulling it out with multiple tugboats. However, the ship didn’t budge.

What finally got the boat out was not minds or might; it was the rising tide. The tide came in higher with a new full moon cycle. And the boat lifted to float free once again.

JFK used the phrase often: “A rising tide lifts all boats.”

Generally, when he used the expression, JFK was referring to the need for all Americans to work together towards a shared future. Many today still use JFK’s quote when trying to encourage or lift those that are in or going through a difficult time in their lives: You’re the boat, in a bit of trouble, but don’t despair; have faith, for soon your tide will change, it will rise, and so will you. 

While these kinds of sayings are useful and can surely be used to console those in times of need, what if we shifted our focus? Let’s focus on the lifter—the tide, not the one being lifted—the boat. 

When we shift our focus to the lifter, we can change the world.

  The apostle Paul was extraordinary at illustrating how faith in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, lifts ourselves and others up. Paul was committed to lifting others up by sharing the Good News about our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who was raised on the cross so that we too could be raised.                                                                                                                                                               

(Romans 12:3-21) For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. 4 For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5 so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 

6. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; 7 if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; 8 if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.

9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. 11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer. 13 Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. 17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. 

18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19 Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. 20 On the contrary:

“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
If he is thirsty, give him something to drink
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”

21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. 

Paul’s illustration clearly defines what it is to be the tide, not the boat: Do not focus on what others can do for you; focus on what you can do for them.

  The world has become a bunch of whining babies—the #/me-first generation… whose focus seems to be only on what others can do for them. It seems as if there are more boats than ever, just waiting for the tide.

Today there exists a world full of people who need to be lifted. Just as JFK was telling our nation to have hope in the future, Jesus is telling us to change the world. For all those who are lost, the tide they are waiting for may be you.  

  If the world could simply focus on the tide rather than the boat, then very few would be stuck. Jesus was lifted up so that we could be lifted up. Let’s do some lifting for the Lord. Let’s help others learn to focus on the tide, not the boat. Let’s help them focus on Jesus Christ.

 Rise up like Jesus and Glorify God in all you say and do.

 “I tell you the Truth”

     Read the Bible

  And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. 2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. (Romans 12:1-2)                                                                                                 

  How can we be living sacrifices when sacrifices are always dead? This sounds like a contradiction in terms. However, this is speaking of the fact that offering ourselves to God is not just a one-time deal. We have to die to our own desires daily. This has to be a living, ongoing commitment to the Lord. 

  Every football coach sets out to win the next game, but it’s not as simple as just lining up on the field and thumping the opponent. The coach develops a game plan and then sets out to execute the plan.

The whistle blows; it’s game time, time to line up and run the plan. The plan has been scripted, but adjustments are needed. So we make the corrections and run another play. Halftime comes—coaches regroup and plan for more adjustments. 

Back on the field, the teams are at it again, running, passing, tackling, and executing the plan. Adjustments are made minute by minute, right up until the final whistle blows. Creating a plan, lining up, running the plays, making the tackles, and adjusting as needed to overcome the opponent. These are all crucial for success and to accomplish the goal.  

  The plan was the starting place, and adjustments were necessary moment by moment. Likewise, there has to be a plan and a starting place for the decision to be a living sacrifice. We have to “line up and run the play” to start our journey, but we don’t ever “arrive” in this lifetime. We just line up and start toward the goal. Then, we might be making game plan adjustments every two minutes for the rest of our lives. 

You see, living sacrifices have a tendency to keep crawling off the altar. Every minute of every day, we need to adjust or be ready to adjust. Keep your head on a swivel; be prepared to recognize the play. 

Fix your stance: solid base, feet on the ground, knees bent, flat back, head up, ready to make the play—we must defend the line or cross the goal. Our line is the truth. Our goal is a renewed mind. The world will keep attacking us with different schemes; we need to be ready… we will have to adjust. 

We have to reaffirm the decision to be totally separated unto God. Moment by moment, play after play, tackle after tackle, we are transforming ourselves into a new person. This is what Paul was referring to by the term “living sacrifice.” Paul obviously played some ball, probably for the Saints. 

                                                                                         

Jesus, Paul’s heavenly coach, taught that we should always be seeking and to never give up. Jesus wants us to pursue a relationship with Him and the Father, through prayer, obedience, and a commitment to renewing our minds. 

  Jesus said, “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.” (Matthew 7:7-8)

It’s not a one-time thing. Seeking is a constant process, day by day, minute by minute.  Seeking is really a lifelong process, as is renewing of the mind.

 Ask and seek in faith, and without wavering. Ask and seek according to God’s will, not your own. 

  Jesus promised that if you ask, seek, and pray while meeting the requirements outlined in God’s Word, HE will always answer you.—Hallelujah! 

    “I tell you the Truth”

         Read The Bible

 As Goliath moved closer to attack, David quickly ran out to meet him. 49 Reaching into his shepherd’s bag and taking out a stone, he hurled it with his sling and hit the Philistine in the forehead. The stone sank in, and Goliath stumbled and fell face down on the ground. 50 So David triumphed over the Philistine with only a sling and a stone, for he had no sword. 51 Then David ran over and pulled Goliath’s sword from its sheath. David used it to kill him and cut off his head. (1 Samuel 17:48-51)

David was an expert marksman with a sling, and as he advanced on Goliath, he stayed out of range of Goliath’s huge weapons. However, what made David effective, was more than his ability with a sling or his elusiveness; it was his courage and faith in God.

Through his trust in the Lord, David was able to move confidently against the predators and adversities in his life. We too must trust in God, and use the skills He has given us to move forward in victory and overcome this world.

   In 1 Samuel, we learn that King Saul had first enlisted David as a musician to play the harp for him in an attempt to calm his tormented spirit. And David’s early musical career was marked by travels back and forth from his gigs, soothing Saul’s spirit, to his full-time job as a shepherd of his father’s flock.

It’s during this time in David’s life that Saul chooses to let David take on Goliath. Now, I wasn’t born yesterday, so to me this doesn’t make any logical sense at all. If David loses, all of Israel will become slaves to the Philistines.

The Bible lists Goliath’s coat of armor as weighing 125 pounds, and when you throw in his 15-pound iron spearhead, you get a buck-forty. From the early descriptions of the young shepherd boy, David…one can assume he probably didn’t weigh much more than Goliath’s armor. 

As the prophet Samuel would attest, Saul was often not in a “right mindset.” But come on now, let your weekend 140-pound harp player go up against nine feet of murderous mayhem carrying a sword as large as a weaver’s beam… Oh yeah, what could possibly go wrong? What did Saul see…?

What do people see when they look at you? Who do they see? A teacher, a father, a carpenter, a wife, a musician, a shepherd? Who do they see?… A warrior?… God?

David told King Saul, “I have been taking care of my father’s sheep and goats,” he said. “When a lion or a bear comes to steal a lamb from the flock, 35 I go after it with a club and rescue the lamb from its mouth. If the animal turns on me, I catch it by the jaw and club it to death. 36 I have done this to both lions and bears, and I’ll do it to this pagan Philistine, too, for he has defied the armies of the living God! 37 The Lord who rescued me from the claws of the lion and the bear will rescue me from this Philistine!” (1 Samuel 34-37) 

Did Saul see the warrior inside of David that all those around couldn’t see? Did David’s words convince him that he was the savior Israel needed for the job? I doubt it… the self-proclaimed words of a young shepherd about protecting his father’s flock, aren’t much evidence of his ability to conquer the Philistines, and to deliver Israel from an imminent bondage in slavery. No, I think he saw a lot more than a warrior. I think when King Saul looked at David, he saw God.

Before Goliath ever came into the picture, Saul had turned out to be a king exactly like Samuel had warned Israel that most kings would be: a royal knucklehead. So, God asked Samuel to go anoint the new king:

And the Lord said, “This is the one; anoint him.”¹³ So as David stood there among his brothers, Samuel took the flask of olive oil he had brought and anointed David with the oil. And the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David from that day on.  (1 Samuel 16:12-13)

Samuel saw what God saw in David. And later, facing overwhelming odds, Saul did too! How else can you explain letting your 140-pound harp player, go up against a nine-foot killing machine?

During the short time that I was an assistant football coach at Greater Atlanta Christian School, I was blessed and honored with the opportunity to be the defensive coordinator for the junior varsity team during their Saturday afternoon games.

One Saturday we were up by three touchdowns at the half. So, in the start of the third quarter, I sent in the second and third-string players along with some others, who, from their physical presence, one would assume, weren’t qualified to receive a jockstrap, let alone space on the sideline in a Double-A football stadium.

In the state of Georgia there are no height or weight requirements in high school football.And although I think some of these kids wouldn’t even qualify to ride Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride at Disney World. But they qualify in Georgia, to play ball with a passing grade, a little heart, and courage. And in some cases, just a mother who wanted them out of the house so she could take a nap.

My astute coaching strategy was quickly welcomed by the opposing coach. The tides turned, and soon our three-score lead was down to one. I heard the murmur from the stands, “Put the starters back in, coach; if we don’t, we’re going to lose this game.” Nevertheless, everybody on the team got to play in the game, and the little guys got to stay in the game until the last tick on the clock.

Is this a big deal? I think so; some kids other than in practice had never played on a high school field before and maybe never will again. For them, running on the field and playing ball was victory in itself.

We held on that day, and although I can’t come close to remembering the score on the board, I’ll always remember the joy on their faces. Not just the kids, but their parents as well thanked me for putting their kids on the field. It scared the pants off some of them to see their babies take the hits on the field, but they beamed with pride and happiness for their boys, and witnessed such joy in their faces as they swaggered confidently off the field. Every man on the team played on the field that day, and every man stepped off a victor, knowing that he had contributed to the team.

I remember that day well; it may be the first memory I have of feeling that somebody who had never met me, saw me as a man of God. It wasn’t my coaching ability or the time I dedicated to their kids that shone through; it was my strength in God and how I trusted and honored God with my love for their kids. In me they could see how important the development of these young men was to God.

 Do you have what it takes to be fearless like David? You bet you do! God has written the plan for you:

“Be strong and courageous, for you are the one who will lead these people to possess all the land I swore to their ancestors I would give them. 7 Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do. 8 Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. 9 This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:6-9)

The Bible says, “The godly are as bold as lions.” (Proverbs 28:1) When King Saul looked at David, he didn’t see a lion-slaying shepherd; he saw a lion of God.

When you follow the instructions God gave to Joshua…when you obey the instructions of the Bible and continually meditate on it day and night, people can’t help but see God in you, just as Saul saw God in David that day.

“I tell you the Truth”

   Read The Bible

 I have written this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know you have eternal life. (1 John 5:13)

I have a thought in my head. It doesn’t keep me up at night, but it keeps popping up throughout the day—“Read the Bible!”

Long ago, people I trusted who were much wiser than I asked me to read the Bible. I followed their lead and was amazed by the words that I read. The knowledge and wisdom I gained from the Bible have ruled my life ever since. I certainly don’t know or understand everything in it; however, I think I know it pretty well, so why does the thought remain in my head—“Read the Bible!”

