WORD 7

I have found myself watching more football the last few years.  I can’t really say I am a fanatical fan for any team or even the game itself.  I think rather my new interest is simply a matter of sharing this small passion with my sons.  We all follow different teams, enjoy when one another’s team wins but also like to jab at each other when they are losing. Family fun!

You cannot watch much football without noticing that some people seem to believe it is a way of life.  They proudly never miss a game, travel out of town to see their team and make a three hour game into an all-day event.  Some team’s fans seem to be more dedicated than others and what is surprising to me is this extreme dedication doesn’t seem to require a winning team.  Really, how do you keep getting up, paint your body, and make your signs week after week when any reasonably intelligent person knows that for your team to win, the other team will have to collapse.  How could so many people be so wrong?  If an outsider were to show up at one of these stadiums they would no doubt be caught up in all the emotion and go along with the crowd, never knowing that defeat not victory is at hand.

After giving this question some thought, I believe there are three groups of people being trapped on this pathway to defeat.

First, there are the FOLLOWERS.  They really have no knowledge of the game at all.  They simply showed up with a friend, found the environment intoxicating and went along with the crowd.  What a shock it will be for them when the game is over and they are informed that they are on the losing side!  I am sure they will be looking at their friend and asking why they misinformed them.  However, they could have spent just a little time studying up on the game and discovered the truth for their selves, but thought it was unimportant and chose not to.

Second, and perhaps the largest group is the HOPEFUL.   Make no mistake this group is knowledgeable about the game.  They understand the consequences of each play, know their team really hasn’t got a chance, but yet keep hoping for a good result.  They understand that their stand with the team is risky but they enjoy the game and the atmosphere and continue to hope everything will turn out okay.  Hope is a powerful commodity, but it rarely yields results when it goes against wisdom and knowledge, barring divine intervention of course.  In the end, you just feel bad knowing that you really knew better all along but simply ignored what you knew to be the truth.

Lastly, there are some that are totally DECEIVED.  One cannot talk about deception without noting the strange condition that exists in the fact that those who are deceived don’t know they are deceived, because they are, in fact, deceived.  This group of fans can no longer see or hear the wisdom and knowledge around them about their team, they simply believe, no they know, their team is going to win every game.  You cannot have a realistic conversation with these people since they have become blind to all that is real.  When defeat comes they believe they have been cheated.

Yes the crowd roars, cheers, boos, and groans. They shout instructions to the coaches and players.  Yet in the end, nothing the crowd does or doesn’t do has any real bearing on the results.  Game Over!

However, one thing makes football better than the reality of our everyday lives.  On any given Sunday some teams can defy wisdom, knowledge, talent, skill and preparation and WIN!  This is what keeps us all coming back for more.

Life on the other hand doesn’t quite work that way.  Yet some of us still want to use a “follow the crowd” plan for our lives. We convince ourselves; if everyone is doing it, it can’t be wrong.  Yet as the Sunday football crowd has proven, just because a lot of people believe something to be true that doesn’t make it true.

Every Sunday I hang out with another group of fans at church.  While doing this most of my life I have noticed some changes along the way, some good and some bad.  One major change seems to be how we, the church, have shifted our view of what constitutes sin and holiness.  We started using phrases like “God understands” with regard to our human short comings, thereby making it acceptable (in our minds) to live contrary to the truth of God’s word.  I am convinced that as a group some of us are just following along with the crowd, others are hoping that their behavior is acceptable and it will all be ok in the end, and yet others are truly deceived.

History, of both the world and the church, has shown us over and over again that the majority can be wrong.  In times past these errors in judgment by mankind have yielded catastrophic results, yet mankind has endured.

As the church, however, we could be placing ourselves on a path that will not allow for correction.  When the game of life is over we will not get a do over.  It is heartbreaking for me to contemplate that many in today’s churches could find themselves at the final judgment, dismayed to discover they are on the losing side.

This is where someone always shouts out, but God is love or God is mercy and grace.  These things are true, yet we are deceived if we believe one truth does away with another.  God’s word is true in its entirety, not just the selected quotes we prefer.  God’s gift of grace does not erase the truth that He is a just God and despite what many think today, justice does not equate to fairness, but that is a blog for another day.

