Category: Preacher

Definition of account is “a report or description of an event or experience”. It is giving a detailed description of what has been achieved. What if we were really held accountable to our own actions? As humans, we tend to jump to the actions of others and become judge and jury. We can watch disastrous football games, not to mention a few I saw this weekend, and say what a terrible show of teamwork. We can watch politics through eyes of someone in the entertainment world and agree with their assessment on how well someone has or has not done. As mentioned last week about the devastation of Hurricanes “Harvey” and “Irma”, we can be a spectator and judge the actions of others or we can put on the weapons of light. The day will come when we will be held accountable for our own actions.

In Romans 14:4 we are questioned who are we to judge someone else? In verse 12, we are reminded that each of us will give an account of ourselves to God. If we were standing in a court of law charged for being a Christian, would there be sufficient evidence to convict us? We can go to church daily but not really know why? This might seem harsh but is it harsh because there is an element of truth that we choose to deny? I continue to be humbled by my minimal effort to be the hands and feet of Jesus helping others pick up the pieces of their shattered life. I spent two more days this week in that effort after these recent storms but when I compare myself to the efforts done by others, I fall short. Is that a fair assessment on my efforts? Not really for every effort is a step in the right direction. I believe we should do what we can when we can and by any way we can. Even Peter questioned Jesus in Matthew 18:21 just how many times should he forgive someone who has sinned against him. Answer not just 7 times but 77 times. Likewise, we should forgive and move on in His service for time is running out for us and we will eventually give an account of ourselves. Be the hands and feet for Christ by being Christ like and serve others any way you can but first let’s forgive and forget so we can be free to serve with a clear intention.

The below message was recorded September 14, 2014.

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The definition according to Merriam-Webster dictionary of sixth sense is “a special ability to know something that cannot be learned by using the five senses. A power of perception… a keen intuitive power.” Okay, then why are we so sure or judgmental when us humans cannot predict what appears obvious in hindsight? Hindsight is 20/20! Right? Our five God given senses are sight, smell, hearing, taste and touch. We have body organs that facilitate these senses if we are so blessed to be born with them. Eyes for sight. Nose for smell. Ears for hearing. Tongue for taste. Finger tips and special sensors all through our body for touch. Pride is not one of those gifts from God. I believe if we really exercise our five senses then we have an excellent chance to become perceptive of our surroundings and perhaps even possess that intuitive power defined as a sixth sense.

As the picture shows there is water everywhere. We are all experts now is saying why didn’t the authorities do something sooner. After all, the weather folks forecasted a huge hurricane that would dump water over east Texas. Did we not listen to the warnings? Well, yes we all listened to a forecast but did we have a sixth sense to predict just how bad it was going to be? I took this picture just outside my house in Louisiana but is no where near the historical event as seen in the Houston area. Should I take precautions? Yes, like getting sandbags and making sure I have ample food and drink in case “Harvey” continues its destructive path over us. But does that cover my potential risk? If it is not a monumental water event, I am confident all is ok. Does that give me the right to condemn others for their lack of preparedness whether victims or authorities who some say should have known? My point is that we all live our lives making preparations as if it all depended on us but in reality we should be aware that we are all subject to conditions beyond our anticipations. We use our five senses to help protect our bodies to the best of our abilities. If we really exercise our bodily senses, we may even become very perceptive far beyond our known abilities. When we possess that intuitive power, we can be used in a mighty way.

In Matthew 16:17, Jesus acknowledged Peter’s intuitive power as a gift from the Father and because of Peter’s gift, Jesus saw the foundation of his church. Now that is a precious gift to us all. In Romans 12:2 we are advised not to conform to this world but be transformed by the renewing of our minds so that we can receive God’s will. I believe we should tone up our senses, and tone down our rhetoric. We should not look at terrible events that have happened and be prideful that we would have done better after hindsight. We should build up our senses or gifts given to us to a level where our perceptive powers can act in advance of the inevitable news cycles after the fact.

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We are blessed to have scientific knowledge at our finger tips but what if we were born when eclipses signaled a terrific event? It would be a moment of extreme anxiety but today we make it a celebration because we know the outcome. We are not blinded because we are educated on how to protect our eyes. Do you believe in miracles or do you not believe until proven by science?

