Is Good Enough, Good Enough to Get into Heaven?

Posted: January 28, 2024 in Heaven Bound
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Over the last year, I have found myself in conversations with different friends discussing Heaven and the different journeys we are taking to get there. What is clear to me is each of them has a very different viewpoint on how to get there and the direction we each are going is also very different. I think the most concerning takeaway I have gleaned from these conversations is the fact that many of them have a diluted idea of what God says in His word about this very topic. They believe strongly in the idea that being Good Enough, is good enough, to get to Heaven. 

You have probably heard this a thousand times but how could God send a good person to Hell?

If you live your life well, meaning you haven’t killed anyone or you haven’t wronged anyone, and although you are apart from Christ, why would living “that kind of life” sentence you to Hell?

Let’s begin this short blog by ensuring we are all on the same page with this one fact. You, me, Billy Graham, even Mother Teresa; there is absolutely no path available for any human being to earn their way into Heaven. With ALL of the amazing things that Mother Teresa did, literally saving thousands of children’s lives through her efforts…those actions were not good enough to get her into Heaven.

Billy Graham preached for over 50 years and I would say millions of people came to know Christ through his many years of ministry. Do you think that punched his ticket into eternity?

Think of it this way…No matter how amazing of a person you are on this Earth, there is NO version of a “better me” or a “better you” where we can achieve something that earns our gift of Heaven. All of us are born into this sinful, unclean world with no way of saving ourselves, and people who rely on “goodness only” as their life plan are going to be disappointed. Trust me.

Paul said, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” He also said, the wages of sin is death” Romans 3:23, Romans 6:23

The bottom line is, that is why Christ came. God knew we couldn’t do this on our own, so He sent Christ to pay the price we couldn’t pay. When we think that just being good enough is enough, there is an arrogance to that mindset which is the opposite of what is needed. God requires humility from us. We need Him, He doesn’t need us. But, He loves us and that is the difference.

If you hear just one thing from me today, please hear this, our human version of “good enough” is NOT good enough. Being just a good person is NOT good enough.

You and I need rescuing from this world but we can’t simply go along in life thinking good enough is good enough, because it isn’t. 

You are probably NOT hearing this from many people but please hear me today-

The key is, recognizing that you can’t get to Heaven on your own and that you need to receive forgiveness from Christ first…if you do, it will help ensure your stay at God’s Heavenly Hilton…and your own eternal life. I know these are hard words, but please know they are the truth.

Until next time Guys-

Boy, Do We Need Grace…

Posted: January 15, 2024 in Devotional
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I have heard that word my entire life but what does it really mean? Or maybe I should say, what should it mean to you and me? I remember saying “Grace” before each meal growing up and I always give gratuity when someones service goes above and beyond what is expected…which is also Grace. 

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”, the core of its meaning hasn’t been spoiled. Grace still shouts “I’m going to help you!” which is something all of us need to hear. Yancey goes on to ask the question, “Where can the world go to find Grace?” and that is the cornerstone of this post.

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

But you can also experience Grace from a friend or even a stranger through kindness or acceptance. Have you ever experienced an undeserved gift from a stranger? Maybe the Grace gift that was provided gave you some needed relief yet was completely unexpected…

That is what Grace is at the core…

Recently, I found myself thinking about Grace because there is so much “ungrace” or the opposite of Grace that I see in this world. We like to bully each other especially online. We are a “no mercy” society and when you look around, giving Grace seems to be the last thing on the list.

Christ provided the greatest example of Grace for all of us by sacrificing Himself for all of us but yet showing Grace to each other STILL does not come naturally.


So what do we do with this information? How do you move from ungrace to grace? I can tell you from personal experience that the first step is forgiveness…something also very difficult. 

When you can forgive a friend or family member that has wronged you, you are extending Grace to that person. Obviously, that means some work on our part with God because we do 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…Extending Grace means you take the first step by forgiving. Grace is acceptance, Grace means, I forgive you, and I am there for you…

Let me put it to you another way. Do you realize that achieving heaven is IMPOSSIBLE without the Grace extended to us through Jesus Christ? That means you, me, or any other famous person ever to live, cannot get to heaven without Gods Grace. 

That means you must rely on Him…and not on yourself…you need His Grace to make it through each day and ultimately, to Heaven. But that begins each day with a dose of Grace from Christ and Grace that you give to other people who need it too. 

