Posts Tagged ‘God’

It takes Real guts to say No

Posted: May 26, 2025 in Inspirational
Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,
0

Have you ever heard the expression “if you give them an inch they will take a mile”? I am sure you have and it happens to be the phrase that illustrates what I wanted to talk about today. 

You see, the very expression “give an inch” implies from the outset that you gave in or you gave up something. But, in actuality, what you did was compromise. 

Now, don’t get me wrong. Compromise in a relationship is critical for it to last but remember, we don’t agree with our spouse or even our friends all the time. I am sure you have even “agreed to disagree” and maintained the relationship from there. I think that good debate is healthy and promotes independent thinking which is one of the keys to long lasting friendships. 

However, its that compromise in important areas of our lives that I am focusing on today.

I remember reading a book a few years ago by Dr. David Jeremiah called, The Handwriting on the Wall which talked about Daniel, who, while being held captive in Babylon for 70 years, never compromised his faith in God no matter what his circumstances ended up to being and this included facing sure death in the lions den.

His consistency was astounding and a model for all of us to follow. However, Dr. Jeremiah made a point that I wanted to illustrate to you which was simply that it takes guts…real guts, to say no to a terrible situation, even with God on your side. 

Daniel was resolute in his faith while in Babylon. For you and I, no matter where we are in life, we do not “have to bend the rules to be blessed of God. Our success is NOT dependent upon our compromise”. Our job is to trust and believe that He will take care of us because he has told us so.

From the very beginning in the Bible, we see compromises with very poor results:

Adam: he fell right in line with Eve’s sin by compromising and eating the forbidden fruit. 

Sarah :(Abrahams wife) her lack of faith in God caused her to compromise and send her husband Abraham to Hagar, her servant, who then gave birth to Ishmael. Life in the Middle East will never be the same.

Do you remember Esau who compromised his birthright because he was hungry?

King David: he was the man after Gods own heart, BUT, he compromised Gods morality by sleeping with Bathsheba and then killing her husband Uriah. 

The list goes on and on with Solomon, Judas and Ahaz who all compromised something significant in their lives and it cost them. 

Guys, think about this…all they would have had to do was to say NO…and then take a stand on faith and on what God promised them. After that, God is in charge of the situation.

I want to finish this post with a story Dr. Jeremiah shared in his book about a verbal exchange in a high school class between some students and a professor who was an athiest.

The professor stood at the lectern and began his lecture by saying, “will all of you who believe the myths of the Bible please stand.” Several stood.

Then he added, “now this semester I am going to free you from this religious Bible nonsense. I have read the Bible, and it is certainly written by a bunch of mixed up men.”

One young Daniel stood up and said, “Sir, the Bible is God’s letter to Christians, and if you are confused it’s because you are reading someone else’s mail.”

Guys, I pray that all of us can stand firm in our faith and NOT compromise in the face any adversity against you. You already know this, but adversity will continue to come. That is the way life goes.

I can also tell you with certainty that you are going to be in circumstances where you will be asked to “give an inch”. And after this blog, now you know why an inch matters. As Christians, it’s the difference between a life spent with God in Eternity or the alternative…

It is that simple and you get to make the choice…

My advice to you, be like Daniel…don’t compromise…

Until next time Guys… 

Jeremiah, David. 2020. The Handwriting on the Wall: Secrets from the Prohecies of Daniel. Thomas Nelson Publishers.

Letter to my Second Son, the College Graduate

Posted: May 10, 2025 in Father
Tags: , , , , , , ,
0

I have said since the day you were born that you were a blessing from God. No one would have predicted what the future had in store for our family with the tragic loss of your sister. But to be honest, without you to keep our family active with regular day-to-day life duties, we might have fallen off the cliff into untold grief. Only God knows… 

So…even though I have to mention her loss because it happened; today this post is all about you…and everything began with your birth on August 27th, 2002, and now, fast forwarding to the present, a Grand Canyon University college graduate. 

But before I can celebrate the present, I have to go back to the past and talk about how you got here son. Besides the reason above, how did you make it from then (22 + years) to today, walking across that podium and accepting that Criminal Justice Degree? Well let’s talk about that- 

It started with you being born into the amazing family you have. Your sister was so excited about your upcoming birth that she literally interrupted my big birth announcement to the whole family and told me I was taking too long to tell everyone. From before day one, she was ready to have you around and be your big sister. Oh, and by the way, your older brother was pretty excited to have you show up too.

