The Squeaky Wheel...

"If you do not stand firm in your faith, then you will not stand at all." Isaiah 7:9b Do you want to know why the world is changing for the worse these days? It's because everyone has a desire to be offended and then to be heard about their perceived offense. They whine & moan & complain and they persist until they are heard. My thoughts? I think this is what "There are no losers" & "Every kid gets a participation trophy" has gotten us. That's not real life. You don't always win, life can be hard, and everyone is not going to like you. The sooner we all realize these things, the better our country will be. Why is it our Christian faith is under attack? Because we Christians have been sitting on our "blessed assurances" & holding our tongues so we won't offend anyone and we've given up ground as a result and are seeing our country erode by being consumed by these cancers called tolerance and socialism. Well, you know what? The Bible is offensive & we were warned that we'd be hated & despised as followers of Christ. So, why are we surprised by that? If we call ourselves Christians, we need to take a stand. We need to be loud & make ourselves heard. We need to take pride in who we are & what GOD has done for us. Otherwise, we are the fulfillment of Isiah 29:13, "These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is based on merely human rules they have been taught." We've sat by & allowed the Bible & prayer to be taken out of schools, politics & society as a whole. The Bible is the Word of God & deserves to be proclaimed in every ares of our lives & world. We're hearing the term "Holy War" now in the media. Have your read about the Holy Wars of old? They were bloody. People stood up & literally fought to the death to keep other religions, other cultures & other policies from being integrated into their lives. Maybe it's time we got angry enough to stop being pushed around. Maybe, jut for once, we need to be the squeaky wheel & make our thoughts & beliefs known, to not back down, to fight for what we believe, to take a stand for the God Who gave His very best for us! When will that happen? As for me, I'm tired of being told what to say, what to think, how to conduct myself so I won't offend anyone. Well, I AM OFFENDED! Does that matter? Are you offended? We need to put on the armor of God & be ready to do battle to protect God's honor. The squeaky wheel gets greased, that's why all these liberal whiny babies are getting their way. It's time to be the squeaky wheel instead of being forced to give in to those who are. Are you mad enough to take a stand? Do it! Blessings, Tony

Don't Give Up!

"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." We have to face the facts. Bad things happen to good people. The evil often seem to go unpunished. The wicked prosper & the righteous struggle. We don't always get what we want. Plans fail. Health problems occur. Marriages fall apart. Children go astray. Everyone isn't going to love us. Life simply isn't fair! All of that is true. But the good news is that God is still in control. It's hard not to grow weary--physically, emotionally and spiritually. Often, it seems that we struggle & toil, we give so much yet seem to receive so little in return. We speak, but appear unheard. We love, but love isn't returned. We do our best to plant good seed in fertile soil as we witness to others about The Gift of Salvation, yet see few accept it. These things have existed as long as humanity itself. There's a story in Matthew 20 about a landowner who hired men to work for him. Some he hired first thing in the morning & others through the day up to the final few hours. When time to collect pay came, he paid them all the same. The men who had been hired early grumbled & complained that it was unfair that the ones who only worked a few hours earned the same as them--the ones who had given the entire day. The landowner was within his rights to do as he chose & pay as he had negotiated or what he felt fair. Obviously, the story was told with spiritual significance--the landowner represented God The Father & we are those brought in to work. Whether we accept God early & serve Him all our lives or we call out to Him with our last breath, the reward is the same--Eternal Life in Heaven with Him. And for that, we should be grateful. Remember the thief on the cross? Still, when you do your best to serve Him and life is difficult, it makes one wonder about the "fairness" in it all. I recently heard a pastor make a statement about life not being fair & it caused me to recall something my dad used to say, "Life's not fair. The fair is where you ride rides & eat cotton candy." There's truth in that, but there's a comparison still. When life takes us in circles, tosses us every which way, over hills & through valleys, jerks us all around and makes us lose our lunch in the middle of it all, it's kinda hard to be happy about it. When we work and serve, love and share, and intercede in prayer--yet see little success in drawing others to the Lord, we sometimes see it as futile effort with little reward. but, we have to remember that our reward isn't here. It awaits us in Heaven. Others might question our sanity & wonder why we do what we do and follow this God of ours. The Bible say much about it. "Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast and immovable. Always excel in the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain." 1 Corinthians 15:58 "To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:" Romans 2:7 "But those who wait upon the LORD will renew their strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not faint." Isaiah 40:31 "For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:" 1 Peter 2:15 "Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously." 2 Corinthians 9:6 And, there are many, many more Scripture references to the same effect. Don't worry, I won't try to cover them all. My point is simply that we must accept that hardships come, even to people of faith. The world is watching to see how we handle the difficulties we face. We grow through hard times because we find out what we're made of & capable of, through God's help & grace. We see God's faithfulness through our season of pain & struggle. It is not all for naught. There's purpose in the pain. We must persevere through it all. When we reach Heavens Gate, we'll hear God say, "Well done!" That's all the reward we need--then, not now! That's what we're waiting for. Nevermind the difficulties, nevermind the ridicule, nevermind it all! We must focus on our calling, be obedient to our Lord, pray through & push through. We must fight the good fight of faith in order to win the race & receive our reward--in eternity. Then will it be revealed how our lives impacted others & how many came to know God through the example of our lives. Then, we can cast our crown at the feet of Jesus and enter our eternal reward and rest in Heaven. Don't give up! Blessings! Tony

