loving people to heaven or hell

there is a great difference
between loving people into the kingdom

and

loving people into hell

if we only accept

without speaking truth

dealing with the sin

without enlightening

we are only enabling
speaking emptiness
loving with little redemptive hope
only enabling
speaking emptiness

feeding the very cancer that damns a soul
there is no genuine love in that

take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness
instead
expose them

speak the one truth in love
love people
love people into the kingdom
love people
 by living and giving the gospel
do not deceive with empty words
the wrath of God comes
upon the sons of disobedience
so speak
so live
be light
love them into the kingdom
and not into hell

Ephesians 5:11

seeing red

Since movie admission prices have gotten so high, I am very particular about what movies I go to see.  I used to go all the time.  Now I pretty much do a little Internet research before going before I make the mistake of emptying my pocket for something mediocre.

I don't mind waiting a month or two to see most movies on my home TV via Redbox or Netflix.  There are some movies that are big screen movies.  I'm still waiting to see the next installment of The Hobbit on the big screen.  Some movies should be seen on the big screen.  Let's face it, most movies today are just as good on the little screen as the big screen. Most movies I don't mind waiting to see.

We're celebrating Gina's 50th birthday this week.  Gina worked last weekend so she could take a couple of days off for herself this weekend.  She didn't have to wake up early this morning, so we ended up hitting a late show last night.  Gina likes action movies as much as I do.  She likes comedies as much as I do too.  I knew when I saw Red 2 out, that it would be a great date night movie for the two of us.  We went and neither of us were disappointed.

I really enjoyed Red 2.  This franchise is a cut above Expendables franchise because of the writing.  Both these movie franchises are comprised of star studded casts (older established actors) with lots of action, but the Expendables movies are one dimensional.  They are enjoyable to watch, but the Red franchise offers more.

Red 2 is is just as much of a thrilling roller-coaster ride as the most recent James Bond movie Skyfall.  You love all the characters, you don't know what's going to  happen next.  It's just a great ride.  I love the characters, the banter, the story...everything.

One thing though that I particularly enjoy  about the Red movies ~ is the generosity.  Even though this is a Bruce Willis vehicle, Bruce is an extremely generous actor.  In Red, Bruce lets John Malkovich steal the show.  In Red 2, both John Malkovich and Anthony Hopkins really shine.  I can't help but think that Hopkins had the time of his life playing Edward Baily. Though Bruce is a funny guy, he doesn't seem to mind playing the straight man.  Everybody shines in this movie, everybody gets to play and I like that.

There is nothing formulaic about Red 2.  Like it's predecessor, it's unpredictable.  As much as I enjoyed the first movie,  I like this one better.  It was money well spent.  It was good to know that Gina enjoyed it as much as I did.  Since we don't go to the movies like we used to, I really try to make sure it's a movie she'll enjoy too.

USE IT

I've come across many Christians who suffer from needless wounds because they do not do battle.  In Ephesians 6 we are instructed to put on the full armor of God.  This order is intended for us to stand our ground against the enemy.  We as Christians WILL engage in spiritual combat.  Warfare is unavoidable.  Warfare is part of our daily life.  We cannot have a pacifist mindset or we will suffer wounds.  Defeat can come to us if we do not prepare ourselves for battle.

If we are to put on the full armor of God, we must not only put it on, we must know how to USE IT! Wearing it just isn't enough.  We must learn to walk in it, live in it, and do battle in it. We will be of little service if we merely walk around with a sword and not learn to wield it.  If we carry a weapon without knowing it, it's just for show.

Faith is our defense and faith can help us move through the battle without sustaining injury.  We can use our shield for personal protection.  We can use our shields collectively.  The shield of faith is not to just hang on a wall to show to our friends.  Our faith is our survival.  Our faith sustains us from enemy attacks as we each move through life.  We must each learn to walk with shield in front of us to absorb the blows.

If we do not put on the FULL armor of God, the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, and our feet are not ready - we are leaving soft spots open, unguarded, unshielded opportunities for the enemy.

"Firstly, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.  Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes.  For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.  Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.  Stand firm then, with the belt of truth bucked around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.  In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.  Take the helmet of salvation and the word of the Spirit, which is the word of God.  And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.  With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord's people."
-Ephesians 6:10-18

"Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
-2 Timothy 2:15

And that from a child you have know the holy scriptures, which are able to make you wise to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.  All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.  That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished to all good works.
-2 Timothy 3:15-17

Indeed, we live as human beings, but we do not wage war according to human standards; for the weapons of our warfare are not merely human, but they have divine powers to destroy strongholds.  We destroy arguments and every proud obstacle raised up against the knowledge of God, and we take every thought captive to Christ.
-2 Corinthians 10:3-5

So prepare your shields, both large and small, and march out for battle! Harness the horses, mount the steeds! Take your positions with helmets on! Polish your spears, put on your armor!