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…

So I again ask the question Philip Yancey asked, “Where can the world go to find Grace?”

Look in the mirror…It starts with you and me…

Until next time guys…

Yancey, Philip. (1997) What’s So Amazing About Grace, Grand Rapids, Michigan, Zondervan

Friendship with this World

Posted: January 6, 2024 in Heaven Bound
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Do you think it is possible for a Christian Man or Woman to “ride the fence” so to speak with their relationship to this world and then with God? Can we do what we want Monday through Saturday and then make it all up to God on Sunday? I don’t know about you, but I have a work friend that does exactly that. He knows how I feel about what he is doing and so now he just avoids me.

So I thought about this issue recently on my way home from work and I realized that all I can do for this person is to NOT judge him, but rather just be there and be me. What I mean is, to show him that I can live in this world by creating boundaries for myself that I choose not to cross. As far as our friendship goes, I can and I WILL continue to be his friend but I just don’t approve of his choices.

My dad used to tell me right before a spanking, “I love you, son, I just don’t love what you did”…and that is where I am now with my friend.

Because of this situation, however, I went back and looked at what Scripture says about a Christian’s relationship with the world, and what I found was God has a lot to say on this subject. In fact, scripture is crystal clear on how we are to cohabitate while we are here on this earth.

Without preaching to anyone, here is how God feels about our relationship with this world. Again…He does not mince words and He starts with this statement below-

Friendship with the World is hatred toward God

Secondly, James had some very strong words for his audience when he spoke these scriptures below about their friendship with this world.

You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity (hostile) with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. 

Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, “He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us”?  But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” 

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.    James 4:4-8

I get it. This is STRONG scripture but I think the important points to recognize are:

  1. If we are focused on anything ELSE other than Him. 
  2. If we are spending time on something that is a distraction from our relationship with Him.
  3. If we choose to not attend church to enjoy an activity outside regularly

Guys, the list goes on and on. But the reality is that if you find yourself compromising your walk or your relationship, then these scriptures, HOPEFULLY, can help bring you back to center so you can prioritize what is really important for your eternal future.

You, me, we have to separate ourselves from this world…just like scripture says

Jesus said it this way, “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”  Matthew 6:24

My intent in writing this to you today is simply a reminder that because life does indeed go on, it is VERY easy to lose focus and compromise your faith. And the reality for us is that just because we are not focused on our walk with Him…HE STILL IS… and compromise is the first step towards a fall.

I care about you guys and want each of you to experience eternal life with Christ. Let me end with what the Apostle John says-

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever. 

1 John 2:15-17

Please stay strong-

Until next time Guys-

The Temptation of Jesus

Posted: January 2, 2024 in Inspirational
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Before Christ began His 3-year ministry on earth, he was led by the Holy Spirit out into the Desert where He was subjected to temptation from Satan. This lasted 40 days and during that time,  Jesus did not eat. 

I don’t know about you, but I am confident I would not last even a few days without sustenance before pure weakness set in… but Jesus did it. I want to remind you that at this point, He was just like any other man, which means His body would have started to break down due to a lack of nourishment just like yours and mine would.

Compounding that fact, was that He was being subjected to temptation from Satan, who was and is, the Prince of this World, which made this entire ordeal even more difficult. But, let me be clear, this encounter was not by accident. Christ did not go to the desert to hide but rather He was led to this confrontation by God. Why?, Because as Erwin Lutzer states in his book, God’s Devil, “God wanted to prove that Christ would win in the very arena of temptation where Adam failed”.

In case this fact slipped your mind, Jesus already knew Satan. How? Because He created him. Lucifer, as was his name, was one of the highest-ranking angels ever. He led worship in Heaven and had a direct connection with God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit. However, evil was found to be in his heart so God cast him out of Heaven along with one-third of the angels he had corrupted. 

Today, I wanted to take a couple of minutes to add some color to these “temptation” events and try and bring the supernatural perspective that the Bible only tells us in 2D. What Satan presented to Christ would have been truly amazing and frankly would have blown you and me away.

Temptation #1

And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” Matt 4:3

First of all, Christ could have turned the stones into bread in a second. In fact, He basically did the same miracle just a few weeks later when He fed the 5,000 but, we know Satan does not play fair. As Lutzer states, “The essence of this temptation was to show the needs of the body are more important than the needs of the soul.” This was low-hanging fruit and he knew Jesus was hungry, famished, and even starving. But Christ saw through his plan and would not give Satan the disobedience he wanted.

