J. Hampton Keathley, III , Th.M. is one of my favorite Christian writers. He wrote a piece entitled, “A Precedent for the New Year (Luke 2:13-20)” and I thought it would be a good read to share given the date. It starts off like so…

“We stand on the threshold of a new year. Most people generally look at the new year as a fresh beginning, as an opportunity to kind of start over, to overcome a habit, or do a better job of something they see as important and that needs improvement. It may be parenting, being a better spouse, losing weight (which, by the way, is the number one resolution according to polls taken). It may be developing different priorities, using our time better, or a whole host of things that people would like to change. So, we usually hear a lot about New Year’s resolutions, resolutions which are usually broken in a matter of weeks. Many people are very pessimistic about the whole issue of making resolutions, and rightly so, because so many good intentions are followed by a history of past failures. But the new year is a time to reflect and think about what the past year has brought and what the new year could bring. It is a time to stop and analyze, to take stock of our priorities, values, pursuits, and goals. We need to ask questions like “Who am I, what am I doing with my life? What should I be doing as a Christian with my life and the stewardship God has given me?” After all, according to the Word of God, all of life is a stewardship–a stewardship of our time, talents, treasures, and God’s truth. In other words, since God’s plan and our stewardships revolve around and through the life of His Son, Jesus Christ, we need to each ask “How well am I responding to the Savior and the spiritual life that He has given me?”"

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Word of God

Another year is in the books. Reflection and hopeful anticipation fills our homes and lives. A sweet kiss to your spouse… good times.

On the horizon is not a brilliant sunset but a red sunrise. As the old saying goes, “Red at night is sailors delight. Red in the morning sailors take warning.” Reflection on this past year holds fond memories and rekindled friendships. It held many triumphs and a few try-slumps. However sweet the victories tasted when I look to the future this years outlook adds a tinge of bitterness to my taste.

The seeds our nation has sown over the years are budding blossoming. In 2005 our President signed the Real ID Act into law. It goes into effect in May of 2008. Prepare to relieve yourself of the burden of freedom. Well, personal privacy at-least.

We are making great progress in Iraq and it appears we are poised to continue this success. This does make the future a little brighter. To get our boys back home, or will we? I’m not talking cut and run. I’m talking victory and peace. But will 2008 be that year? Will the world find peace? OR will it continue to cry for “peace and safety”? Scriptures says they will cry for “peace and safety” and then sudden destruction. Which brings me to the crux of this post.

China. Yes, I am bringing out the well used soap box. This year China is holding the Olympics. China has been in our news - mainly about recalls. Are they trying to poison us? Well, that would be too slow and stupid. How about Taiwan? This year Taiwan is holding a “Referendum”. If you’ve been following this then you already know. If not then let me bring your attention to it. The Referendum is about Taiwan attempting to join the U.N. under the name of Taiwan. They have tried this once but it wasn’t voted on by the people of Taiwan.

China views this as a bonafied declaration of Independence (don’t even get me started on this). There has been so much goings on about this recently, but little has made it to the public eye. It is a flash point on the internation scene. Let’s pray that this doesn’t get out of hand.

Good times are now… this year holds many things that may bring our nation down several notches.

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Politics, Word of God

My 4 year old wakes each morning with that glow in her eyes. She has this boundless optimism that good things are coming her way. Her eyes are blue as a clear Autumn sky, but they tend to light up when something good does happen. Like when I stay home from work, that is a shock to her and she loves it. Looking into those eyes I’m caught in a bind by a sick thought of why. Why are people killing babies before they have the chance to see them bloom and grow and light up the world?

Yes, this is taking aim at a hot topic, a sacred cow of liberal understanding, but it is burning in me. Why are we living in such a cruel and cold world. A world that kills innocence and assasinates purity. A frame work of hell that crushes the needy under the mill stone of the greedy. That rips the fabric of society in half and performs some twisted patch work to bring two sides together on the grounds of human frailty and not moral authority. I don’t understand. I can’t grasp it.

Let’s juxtapose shall we? Save Innocent life or murder it?

I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: (Deu 30:19)

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Abortion, Word of God

Tonight has been a rather somber evening in my neighborhood of (the usually very quiet) Greenacres. It seems as though the Jeep that killed the local boy, 14-year-old Rick Gomez, was found at a house of a young couple who lives across the street from me. Rick Gomez was struck this last weekend about a half mile away from our neighborhood, right down the street. He was killed by the collision and the Jeep fled the scene. The couple who own the jeep, are in their mid twenties and actually have children of their own. I pray for both of these families but especially for the Gomez family. May their son and brother be greeted by God in paradise.

