A Christ Follower: The Journey

       All around us, and almost daily, some really horrifying things are happening throughout the world in the name of a particular God whom the terrorist themselves call Allah.  Evil seems to abound throughout the globe, and there does not seem to be an end in site to all the carnage. Morally people take the lives of their own babies from the early days of pregnancies to the later stages of a pregnancy, even in the ninth month.  What use to  be called deviant behavior and pure sexual immorality is now being touted as a "civil right." Some are so traumatized by life that they end their life journey by committing suicide.  War seems to be everywhere.  Earthquakes, famine, malignant growths (pestilence,) sorcery (pharmakeia or drug abuse,) murder, hatred, disrespect for the elderly or any fellow human beings ... all of these abound.  Some people in our inner cities are fearful of even walking out there doors because a stray bullet might...

Commentary:  Given this is an election year, Jesus teaching is timely. Chaplain Mac Chapter 3 Excerpted From  Rock-Solid Living In A Quicksand World TRUE & FALSE  PROPHETS OR LEADERS Matthew 7:15–23 Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them. “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perfo...

I do believe! Help me overcome my unbelief! Mark 9:24 --A Wavering Dad's Request.      Imagine one of your children, grandchildren, niece or nephew is suffering bitterly.  And they have been suffering for quite sometime.  Their sickness has rendered them speechless, and it almost appears they are possessed.   You have gone to some of the best around who were noted as healers and even authentic miracle workers, but in the case of your child, the situation seems to be getting worse.  How would you feel?  What would you be thinking?  What could possibly be happening inside your Temple of The Holy Spirit?     Then imagine Jesus coming your way.  As far as anyone knows, the only time He couldn't do miracles was in His own hometown of Nazareth.   The folks could simply not believe that a local hometown boy, the son of a carpenter, could work miracles.  Guess what? He could not because of their unbelief.  Jesu...

The post about deciding to do my best to be color blind greatly made possible because of a British Mum who is now with the Lord. She asked me a "John" question. "Alfred" she said, "How can you hate your brother whom you have seen and love God whom you have not seen?" Well I never hated anyone, however, this challenge really made me think about how Christ would be in relationship to others. By the way, y'all might wonder what may make me think about me Mum on July 15th. F irst it was her birthday today. Next year she will be 100, just spending it in heaven. Second reason, is I almost went to meet here two years ago today, on her birthday. Dad and she taught us about Jesus, and the wonderful life knowing Him has transformed my life. Also wonderful because death is not anything to fear. She said this to me, and I believe it personally, a short while before she transitioned to Heaven. Happy Birthday Mum.  Thanks for teaching us to love, and for ...

So, I grew up in the south, and I have friends who are multiethnic. When I met Jesus, it became clear that HE came and died for ALL people and raised from the dead for ALL people. I want all people to know this one who gives life to me. And with God's help, we intentionally worked throughout our lives to become color blind. We have taught our children the same, and our grandchildren the same. As most know, we are not perfect, but we know what is right, and strive to be and do what is right, even when NO ONE is looking. SoJourner

No one, after putting his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God Jesus: Luke 9:62       Jesus had made up his mind he was going to Jerusalem, and Jerusalem for him was a dangerous place.  Along the way, he tried to get a nights rest in a Samaritan town, and they rejected him. They didn't like the fact that he was on his way to "those" people in Jerusalem.  So they would show him NO hospitality.  The "sons of thunder" didn't like this treatment of their Lord. So they asked Jesus if He wanted them to call down fire out of heaven on them.  Jesus rebuked these two -- James and John -- and they simply went to another town.    Apparently another reaction to this treatment happened as one of the people said, "I will follow you anywhere. "  Jesus seemed to not believe him.  He seemed to challenge this person's integrity.  Listen in to the conversation: Foxes have holes, and birds have nests; b...

Why are you so depressed, my soul? Why is there such inward distress?  Hope in God, for then you can praise Him.  He is the help of my being, and He is my God. Psalm 43:5      When I was a young child, I use to hear the old timers express, "You shouldn't talk to yourself because people will think you are crazy," and when I heard them say this, I would ask "Why?"  "Why is this so bad?"  Also, I wonder more today, "Who cares what people think about me?" Sadly, there were not too terribly many people around who cared what I was feeling about such matters.  So, as a young person, I don't think I learned very well how to process my emotions, which resulted in pent up emotions and a temperament that seemed to be tempered by me having a "temper." So I did not take a lot of time learning how be well in my soul.      As I grew up and learned about self talk (soul talk,) I decided that avoiding talking to myself, in and of its...