Temptation #2

The devil led him to Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down from here. For it is written: “‘He will command his angels concerning you to guard you carefully; they will lift you up in their hands so that you will not strike your foot against a stone”. Matt 4:6

This temptation is far more sinister because if Christ quotes scripture, then so does Satan. Lucifer knows the scripture better than you and I. But think about this, Satan quotes scripture to entice Christ into sinning. He literally tried to hamstring Christ by using scripture against Him.

Next, consider this; Satan somehow takes or carries Christ to the apex of the temple in Jerusalem…using his demon power. We know that Christ would NOT have allowed him to do this without His consent. 

Thirdly, do not be misdirected here. Satan was deliberately trying to misuse God’s word just as he will do with you. Are you ready for when you hear the word of God used in the wrong way? Can you discern the difference? Remember when I mentioned this temptation is the most sinister by far?

Finally, Christ simply responded, “DO NOT put your Lord God to the test”. Christ did not fall into the trap that Satan set. He wanted Christ to choose sin even while pointing to a verse and Christ would not.

Let me remind you of Martin Luther’s words from many years ago when he said, “The devil is God’s devil. We have forgotten that only when we know who God is can we know who the devil is. Blessed are those who are convinced that the prince of this world has become a slave to the Prince of Peace.“

Temptation #3

The devil led him up to a high mountain and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And he said to him, “I will give you all their authority and splendor; it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. If you worship me, it will all be yours.” Matt 4:8-9

Again, Christ is taken or carried up to a very high mountain on earth using the demon power of Satan. In an instant, He is shown all of the Kingdoms of the world. Think about that for a second. Christ witnessed Rome in all of its splendor or Ancient Greece or Egypt with the Pyramids. Consider the amazing supernatural experience of ALL these kingdoms displayed to Him at the same time.

Now, I realize that these are earthly kingdoms and NOT Heavenly ones but the sheer power of this should not escape you. Why did Satan do this? It was his last act of power with Christ. He was providing Christ a “shortcut to the kingdom”. He was offering all the authority of the world if He, Jesus Christ, would bow down and worship him.

As we know, Christ did not deviate from the will of God and told Satan to go pound sand. Sorry, that was my paraphrasing. He told him that “you shall worship the Lord your God and him only you shall serve”.

This Case is Closed…

What is the point of writing and sharing this post today? You and I can follow the very same example that Christ set for us by refuting and resisting the enemy using God’s word. Frankly, that is exactly what God wants us to do with it but with one caveat…you must know God’s word well enough to discern when it isn’t… 

That is my challenge to you today-

Until next time Guys-

Lutzer, Erwin. (2015) God’s Devil, Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers.

Where is your Heart Committed?

Posted: December 29, 2023 in Something to think about
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Well, we find ourselves again on the doorstep of another New Year…only this time 2024. If you are like me, you are wondering, where did this year go? When I was a younger man, I never could grasp old folks telling me that as you age, time accelerates…now I get that.

I found myself at the end of this year reading in the Old Testament, specifically the books of 1&2 Kings and 1&2 Chronicles, which were stories about David, his son Solomon, and all of the Kings that came after. Honestly, what the Bible shares about these people is either good, bad, or ugly. Frankly, I wonder how God had the patience to deal with so much failure due to rampant idolatry amongst his people. There is one thing that stood out to me which is why I decided to finish Ironman-Strength 2023 writing a blog today rolling into 2024. Here is just a short story for you to think about.

I want to introduce you to a guy by the name of Asa. Asa was one of the many Kings of Judah who reigned starting in 910 BC and his throne lasted close to 40 years. Like many of these Kings, Asa started off going down the right road. The Bible tells us that “Asa did what was good and right in the eyes of God” 2 Chronicles 14:2. He went about destroying all of the idols that were in his kingdom with the intent of turning the people back towards the Lord. 

The Bible also tells us that Asa did a good job and because of his relationship with Him, God blessed him and his people.

Unfortunately, as Asa grew old, he changed his focus. He decided that he could run his own life without God’s help. Worse yet, Asa went in the opposite direction and gave himself over to Satan ultimately turning into a brutal oppressor of his people. Asa learned through his transition from good to bad that “the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him.” 2 Chronicles 16:9. Asa’s choices caused devastation to himself and God’s people.