You grew up with your days filled with piano lessons, grandmas, and baseball…and not necessarily in that order. Both of your grandmas kept you very busy when you were young. One of them helped you learn over 100 Bible verses and the other one drove you all over town looking for squishies? I think that’s what you called them. But back to piano and baseball. The thing is, you were very good at both, and soon they competed for your time and much to your grandmother’s chagrin, you chose baseball. And that turned out to be a good choice with everything you accomplished by the age of 13.

You played so well that you earned a roster spot on the Little League All Star team your 10, 11, and 12 year old seasons. Those same 3 years your team also won the District tournament which was hard to do. The day I knew baseball was your sport was when your team played a tune-up game against the vaunted Encinitas Reds, a local travel ball team that was stacked with talent. They had a young man pitching that was 12 years old, 6 feet tall and could throw the equivalent of 80 mph because of the short pitching distance. I will never forget when you launched his fastball completely out of the park into the neighborhood behind. EVERYONE turned around and looked at me screaming out of their minds at what you did. I am pretty sure you were just as shocked as everyone that you hit such a bomb.

I am not sure you knew this, but your mom and I worked hard to keep you in Christian schools. In fact, you went to the same school your entire life; Pre-K through high school, which helped build loyalty as well as create long-time friendships like what you have with Caleb. It is beyond crazy to me that you are college dorm roommates but met in a pre-K class. Being friends for that long is difficult because as you get older, your interests change, and the people you enjoy also change. But you are both still friends even through 4 years of living together in college. I find that very impressive.

What I have always enjoyed watching you do is find something you want to try and then you attack it with a ferocity. No one likes to lose but especially you and if you can avoid that through preparation, you do. Take Football as an example. You decided you wanted to play in 8th grade and you stuck with it through your senior year. You learned new positions and then completely changed your body shape to play them.

Finally, and I love this, you shared what you learned with your teammates. Before each huddle broke, you made sure each person knew who they had to block which made all the difference. Your team was amazing. In your senior year, in your division, your team won the equivalent of a state title in that pandemic shortened season…AND…No one can take away from you.

But life goes on and then High School was over and you pressed on to College where out of the many choices you had, you chose GCU in Phoenix, AZ. And, as I previously mentioned you and Caleb have been able to be room mates these last few years together. And to all of our excitement, you succeeded…you graduated.

I am sure I don’t have to remind you but over the last 4 years you have dealt with and persevered through all kinds of problems; girl problems, priority issues, homework, late nights, early mornings, super late nights, roommates, crazy roommates, loneliness, grief, exhaustion, money problems, parents, 6-hour trips home, loyalty, laundry, cooking, cleaning, deadlines, fear, relationships, and the list goes on…all of this while maintaining your integrity. 

For all of these reasons and more, I tell you son that as your father, I could not be any prouder of you than I am right now. Did you make mistakes? Yep, and we all do (and continue to do) but yet you kept, and keep on, getting up and forging ahead. 

Adversity will come in your life. You have faced some of it already and will continue to face it because that is the way life happens. The question is, how will you face it? Will you cower and hide hoping that whatever it is, will blow over? Or will you stand up and look it straight in the eye and say, “God, you and I got this!” Because that is how God expects you to react. You have a calming personality and that will help you greatly when adversity comes your way…you can remain cool under pressure.

Now you get to take this degree you earned to move on to the next stage of your life. I know that you know your career choice is one that can put you in danger…but that is what you and God decided what you should pursue. Each and every day, I encourage you to begin by turning that day over to Christ and rest in the fact that He will protect you.

So here is my advice to achieve a satisfying life…

No matter what LIFE throws in your path; No matter what pain you may have to bear; No matter what suffering you may endure; or even hardships. OR maybe the opposite; No matter what successes you may enjoy; No matter what happiness you may be blessed with; 

NEVER EVER take your focus off of Jesus Christ. 

For you to endure anything in your future son, good or bad, you must trust and have faith in Him even if your mind says maybe to do something else. As I learned dealing with the death of your sister, sometimes we are not meant to understand the “why” part. 

Our job is to trust and rely on Him completely…your job, as the future head of your home, is to trust Him completely as well…

22+ years ago, God blessed me with a second son and he grew up to be you. And you? Well, you became an amazing blessing to our entire family and I firmly believe with all my heart that God has a strong and solid plan for your life. You are going to do GREAT things.

