Archive for the ‘Inspirational’ Category

The Magic of Christmas?

Posted: December 10, 2012 in Devotional, Inspirational
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The-Magic-of-Christmas

This post is probably not going to be what you thought based upon the title but frankly…I think it fits…

Let’s start off with a question…Have you ever been to Disneyland? I’m sure you probably have. In fact I would say that 75% of Americas population has been to one of those parks and there is a reason for that…it is a GREAT place to go. In fact, it is the “happiest place on earth” right? Have you ever seen a television commercial for Disney? In 30-60 seconds, you are taken on a magical journey to a place where happiness abounds and dreams come true. Years ago, I saw my children gaze longingly towards the television for several minutes after one of these commercials ended and I have to say…I don’t blame them! Who wouldn’t want to go to place like that? Just for a little while to be taken away into a different world…filled with characters and music and nothing but fun. A place that can completely overwhelm ones expectations because you have to admit that just looking forward to a Disneyland trip might be the best part of the vacation…unless…

Have you ever been to Disneyland on a busy day?…thousands of people with small children…Long lines, long days, hot weather and rides that are closed. Is this really the happiest place on earth? Please don’t take me wrong…I am not complaining about Disney at all, I am focusing on an ideal that our world puts out there for us to swallow which is this promise of magic or an experience that will somehow take us someplace better that is more fulfilling? They want you to believe there is a place on earth that can actually provide you contentment or happiness…or maybe just temporary happiness? Does anyone really think that is possible?

Then we have Christmas. Christmas for children is truly amazing. Why? Because of their expectations. Expectations are what create the feeling of excitement inside all of them and causes them to look forward to that exciting day of waking up and opening presents. But that is the kid side of things…what about the adult side? Does anyone really feel the way we did when we were children at Christmas time? Probably a big NO right? Why is that? Why can’t we experience the joy we had as kids anymore? For me, over time, I began to believe that somehow if I could just get that one “thing” I wanted…somehow it could make me feel different but as was always the case, it never worked. I was always left with this strange, empty feeling inside…The overall anticipation of Christmas “stuff” was never able to satisfy me inside…deep…at my core…WHY?… Because loving other stuff could not bear the weight of my expectations. My expectations of what this world can provide have always fallen short of my deepest satisfactions. I can assure you, any feeling of elation I may have had at the time was only temporary.

So if the stuff of this world can’t fulfill what we need…the question is, how do we fill that empty void we get at this time of year? Hopefully, my reasons pointed you towards an understanding that neither Disneyland, nor presents under a tree, nor anything else this world can offer can fill your void completely. The void WILL still exist once the “new” wears off…

Did you know you were created in his image and therefore are wired for heavenly things? As you have probably already experienced…you cannot fill that void yourself. No matter how many times you go to Disneyland…you will still feel the same afterwards…temporary satisfaction….For anyone to truly experience the magic and the essence of Christmas, you must accept the greatest gift of all…the gift of Salvation. Christ provides it to all of us who will simply receive it…It is absolutely free but with a condition. Christ requires that you believe in Him…that’s it…Acts 16:31 says:

“…Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved…”

I challenge all of you this Christmas…don’t fall victim to this world’s illusive pursuit of contentment and joy because you WILL NOT find it…no matter where you look…anything you find can, and WILL only be a temporary feeling…I challenge you this year to delight yourself in Christ (Psalms 37:4) and not in a quest to fill your emptiness…we already know how that story ends…

Until next time guys…

From all of us here at @Ironmanstrength

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year…

Why would a good God send people to hell?

Posted: October 7, 2012 in Devotional, Heaven Bound, Inspirational
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I am Not a theologian and never will be and for that reason, I get frustrated when I don’t know answers to certain questions raised about God. The title of this blog post is, ”Why would a good God send people to hell’? I have heard that question brought up to me many times before and for years it has frustrated me to no end. I mean really? How could God allow that to happen? Good people in hell makes no sense. But then as time has passed, I have begun to understand more about who our God is, which in turn has clarified some answers.

