School is back in Session

I guess I'm not very good at posting often. It's been another 2 plus weeks since I've last posted. But here we are. It's August 20th and most schools started again today in my part of the world. Some parents are so glad this day is here and others cried as they took their child to their first day of school. I always hated to see my child go back to school. I never looked at her as a bother or a pain. I enjoyed having her at home and now that she's in college and practically grown; I miss getting to see her every day. She begins her 3rd year of college this Thursday. But the point of this blog is: School is back in session.
Maybe you've never thought about it, but school is always in session. Life is a classroom and we either learn from it or we don't. I believe we can learn something every day if we open our eyes, our ears, and our brains. If we're honest we can look around and probably see quite a few people who we wish would have learned from some of their mistakes. Sometimes they're looking at us in the morning mirror. One of the great quotes of all time is: "Those who don't learn from the mistakes of others are doomed to repeat them." I encourage us to realize that school is in session and we're either learning or flunking out.

Where Has the Summer Gone?

Wow! Here it is August 2nd. It's been over 2 weeks since I've added to my blog. They say the older you get the faster time flies. Well if it gets any faster, and I'm only 42, then I don't know if I will be able to keep up. It seems like only yesterday that school was out and in 18 more days it will start back up around here. Time- a neat subject. What is time? Just measured eternity. Imagine a circle with neither beginning nor end and mark 2 little lines somewhere on the circle and that's pretty much what time is from God's perspective. It's just measured out eternity. One of these days time will be no more time. The bible in the book of Revelation describes eternity in heaven as being a place where there is no night (Rev 22:5). Eternity in heaven will be the land of eternal day and eternity in hell will be the land of eternal darkness (2 Peter 2:17; Jude 1:13).
Because time passes so fast, God instructs us to make the most of it. Twice in the scriptures we are commanded to "redeem the time" which in essence means to make use of it very wisely and with eternity in mind. Someone once said, "Days are like suitcases. Some people can pack more into them than others." God understands that we will fill our time with work and even some pleasure, but He also wants us to fill our time with some things that glorify Him and have lasting significance.
Hopefully before too long, time as we know it will come to an end. The bible says Jesus will return and catch away the saved; there will be a horrible time of tribulation; then Jesus will return to rule the world for 1000 years; and after a final battle of Gog and MaGog, the eternal age will begin. Are you ready for eternity? Time may fly on earth but it won't fly in hell.

22 Years Ago

July 19th. To some it's their anniversary and to others it's their birthday. To most people it's just another hot summer day. 22 years ago I met my ex-wife. Back then she wasn't my ex or my wife. She was just an incredibly beautiful 17 year old girl. We met by chance. Some might say fate. I like to think by God's design. She had gone to Girls State with one of my best friend's sister. I went to his house on a Friday night and there she was. My friend had gone to a wedding in Star City and I went to the movie with both girls. I asked her out again the next night and I used to say, "We've been going out ever since". We married her second week of college and were married for 19 and 1/2 years. She decided she didn't want to be married or in the ministry and she divorced me in February of 2005. Ironically it was final the day after my birthday and 2 days before hers.
You never know how one person is going to affect your life. I loved my wife and was crazy about her. I doted on her and many say I spoiled her. I would have given my life for her. I got an incredibly awesome, intelligent, and beautiful daughter out of our marriage whom I am so proud of and who is serving God today and in her 3rd year of college. There's no doubt that the divorce set me back. Divorce is like a living death. Incredible pain but without the closure of a funeral. Thanks to a great church family and to God's grace, I'm alive and getting to do what God called me to do with my life.
Why do I put this down for the world wide web to read if they choose to? Because I want you to know that about 6 years before I met my wife who changed my life I met someone else who changed my life. His name is Jesus. I am also pretty crazy about Him. I'd like to think I would give my life for Him. I know that I have given my life to Him. I could not make it through the crazy things that life throws at me if it wasn't for Him. I'm glad I met Jesus before I met my wife because He gives my life purpose and hope regardless of all else that happens to me.
You may have your "July 19th". Oh, it may be a different day and a different life changing moment- the death of a loved one, bad news from a doctor, or a host of other things. My prayer is that you've also had that incredible life changing moment when you gave your life to Jesus so that you have Him in your life to get you through the tough times that life brings.