Your job is to take that first step, just like you have always done…

I Love You Son and I am truly blessed God chose me to be your Father…

Your Dad

Why Can’t LIFE be Easy?

Posted: April 27, 2025 in Inspirational
Tags: , , , , , , ,
1

I wrote a blog post a few years ago called Why can’t life be easy? because it kind of fit where I was at that point. What I found interesting today is after reading it again, it seems to apply all over again, not just to me, but to all of us. 

None of us understand the ebb and flow of life and why things change the way they do; both personally and professionally. I found the worst part is how those changes affect us.  These waves roll in and they roll out with some just being a minor annoyance while others will knock us off our feet. 

I wrote this post just to serve as a milemarker along your journey of life to remind you NOT to give up. Stay your course and be strong for the people that need you. I hope you enjoy the new and improved version of Why can’t life be easy…

Have you ever wondered why God allows or even requires our Christian walk to be filled with pain, problems, unhappiness, and sometimes even misery? Because I have… 

Why does God put so much emphasis in scripture on our persevering, or striving for the prize and winning the race as Paul writes in Philippians? 

I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.  Philippians 3:14

I believe that all the lessons and experiences we learn through lifes challenges; like those “Iron Sharpens Iron” moments like we read in Proverbs 27:17 have a purpose. I am referring to the the falling down and getting back up opportunities, but most importantly, trudging through the adversity and our ability to keep our eyes focused on Him in spite of whatever is set against us.

Let me give you one Old Testament reference and I promise to be quick.

Do you remember the Israelites in Egypt? That group of people who, as we recall, spent 400 years in exile and servitude to the Egyptians. You may forget this point, but they went to Egypt voluntarily and were promised by God to be made into a great nation (Gen 46:1-4) and then almost went extinct during that 400 years. During that entire time, no word from heaven was heard and once Moses, the deliverer was announced, no explanation was given.

Why do I give you this story? because if you signed on with Christanity thinking you can just skate until He returns, you are sorely mistaken. I hope this is not the first time anyone has told you that.

The Christian walk is a marathon that God intended specifically to be ALL about the journey. 

In life, God focuses on how WE handle problems we face in this world. Are you the kind of guy who gives up and just walks away? Or do you get back up and keep forging ahead? 

Guys, I believe that the men who pick themselves up from their problems and still keep their eyes on Him… are the ones that I firmly believe God will choose to surround Himself with in eternity. 

Look…we know life is hard…but you can’t just give up and let it overwhelm you! You must fight back…

One of my favorite warriors of the Bible was David who wrestled with these very same questions. Look at what he says to God in Psalms:

Why, O Lord, do you stand far off? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?  Psalms 10:1

The reality is that David, who is literally in the lineage of Christ, struggled just like you and me. He wrestled with pain and suffering and he cried out to God continuously…and do you know what? 

God did NOT forsake him.

The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. Those who know your name will trust in you, Lord, for you have never forsaken those who seek you.  Psalms 9:9-10

Guys, this blog is titled, “Why can life be easy?” because there are times it seems like the only luck we have is bad. But I encourage you today to remember that your main job is this difficult life is just to trust and believe that God will do what He says He will do. Claim these verses above because you are not alone…I know that for a fact-

Guys, enjoy your journey and keep the faith because ultimately you will overcome.

Until next time Guys…

Having a God Mindset

Posted: April 12, 2025 in Tough Times
Tags: , , , , , , , ,
0

For some reason, I have always loved the word mindset. It is one of those words that identifies your clarity or focus for whatever the topic might be. As an example, he or she might have an engineering mindset, which gives us an idea of what their expertise is. But when you apply God to the word mindset, you come up with a completely different category.

The apostle Paul did the same thing. In fact, he wrote about it in the first chapter of second Corinthians, where he said “now this is our boast: our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in our relations with you in the holiness and sincerity that are from God. We have not done so according to worldly wisdom, but according to God‘s grace.“ 2 Cor. 1:12.

The easy translation to this verse is Paul is actually boasting that his life plan is to remain faithful to the Lord Jesus Christ. If you are familiar with Paul at all, you will remember that he worked overtime NOT to boast about anything. What I find interesting is then only time he decides to actually boast, he tells us up front. And what is he boasting about? His God mindset.

