love

“A Story of Two Bobs”

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This is one story about two men named “Bob”.  In my life I have had the privilege of knowing two men who unknowingly have impacted my life like no other.  The first “Bob” I will introduce is Bob Nordeen; he was a member in the church I attended in Oklahoma and we used to visit door to door witnessing to anyone who would listen to the Gospel of Jesus or others who were Christian, but just wanted to fellowship.  Bob was a retired Sergeant Major in the U.S. Army, a Vietnam Veteran and Korean War Veteran/P.O.W.

On every trip we took each week through the Lawton neighborhoods, he would always surprise me by his patience and tender heart.  He taught me how to not only try to understand people, but to take time to understand myself.  The more time I spent with him the more I realized that life will not always be what you think it should be and when we find ourselves facing tough times we must always maintain our faith in Jesus Christ, giving God the glory regardless of our circumstance.

Bob Nordeen went to be with our Lord before we left Oklahoma and it was both a sad day and a happy day because I knew how much he wanted to be with Jesus.  Sad, because I would no longer see his smile or listen to his wisdom.  I still miss him greatly to this day, but I am comforted to know that he is doing God’s work getting his instructions directly from God and joyfully getting them done.

The next “Bob” I will introduce you to is the man I now call “Dad”.  As he is married to my mother I guess you could say that I have to, but I use it more out of respect than because of marriage.  Technically he would be my Stepfather, but I consider that irrelevant.  Bob Larson is the most giving man I have ever met.  He will do anything for anyone at a moments notice if he is able and by this example I have learned that sometimes giving will hurt, but it is nothing permanent so just do it.

Bob is always concerned for others and is not afraid to let it be known whether by his words or actions.  The other thing I admire about him is his ability to share his feelings about his family and it is obvious that these feelings run very deep.  He is also found to be gentle yet strong, wise yet cheerful and patient yet passionate.

Not only is Bob a friend, he is a Dad to my wife, a wonderful husband to my mother, along with being a loving and kind grandfather to my daughters.  So again I will say that in my life there have been two men named “Bob” who have brought such a positive example into my life, which now greatly influences me.  Both are and should be the men that other men model their lives after.

I thank and praise God for these men who have given me the example to follow.  My prayer is to set the same example they did while still walking with my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

“To Be PC Or Not To Be PC?”

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Can’t believe I turned to Shakespeare for this one, but when tough topics come up we have to be honest with ourselves and each other. In the news all we hear about is being politically correct. What does that mean anyway? Of course the answers some learned in their secular college course somewhere will come out, but to be honest, I think this is what got us into the mess we are in now.

My intent is not to pinpoint a college for a fault, but what I am referring to is the idea that political correctness was taken to levels unseen by everyone. Now, we are stuck with it regardless of how far it has come and I have an idea that many of those who raised banners for it are now stuck eating “Crow”, but in order to save face are unwilling to upset the status quo they find themselves in. Why? Because quite frankly it could mean losing jobs, friends and their livelihood.

It seems to me in my simple mind that if I am being honest, it is a better quality than lying to myself and everyone around me about my feelings and what I consider to be right or wrong. If I give up my beliefs and betray my feelings I have just handed who I am over to someone else; something I refuse to do regardless of the consequences. Anyway, I am not mine to give away as I belong to God.

For those who are struggling with choices they know they must make to save themselves; make the choice you know your heart is telling you.  God has put His Law on your heart and by this you will know that the choice you make is the right one. Do not let sin cloud your heart and repent.  Let God in so that you can honestly and clearly examine yourself; remember God have given you grace through Jesus Christ – He is your gift so honor and cherish it.

For those around you who claim there is no God or God’s Law does not apply or other absurd claims; they too know that God exists.  If they truly thought that God did not exist they would not fight so hard to prove otherwise. For those who would challenge you in this our foundation comes from the book of Romans 1: 18 – 25. Although you may come from a biblical world view it is simple. Do not let anyone be the judge over God and His word, but remember that our example is Christ and it is with Christian love we approach the lost; not free love as they might have you believe.

As Christians we are constantly told that we have to prove that God exists so I will simply reverse the table and use the same weighted balance; prove that He doesn’t.  Theory and hypothesis do not count as fact or truth. Remember that the Laws of Nature are used by science which also agrees with Laws of Logic, so just because I believe in something that cannot be considered tangible does not mean that I am the only one in the room that uses faith as my foundation.

