HEAVY LOADS AND SPIRITUAL JOY

     Do not pray for God to lighten your load. Pray for a stronger back. After all, does God not give the heaviest loads to his best children? Every day we should thank God for the honor of the load he places upon our backs, and carry it with joy in our spirit. We do that by keeping our focus on Jesus, not on our load. A sad and depressed face and spirit are a bad witness for Jesus' message of hope.

IF AND THE WAY

     If I had the means and the time to travel all the world, I would take the time to visit with and get to know all I encountered in all the countries around this drop-dead beautiful planet that God created just for us. I would travel through all the Middle East visiting the magnificent historical sites resplendent in their history-laced charm. Of course I wouldn't leave out that mystical land of India in my all-encompassing expedition. Nor would I leave out the vast plains and chilling tundra lands of Russia. Oh, Tibet and China are a must see. Let's not leave out Europe, South America, Greenland, and Africa. Onward to the Outback of Australia and the jungled islands to the north of those Aussies. Antarctica, yes. I would see it all and as many of the world's peoples as God allowed.

     Sadly, in this restless and factionalized world, where brother fights brother and kills over politics, religion, race, etc, it is nigh on impossible to travel through many areas. But if I could find the way and the means, I would get to know and love all the people in this world - just like God, himself. I feel there is good in all people that has been covered over by a lifetime of taught-hate and taught-suspicion. It is no mystery why Christianity when practiced in its true form is the one hope to be the savior of this world with Jesus Christ as our loving ruler.

     On the joyful side, if we give our hearts and love through faith in Jesus Christ, then we are a great beginning for the hope of God for the world's salvation. Let it begin with us through love, forgiveness, example, faith, compassion, empathy, service, and all the many other good commands brought to us by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Let us show the world that this life doesn't have to be the end but a loving and glorious beginning through faith. Many say, impossible, but ours is to know that all things are possible through God.

Remember that Jesus told us the greatest commandments of all in Matthew 22:37-40: Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and will all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself'. All the law and the prophets hang on these two commandments."

     So you see, my brothers and sisters in Christ, if we want to see God's world and visit with his children in order to know and love it and them, we must know that the only way is through the love of and our faith in Jesus Christ and all that he tells us and by his divine example. And Jesus said in John 14:6, ..."I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

How Great Thou Art 

WHERE WAS GOD? STORIES OF HOPE AFTER THE STORM

     You absolutely must see this documentary concerning the F5 tornado that destroyed over 4,000 homes within a few short minutes in Moore, Oklahoma that is on the south side of Oklahoma City, I live on the north side. It is a Christian movie that is exceptional in quality and so moving. watch the trailer. If you have lost children or love ones, watch it. If you want to see God working in the midst of a great tragedy, watch it. You will not regret it. But have a box of tissues handy. It is now available on NETFLIX. The victims answered several very important questions for me concerning God. We do not understand everything within God's will, but we know it is good even though it has the sound and feel of bad during and immediately after...until we see it with a perspective over a long period of time. Just trust God and have faith that all he does is good.

CLICK ON THE LINK FOR THE TRAILER:  WHERE WAS GOD? STORIES OF HOPE AFTER THE STORM

REFUELING OUR SPIRITUAL TANKS

     If the time ever comes that you are on your last ebb, when the world and its blows have laid you low, all the life from you seemingly extinguished, remember these words about refuelling your spirit through God in Isaiah 40:29-31.

He gives strength to the weary

and increases the power of the weak.

Even youths grow tired and weary,

and young men stumble and fall;

But those who hope in the Lord

will renew their strength.

They will soar on wings like eagles;

they will run and not grow weary,

they will walk and not be faint.

     Many are the times that I feel as though I am being a pain in God's neck by leaning on him for so many seemingly trivial matters in my everyday life, but he always smiles that smile that says, nothing is too small nor too large for the Lord your God. This is what 1 John 5:14 has to say about asking for help.

This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, He hears us.

When you ask for help, pray just as Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, Luke 22:42,

"Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done."

Ask, but God's will may contain a different scenario than the one you are specifically praying for. Too often, we think God doesn't hear nor answer our prayers due to their not being answered in the specific way "we" want them answered. Always keep in mind that God's will is divinely good. The answer that God gives to our prayers is always good.

     When Jesus finished praying, he was at peace and secure in the knowledge that God's will would be done regardless of his wishes and that it was good as God is good. Our reward is not upon this earth, but in the spirit after this earthly life. We cannot know the reasons for God's plan nor understand them, but we must trust him because Paul tells us in Romans 12:2,

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will.

     No, my fellow Christian, life is filled with pitfalls. We, as Christians, must not pray for the trials and tribulations to be removed from our backs but pray that God will strengthen our backs to carry the loads he has entrusted us with in order that his will be done. Paul lays it out in words nobody can mistake in Romans 5:3-5,

...we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character, and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. 

