Musings of a Prodigal Son - Murmuring Against Each Other

The time is fast approaching where anything a person says can and will be controversial. There have always been injustices and problems in one form or another. With the advent of social media and rise of the "my rights" mentality in our nation (which really equates to what I want regardless of how it affects anyone else), we have become a "murmuring" people. Let me be the first to say that there is nothing wrong with speaking out against injustice as long as the people who are speaking out are doing what they can to foster a solution instead of just blaming someone or something for the problems. We have a nation of people who seem to be complaining about things they have done nothing to make any difference about. An example is this whole issue with the National Anthem and the American Flag. When did injustice become a reason not to have national pride and a cooperative spirit to do what is needed individually to make our part of the world good? Instead people say, "I won't stand for the national anthem because there are social injustices allowed in our country." I've got a revelation for you. There will always be injustices. They will always happen because man, each individual, has the capacity to do evil. It is not limited to one race or creed, one religion or another. Injustices have been committed in the name of every religion and faith on earth, have been committed by every race on earth.

Something has happened to our citizenry. We have forgotten that freedom is not free. It should cost everyone something. We seem to have many people in our world that always expect to receive but never seem to get around to giving or sacrificing anything. Many have begun to think that they are "entitled" to so many things without realizing that everything ALWAYS costs someone something. If it doesn't cost you, it is costing someone else.

I would like to share an example. I saw pictures the other day of a "red tail" WWII plane. It is a fighter plane. Many of you who study history will know that the "red tail" was a distinct mark of a particular group of fighters during WWII called the "Tuskegee Airmen." Because I grew up in proximity to Tuskegee, Alabama, and have worked for the VA hospital during much of my career, I have been privileged to meet several of the members of that distinguished group. I think everyone would agree that there was much oppression of the black man during the period from the colonization of America through the 1960s Civil Rights Movement and beyond. It so happens, however, that these Tuskegee Airmen fought in the midst of all these injustices during WWII which took place from 1939-1945. Those men who were members of that courageous and highly decorated group did not boycott or "sit-out" the war simply because there were injustices. They banned together in a sense of national pride to fight an enemy so that the pursuit of freedom from all injustices could continue in a country that has potential and has achieved a level of greatness. We tend to forget that. Did any of those men have the right to be angry, bitter, and resentful to the point of demeaning national pride and patriotism? Yes they did BUT instead they wore the star on their planes just as proudly as the red tail insignia. They were members of the greatest nation on earth, the United States. Other citizens of other countries have done the same. Are there injustices in all nations? Of course. The difference is that in a democracy, we do get to choose who leads us. Much has been said about this. Many people are now maligning our president and all those who voted for him. It is ironic that much of the criticism often comes from people WHO DID NOT EVEN VOTE. And even if you did vote, and I did, we still elected the one who was the choice of the people. If the other candidate had received the most electoral votes, she would have been the choice of the people. (If anyone does not understand the electorate system, then you should look it up and study it and you'll see why we have it). It is to keep the interests of all Americans, not just the one's in the heavily populated areas, at the heart of every election. Otherwise, candidates would focus only on the needs of small densely populated areas to the neglect of the opinion of those who live in less populated areas. The electorate provides that ALL areas are important. Everyone, in this system at least has some influence. Albeit, the heavily populated areas still get more electorate votes, as they should.

When I hear people say, "He is not my president." I want to say, really? (and sometimes I have). He is your President if you are an American Citizen regardless of your views of him or any other president who may be elected in the future. Unless you denounce your citizenship and lose all the benefits of that citizenship, whoever is elected IS YOUR PRESIDENT. If we disagree with our leaders, we have the opportunity at the next election to change them just as people had the opportunity to vote for their choice at the last election.  That is what makes us great. So many nations in the world do not have that same opportunity. Saying someone is not your President is the kind of dangerous statements that have led to military "take-over" coups in many countries that have resulted in more pain for everyone. If you want things to be better and you don't agree with some things, do what you can to make things better in your realm of influence. At the very least, you can pray for whoever is the sitting President.

Much has been said of the media. I will just say that if you are a reasonable person and you look at the news, you will quickly see who the favorite person to "murmur" against is on each network and channel. Some events are covered while other significant events are ignored. Remember, the same truth can look totally different depending on how it is shared. Facts can look different depending on how they are presented and what "agenda" they are presented under.