Success is achieved when we, as individuals, correct ourselves.  It’s not too late to make sure you are on the winning team!

I have been amused lately by the revival of the term “stoked”.  Although I might be old enough to be their father, I am fortunate to have more than a few friends that are twenty-something.  I think this helps keep me young, as long as I don’t try to compete with them at sports!  They, it seems are stoked more and more these days.  I also, noted on my daughter’s facebook page that she is now stoked too about a variety of things.

I too became stoked about some things and decided to do a little research about being stoked.  I started naturally with the question, what does stoked mean? The first source a Google search produced was The Urban Dictionary which listed the following as the number one definition.

“Stoked” – adjective – to be “stoked” is to be completely and intensely enthusiastic, exhilarated, or excited about something. Those who are stoked all of the time know this; being stoked is the epitome of all being. When one is stoked, there is no limit to what one can do. Also, “stoke” – verb – one can “stoke” oneself out by facing challenges or by revving up an engine within oneself to accomplish that which one desires. *being too stoked just means that you’re still not stoked enough*

I have to admit to last part of this definition had me a little confused and I finally concluded that the writer may have “toked” before defining “stoked”.

Although a little older than most of my stoked friends, this experience of years gives me more knowledge to pull from.  You see I actually learned to stoke as a child.

Yep I’ve been stoking since before some of you were born!

A closer look at the word Stoked from a more traditional Merriam-Webster dictionary revealed the following definitions and examples.

Stoked, stok·ing

transitive verb

1: to poke or stir up (as a fire) : supply with fuel

2: to feed abundantly

1. The engineer stoked the coals.
2. The new ad campaign has helped to stoke sales.
3. Poor revenue figures have stoked concerns about possible layoffs.

I guess I really shouldn’t be surprised to discover that like a lot of things in our culture today, stoking used to be an action but now seems to be just a feeling.  Now days we all seem to be more interested in being stoked as opposed to actually stoking something.

You see I learned to stoke at an early age while camping with my family.  Most of the people I have camped with as an adult will readily tell you that I can not only get a fire going quickly but stoke it so it will burn all night.  I find this art of stoking to be an advantage in all areas of my life.  I understand it takes preparation and work to get something going and that it will continuously need to be stoked if it is going to keep on going.  This knowledge keeps me from running here and there looking for something or someone to stoke a good feeling in me.

So after reviewing what I know about feeling stoked and being stoked I find myself pondering a couple of questions.

First, if I am only a consumer of feeling stoked, what is it that gives me this feeling?  I mean really, what or who are you allowing to stoke you?

Second if you are a stoker, and I hope you are, what are you stoking? Is the effort you put into stoking merely a self-indulgent exercise? Or Are you stoking things in your life and others that will change the world?

Please take time to comment here on What Stokes You and What You are passionately Stoking!

First let’s deal with my resolution.  While I really enjoy writing this Blog it does feel at times like no one is really out there.  A good friend of mine suggested I write something very opinionated and see if it stirred up more comments.  Funny I thought most people would already say that I was very opinionated.  Hmmm?  Any way the truth is I have lacked the discipline during the past few months to keep this blog up to date.  In an effort to restructure portions of my life I neglected my writing.  Bringing us to my new year’s resolution.

“I will be more diligent to make regular posts here on the Word 7 Blog as well as my other writing commitments.”

No Excuses! You Jack Wagon!

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Next we will post more fun stuff this year.  One reason is that it is a lot easier to shoot out a fun blog than to produce serious material. Therefore it will be easier for me to post more often!  Ha Ha isn’t it funny how easy it is for our human nature to start scheming.  Sorry it appears I inadvertently slipped a serious thought in here.

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Now for the first of the FUN Stuff, my Review of TRUE GRIT.

I must admit I was shocked when I seen the first trailer advertising the remake of this iconic movie. Not only were they taking on a huge movie but they were daring to take on the role of Rooster Cogburn which was portrayed in the original by what could be argued as the biggest western movie star of all times “John Wayne”!  What were they thinking?