There must be so much more to know: clues that I’ve missed, hidden truths that can guide me, and things God wants me to know. Am I obsessing too much? Why is this so important to me? And why do I also feel a need to share this with others?

The other day I was responding to a different question, and the answer to all those above became crystal clear.

Most days of the week you can find me in a gym pushing and pulling iron. Although I am not a bodybuilder per se, I do look and act a bit like one. My muscles and veins are slightly more defined than most of those around me. And usually more visible, being that my sleeves somehow keep disappearing from my shirts.

When I’m in the gym, due to this ‘muscle-head’ affliction I’ve dealt myself, I’m sometimes asked for advice. A conversation that first starts with “Man, you sure look good for your age,” which I’m still not sure if it’s a compliment or a jab, soon turns into one about how to build muscle and lose fat.

Most times the questions are from a younger bodybuilder wannabe type, looking for my secrets to develop muscles that burst sleeves right off your shirts. It couldn’t just be scissors? Surely, nobody would choose to destroy all their shirts like that.

My answers are pretty basic and well rehearsed. I’ve asked the same questions to myself many times, so I know them well and have tested the answers extensively. I’ve found that the simple answer to how is it best to build muscle; No matter what exercise, or muscle group, or what amount of weight, or which workout machine you’re using, is always the same.

I always answer, “You need to push the muscle through its full range of motion to achieve maximum development. You need to lengthen your muscle into its fully stretched position, where it’s strongest.” Your muscles are built to contract; that’s how they function. To activate a muscle, your brain sends a command to your nervous system, which in turn signals your muscles to contract. It’s just about that simple. You do it every day; as a matter of fact, you do it millions of times a day. It’s as normal as eating peanut butter straight out of the jar. (Everybody does that, right?)

However, if you’re going to take the time to go to the gym, and the plan is to work out your muscles, giving them a good old thrashing so they can go home, rest up, and grow bigger? Well, you might want to remember that muscles are pretty good at contracting. And although contracting a muscle certainly helps develop it, they’re pretty used to contracting.

So, if you want to really work a muscle so hard that it has no choice but to adapt and grow, you need to put your muscle through a workout that it’s not used to. To genuinely push them near the edge of their limits, leaving them in a quivering mess and with no other option but to grow or go home… you have to make them stretch.

This may seem a bit obvious, since a muscle is strongest in its stretched position. Yet most workout enthusiasts will not work their muscles from this lengthened position. Why not?  Either they don’t know fully how a muscle works, or they don’t know the fundamental importance of the stretch in the development of their muscles. Or maybe they simply are not willing to stretch—it’s just too uncomfortable.

The idea of stretching yourself to achieve your goals is fundamental. One can sit in a workout machine or under some weights and quickly go through the motions, pushing and pulling and never obtaining their desired goal. Or, they can choose to slow down a bit, think hard about what they are doing, and concentrate and stretch themselves. Ultimately putting themselves into an uncomfortable position, albeit one where they are the strongest and best able to develop some actual muscle.

Reading the Bible is much the same; you can pick it up, read a verse, a chapter, or the whole book, then set it back down, get up, and get on with things, without ever obtaining your ultimate goal that you had in reading the Bible in the first place. Or you could choose to slow down a bit, meditate on the words, and concentrate and stretch yourselves.

Jesus said time and time again that those that proclaimed they knew the scriptures the most were the ones that understood the least. This may be one of the very reasons Jesus hid many of His truths within the parables He told.

Jesus deemed His words worthy only to those willing to stretch themselves to gain understanding of His truths. To those with a genuine hunger for God, Jesus’ parables are both an effective and memorable way for Him to share His divine truths. Our Lord’s parables contain an enormous amount of truth in very few words, and they are not easily forgotten.

Jesus said that his words are spirit and life:“It is the spirit that gives life; the flesh is useless. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.” (John 6:63)

He went on to say: “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.” (Matthew 24:35)

We need His words, and we need them now! We need to stretch ourselves, even if it means putting ourselves in an uncomfortable position.

Likewise, we need to stretch to find His truths; we can’t just go through the motions, like the Pharisees or other religious leaders of the day. We must slow down, read, concentrate, meditate, and find and live within His truths. We cannot just rest on knowing the words; even Satan knew God’s words. He used God’s words from the Book of Moses when he tempted Jesus in the wilderness. Satan knew the words, but he didn’t use them as God had designed.

We need to know the meaning behind God’s words, His intent. — The words are the expression of God’s nature—to know our Creator is everything! Paul tells us, “All scriptures are God-breathed and useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

Jesus, Paul, Peter, John, and many others all tell us we need the word. The stretch is what will get you there; it may be uncomfortable at first. It may seem like just reading it is already enough, that its function has been completed, just like a muscular contraction. But the juice is in the stretch; you need to dig deeper and deeper to comprehend.

Jesus was recorded in the Gospels over 70 times to have said, “I tell you the Truth.” He was God on earth as a man, face-to-face with his very own children, and yet He felt the need to say to them, over and over again, “I tell you the Truth.” Why?

Why did He want you to know that He was telling the truth?—He was telling you that God’s words are the truth. And He wants you to make them important in your life; He wants you to go find them and to understand their meaning.—Jesus knows accepting God’s truths are what will give you eternal life by His side. And if you don’t know them, if you don’t learn them, if you will not stretch yourself in every effort to understand and live within them, then it would all have been a waste. Jesus did not come down from above to waste His time…He came to save you and me.

Jesus has done His part; now it is up to us. He has left us an opening to Heaven. Believe in Him wholeheartedly, follow Him unconditionally, and know Him intimately. Stretch yourself before your Lord. Do not leave anything on the field. Read the Bible and uncover its truths; obey them, live by them, and become them.

Now you’re flexing your muscles; God’s will is achievable, but you’re going to need to stretch to get there.

 “I tell you the Truth”

   Read The Bible!

 “But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant” (Matthew 20:26)

Who will be the next great leaders? And where will they come from?

Name the truly great men and women of your lifetime. War heroes, sports figures, visionaries and inventors, coaches, pastors, and maybe your parents or friends come to mind. You remember them, and think of them as leaders, because of certain acts or character qualities they displayed. 

Is there a coach in your past or in the present, who leads and inspires you like nobody else ever could? Maybe a pastor or teacher, who’s wise words and wisdom, have guided you through life? Or is there a friend that you would follow to the ends of the earth? Most of us are blessed to have leaders like these in our lives. Thank you Jesus.

Now, name some biblical heroes—figures etched in your mind through countless sermons, or from reading The Bible. Noah and Abraham, Moses and David, Peter, John and Paul, probably come to mind. And the list goes on and on…. 

Next, think of the people you know; Your friends, family, co-workers…all those people you come in contact with during your days. And list who you think they would have as leaders on thier list.

Did your name make their list? If not, why not? It’s not being prideful to put your name on the list, if it’s true. If you’re a leader, stand up and be proud. And if you’re not, I would like you to give it some serious thought.

Sure, it may seem that some people are better suited to lead. Maybe they’re more vocal or outgoing…Maybe they’re more educated and seem to have the knowledge needed for the job? Heck, maybe they’re just taller, or easier or see? However, the fact that some people may be better suited doesn’t diminish that fact, that we were all created to lead.

Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth, and the small animals that scurry along the ground.” (Genesis 1:26)

We are all created in the image of God. The ultimate leader. And God chose us to lead, when He gave us dominion over all He created in this world.

If there are some excuses that you believe… An excuse that convinces you that you can’t be a great leader in this world, where did it come from? In God’s world, that’s a rhetorical question…we all know the truth. The belief that you can’t be, or are not built to be a leader, comes from the great deceiver himself—Satan. 

Jesus knew that Satan would attack the concept of leadership in people’s lives. That’s why he devoted much of His ministry on earth proclaiming and demonstrating God’s leadership principles, right up to His last words from The Cross.

The principles that Jesus taught, serve as the definition and the foundation of what it means to be an effective leader. And the definition of a leader is also reflected in His heart. 

Jesus’ principles can apply to leaders in any pursuit. However, His bigger message to His disciples was about leading people to God… Soon they would be armed with the  “Good News.” For them, it would soon be time to lead people in building His church.  

   Here are some of Jesus’ core leadership principles found in The Bible:

Jesus taught that true leaders serve others. They lead by example as they demonstrate the behaviors and values they expect from others.

“And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. 15 I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you.” (John 13:14-15)

Jesus stressed that a leader must always serve others first.

 “But among you it will be different. Those who are the greatest among you should take the lowest rank, and the leader should be like a servant. 27 Who is more important, the one who sits at the table or the one who serves? The one who sits at the table, of course. But not here! For I am among you as one who serves.” (Luke 22:26-27)

Jesus emphasized leading with love and compassion. He instructed His followers to love one another and to show compassion, reflecting the importance of empathy in leadership.

“So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.” (John 13:34)

Jesus highlighted the need for leaders to posses strong integrity and moral character. He taught that integrity is essential. And leaders should be trustworthy and honest in their actions. Let your ‘yes’ be ‘yes’ and ‘no’ be ‘no’. 

“Just say a simple, ‘Yes, I will,’ or ‘No, I won’t.’ Anything beyond this is from the evil one.” (Matthew 5:37)

  You may never lead an army of men, like Washington or MacArthur. You may never lead a team, like coach Lombardi or Tom Brady. However, don’t think for a moment, that you’re not leading somebody, somehow, pretty much every minute of the day. 

You see, God made us all as leaders…We lead by what we do and by what we say.

“The greatest among you will be your servant.” (Matthew 23:11)

Jesus desires you to glorify God by being all that He created you to be.

“In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16)

Always remember that your love for God, and your love and compassion for others, is always on display. Don’t make the mistake of waiting for ‘the next leader’ to show up and lead the way. The leader is here…it’s You!

If you’re not already doing so, I encourage you to pick up The Bible, and learn more about this Truth. The Bible does not only teach you about God The Father, the Son, and The Holy Spirit, it teaches you about yourself.

You’re here for a reason…to glorify God and lead people to Christ. Serve and honor the Lord with all that you do and all that you say. Be a light for this world—And lead the way! 

“I tell you the Truth”

   Read The Bible 

 

 If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved. 

11 As the Scriptures tell us, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.” 12 Jew and Gentile are the same in this respect. They have the same Lord, who gives generously to all who call on him. 13 For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” 

14 But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? 15 And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!” (Romans 10:9-15)

  If you have ever played sports, then you’ve probably been in a situation where a come from behind, last minute score is needed to win the Game. In the final moments, somebody is needed to come through—someone is needed to step-up and make a play. 

The game is on the line, and the clock is running down… tick, tick, tick.  A three point shot at the buzzer…a walk-off grand slam…a Hail-Mary pass…. What will it take to win the game? And who’s going to be the person that pulls it off? 