When you ask questions using the word “why” you need to go back to the original source and determine what you don’t understand…How could God allow good people to go to hell? To me, we need to begin with God and who HE is to try to answer this question. There must be reasons why He acts and behaves as He does rather than just what I see here on Earth. What I’ve discovered is there are reasons which cause God to be who He is…I’ve just never investigated them before…

Let’s start with Holy. I never really understood this word but yet when applied to God, our creator, all the reasons are completely clarified. Here is what I mean; God is completely Holy and good and it is His character that decides what is right and wrong. That perfect character He puts forth is what dictates our world and how we are to behave. In other words, that is how inherently we know that killing is bad and helping our neighbor is good. It is in our DNA. Yet why is there so much killing in this world? The answer is simple… Satan is alive and well and he seeks to devour all that he can:

Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8

Satan is working just as hard to distract you as God is trying to get your attention.

Moreover…God is a very Holy being and He is bound by that holiness to react in a certain manner…that means He HATES sin… He hates to see it, smell it or even be around it (read Mark 9:42-47). But yet you and I reek with it? We are born into it and without the saving salvation of Jesus Christ, stink to the outskirts of heaven of it…Have I made my point?

Let’s summarize quickly at this point:

1. We learned God is Holy

2. Holy means God must behave according to His perfect character.

3. Holy means God can’t be around sin.

Now, for those of you who did not know, God did solve the problem of sin for us by sending His blameless son Jesus, to take our place as a sacrifice for our sin committed.

So try to understand things this way, because God is holy, He MUST judge everyone according to His perfect character and because He is perfect, His judgments are fair and right.

Let’s keep going. As mentioned previously, Jesus came to this earth to solve the sin sacrifice issue but He is also the most loving person who ever lived, but yet it is He who teaches us the most about the reality of hell. Why? because Jesus knows hell is a very real thing and He doesn’t want us to suffer the inevitable consequences of our rebellion against God. What is that rebellion you ask? Rebellion is having sin in your life and NOT doing anything about it…living in sin is rebellion against God…why? Because God is holy…

Are you beginning to see a pattern here?

Heaven and hell are actually defined by a relationship. Heaven is enjoying the amazing gifts of a Father and more importantly, being with Him. Hell is the absence of His blessings; love, communion, presence, beauty etc.

Simply put; Heaven is being with our holy God and Hell is being apart from Him.

Think about that for a moment. The closest thing to Heaven on earth is to have a relationship with Him and to feel the His presence in our lives.

Hell on earth is simply the opposite of everything GOD.

So now that we understand a little more about the God we serve I must make this statement to you and ask this question;

If we truly understood how absolutely holy God is, we shouldn’t be asking the question why would a good God send people to hell…the real question should be…

How can God allow anyone into Heaven?

Bottom line…going to heaven or hell is a choice WE get to make while here upon this earth. God doesn’t send good people to hell…they get to make that decision for themselves…

Until next time guys…

Hardwired for Heaven…

Posted: September 29, 2012 in Heaven Bound, Inspirational
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We are strangers, we are aliens, we are not of this world…Petra
Do you remember all those years ago when we were dating because, like the ladies, we were looking for just the “right” person we could connect with and spend the rest of our lives with? But in order to find this “perfect” match we had to spend time dating a variety of different girls to find the one that fit who we thought we were matched with right?. For some of you, that decision may have been very easy because you knew from the very beginning that the girl you chose was the right one, but yet other guys had to work very hard searching for their perfect mate.

Fast forward, and many BAD dates later, to the present…where God hopefully blessed you with the spouse you have today…but the question I ask is do you remember those dates where you knew right away that she was so NOT the right person for you? Do you remember that total LACK of chemistry, no compatibility, and absolutely no connection whatsoever?

It was hard just to have a simple conversation with her.
She was the complete opposite of you…
Keep that thought in mind.