All God asked Asa to do was to make a choice and then stick with it. Serving God your entire life, through the good and the difficult times is tough. When you can’t see Christ or worse yet, you can’t feel Him, your first thought is you are alone. In Asa’s case, he listened to Satan. I want to remind you that even now Satan is in a wrestling match with God over YOUR life. God seeks to refine you as you navigate painful situations whereas Satan’s sole intent for you is destruction. If you choose the enemy, your condition might improve for a time, but in the end, with Satan as your pilot, death is coming.

Guys, I hope you don’t find me harsh to end this year with a strong message like this one but I speak the truth and it is critical to hear because, in my mind, it is all about where you plan to spend eternity.

God distinguishes between those of us whose hearts are completely HIS and those whose hearts are divided between HIM and this world. Where is your heart committed?

Until Next Time Guys – Happy New Year-

Holy Spirit 102

Posted: August 20, 2023 in Knowledge
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Recently, I posted a blog about the Holy Spirit that I found interesting. To summarize, there is a great deal of Creation that would NOT be around had it not been for the Holy Spirit on this earth, including you and me. Secondly, the Holy Spirit thinks, feels, and He even wills things, meaning He determines the best course in a situation…My recommendation is to find that post, Holy Spirit 101, and read it for yourselves.

Also, before I get too far, I wanted to share that there is a HUGE amount of material about how the Holy Spirit was active during the Old Testament, so…, if I can get my act together and get that organized, I will work to post that portion also.

Today, I have some more meat for you, meaning, some fundamental details about what the Holy Spirit is doing right now that I think you will find very relevant to you and your family. The Holy Spirit doesn’t just float around in ether all day, He is actively working on God’s plan for earth, which translated, means God’s plan for you and me. 

Finally, I have elected to provide this information to you in outline format with scripture references and some commentary to make it easier for you to consume.

So back to the question, What is the Holy Spirit doing right now?

He is the Envoy of Salvation

  1. He convicts us of guilt – John 16:7-8
  2. He reveals the truth to you and me about Jesus Christ – John 14:16, 26
  3. He gives us new birth. John 3:3-6 – Please note, this is a fundamental element about Christ saving us. Christ refers to this as being reborn or born again. This is the Holy Spirit at work in us.
  4. He incorporates you and me into the body of Christ – 1 Cor 12:13

When we accept Christ into our hearts at our conversion, we receive the Holy Spirit – John 3:3-6, John 20:22. When this happens, you and I become participants in the Divine Nature of Christ – 2 Peter 1:4

This last point is HUGE because when we are part of His Divine Nature, we can escape the corruption in this world that is caused by evil desires.

Guys, this is not rocket science, we need help navigating all of the garbage that the enemy is or will throw at us while we are in this world. I have written a great deal about this in previous blogs. TRUTH STATEMENT: the Holy Spirit is what helps you and who guides you when all of the bad stuff happens. Please remember: YOU ARE NOT ALONE.

He is the Envoy of Sanctification

Please don’t stop reading at this point. I know that “Sanctification” is a $50 theological word that most people don’t understand but it is very simple. It means you are set apart, you have been made different, you are purified – Romans 8:9, 1 Cor 6:19

Because He lives in us, look at what He does:

  1. He cleanses us and motivates us toward living a Holy life
  2. He constantly delivers you and me from the bondage of sin – Romans 8:2-4, Galatians 5:16-7, 2 Thes 2:13. And believe me, we need to be delivered from those shackles.
  3. He reminds us that we are children of God – Romans 8:16
  4. He helps us worship God and helps with our prayer life – Acts 10:46
  5. He intercedes when we cry out to God –  Romans 8:26-27

This list is far longer and more comprehensive to provide and I don’t want to lose you from reading on.

He is the Envoy of Service

  1. He empowers us to service and to be His witnesses. The actual work of the Holy Spirit is related to the Baptism in the Spirit or also the fullness of the Spirit. When we are baptized, we recipe power to carry the message of Christ forward – Acts 1:8

Again, there is a HUGE amount of material about the Baptism in the Holy Spirit that if you have any interest, I highly encourage you to investigate further or leave me a note and I can send it to you.

He is the Envoy who incorporates all of us (believers) into the body of Christ, together – 1 Cor 12:13

The Church is the cornerstone of the ministry of Christ on Earth and the Holy Spirit moving is at the center of this.