     Yes, rejoice in our trials and tribulations. We Christians are very different from the remainder of mankind. But a person should be transformed or changed by his faith in Jesus Christ to be a physical and spiritual testament to the goodness of our Father, God. If you are the same as before you gave your life to Jesus Christ in faith, then where is the evidence of your faith?

     Refuel your spiritual tanks and feel the strength return to your back and the joy return to your spirit for we are joyful in spirit through our trials and tribulations.

A WRITER?

   

    In every Book Release Interview I was asked a more or less similar question, "What is it like to be a writer and how did you become one?" Well, my friends, the following is a story I wrote for a writing contest a couple of years ago that had a very similar topic and surprisingly won the top award. I should have given this to all the interviewers. By the way, I think you will enjoy its humor while keeping in mind that there is a lot of truth in humor, and I think my brother that reads my posts will heartily agree with the picture that I paint of my parents responses. I love them dearly, but they are of a very practical bent.

A WRITER?

     Brutally, I recall the response I received when I announced to my parents that I would pursue a career in writing.  At twenty two years of age, it was truly uplifting.

     My mother let out a stunned,    "A Writer?  Jimmy…!"

     As a businessman, Dad's first concern was always money.  As a Father, his first concern was always money.  "You'll starve to death.  Writers are a dime a dozen.  Ninety nine percent of them wind up on Skid Row as bums.  You've really jumped off the deep end on this one."

     "Thanks for the encouragement, Mom.  Dad, get me a copy of those statistics and facts.  This country needs that information.  That is truly shocking.  Do you think the cover-up goes as far as the White House?"  Of course I didn't express those thoughts. I may be crazy, but I am not insane.

   

     Those natural parental concerns fell on deaf ears.  I was determined to become a writer.  Setting my jaw, I said my goodbyes, and left to work for a large corporation and to become a  writer…thirty eight years later.  I had displayed an uncanny determination for my age.

     After my war time experiences, I dedicated my writing to the Lord.  I felt a vault of life experiences was needed to properly glorify him in my writings.

 

     As I set about to write, I prayed for God's guidance, wisdom, and truth.  He gave me good advice, "Always in your writings show my great love, be my beacon of hope in the darkness, reflect the forgiveness and compassion I have given to you, and keep the wise cracks in line.  Here's something that might be a good fit for your talents…one-liner greeting cards."

     At long last, I entered the fast-paced and exciting world of writing.  A glamorous life style most can only imagine.  I began the process of submitting to publishers the novels, short stories, insightful rewrites of world history, and anything else that entered my brilliant mind.

     The emails from publishers and their editors began to fill my inbox:  "Thank you for your submission.  At this time…actually, any time in history, to be accurate, Blankety Publishing Company has no need for contemporary trash spawned by a person of your insidious nature.  Feel free to take this email and its contents personally.  Do not respond to this email (we unlisted our email address after your submission).  On the brighter side, there are literacy programs that may be of help to you.  Your Fiend, Maximus Rejectus, Editor By Nature"

     All the emails were identical.  I laughed...nah, more like cackled.  They'll be sorry when my books are perched atop the New York Times Bestseller list, and Amazon has my number on speed dial.

     Two weeks ago, Warren plopped down beside me at Sunday school.  "You're the writer I've heard about.  You must be taking the money to the bank by the grocery cart, huh?  That's got to be the life of Riley.  Write a few words and kick back the rest of the day.  Guess that's why so many writers become crazed alcoholics."

     Our eyes locked.  "Looks like you have it all figured out, Warren.  How many people can afford a rotary dial cell phone like mine, or have to wait for sales before they can shop at a thrift store.  Just kidding, it's not that bad.  Not until next Thursday.  Got any whiskey on you?"

     Then, Bill Watkins corrals me in the church lobby, "Hear you're a writer nowadays.  I'm gonna write a book when I retire next year.  People tell me I'm a good writer."

     "That's great.  Do you write on a regular basis?"

     "Are you crazy?  I'm not retired, yet.  I have a real job.  Listen, I wrote a couple of stories for English class when I was in Junior High.  My friends thought they were hilarious.  They told me I should be a writer."

     Forgive me, Lord, "Your friends and the internet are the best recommendations you can get regarding your talents as a writer."

     "You got that right, Jimbo."  Bill's voice filled with pride.

     "What's the subject of your book, Bill?"

     Bill's voice changed with that caught-you question, "Oh, I dunno, probably…be about the corruption in the government…?" 

     "Bill, my wife's signaling for me to get a move on.  When you get that book finished, let's get together and I'll critique it for you."

 

     When one jumps off the deep end, you'd best have God as your lifeguard.  As a bonus, he'll provide the humor.