Every single day, you, me and millions of other Christian folks get up and proceed with our daily routine all the while surrounded by activity, advertisements and media that we completely disagree with and frankly, not want to have any exposure to but yet we are immersed in it like a blanket. That total lack of interest is the disconnection we feel with this world. Remember the reverse polarity effect with magnets? North attracts with North and South with South but North with South cannot be connected. As Christians, that “out of sync”  or disconnect feeling you have is NOT by accident, it is by design. For the very same reasons we spoke above when  you knew this girl was definitely “not” the right future person for you…that is the same disconnect you have to this world. Peter said,

Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. 1 Peter 2:11

Since you call on a Father who judges each man’s work impartially, live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear. 1 Peter 1:17

The “here” Peter refers to is Earth. When you receive the salvation offered by Christ, you become a different person. A person who looks the same on the outside but radically different on the inside. God actually adjusts some wiring in your heart that causes you to long for moments with Him rather than what is around you. This change inside affects the way you see the world around you. It causes you feel like a stranger in places that have nothing to do with Christ and yet very comfortable in places with folks that believe as you do.

If you feel this way and were concerned, be of good cheer my friend. You are a stranger and an alien while here on Earth and by accepting Christ, you have been Hardwired for Heaven…
Until next time guys…


A Dogs Purpose…

Posted: September 2, 2012 in Inspirational, Just for Fun
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Every now and then we find wisdom from a child. It usually comes out of nowhere and completely unexpected. The following is one of those stories that I just couldn’t pass up and had to share with you. I did not write this article, it was shared to me by a family member. For those of you out there who love dogs, I hope you enjoy this story. 

I give you A Dog’s Purpose: from a 6-year-old.

Being a veterinarian, I had been called to examine a ten-year-old Irish Wolfhound named Belker. The dog’s owners, Ron, his wife Lisa, and their little boy Shane, were all very attached to Belker, and they were hoping for a miracle.

I examined Belker and found he was dying of cancer. I told the family we couldn’t do anything for Belker, and offered to perform the euthanasia procedure for the old dog in their home.

As we made arrangements, Ron and Lisa told me they thought it would be good for six-year-old Shane to observe the procedure. They felt as though Shane might learn something from the experience.

The next day, I felt the familiar catch in my throat as Belker’s family surrounded him. Shane seemed so calm, petting the old dog for the last time, that I wondered if he understood what was going on. Within a few minutes, Belker slipped peacefully away.

The little boy seemed to accept Belker’s transition without any difficulty or confusion. We sat together for a while after Belker’s Death, wondering aloud about the sad fact that animal lives are shorter than human lives.

Shane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, “I know why.”

Startled, we all turned to him. What came out of his mouth next stunned me. I’d never heard a more comforting explanation. It has changed the way I try to live.

He said, “People are born so that they can learn how to live a good life — like loving everybody all the time and being nice, right?” The Six-year-old continued,

“Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don’t have to stay as long.”

Remember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like:

  • When loved ones come home, always run to greet them;

  • Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride;

  • Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure Ecstasy;

  • Take naps;

  • Stretch before rising;

  • Run, romp, and play daily;

  • Thrive on attention and let people touch you;

  • Avoid biting when a simple growl will do;

  • On warm days, stop to lie on your back on the grass;

  • On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree;

 

 

  • When you’re happy, dance around and wag your entire body;

  • Delight in the simple joy of a long walk;

  • Be loyal;

  • Never pretend to be something you’re not;

  • If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it;

  • When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by, and nuzzle them gently;

There comes a time in life, when you walk away from all the drama and people who create it. You surround yourself with people who make you laugh, forget the bad, and focus on the good. So, love the people who treat you right.

Think good thoughts for the ones who don’t. Life is too short to be anything but happy.

Falling down is part of LIFE…

Getting back up is LIVING…

Who knew you could learn so much from both a six-year-old boy and a dog…?

 

 

Until next time guys…

Satan can Hinder my Prayers…?

Posted: August 25, 2012 in Devotional, Father, Heaven Bound, Husband, Inspirational
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Guys, I have been writing to you on this Iron Man Strength blog now for almost two years and during that time, I have worked to encourage and provide support to you as you walk down the path of being a Dad and a Husband. As we all know, this path is not an easy one but through Gods amazing grace, we all have access to power through Christ Jesus…all you have to do…is believe.