  1. He lives inside the Church – 1 Cor 3:16
  2. He actively builds the Church – Ephesians 2:22
  3. He actively inspires the worship of the Church – Philippians 3:3
  4. He actively directs the mission of the Church – Acts 13:2,4
  5. He actively appoints the workers in the Church – Acts 20:28
  6. He actively appoints the Pastors for the Church – Acts 2:4, 1 Cor 2:4

I think it can be very fair to say that without the moving of the Holy Spirit in a church, the church is dead. I realize those are very strong words to use about a church but I believe they are spoken in truth. It is required by you and me to seek a church where the Spirit is active and alive in the ministry so we can be fed each week. 

The hard part about writing a blog on this topic is the fact that I have to leave out so much information just so the blog doesn’t become a book. That is where I rely on you, the reader, to take the next step of at least, looking up the scripture references simply because the Bible clearly states HIS Word will NOT return void.

Drop me a line in the comments section-

Until next time Guys…

Holy Spirit 101

Posted: August 13, 2023 in Something to think about
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Have you ever struggled to really understand a topic? I mean you work hard desperately trying to comprehend the facts, but they just seem to elude you. And then suddenly one day, the light just seems to come on and the pieces fall together. Does this sound familiar to you?

I had this same feeling when it came to the topic of the Holy Spirit. In my mind, I grasped the concept of the Trinity, meaning, how scripture reveals it as God revealed as one essence existing in 3 distinct persons who share a common divine nature. They possess a perfect unity of one nature and essence. 

Scripture goes on to say that, of the persons in the Godhead, none is God without the others, and each, with the others, is God.

OK…Whew!

Fortunately, this post is not about the Trinity because even though I understand the words above in meaning, to truly grasp how that can happen is why God is God and we are not. I do look forward to the day when I can ask Christ himself about the Trinity and also see it for myself.

So today, I wanted to share with you some interesting things I learned about the Holy Spirit which I think can help all of us. To be honest, I think it is essential that believers recognize the importance of the Holy Spirit and the function He plays in God’s redemptive or saving purpose. I really did not understand the role He plays in the Trinity or for that matter, what he does for you and me

So let me start with a question, what difference do you think would it make if there was no Holy Spirit in this world? 

Let me help answer that.

  1. There would be no Creation
  2. There would be no Universe
  3. There would be no Human race – Genesis 1:2, Job 33:4
  4. There would be no Bible – 2 Peter 1:21
  5. There would be no New Testament – John 14:26, John 15:26-27, 1 Cor.2:10-14
  6. There would be no power to proclaim the Gospel – Acts 1:8
  7. There would be no Faith
  8. There would be no New Birth, or being born again
  9. There would be no Holiness
  10. Finally, there would be no Christians anywhere in the world

This is a staggering list and my guess is, you really never thought about this have you? Me neither, but when I investigated scripture, I realized He (the Holy Spirit) was present in all of the activities I mentioned above. Moreover, He is always working in a complementary and not contradictory manner towards the efforts of God. He is perfectly efficient.

Throughout scripture, the Holy Spirit is revealed as a person with an individuality all His own (2 Corin. 3:17-18). He is a divine person just like God and Christ so we can’t just think of him as merely an influence or just power. 

Additionally, He has personal characteristics like the examples I listed below:

He thinks:

And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. Rom 8:27

He feels:

I urge you, brothers and sisters, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me.  Rom 15:30

He wills:

All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.  1Co 12:11

His main job is to help you and me. Period. He was sent into this world to bring believers into the intimate presence and fellowship of Christ and most of the time, we forget He is there ready, willing, and capable of helping pull us out of the mud or wherever we happen to be stuck.

I encourage you guys that when you pray, ask for the presence of His Spirit in your daily lives. Think of Him as a person that is just there to help you. Jesus did the exact same thing when Satan tempted him. He relied on the strength of the Holy Spirit to help him get through that. You can do the same-

I have a few more notes on this topic that I will get organized and try to get you another post about this topic. Hopefully, you found this as interesting as I have.

Until next time guys-

Throwing Some Jars Over the Fence

Posted: June 29, 2023 in Father
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A belated Father’s Day story-

When I was 9 years old, my family lived in Phoenix, Arizona in a big house with an even bigger backyard. The size of this yard was a 9-year-old dream but for some reason, the garbage barrels were located at the extreme end of our property and a long way from the house. I mean like, in another zip code. 

