Crackerjack Living

Crackerjacks are awesome.  Love that carmely sweet popcorn and peanuts!  Can you taste them.....yummmmm.  But we all know the best part is the prize.  How dissapointing to eat all the Crackerjacks seeing the prize in the package and then not being able to enjoy the prize.  That's exactly what happened to Moses.

Deuteronomy 32:51-52 ESV
because you broke faith with me in the midst of the people of Israel at the waters of Meribah-kadesh, in the wilderness of Zin, and because you did not treat me as holy in the midst of the people of Israel. For you shall see the land before you, but you shall not go there, into the land that I am giving to the people of Israel."

Lets not miss Gods best.

Will Your Life Be A Lachish?

Lachish is an ancient fortified city that protected the southern flank of Jerusalem.  The Assyrian army besieged the city in 722 BC and in standards of warfare (we would call barbaric) brutalized the people.  I Kings 17.

The real story is why would such an event take place?  The people of God began worshipping other gods, slaughtering innocent children in child sacrificial rituals and had begun to embrace all sorts of sexual deviant lifestyles.  God said enough is enough. 

As columnist Peggy Noonan said...Message to society: What you applaud, you encourage.  And: Watch out what you celebrate.

The message applies to the individual as well as to the society.  Given the current cultural and individual moral shifts, we better be looking over our shoulders the enemy may be coming to plunder and brutalize.  Oh, and just a reminder....it rains on the Godly and ungodly!  Our life and culture may become the next Lachish.

"Only Thing We Have To Fear Is....

Fear itself."  FDR (our 32nd President).  Those now infamous words have been used countless times.  The reality is we don't even have to fear, fear. 

Deuteronomy 31:8 ESV
It is the Lord  who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed."

That is easier said than done at times, but that does not negate the truth of Gods promises.  Fear is crippling, demoralizing and depressing.  Like the little train...Yes you can!  Through Christ all things are possible!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yx9xO98kcBU&feature=youtube_gdata_player

The Light At The End Of The Tunnel

Did you ever wonder if you would ever see the light at the end of the tunnel?  The other day I was driving up interstate 77 and you will never believe what happened!  I saw the light at he end of the tunnel!  There have been those moments in life when I didn't think I would ever see the light,  circumstances were overwhelming and there was seemingly no hope in sight.  There is a light that always shines bright even in the darkest of tunnels, where there may be no end in sight. Jesus said I am the light of the world... John 8:12 ESV

Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

So even in the darkest tunnel there is light even without the end in sight.

Senator Portman's Happiness and the Erasable Bible

On the eve of critical Supreme Court decisions in regards to the Defense of Marriage Act and California's Proposition 8, Senator Rob Portman of Ohio has thrown in the towel. Senator Portman's son has been living a homosexual lifestyle.
The desire for his sons happiness and the now the supposed contradictions of Scripture have caused senator Portman to change his long standing traditional biblical values.

The senator said he "wrestled with how to reconcile" his Christian faith with his desire for his son to have the same opportunities to pursue happiness and fulfillment as his two other children."Ultimately, it came down to the Bible's overarching themes of love and compassion and my belief that we are all children of God," Portman wrote.

Since when does someone's happiness and our own personal opinion trump the absolute truth in God's Word? And I must remind senator Portman we are not all children of God unless we have repented and received Jesus Christ, and living a life that demonstrates we are followers of Jesus Christ.

This is not about beating anyone up who is deciding to live in sin.  But let's take personal responsibility for our behavior and quit trying to make excuses for it or anyone elses sinful behavior.

Remember what Jesus said to the woman caught in adultery when all of her accusers had left... He said with great compassion and love go and sin no more

Stressed?

I had a stress test yesterday (and a free spot body wax...OUCH!)  Ever feel the pressure.  Deadlines in the office, test to take at school, company is coming over and the house is a mess, bills to pay and the monies not there, need to be in three places at one time with your children, the wedding is coming and all the details are not completed, the car broke down and your late for work, your supposed to give that speech and you don't know what to say.......HELP I'M STRESSED OUT!  Life is going crazy sometimes...what are we going to do?

Philippians 4:6-7 ESV
do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Matthew 6:25-34(Read!)
"Don't be anxious about stuff!" (Hubbard mini paraphrase)

1 Peter 5:7 ESV
casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

Psalms 127:2 ESV
It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep.

My Rules...My Way

I like to play by my rules.  If I could have just convinced the referee of that in High School I would have not fouled out of so many games. Or the time I put my finger in the chest of the soccer referee in High School, he just didnt appreciate my "point" of view.  And the silly little Higway Patrolman who pulled me over for "speeding" in the church van, after all I am a "man of the cloth".  Hello why cant I just go the speed I need to go? If I could get my wife to understand that....okay that's not going to happen. 

You see we want to establish the rules based on what we think and what we want to do.  We do the same thing with God. 

Romans 10:3
Since they did not know the righteousness of God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness.

God is not amused with our attempts to establish the rules we want to play by!  Submit to Him!

Watch Out You Might Stumble

Ever been walking down the sidewalk, people all around and then it happens...the big stumble
...maybe even the humiliating fall.  You catch yourself,  look around to make sure no one saw you.  But they did and you walk away mortified, while everyone else is snickering and laughing. 

Interesting the Bible talks about stumbling.  One of stumbling verses  is particularly profound.

Romans 9:33 (see Isaiah 28:16)
as it is written, "Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense; and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame."