I took a few photos tonight and spoke with some of my neighbors and news crews. This event is quiet shocking to us all.

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News, Prayer

Feeling kinda weird today. I really couldn’t describe it, so I made a video that sums it up. I hope Chuck Norris doesn’t read this post. He’d round-house kick me in the head for using the word “feeling.”

Music: 16 Horsepower, “Horse Head Fiddle”

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Music, Word of God

It seems that every time I go to my monthly Saturday men’s breakfast at my church, God always has a message for me that almosts seems tailored for my circumstances at that moment. This morning was no exception. We read in Matthew Chpt 9:18-26 where Christ was teaching when he was interrupted by a Synagogue official who bowed before him and begged for Jesus to come heal his sick daughter. He stops what he is doing and leaves for the house to see the little girl. On his way there He is interrupted again by a woman who has been hemorrhaging for 12 years. He stops what he is doing and heals the woman. He then gets to the house to see a crowd gathered, mourning the death of the little girl. You know the rest of the story. He tells them that the girls is sleeping, they laugh at him, He tell them to get out, and he brings the girl back from the dead.

What I was trying to emphasis here was that Jesus had plans and a itinerary but was “interrupted” many times to deal with other things. How many times do we get angry and frustrated when we have interruptions in our life? Our plans don’t go the way we expect and we end up forgetting who we are and what we have been called to be.

Just last night I am in the car with my son and as usual we are jamming out to some hardcore. The song was called “Hugs and Handshakes” by In Due Time and the end of the song the lyrics say “remember who you were, remember who you are.” My son asks me, “Dad, what does that mean?” I told him, “Well son, sometimes we forget who we are; We forget that we are Christians. We forget that we are called by God to be separated from this world. We are called to be lights in the darkness.”

As soon as I utter these words my face gets flush with embarrassment because not ten minutes prior to that conversation I got angry at a driver who was “interrupting” my speed (in front of my son). I then start thinking about each and every time I sin against God, how during those times I forget who I am and I forget who I was. I was immediately humbled and shamed.

It’s a very convicting four words: “Remember Who You Are.”

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Word of God

The subject of prophecy usually involves lots of wild ideas and symbolism. Symbolism can almost mean anything. We can point to Icons of American culture and say it symbolizes this, or that. However, symbols do mean things. There is a true meaning to be gotten from symbols. For instance Christ. Christ is symbolically mentioned as the Rock that Moses struck in the Old Testament. We call it ‘types and shadows’. As intriguing as the prophetic word is, can it be valid- is it valid?

Dan 12:9 And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.

Prophecy is time locked. It is meant for certain times and certain places. That doesn’t mean that people can’t look at the fulfillment and understand it and preach it for years afterward. As God told Daniel, you can’t understand it Daniel it is for a certain people for a certain time.

Prophecy is God’s inspiration on man to write about what is to come. God can, become part of prophecy but that doesn’t mean he will stop it. The death of Christ was foretold because it was in God’s plan. The death of millions is foretold but that doesn’t mean that God is going to do it. Disasters are foretold as the common theme of nature but that doesn’t mean God did it. Prophecy is given so we can know of the trouble or the salvation from trouble before it comes. Like Joseph, old testament patriarch, understood the Pharaohs dream and saved all of Egypt and his family. Scripture says a wise man foresees the trouble and makes provisions for it.

Prophecy is the third dimension, in my opinion. The word of God is in 3D. Past, present, and future.

If anyone is interested then you can watch lessons on the end time here endtime.com. Once you are at the video page look for The Seven Trumpets.

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Religion, Word of God

There is an element to man that can’t be defined by natural verbage. An element that isn’t a construct of carnal fibers but of spiritual substance. We are spiritual beings wrapped in a fleshy vesture. As our body hungers for meat, so our soul hungers for communion with God. There is a place that you can find that will fill the void, that will satisfy the hunger.

Last night a young man told. “Some people think that religion is a man made effort for significance. To find meaning to life through a higher power.” I understand why people say that and why they may think that but I feel they are ingnoring the obvious. The hunger. When we hunger we eat. Hunger alerts our body to the need for nutrients. The mere existence of hunger means that there is something to be hungered for. Something outside of our reach or immediate grasp.