sixth to seventh

from sixth
to seventh
stepping from an innocent place
into a harsher place
from sixth
to seventh
from sixth
to racial unrest
as a boy i knew nothing
nothing about the hate
between races
between skin
nothing about a martyred king
nothing about that dream
from sixth
to seventh
i stepped over
walked down the halls
halls of bitterness
and hate
i was hated
i was hated for the color
the color
God gave me
i was slapped
chastised chased
rundown beaten
because i was not like them
i turned the other cheek
and never returned hate
for hate
beyond my persecution
i tried to show
that i didn't look down
didn't look angry
didn't disrespect
i didn't
even when i was cornered
sometimes forced to fight
i didn't show hate
didn't hate
didn't have hate to give
children left home
every morning
road the bus
dropped off
public school
where adults seemed absent too often
looking the other way
quietly
not their fight
not their trouble
left the children
to deal with it
the consequences
of a nation's past sin
segregation
to integration
we knew nothing of it
strange words
that soon took a brutal meaning
we knew nothing
of any race
any man's struggle
just wanted to get through
get along
but
there in the halls
there in the bathrooms
there in the locker rooms
behind the gym
trouble always seemed to lurk
before during after class
the children
black and white were left
left
left alone
left to deal with the consequences
i realized it
even then
those other children
those children

different from me
who hated me
were taught by their parents
to hate
 to hate like their parents hated
imparted
the grievances frustration
the anger of old sins
festering
ever unforgiven
ever unforgiving
passed it down
to their children
mantle of misery
to be born again in them
 to pick up the torch
lash out
ever lashing out
 ever lashing thrashing out
at whatever was is white
seeing only through back eyes
 and not through the blood
this wasn't the martyred king's dream

countless roads since named for him
countless highways and byways
his good name
trodden under so many feet
decades decades
marching in his name
a road named well
but a road seldom walked
his good words
trampled under rioting feet
his good dream
not by the color of skin
but by
content of character
forgotten or ignored
listen to him
repent forgive
lay down that nightmare
lay down that yoke
don't stir those ashes
don't kindle those flames
put out that fire
that consumes the soul
lay down that nightmare
wake to the dream
walk that road
listen to him
that old preacher of yours
that dear wise man
calmly calling
repent forgive
repent forgive
not through black eyes
only through the blood
grace
forgiveness
of Jesus Christ

Colossians 3:12-14

up up

there is a reason

you were born

born here
born where you are

who you are

fearfully wonderfully

uniquely specifically made

with divine intent

we remind each other to look up
focus up

up

up

instead of around

which is the world

to focus up

to live up
instead of down
to be in

but not of
to be who we were made to be

up

up

the more we look up

the more we pursue up

the more we'll become

who we were made to be

being and becoming
more
more

who he made us to be

looking to the kingdom

instead of this old place

MATTHEW 6:33

goodnight girls

kelsey is the first to go down
sometimes mother
sometimes katie
sometimes me
someone will help her go to sleep
always with a prayer
kelsey
like most little girls
wants a little comfort and company first
she'll ask for a story
loves to be tickled
her good-nights
a little prolonged
always be accompanied
always with a hug

i think
she likes hugs
more than kisses

at seventeen
katie is old enough to put herself to bed

she'll stay up a little later
to read a little longer
she'll come down later in the evening
to wish me good-night
katie
since she was little
always desired 'good-nights'
katie
has always loved kisses

i think
she likes kisses
a little more than hugs

my girls

so different
so unique
so precious
good-night
hugs and kisses
kisses and hugs
good-night

Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.
-Matthew 18:10

mixed nuts

At the worship kinship today, Todd said it, I had been thinking it.  He used the term 'mixed nuts'!  The beginning of the meeting these two words hung in my head and I didn't say anything...then Todd said it.  It was a personal confirmation for me.  God likes mixed nuts!

Our church has multiple worship leaders with different voices, different styles ~ different flavors of worship. Any Sunday you attend the Gadsden Vineyard you'll experience a different worship band doing something completely different.  One just doesn't know what to expect from one Sunday to the next.

There's no way to bring all of it into the sameness of flavor.  We might be able to crack it and put in the same can, but we can't change who we are individually to conform to a single flavor or taste.  We can however hone our skills, become better leaders, be more diligent in order to be the best individual nut we can be.  God likes mixed nuts!  He just wants us to become more disciplined and refined.  He wants us to be more diligent in our job as worship leaders.

I don't want to be the nut in the can who offers up something that God had rather eat around.  I desire to be that nut who the rest of the body can follow and join in with greater ease.  I desire my worship and praise offered to be as an aroma enjoyable to the Lord.  He inhabits our praise, so lets offer him a premium product.  Let us open up a can of our best individual efforts, to be a mixture of DELUXE mixed nuts.