Paul tells you and me that he made a choice. He decided that he would serve God. Period. Moreover, his service to God required a mindset at a whole other level to be successful. One that was focused exclusively on the Lord Jesus Christ and if you’ve read Paul, you know that he suffered greatly in this role. He literally has multiple near death experiences; he was shipwrecked, jailed, bitten by snakes, punched, and spit on… You name it, he went through it.

But what can you and I learn from Paul’s mentaility? Is it possible to have a God mindset in 2025 even with everything going on in this world? What about all the chaos in the mayhem we see each day on the news? Shouldn’t we be thinking about just hunkering down and weathering the storm? 

Guys, my answer is simple… Not only is it possible, but it’s critical that you and I maintain a God mindset, especially during these difficult times.

I have said this before and I’ll say it again… Our enemy is alive and well and he is looking to devour and swallow both you and me whole. If you and I don’t make the intentional choice to be strong about our “God Mindset”; I can assure you, we will be swayed In the wrong direction. And we cannot allow that happen.

That is my charge to you guys today. Having a God Mindset is for you to be intentional and focused on your Christian walk by making choices that identify who you serve. Let me clear; make “who you serve” obvious so that there is no question what side of the fence you are standing. When people look at you or speak to you, they know. More importantly, be that strong intentional role model for your wife and family.

Be like the warrior Joshua when he said below:

But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD. Joshua 24:15

Until next time guys-

Salvation isn’t Easy

Posted: January 19, 2025 in Heaven Bound
Tags: , , , , , , ,
0

You may be stunned slightly by the title of this post but I needed to get your attention. I found myself in the book of Matthew recently where Jesus was finishing up His famous Sermon on the Mount. In that sermon, He literally blew listeners’ minds that day due to the power and authority that He spoke with. But that isn’t why I call your attention to that message today, instead, this is when He talks about the wide and narrow gates. Have you heard of this before?

Let me quote what He said for you so we are on the same page.

Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide, and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter by it. For the gate is small, and the way is narrow that leads to life, and few are those who find it. Matthew 7:13-14

Simply put, Jesse points out the two choices you and I have in life; the wide gate and the narrow one.

The wide gate is the natural choice from a human point of view. Why? Because mankind gravitates towards sin. Our raw nature prefers darkness and falling in step with what is going on around us. Unfortunately, many of us have chosen this wide gate because it is the path of least resistance. This path doesn’t ask you to limit yourself because there are no boundaries. There is even tolerance for sin just as long as you say you love Jesus.

One of my favorite authors, John MacArthur, describes the wide gate this way, “And, if you insist on taking luggage, the wide gate may be more appealing. It is marked “Heaven…it may even be marked “Jesus “…but it is not going to Heaven and it has nothing to do with Jesus. It is the gate for the religion of the masses, a wide open gate through which anyone can pass without jettisoning self-righteousness, pride, material possessions, or even sin. But there is no salvation for those who choose this gate”

Where does entering the wide gate take you?

Read Matthew 7:21-23

Alternatively, Jesus also talks about the narrow gate, but, more importantly, “few are those who find it”.

Why do so few people find the narrow gate? Because you have to look for it. Jeremiah 29:13 is clear when it says, You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all of your heart. The message of Christ does not conform to what we need but rather WE are required to do the changing. MacArthur also tells us “Jesus did not want casual followers,  but people willing to give their lives for Him.”

Guys, the bottom line for you and me, God intentionally makes the narrow path difficult. He demands that those who REALLY want to follow Him step out of the crowd and pick up His cross.

Like I said, Salvation isn’t easy. But His plan is for you to become a changed person inside your heart along your journey. What does “changed” mean to you and me? One who does the “will of the Father”. Remember, the test of true faith is whether or not it produces obedience…and that is what validates your Salvation.

What is your reward for living a life like this?

Eternal life with the Savior who made it all possible for all of us.

Until next time Guys,

MacArthur, John. The Gospel According to Jesus. Michigan: Zondervan, 2008

Killing them with Kindness – Part 2

Posted: December 26, 2024 in Inspirational
Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,
0

OK Guys, so last time I posted a blog about kindness that talked about the “why” we should choose to respond with compassion versus the alternative. In my previous post, I promised you how to execute this kindness response proposition into real action. 

