Up-side Down

How many times do we find ouselves living life at the mad pace of the world around us. We exist to consume as much as possible in our allotted time. Living life for ourselves has seemingly become the norm. Even in the "church" this mindset has gripped most of the "faithful."

I would like to challenge you to live life in a different mode. A life that is opposite of the trend that we see established in almost every arena of society. Can you live life "up-side down?" A life that goes against the grain of this selfish, self-indulging culture that we are caught in. A life that gives and not simply takes!

>Be a "lover" not a "hater." The world is full of "haters." Let love take over in your dealings with others.
>Be a Jesus-Freak. Really try to live your life by his example. Let his life be the example that you try to mimick in every detail.
>Be dependable. Regardless of where you find your life intersecting with others, be the one they can depend on. That's hard to find nowadays.
>Be Strong. Live by what you believe, not by what is accepted. The world needs to see somebody that lives by conviction.
>Be courageous. Step into some impossible situations and watch how God may use you. You'll never know until you try.

You may freak some people out when you try to live this kind of life. It would be a great thing today, to be accused of turning your world "up-side down!" Because it's obvious that "right-side up" is just not working.

"Stupid"

Good Gosh! Somebody help me! The more I listen to the media and politicians these days, the more I think that there has been an infectious germ that some evil terrorists have released in the atmosphere. It causes an awful desease that's symptoms are becomming more and more evident in the society today. The dreaded desease is known as "stupid." There are "stupid" outbreaks everywhere you turn! There is an evident shortage of the common cure for this desease - 'common sense.'
You really see the affects of this disease in areas concerning things like:
>Same-sex marriage - Give me a break! Some parts are simply not compatible. Never were, never will be! Wake up people! I love you even if you are caught up in this lifestyle. But, it is still wrong, and a sign of "stupid" if you think it's not!

>Global Warming - Over the last 100 years, the earth's temperature has increased approximately 1 degree fareinheight. Could that possibly be the results of a geological cycle? I wonder how those temperatures would compare to 200 years ago? We do need to be better stewards of the earth's resources. But, most of us are being "Gored" with information that is not totally accurate. "Stupid!"

>Gun Control - Let's make sure that we get the guns out of the hands of people that will use them to kill another person. I'm sure that would deture the murderer from breaking the law by having a gun in his possession illegally. Get a brain! If a person is disturbed enough to kill another person, what would keep him from breaking gun-control laws? Take some 'common sense' for your "stupid" outbreak if you believe that.

>Relativism - The idea that truth is relative only to the context of an individual is a sure indicator that "stupid" is really eating you alive. If you believe that, then my "truth" is that if you are hit in the head with a hammer, that feeling is not really pain? You wanna try it? "Stupid."

There are so many more examples that could be used. Hopefully you get the point! Blog is a little long already.
I realize that most of you who read this blog have the same ideals as I do. I would ask that you maybe share this blog with someone who don't. Maybe we can get a handle on this epidemic of "Stupid." It will at least provoke the thought.

Better Off!

When I consider all the arenas of life and society that I'm involved with, I have to ask the question, "Are any of them in better condition at my departure than when I arrived?" Are they Better Off because I have been there? Is the place and the people in better shape than what I found them?

We can all float through life and never really consider this idea. I would rather like to consider it, hoping that the world will somehow be a better place when I'm finished here. My life may seem to be a very small thing in the scope of all humanity, but I want it to be as "big" as possible.

I believe that has to be intentional on my part. I don't believe in the notion that "whatever will be, will be." I believe that there is a Great God, with a great plan for my life. Yet, I have to make a decision to be a part of that plan. I can go off and do my own thing! God will not stop me from carrying out my own will. He will send 'stop' signs along the way, but I can continue in the same direction, even if it is a dead-end road.

God allows me to cooperate with his will for my life. But that is really up to me. All of us have a purpose in life. Discovering that purpose can seem complicated at times. But, if and when that happens, you can be sure that the world will be Better Off because of it!

Control Freaks - Part II

You see people who think it is their place in life to keep everybody else in line. Those are the people that can't be trusted with their own freedom. Usually they know, that within themselves they would abuse the freedom that others enjoy. In other words, they can't trust themselves! They just can't handle too much freedom. Take Fidel Castro or Saddam Husein for instance. Their abuses as evil dictators, reveal why they went to such great extremes to keep others oppressed and under control. They assumed that anyone who was granted the same freedom would use it as they did - to abuse others. The only freedom that a Control Freak will endorse is his own. I don't want to be a Control Freak.


These ideas Help Me:
- Never use my freedoms for gain, at the expense of others.
- Mind my business - I don't "need" to know everything anyway.
- Be responsible, regardless of what others do.
- Trust others with their freedom.
- If you are in charge of others, try not to micro-manage.

A famous man once said, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." Surely this would apply to all Control Freaks.

Control Freaks

Sunday was a Great Day for Beech Springs Tabernacle! We honored our Pastoral Staff. Thank God for the people who have heard the call and given themselves to ministry in this capacity. We are blessed with some great people!

Sunday morning's message brought attention to the fact that we are called to maturity as believers. One of the marks of maturity for anyone, is revealed when a person has freedom and can manage it without causing harm to himself or others. We have to realize that we are granted freedom in this walk with God. Freedom comes with a great responsibility. Freedom comes at a price! That price was the life of Jesus Christ.

With that freedom, you are released from a life of control. God does not want to control your life, he wants you to be free! Free from religion, sin, bondage, addictions, etc.. He wants you to lovingly serve and obey him and his plan for your life. He will not try to force you into a life that you are not willing to live. Yet, there are people who insist on a life that is based on a "have-to" mentality, where their relationship with God is based on what they "have-to" do, instead of what they "get-to" do. I have to realize that God has given me the opportunity to serve and follow him. I "get-to," I don't "have-to." People who never come to this resolve, never know the freedom of the life that we can have in Jesus Christ. And since they never know that freedom, they never want anybody else to experience it either. They become Control Freaks! They want to be controlled, and they want to control everybody else.

If Jesus doesn't want to control you, then why should I?

More to come with next blog!