Praise and Glory to God as He continues to use those who know Him and those who claim otherwise – All for His Glory!

“A Prize Fighter”

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Each day for me as a Christian can be like stepping into the boxing ring or octagon whichever your prefer. If we consider the challenges we as Christians face within the secular world that surrounds us, we at times will take some punches that cause us to reel or even buckle, but we still get up and face the next round.

I find it interesting that those who are either not Christian or do not share in our resilience will make comments to criticize our belief, and yet when things get a little tough in their life or they find themselves with nowhere to turn they complain, blame and accuse others for their misfortune.

One of the toughest punches I receive are when I hear someone take God’s name in vain. I have to say that these have the hardest sting, and for those who use His name as commanded otherwise i do try to correct them.  Along with the correction I also offer up a prayer for them.

So each day as we step into the ring of life we as Christians must always remember that Jesus Christ has placed before us the one and true prize of redemption through which He stood in our place to not only fight for us, but also to take every painful blow sin could throw at Him.

Philippians 3:12 Not that I have already l obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: not forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Praise God in all of His wonderful glory!!!

“In My Tribulation God Waits, In My Heart He Lives”

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There has been a cliché I have heard lately that has not quite hit the mark. There may those who agree and there of course will be those who disagree. I am not the first to think of this and more than likely, not the last, so here is the cliché I am thinking of;

“God will never give you more than you can handle.”

I would actually disagree with this. To be honest I think God does give us more than we can handle so that we can be nearer to Him. Think about it, when do we call on God the most; when we are in great need or tribulation.

When it comes to our happiness or feeling of fulfillment I believe that God wants the best for us, so much so that He gave His only Son for us, but at the same time God has told us through the Gospels that our tribulation and trials are there to make us stronger not weaker.

Romans 5: 1 – 5: “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; 4 and perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” NKJV

Of course many of us have been there when we have called on God to help us through the challenge each of us had in front of us and in some cases promises were made or pledges said. Therein lies the topic of how we act towards God after we get back to what we consider a sense of normal or comfortable. How did we carry out the promises made or did we soon forget what we even said because the situation was so bad?

God has given in each of us the ability to overcome tragedy through the promise He has given through His Son Jesus Christ, by whom we have a hope that no other has or ever can offer. With the connection we have to God through His Son, we know that no matter the consequence it is by divine promise and plan that we go through the challenges in our life, each in their own category and way. Each of us has our part to play and through love, fear and obedience to God the victory will be ours.

So looking back on my own life, turning to God through the good and bad is what we are told to do; it is that simple. God wants that relationship with us, but we must understand that the path may not be the smoothest and that we are to always be prepared by placing ourselves into prayer and study of the bible regularly. These are the tools by which we shield ourselves from the world and the stress it daily throws on our shoulders.

So to bring a solution to the table I will provide you with a new cliché; “In my tribulation God waits, in my heart He lives.”

“A What In The Room?”

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The meeting began just as any other meeting with some small talk at the onset and then it was into the business at hand.  As the discussion commenced and the ideas flowed there was a point made as to the ownership of a certain item within a system.  This is when it happened, someone said; “You don’t want to make Satan mad.”

Once that statement was made there were giggles and additional statements about Lucifer with more giggles, laughter and a general acceptance of the name being used in the room made for business; secular and usually politically correct.

To say that whether this blogger was offended is actually irrelevant.  What is relevant is what would have happened if the name of Jesus Christ had been used; what then?

Actually I have seen it before in other meetings years past where the name of Jesus Christ has come up, but usually it was saved for cursing and not for edification.  I have heard the name used in a positive conversation, but it was soon stopped when other members to the meeting showed up because of either secular laws or policies.

Concerning the most recent meeting mentioned earlier I am quite certain that the name of Jesus would have not received the same attention that Satan’s did and this is what I find ironic.  Jesus died for every human being before during and after; what did Satan give – nothing.  I would also guess that almost everyone in that room calls themselves “Christian” and should know better if they do.

Additionally, when we as Christians find ourselves in these situations we must choose love and patience before we act.  Our cutoff should come when the name of God or Jesus Christ is taken in vain; it is then that we should again use love and patience to let it be known that not only do we find it inappropriate, but that God finds it unacceptable.  Either way it is a chance to talk to someone about Jesus Christ; use it.