While my kids were in town for the holidays we made a date to all go see the movie together.  While waiting for it to start I realized that while I am an avid fan of western movies my children, now all adults (by status of their age at least), had very little knowledge of  the icon that was “John Wayne”. So our expectations of what we were about to see were very different.  While I was skeptical, they were just hoping to be entertained.

Now it is time to confess that the movie exceeded my expectations.  I  have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed the movie, well up to a point!  First let me say that I loved the performance of Hailee Steinfeld and I am sure we will be seeing more of this young lady.  The man with the biggest risk Jeff Bridges turned in a performance that did not encourage any comparison to “The Duke” by making the character of Rooster Cogburn his own.  Matt Damon seemed a little weird at times but I would say this is due in part to the character he is portraying.  You have to remember that this part played by Glen Campbell in the original was a bit strange also.

Now for the problem!  I enjoyed the subtle story twists and changes from the original story.  Some of them made the story more believable for today’s movie goers. But while we were winding down the film and I was beginning to think “Wow They Did It”, and even considering that this movie too might become iconic, it suddenly all went horribly wrong!  Instead of simply ending the story someone in a moment of complete stupidity decided to ignore the stories ending and give us instead an ending for each of the characters.

Why should we care that Rooster comes to the end of his life years later while part of a Wild West show.  Are we really to believe that the Texas Ranger simply rode off to other adventures without ever following the two people, he had just saved, into town?  And resourceful Mattie, she suddenly decided to not see something through to the end because she lost her hand?  The ending ruined the whole movie.  I believe it will now fade away as just another western, perhaps even damaging the reputation of the original.  While I have watched the original many times and plan to again, I see no reason to watch this movie again knowing that the “story” was left without a proper end.

What did you Think?

It is a bitter sweet time in our house right now, as we are preparing to take our daughter halfway across the country and leave her at college.  I am very proud of her and her accomplishments thus far. I am also confident that she is moving into the purpose and destiny that God has planned for her but I must confess part of me still wants her to be the little girl that runs up and grabs on to my leg.

The days are very busy right now as we get prepared for college move in day and right in the middle of this Deidra had to have her wisdom teeth removed.  Hmmm…. why are they called Wisdom Teeth, and if they are tied to our wisdom, should we really be pulling them out?  Guess this will make another blog, now back to the story.  She had a 7:00 am appointment and I was her designated driver.  We prayed and away she walked alone back into the dark recesses of the dental lair.  Okay, so it wasn’t dark and I suppose the dentist doesn’t want his office referred to as his lair but we have to keep it fun.

I was very surprised when they called my name so quickly and even more surprised when the nurse said get your car and pull it around back I think we are going to send her home.  I pulled around back where they had left the door open for me and as I came through the door I heard the nurse say he’s coming around now.  Then it happened!  I heard the sound that had everyone tense and concerned.  I very LOUD but sweet child like voice was resonating through the halls calling, “Daaaaadddddy, I want my Daddy”.  I entered the room where Deidra was coming out from under the anesthesia and was greeted by my sweet little girl, “Hi Daddy, Why can’t I feel my face?   What are we doing here?” and then a flood of very LOUD nonstop questions and comments.  It then became clear why the staff was in a hurry to get her home.

The next few hours were very amusing to say the least but one thing was clear.  Something that I have tried to instill in my children from the very beginning is well rooted in Deidra, when in doubt, call your Dad!  Know that I am always on your side and I always want the best for you.  It doesn’t matter if you were bad or good, I will be there for you.  My children know this about me just as I have always known this about my Dad.  Deidra, although now becoming a young woman, in this time of uncertainty in her mind grabbed on to what she knew would be secure, ME (insert big smile here).  For me it became reminiscent of when she was four and would cling to my leg while surmising the situation or people around her. A part of me hopes she will never forget this security, even though I understand that in time another man will provide this for her.

I am currently passing though a time of refreshing (not relaxing) and self evaluation.  Amazing how the basics still work best, read God’s word and seek His face in prayer.  While musing about Deidra, the Holy Spirit seemed to challenge me with some questions; Do you trust God the way you expect your children to trust you?  When in doubt do you run to Me? Sadly these questions moved me to a point of confession when I realized the answer was NO.  Why is it that I pursue solutions in my self long before calling out Abba Father?  Could it be that my heavenly Father is saying “I remember when he used to run up and grab on to my leg”.