When it comes down to it the bottom line is the person of Jesus Christ.  He is the stumbling stone.  Either He is God in the flesh(deity) or He is not.  As C.S. Lewis said, He.is either liar, lunatic or Lord.  Fill a room full of various world religions and the greatest argument will always arise on the topic of Jesus. 
So Jesus has either made you stumble and your still lying there in disbelief...or you have received Him for who He is and the only thing you have to worry about stumbling over is that crazy sidewalk.

Compassion Check Up

There may be no other statement by any human being that expresses any greater compassion for people than that of the apostle Paul in Romans 9:1-4 He says and I quote...
"I speak the truth in Christ I am not lying, my conscience confirms it through the Holy Spirit. I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my people...."

Can you imagine the gravity of that statement?  Willing to give up your relationship with God and all the heavenly benefits so that someone else could have your eternal benefit plan and you would go to hell in their place.  What great compassion!

I'm Adopted

There are times that those words seem to have a negative connotation, but the reality is there are few things that could be sweeter than to find out you've been adopted....I am!  You mean Don and Rose Hubbard are not your real parents?  Don't jump to any rash conclusions.  Yes biologically my parents are my parents.  Lets suppose they weren't for a moment.  What could that possibly mean? My parents abandoned me, maybe they died thus I became an orphan, a cast-a-way.  But that also means that my adoptive parents, out of all the children in the world, chose me. 
You see I was a spiritual cast-a-way, left on the curb side of a dark alley to die (dead in tresspasses and sin, Ephesians 2:1) without hope.  But then my Daddy (spiritual Father) came along and chose me to be His very own son.  Now I can cry "Abba (daddy)" and He is right there everytime.  My daddy adopted me and chose me out of all the people in the world and made me His very own.  And my inheritance...WOW, you wouldn't believe what my Daddy has for me!

Romans 8:14-17 ESV
For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, "Abba! Father!" The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

I Handcuffed Myself!

And I threw away the key. Me...that's right me. Why would I  be so foolish as to handcuff myself? Paul said the things I shouldn't do I do and the things I should do I don't.(Rom. 7) That would be spiritual suicide. Can you relate to this?  And as James reminds us, sin when it is finished bringeth forth death.  So the Apostle Paul concludes Romans 7 with a question....

Romans 7:24 ESV
Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?

Is there any help or hope for the mess we make?  Handcuffed with no key.

Romans 7:25
Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!

There is hope for deliverance!

Sin So We Can Get Grace?

We may not consciously practice it but by default we certainly do.  Everytime we fall prey to our flesh and our own desires it demands the grace of God be applied. How many times each day does the  grace of God have to be appropriated on my behalf?  Make no mistake I am glad it is appropriated and it can't run out....but why would I continue in sin for such a cause? Why not just bask in the grace already given and be free from another load of personal guilt because I wanted to sin again?

Romans 6:1-2 ESV
What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?

Our God is too glorious for us to treat His grace with such disrespect!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bE2PSIkAtPg&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Don't Fear The Battle

Its tough sometimes and quite honestly it is frightening when life and the enemy comes rushing at you at the same time.  If you can muster the strength to read, remember these words. 

Deuteronomy 20:3-4 ESV
...and shall say to them, "Hear, O,_________________(put your name in) today you are drawing near for battle against your enemies: let not your heart faint. Do not fear or panic or be in dread of them, for the Lord your God is he who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies, to give you the victory."

Sin Stinks!

I was eating lunch with my wife yesterday at the table and I let our little Yorkie out to do what dogs do when you let them out.  He returned after a whistle or two and we continued eating and playing a card game (which is our lunch tradition) when my wife suddenly exclaimed "something smells like poop".  Well, our cute little Yorkie had not only done his "business" but had proceeded to roll in somebody else's "business".  Can you smell it?  It stinks!  Then you pick him up and it gets on you and then you stink.  Then you wash him and you can seeemingly still smell the stink.  Poop is like sin in so many ways...it certainly stinks and when you get it on you it can effect others and even when it is washed away there is often lasting residual effects. When will we learn to quit rolling in poop(sin).

Psalms 38:1-5 ESV

O Lord , rebuke me not in your anger, nor discipline me in your wrath! For your arrows have sunk into me, and your hand has come down on me. There is no soundness in my flesh because of your indignation; there is no health in my bones because of my sin. For my iniquities have gone over my head; like a heavy burden, they are too heavy for me. My wounds stink and fester because of my foolishness,

Is the Occult Alive and Well?

I encourage you to read the following verses and the watch the attached YouTube video.  The influence of wickedness in our culture is certainly alive and well and has no intension of shrinking.  I encourage you to be discerning and always watch, listen and read with this in mind....the word of God is our only infallible source of truth everything else should be filtered by eating the meat and spitting out the bones.  So read and watch and "be sober because your adversary the devil is a roaring lion" (I Peter 5:8) but..."Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world" (I John 4:4).

Deuteronomy 18:9-14 ESV

"When you come into the land that the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abominable practices of those nations. There shall not be found among you anyone who burns his son or his daughter as an offering, anyone who practices divination or tells fortunes or interprets omens, or a sorcerer or a charmer or a medium or a necromancer or one who inquires of the dead, for whoever does these things is an abomination to the Lord . And because of these abominations the Lord your God is driving them out before you. You shall be blameless before the Lord your God, for these nations, which you are about to dispossess, listen to fortune-tellers and to diviners. But as for you, the Lord your God has not allowed you to do this."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9w9K2AiMTI&feature=youtube_gdata_player

The Sky Is Falling

You will remember this famous line from the movie Chicken Little. Well, the sky isn't falling but I will challenge you to be prepared for the coming days. 

Matthew 24:37 ESV
For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.

If you want to know what those days were like read and study Genesis 6.  NOT a pretty picture.