The Path of Life...

You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand. Psalm 16:11 The path of life is a most interesting thing. I was recently reminded that God is in control of our lives & He directs the path we take. Truly we have free will & God allows us to make choices via that free will that impact our lives & the lives of others along the way. However, He uses even our bad decisions to bring about good. Coincidence doesn't really exist. God has a plan & a purpose for everything & He allows us to cross paths with people for a reason. Sometimes, we don't see the reasons behind things until years later. That young preacher you're praying for today might be the one to lead one of your loved ones to Christ in years to come. That struggling young couple in church might one day teach your children & grandchildren in Sunday School or minister to them when they encounter struggles in life. The junkie in rehab that's on the church prayer list might be the next great evangelist to proclaim God to the world. We don't have the ability to see the future, but God sees the entire path of life that lies ahead of us. I'm sure Mordecai Ham had no idea he was leading a great evangelist to the Lord when he preached a series of revival messages heard by a teenager named Billy Graham. He was simply following God's Call & the leading of the Holy Spirit. Yet, God used that encounter to bring a young man to Himself who would become known as one the world's greatest evangelists, a man who would minister to millions, including US Presidents & assorted world leaders. And, it all began with a seemingly chance meeting in Charlotte, NC. It was all part of a greater plan. In my younger years, I taught Sunday School to teenagers & worked with youth groups. There were fun times & there were difficult times in it. I'm blessed to have lived long enough to see some of those young people pursue ministry so I know my efforts were not in vain, although I questioned my own sanity at times through the process. I now work with the ministry of Alabama Teen Challenge--talk about a challenge! Teen Challenge is a ministry to people recovering from addiction issues. It is real, it is raw & it sometimes tests every ounce of your being. But, God uses that ministry to bring about change in people's lives & impacts many families. I've seen men at their worst & I've seen them at their best. I've watched men succeed & I've watched men fail. It is gutwrenchingly heartbreaking at times and completely and wonderfully fulfilling at others--a complete & total paradox of emotions. I've been blessed to watch as God put the broken pieces of lives once devastated by drugs & alcohol back together and birth ministries through them. While I've questioned the path God has for me & I've not understood at the time they occurred, the events of my life (both the God-ordained & the self-inflicted, the good--the bad--the ugly) have prepared me to minister to others when they were walking a difficult path themselves (2 Corinthians 1:3-5). Only God can take a life riddled with sin and make something of it. I ran from Him, I wrestled with Him, I tried my best to renegotiate the call I knew He had on my life, I resisted in every possible way, I opened many doors in my life that never should have been though poor decisions & my own free will--which is both a blessing and a curse, but God took all of that mess & turned it into a message of hope. You see, each life touches so many others along the way & as we walk the path, the journey of our life, and you never know who you may be having an impact on. Your testimony might be exactly what someone needs to hear to help them see that they are not outside the reach & realm of God's grace and mercy. You could be ministering to the next Billy Graham and be completely unaware of it. You matter! You make a difference! You are important in God's eyes & you have value in The kingdom! Never doubt the path God has for you. He has a plan for everything He allows to touch our lives. Remember the word of the psalmist, "Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path." Psalm 119:105 Trust Him and obey Him as you walk the path of life... Blessings! Tony

A Man's Admission of Guilt...