In the 1972 NFL playoffs, with only seconds remaining, the Pittsburg Steelers trailed the Oakland Raiders. Terry Bradshaw threw a pass that was deflected, and then was miraculously caught by Franco Harris. Franco then ran it in for the game-winning touchdown. Known as the “Immaculate Reception,” this play remains one of the most iconic moments in NFL history.

In 1980, the US Olympic hockey team achieved one of the most improbable upsets in sports history, by defeating the heavily favored Soviet Union. A team that had dominated international hockey for years. With the game tied and seconds remaining, Mike Eruzione scored the game-winning goal, creating what is now known as the “Miracle on Ice.”

“Immaculate” — “ Miracle”  With titles like these, it’s obvious that moments like these are very rare. But nevertheless, teams are often presented with situations near the end of the game, where somebody must step up and make a play—The game-winning play.

I was faced with this situation just over a year ago.

My father was a very good man. Dad didn’t express himself or his love for us with eloquent words. However, there was never any question in our minds that he love us. He loved me, my older brother, and my younger sister very much—he was a good father.

My father was a tough man, and although he was a very good teacher and an excellent coach, he was very rough around the edges. And when you were with my father, you always had the sense that he had already learned it all. For dad, school was out, and what he hadn’t learned there, he had taught himself.

Although I wanted to, I often felt that I couldn’t talk about salvation and Jesus Christ to my father. Whenever I brought up the subject or tried to dovetail a conversation onto that path, he would shut the gate.  I typically drew back, feeling a bit inadequate in my ability to communicate Jesus’s message. Being his son, I felt out of place providing a knowledge I had that he didn’t. This always bothered me, but obviously not enough to get it done.

Early in 2024 my father’s body started shutting down, and within weeks he was in a dire state. I knew that my father had never excepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior, and the clock was running down. 

The Hail-Mary came just a few days before my father died. As my wife and I sat beside dad’s hospital bed, we let the ball fly… My father caught the ball and Jesus… In that moment with tears in his eyes, he squeezed my hand and excepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior. My father was graced with salvation.— Hallelujah! Glory be to God!

  My father’s eternal life was changed in an instant and so was mine. I was touched by Jesus through my father’s acceptance, and his testimony is also mine. I read from the second book of Peter at my father’s funeral:

And remember, the Lords patience gives people time to be saved. (2 Peter 3:15) 

  The Lords patience is immense. However, our earthly time is not. There are many people in our lives who need to get it right before it is too late. Your pass may be the only one ever thrown to them. Are you going to hold the ball and miss the chance? Or are you willing to step up and run the play? 

Look around and keep your head on a swivel; look within your family… at your in-laws, your children, your nieces and nephews, your friends and your playing partners. Some of them need the ball thrown their way. Are you going to step up and throw it? Are you going to be the one who helps them receive eternal salvation, and a place by Jesus’ side?  

If you are going to be in the game—play it to win! Thing is, if you’ve already accepted Jesus Christ into your life, you are no longer only playing for yourself; you’re also playing for those who haven’t been saved. 

Tick, tick, tick, the clock is running…. Throw them the Ball! 

    “I tell you the Truth”   

 And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. (Philippians 4:8)

  I can’t hear a thing, but I feel my wife’s spirit lifting upwards. The humming sound of a plane fill’s the air. With a gentle kiss to her fingers and a salute to the sky, her Daddy Joe comes near… again and again and again. Jo Jo has always been a “Daddy’s Girl.”  When her father pasted away, she didn’t cease being one, she simply added thoughts of a her dad in Heaven, to the memories of him that never stop running through her head.  

Pictures of her dad adorn our house at every turn. When she picks up her phone his smile lights up the screen. Daddy Joe is everywhere to see; the planes, the photos, the racquets and balls. To her, the memories of him are as vivid as the most glorious sunset. Her thoughts are often fixed on her Dad, and that in itself is truly pure, lovely and admirable. I love how my wife, in her own special way, honors what’s excellent and worthy in her life.

  We have a couple of Bibles in the house. Well, maybe more than a couple, we could probably play a good game of Jenga with them. In the kitchen on the countertop, sits a bottle of wine, flanked by communion cups ready to roll. On the walls, there are enough Christian crosses to put down a vampire uprising. The tools of a Christian are everywhere to be found.

  How do you honor a Father you don’t see every day? A Father that didn’t kiss you good morning or tie your shoes. One that didn’t tote you to tennis practices, or teach you to play…  A Father, who’s image is not from a camera, but from some artist’s best guess. 

 Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you. (Philippians 4:9)

The apostle Paul said; You honor The Father, by putting into practice, everything you learned from Him while using everything He provided you…honor God through your actions.                                                                                                                               

Don’t let The Bibles on your shelves or the crosses on your walls go to waste. They are as useless as a white crayon if you don’t put them to work. Meditate on the cross. It’s the symbol of our salvation, and all of what Jesus has done. Find a way to etch it’s Glory into your brain. Try developing visualization techniques, using the image of the cross, and then let that image influence everything you do.  

Pick up The Bible and use it as a tool. Read it, meditate on it, swing it, thump it, do what ever you need to do, to learn it’s truth and abide in its commands. Honor the Lord in everything you do and in how you do it.

  My wife honor’s her Daddy Joe every time she see’s a plane, because that’s what he taught her. He was a pilot, and when a plane flew above he was looking up. That’s where he wanted to be….Today she does, as she saw him do then. Just as she honor’s God by abiding His commands. God honors her obedience by sending an angel in the sky. Daddy Joe is in those planes — it’s plane to see.

  God blesses us and gives us all that we need; Planes and sunsets, Bibles and crosses, memories and angels…… Jenga and white crayons. 

Take God’s blessings and tools and use them as you practice all you’ve been taught… focus your thoughts on things that are excellent and worthy.  Look up to Heaven and acknowledge when your angels come near. When you do, you also honor The Lord with your worship and praise. 

Fix your thoughts on your Father and think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. (Philippines 4:8)     

In Jesus name we pray – Amen                                                                                                                                            

“I tell you the Truth”                   

  Just then a rich young man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” 17 “Why ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied.“There is only One who is good. But to answer your question—if you want to receive eternal life, keep the commandments.”18 “Which ones?” the man asked. And Jesus replied:“‘You must not murder. You must not commit adultery. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. 19 Honor your father and mother. Love your neighbor as yourself. 20 “I’ve obeyed all these commandments,” the young man replied. “What else must I do?”  21 Jesus told him,“If you want to be perfect, go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”  22 But when the young man heard this, he went away sad, for he had many possessions. (Matthew 19:16-22)    

  The young man in the story said, “I’ve obeyed all the commandments,” but that obviously wasn’t true. He was not being honest with himself or Jesus. The question he asked Jesus was not at the bequest of all mankind, but rather one that focused on himself. He was looking for one thing he could do to get to heaven; one command to follow, one deed that he could do. 

To Jesus, this man was like a window—He could see right through him. Jesus knew this young man’s focus was on himself and his own achievements. So Jesus tested him. He thought, “You want one thing, then I’ll give you one…”  He told him to put God first by selling everything he had and giving it to the poor. 

The love of money had become this man’s god. And now he comes asking Jesus for the one thing he can do? The rich young man was violating the commandments; “Thou shalt have no other gods before me and Thou shalt not covet.” This means that this young man had broken the first and tenth commandments, and probably every one in between. 

The Bible clearly teaches that all have sinned and come short of God’s perfect standard. There is no one who has lived totally righteous life, as this young ruler claimed he had. Obviously, Jesus knew this. However, the rich young man didn’t. He was under the deception that there was some good thing he could do that could purchase him eternal life. 

Jesus desired to turn this man from trusting in himself, by showing him God’s perfect standard, which no one could keep… The man needed to be honest with himself, to admit that he was a sinner, and to realize that salvation could only come through faith and hope in The Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Then Jesus sweetened the pot for the man. He didn’t just ask him to give up everything with no return. He told him he would have treasure in heaven. “And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or property, for my sake, will receive a hundred times as much in return and will inherit eternal life.” (Matthew 19:29)

  Jesus was always ready to teach. The young man asked a question, but he wasn’t ready to learn. In my mind, Jesus posed theses questions to the man; “How bad do you want to become part of My world? Can you truly give up, all of your world?” I think that was the lesson Jesus was teaching that day…Lesson 101:”Be honest—How bad do you really want it?”

This young man was standing face to face with Jesus. He wanted to know how to obtain eternal life, Jesus told him, then the man turned and walked away… How bad did he want it? Not bad enough—Lesson taught, lesson missed. 

Jesus knew this young man’s nature, and He knew this man needed a changed direction if he wanted to gain eternal salvation. But, Jesus never let an opportunity pass to teach a lesson to His disciples. His concern in this moment was His chosen disciples, His church builders. This man was a lesson for them. He knew a lesson taught to them, was time well spent. They relied and trusted on God. They wanted it bad and were willing to do whatever it takes. 

The young man’s lesson led the disciples to ask; “Then who in the world can be saved?” they asked. 26 Jesus looked at them intently and said,“Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.” (Matthew 19:25-26)  For the disciples it was a lesson taught, and a lesson learned.

  I was in a car accident when I was 16 years old. My brother was driving us to a Saturday off-season workout session. In a heavy rain, he lost control of his tiny two-seater sports car. The car turned sideways, slid across the roadway and was broadsided by an oncoming truck. Through my passenger window I saw the truck coming directly at my side of the car. Just before impact, I was able to turn my head away from the side window and shift my body toward the stick shift in the middle of the car. I regained conciseness as the firemen pried the car away from my body. 

I woke up three days later in a hospital bed. My parents were not there when I woke up, and a nurse came in. Although I remembered everything that had happened, including much of the time the medics worked on me, I didn’t know the extent of my injuries. 

When I woke, I was in pain and I couldn’t move. I thought that I was being restrained but I wasn’t. My body had been abused so much that it simply needed a break. Once my mind figured out where I was, I searched for answers. 

I remembered that the first practice of the season was Monday, and asked the nurse if I would be released in time. I will never forget what she said: “Today is Wednesday. You’ve been here for 3 days. That ship has sailed. There’s no need to be thinking about practice…I doubt you’ll ever play football again. Let’s think about more important things, like getting you better.” 

I was devastated, I cried out for the doctor… The doctor came in quickly, but without my parents present, he wouldn’t go into much depth on my condition. I knew the nurse was wrong. I told myself that she had no idea who she was dealing with. That sports were more apart of me than some little accident could ever be. But it was hard not to doubt… There I was left in a room, bandaged and in pain, with tubes and wires tying me down to bags and machines. The pain was intense, but nothing hurt as bad as the venomous words the nurse placed in my young mind.

Later that day, I learned that I had broken several ribs, which had punctured and collapsed my right lung. That explained why breathing hurt so bad. Just above my tail bone I had fractured 2 vertebra. They had twisted about 10 degrees and while doing so they pushed the disk between them out of alignment and up against my spinal cord nerves. A tendon in my right knee had been severed when the door frame was driven into it, leaving a nasty laceration exposing the bone. 