But I have a sense of urgency now that I need to begin to share in this blog that some of you may or may not appreciate but I must press on. This blog will never be political, but only encouragement about our lives and our relationship to our God, but I tell you now that we are living in an extraordinarily turbulent time now in America and there are powers at work that you and I cannot control but through prayerful persistence. We are told in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 to pray without ceasing and my friends, now more than any time in your life, I pray that you heed my words.

We learn back in the Old Testament in the book of Daniel, that there are powers and principalities that are unseen that you and I must consider as Christians. I am not trying to scare you or blow your mind with crazy talk but yet the truth is the truth and I ask you to listen. There is an unseen battle going on right now in America and the unrest and nervousness that you and your neighbors are feeling is because of that battle. It is not just simply we are struggling to make ends meet or the economy is bad, look at what is happening around you…people are reacting by killing one another all over the world. I find myself afraid not for me, but for my children. What does the future hold for them in this world? How will they live and support themselves? You and I…well…we can only pray and pray and pray and while you are praying, please consider this…

In Daniel chapter 10, we learn that Daniel had been fasting and praying for 21 days and had not received any word from the Lord. At the end of that time, we learn from an Angel who came and met with him that during the time he was praying, there was a battle like I am referring to above, going on which prevented Daniel’s answer from getting to him. Only when the Archangel Michael, a really large and powerful stud Angel squashes the Prince of Persia, does the answer reach Daniel.

So what does this story mean to you and me? Believe it or not…Satan was able to hold up that answer to Daniel’s request for 21 days and he can do the very same thing with our prayers. Read 2 Corinthians 2:11 where Paul tells us:

In order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are NOT aware of his schemes.

Guys, he seeks to devour and thwart our efforts when we are seeking a relationship with Christ and if you are an, on-again off-again, inconsistent, I’ll get around to it eventually kind of guy, you may not realize that your prayers maybe held up or slowed before they reach Him. Jesus tells us in His own words in Luke 18:1-8 about persistence in prayer…He says in verse 7, “and will not God bring about justice for His chosen ones, who cry out to Him day and night?“

My advice to all of you is very simple…If your relationship with God is good or not so good…I urge you to continuously and persistently seek God each day and pray to Him for both yourself and your family. Gods desire is to have a relationship with you that is eternal but the only way that will happen is through YOUR efforts while here on earth…so right now, while things here are more turbulent that ever before, seek God with all your heart because I assure you…

When you seek Him, He will find you…and that my friend will have very Heavenly implications…

Until next time guys…I leave you with this…

Rock Solid Faith

Posted: August 11, 2012 in Inspirational, Tough Times
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Have you ever sat down and thought about why God created Earth and why He decided to create all of us? Do you ever wonder if He regrets making that decision? I often wonder about things like that because collectively, we only seem to give the God of Heaven grief. But yet even as I have found out the hard way…God is still faithful to us even when we are not. Paul makes this exact point in Romans 3:3-4. So just to quickly reset the issue here…He still loves us (you and me) and is faithful to us even when we ignore Him? But let us this statement a giant leap forward and ask this question; With all of the sin and shame we continually drag around each day…With all of the horrible things that man has done throughout history…why did He, the omnipotent, omnipresent, Creator, create this opportunity for you and me to be with Him forever in Heaven?

David asked the same question when he said in Psalms 8:4, what is man that you are mindful of him?

The answer to this question is actually very simple..He loves us…that is the reason…and if you read the Bible, you will see evidence of that because it is filled with examples of His love for all of us and all His creation. But what kind of God is He that He would allow the sacrifice of His own son for a group of people who are so sinful? But yet, that is what Christ did and because of that ultimate act of love, you and I have an opportunity for this amazing thing called salvation.

The Apostle Paul tells us that to obtain salvation, we can be saved by grace through faith. God extends His olive branch of grace down to us knowing full well we can’t get to Heaven on our own, but because of Christ’s sacrifice, we can….all we have to do is believe. True salvation starts with belief in your heart. He asks us to seek, to trust and to believe in Him…but to believe in something we do not see with our own eyes.