Holy Holidays...!?

"But you, LORD, are a shield around me, my glory, the One who lifts my head high. I call out to the LORD, and he answers me from his holy mountain. I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the LORD sustains me." Psalm 3:3-5 Here we are, the CHRISTmas holidays have arrived again. I mean, is it really that time already? As I grow older, I realize that time slips away quickly. Once it is gone, you can't retrieve it again--it fades into time known as past. 2018 will soon be just that--behind us, past, over, and part of history. When I think back over the events & happenings of the year, I recall heartaches & hurts, pain & adversity, tragedy & death...depressing, huh? However, I also recall love, great victories and triumphs, miracles that only God could have accomplished, and those things give me hope. I know that when things go wrong, GOD is my Shield. He gives me strength to hold my head high when all of Hell seems to come against me. He answers me when I pray--sometimes in that still, small voice or nudge in my spirit, sometimes in thunderous rumbles, and sometimes through the kindness or words of a friend or stranger--angels He sends to minister to me in times of darkness. He sustains me, covers me with His Peace and grants me rest--even in times of great distress. I read God's Word find this, "Though he brings grief, he will show compassion, so great is his unfailing love. For he does not willingly bring affliction or grief to anyone." Lamentations 3:32-33 There's more..."For it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God." 1 Peter 2:19, and, "But those who suffer he delivers in their suffering; he speaks to them in their affliction." Job 36:15, "My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth." Psalm 121:2.Then, approaching the end of the Bible in the Book of Revelation, I find this, "He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." Revelation 21:4 The proverbial "light bulb" comes on for me and I realize that though there is pain & suffering in this life, there are also wonderful blessings in the present life and, better yet, the hope of what is to come. While much of the world celebrates CHRISTmas with lights & trees, Santa & elves, ornaments & tinsel, etc., I choose to celebrate The Nativity--GOD's Gift to this world in the form of His Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ. While I see nothing inherently wrong with other types of celebration of the holidays, I find it sad that the message of Christ seems lost in the busyness of what has become the holiday season. Suddenly, I find myself reminded of the lyrics to a favorite old song... God sent His son, they called Him Jesus; He came to love, heal and forgive He lived and died to buy my pardon, An empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives! Because He lives, I can face tomorrow, Because He lives, all fear is gone; Because I know He holds the future, And life is worth the living, Just because He lives! I'm also reminded of a particularly well-known verse of Scripture, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16 Jesus--the One, True, Son of GOD--came as a gift to this world, to love, heal & forgive, so all humanity has the opportunity to come to a saving knowledge of Him so we can spend eternity with GOD in Heaven. I want to celebrate Him! I want to make Him known! I want to the world to recognize this season as a celebration of Him! I guess it's more than sadness I feel--its frustration and downright anger that this world He came to save chooses to ignore Him, to doubt His Existence, to discount His Great Worth and the Sacrifice He made. I'm told I'm a Grinch or a Scrooge, because while I love everything CHRISTmas is, I've come to detest what it has become. I want the world to make room for Him in their celebrations. I want the world to make room for him in their hearts, homes, communities & churches. I want the world to simply acknowledge Him for Who He is and recognize CHRISTmas (and every other day) as a celebration of Him! But, I can't do it alone. Will you help me make Him known? Blessings! Tony

Thanksgiving Ponderings...