And so we begin our story because, on this particular day, I was in the wrong place at the wrong time. I happened to wander into our kitchen when my mother decided to ask me to throw away many, many, many, many paper bags…completely full to the brim of glass jars. There were jelly jars, peanut butter jars, and pickle jars, In fact, I think any jar she had ever owned, ever, she wanted me to dispose of on that day. 

As I think about this now, she may have well just told me to traverse the Sahara Desert without water. That actually might have been easier.

Nevertheless, I remember thinking this task would take me all day because of the distance and the brutal heat in Arizona. I think it was close to 150 degrees that day.

But then I had an idea…like 9-year-old boys do…I would make it fun. So I proceeded to take care of this task in my usual manner and turned this massive project into a game…with a little ingenuity of course. As I schlepped each bag the many miles to the back of the yard I began to hatch my idea of slinging all those jars over the fence and into the garbage cans on the other side. I wanted to hear that sound of breaking glass and I thought this might be the greatest game of jar basketball ever played.

But then something went terribly wrong. You see unbeknownst to me, just as I completed my last shot in the general direction of where I thought the garbage cans were, I saw my mother moving towards me at what I call her “mall” pace; Which was the pace she used in the mall which was crazy fast as I could never keep up with her…but I digress.

She must have seen me throw the last few jars from the house window and then start moving towards me. For one brief second, I experienced a moment of relief as she blazed by me but that was very short-lived because she opened the yard gate and gazed at what was on the other side. 

You can imagine my surprise when I discovered that I actually didn’t land any of the jars into the garbage barrels as I thought. Rather ALL of them ended up in the city street in a long pile, 6 inches high with a peak of broken glass right about dead center…Yep…dead center in the street. Cars could not get past this mess. In fact, I remember cars flipping U-turns and heading the other way it was so bad. 

My mom slowly turned her gaze on me. Her eyes peered deeply into my soul and all she said was one phrase, “Wait until your father gets home.”

Now, you are probably wondering why that simple phrase would strike true anxiety in me? Because I had the Fear of Dad…real bad, and not because he beat me all the time; No, because he was Dad and he had the power to beat me all the time, or at least that is what I thought because that is what 9-year-old boys think.

At that moment though, my mom and I shifted into hyperdrive and we spent the next 2 hours cleaning up the mess I made. After that, I got to spend the rest of the afternoon in my room, thinking about what was going to happen and how bad it would hurt. 

I remember hearing my Dad drive up and park. Then I heard the car door open and close. Then I heard the whispers coming from the kitchen…and then my door opened. 

You need to understand that my father was NOT a tyrant when I was a kid. He wasn’t the kind of Dad who yelled when he was angry. He was never violent but yet there was never any doubt when my brother and I crossed the line. Unfortunately, this particular incident appeared to be one of those times. 

He came into my room and he sat down on my bed and asked me why would I do such a thing. I remember thinking, why did I toss 48 jelly jars over the fence? I forgot to mention there were 48. I thought it was such a great idea at the time. He listened quietly not showing much emotion but when I was finished, he said that I would have to be punished with the belt…

AAAAhhh, no…not the belt! 

And then he stood up, pulled off his belt, and told me to assume the position…I don’t have to tell you what happened next. 

When he left the room, I was mad and in pain. To a 9-year-old kid, I thought the punishment was too severe for throwing jelly jars…

But a little while later my Father returned to my room and sat down. He told me that if he didn’t punish me it was like telling me that being disobedient was ok and he couldn’t do that and call himself a parent. He told me that punishing either one of his sons hurt him just as much as it hurt us…which at the time, I found that hard to believe. BUT…I certainly get that now.

He said I would understand someday how this punishment was really saying that he loved me…and I knew he loved me because he told me so. You see, I feared my father’s belt, yet I knew he loved me. 

All these years later, I do understand and realize that the fear I experienced was what helped me to stay in line and maintain obedience to both him and my mother…

So really…I guess the verse, “Spare the rod, spoil the child” really did work in my case-

Happy belated Father’s Day-

Until next time guys-

Breakfast for Dinner

Posted: June 27, 2023 in Inspirational
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I came across this simple story recently and couldn’t help but think how this could apply to all of us men out there… we all can agree…sometimes life doesn’t go the way we want it to but our reaction can be the key to how the ones we care about think about us… 

I have no idea who wrote this and would love to give the credit to who did but we can all still enjoy it just the same…

And so the story goes…

When I was a kid, my Mom liked to make “breakfast for dinner” every now and then and we were ok with that for us. I remember one night in particular though when she had made breakfast after a long, hard day at work. On that evening so long ago, my Mom placed a plate of eggs, sausage, and extremely burned biscuits in front of my Dad and I remember waiting to see if anyone would notice.