Today, everyday and in every moment we owe Jesus Christ everything, because through Him we are able to connect to God.  Jesus Christ should not have a place in our society as “the elephant in the room”, rather He should be the cornerstone of everything we do, whether at work or at home.

Thankfulness and Praise to God Always!!!

“Where Do I Start?”

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Not being a man of high intelligence or extreme complex thought I usually try to stick to what I understand best and will at times shy away from those things that I find too complicated or difficult for my brain to digest.  This does not mean I am not willing to learn, it simply means that I choose to live my life my way as long as it falls within the confines of what God has planned for me.

In the quest for a fairly simple life I have attempted to follow God in the best way I know how, but with all the self-proclaimed Christian denominations out there I find it difficult to discern which one I am supposed to follow or none at all. One funny thing though; I have recently learned of Theonomy and find it a curious perspective that has caused me to dive even deeper into my bible  There are many well-educated authors on the subject which also leaves me a very long reading list to tackle!

Discouraging at best is probably the best way to describe my experiences and none more discouraging than the lack of fellowship.  This is a difficult subject because at our jobs we are to keep those subjects hushed, but I never thought that as a Christian I would consider myself lonely as one. I am also not naive enough to think that I am the only person seeking knowledge and fellowship in Christ, so don’t assume that this my version of a pity party as it is not pity that I seek.

Through these searches and during this time of difficulty I am still thankful to God for the opportunity to learn more about Him and myself. I will also count it to joy for any amount of time I have to be in prayer and in God’s Word; through these I consider myself not wanting for anything.

So in summary what I am experiencing is nothing compared to those on the other side of the world being persecuted and killed for their Christian beliefs which leaves me in a position to be nothing less than thankful.  I am however, left with the task of prayer for them to have strength in love and perseverance through faith.

“As the Sun Sets”

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As the world turns yet again for another day and the sun goes under the horizon, my mind takes me into a place where everything and everyone I see I must give thanks. This might sound easy on the surface, but I also have to be thankful to those who were not necessarily nice to me or worth, in my mind, giving thanks to.

This might be the thoughts of others as well; not sure.  To give thanks or even forgiveness is not always easy, as human nature dictates that these two things can be considered as optional. However it works for any of us is, well…, up to us. But is it really?

We say that we have “free will”, but do we really? If sin is controlling certain aspects of our lives, do we truly have enough control to say that the decisions we make are actually free from anything, other than the sin that permeates our total being?  The only way to let these go is to not only give our sins up to God, but we have to remember forgiving others must be done first before we approach God with the burden we want lifted from us.

Jesus speaks in the parable of the Unforgiving Servant about forgiving others first. Matthew 18:32″Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. 33. Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you? 34. And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him. 35. ‘So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.”

As we go through our day as Christians, we know that not everyone we encounter believes what we do. Although this wall does exist, thankfulness and forgiveness are still understood by non-Christians.  Living for God is not easy and I too struggle with the secular challenges, so with that being said I do know that the days of not forgiving and keeping Jesus Christ under a rug of social acceptability are over.

So as the sun sets at the end of each day, take a moment to think about how to best thank someone or give forgiveness if needed. God’s judgements may sound harsh concerning forgiveness, but in reality the potential pain we can cause others by not following through with what God expects of us could actually be our last chance to do so since none of us are guaranteed tomorrow, but being judged before His seat is.

Matthew 16: 24,25;  “Then Jesus said to His disciples, ‘If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. 25. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.”

“A Piece of My Heart They Shall Forever Have”

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Many of us have walked through stores and seen employees who live with limitations and must work harder than anyone else in the store to come up to what most of us consider normal or average.

For some people it is a momentary passing and a fleeting thought that appears or some of us think of how good it is that they are working and trying to be part of society and not a burden.  And then there those of us who either know are a family member to them.

For me as a father of a young adult with limitations, not only do I have thoughts into their trials in life, it is my heart that pulls so hard that it could come out of my chest because of the love I have for all of them.

I want to be their knight, their crusader, and their shield.  But there are also times I wish to carry their sword.  These can be one of the toughest times for a Christian when we have to choose between forgiveness and correction for those who forget that people with limitations are not to be discriminated against.  We are our brother’s keeper and must know that for those who cannot always speak for themselves we must.