The truck had run straight into my passenger door. Which crushed in on me trapping me to the shifter column and sending glass into the entire right side of my body. I had been able to turn away from the window, however, I could not escape the violence. 

The firemen later told me, when they arrived that they were amazed that the driver, my brother, was alive and standing outside of the vehicle. Once called, it took them 8 minutes to arrive at the scene, and they assumed the lifeless body they saw inside the wrecked vehicle was likely dead. The fireman told me that it was nothing short of a miracle that I survived…Thank you Jesus.

I wasn’t wearing a shirt, and I was covered in oil and blood. Three emergency medics worked for over 3 hours cleaning the oil and grease out of my wounds, and removing the glass shards from my head, face, neck, shoulder, chest and back. The doctor said my right arm looked like hamburger meat when I arrived. I received over 250 stitches that day. To this day small shards of glass are still working there way out of my body. No wonder the nurse thought what she did.

  When I was younger, for many years and in many sports, my father was my coach. He always had time to teach me, train me, or give me a lesson. He was my hero. Dad’s lessons didn’t come straight from The Bible, like how I receive most of my lessons today. His lessons came more from the “Book of the School of Hard Knocks.” You wouldn’t think it, but it’s strange how life’s lessons from that book and The Bible are so similar… Well, its not so much as the books themselves, which have obvious differences; One is worldly and one is divine, but rather the teachers that are giving the lessons. 

If the teachers are the same; if they are honest, compassionate, have integrity and teach with love, the lessons often come out nearly the same. Often the heart of the one teaching from the book can yield as much influence as the book itself. 

We are all created in the image of God, and when the teacher of the book exhibits the character of the Creator, then the two lessons taught are often very similar. Consider yourself blessed when you’re taught lessons by those with the character of God. I recommend that you recognize who these men or women are in your life.

As my father sat beside my hospital bed. I told him what the nurse had said, and as maybe only a father can do, he instinctively understood all that was in my head… He told me  “Jim you can do anything you set your mind too. If anybody ever tells you differently, they are simply wrong. It will never be about them, it will always be about you. Son, it’s very simple, you can accomplish anything…if you want it bad enough.”

My best friend Tom showed up in my hospital room the next day. He had heard of my accident and hitch-hiked down from Michigan. 

The staff came in to take care of me, and they needed to move me. I told them that I thought I could walk, but they wouldn’t let me, so they lifted me out of bed like an invalid. I knew I needed to be walking. I told Tom that I had to get out of this bed and get as far away from this place as possible. So we hatched a plan. 

Tom went to my house and grabbed my father’s car. When he came back, while still in my hospital gown, he wrangled me into a wheelchair and rolled me right out the front door. I wasn’t released to leave, but we left all the same. 

I never went back. Not for any follow-ups, or rehabs, or even to have my stitches removed. I did every thing myself, with the help of Tom and my parents. Within hours of my escape with Toms help, I had figured out how to walk. 

Just a few hours earlier they had told me I couldn’t walk. Now I was living the dream and walking down a Florida beach. Tom said I looked like a combination of Frankenstein’s monster and the Mummy. I didn’t care, I wanted it bad!— I was back in the game. I wasn’t able to play football that season, but I did the next!

  Being honest with myself, I came to understand that the noise in my head, really wasn’t about never being able to play football again. It was about someone telling me, I wouldn’t be able to do something. That was not the truth, and it certainly was not the truth my father had taught me. Get out of my head nurse Ratchet! I’ve got things to do, places to go, footballs to throw. And yes, I do want it bad enough!—Lesson taught, lesson learned.

  The lesson of the young rich man from above, is one of the many lesson’s preserved in The Bible from the greatest teacher who ever lived. It was not a lesson about giving away everything you have, to get in to Heaven. It was a lesson about identifying your priorities, and what you’re willing to do to accomplish them. Be honest with yourself—How Bad do you want it?

 “I tell you the Truth”

   Read The Bible

 Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. 2 Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. 3 For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory. (Colossians 3:1-4)

  Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth…Now that’s some good advice. So simple—cuts right through all the baloney in the world and hits the nail dead on the head. Paul’s words above rank near the top of the best advice anybody could ever receive. 

What other wise words have you been blessed with to guide you through life? Advice from your pastor, your father, or maybe a coach—Wise words that have stuck by your side like a childhood best friend. We can see from above that great advice doesn’t have to be some extravagant thing: A scientific revelation, some grand theory or idea…No, we usually find that just simple thoughts, those that get straight to the point, are the ones that work best, as we navigate our way in this world.

“It’s not how you start that’s important, but how you finish that counts.” Have you ever heard this advice before? I sure have, my father use to say it a lot. I never asked dad, when or where he first received this piece of wisdom, but it was obviously important to him. When my father gave advice it was always short and straight to the point, and wasn’t always, but usually delivered on a playing field. I think athletics are where my dad shinned the most and I loved  hearing his advice as he coached: “Jimmy keep your head up when you’re making a tackle and your head on a swivel, at all times on the field.” His tackling advice turned out to be short lived in my life—The last thing I tackled was a big meal and I don’t particularly remember keeping my head up as I ate. However, “Keep your head on a swivel.” Is advice I still follow every day.

  God has given me many gifts. But, it’s His gift of the talent to build beautiful things that brings me the most joy. I feel extremely blessed to be a carpenter. And as my carpentry skills have grown, they’ve enabled me to build a wide range of things. First, furniture and dog houses, then docks and decks, next thing you know I was building houses and then subdivisions, including their water systems and roads. Recently a friend has enticed me with miniature golf courses—What’s gonna be next? 

God has graced me with a uniquely diverse building career and a heart and mind that finds all construction to be incredibly fun, but I think out of all that I build, I like to build Godly people the most. 

Best I can see, I’ve found in construction, things like nails or concrete and wood, show very little emotion. And if they did show emotion, I believe that a nail would be confident enough to not just sit around worrying about getting pounded all day. 

Just like a nail, construction for me has never been an extremely emotional thing. I love it to death, and it brings me great joy, but I don’t stress very much if things don’t go exactly as planned. 

It’s the nature of the beast when you create beautiful things. Variables and unexpected things are going to pop up, and you need to be willing to accept them as part of the game.

But when people get involved it sometimes becomes rough. It’s in these times that it would be best, to have the emotions that I think, concrete might have. My guess is concrete would be confident enough to not worry about getting stomped on all day.

  When you build a home there often comes a point where things can get emotional—Where the world rears it head. It’s at this point where you and your team, the men who built the house will be challenged for control.

When the homebuyer walks in the house, it’s somewhat like when a designated hitter struts to the plate. The game’s near it’s end, but now is the time they’re needed the most. During most of the game they both stayed out of sight, now they have some control, and a big stick in their hand. One swing of the stick could bring a end to the game. You  pretty much know that the ballplayer’s thought is to swing for the fence. However, the homeowner’s thoughts are harder to figure—sometimes out of nowhere they swing for your head.  

I saw one of my young superintendents sitting in his truck. He was shaking like a leaf, and nearly to tears. One of our new homeowner’s had just swung their big stick and connected with his head. When people with bad intent swing their stick, it’s as if their trying to say: “Don’t hold your head so high it’s just going to get in my way, I’m in charge now. I’m going to swing at you hard so you better duck, or bow down” 

Boy did this light me up. It was all I could do, to not run to that house, and set those animals straight. But, I had been thru this before, so I took some deep breaths and got a hold on myself. 

The memory of us sitting at the side of his car and expressing our thoughts, are as fresh in my mind as if it happened today. He told me about the blow he took to the head. But even confused and enraged he still got it right. He proved to be, the man we all knew him to be, when he got out of that house without a fight. 

I told him:“Never let anyone lord over you. There is only one Lord in charge of your life, and it isn’t them.Their values are theirs and theirs alone, you cannot control what they do or say. Through our faith we know that their stick could never hold any power over you. Jesus took it all…all the hate of the world. Be strong and courageous, we’ve been blessed with this job and we are going to do it right. And always remember, it’s not how you start that’s important, it’s how you finish that counts! Our thoughts are of Heaven—We do it to glorify God and nobody else!” 

I may not have used those exact words, but those are truths we shared that day.

  We all have a start and a finish, a birth and a death. We have no control in the start—Our birth is totally out of our hands. The finish is different, we have total control of all we do. God created it that way. God gave man dominion over the world and free will to choose which way it would end. Heaven or Hell the choice is in your hands everyday.       

  Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. (Colossians 3:2)

  When I read Paul’s words, it’s as if he also handed me a hammer, so I could drive them into my soul.

“Why am I here—Why do I exist?” When your thoughts are on Heaven it all becomes crystal clear. We are here to glorify God in all that we say, and all that we do. But we cannot do it on our own, that’s what Jesus is all about. God sent Jesus to our world because we couldn’t do it ourselves. 

Are you trying to do it without The Bible? Without it’s wise advice, without the words from God? If you are, I plead with you today, put down your stick and stomp on your pride. Humble yourself and except the help God has given you to overcome this world.

Today, that young superintendent continues building The Kingdom of God as well as beautiful homes. Through God’s grace, and a heavy dose of his own, he glorified God and took the hit, but didn’t bow to the stick. —Thank you Jesus for witnesses like this.

Thoughts of moments like this in the past, remind us to: Think about the things of Heaven, not the things of earth. (Colossians 3:2) And to, Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. (1 Peter 5:8)        

  Peter has been telling us to swivel our heads for over 2000 years. Before I ever cracked a Bible, God was feeding me it’s words through a coach on a field. My father’s advice passes the test of time and I have verified it in The Bible over and over again. 

I’m in awe of God, and how He works in my life. It’s truly awesome to have someone who  loves you that much. Honor that love, read The Bible, and coach yourself with the truths of the Word. 

Directing our focus to think about the things in Heaven is one of the things The Bible does best. The words inside The Bible hold the wisdom to overcome this world, and they provide us the exact advice we’re looking for to help us glorify God in all that we do. 

My Heavenly Father, and my earthly father’s advice is precious to me. Please take my advice and make it precious to you.—Read the Bible!

 For the Lord grants wisdom!
From his mouth come knowledge and understanding. (Proverbs 2:6)

                    “I tell you the Truth”

   “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11)                       

This verse, among many others, lays the foundation for our expectation: A belief in a future ordained by God, filled with prosperity, hope, and blessing.    

  “I have revealed you to the ones you gave me from this world. They were always yours. You gave them to me, and they have kept your word. 7 Now they know that everything I have is a gift from you, 8 for I have passed on to them the message you gave me. They accepted it and know that I came from you, and they believe you sent me. 9 “My prayer is not for the world, but for those you have given me, because they belong to you. 10 All who are mine belong to you, and you have given them to me, so they bring me glory. (John 17:6-10) 

To reach the world, God uses people who He has given to His Son, Jesus Christ. Those that know Him and obey Him.

  Ours is a family of coaches. Early in my wife’s tennis career, her father was her coach. Likewise, I played sports under my father’s guidance, as he coached my little league football and basketball teams. My wife’s brother in-law, and our nephew are also football coaches, who still blow their whistles today. These men, past and present, stand as a unique group of influential people who lead athletes as they compete in sports, and in life.