I don't want to be the nut found in a can of a generic brand that tastes funky and weird ~ that one would wish to spit out.  If I am a mere cocktail nut, that's okay.  I'll strive to be the best cocktail nut that I can be.   I really want to be the pecan or the cashew, because that's what I like to find plenty of in each can of mixed nuts.  No matter what kind of nut we are, let us strive to become that delightful blend of nuts that are pleasing little morsels unto him.  No matter what kind of nut we each may be, just remember that God prefers salt on our sacrifices.  We will not be salty if we are not pursuing him throughout each day.

heavenward

i am a child
running
running
running releasing
running trusting

letting the wind do the rest

up and up

lift up the praise

lift up the adoration

lift up and up

running
running
running releasing

let the wind do the rest

simple words

words meant

simple like wood
like paper and string

running with it
running
running

to feel the wind tug

to simply release
to feel the wind take it
to let it soar

hold the string
till there's no more string

see the kite defy

all gravity

heavenward

straight to our Father's ears

and heart

we love you

we adore you
we love you
we adore you

he's in the shop

One of dad's favorite places to spend time was in the garage.  He loved woodwork.  He had a large and low workbench made to accommodate his wheelchair.  He bought his first wheelchair in the late 1960 or early 1970's.  He made it his shop chair when he finally bought a new one.  Before he had the wheel chair, he'd use small wooden stools to work around the house or outside.  He made a ramp from the kitchen to the garage to get over the one step down into the garage.

Maybe it was growing up in the depression, but dad didn't throw away stuff.  He'd save every scrap piece of leather or wood he came across.  When the old television console broke down, dad asked me to go out there and break it down for the wood and and usable hardware.  The same went for any old washer and dryer.  I clearly remember sitting on the garage floor one Saturday dismantling an old dish washer.  You'd be surprised how many washers and screws hold those things together.  Most of it went to good use.  We didn't have to go to the hardware store much in those days because if you looked hard enough, you could find the size nut..the right size piece of metal to improvise and complete a job.  It was a mess to organize though.

Dad had a lot of large power tools in his shop too.  He built a stand with locking wheels for his table saw.  He built a stand with locking wheels for his jig saw.  He built a stand with locking wheels for his lathe.  Every large power tool he owned could be rolled around in that shop of his.  It was always my job to clean up the shop.  I didn't have to clean it often, but when I did, it took the most part of a weekend to do the job right.  I have always have been a pretty good organizer, but the more dad collected, the more difficult it was to keep that garage neat.

I organized that shop so many times, I can close my eyes and go through every drawer, every cabinet, every container and still see what was kept in each of them.  I look up on the shelves and see the Minwax cans...sitting next to the linseed oil. He had more hammers hanging on that pegboard than he could ever use. Most of the peg holes in those boards were mostly filled with tools for any occasion.  I don't believe there was a tool he didn't have.

I didn't share dad's interest or talent with wood.  I was often drafted into the garage to help him.  He always wanted to do as much as he could by himself, so I was there to reach for items out of his reach or steady a piece of wood for him to make a cut.  Every now and then he needed a steady hand to hold a nail for him to hammer.  I learned the hard way not to use my hands.  After a couple of times of getting hammered by a miss, he would then act insulted when I started holding the nail using needle nose pliers.

Even if there wasn't anything to mend or build, he'd go out there and come up with a project or two using scraps of this and that.  He was good at that.  For a man who didn't have two good hands, he sure enjoyed using them.

The last project I remember us working on was a glue table.  He had seen an expensive picture of one in a woodworking magazine and decided to build one to his wheelchair height.  We spent a day out in the garage.  I didn't know what I was doing, but he was mighty good at instructing his shop helpers on  what to do.  The glue table turned out really nice.  I don't think he ever got a chance to use it.  It's now out in my garage.  I never used it for what it was made for either.  It collects stuff out there.  I still have his workbench.  I still have many of dad's old tools.  It's nice to have them out there, use them when something needs fix'n.

I never cared much for spending all those hours out there as a boy, but I sure wouldn't mind lending him a hand if he were still around.  Every now and again while working out there, I feel a connection, enjoying a little of what he enjoyed doing so much.

Happy Father's Day Dad.

of rainbows and men

Earlier this week, while driving around town, I was thinking of rainbows.  I was thinking how the rainbow was given as a symbol for the promise God made to never destroy man again by flood because of sin.

The Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual, Transgender (LGBT) community have taken that very symbol of God's promise and use it as their banner.

Let him that is taught in the word communicate to him that teaches in all good things.  Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatever a man sows, that shall he also reap.  For he that sows to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption;  but he that sows to the Spirit of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
Galatians 6:7-8

But do not forget this one thing, dear friends; With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.  The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness.  Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.  But the day of the Lord will come like a thief.  The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare.

Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be?  You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming.  That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat.  But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.

So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him.  Bear in mind that our Lord's patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom  that God gave him.
2 Peter 3:8-15