I hear intelligent people attacking people who voted for our President. Calling people who voted for the president "stupid". When a person is elected to office through a democratic process and that person makes choices that are not in-line with what you prefer or what you think is "right", is it really ok to call those who took part in the same process as you (if you voted) stupid? That is the same as saying "democracy is stupid." Democracy elected our officials, including our President. Everyone's opinion does matter but we don't give up when we don't get things "our" way. Would you rather have a "dictatorship"? Before anyone makes the mistake of thinking that we already do, let me remind you that we do not. North Korea has a dictator. The people there do not have basic freedoms. If you live anywhere in the US or it's territories, you do have freedoms. Would you rather live in a place like North Korea? I think not.

I would posture a deeper problem. The problem is that our own personal beliefs and opinions about what affects us the most drives our decisions about what should be done and who should lead us. The problem with this viewpoint is that each individual gets to determine what is "right" for them. What happens when what I think is right is the opposite of what you think is right? Should everyone see things as you do or as I do? This is the slippery slope we go down when we do not believe in a truth that is determined by something outside of ourselves. For the Christian, truth is supposed to determined by God's Word (the Bible). The problem is made even more diluted by the fact that followers of God tend to "pick and choose" which portions of scripture (the Bible) they want to live by based on their individual preferences and how they "feel." If something doesn't feel right to us, we can simply use "evidence" to say that this portion of the Bible is "uninspired". We are all susceptible to this exercise. Which takes us back to the original problem of determining what is right by what is "right" for me or you. To illustrate this point, I can tell you that many people close to me see things in different ways. Many different people even in my own family voted for different people and this trend will probably continue in the future. Why? We are determining truth based on our feelings and needs. Not some objective standard. God's truth should not be optional no matter how it "feels" to me. But we are ALL selfish. Hence, there will always be differences of opinion.

I, for one, am thankful to live in a land where at least I can be heard with my vote and can make choices to change things that need to be changed. Murmuring against something has never changed it. Often it causes people to defend their own position more staunchly, even when they are wrong.

To sum up, PRAY for our leaders. God ordained them. Otherwise, they would not hold the positions that they do. When we pray, let us not pray for what we want to happen but let us pray that God's Will Be Done (not my will but thine be done). We should pray that our leaders at all levels make decisions based on what God wants them to do and that He (God) will give them the wisdom to do just that.

Murmuring against each other will lead us nowhere. Prayer will lead us to great things.

Musings of a Prodigal Son - Open Your Eyes

"When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. “Oh no, my lord! What shall we do?” the servant asked.“Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”And Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. (2 Kings 6:15-17)

“I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world.My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by^d the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified." (John 17:13-17)

Ever since Sin entered into the world, there have truly been two realms of dwelling. Prior there was only one. That one, before Sin entered the world, was the dual union of the physical and spiritual. Man, who lived in a physical realm had fellowship and unrestrained communion with God, who is Spirit. Once Sin entered the picture, the gulf between the physical world and the spiritual one became wide. No longer were the Laws of the Spirit applicable in the present world. The two realities separated as man separated from God. Time became the enemy of man. Time is a concept relative to the material (physical world). Physical creation groaned as it was separated from the freedom of the spiritual realm. The physical world became finite while the spiritual retained it's infinite nature. 

The Bible's Old Testament is a picture of man's journey (man being physical) to be at One again with the spiritual and in perfect communion with God. Throughout it's pages, we find glimpses into the spiritual realm. As we look at these various glimpses into the spiritual realm, it becomes apparent that it is a totally different existence on another plane of reality. This is very apparent in the passage above about Elisha and his servant. One walked in the Spirit (Elisha) and his servant was operating in the physical. This happens to all of us when we let the worries of this life, it's trials, and temptations, influence us to walk or live according to the rules of this present world. 

Jesus on numerous occassions told his followers, "He who has ears, let him hear." They must have looked around like, "What?" "What does that mean?" At times he would add, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear what the spirit is saying." 

Many older hymns and songs contain the phrase, "Open our eyes Lord." Most people have their eyes open while they are singing. This must mean something else. It means, open our Spiritual eyes, Lord. The ones we obtained when we became one with you. The ones we have the capacity to live life through now. 

I saw a video on facebook the other day about a special kind of glasses, now available for people who have never been able to distinguish colors that allows them to see what they have never seen. The video was of a middle-age man whose family bought him a pair of these glasses for his birthday. The look of utter wonder and joy on his face as he saw the new "reality" was simply amazing! I would recommend that you search for it and watch. This reminds me of the whole world that opens up to us when we make the decision to "Walk in the Spirit". We open ourselves to a whole new set of laws and realities. Time becomes a non-factor in our lives, obedience and faith become the cornerstones of our existence. 