I come from a long heritage of blessing.  I have first hand knowledge that my great grandfather was a great man of God and I suspect he was not the first in our family.  This heritage has bestowed a rich spiritual blessing on our family.  I know I am not unique in this, as I also know other families with similar spiritual heritage, but could it be that the enemy of our souls has devised a trap and set it inside of this blessing?

Like many of you I have made the statement “I’m starving to death”.  Usually I make this statement after going only a couple of hours without food.  I too am trying to be more compassionate but wonder if I can really understand completely how it would feel to know I am starving to death because I haven’t had a meal for two weeks.  Today there are people who know this feeling but yet I take for granted that food is always available and my hunger is usually due to not being able to decide what I want to eat rather than a lack of food.  Is my spiritual life in much the same situation?  Born into a Godly family, I have never known a time without God.  I have not always lived a life that would be pleasing to Him but I also do not know what it means to be lost without hope.  Could it be that this lack of hopelessness in my life has left me taking our Savior’s love for granted?

I do not think that it is an accident that many of our most successful ministries today are being founded and lead by first generation Christians.  Men and women that God has saved from sin, who know what it is like to be lost and desperate for a Savior.  They are driven by the first hand knowledge that others need Him too.  They truly understand the hunger and desperation of the lost while I just talk a good game.

Today I am committing to love my Savior like never before.  When things get shaky or confused I will call out His name.  When circumstances look hopeless I will trust only in Him.  I will continually run to Him, grab on to His leg and rely on His security, confident that He is all I need.

Lord let me learn to rest in the security and strength of Your arms, so that I can fully realize the gifts You have given to me.

What are YOU going to do?

Well maybe I should put some parameters on my well wishes.  To clarify, I am not speaking to every male that has managed to sire offspring.  Being a true father requires a lifetime of investment not just a few minutes of sexual gratification.  A real father does whatever it takes to keep his family safe and intact.  He sacrifices his desires and even his needs not just for his children but also his wife, their mother, the women HE chose to begin his family with.

It is a sad thing that so many men choose what is best for them instead of what is best for their children.  I suppose this is a result of our “what’s in it for me” society.  My fear is that this has created a situation that cannot be corrected.

I have tried to be a good father because I was raised by a good father but today I can’t help but wonder what kind of fathers a generation of fatherless boys will become.  I believe we are already seeing some of the manifestations of this today.

A prominent college football coach when asked how coaching had changed over the course of his career stated that that quality of the young men had changed. While athleticism had improved the young men entering his program were the “best men that their momma could raise”.  This is in no way meant to disrespect women and the great job many of them have been forced to do by being the only parent to their children.  However, you do not hire a basketball coach to coach and train your hockey team and even the best mothers cannot be fathers.

In this void left by the men who have abandoned their role, many now believe a father is not needed.  Our television and movies laugh at and disrespect the idea of good fathers.  Shows with a father many times have him portrayed as a buffoon.  This too is only perpetuating the problem of fatherless families now plaguing our nation.

Selfish men living only for themselves have now brought upon us an unexpected spiritual problem.  Children now grow up without any way to relate to their spiritual Father.  They read in the Bible of The Fathers love and are lost to what these scriptures really should means to them.  A few years back I was counseling with a young man from Teen Challenge.  When I began to share with him about the love our heavenly Father has for us his face went blank and then I watched as his whole body tensed up.  You see the only thing that came to mind when I mentioned father was a man that beat his mother and abandoned him.  He couldn’t relate to God as a father, he didn’t want to think of God as a father.  How can we reach the lost when they cannot understand how our heavenly Father loves them?

Can we right this wrong?

Men this Fathers day let us all take on a challenge!  If you are a steadfast father raising your family take a look beyond your children for someone to help.  Perhaps you can help a young man that needs a better understanding of what it is to be a true father or be a father to a boy that is fatherless and needs someone strong to look up to before it’s too late.

If you’re a man that has made a mistake regarding your children step up and do whatever you can to repair the relationship.  Real men can be humble, put others first, apologize, and forgive.  Do it Today!

Finally let me just say, THANKS DAD FOR BEING MY FATHER.