The author of Hebrews in Hebrews 11:1 said it this way:
Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

Ralph Waldo Emerson said ” All I have seen teaches me to trust the Creator for all that I have not seen”

Faith in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior is the only condition God requires for salvation. But you still have to believe in what you cannot see…

So as I sit and contemplate this I begin to understand my part in all of this process. We live in a very difficult world, and frankly, getting more painful by the day. Every second of the day, We are bombarded by everything this world has to offer. There is no way we can avoid its influence hitting us in the face. God’s plan is for you and me to navigate this life journey by trusting in Him, by believing in Him…a God that we cannot see.

We are presented with countless stories from the bible about amazing faith like David when he defeated the giant Goliath. It never crossed his mind that the giant would or could defeat him…his faith was so strong that he trusted in God to help him get victory…and it happened. But David believed in God yet he could not see Him…


Do you remember the story of Abraham? God promised him to be the father of nations and yet at 100 years old he still had no son of his own. But yet he still believed that God had the power to do what He had promised. That was true faith. Faith that could endure, trust, obey and still grew stronger.

But why is faith so important for us as believers? Why does the plan of God for us to get to Heaven require faith in Him, the unseen?

Hebrews 11:6 says,

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

Seek Him…and believe…

True faith in God means you are trusting in Him to help guide you through the narrow path in this world. When you are trusting, you are not consciously trying to do things yourself, you are relying on God the Father to give you direction. True faith, as hard as is this is to swallow, is being obedient to Him, just like Abraham was. Obedience is not really a word this generation likes to hear but yet true obedience, is what leads us to this powerful faith and trust in Him. Simply put, this is how God created the path to salvation.

The only way we will make it to Heaven is to believe in God even though we cannot see Him.I know I have emphasized that point throughout this post but I want to make sure you realize what is expected of you. Faith in God means to stand strong and endure no matter what the cost. Faith is a day by day commitment to Him. Faith is trusting in a God that promises to never leave us not forget us. This kind of Faith, this kind of never say die commitment to Him…will earn you your personal set of keys to Gods Kingdom…

So I tell you this…be strong, persevere, and don’t lose your grip on Him because He will NOT lose His grip on you…

Until next time guys…

The Military is looking for a few good Leaders…

Posted: July 10, 2012 in Husband, Inspirational
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I was speaking with a good friend of mine recently who has a son in the military and he told me of an encounter his son had with one of his superior officers at their base. He told him about how this officer was “talking him up” on the phone to another high-ranking officer in the army who was looking for quality men for his Army Ranger unit. (You see, my friend’s son is one of those young men who will ultimately be the man in charge of whatever he undertakes, no matter what level.) So as he entered the office of his commander, he called my friend’s son over to speak with this man on the phone. What I found interesting was this military officer’s line of questioning…He asked him only 2 questions…


1. Have you ever cheated on your wife?


2. Have you ever been too drunk to go on a mission?

This man had never met my friend’s son but these questions were the reasons why this Ranger Commander had fired previous leaders and he wanted to gain a quick glance of the kind of man he was speaking with. As a result, rather than ask him questions like ” what are your personal goals” or “how long have you been in the army” he chose a direct approach, or as I call it, “the integrity approach”. You see, as I further spoke with my friend, he explained to me that time has proven to the men in the higher ranks of the military that real leadership starts with integrity and commitment, character traits that reside inside the man. Men that are honest, driven, hard-working, and possess the “never quit” and “never say die” attitude and yet still come home to the same wife do make better leaders in combat than ones who don’t take those characteristics seriously. Please don’t get me wrong, the military has a very comprehensive scoring system that measures many things such as how well you can shoot, how fast you run, how smart you are and even predict how you might act in a particular situation…but how do you measure integrity or honor or virtue? You really can’t, so you have to try to understand what is at the core of a person, what they believe in, are they faithful to their wife or do they cheat on her and do they have sense enough to stay sober and NOT miss an important mission…all of which live inside a man…

As I shared with my friend, I think all of us could have predicted that fact about military leadership because even in our regular, “non-military” lives, integrity, loyalty, honor and commitment are also critical and frankly, are the traits that founded this country from the beginning. Moreover, these character traits are Bible based, since the dawn of creation, men that followed their internal moral compass were more successful in more phases of life that those who went their own way. J. Oswald Sanders said ” Leadership is influence” and if you are a follower of Jesus Christ, then you recognize that you are called to influence others. What I find interesting is that it took this particular set of military leaders this long to understand that men who posses these influential qualities and have a “Christ centered core” inside of them make better leaders on the battle field or for that matter, anywhere else than ones who do not.