I've mentioned before that with the advent of the scientific method and what is known as the period of Enlightenment in Western civilization, man has progressively moved toward a more humanistic philosophy and understanding of life. Although advances in technology have had some positive benefits in our daily lives in this physical world, the prevalence of this mindset and philosophy have contributed to our lack of faith in the spiritual and "unexplained." I have often said that Satan's greatest ploy in America has been his ability to hide and work behind the scenes. He hides so easily because, being a spiritual being himself with the ability to operate in the physical, he manipulates the physical and hides in the spiritual. To confront and deal with his devices, we must first fight him where he resides. To fight him, Jesus pointed out in his earthly ministry requires that we choose to live in the spiritual realm and by spiritual laws instead of the physical (logical) ones. To borrow His words, "we are IN this world, but not OF this world." The Apostle Paul said, "The weapons of our warfare are not carnal (physical--of this world) but mighty in God for the pulling down of strongholds."(2 Corinthians 10:4). 

We misunderstand so much of the New Testament because much of it is written to those who LIVE AND WALK IN THE SPIRIT (A totally different realm of existence with different laws and principles). Could it be that much of our frustration comes from living in the carnal but expecting the spiritual promises and realities?. Remember, the Spiritual Realm is timeless. God's promises are spiritual promises. How can we see spiritual promises if we don't choose to live there? We can't. 

It really boils down to two simple concepts: Faith in what God says is true vs. Faith in what we see from our experience and the realities we learn as we walk in our flesh. Our behavior always comes from which one we believe.

An example: Many times in my life I have been afraid to pray for someone to get well because I was wondering whether it was God's Will. Jesus told his disciples, the works that I do, you shall do also and GREATER works shall you do. He also told them to heal the sick. These are SPIRITUAL EXERCISES. If I try them, and even if I "fail" and someone does not get well, I am still conducting a spiritual exercise based on obedience because Jesus told me, as his disciple, to do it. Will I make mistakes, yes. Just as we make mistakes operating by physical laws (carnal), so shall we also make mistakes operating in the Spiritual Ones. However, it is no less important to be obedient and choose to obey the Spiritual Ones anyway. 

Choose you this day whom ye will serve, as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord (Spiritual). Are we perfect? No. Will we make spiritual mistakes as we are obedient? Sure. Does it excuse us from being obedient? No.

As I live out the remainder of my life, I have two choices. I can live in the Spiritual or I can live in the physical (carnal). The concept of carnal (fleshy) in and of itself is not bad. It is a term that denotes which system you are a "citizen" of. Humanism or Monotheism? Flesh or Spirit? Spiritual or Carnal?

As the world begins this"shaking" (sifting), the two existences will become more and more apparent. There will be less opportunity to "straddle the fence" and a more definitive decision will have to be made. Much of the confusion faced by followers of Christ today have resulted in the attempts of many of us to "harmonize" the humanistic ideas of the flesh with the Spiritual Laws of God. The two realities were never meant to be harmonized`. To escape one is to embrace the other. To embrace one is to reject the other. 

A question that may be pertinent to me: Am I willing to give up many of my comforts in order to forsake all and follow Christ as I did at one point in my life if giving those comforts up becomes necessary to fulfill my God-Given Purpose?

What questions may be pertinent for you?

Musings of a Prodigal Son - Voicing My Own Humor - What Little Bit There Is

Please allow me to briefly diverge into my sarcasm:


People are unique---just when you think you have one of us figured out, we surprise you. Not always in a good way.


It is now football season and it is time once again to pull for the Crimson Tide. If you're me, you also pull for the Auburn Tigers WHEN they are not playing the Crimson Tide. Some people I know say that is impossible. The only requirement is that you must live in Florida to be able to do it. :)


If life was a race, some people would expect all of us to be like formula one racers. In reality most of us are like a neighborhood race of ford pintos.


Most of the time I have found that God's Will to me is what I didn't do yesterday, have no intention of doing today, but plan to do tomorrow. Until today becomes tomorrow, which of course I have no intention of doing today. In reality though, it is simply being obedient. Man, I have missed that sooooooooooo many times!


On the recent cruise I had no internet and very little television.  I spent a lot of quality time with my wife and made memories. I examined myself and found myself lacking. Maybe there is a lesson in this for me?


Sometimes, if you have to go to the bathroom and you hold it long enough, you find that you don't have to go anymore. Where does it go? Also sometimes, if you have to go to the bathroom and you hold it long enough, no one wants to be around you anymore because they know where it goes.


I didn't get sea sick this time on the cruise. However, since I have been back, I feel that I am going up and down on a boat. I must be getting "land-sick".


