Category: Preacher

And the winner is? We all can answer that question with a variety of answers depending on our perspective. I could say this post is a winner because it marks my 200th blog post. Yeah! What do I get for a reward? How do we define reward? It could be a blue ribbon for being a winner in a contest. Perhaps, it is the satisfaction of getting the brain of “T”, that’s me, on a document that may last after I am gone. Is that too egotistical? I hope not. As I write this message, I am preparing for next Saturday’s Louisiana Book Festival where I will be an exhibitor at table 5 on Exhibitor’s Row leading up to the State Capital building. My first book, “Sticks and Stones” will be on display. Does that make me a winner? No! What does it take to be a winner?

If we are running a race to cross a finished line, the winner is the person who crosses the line first. What if we are limited in our abilities to run fast? Maybe, we are out of shape or maybe we are too young or too old. A two year old or ninety-two year old most likely cannot keep up with a twelve year old. In golf, I like the handicap system which is designed to keep golfers at an even playing field. A scratch golfer has zero handicap whereas a duffer like me starts with a 30 point lead. A 30 point start sometimes does not make me a winner. (LOL) The answer to what it takes to be a winner in life is much more complicated than a single contest. Let’s take the writings of Paul for example. He wrote fourteen letters (epistles) during his life time after he witnessed the death of Stephen in 37 AD. He was called Saul at the time and was an exemplary citizen of Rome. He searched for those people following a crucified criminal of the state. These people were fanatics that needed to be found and destroyed! Would you call Saul a winner? At the time, he was probably a hero to many for his relentless endeavor to stomp out this revolution. Would we call him a winner today? No, not as Saul, but yes as Paul. Why, what changed?

Paul was blinded on the road to Damascus and his sight was restored by his new found faith. He spent three years at Damascus then proceeded to journey all throughout the Mediterranean Sea. His first journey lasted from 45-47 AD. Did he stop at his first attempt to share the good news? No, as his second journey went from 51-53 AD. During this time, he wrote 1st and 2nd Thessalonians. On his third trip between 54-58 AD, he wrote Galatians, 1st and 2nd Corinthians and Romans. He also met John the Baptist. He was arrested and imprisoned in Caesarea, Judea from 58-60 AD. Did that stop his writing? No! He was sent to Rome while a prisoner, nearly died of a snake bite, in Malta (Melita), before he reached Rome. He wrote Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians and Philemon while in Rome’s prison in 62 AD. He was released from prison in Rome. Did he stop his race to share the good news? No! While free, he wrote Hebrews, Titus and 1st Timothy during 64-65 AD. Timothy was a young man also in prison but had been set free. Did Timothy run for home never to be heard again like so many of Paul’s friends? No! He returned to get further instructions from Paul while in prison again in Rome. This would be Paul’s last time to write before his certain execution. He wrote 2nd Timothy during 66-67 AD just before his death. Did Paul die a failure or a winner? What does it take to be a winner? In Paul’s own words, he said, “I’m already being poured out like a sacrifice to God, and the time of my death is near. I have fought the good fight, finished the race, and kept the faith. At last the champion’s wreath that is awarded for righteousness is waiting for me.”

We can either base our journeys in life on failure or success. What does it take? It takes faith to keep on going no matter what obstacles prevent us from crossing the finish line victorious. (Re: Chronology of Paul: www.matthewmcgee.org)

T

As I write this brief message, I am experiencing a High-Low time in my life journey. In 2 Timothy, Paul said to young Timothy, “God didn’t give us a spirit that is timid but one that is powerful, loving, and self-controlled.” Paul is anticipating his final days as his execution at the hands of the Romans is imminent. Paul was caught up in the anti-Christian persecutions begun by Nero in A.D. 64. Paul is preparing Timothy to continue on with the good works started. He reminds Timothy of authentic faith handed down from his grandmother and mother then encourages him to look for inner strength. Can you imagine Paul’s High-Low moment towards the end of his life?

My high-low is no where near Paul’s moment, but I believe we all have moments somewhat similar. This week I experienced an honor to be interviewed by a local TV outlet in Shreveport along with my sisters. It was all about our Mom and Dad’s life and their involvement with the Space Race. That was a high for us all! The low was to see a brother in Christ defeated by depression. I read an interesting article about ten causes of depression at ( https://facty.com/conditions/depression/10-causes-of-depression/?q=depression%20hotline ). Now, I will not imagine which one if any is relevant but I will encourage anyone reading this message to seek help if you find yourself in a state of depression.

I ended my high-low experience week on a high with a charity golf tournament. In Luke 17:5-10, we are encouraged to have a spirit of servitude and faith that all will be well. “We have only done our duty.”
T

I am excited to announce my book “Sticks and Stones” is now available on Audible, Amazon and iTunes. If you would rather listen to a book than read, click on one of the following sites. If in the United States, click: https://www.audible.com/pd/B07W5NFH5M/?source_code=AUDFPWS0223189MWT-BK-ACX0-160335&ref=acx_bty_BK_ACX0_160335_rh_us If in the United Kingdom, click: https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/B07W5NC8X9/?source_code=AUKFrDlWS02231890H6-BK-ACX0-160335&ref=acx_bty_BK_ACX0_160335_rh_uk

Who is an immigrant? “A person who leaves one country to settle permanently in another. The word “immigrants”, as understood in U.S. immigration law, are persons admitted as legal permanent residents of the United States.” (Google 2019). There is a story about a man who was called to leave his homeland to find another. His wife came with him because she believed that the one who promised was faithful. Descendants were born based on this promise. Many died in faith without receiving the promises even though they saw from a distance and was pleased. They confessed that they were immigrants. They made it clear that they were looking for a homeland. If they had been thinking about the country that they had left, they would have had the opportunity to return to it. They were longing for a better country.