If you are like me, talking about a big topic like this without giving me practical ideas of how to apply is like sitting down at the dinner table with a HUGE meal and no utensils. I may ultimately figure out how to eat, but the process could have been far easier with a fork.

Take a look at these 4 bullet points below and see:

  • Listen More, Judge Less: This is SO hard to do because sometimes, people lash out because they feel unheard or misunderstood. Focus on trying to listen with understanding can help diffuse tension and show that you value what they are saying.
  • Respond, Don’t React: Again, take a deep breath; when you are confronted with negativity, take a moment to pause. Think first, then respond. A calm, kind response can completely change the tone of a conversation.
  • Be Generous in Small Ways: A smile,  a thoughtful comment, or a small gesture of help can brighten someone’s day—even if they don’t deserve it.
  • Lead by Example: Guys, this is where it should hit the mark for you. If you demonstrate that kindness is a strength and not a weakness, your actions will inspire those around you (even your kids) to act with compassion as well. This is our goal.

Why all of this Matters

Finally, I have written 25 posts in 2024, and most centered on being a better Father, or I tried to inspire you to be better dudes. Why? Because the world doesn’t need any more arguments, any more grudges, or any more division. It needs men and women who are willing to rise above all the clattering noise of this crazy world and choose kindness, even when it’s hard. Christ, right before He was crucified gave us this simple, life-changing verse that all of us should apply. He said, Love your neighbor as yourself. Matt 22:39

Again, not easy. I get that…But when have you ever backed down from a challenge? What I am asking will require effort which is my charge to you in this new year.

Focus your responses with a “killing them with kindness” mindset. Remember that you don’t just “win” at the moment— rather you are planting seeds of positivity that can grow far beyond what you see.

Guys…so the next time someone tries to bring you down, remember this: you don’t have to meet them on their level. Instead, rise above and respond with kindness. You might just change their day—or even their life.

Think of it this way, kindness isn’t just an action. It’s a superpower.

Until next time Guys-

Are you making Plans?

Posted: December 21, 2024 in Something to think about
Tags: , , , , , , ,
0

Guys, first of all, Merry Christmans and Happy New Year to you and your families. I wish you nothing but the best in 2025.

If you can, please take just a few minutes and read this story in the book of Acts. This is about the beginning of Christianity and how once Christ had ascended into heaven, the Apostles were treated very nasty by the Pharisees. 

Acts 5: 17-41

In the story, the Apostles angered the high priest because they kept preaching in the name of Jesus and this man was looking for a way to kill them. During this angry meeting of the Pharisees, another Pharisee leader stood up whose name was Gamaliel (the same man who the Apostle Paul studied under), and gave the council some very wise words which are summarized in the verses below:

…So in the present case I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or this undertaking is of man, it will fail; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You might even be found opposing God! Acts 5:38-39

As Christian men, we encounter obstacles everyday. Unplanned problems rise up in front of us and seemingly work to destroy carefully made plans every time I turn around. Does this ever happen to you? The plans you spent all your time on get squashed in front of your eyes? 

What I found was a huge encouragement when I read these verses above is what I want to share with you today…the very simple realization of: 

If your plans are just YOUR PLANS, they will fail…

But if they are of God, NOTHING can stand in your way.

Guys, let that resonate for a moment here. How many times have you made great plans for a project or a vacation or for that matter, your entire life? You may be busy organizing your finances or changing directions because of information YOU have that matters or refinancing or getting a line of credit or whatever…I can go on and on.

You are probably planning right now.

Guys, Please hear my words today…planning is NOT a bad thing…in fact, it is a very good thing to plan and look forward to the future…what I am suggesting to you today is to make your plans WITH GOD INVOLVED. Look to Him for the guidance in those plans, because as was said above in Acts, if your plans are with God, He will be your guide and get you there in once piece.

Now there is one caveat to this conversation which is your understanding that God has plans for you too and if you get Him involved, He will want to guide you towards His higher plan for your life which trust me, is the direction you want to go…

My plans and God’s plans don’t always align. But, when I’m in the midst of God’s plan for my life, I always emerge stronger and in a better situation than before.

So consider what I am telling you today because God is very clear when He tells us this from Jeremiah 29:11:

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.