Global Warming

Chicken Little went around yelling "The Sky is falling! The Sky is falling!". We have a former vice-president who took credit for inventing the internet and who has taken up cause of global warming. Where are the sane scientists who will dare to go against political correctness? We are experiencing one of the coolest and wettest summers on record in Arkansas this year. Praise the Lord! I keep hearing a lot about greenhouse gasses. We are being bombarded with the message that fluorocarbons and emissions are destroying the ozone and warming our planet. Is it plausible that by burning a little Styrofoam the smoke can rise 2 to 3 miles and make a hole in the ozone layer? There is one "natural" phenomena that has the capability of producing gasses that can penetrate the ozone layer and it is volcanoes. The bible says in Romans 8:19-22 that the whole creation of God is groaning and waiting for the time that God restores it to a perfect state. The literal and physical way that planet earth groans is by the shifting of the tectonic plates along the fault lines which produces earthquakes and under the right conditions volcanoes. A volcanoe is capable of spewing it's gasses, smoke, and ash all the way to the ozone layer surrounding our planet. I would strongly suggest that only one person can destroy this planet. Who? The same one who created it. The Lord God Almighty. 2 Peter 3:5-7 says "For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water:"(2 Pet 3:6) "Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:" (2 Pet 3:7) "But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men." The same chapter in verse 10 warns us "But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up."
Can we harm the environment? Sure we can! Are we to be good stewards of the creation God has blessed us with? Indeed we are! Will man destroy the planet? Not according to the Word of God. God will do it in His perfect timing. Never forget and always remember: God is Large and In Charge!

Declaring His Glory

Well we made it through the holiday. I rode my motorcycle around 350 miles between the 4th and the 7th of July. I saw some beautiful scenery. The bible says "the heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament shows his handiwork". If you live in a "natural state" like Arkansas, it's very easy to see God's handiwork. It's all around us. The heavens may declare the glory of God and the expanses of nature may show God's handiwork but they have one shortcoming. They cannot speak audibly. And God has chosen the preaching of the gospel as the means of saving people. That's where believers come in. Creation witnesses silently to the reality of God. Believers are to witness vocally about the salvation of God. Our job as believers is to spread the gospel or the good news. The good news is Jesus died for our sins, was buried, and rose again the 3rd day. He did it so we could have a meaningful and eternal relationship with God right now and spend eternity with Him one day. The question might be asked, "Who is doing the better job of declaring the glory of God, creation or believers?"

What are they thinking?

As I watched the news this morning, the networks reported that the suspected terrorists in the latest Great Britain bombings are mostly doctors and medical students. The network asked the question, "How does those who study to save lives become murderers?". The answer is They are indoctrinated to do so. While many Muslims may live peaceably, it is still true that their "bible" instructs them to kill Jews and infidels which means any non-Muslims. What a sad belief system. Many of the tenets of the Koran are things that people with basic Judeo-Christian values would endorse. In fact they enforce stricter penalties on rapists and thieves than our law does. But a system that says "God tells me to kill other people" is a system that does not lend itself to making me want to have much to do with that "god".
The great thing about biblical Christianity is it goes against the very nature of our sinful human thinking. It says "Love your neighbor and do good to them". It teaches forgiveness and praying for those who do us wrong. It teaches that giving is better than receiving. The God who is taught in the Bible is not a hating God. This doesn't mean that He is not a just God and one who judges and punishes sin and hands down penalties and consequences for it either. The God of the Bible loves sinful humanity so much that He was willing to send His Son to earth via special delivery (a virgin birth) and then ultimately let His Son die on a cross for our sins. He allowed His Son to buried and be numbered with the transgressors but then He raised His Son from the dead three days after his death so the world would know Jesus is a living Savior.
Our Savior doesn't tell us to hate people who don't believe what we believe. Our Savior tells us to pray for them and try to tell them the truth. If they believe it, great. If they don't; shake the dust off and keep walking and tell others. Jesus doesn't say fill a car or truck with explosives and blow them off the face of the earth. What Are They Thinking?

What a Country!

Yakov Smirnoff is known for his statement "What a Country!". If you have ever seen Yakov in concert or his Branson show, then you know he appreciated the opportunities that are afforded in this country to immigrants. I hope that we who were born here have a great appreciation for this country as well. The United States is a land with a great heritage. Many deny it but our country was blessed by God at its inception and our country was founded on the greatest principles known to man. Our "rule of law" was based on the Ten Commandments and our form of government was to be "of the people, by the people, and for the people". We are still one of the greatest nations on planet earth even though there are those within and without who are trying to tear down what God has long blessed. Yes, we have our faults, but this is still a great place to live. It's why so many will break the law to get in or come in and follow the laws and become legal citizens. We have something others don't have where they are currently living or else they would stay there. This Independence Day don't just take the day off, have a picnic, or shoot some fireworks. How about offering up a prayer of thanksgiving to God for allowing you to live in the land of the free and the home of the brave.

Entering the Blog Zone

Hey Fellow Bloggers!
Being a man in his mid 40's this is all new to me. I didn't even know how to use a computer until I was almost 30. Computers hadn't become the "in" thing in our school until after I had graduated. I thought I would give it a try and see if I can put this great technology to use. Looking forward to writing and seeing some interesting posts.
Blugrassman