To many of their athletic disciples, they’re simply know as “Coach.” Many of us have been greatly influenced by the coaches in our lives. And those who have, would surely agree, that athletics in our lives are always best when they have a purpose.

  I don’t remember who taught me how to read, or how to write. All in all, I don’t remember much about the teachers who shaped me throughout my life… However, on the other hand, I distinctly remember every coach I ever had. I can detail what they looked like, how they spoke and the lessons they taught. I often reminisce about my past coaches; about the things I learned from them and how they made me feel, when I was under their wing.

This says a lot to me about how important coaches are in one’s life. And how significant the retained substance and memories of their teachings are, as they helped shape a person into who they are today.

   Most of the good coaches in my past all had a commonality in their teachings. They all compelled me too, “Attempt great things and to always expect great things.” The saying:   “Attempt and expecting great things from God” has become a motto in many Christian’s lives. I wonder how many athletes learned this concept from one of their coaches, long before they heard about it later in life.

“Attempt great things” is a call to action. And any action needs to have a purpose. If your purpose is to glorify God, by putting God first, then the rest just seems to fall in place. On the other hand, if your purpose is simply to win (even if you manage to win once in a while) if you leave God out, you will lose.

Coaches who invest in the player’s lives, care more about the Kingdom, than about winning games. Life is more important than just playing football or tennis or the score after the game. Life is about our relationship with God, and our eternal destination.

A purposeful faith based coach leads a willing athlete with Godly wisdom, and develops their good character, all the while as he instructs them to use their physical talents while competing in a sport. The athlete is often unaware of a coaches character lessons, as their focus on the physical aspects of the game often clouds their realization of the lessons being taught, and their potential significance. However, any worthy lesson taught is always somehow unconsciously learned, and will likely rise to the top, sooner than later.

A Godly coach may be subtle as a sunset or as relentless as a sledgehammer. But either way, he’s gonna leave his mark.

Good coaches always know how to rally a team and help them to believe in themselves. And they will also challenge you to be faithful, just as they are faithful.

Godly coaches know what it truly means to be victorious. Anybody can celebrate when their on the mountaintop, but what’s truly important is, that you must have the ability to rally together and believe in yourself and the team, even when victory isn’t in sight.

“Winning is a habit. Watch your thoughts, they become your beliefs. Watch your beliefs they become your words. Watch your words, they become your actions. Watch your actions they become your habits. Watch your habits, they become your character.”   –Vince Lombardi –

Victories and glories accomplished on the field often come with risks. A Godly coach needs to have his head on a swivel, because the enemy prowls this earth looking to devour its prey and will come at you from every direction.

I like Tim Tebow’s thoughts on coaching. He wrote this in one of his books: “A coach must always be alert to his team taking the good things that happen for them; The trophies and accolades, and the honors and glories, and saying, “Look at me” because if they do… then they had played the game for the wrong crown.That crown is gonna tarnish, along with those trophies… they may even get lost. One thing is for certain—they’re not going to have any lasting effect. The only thing that’s lasting is when we do what we’re created to do, and that’s to serve and glorify God. That’s the crown God planned for us to achieve—The crown won by those who glorify God.”

  I’m drawn to the story of Joseph in The Bible when I’m thinking about the importance of coaches, and athletics in life. Not because he had eleven brothers, enough to cover either side of the ball. But rather, when the subject of dreams came up, Joseph focused everyone’s attention on God. Rather than using the situation to make himself look good, he turned it into a powerful witness for the Lord. One secret of effective witnessing is to recognize opportunities that relate God to other people’s experiences. When the opportunities arise, we must have courage to speak and act, as Joseph did.

  Sports and athletics present situations like Joseph’s: An opportunity is at hand to focus on God. Whether in a stadium or on a practice field, there is an opportunity to glorify God and be a powerfull witness for the Lord.

As an athlete or a coach, you’re left with a choice. Are you going to speak up or act out, and use the opportunity to glorify God. Or are you simply focused on the goal line and protecting the ball? Will you choose to have a greater purpose in that moment than playing a game?                   

  One moment, Joseph looked around and found himself in the bottom of a well. Then, a short time later, he looked and found himself locked in a prison. Undoubtably cold, hungry and confused, never once did this young man feel alone. Joseph knew God was always by his side. He’d been coached for this. For Joseph, life was a team sport. Eleven brothers, and God, coaching him through his dreams. How could it be anything else?

  If Joseph was a coach like Vince Lombardi, and his eleven brothers were like the Green Bay Packers offense, what would he say to them?  How would he express his thoughts and beliefs, his words and actions, his habits and character?

Joseph said to his brothers: but don’t be angry with yourself for selling me to this place, it was God who sent me here ahead of you to preserve your life. God has sent me ahead of you and your family alive, to preserve many lives so it was God who sent me here not you. (Genesis 45:5,7)

Joseph coached Egypt during seven years of famine, and along the way he coached his brothers on forgiveness…The same forgiveness that God graced us with when He sacrificed His Son for our sins. Joseph is still coaching today, through his lessons in The Bible.

  Let’s always honor the importance and significance that a coach has in the development of  good character in our lives. Godly coaches may share lessons with eternal signifigance, but ultimately the choice is yours, of which lessons you will learn.     

God chose you for His team right from the beginning—Read The Bible and get in the game.

                      “I tell you the Truth”

 

 

 

 

 Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (Ephesians 6:17) 

  When we all think long enough, I think we would all come to the same conclusion: The greatest warrior of all time, was, and still is, Jesus Christ. 

Jesus defeated Satan, overcame this world, and saved us from our sins. His victory allows us all to overcome our weaknesses and become whole. Jesus’ victory ensures His chosen an eternal reward. 

  The Bible contains the exploits of many great warriors: Abraham, Moses, Sampson, David, Solomon — All list among some of the greatest warriors in The Bible. However, Jesus reigns supreme. 

How did he do it? How did Jesus war? Jesus wasn’t known to have yielded a deadly Roman Gladius sword. There are no accounts of Him slinging a rock at a giant thug’s head. No stories of him blindly knocking down the pillars of a temple and crushing all below. He didn’t thunder into war on a glorious stallion. No, He rode in upon a donkey. So how did he do it? How did he war? What was His “Go to weapon”?  How did He win?

  Jesus claimed victory with the Truth—With the Word. His sword was His tongue, His stallion was His Spirit. How does one achieve victory with a Word? How can one use it to cut through joints and marrow?  What hardens a Word enough that enable it to crush all those against it?—TRUTH!

Truth—God created it all; the moon and the stars, the fish and the seas, the stallions and the donkeys, and you and me. No scientist told God which molecules He would need for creation. No philosopher whispered to him how it all must work. No artist provided him the colors for his canvas. No, God did it Himself, with His Son by His side, Jesus – The Word and The Truth.

  So here we are. Created under God, by God, to glorify God. How do we war? How did Abraham, Moses, Sampson, David, Solomon and all the other’s war? 

Let’s take a look at Joshua. He was perhaps the greatest Biblical warrior of all times. Joshua, under Moses’s recent tutelage and God’s divine direction, led nearly 3 million people into and through the promise land. Battling step by step, mile by mile all the way, until he fulfilled God’s promise. 

What weapons did Joshua battle with? A herd of  stallions, a fleet of chariots, an armory of swords, helmets and shields? Probably…undoubtably all the standard tools used for war in the day were at his disposal. But what was his “go to weapon”…What arrow did he shoot, what sword did he swing, what sight did He set? How did he land victories “knock out punch?” 

The Lord spoke to Joshua and told him exactly what weapon he needed for victory. 

 “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the laws my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. 8 Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”  (Joshua 1:7-9)

The Lord commanded Joshua to lead His people into the promise land, and He told him which weapon he would need to succeed – The Word!

So I ask again, how do we war… How do we battle against the evil in this world? 

With the Word! — We war with the Word! 

  What is war? — In essence, since the moment Adam ate from the tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, we’ve been in a battle between good and evil— A War.  

Jesus knew what was needed to win the war; to defeat evil — It was Him. 

Then Simon Peter drew a sword and slashed off the right ear of Malchus, the high priest’s slave. 11 But Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword back into its sheath. Shall I not drink from the cup of suffering the Father has given me?” (John 18:10)

When the Roman soldiers came to arrest Jesus, Peter drew his sword and swung. Jesus then commanded Peter to put it away, for He knew the road to victory would not be paved with a sword, but with His blood. The blood of the Word—Jesus Christ.

  Your “go to weapon” in this war is the Word. You must know the Word, and you must know the character of the Word. Do not be confused here. The Word is Jesus Christ. Jesus is in the Father and The Father is in Jesus—they are the same. To know Jesus is to know God. 

How do you get to know Jesus? The Bible has been handed down by God to teach us through His Spirit inspired writings. It teaches us about God’s nature and His Truth. The Bible is about Jesus from the very beginning to the very end.

  In essence, God told Joshua “You are going to war, study the Word.” 

  Jesus wanted His followers th know “We are at war against evil. I am the Truth, and the Word. Those who know me will know God.” 

  The Holy Spirit bascically told Paul “Your advisory the devil prowls around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour, be alert, be prepared, know the Word” 

  To overcome this world we must know the Truth and The Word. We must know Jesus Christ!  

Are you ready to go to war? Today, the most direct path to victory in your life may be the simplest thing you do all day. Pick up The Bible and read The Word.                             

    “I tell you the Truth”

 

 

 

But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? (Romans 10:14)

  The Bible is the most widely read, most fiercely debated, and most often quoted book in history. Over 100 million copies are sold each year. 50 copies are sold every minute. The Bible’s complexity can boggle great minds, and yet it’s simplicity can be understood by a child.

Moses was the first person to write portions of scripture while John, one of Jesus’ original 12 disciples, was the last. Other well known people who wrote The Bible include: Daniel, Peter, Paul, Jonah, Isaiah, Solomon and David. 

All told, 40 authors wrote The Bible, over a period of 1,500 years. Those who wrote The Bible lived at different times, some separated by hundreds of years. Some writers were businessmen or traders; others were shepherds, fishermen, soldiers, physicians, preachers, kings—human beings from all walks of life. 

  Why have the writings of such a diverse group of authors, had such a far-reaching impact and mattered so much to so many throughout history? What relevance does The Bible have for our lives today? 

Well, for those who believe what lies within The Bible, there’s one answer that covers it all; The Bible writer’s wrote as they were inspired by the Holy Spirit. In essence The Bible are God’s very own words. What could be more impactful and relevant than the words of God—The one true God that created everything?                                                                                                      

The Apostle Peter wrote: “Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. For prophecy never had its origin in human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit”  (2 Peter 1:20-21) 

The Apostle Paul wrote:“All scriptures is inspired by God” (2 Timothy 3:16)

Clearly these are bold assertions. The Bible declares itself to be the very words of God. God inspired, God breathed… The Holy Spirit revealed to the prophets, the messages of Scripture. The writer’s of The Bible wrote not according to their own will or whim, but only as they were moved, controlled, or inspired by the Spirit of God. The Bible is God’s own book in His own words.