Many people have told me that I should write a book. Most of those people don't know me. Strangely, none of them were my English teachers.


When you apply for a job, most people want experience. Experience means you can do the job. Why aren't most of our marriage experts people who have been married at least three times? We have the experience. With multiple companies.


Credibility is being able to keenly allow people to see enough of you to believe they see all of you while deftly hiding most of you.


I have found that most people really do not crave honesty but merely the appearance of honesty. However, when people are in pain or crisis, most desire and crave REAL honesty.


Our views on things are often determined by our selfish desires rather than our God-Given Purpose.


The only way to know that you don't know is for someone who may not know themselves to challenge you because they don't know the rules of what you know.


There is an elephant in EVERYONE'S living room. We should invite the elephant to church or to our homes to pray and talk so that he/she can see the rest of the elephants. Oh, I forgot. We often like to hide the elephants in places where they need to be seen the most.

Musings of a Prodigal Son - Memories

This entry may seem a little strange to some. It is only me rambling about my thoughts. No outline. No lesson. Just thoughts. I was blessed to spend time with my wife last week to celebrate our anniversary. She arranges at least one cruise a year for us if possible and I am more than glad to come along. This particular cruise was interesting because of Hurricane Irma. We left approximately one week before so there was no way to know that Irma would become the monster that it became. Our seven-day cruise became an eleven-day cruise. We were blessed to be out of the storms path as we went south and west of the storm and once it had passed came around behind it (there is a sermon in there somewhere?) As I said, we were blessed. Calm seas. I could not help but think that although we were out of the storms reach, so many were affected directly by it. Many lost their homes in the Florida Keys.

One man's blessing is often accompanied by another man's trial. So it is with life.

One thing that comes out of these unexpected blessings is often time to think, to ponder over one's life and go over things. Feel some of the pains of past regrets, smile at some of the remembrances of people and circumstances, frown at others. It is a time to see yourself from the "third" person point of view.

Please permit me to add a disclaimer here. I have been blessed with a wife who loves me and whom I love very much. I am thankful that I have time to have the thoughts that prompt what I write here today due to the peace she helps foster in my life. And before I make another statement let me just clarify that "I know whom I have believed and know that He is able to keep that which I have committed to Him against that day." Now that my disclaimer is done, let me continue my musings,

September --I think about this time often and it is a bittersweet time of year for me. Around this time of year, 20 years ago, I lost a friend. I also married Michelle during this week four years ago. My oldest daughter was born  during this week as well 29 years ago.  When my friend passed away 20 years ago, I also lost alot of my theology. Highs and Lows. The theology and belief system I had up until the time that my friend passed away was not working for me. I missed something along the way. When I think about it from hind sight, maybe I expected too much. Maybe I expected too little. Maybe I was only looking at the "short game" when I should have been focusing on the "long" one. I knew these things at that time in my mind but I guess that it took time for my heart to catch up. It is amazing to think that God helped me to help others during that time of my life. I helped many to sort out their own "stones" while dropping many of my own rocks on my feet.

This week, as I thought about many things, I missed alot of people who I haven't spent alot of time with in years, realizing once again that life is a series of brief encounters that are fleeting and slip past us swiftly. The encounters we have with others today means much in the grand scheme of things. Lasting memories are made, lives are influenced and made a little different by that interaction.

I have shared previously in another blog that life is short. As Solomon referred to it as a "vapor" (here today gone tomorrow). The life expectancy for a male living today who is 50 years of age (which I am by the way) is 79. That means on average, someone my age may live to be 79. Some less, some more. That means that most of my life has already been lived. Only 29 more years to go to meet the average. That's not long and for some of you that are older, I'm told time tends to speed up even more. Last time I checked, I was on the "front" side of life---but here I am on the "backside" in a flash. Some of you also need to check cause you were sitting in a desk next to me at school!

What I remember the most are the intimate conversations. Not sexual but intimate. That moment when my vulnerability and honest need meets yours. That moment when the person that God created me to be meets that person that God created you to be. Those times when all the vices of this world and the enemy of this world are stripped away. Sometimes that vulnerability is brought about by pain and sometimes by joy. Oftentimes, it has happened in bouts of uncontrolled laughter. That could be fishing by a lake, swimming in a pool, playing basketball in someone's yard, after a church service, in a parking lot, and myriad other places. Sounds almost sexual doesn't it? I'm not talking about relationships between just husbands and wives but relationships between friends and others whom God allowed in our lives at that moment. Nothing inappropriate or lewd---intimacy that mirrors the love and understanding of God! Those are the memories that make me long to see so many of you.