Instead of reacting, my Dad simply reached for his biscuit, smile at my Mom and ask me how my day was at school. I don’t remember what I told him that night, but I do remember watching him smear butter and jelly on that ugly burned biscuit and he ate every bit of that thing…never making a face or uttering a word. 

When I got up from the table that evening, I remember hearing my Mom apologize to my Father for burning the biscuits. And I’ll never forget what he said, “Honey, I love burned biscuits every now and then.” 
 
Later that night, I went to hug my Dad good night and I asked him if he really liked his biscuits burned. I remember him wrapping me in his arms and saying, “Your Mom put in a hard day at work today and she’s very tired, and besides…a little burned biscuit never hurt anyone”…

As I’ve grown older, I’ve often thought about that night because I have found that life is full of imperfect things and imperfect people. I’m not the best at many things; I forget birthdays and anniversaries just like everyone else but what I’ve learned over the years is that learning to accept one another’s faults and choosing to celebrate each other’s differences is one of the most important keys to creating a healthy, growing, and long-lasting relationship…or family. 

 That is my prayer for you today…that you will learn to look at life differently by taking the good, the bad, and the ugly parts of your life and laying them at the feet of God. Because frankly, in the end, Jesus is the only one who can give you a relationship where a burnt biscuit isn’t a deal-breaker…

“Don’t put the key to your happiness in someone else’s pocket – keep it in your own.”

So, please pass me a biscuit, and yeah, the burned one will be just fine.

Until next time guys…

My Sheep know My Voice

Posted: June 11, 2023 in Heaven Bound
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I heard a story this past weekend of a Palestinian woman who had recently lost her husband in a conflict. And it was during that conflict, that she also lost her family’s small flock of 25 sheep. Moreover, as it turned out, many of the local sheep farmers also lost their flocks during the same conflict, and eventually, all of the lost sheep were rounded up by the Israeli soldiers into one big herd and kept in a single holding area in the region. At this holding area, the Palestinian woman pleaded with the Israeli guard standing at his post at the gate of the sheep pen. She explained that she could easily separate her sheep from the others without any effort from the soldier. After a while, he was tired of listening to her so he relented and allowed her to enter the pen with her son.

After they entered, the boy lifted a small flute to his lips and played 5 notes very loudly. Immediately, some of the sheep, out of the hundreds, lifted their heads and peered in their direction. The boy played the notes again and sheep began to move in his direction and in less than 5 minutes, the woman, her son, and 25 sheep marched off down the road towards home.

Sheep are followers by nature and learn to listen to the voice of their shepherd and in this case, the sound of a flute. No matter who tries to call them, they will only come when they hear the shepherd’s voice. Jesus said it this way, “ they (sheep) will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice”. John 10:5

So why is it essential for you and me to know about sheep? Because you and I, literally every day, are being hammered by what everyone out there is calling “truth”…or their version of the truth. News media, friends, the internet, social media, and even pastors or Church leadership. Everything and everyone is overwhelming you with so MUCH information and all is being presented as TRUTH. 

With so many voices coming at you simultaneously…How do you separate all the “words” into what you should believe versus what you shouldn’t? Honestly, it isn’t easy. It takes real discernment to understand the right voice that is calling you. Not to your death, but to life, and guys I am not being melodramatic. This is the fight of our lives because it is a fight for our lives.

We MUST be able to separate the right words from the wrong ones not just for you, but for your family as well. Remember Christ’s words to the Pharisees, “I am the Good Shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me…” John 10:14. If you are connected with Him, and have a relationship with Him, you WILL be able to discern through the mayhem and hear the words He is speaking to you. This does require a relationship with Him which means time spent reading and praying…and you can do this-

Here is the REAL truth. The reason there are alternative options to Christ’s message is that the enemy also has a message for you. It is very simple; Follow me for your pleasure and you’ll have the time of your life.

My message back to you; Don’t listen to him. EVERYTHING he offers you is temporary and will lead you to a place that trust me… you don’t want to go.

Instead, listen to the voice of our Shepherd with the message of Good News-

Until next time guys-

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