7holycrap Life Lessons

Thoughts on January 6, 2021…Something BIGGER

Today marks the one-year anniversary of the situation some are calling one of the worst days in the history of the US. This blog is NOT to defend or refute what happened (because frankly, no one has ALL the information/truth but only comments about what others purport to have happened that day) but want to share a few important thoughts to consider especially for someone who calls themselves a follower of Christ.

We are as Divided as EVER in America
I am wearing my FLEX watch that has the American flag on it to remind me to pray for our country today. There are those on the left and the right saying they have ALL the answers to America’s ills and if you just vote for this or that then everything will be nirvana and bliss in your life. It is true that there are two distinct philosophies for how to run this country. I choose to look at the track record of similar policy decisions in the past because to me, that is the best way to judge what will be the future results. But more than policies and procedures of the country is the heart to pray for our DIVIDED States of America. That truth would prevail AND people would see the value in another person as a human being and not just someone from the “opposing political party”. We need to be part of the solution and not part of the problem when it comes to division in our country. I consider myself a man of God first and then anything else second.

Speaking the Truth is Not Automatically Love
I can remember preaching to my kids when I was a youth pastor that two of the most important things in communication are timing and tone. You can absolutely have the right things to say but if you use the wrong tone and the timing is not right then it has no chance of being received. Jesus always gave us the perfect example of human interaction in that he would listen MORE than he would speak. Do we really listen well and especially to people we disagree with? Every person in this country is not going to see the same on every issue and there will be policy differences forever. But we need to always be listening to those around us FIRST and speaking second. Now some would say that we have a responsibility to stand up for truth and speak the truth. I 100% agree with that statement, but if it is not spoken in love then it will not change who it needs to change. What I mean is that there will be people you speak truth to, and they will not accept it and just get angry but if you have acted like Christ and spoken the truth then you don’t need to worry about the outcome. We need to learn to speak truth like Christ and trust HIM with the outcome.

If You Don’t Like the Direction of our Country then Go Get Involved!
Become a member of the school board or run for a city office or go support the candidate that reflects your values. I ALWAYS use the Bible as my plumb line when supporting a candidate and make sure and vote every election cycle. I am praying for truth and transparency in all of our voting systems and procedures in this country and that GOD would promote and put into office those people who need to be there.

You are going to hear and see lots of comments today about what people thought of the January 6th situation but please remember a few things.

  • We will all be judged not only by our actions but by the words that come out of our mouth (and that includes social media).
  • No single elected official or social system should be the true source of your happiness and if they are, then you are putting something or someone in the place of Jesus in your life.
  • If you cannot listen to someone who you disagree with then you are part of the problem and not the solution in America.
  • If you are not praying for whomever is president of the US (Biden OR Trump when he was in office) then you are part of the problem.
  • Truth should NEVER be shied away from but if it is not spoken in love then it is not like Jesus. PLEASE REMEMBER: Jesus did not come to the earth to convince people that he was right. He came to speak about a better way to live to get a different result and have access to eternity in heaven with him. That was his emphasis with the disciples; speak true words MATCHING true actions.
  • Disagreement in life is not hate. That is a construct of the current culture attempting to keep people apart and only around “yes people” in life. There is no growth where there is no opposition of thought.

Have a great day today and know that God is still in all of what we do as America but we need to BE Jesus to those we come in contact with on a daily basis.

7holycrap Holy Crap

2021 Was a Great Year! Am I Insane?!

Well 2021 is finally over. I see people posting some pretty funny memes about what they thought of this past year but as I look back I can say what a great year! Now, why would I say something like that considering where we are in the world in so many dysfunctional ways?

Maybe 2021 has been a year of seeing and knowing what NOT to do. Isn’t that as important as a year we would define as “great”? Generally, I don’t like correction but when we get something wrong or something bad happens in life those moments raise the value of the “right” in life when we have Jesus in control. It seems like correction is something talked about in every other verse of Proverbs. From the results of being stiff necked in Proverbs 29:1 (A man who remains stiff-necked after many rebukes will suddenly be destroyed–without remedy) to Proverbs 12:1 (Whoever LOVES discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid) Such fun verses to meditate on the first day of the new year. Haha

You may say, “That’s easy for you to say. You had a relatively uneventful year.” Unless you realize that I fell in the airport late last year, had to have major rotator cuff surgery and be in an a sling for 42 days. AND since the new year has happened my insurance deductible went back up and I start 6 months of painful physical therapy that will cost thousands of dollars so…yeah…I would have a reason to complain to start the new year but I wont. I am going to ask God to put the people in my path that need to hear about him; Doctors, nurses, receptionists, my PT person, etc. and not just complain. I pray that our eyes are fixed on HEAVEN and not on the trappings of this earth.

2021 has also been a WONDERFUL year of defining lines in the church body and those who want to pursue holiness in life and those who want to just add Christianity into the other things they do. This may sound like a judgmental statement, but it is not. I know about the story of the thief on the Cross and him living his life for himself to the end and Jesus inviting him to heaven. I do think that there will be people who make it to heaven who don’t do much on this earth for Christ. To me, that is a scary place to serve God from because if we say we are a follower of Christ but we only follow him to the local church on Sundays and our Bible and prayer when it gets tough in life can we TRULY say we are a follower of Christ? ALWAYS remember that Jesus didn’t come to CONVINCE anyone that they needed to follow Him. He came to live a life of example and OFFER a different way to people who had unmet expectations in life. It is also an observation based on people who want to get to heaven but don’t want to change their actions including the trend of “Christianity in Hollywood”. I do believe that there are some wonderful followers of Christ out there, but there are many A list stars that have professed their Christianity but still take acting jobs that reflect Godlessness. I believe that is leading people astray to think that a walk with Christ is about just saying you follow Christ but not doing anything in life to prove it.

So what will 2022 be to you? Will it be a year of recognizing what you did wrong this past year then changing what you do this year to expect a different result? As we get closer to the return of Christ remember that there will continue to be a blurring of what it means to have Jesus in control of your life. You may be reading this and say, “How do you know that YOU are right?” The only thing I know is that I don’t want to live as far away from Christ as I can and only reach out to him when things go bad. I will use the Bible as the guidebook for my life and be involved in a church that preaches the Word AND is not afraid to defend what is being preached from the pulpit. I will love EVERYONE equally but also not be afraid to let people who I disagree with know that there is another way to live life. That may sound like judgement to some, but I’m not trying to make anyone live the life I do. People have to come to the end of themselves before they decide to do something different. This new year I will be a bridge to people getting back to Jesus who have walked away. Basically, I want to be an example to people i come in contact with and see the fruit of the decisions I make to put Jesus first in everything because it is not about ME or anything about me but Jesus IN me!

Have a GREAT 2022 and I am praying for you!