"Man who is born of woman Is of few days and full of trouble." Job 14:1 NKJV I'll go ahead & say up front that this is mainly geared towards a female audience. Be advised & proceed with caution... I'll just put it out there and say that men can be complete idiots at times. I can say that because I'm a man & I have moments, sometimes extended periods, of complete lunacy. While I won't try to defend our stupidity, our arrogance, our obnoxiousness, our machismo--I would like offer somewhat of an explanation. The reality is that men have many insecurities, many weaknesses, many failures, and many troubles in life. The problem is that society tells us that we have to be John Wayne--rough & tough, taking no crap, strong, and can't show any emotion that might project a sign of weakness. We've kinda been set up to fail by the media because of the perceived model & expectation of manhood that is projected upon us. You know how you ladies feel about the image of female perfection the media establishes that most can never hope to live up to? Well, men are in the same boat--an unrealistic expectation has been set that cannot be met. With all that said and an explanation (not an excuse) established, I still say that men can be complete idiots. So, as a representative of the male gender, I want to offer an apology to females in general. I'm sorry that we have difficulty taking off our mask & allowing you to see the real person we are with all our flaws, faults, & insecurities. If we really let you in, you'll know that we are weak, that we hurt, that we struggle, that we sometimes cry--but that we fear you'll see us as unmanly if those parts of our character are revealed. So, in our attempts to "be a man" we often hurt those closest to us with our words, with our actions, and sometimes with the lack of both. While I am not that person now & I'm grateful to God for that fact, there was a time in my life that I used, abused and took advantage of females in an attempt to prove my manhood. If I could travel back in time, I would attempt to undo some of the damage I caused...but I can't. All I can do at this point is say I'm sorry and ask for forgiveness--not only from God but from womankind as a whole. Ladies, the man or men who hurt you need your forgiveness. They may never ask for it or admit they desire it, but they still need it. Aside from that, you need to release the hold their damage has on you. Unforgiveness harms you far more than the other party. In releasing him, you free yourself... In Matthew 6, as part of The Lord's Prayer, "forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors" (vs 12) indicates that if we want forgiveness, we must forgive others. As a matter of Fact, Jesus went on to explain just that in verses 14-15, "For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." I make no excuses for the pain you have endured at the hands of men. And by all means, you should establish proper boundaries to avoid further hurt. However, please forgive mankind in general for the damage we have done in the past. The reality is that we are all insecure little boys trying to live as men with no idea how to go about it. Men need to return to the Bible for guidance so they can be the leaders, the providers--the men that God created them to be. Love us in spite of ourselves. Forgive us of our shortcomings, our failures, and for the pain we've caused you. We're clueless idiots and we're sorry for the hurt & pain we've inflicted up on you, even though most of us won't admit it. Forgive us, if for no other reason than to free yourself... Blessings! Tony

I'm an American!

"Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people he chose for his inheritance." Psalm 33:12 I'm an American, an American who is sad over the state of our great country. I so miss the America of yesteryear--a time when life was simple, when there were such things as innocence, honor, integrity and patriotism--and those things were celebrated. I miss the America that honored God, trusted God and prayed to God. I miss Bible reading, prayer & the Pledge of Allegiance in schools. I miss riding bicycles, playing in the creek, eating hot dogs at the ballpark and drinking water from the garden hose. What became of that America? How have we become so calloused, so cold and so divided? I am the melting pot within myself--a combination of German, Jewish, Scandinavian, Irish, French, Scot, Welsh, English and Native American (Creek) Indian. There's wealthy people & poor share croppers in my ancestral line. There are warriors of many of this nation's battles whose blood flows in my veins--both World Wars, The War Between the States, Korea & Vietnam and probably more. Most of my ancestors were immigrants, people who came to America seeking a better life for themselves & their families. They didn't come with the intention of changing the culture of the country, but with the plans to assimilate into the existing culture & society that was present when they arrived. They brought remembrances of their country & culture with them, and while they celebrated their heritage, they became American citizens and thrust themselves into their new world & the culture thereof. That's simply the way it was. None asked or expected America to change to accommodate them, but knew they had to learn the language & customs of the world they were now part of. It's different nowadays. People come from other countries with no allegiance to America, but desiring to live as if they were still part of the culture they left. If that culture was so great, why did they leave it? I can't appreciate being told that I must give up my rights & go against my personal beliefs & convictions so as not to offend those who don't want to be "American" but simply want to rob us of the culture, customs & Christian morals that make up America as a whole. My opinion? I'm sorry, but no one who is unable to swear an oath on the Bible should be elected to any political position anywhere in this great country. No one who isn't a legal or naturalized citizen should have access to any grants, scholarships or government programs this country offers. Call me cruel. Call me cold-hearted. But, our first priority should be to take care of our own. Would you allow you own child to starve while you fed the kids across the street? Of course not! I'm not against aiding other countries, but I don't understand why we are determined to help those who hate us & want to kill us. We should take care of our own (orphans, widows, elderly, veterans, etc.) first, then assist our allies by sending food & aid into their countries. What about those who oppose us? Well, let them fend for themselves. Let's get back to basic American values. God isn't done with this country yet, but we have to turn back to Him. We have to make Him a priority again. We have to repent and cleanse ourselves, purge the evil within (both individually and corporately) and let God be God in America again! I'm a mixture of European and Native American bloods. I have Confederate ancestry. I come from passionate & purposeful people, and yes, there are some crooks & scoundrels in the mix as well. I am Christian and I am Conservative. But, in the end, I'm proud of the Red, White & Blue. I love God, family & country. I love hot dogs & apple pie. I'm an American! I pray God will bless America again! There's my thoughts... Blessings! Tony

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