The exclusive trajectory of this eclipse is first time over the US since 1776 and first total eclipse of the sun visible at all in the US since 1979. Scientist say with a certain amount of confidence that this phenomenon will cease in about 600 million years because of the moon’s slight changes in orbit. Now that is a long time!  The next time we have such an event in the USA will be in 2024. But are all things explained by science? I think perhaps not all things can be explained away.

I think we can be a agent for miracles or in other words we can do an action that prompts divine intervention or we can do nothing and never know the outcome of our inaction. Let me use the miracle of the feeding of the 5,000 with only 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish as described in Matthew 14:13-21.

Have you ever consider the message within the message? It took the disciples efforts to feed themselves and their master before the real miracle was possible. What if the disciples had not taken a small action? Would there have been a larger miracle that day? Maybe, but I suspect the moment would have past without the miraculous event. I contend we must take action before a greater action becomes perhaps a miracle. I have heard it said that God cannot steer a parked car. We must get in the car and start on a journey before we can be led to a higher calling.  I consider this dilemma has a decision to do or do not.

Where will the next miracle occur and will you be party to the doers or the do not group?

T

 

I know we all use acronyms which is an abbreviation formed from the initial letters of words. Common examples are lol, wwjd, or kiss but do we know koh? I read a book in 2014 while traveling to and from England to perform a funeral service. The book was called Divine Alignment. Without going into its contents there is a phrase I really liked called God wink. To explain as I understood, a God wink, may appear to be a coincidence but is an event where we forget our own selfish motives to help another thus removing ourselves as an obstacle in the way of a miracle. I believe as mentioned in a previous message that we should live on the basis of hope for the future. We should be good seeds planted in fertile soil. Romans 8:28 says we work together for good according to his purpose. Matthew 13 talks about a mustard seed if planted in fertile soil, watered and proper sun light grows into a great tree to become a house for birds in its branches. Treasures hidden in a field when found is used to buy that very field. A net catches fish of all kinds but once caught can be separated into good versus bad. Replace fish with people. These are all examples of what the KOH is like. Can you relate to what the KOH is like? I hope your imagination runs wild with the endless possibilities of how the KOH can be explained to all who will listen. Do you now know what KOH stands for?

The audio below was recorded in July 2014 which was 3 years ago. It is longer than most because I just felt I needed to tell the whole story. Some of you may relate personally to the story as a witness. Others may find interesting if you can find the time to listen.

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Basis of what? In accounting terms, it could be on a cash basis or a basis point equal to .01%. However, there are other ways the word basis can be used. How do you live your life? Is it on the basis of selfishness or on hope for the future? I watched my oldest grandson play on a baseball team that won their tournament. Now, if I had decided that is was too hot, too rainy, too far of a drive to go, then I would have missed an awesome series of wins. If I had decided to be selfish and not go for any excuse, then it would have been my failure. Instead, I went to watch their team win 6 games in a role to take the title. I went on hope regardless of the outcome as I looked with excitement to a future star.

In my previous message, I wrote about a long trip to perform a funeral for a dear friend who had requested I be present a year earlier. That funeral was 3 years ago. I asked myself what next then as I do today. What’s next for me? We can live our lives on the basis of excuses why we can not do a task or we can live our lives on the basis of hope. Our choice. One leads to failure and the other to victory.

In Romans 8:12-25, we have a choice to consider. If we live our lives on the basis of selfishness then our selfish action will lead us to death. The opposite is to live our lives on the basis of hope. Yes, there will be pain when we take action driven by hope but will it be worth it in the long haul? As the author of Romans concludes in this passage, if we see, it is not hope. Instead we hope for what we don’t see and wait with patience for the reveal. Likewise, if we expect a seed to grow in a weed patch or unfertile soil, then we are living our lives according to deception. We should know that the great deceiver uses selfishness, doubt, fear, laziness, etc. as an attempt to keep us following him to the grave. However, in Matthew 13:38, we learn that we are good seeds as followers of the kingdom that is everlasting and gives us life beyond the grave. Will we be bad seeds who live on the basis of selfishness or good seeds who live on the basis of hope for the future? Please choose wisely and I hope to see you in the field of dreams too.

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