I will give thanks to you, LORD, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds. Psalm 9:1 NIV We live in a society defined by division & negativity. In general, we seem to focus on what's wrong far more so than on what is right with our world. Everyone is offended by something or someone and seems to look for opportunities to take offense. I know we all fall into that at times. It's part of the ups & downs of life. However, we need to look at the positives & work at minimizing the negatives. In spite of what may appear, GOD is still on His Throne. America, with all her problems, is still a blessed & prosperous land. Families, although sometimes fractured & distant, are still connected by blood and love. How about we praise GOD for His blessings? How about we pray for our country & our leaders? How about we love one another in spite of failures, disappointments and hurts? We have so much to be thankful for but we want to focus on what we lack rather than on what we have. While my family sometimes frustrates me--I love them all. While my job is sometimes difficult & challenging, I'm grateful to follow my calling, do what I love & earn a salary for doing so. While I know much is amiss in society & the country as a whole, I am grateful to live in these United States where I can pursue my dreams and live comfortably, while having the rights & freedoms to make personal choices about my faith, my work, my health, etc. While I know I have failed much, I'm grateful for the love & forgiveness of family members I have hurt along the way in my journey. I'm grateful for a multitude of friends, who love me in spite of my many shortcomings. Most of all, I am thankful that GOD knows me personally--my thoughts, my weaknesses, my heart--and that He loves me & forgives me time & time again when I stumble on the pathway of life He has laid out for me. He draws me back when I wander the wrong way. He restores me daily. He surrounds me with people who lead, guide and love me along the way. You see--its about perspective. One finds what one looks for. If we look for negative, it is easy to find & fixate on. However, if we look for good and positive things, they also are easy to find & fixate on. The battle does truly begin in our minds. What we allow there takes root and shapes our thoughts & attitudes. "...whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things." Philippians 4:8 NIV "Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful." Colossians 3:15 NIV "The fear of the LORD leads to life; then one rests content, untouched by trouble." Proverbs 19:23 NIV God gives us what we need and shows us in His Word how to refocus & redirect ourselves--if we will seek out His Knowledge & Wisdom and not allow the negative pull of the world to distract us. It's a choice that each one of us makes daily. Determine today to focus on the positive, to love others unconditionally, and to be thankful in all things--knowing that GOD will take care of you... Blessings! Tony

I'm Tired, Boss...

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13 Remember the movie, "The Green Mile"? John Coffey made the statement, "I'm tired, boss," to the prison warden regarding the gift he had been given. I always liked that movie & often pondered the potential spiritual connection there. Lately, I have felt a lot like our friend, John Coffey. I'm aware that God has given me gifts and talents to be utilized for the furtherance of the Kingdom and I enjoy what I do. But some days, I simply feel pulled in multiple directions with all sorts of variables thrown in and it completely exhausts me. I find myself saying, "I'm tired, Boss!" just like John did. It's not that I don't appreciate all I have been given & Lord knows my desire is to be used by God to make an eternal difference in the lives of others, I just sometimes feel like I've been put into a blender & life is spinning out of control with a variety of new items (be they hobbies, church, family or work obligations) that mix all in and leave me feeling as if I've been chopped & shredded like the makings of an old-fashioned cole slaw. Sometimes, I just need to merry-go-round of life to stop & let me off for a while--just to catch my breath and regain my wits so I am fit to fight the next round. Still, at the same time, I'm grateful for the opportunities that have been afforded me & the last thing I want to do is complain in any way about what God is doing in and through me. Maybe a vacation is needed, just a time to relax & refresh and not go at a 100 mile per hour rate from 5am-10pm every day. The Tasmanian Devil ain't go nothing on me! I can churn up a lot of dust and make noise but not feel like I am actually accomplishing anything at all. Somehow, God finds a way to use me in spite of me & occasionally someone tells me that something I said or did really made a difference in their life. I know that my rewards are in Heaven & I look forward to the day I arrive to throw those accomplishments at the feet of Jesus and move into a place of peace. For now, life is what it is & I hope to continue forth and make The Father proud of me. It is He who deserves the glory & praise, not myself I'm just hoping to rest a little along the way & be successful in what He has given me to do. My fear is that at times I allow myself to be spread so thin that I'm not effective at anything I'm attempting to do. Surely there are others who can relate... In the end, God is good & I am blessed! He does give me strength to do and I must press on towards the prize that awaits me... Blessings! Tony