It is my belief that we spend too much time saying she said, he said and not enough searching for the promises that will help us make a better country. Is this day of polarization different than any other day in history? I think not. Just read a little history back in the early part of the twentieth century around 1914 or maybe around 1939. Were we not polarized then? Yep. Go farther back in history and you will discover time and time again conflicts over whatever. You name it! But along the march into the present, we have forgotten that we are all on a journey, I hope to the promised land. We can choose dissention that breeds contempt and puts us all into fear or anxiety. Or, we can choose faith that all will be well if we just continue to believe. “Faith is the reality of what we hope for, the proof of what we don’t see. The elders in the past were approved because they showed faith.”   Why can’t we?

Who is right and who is wrong in a debate? That is the point of a debate. To be able to determine the reality or facts not unfounded opinions. (www.debate.org) Debate is healthy but my fear is that we are taking sides not based on reality or facts but opinions based on our tribe. Everyone is entitled to an opinion. The man in the story above was called to search for a better place. I am sure he was given many opinions on both sides to sway his decisions to go or stay. He had to consider who was giving him advise to determine his path forward. I believe if we base our decisions on mere opinions; we would never have put a man on the moon. But we did. How? We were focused on a higher goal than mere politics. I believe we should set aside our politics long enough to focus our sights on a greater prize.  Go by faith like Abraham and Sarah did in search for the promised land. They were longing for a better country, that is, a heavenly one. (Hebrews 11:1-16)

T

“Watch out! Guard yourself against all kinds of greed. After all, one’s life isn’t determined by one’s possessions, even when someone is very wealthy.” This is a quiz. Who said that quote? Was it, a) Trump, b) Obama, c) Biden, d) AOC, e) none of the above? Greed can take on all forms of possessions. In fact, we can be so obsessed by our possessions to the point of becoming possessed. A possessed person has an evil spirit. Yes, you can possess a valuable object or possess a quality that makes you special. You can own something that if not careful becomes idolatry. If we say a person is possessed, it usually implies a negative demonic power having complete power over them. We can own property or something precious to us and that may define our possession or state of mind that we are in control of something. We are not in control when we have that state of mind, in my opinion. I have heard of many highly talented, wealthy, possessive people ending their lives too soon because they could not cope. Why? I believe they thought about the things on earth instead of thinking about the things above. “So, put to death the parts of your life that belong to the earth, such as sexual immorality, moral corruption, lust, evil desire, and greed (which is idolatry).” (Colossians 3:2-5) We cannot control ourselves unless we are obedient and “set aside these things, such as anger, rage, malice, slander, and obscene language…and put on the new nature…as Christ is all things and in all people.” (Colossians, 3:8-11)

We are in danger of being possessed by our possessions. We can see it in all parts of our lives. Even if we are totally aligned with a higher power that allows us to let go of our earthly possessions, we are subject to all sorts of schemes or miscommunications to influence our thoughts to make illogical decisions. We may find ourselves reacting to a situation unaware of the risk of fraud. How many of you get at least one or two robocalls per day? What about deceptive contractors or exorbitant insurance premiums that when a file is claimed reveals a no coverage clause. How about all the “breaking news” that is just a ploy to keep you watching. I can go on, but I think you get the picture. Back to my initial quiz to watch out and guard ourselves against all kinds of greed. Who said it? The answer is e) none of the above. The real answer is Jesus. (Luke 12:15)

T

To be enslaved, is past tense of enslave, meaning that we have our human rights taken away from us. We have been made into a slave. Long ago people were contracted, in some cases, or condemned most times, into servitude. I think being enslaved is a modern problem that should have been resolved a long time ago. How can we resolve the problem if we do not even recognize it as a problem? I am excited to announce that my book “Sticks and Stones” will be listed in the Sci Fi Magazine December issue due to hit the magazine racks all over the world on August 20^th. The book has also been converted into an Audible version due to be released about the same time in August. Finally, I will be an exhibitor at the Louisiana Book Festival on November 2^nd,2019. My book offers a warning to the dangers of being enslaved.

In a previous post labeled “GDLW” posted July 2016 and mentioned again a few weeks ago, my question is what is the true message? Amos forecasted doom when he saw in a vision a Plumb Line measuring Israel’s deviation from the true message. Are we in danger drifting away from the truth? May we straighten up and get back to the true message! Go and Do Likewise (GDLW) was the advice given to us.

Last week I posted that we must choose wisely. We can get hung up on junk for our bodies or junk for our souls and choose badly. We should consider our decisions carefully and make the better choice.

When we consider living according to the true message, GDLW, and make good choices, we may find ourselves still struggling with being enslaved. “See to it that nobody enslaves you with philosophy and foolish deception, which conforms to human traditions and the way the world thinks and acts rather than Christ.” (Colossians 2:8) That is clear to me that even though we may have our faults because of our human traits, we should not find ourselves in slavery but to Christ. We are the body and he is the head. “So, don’t let anyone judge you about eating or drinking or about a festival, a new moon observance, or sabbaths. These religious practices are only a shadow of what was coming—the body that cast the shadow is Christ.” (Colossians 2:16,17) We can become just like them enslaved. We let our guard down and become just like those we choose to avoid. We eat or drink what is not healthy to our bodies and souls. But, nobody has the right to judge us especially those not attached to the head. (vs 19) The only way we can become a better person not enslaved to anything or anyone is to stay connected to the real truth and that will set us free.

T

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