  Whoa, whoa, whoa, back up the bus… did I get that right?… Did I just write; “You are to believe The Bible is God’s words, because the words written in it tell you so?” 

So, the all time best selling book in history, the one that hundreds of millions of people are betting their lives on…the very book that’s been talked about more than anything else in the history of the world, is true because the words inside say so? What…Did I get that right?

Yes. I got it right and you better believe it, because that’s how God rolls. Like it or leave it, get right or get left. Don’t back up the bus. Don’t pause for a moment. Believe, because The Bible tells you so!  

Wow, no wonder there are so many non-believers. You think God would’ve had a better plan. Something that you could really sink your teeth into, something more concrete. Not just some word’s in a book saying it’s so…maybe an event or moment in time that could make it seem real and tangibly true. 

Well, I must regress, there was that weekend back in 33. That time Jesus died on The Cross, and then rose from the grave… The gang is locked in the hideout, shaken to their very core…Jesus breezes into the room and instantly all the prophesies ring true. Their minds open wide as all He has taught, now makes total sense. 

Jesus’ heavy lifting is done and now with the proof of His resurrection, they finally obtain the belief, Jesus had been telling them they needed. That weekend’s work was the juice in God’s plan. But for us today, there’s still much fruit to be squeezed. In our lives, His work cannot be complete unless we also believe and have faith in all He’s provided, and all that He’s done.           

  So, are we supposed to believe that what men wrote in The Bible, is inspired by God because His Son nailed to a cross wouldn’t stay down…because a resurrected Jesus made a difference and influenced all that they wrote? Some of the words in The Bible were written hundreds of years before that weekend occurred. Are those words about Jesus also? 

Yes, we are! And Yes they are! God expects us to believe. Even though most of us are so naive, that we would climb over a glass wall to see what’s on the other side. God created us to be wise. He gave us that ability, in the very beginning, with Jesus by His side.

  Belief is a funny thing. It comes easily for some and never for others. One has got to get on the right side of this thing. If not, where could it lead? Maybe you’ll be your neighbor’s cat in the next life…maybe you’ll be nothing at all…maybe this is all you’ll ever be. Or maybe you’ll spend eternity in Hell… ouch, that’s gonna burn. 

Yes, belief is a funny thing. Not ha-ha funny, but funny to understand. How do you believe in something you can’t see? Something that to many, doesn’t make sense? Do you simply believe because someone told you to, or because you’re scared of what might happen if you don’t? Yes, for most, to belive in God, is very strange.

  Every person either accepts or rejects God. Why do some reject him? What reasonable excuse do they have for not believing in God? Why is it strange for them to believe? God has revealed what He’s like, in and through His creation. If you can simply take what is familiar to you: the creation you see everywhere you look, and the invisible qualities of the divine nature you feel. Then use your reason to comprehend that you did not create these thing yourself, then belief that someone or something else did, is no longer strange, it’s obvious.

  They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. 20 For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God. (Romans 1:19-20)   

  Paul says that God has revealed himself plainly in creation to all people. Yet, people reject even this basic knowledge of a supreme creator. Both logic and common sense reveal cause and effect at work in nature, so a natural question to ask would be: “What is the cause behind all that we see?” 

In addition, people have an inner sense of what God requires; they just choose to ignore it. If people suppress God’s evidence in order to live their own way, they have no excuse. They know the truth, and they will have to endure the consequences of ignoring it: A neighbor’s cat… nothing at all… eternity in hell. The choice to believe or not, is a big deal. And if the definition of eternity is accurate, then you’re gonna have to live with the consequences of that choice for a very long time.

  But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? (Romans 10:14)

  Belief in The Bible starts with your belief in creation. God as the Creator. God has revealed himself plainly in His creation. He has also revealed himself to us through the author’s who wrote The Bible.  They took the Word directly from His Spirit and related what they saw and heard for us to learn and believe. The Cross wasn’t just about our eternal salvation. It also gave us tangible events and actions, that reinforce our belief in God, and His words in The Bible. 

Jesus did the labor of God’s plan that spring weekend in 33, now it’s time to pay the bill… the barter is set;  And then Jesus told them, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone. 16 Anyone who believes and is baptized will be saved. But anyone who refuses to believe will be condemned.” (Mark:16:15-16) 

  The resurrection is vitally important for many reasons. Jesus kept His promise and rose from the dead. So, we can also believe that He will keep all His other promises. 

Do as Jesus did. Make a promise to your Father and follow through. Use God’s words in The Bible to reinforce your beliefs, then take those beliefs and help others build theirs. 

Always remember that God wants everybody to be saved. But also understand, that many don’t believe that He even exists. 

God’s plan is still in the works. The author’s of The Bible did their part over 2000 years ago, now it’s time for us to do ours.

Obey what you believe—by sharing what you believe—to help others believe.

Yes, believe because The Bible tells you so. And get to work, others need to believe also.

   “I tell you the Truth”                                            

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 2 For by it the people of old received their commendation. 3 By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible. (Hebrews 11:1-3)

  Back before Google flexed it’s muscles and we still learned from books, I found myself at a magazine rack trying to figure out how to build a roof. I had a problem to solve and I couldn’t turn to the degree in my pocket or the experience I had gained from my first post-grad job to figure it out. 

It took seven years for me to finally figure out, that putting on a suit and tie every morning, just wasn’t my thing. I gave it a good run straight out of school but I craved for more in my life. I thought that building things with my hands would be a much better fit, so I took off my wingtips, pulled on my work boots and headed to Atlanta to find something to build. I think I’m at my best with a hammer in my hand, and the wind in my face… Jeans and a t-shirt seem to fit me just right.  

As I drove past a new subdivision, I spotted out of the corner of my eye, a house under construction with a partially framed roof and nobody on site. I turned into the neighborhood, tracked down the boss and asked if he needed a hand. 

Gods favor was with me that day…the boss answered back,“Yes I do, it’s been 2 weeks and my framers nowhere in sight. I paid him up front and he’s taken the money and run. Can you finish this house and do it cheap? I have nobody in line and don’t even know where to look. Are you the answer to my problem….Can you frame a roof?” 

I puffed up my chest and answered back, “Yes sir-re Bob” (his name was actually Ron) but you get my drift.“I’m the man for the job. I’ll work it alone so the price will be right.”  Then he looked at me like I was nuts, and said, “You’re going to build a roof without a crew, your going to do it yourself?” I responded, “It won’t take me long, just give me the plans and I’ll finish it up.” That was the day I became a framer, the type of carpentry I like best. 

I had the look of a carpenter; I had my hammer, level and saw and wore a tool bag slung on my waist. And I was built to work hard; I had developed the stamina of a sled dog, and was as strong as an ox from training in the gym most of my life. But for all my physical attributes, I was still lacking a carpenters most important tool—Knowledge and experience was yet to fill my bag. 

I had built roofs on boat houses, dog houses and tree houses, but not a roof on a 4000 square foot home. It was a sprawling ranch plan on a basement with a roof that laid out like five roofs merged into one; hips, valley, multiple ridges, crickets, saddles and even two chimney stacks. If that wasn’t enough to boggle a neophytes mind, the house had a huge bowed out bayed room that twisted my brain. No matter which way I looked I couldn’t figure out how the soffits around the bay would line proper with the others on the house. I tried to convince myself that it couldn’t be done, then I saw a house with a similar bay down the street, and realized why I chose football instead of debate. 

I needed a plan, so I headed to Home Depot…a carpenters cathedral to pray. Back in that day, Home Depot had a large rack with books and magazines near the front door. I think I thumbed through every book on the stand. I read for hours on what Bob Villa and his cronies had to say about building roofs, but by the end of the day I was no better off than when I walked in the store. It was time for a beer, my go to performance enhancer back in the day.

Three enhancers later, I came up with a plan; I’ll build a little scale model, like the ones I saw architectural students, back at UF, carry to class. I grabbed a couple of Nike sneaker boxes, some scissors and tape, and built a cardboard house, just like the one on the plans. 

I built the tiny scaled walls first, with the back wall bumped out in a bay. And then placed the cardboard roof on top, cut up with all of its valleys and ridges, and instantly I knew—I had found the way. 

The exterior walls adjacent to the bayed room needed pony-walls on top, then the 9 pitch roof would tie all the soffits together and I could call it a day. Five days later I was done with the house, and the roof was complete. Our problems were solved—On to the next! 

  The solution to Rons problem was as simple as one man with no crew. At the end of the day it wasn’t my Home Depot library card or an old shoe box that got the job done. The job got done because I told Ron I was the solution, and I was going to honor my word.

I had no fear that I couldn’t do the job…given a set of plans I knew I could figure it out. Thing is, at the time, I didn’t really know how to do it, I just knew I could figure it out. Fear profits you none, and once you understand this truth God becomes the only crew you’ll ever need—He will never let you down. On the other hand, when your up on a roof, I think even God would say, “An extra guy or two couldn’t hurt.”  

I never saw Ron again, but I will alway cherish those days spent out in the sun, on top of that house, learning my trade. Ron had given me an opportunity that helped solve his problem and along the way it helped me understand life.

  Our God is so awesome and so full of mercy and grace. He sent His Son to solve our problems—to save us from ourselves. 

Jesus amazes me with His ability to stay focused on God’s work at hand. He wasn’t about to let something, whether big or little get in His way. When things got tough Jesus never despaired, He just kept working the plan. Quitting is never an option for those who know they’re the solution—for those without fear. To have no fear in this world is to have faith in God’s plan. 

  John’s locked away in a pit, awaiting the sword that will soon take his head. Lazarus wrapped up in a tomb assumed to be dead. The devil leads Judas astray, as the crew partakes in one final meal. It seemed that every single day a new distraction came Jesus’ way. And after nearly three years of telling people the truth, Jesus found that seldom did the plan they wanted to follow look anything like the one He and God had designed. 

Distractions and fear can shut down the best, but Jesus never gave in to either of these. When one speaks the truth, and the world picks up stones to throw at your head, you would think that fear would set in, but for Jesus it never did. Nothing distracted His focus. He was the man for God’s plan. And in the end He didn’t need to defend Himself to the kings or the people of this world. No, He quietly put His head down, followed the plan, got to work and climbed up on the cross.

  So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever. (2 Corinthians 4:18)  

  A problem or a solution, what do you see? You see what you focus on—you see what you see. Set your eyes squarely on your faith in Jesus Christ and let that focus guide your way. You can become the solution to the worlds lost vision—If you let hope and faith lead the way.

Jesus never stopped for a second to solve his own problems, He didn’t worry about the day, the sword at John’s neck or Lazarus wrapped in a tomb. Compassion and remorse, of course, He is the God of love. But He didn’t dwell on His emotions, or the circumstances of those events. He had come to solve the world’s problems; His focus was on others and the solution—Gods plan, was to important to neglect.