How Can Jesus Love me?

"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8 NIV You know, I look back over my life--all the mistakes, all the pain, all the problems, all the mess...all the SIN--and I wonder, just how is it possible that God could love someone like me? I mean really, I've done some pretty bad things during my time on this old earth. I've broken God's Laws and man's laws, and I've hurt people who genuinely loved me & wanted the best for me. I've been a thief, a drunk, a womanizer. I've been lazy, covetous, mean-spirited, and harsh. I've lied, cheated, gossiped--all in all, I'm just a low-down sinner. But, one day in January of 1991, in a broken heap in my living room in Bessemer, Alabama. I finally surrendered to God. After running from Him for many years--I decided to run to him instead. Has life been perfect since then? Heavens NO! But, God Himself has walked with me through my troubles & trials. He's loved me through a multitude of poor choices and some staggering heartbreaks. I refer to my old self as "Old Testament Tony" & my current self as "New Testament Tony." Just as Christ's coming divided time, His breakthrough in my life divided time for me as well. So, when I start thinking that I'm unlovable, unworthy, etc., I remember that Jesus loved me enough to die for me. Because of that and because I claim Him as my Savior, when God looks at me--it's not me He sees. He looks at me through the filter of Jesus' blood & sees the Jesus in me rather than this old sinful man. Oh, what a Savior! These were just some ponderings in my head that I thought Id share with others. I'm sure I'm not the only one who asks the question, "How can Jesus love me?" Blessings! Tony

Distractions, Distractions...

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. 1 Peter 5:8-9 NKJV Surely I'm not the only one who feels like they run in circles all the time? There's always something to do related to family, church, work, social circles, etc. Not that any of those things are necessarily bad, they just overwhelm us at times with the magnitude of what we need to accomplish in one short 24 hour period. I constantly have to remind myself that all good things are not necessarily GOD things. It is possible to take on more than needed & to spread oneself so thin that we become ineffective in all respects. It's not for lack of trying, it's just that we try to juggle so much that it becomes impossible to do. Stress walks into our lives followed by insomnia & we can't rest for thinking of all we need to do & we can't do all we need to do because we're completely fatigued from the busyness of it all, compounded by the stress & lack of sleep. It's a vicious cycle that Satan loves to get us caught up in. He's a sneaky old cuss--yes, he is! Truth is that once we surrender our lives to GOD, the devil has lost us. He doesn't like that, but it's done and as long as we remain focused on our relationship with the Lord, there's little he can do about it. However, he can inject things into our lives under the guise of "doing good" and distract us from what GOD has called us to do and be. It is up to us to make certain that we go to GOD with any new undertakings & determine--with His guidance & direction--if it is part of His Plan for us. Don't be fooled into thinking that just because it's charity, it can't be meant to derail us from the track GOD intends for us. I'm not saying we shouldn't try to go about doing good & serving others. What I'm saying is make sure what we do is of GOD. We need to be so in tune with GOD that the devil can't give us any trouble. The battle begins in our minds. Personally, I'm a very logic-minded person. If it makes logical sense, I can get on board with it. But, all the logic & reason in the world is completely invaluable if GOD isn't in what we're doing. Old Lucifer's plan is to give us trouble, cause us to stumble, an trip us up any way he can. We just have to trust GOD & let Him lead us, so we don't fall in to the devil's traps. Maybe it is time to pare down our list of activities & projects so we can reconnect with GOD & family. After all, those are the things that are most important. Just my thoughts.... Blessings to you all! Tony