Hunger is powerful, it will cause a person to consume the deplorable. Few limits are placed on this basic need. My children often turn their noses up to certain types of food, I’ve also seen them eat without hesitation whatever is placed in front of them.

Man is needing communion with God. Man needs God. Not just any god. Yet we’ve all witnessed people who serve satan without restraint. I’ve personally witnessed many sincere people take hold of a lie and live it to the fullest. I’ve asked the Lord Jesus how people can be satisfied with such things? Their satisfaction is limited to their hunger. Like a child that fills themselves with “junk food” many people fill themselves with “junk science”, “junk philosophies”, and “junk religion”. It only satisfies for the moment but when the “junk” looses the juice- they crash.

The Bible is written for seekers only. For the hungry and thirsty. For the ones who are ready to take hold of rock solid truth, no matter how bitter it tastes at the moment. You see, I’ve seen people come to the table and are demanding God give them a gourmet meal to satisfy their “tastes” but God will only satisfy true spiritual hunger.

Are you hungry?

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Word of God

The more intimately I come to know God and his ways, the more beautiful and simple this walk of faith becomes.  I have a relationship with God that is rooted and grounded in faith.  All relationships are based on faith…knowing, loving, trusting and believing the other person.  My relationship with Jesus Christ looks much the same as any other.  I am thankful to Him for all He has done for me, I care about what He thinks, I talk to Him, I seek to know Him better and to please Him.  That is the life of faith, walking with the Lord Jesus Christ as my companion, my friend.

In sharp contrast to the above, is the tendency of all men it seems to seek religion rather than relationship.  The more I learn about people and the religious systems we set up, the fewer differences I see between them.  It is basic understanding for all people that there is something greater then themselves, and that they have fallen short of the innate goodness that God has put in them.  All cultures have standards and rules that govern society and they administer consequences for violations of those standards.  It is at this point that we respond with what seems logical, religion. 

You see, all religious systems are methods by which man can bridge the gap and make themselves acceptable before God (or gods).  They are works based systems that give followers a ”to do list” by which they get right with God.  This makes sense, its logical.  It seems right to us that we should make up for our wrongs, that our sins need atoning.  So we march onward, working our way toward God becoming religious by practicing our faith and getting spiritual.  Most of America and indeed the world is engaged in this vain exercise, to include much of Cristendom.  Even when a person is genuinely born-again and finds their way into a local body of believers, many end up “doing their best” to get to heaven and relying on works to get the job done.

I guess this is an exhortation men.  An encouragement to avoid the pitfalls of what so easily besets us all.  Dont let tradition creep in and strangle the life out of your relationship with God.  Enjoy His presence and let nothing rob you of that joy.  Keep it simple…love God.  Trust Him, believe Him..like a child believes his dad.        

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Religion

At least thats how I feel.  For years My family and I have attended small congregations (25-100 members) and have loved it.  I have always believed that a small church by nature is a true church, the lowlier the better.  My theory was that if the service was not entertaining, the pews were not comfortable, and food was not being served that only the True Believers would come.  I was sure that this was the only way to be sure they were coming for the right reasons.  I thought that if a church was big, they had watered down the message and were missing the mark. 

This reasoning carried over into the men’s ministry I have recently been involved with.   In the beginning we had just two people show, myself included.  Over the months I tried food, encouraging emails, slide shows and energetic pleas in front of the congregations and still no men would come.  I vowed not to get discouraged, believing that this was just the sifting process that takes place in all ministries.  After time, I got discouraged and stopped going. 

For the past two weeks I have attended a local Mega-church…and I liked it.  It’s big, it’s shiny, and it has an aroma thats a combination of new carpet and fresh espresso.  I sit with glee, laced with a little guilt, laughing at the drama ministry skit and staring up at the jumbo-tron sized face of the preacher.  Worship music is awesome and the children’s facilities are top notch.  I look around at the mostly white, upper middle class, suburban crowd and wonder if they are here for the right reasons…am I for that matter? 

 Not sure how to feel just yet.  I havent attended any of the ministry meetings yet, I am having  trouble narrowing down the selection!  I will post updates when I know where I stand.  God bless, HOLYROLLER.  

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Church