 I love to think about Jesus the carpenter, I bet He built some great stuff. Some days that I work, I image Jesus at the saw. His image keeps me grounded as it reminds me that I’m not working for myself. I imagine Him building the timbers that He would carry; this always reminds me that His focus was never on Himself. I see Him building the cross that’s going to save mankind while He looks straight at me as He does. 

So if you come to one of my job sites and you see me with a tear in my eye you now know what I’m seeing. I’m working with my Savior Jesus Christ—Two carpenters hard at work building beautiful things for others—Rejoicing in the day.

  Maybe a builder losing his framer is a poor analogy for the biggest problem that was ever solved, but then again I don’t get many chances to solve the worlds problems so I have to work with what I get. The builder’s problem wasn’t that he didn’t have a framer to finish the house, heck I don’t even know if Ron thought about things like plumb, level and pitch. His immediate problem was that he didn’t have a solution and he didn’t know what to do. 

His bigger problem was that he didn’t even know where to look. He was just sitting idly by waiting for the solution to show. Now that might work for some if they don’t care about where their eternity’s spent. But if you want an eternity in Heaven, you need to know that you’re on the clock. Time on this earth may be what people neglect and are confused about the most. It’s not how long your’e going to live that one should focus on, it’s are you prepared to die.

Do you have belief and faith in the Savior of this world…have you excepted Jesus solution for eternal life? Time is of the essence, that’s what the world needs to see. Like my wife Jo Jo likes to say, “You better get right, or you’re gonna get left.”

 As Christians we all know that the solution is in the book—The Bible holds the truth of our Savior Jesus Christ. Crucifixion on The Cross was the solution to man’s salvation—God offered up the lamb and Jesus paid the price. In God’s most glorious moment the solution of The Cross overcame the rulers of this world. 

  Jesus solved the worlds greatest problem and never focused on himself. He solved other’s problems and we need to do the same…it’s as simple as that. 

Everybody needs to be saved, but stop working to save yourself. If You’ve been born again, Jesus solved your problem, work on somebody else. 

  We’ve been called to lead the world to see, we must get this truth in our head. Honor Jesus’ sacrifice and return the grace that you’ve received. It’s our time now! We are called to be saviors, Saviors just like Christ. Go be somebodies solution—Go save somebody’s life.                                   

                                                 “I tell you the Truth”                                         

   Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us. 4 Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, 5 so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other. 6 In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. 7 If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. 8 If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly. (Romans 12:3-8)

  From a very early age my father taught me how to build things. When I was nine we built a beautiful circular bench around the huge oak tree in our back yard. The brick bench had a hinged wooden top which fit snugly against the tree trunk. Stored inside were, bats, balls, helmets, sticks and pucks; The tools of a growing boy’s trade.

We built beautiful outdoor chase lounges which were fully adjustable, laced with rubber tubing, routed through eye-bolts that supported the cushions. I’m sure dad could have purchased patio furniture from K-mart for much less. However, what would that have accomplished, other than saving time, effort and money?

  I was dad’s right hand man, and I loved every minute of it. I was right by his side as he finished our basement; Framing, floors, drywall, trim, we even built the furniture… Dad was as turn-key as they come. I also assisted as he bolted our basketball goal to the house, which seemed to me at the time, to be an engineering marvel, as it extended out under the eves. We attached the backboard to large corbel blocks using very long U-bolts, salvaged off an old dump trucks undercarriage from the local scrap yard. There was no reason to play ball in anybody else’s driveway, ours was the best—Dad made sure of that. 

  It wasn’t always just hammers, ladders, saws and shovels, dad also taught me how to use the tools that keep things running. I always thought that my father bought me old worn out motorcycles and snowmobiles because we were poor. However, I came to realize their condition didn’t correlate to his bank account. The heavily used machines presented the life lessons I would learn from fixing them. Sure, if he could, he would give me what every kid wanted, every ball, every toy…most fathers would. But what was more important to him, was giving me what I needed… Lessons.  

  When I look back at my childhood memories I realize, most if not all of them, are framed in a lesson… Many of the moments I remember most, seem to be of lessons taught and lessons learned. Those that formed a solid foundation while developing a young mans God given gifts and talents.

  When I moved on to college, one of the first things I did was design and build a loft in my dorm room. Many of my buddies proved to be good at twisting my arm, so I built several lofts that freshman year. Later during college, I went on to build my own furniture, some of which I still have today. I was a carpenter disguised as a beer drinking, girl chasing, student athlete.

  After college I went on to become an investment broker. After seven years of sales my inner carpenter was screaming to come out… So, I became a dock builder, and never looked back. I’ve always been a carpenter. After docks I moved to Atlanta and built decks, gazebo’s and fences. Ultimately my carpentry and business skills led to building a successful homebuilding and development company.

  In the past, at the clubhouse or the gym, when a new acquaintance asked me what I did or how I made a living, I would typically described myself as a homebuilder. A homebuilder is typically viewed as higher up the food chain than a carpenter, seemingly more impressive on one’s resume. I try to be more accurate now, I’ve come to realize who I am, and the talent God has given me. I’m a carpenter and I serve others!— “Thank you God! —Give me something to build!”

The world may label me a homebuilder or a developer and rightfully so, I have built homes and developed land. However, I wasn’t one when I was just a young carpenter. And while I became one, I still remained a carpenter, just as I do today. 

  Looking back on my life and giving witness to God’s grace, what I see aren’t the homes I built, but rather the men and relationships that were built and the people I served—“The beautiful things.” 

When I look back I see, all that was built as a reflection of what God designed me to build—He designed a carpenter. The lessons I’ve learned enabled me to build things people need, and when used right, they help build Godly people along the way. I’ve learned that during one’s lifetime, lessons taught and lessons learned, bring us closer to Jesus… Always be thankful for lessons taught.

  The Holy Spirit plays a crucial role in teaching and reminding believers of the lessons found in Scripture. Jesus promised His disciples that The Holy Spirit would guide them into all truth: “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have told you.” (John 14:26)                                         

The Holy Spirit continues to illuminate the hearts and minds of believers. He helps us to understand and apply biblical lessons in our daily lives. Alway be thankful for lessons taught…“Thank you Jesus”

  My father’s lessons taught me a lot as they honed my skills as a carpenter and a servant. I use to wonder if my father saw the special gift and the talent, that God had gifted me. Now measuring myself by the faith I have in God and all he has given me, I know my special function in Christ’s body. I no know, that my Dad knew, that I would build “beautiful things.” And he did all he could to develop those gifts and talents in his youngest son. “Thank you Dad”

  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:10)

  Don’t change who you are to become like Jesus—Become like Jesus, just as you are. Recognize who you are. Recognize the gifts and talents God has blessed you with and use them to do good works, as He planned you too. 

Jesus instructed us…teach others, learn from others and serve others. What lessons will you teach today? – Which lessons will you learn? Who will you serve?  Dedicate your life to serve the Lord—Load up your bag and start driving nails!                     

      “I tell you the Truth”   

      A Carpenters Creed  

“The hammer of the Lord drives the nails of His lessons into our very souls. He leaves his lessons with you. If you desire to be like Jesus make sure your tool bag is full of His lessons. The more nails you have in your bag the more building you can do.” 

– Jim Oates – Master Carpenter for Jesus Christ   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1)

  The Word is Jesus Christ, and the Word is God. The prophets and apostles wrote the books of the Bible by inspiration of The Holy Spirit, God’s Spirit. Therefore, we should receive scriptures as God talking directly to us.

  Some think they can accomplish everything God desires for them in this world and in eternity without reading The Bible—without the Bible by their side. I have said it before and I’ll say it again, “That’s simply not true!”

Tying to achieve God’s will and purpose in your life without the help of The Bible is like trying to build a house without having a hammer in your belt. I like to think of God’s words in The Bible as tools that He’s handing us one at a time. If we put them all together as a whole, we can strap on His tool belt and use them as we build ourselves to become like Jesus Christ.                                                                                                  

  My wife doesn’t let me out much and there’s probably a good reason why; I’m often found standing by the saw-horses, talking to my tools. With that oddity exposed, her restraint might make sense. Just the same, however strange that may seem, here’s something you’ll never hear me say: “Hammer, I can drive these nails myself, I won’t be needing you today.” I know my hammer and it’s always been a good listener, not one much for talk. However, if it did snap back a response, I’m sure it wouldn’t be, “That’s ok Jim, I can drive the nails without you—I’ll swing myself today” 

No, our relationship doesn’t work like that; The tool and I must work “hand in hand” together if were going to accomplish our task. Likewise, you and The Bible have been designed to work together… “hand in hand.”

  I want to lead people to Christ…I want to win souls for The Lord…I want to return God’s gifts, grace, and love, by doing something good. I know the Bible is the key, and it holds all the tools that we need. But for the life of me, it seems like I can’t persuade people to pick up the book. What am I doing wrong… How can I get it across? Am I not authentic enough? Do my analogies about hammers and nails need to stay in my head?                               

I’m not going to stop encouraging others, but I want to see some sparks in their eyes and hear some words from their hearts…I want to know if what I’m doing in the name Jesus is making a difference in their lives.  

  Have you ever had thoughts like these? Have you ever been caught up in this trap? This one trips me up more than all others combined—The trap of focusing on oneself—The trap of human pride.  

Pride isn’t only arrogance where you’re lifting yourself up and thinking you’re better than everybody else. Pride, in its simplest form, is just self-centeredness where you are just focused on yourself. A pride like this slithers its way into most of our lives each and every day.   

To escape from this trap, I pick up the Bible…meditate…and rest my mind on God’s  words. When I read the words in The Bible it never takes long until I’m centered again on God’s love and all that’s true. It’s like the dim lights in my mind start to brighten from His light. 

Victorious thoughts appear to shine in my mind, thoughts like, “Jim, focus on God’s fruit that falls from your tree. Didn’t a friend just tell you the other day that after reading my words he picked up the Bible and found some truth that hit home?” God’s love is seeping in—somethings working through the words that I speak. Any word of God that goes out in this universe is fruit for the soul—The more being said, the more people are fed.

  When I stop focusing on myself and what I want to accomplish; I can see God’s glorious plan and how it moves in others lives. Centering on God instead of yourself puts a constraint on one’s pride and places God back in control. But don’t think for a moment, you can do this yourself, we don’t have the power to win against sin—That’s where Jesus comes in—and The Bible’s all about Him. Learn from the Bible so you can cast your cares on to the Lord. With The Bible in your hand you can accomplish His plan.

  Those that think they don’t need The Bible, or that they’ve read it enough, may simply have to much pride as they depend on themselves. It’s likely pride that keeps most people from the Truth of God’s Word. Remember, pride isn’t only about arrogance, no it’s much more than that—keep your head on swivel so you don’t trip into its trap. 

Did someone just say, “I can handle this on my own…” Wow, could they use a lesson straight from the book. Let’s start at the beginning and see what is says.