Several years back we were blessed to be able to have a new pool put in our backyard. This was a very exciting time, as our children were still young and we would be designing the pool based on our needs. In fact one of the first activities planned in the new pool would be swimming lessons for our youngest child.

We settled on a play pool model to begin our design. It would be 4 foot deep at the base of the steps, 6 foot deep at the drain located in the middle of the pool, and rise back to a depth of 5 feet at the opposite end from the steps. This seemed like a good plan but was it?

Even though this pool was designed with our children in mind, there was still more than enough water to be a danger for them.   From an adult standpoint, however, it seems over time we quit swimming.  The pool simply became a place to get in splash around a little then get out feeling refreshed.  While there is nothing wrong with feeling refreshed, to continue to call this a swimming pool seemed foolish.  The pool was unchallenging and an accomplished swimmer I found it less and less appealing.  I quit spending time in it with my kids and over the years as they matured as swimmers, they too found other things to do and places to go.  It even came to a point that I thought it was more of a burden than a blessing.

Having spent my life around both pools and the church I can’t help but see a correlation between the two.  Over the past decade we seem to have worked to create a shallower church in an effort to make it safer for the unbeliever to enter.    This did seem to be a worthwhile plan.  After all, isn’t it our duty to reach those that are without Christ? However this process hasn’t eliminated the danger of potential spiritual drownings.  Also, perhaps an unintended result is that mature Christians have become satisfied with just getting wet instead of swimming in the deepness of the Spirit.  Now we are no longer prepared to teach those who have entered this church how to swim.  Perhaps we don’t care enough to be bothered teaching them, or we no longer see the need for anyone to swim.  Like the pool that no longer requires you to swim, what foolishness is a church that doesn’t connect you to the full depths of our God?  This church too for many has begun to feel like a burden rather than a blessing.

I grew up in south Florida with access to the ocean as a child.  I learned to jump off the boat into the water without regard for its depth.  A few years back I was blessed to watch my children jump from a boat into the ocean trusting in the training and confidence we had instilled in them as parents.  Today we need to reconsider our shallow water fishing techniques and once again prepare ourselves as Christians for deep water.  We must be able to teach, train and lead others into the depths of His Spirit.  Without launching into the deep we cannot truly gather the catch He has prepared.

Luke 5:3-5 (King James Version)

3 And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon’s, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship.

4 Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.

5 And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.

6 And when they had this done, they enclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake.

7 And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink.

Personally I find myself as part of the church desiring a catch that will require the help of others to pull it into the boat.  This will only be attainable if together we launch out into the DEEP!

Are you ready to SWIM again?

For some the answer is obvious.  Others are perhaps looking for some sort of trick trying to see something that is not obvious.  Still others may see something totally different due to their need or current circumstances.

What if I tell you that for me this is a picture of fire wood.  You would have to agree with me that this Chair would make a great fire.  It is constructed of oak and will make a beautiful fire.  We could use the cushion material to get it started and this collection of oak sticks will make a great fire.  Yes it is defiantly a picture of fire wood!

Never mind about the fire wood comment, I have decided it is a coat rack!  Everyone should be able to see that it’s a coat rack plain as day.  It must be a coat rack because my coat hangs there all the time.  That settles it, it’s a coat rack!

For those of you whom still do not agree will me, give your eyes a rest.  There are no special effects, or 3d images that will emerge if you stare harder or longer.  You should also quit trying to find any purpose here for the items in the background.

Why has such a simple question become so complicated?

Okay! Apparently most of you think this is a Chair. Duh! You see while it could be useful as firewood , a coat rack, and a variety of other things it was Designed and Created to be a Chair.

Why is it that I seem to meet people struggling with this same question while looking in the mirror.  They seem to be constantly trying to answer the ever present questions;

Who am I?

Why am I here?

Perhaps like I was with the Chair they are searching for their Usefulness instead of the Purpose they were Designed and Created for.  Then again, maybe they are distracted by their surroundings, or wasting time looking hard for something that’s not there.

Do YOU know what your Purpose is?  Take time today to consult with the Creator and ask Him what you were designed to accomplish.  His technical support is available 24/7 and HE had a specific purpose when He Designed and Created YOU!

Phil