I have never served in the military but I have been in situations where I was required to follow both great as well as poor leadership over the years. John Maxwell, an expert on leadership, said that “the measure of a man is how he handles power” and I can say that if my life was on the line, God forbid that I had to follow someone I didn’t respect. Most assuredly, I would want to follow someone I trusted because of their core principles, who they were and what they stood for…because all of those virtues frankly, would matter the most on the battlefield …because that is leadership that can be measured when it counts the most…what do you when your life, along with the lives of your men, are in harm’s way? You trust in God, because through Him, you and me, understand who we are, what got us here and what will get us out…

Guys…it is encouraging to see our military leaders look at what’s inside the heart along with their score before they make up their minds as to who is in positions of leadership in our country’s military…

Until next time guys…

Life Lessons and Baseball…

Posted: June 30, 2012 in Father, Inspirational, Sports Stuff
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I am one of those lucky Dads who gets to go through Little League a second time because we have a young son that was born when I was a little older. I like Baseball and I like Little League. Baseball, like other sports, teaches kids lessons about life in a symbolic sort of way. It teaches them perseverance, to keep playing hard until the end of the game no matter whether they are winning or losing. It teaches them how to handle the adversity that challenges them throughout a game like when situations don’t go your way. But more importantly, it teaches them how to handle disappointment when a game slips away that you really wanted to win, like a championship tournament. Bottom line, the way kids are taught to learn to play the game of Baseball and to deal with the outcome of difficult games will be evidenced in their future lives by how they handle situations then…

But it all starts with a game…

As I mentioned before, I am going through Little League a second time with my second boy but because I am older now, my perspective on what is happening out there has changed. Don’t hear me wrong, I want to win every time we step onto that field but I’ve learned that I care more about what kids get out of the game along with the effort that they put into the game. Let me explain;

My goal, along with the other coaches, is to teach proper fundamentals of baseball; how to hit, how to throw, how to run bases, how to catch and then the best part, the situational aspect of baseball…In other words, What to do with the ball when it comes to you…The cerebral side of the game is the most fun for me because baseball is very much like a chess match between the two managers. Each one moving players to different positions and inserting players in order to put both the player and the team with the best chance for winning or make the most impact on the score…I understandI am explaining something you already know because that is the strategical side of baseball. Some people get this and some don’t care…

What’s different for me now is because I’m older, I care about the effect this game has on them. Simply speaking, like when good things happen during a game but i think more importantly, when bad things happen, like when the game gets out of hand… Because games produce adversity and losses are very hard to handle and if kids don’t learn how to “flush” a loss out of their head right away, they tend to drag it around like an anchor, always slowing them down and frankly, just making them sad.

I recently went though Little League’s, Tournament of Champions tournament for the minor division, ages 9-11 and I experienced the feeling of absolute euphoria as one of our boys hit a walk off grand slam to win the final championship game. Honestly, a once in a lifetime experience to come up to bat, down two runs with bases loaded and send one out of the park…incredibly amazing. Our team, along with the coaches, were able to experience the excitement of winning that game with everything on the line. This was truly..a win, or go home situation…but yet at the very same time, I began to put myself in the other dugout and wonder the magnitude of their feeling of loss. Needless to say, the post game handshake was filled with many tears as I went through telling each member of their team, “great job” I realized it was to no avail. They were inconsolable at that moment and as I watched their coach lead them to the outfield to have one more post game chat, I realized how critical his job was for those boys to help them deal with that loss. Honestly, they did everything right…they put themselves in a position to win but you can’t overcome home runs. It was checkmate.