Remember the image above says, “We plan, God Laughs” so as you make your PLANS for this coming New Year, remember these words above. God has plans for you and for me…

Until next time guys…

I know who I am…Because I know who You are

Posted: November 10, 2024 in Inspirational
Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
0

How you ever been pummeled with a lie and after a while you actually start to believe it? Whether in person or online you just begin to ask if that is really who you are? Is there a maximum amount of negative comments you can hear before you break the camel’s back? Will there come a time that you don’t recognize yourself anymore in the mirror? 

Finally and worse yet…Is there a tipping point where I might move backwards in how I feel about God or myself? How much is too much?

If any of that feels familiar let me say I was inspired by a song this week that reminded me about these exact questions because this issue is real. The world is a nasty place. I have told you before on this very blog about the activity of the enemy…especially now…

But this Megan Woods’ song hit me with exactly with what I needed it to… PURE TRUTH. In fact, the song is called The Truth and I highly encourage you to take a few minutes to listen to it and be inspired like I was. You can find it on Amazon.

Why do I share this with you today? I want you to listen to the words from her chorus so you know. Do you remember the question I asked you above? When you are faced with being told a lie about yourself over and over again, when do you start to believe it is true? Read these words below-

“The truth is I am my father’s child I make Him proud and I make Him smile

I was made in the image of a perfect king He looks at me and wouldn’t change a thing

The truth is I am truly loved by a God who’s good when I’m not good enough

I don’t belong to the lies I belong to you…and that’s the truth” (emphasis added)

PLEASE let that sink in for a moment…because it is exactly opposite of the message you will hear from this world. Everyday, the enemy tells you you’re not good enough. He whispers you’re a failure until one day, you think it may be true.

So today, I am drawing a line in the sand-

I wanted to give you an alternative opinion. I wanted to remind you instead that YOU are loved by a God that accepts you…just as you are…

He meets you right there…wherever you are with His grace…and not a body slam.

She closes this amazing song with what I titled this blog today and that is this message that I pray will resonate with you when you are finished reading and listening….

I know who I am…Because I know who You are

Remember – You are made in HIS image and therefore changed on the inside so you can be set free in knowing that you are a different person and that you make Him proud. I really want you to remember this fact the next time you look in the mirror…that reflection you see is pretty cool dude in God’s eyes.

Just in case you forgot…Because of HIM, now you know who you are…

Until next time Guys

  • The Truth, Megan Woods, Amazon Music, 2024

Why Solomon is the Original Superman

Posted: September 29, 2024 in Knowledge
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,
0

Most of us have read the Bible story of King Solomon whom God chose over David’s other sons to be the King of Israel. What separates Solomon from any other King, or anyone else for that matter, is the fact that when God came to Solomon before he became King and said “Ask for whatever you want Me to give you”…1 Kings 3:5…and Solomon responded very differently than most anyone would have.

In my mind, this would be the “genie in the bottle” moment multiplied by a million because this was the Creator of the universe asking a human man this question. What separated Solomon from everyone, however, was his response. Instead of requesting long life or riches, he said, “So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?” 1 Kings 3:9

The rest of the segment of this story happened as you might imagine. God was extremely pleased with Solomon’s request and blessed him with what he didn’t ask for…long life and wealth beyond anyone’s imagination. But that is NOT what I wanted to focus on in today’s post. 

When God blessed Solomon, He also told him something I want you to consider because God has never said this before about any man. He said, “I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart so that there will never be anyone like you, nor will there ever be”. 1 Kings 3:12

God told Solomon there would never be anyone like him…ever in human history. To me…That makes Solomon – Superman. Now, understand me here. I am not saying Solomon had super-human strength and could fly around his palace. I am saying that there was never a question asked he could not answer. Taking it a step further, I think it is fair to say that Solomon was the smartest human being ever who lived.

Which leads me to my final point. Solomon is the only example we are given of a human being with that intellect ever existing. Moreover, a person who possessed the human knowledge that would give him the capability to have or do anything he wanted to do. It is one thing to be an heir and have wealth given to you; it is an entirely different thing to have wealth, knowledge, and wisdom yourself. 

Think about this: Solomon was ALWAYS the smartest person in the room.

So if you are Solomon, and possess everything I mentioned above, what do you do with all of that information, knowledge, power, and wealth? Let me put it another way, Solomon possessed everything this world has to offer us. Or…EVERYTHING that Satan can offer us here on earth.

