Welcome Home

He groaned as he carried the heavy wooden bucket to the pigs. It was full of half-eaten apples, rotten figs, and whatever other spoiled things that the master's family didn't want anymore. He could barely stomach the awful stench of the putrid remains. He stumbled, sloshing the filth onto the rags that he wore for clothes and all over his bare feet, cracked and bleeding from the rocks and thorns he was forced to walk over every day. 

But that was different now. Why did I ever decide that I wanted my share of the inheritance? He thought, angry with himself. Why did I spend it all in the city? Sure, I threw some pretty amazing parties, and there were a lot of people that wanted me around: beautiful women, popular guys, powerful men. They all called me their friend, but where are they now?

He carried the bucket over to the trough, and poured it out. The foul muddy pigs waddled over, snorting and grunting as they sifted through the slop, each eager to find the most vile disgusting piece of garbage and claim it as his own.

His stomach growled. It had been days since his last meal. He looked down at the slop. That food isn't so bad, he thought. That apple there, it was originally shrunken and purple, wasn't it? And what about that piece of meat? There's only a few maggots on it.

He stared at the slop, listening to his stomach growl louder and louded. With each sound, the food--if it could be called food--began to look better and better.

He bent down into the mud and grabbed a half-chewed grape. He put it into his mouth and slowly chewed and swallowed. It wasn't so bad.

If he could get past the gag reflex, it was actually pretty good.

He began to sift through the slop more eagerly; grabbing whatever he could find and shoving it desperately into his mouth, not caring about the taste, only about sating his hunger. He shoved a pig aside as it tried to grab an apple, biting into the soft, rotten skin.

He gagged, unable to stomach the rotten food.

He began to sob. "What am I doing? Even the servants in my father's house can eat until they're satisfied, and I'm dying of hunger!"

He stood up slowly. He felt a deep desire, a need to go home. But he was ashamed.

I'll just ask my father to work as a servant in his house. I'll tell him I've sinned and that I've done wrong and thought I'm no longer the boy that he called "son". I'm not worthy to even call him father.

So he stood up and left, traveling the many miles back to his father's farm. The road began to look familiar. That was the tree that he used to climb.

There was the fence that he and his brother had built.

There was the barn that he had tried to jump off of, breaking his arm.

His heart jumped. There was his father.

What was he doing?

Was he running? To him?

He's coming to yell at me. He knows I've wasted my money and that I'm not worth anything. He's not going to let me come home.

But wait--He was smiling? Yes! His father was running to him, and he was smiling! His arms were outstretched, hungry and eager to embrace him!

His father ran to him and hugged him tighter than he could ever remember being held before. His father was laughing and crying at the same time.

He thought, I've got to say it now. If I don't say it now, it'll never get said.

And so he pulled away from his father and told him all that he had done. He told him how that he had wasted all the money. He told him that he wasn't worthy to be called his father's son.

And then he waited.

His father stood there for a moment, silent and thoughtful.

And then, in a soft, quiet voice, he spoke. "Bring me my best clothes. Give him jewelry and shoes. Kill that really fat cow, because we are going to celebrate.

"My son was dead, and he's alive again. He was lost, but now he's found."

You know who that son was?

It was me.

And it was you.

At some point, even if you've accepted Christ as Lord and Savior in your life, we all eventually wander. We become selfish and focused on our own desires, and we take what we want and spend it on us.

But God still loves you.

No matter what you've done, God is still waiting with open arms. Waiting to hug you and kiss you and to say, "Welcome Home".

Adapted from the story of the Prodigal Son: Luke 15:11-24

Peculiar???

Proverbs 22:1 KJV


1) A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold.

Everyone wants a "good name". To be recognized as being unique, as being special.

Society actually markets "unique-ness".
Look at "Preferred Parking" or "V.I.P Parking" or just the "V.I.P" concept in general. And then you have all the metals in the credit card offers. Just about every single major credit card has a Platinum, Aluminum, Gold or Plutonium version.