So let’s bring this baseball game analogy to you and I…We have all played the games on the field our entire lives and now we are challenged with the game of life. Every single day we have ups and downs and as adults, we can’t let a business loss wreck our focus. I recently watched an attorney friend of mine lose a very difficult case in court, one that he prepared for, spent a great deal of time and money to win but he lost the judge’s decision…completely. Right now, my friend is a small ship floating alone in the big ocean. So far, he is unable to shake this defeat and move on…He can’t overcome the loss…

God never promised any of us that if we commit to Him there wouldn’t be any loss, pain or discomfort…but He did say there is rest and relief through Christ Jesus. In fact, Christ himself tells all of us in Matthew 11:28-30:

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

To me, this verse helps because I know I am NOT alone on days when I feel like those boys did above after losing that big tournament game. Can you imagine finding peace or just simple rest when you’ve had your worst day ever? And guys, the peace and rest I am referring to here isn’t like anything you have ever felt before…

And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7

Heavenly peace is WAY better and more effective than anything we have here on earth. Granted, the Bible tells us we have to seek Him…which means we have to DO something…we can’t just sit on our hands and expect Him to just fix our problems, otherwise how can we learn?

So my challenge to you today is simple. Teach your children how to overcome game losses and then translate that to your own life. Don’t let adversity or failure stop you from reaching the goals God has for you! If you get bucked off…get up, dust yourself off and get back on…

Do me one more favor, hold on tight, because it’s going to be a WILD RIDE!!

Until next time guys…

The Concept of Grace

Posted: May 5, 2012 in Devotional, Heaven Bound, Inspirational
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What is this concept of grace anyway? I have heard that word all my life but what does it really mean? Or maybe I should say, what should it mean to me?

I can remember saying “grace” before each meal or hearing my mother telling me to be gracious when someone did something nice for me. I always gave, and still do give gratuity when someones service pleases me like a waiter at a restaurant. Credit card companies will extend “grace periods” to their customers and the list goes on.

The acclaimed author Philip Yancey calls the word grace, “the last best word”, because he believes that grace is “still one grand theological word that has not been spoiled”…by a society that tends to weaken the meaning of words.

I agree with Yancey because when you hear the word “grace” even now, the core of its meaning hasn’t been spoiled or diluted. In other words, the true meaning is still intact. Grace shouts “I know you’re in trouble and I’m going to help you” something this world needs to hear desperately.

Yancey goes on to ask the question, “where can the world go to find grace?” and that is the cornerstone of this post because I believe that this starvation for grace exists inside every one of us but yet satisfying that hunger without Christ, is impossible.

Grace is a very simple word and simple in meaning. I looked it up in the dictionary and it said, “unmerited divine assistance given humans for their regeneration or sanctification”…which means, something God gives to us that is completely undeserved.

But you can also experience grace at the hands of a friend or even a stranger simply showing love or acceptance. Have you ever experienced an undeserved gift or maybe accepted by strangers you did not know? Maybe the grace gift that was provided gave you much-needed relief yet was completely unexpected…coming from nowhere….that is grace at the core…

I have been struck by this word grace recently and what it means because of so much ungrace or the opposite of grace that I see around me. As I mentioned before, the world is starving for grace and is there anyone left to provide it?

Christ provided the greatest example of grace for all of us but yet at the same time, showing grace does not come naturally. Face it, we tend to be selfish because selfishness is the example we see everyday.

So what are we to do with this information I am sharing with you? How does one go from ungrace to grace? I can tell you from my own personal experience that it starts with forgiveness…something also very difficult.

When you can truly forgive a friend or family member that has wronged you in some way, you are extending grace to that person. Obviously, that means some work on your part (and mine) with God because we tend to keep score on wrongs committed against us…If we think we have been wronged, the other person needs to make the first move…right?.

WRONG…

Grace means you take the first step by forgiving and then where the relationship goes from that point? Grace is acceptance, Grace is, I am there for you no matter what…

Let me put it to you another way. Do you realize that the road to heaven is absolutely…IMPOSSIBLE…without the grace extended to us by Jesus Christ? You, me nor any other famous person ever to live, can get to heaven without it.