To the question I asked above, Solomon gives us his answer at the end of his life and I think his response will surprise you. That is why this post is so important for us to understand. 

Solomon wrote and contributed to several books in the Bible but the one I want to call your attention to is Ecclesiastes, which translated, means preaching. In this book, Solomon explains in great detail what he did with his life which can be summed up in just two words, self-indulgence. Or maybe we can call it, The pursuit of happiness? 

Guys, he tells us in his own words when he says, “I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure.” Eccl. 2:10. 

So here you have a man who was absolutely brilliant, God-gifted, and who indulged in whatever he wanted. On the surface, that sounds pretty good, right? ANYTHING you want…anything you set your gaze upon, you can have it for yourself and experience it however you want…However, from Solomon’s own words, let’s see how things turned out

For a person may labor with wisdom, knowledge, and skill, and then they must leave all they own to another who has not toiled for it. This too is meaningless and a great misfortune.

What do people get for all the toil and anxious striving with which they labor under the sun?

All their days their work is grief and pain; even at night their minds do not rest. This too is meaningless.

Eccl. 2:21-23

So this is painful to read. The smartest man who ever lived at the end of his life looking back and realizing nothing he did mattered. So I have to ask, what went wrong? If you have every possible “thing” this world can offer you how can you not be happy? Isn’t that what we see advertised everywhere?

Guys…here is my point. God already gave us the answers to the “Test of Life” by including this incredible story about Solomon in the Bible. We don’t have to waste our time pursuing every little thing this world shoves into our faces as being valuable. Because God gave us an actual real-world example of someone who pursued everything he could while he lived and ultimately found out in the end, it meant nothing…

LITERALLY NOTHING.

I urge you to consider Solomon’s story if you find yourself thinking there is more to life than what you have. Maybe you think the grass is greener on the other side and you don’t want to miss that. Let me remind you…God already gave you the answer, because Solomon already tried that…and in his exact words he told us, “It was meaningless”

So before we just end this post with all of the pain that Solomon figured out, let me leave you with Solomon’s final conclusion about his life. In other words, what he found meaningful.

A person can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in their own toil. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment? Eccl. 2:24-25

Now you know-

Until next time guys…

My son wears a Cross around his neck

Posted: September 21, 2024 in Father
Tags: , , , , , , , ,
1

My wife and I sent our youngest son away to college in another state a few years ago. He wanted to attend that university because it was far from his parents. As his dad, I understand why that was important to him completely because I was very independent and did not want my parents around when I was his age. And this kid is independent with a capital “I”. It was all we could do to get him to text us back more than just one-word replies like yes, no, and sure even after he landed there as a freshman.

But as time passed, he got better with his texting and now we even FaceTime him and get to see his mug …which is very nice for my wife…and me.

I think what I enjoy the most has been watching him change and grow over these short few years. How many of us looked at our children and truly wondered if they would make it in this life? In my son’s case, other than playing sports and video games, he wasn’t interested in anything. I tend to be pretty handy around the house and I worked to get him to at least try to learn the basics; like how to change a tire or replace his car battery. I even went so far as to teach him to use a table saw and power drill because we all know those skills are required in his future.

To say he appreciates what he learned would be a lie, but I also know he is still at school and not out on his own…But maybe he will thank me someday…I digress.

I don’t know about you, but when I watch my son now, I look for the intangibles that I think will ultimately get him to the next level in life. These are the things that can’t always be seen, but they are there and will separate him from the pack…and that is where we get to the main point of this post. My son wears a cross around his neck, and I didn’t ask him to.

That last bit I added because it is true. And from my vantage point, that is the best part. I said nothing to him. He decided that wearing a cross was what HE wanted to do for himself. That was an intangible I may not have picked up from him when he left for college, but 4 years later as he gets ready to graduate in a few months, I can see it in him now.

What makes this even more remarkable is that none of his roommates or friends wear one. He is the only one. And he knows that. To solidify that point, he is the kid who doesn’t care what other people think and at 22, that is kind of amazing. Why? Because when we were his age, fitting in is ALL we cared about but for some reason, with him, that just doesn’t matter as much. By the way, I know the reason.

So as I watch from a distance, through texting and occasionally getting to see him on a tiny phone screen, I am reminded of this each time; my son wears a cross around his neck…and I could not be more proud of him.

Until next time Guys…

Older Entries
Newer Entries