If it were not an important issue we would not have laws in this country to protect those who are not able to do for themselves the things we take for granted every day.  There is a reason the laws God gave, Moses communicated and Jesus fulfilled were created and they were for the good of all humans, not just for a privileged few.  I believe for us it is a matter of task that we try to take them seriously and not just let bad things happen without somehow enforcing them where possible.  If not the laws, then at least the idea they represent must somehow be presented.

So the next time we see a person with limitations working in the stores we frequent, take a moment, tell them they are appreciated and are doing a great job.  Know that they are always giving their best, just as we should always give them ours.

“Is Boredom Christ-like?”

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Many times through any day we can find ourselves in a state of boredom or at least in a somewhat vegetative state where our mind seems to either wonder or hit neutral.  During this time if your mind is still functioning; what do we think about?  Rhetorical question!  Please don’t answer!

The real question to answer is; if I am actually feeling the onset of boredom or have been there for quite some time, what is supposed to be occupying my mind?  If we turn to what the Bible says then I think most of us would agree that we should not be bored.  Just in case here are a couple of verses to help.

Proverbs 19:15 ESV – 15 Slothfulness casts into a deep sleep, and an idle person will suffer hunger.

1 Thessalonians 5:14 ESV – 14 And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all.

2 Thessalonians 3:7 ESV – 7 For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us, because we were not idle when we were with you.

Some might argue that they are talking about laziness here, but essentially if we are bored, what are we doing?  Probably nothing or at least anything that produces positive results.  Now you ask; are you pointing a finger?  Yep; at myself.  I am guilty of this and know that I need to be doing the work Jesus Christ gave us to do and as a reminder I pull myself into His word or prayer even when I think there is not time.

Sometimes it might be just taking time to work on our relationships, mental attitude, problems that plague our thoughts, listen to a friend or listen to someone who needs one.  I believe the bottom line here is that we are supposed to use this time to take care of each other whenever possible, which is the great commission or “Golden Rule” if you will.

Who knows, God might be placing someone who was suffering from boredom in your path because He felt it necessary to give them a task and you encouragement.

“Question of the Day”

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The question of the day is certainly a Christian one, but I am not sure if I can answer the specific question, but I can offer the perspective of a Christian voter if that helps.  Today we are pressed by the question given to Scott Walker concerning Obama’s religious preference of that as a Christian and former mayor Rudy Giuliani’s comments about the POTUS and his love of America.

Being in the same position as Mr. Walker I find myself in a little bit of a quandary.  Since I do not have first hand access to the President I am not able to give an answer to the question, but I do have a perspective to share concerning Mr. Walker’s answer to the press.

As a Christian of course I would love to know the true answer to the question posed to Mr. Walker, but I think I am more concerned with his response to reporters when asked.  His answer seemed more like an attempt at skirting around what was really being asked.  I think what was really being asked is; “if you don’t know, then why aren’t you asking the same question or at least making an attempt to find out?”

When it regards the leader of a nation I am certainly hoping that this prospect can understand the question posed and that even though it might seem direct, it actually implies something greater than himself and that most people would understand that Mr. Walker may not have the answer, so just say that you don’t know and please don’t try to hide behind political answers when the questions are posed; just be honest.

For the former mayor of New York I would offer that a little more digging might be required to get the real answer to the idea of whether President Obama loves America.  From my perspective (seat) I would first like to focus on how the POTUS views America.  Does he see it the same way I do?  More than likely not, so then we have to look at his own history of being a citizen.  Now this subject in itself is a contentious one, but for this discussion I am avoiding it.

The focus of the view could be broken down into “My Home, My Land, My Country” or “My Stepping Stone”.  I think it would be quite easy to distribute many people into either choice, but now how do we think the POTUS sees it?  My personal opinion is that he sees it as “My Stepping Stone”.  The reason I say this is due to how he makes decisions from how I see them.  Looking into his past is a key here since America served as a stepping stone to get him where he is now and with that he has become very Socialist in his politics and his directions concerning government programs.

No, I do not agree with President Obama on many things and did not vote for him, but I would ask that we be fair in our observations and judgements when it comes to evaluating who he is as a person.  We all love our country for various reasons and because of the rights we are given under the Constitution we can verbalize our ideas of how that is all put together.  As a Christian I will always turn to God for answers, but sometimes the answers are plain and sometimes simple, but the most obvious is love which for some reason can also be the hardest.