One more time…we cannot get to heaven on our own despite what the world says…

God invented salvation and the grace we need to get to heaven so that he could have a relationship with you and me. He wants you to rely on Him…not on you…you need His grace to make it through the day and ultimately, on to heaven itself. But it does start with a daily dose of grace you receive but more importantly…given away to someone else.

Remember the words of Christ in Matthew 6:14:

For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.

Grace freely given and grace freely received…

Where can the world go to find grace?


Look in the mirror because it starts with you and me…

Until next time guys…

A Man after God’s own Heart

Posted: April 14, 2012 in Inspirational
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Having been a Christian pretty much my entire life, I’ve had the luxury of being saturated with Sunday school stories about all of the famous Bible characters. Without a doubt however, my favorite one would be David because in my opinion, other than Christ himself, there really isn’t anyone in the Bible like him. He was the Bible biggest success and the biggest failure in one lifetime. He accomplished more as a young man than most men accomplish in a ten lifetimes. The reality is, how many of you have ever killed a Lion? That’s what I thought…none of us have, but yet as a teenager David killed both a lion and a bear all while trying to protect his flock of sheep.


But the biggest reason David’s story appeals to me most was how God referred to him…He was a man after his own heart (Acts 13:22). I look at that as David’s heart looked like, or reflected what God’s heart looked like. I like that. I have to ask the question…would God say the same thing about you or me? Probably not…

So then how did David achieve that kind of status with the Creator of the Universe? I have explored this subject somewhat and wanted to share with you what I think separated David from everyone else…

1. David served God from his youth. We don’t know much about David’s early years but we do know what he said when speaking to King Saul on the verge of his epic and very short battle with Goliath. In  1 Samuel 17:34,37  David says  “The Lord that delivered me from the paw of the Lion and the paw of the Bear is the same God who will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine”. There was never any doubt in his mind that he would enter that battle alone…God was with him.


2. David diligently sought God’s Face and counsel in a childlike dependence. Probably more than any other attribute, this childlike dependence upon God made him unique in the list of Bible characters. David sought Gods direction in all that he did…and he was diligent about it. He wasn’t too busy or that he might forget a day or two. Each day and throughout the day, he sought God.   See these verses:  1 Samuel 23: 2,4, 30:8, 2 Sam. 2:1, 5:19, 23


3. He worshiped God with his whole being and he directed Israel to do the same. David led by example and he expected Israel to follow. If you continue to read the Old Testament, one finds that after David died, the lack of worship and focus on God was the failure of the many Kings that came after him. These Kings did not lead by example nor did they have a relationship with God as he did.  (1 Chronicles 15-16)


4. He humbly recognized that God was the real King of Israel and that he was only God’s representative. Having read the Bible through,  I have found myself frustrated more than once as to how God’s people behaved in circumstances even though they were watching miracles after miracles happen right in front of them. On the other hand, David was humble from his youth and maintained that humility until later when he failed miserably. (2 Sam. 5:2).


5. In David’s public conduct, he largely obeyed the Lord and carried out his will. For the most part, David carried out the will of God. As we all know, he messed up later in life but David was still an amazing man.  (Acts 13:22)

There are many other reasons why God loved David as he did but the overwhelming reasons are humility and dependence.

As mentioned above, David sought God’s will for himself and Israel everyday. He never let up and God loved that about him. Finally, as I have blogged about many times, maintaining a humility before our Creator. David feared God and that holy fear kept him from harm and sin throughout most of his life.

I find myself admiring David for his unwavering relationship with God. When I look at the daily mayhem of this world and all of the busy-ness we all work in…having a childlike dependence on a God that never fails…brings me peace. I can’t say I understand the “whys” of God’s ways or why He does what He does, but His consistency and His grace are never failing…So my challenge is to you…be the guy who God refers to as a Man after His own heart…

So everyday when you wake up don’t forget to bring your sling and a small smooth stone…Goliath is out there, and I want you to be prepared…


Until next time guys…

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