Pride goes way back, it started even before people ever had sex—back to the first humans  who were created solely by God. Yes, you can thank Adam and Eve for starting this mess. God created them to live lives focused on Him. His purpose from the very beginning was that people should be “God-conscious,” not “self-conscious.” That was His plan, but left up to them they turned it around. They ate the forbidden fruit from the tree and instantly it all changed, from a focus on God to a conscious of self. Satan slithered in and set up the trap—With one seemingly innocent bite, Adam inflicted us all—In that instant self-centeredness was created and man has struggled to be obedient to God ever since.

  Is pride holding you back from reading the Bible—From putting Gods tools in your belt? You say, you don’t need God’s tools… you can do it yourself. That’s pride in it’s simplest form. You can be humble and meek, you can be the best husband in the world, the best father or best friend but if you won’t grab the tool God’s handing you… what does that say about what your wanting to build? And what is it you’re trying to build and how long will it last? Humble yourself and pick up the Bible, it’s loaded with the tools God left just for you…Get to work building the person that He wants you and others to be.  

  Pride leads to disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.  (Proverbs 11:2)  These words are tools straight from God’s book. Use these words like tools in your life; Hammer down your pride and chisel at your flesh. Shape and define yourself with humility and use God’s words from The Bible like the tools that they are. 

 Humble yourself—Do not let pride hold you back. One Truth becomes certain after reading the Bible; Everything is possible with God’s tools in your belt. God’s Truth is for everyone, but for you to make it you own, you must work “hand and hand” with The Bible—Make heaven your home. 

                                         “I tell you the Truth”

  This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. 13 There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. (John 15:12-13)

  Jesus gave this command to His disciples the night before he was arrested. He had spoken about the same principles earlier in the evening so we know this command is important to comprehend. His commandment isn’t one of rules and regulations, it’s simply one of loving one another. Soon Jesus would demonstrate the ultimate example of laying down one’s life for one’s friends as he was raised up on the cross and died for our sins. Jesus example of laying down ones life was brutally extreme.                                                                                  

  Love others the same way He loved us, “What you talking about Willis?” I want to live… I don’t like pain… I’m not that tough and I certainly don’t hold others, especially those I dislike in any regard dear enough to even pull a hamstring for, let along die for… Surely He raised the bar too high. How can anyone possibly live up to Jesus’ example?  

The Bible holds the answers to our fulfillment of this seemingly unreachable command.

Throughout the scriptures we learn that during His ministry Jesus practiced what he preached. In Johns Gospel, John gives an eye witness account from the base of the cross. John’s account personifies Jesus’ commandment of laying down ones life for a friend, as He gave His life for the salvation of all those who would trust in Him. Jesus considered                                                                                                          anyone who truly trusted in God to be worthy. If they believed that He and God were one, then laying down His life on the cross was the love they deserved. 

  We will never be raised up on a cross, so it’s best we turn to the scriptures to understand how we can abide in Jesus’ command… In the Bible, John, James and others give us examples of how to ‘give up our lives’ for others.

  We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters. 17 If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion—how can God’s love be in that person? 18 Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions. 19 Our actions will show that we belong to the truth, so we will be confident when we stand before God. 20 Even if we feel guilty, God is greater than our feelings, and he knows everything. (1 John 3:16-20)

 What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? 15 Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, 16 and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do?17 So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless. (James 2:14-17)

  Real love leads to action, not just feelings. It produces selfless, sacrificial giving. The greatest act of love is giving oneself for others. How can we “give up our lives”? By serving others with no thought of receiving anything in return. To say we’ll die for others can be easier than truly living for them. Doing so involves putting their desires first. This is the same principle of love Jesus taught with His commandment that evening recorded in (John 15:13).

  Paul probably never met Jesus the man. He was not with John at the base of the cross as Jesus displayed how much He loved us… Although Paul was not a first hand witness to the crucifixion, he did have a one on one encounter with The Lord. Through the Spirit Jesus revealed His revelations to Paul. Through-out Pauls many epistles found in the Bible, he describes Jesus’ concepts of love maybe better than anyone else other than John.

  And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. (Romans 12:1)  

  God loves you so much that He sacrificed His Son for you. What’s acceptable to God is for you do like-wise and sacrifice yourself for Him. How do we do that? With what do we build and bestow all this love? Jesus would become a carpenter so one of the things He and His father chose to use were nails.

  Nails were used that day… as the Roman soldiers pounded them into Jesus affixing Him to the cross. However the nails did not hold down our Savior. Rather, the nails held Jesus up, for all to behold the Glory of God…                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

  In the beginning the Word was with God  and the Word was God (John 1:1)                                                                                   

  Together God and The Son created everything including a plan, one that would assure our salvation… Theirs was a job to be done, and nails would be needed.

In His love, God provided the nails the Romans would drive.

In His love, God raised His Son on the cross so all could witness His Glory.

In His love, God sacrificed His son so we could be saved.

Our salvation was made possible because of Gods love.

  Gods desires to drive His nails into each and every one of us. The nails that affix salvation to our very souls.  Jesus said, “Love each other in the same way I have loved you.” We must take action and obey His commands, only then will Jesus swing His hammer and drive the nails. He has purchased the nails and the hammer is in His hand, are you ready to receive?                                            

  The plan is complete. Jesus has risen and is back at His Fathers side. Salvation is ours to accept… Ours is to repay His love — Lay down your life, and become a living and holy sacrifice to God. Die to your own desires daily while renewing your mind on Gods perfect truths. Do all that you should in response to His love… Love others with actions, deeds, time and effort. In giving up your life for your brothers and sisters, you will purchase the nails and enable Jesus to go to work in your life. Give Jesus the tools that He needs and together build beautiful things.

                                                “I tell you the Truth”    

                                                  Read The Bible                        

 

 

  His disciples came and asked him, “Why do you use parables when you talk to the people?” He replied, “You are permitted to understand the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven, but others are not. 12 To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them. 13 That is why I use these parables.” (Matthew 13:11-13)

  Jesus is known for many things, and although His teaching and ministry surely would have benefited from His understanding and proficiencies as a carpenter, these skills are often overlooked. The scriptures illustrate spiritual principles with analogies from the trade of carpentry, such as the tale of the wise and foolish builders told by Jesus and recorded in the Gospel’s by Matthew and Luke. So one can assume carpentry influenced our Lord.

  Developing the skills of a carpenter requires time and commitment. One must start with the fundamentals in order to master carpentry. For Jesus, this would have included learning how to use fundamental hand tools and acquiring knowledge about the many types of wood and their characteristics. Carpentry involves hard physical work, accuracy and meticulous attention to detail. A Carpenter must be strong enough to lift heavy objects and be willing to work in adverse conditions, often outside in all kinds of weather. The quality and detail of a carpenter’s work is often used to judge their level of skill.  

Jesus had skills—His complete memorization and understanding of the scriptures was bare-none, above all others who ever walked the Earth. His in your face, trouble shooting, problem solving, question answering abilities, left all those who witnessed speechless and left wondering: “Who is this man and how at such a young age did he gain such vast wisdom and knowledge about the Kingdom of God?” 

  To regress, we are talking about God here. The all powerful, all knowing and everywhere present Creator of all things… yes Jesus the man—God walking on Earth had a few things going for him… learning or needing the skills of a carpenter might seem unnecessary. Still, God’s plan was at work and it would take Jesus one day at a time, from a grubby little manger baby, to a hippy looking rabbi, with a posse of twelve…. Why carpenter’s skills?  Why… was Jesus born in a stable? I like TD Jakes’ answer:“Because He was a lamb.”

  If you read The Bible and you don’t find yourself asking “Why?” then you either: already have all the answers, which would be awesome…or you simply aren’t searching for them. The Bible is a book of discovery. A book where you will find the answers and the truths about the creation of this world. From it you’ll learn of our ancestor’s past, how to live in the present. and what’s in store for the future.

There is no better source to learn about God, Jesus Christ and The Holy Spirit than The Bible. Achieving and understanding God’s nature through reading The Bible, is essential if we are to become like Jesus Christ. Understanding a God as big as ours is not easy. As you read, you’re going to ask a lot of “why’s?”

Why did God give man dominion over the world—His world? Why did He give us free will? Why not give us His own perfect will, after all didn’t He make us in His own image? Why did Jesus have to be born from a virgin? Why did John the Baptist wear camel’s hair? Why did our Savior have to go through so much pain and suffering? Was that really necessary? Why did Jesus die for our sins?  Why…Why…Why?

Why was Jesus a carpenter… Is this question too trivial compared to others in The Bible? Is the answer too obvious? After al,l it was His earthly father’s occupation. Maybe He simply followed in his footsteps. Was there a deep meaningful reason Jesus was skilled as a carpenter? It’s certainly not a question that must be answered for one to receive salvation. However, that does’t make it one unworthy to ask. All questions that can bring us closer to Jesus are worthy to ask. God created us as beings that develop great worth through searching for knowledge and wisdom. For this very reason Jesus often taught and spoke using parables.                

‘When you hear what I say,
    you will not understand.
When you see what I do,
    you will not comprehend

15 For the hearts of these people are hardened,
    and their ears cannot hear,
and they have closed their eyes—
   so their eyes cannot see,
and their ears cannot hear,
    and their hearts cannot understand,
and they cannot turn to me
    and let me heal them.’                                                                                              

16“But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear. 17 I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, but they didn’t see it. And they longed to hear what you hear, but they didn’t hear it.   (Matthew 13:14-16)

  Jesus recounted Isaiah’s scriptural prophesies while explaining His uses of parables. Isaiah declared that people would read The Bible and not comprehend or understand. He said that their hearts would be hardened and that they would not turn to Jesus to be healed, effectively denying The Cross… they had no need to ask “why”… they had their own answers, and were not willing to listen or search for God’s answers. Jesus wants His followers to search for the truths. Jesus wants you to seek and ask “Why?”

 “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.” (Matthew 7:7-8)

  Most Christians, including myself, would agree that in Matthew 7, Jesus was teaching about the importance of unrelenting continual prayer. However, today when I closed my eyes and meditated on this verse it hit me in a different light. I imagined Jesus standing in front of me, face to face, so close that I could feel His breath as He spoke. Jesus held up The Bible and pressed it against my head as if He was trying to push it into my brain, then He said; “My son, this is the door to my world. Knock on it and I will answer, seek within it and you will learn the truth, obey it’s commands and I will open the door. The door to my Kingdom. Son this door is yours, I built it just for you” (Jesus)

  We are called to do more than simply read the words of The Bible. We must actively seek to understand and comprehend its truths. Why was Jesus a carpenter? It may be, we needed a door, so He built us one. Who better than a Savior with carpentry skills to build a door to God. A door to enter “God’s World.”  Why spend all our time in this world, let’s use the door to enter His. The Bible teaches us about “God’s World” and what we need to do to abide in it. Most doors are simple, just open and step right through…when you open this door, you’re going to walk into a lot of questions. Today open the door, find the ‘why’s,’ and search for their answers. Insure that your eternity of tomorrows will be spent on the other side of His door… with Jesus in Heaven. 

“I tell you the Truth”