And if you need another example of just how desperate some people are to try to achieve a level of uniqueness, listen to some of these baby names:

Apple, Daughter of actress Gwyneth Paltrow and singer Chris Martin

Arpad Flynn Alexander, Son of supermodel Elle MacPherson and Arpad Busson

Banjo, Son of actress Rachel Griffiths and Andrew Taylor

Daisy Boo, Daughter of chef Jamie Oliver and wife Juliette ("Jools")

Harley Quinn, Daughter of actor Kevin Smith and Jennifer Schwalbach

Pilot Inspektor, Son of actor Jason Lee and Beth Riesgraf

Ireland, Daughter of Kim Basinger and Alec Baldwin

Kal-El Coppola, Son of actor Nicolas Cage and Alice Kim

Lyric Angel, Son of singer Ashley Parker Angel and Tiffany Lynn

Makena'lei, Daughter of actress Helen Hunt and Matthew Carnahan

Moon Unit, Daughter of singer Frank and Gail Zappa

Moxie CrimeFighter, Daughter of entertainer Penn Jillette and wife Emily

Ocean, Daughter of actors Forest and Keisha Whitaker

Petal Rainbow Blossom , Daughter of chef Jamie Oliver and wife Juliette ("Jools")

Poet Sienna Rose, Daughter of Soleil Moon Frye and Jason Goldberg

Poppy Honey, Daughter of chef Jamie Oliver and wife Juliette ("Jools")

Sparrow James Midnight, Son of Nicole Richie and Joel Madden

Tallulah Belle, Daughter of actors Demi Moore and Bruce Willis

Zuma Nesta Rock, Son of Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale


And look at some of the fashions! There are so many people that have their hair colored brightly different hues, piercings everywhere, and tattoos all over their body, just to be "unique". I even heard of the Lizard Man , a man who covered his body in tattoos and even had horns surgically implanted and his tongue surgically forked.

Clearly, being "unique" is a core part of human beings. It is natural to want to be special or different.

As Christians, we are actually commanded by God to be "peculiar".

Titus 2:14 KJV


14) Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

The word "peculiar" here actually means "being beyond special" (Strong's Bible Dictonary).

Now, I don't mean we ought to split our tongue or implant horns in our head, but people ought to see something different about us. It ought to be in the way we act, the way we talk, the way we walk. People ought to look at us and be able to say, "I don't know what it is, but they are just different. They're not like other people. I wonder what they have. I want that too."

How can we be different?

We act on the weekdays like we do on Sundays.

By being like Christ.

That's the ONLY way we can be truly Peculiar.

How weird are you?

No Matter What

Habakkuk 3:17-19 KJV


17 Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls:

18 Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.

19 The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds' feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. To the chief singer on my stringed instruments.

 
It is so easy to serve God and to praise Him in the easy times. When God is blessing you and everything is giggles and roses, THAT is when most people claim to be Christians and to love God.
 
Well, what if everything wasn't perfect? What if you got laid off your job, there was a famine or a drought, and the economy collapsed, and the bank called in your loan?
 
Would you still love God then? Would you still praise Him and thank Him for another day that you can spend wrapped in his love?
 
Well?
 
The true test of any relationship isn't when things are going good--often dubbed the "honeymoon" phase. It's afterwards, when you get to know each other a little bit, and you are trying to bend the other person to your will, and they are doing the same to you. You know each other just enough to maybe start to dislike each other--or at least certain things about each other.
 
Most marriages today end in divorce, most within the first 5 years. People think that  because they love each other, marriage should be easy. Thus, they are shocked when the sweet beautiful girl they thought they married lashes out when she's on her monthly cycle and hasn't brushed her teeth in at least two days.
 
That's when true love kicks in.
 
The above scriptures record Habakkuk making a covenant with God. He is saying that no matter what happens, he will rejoice in the Lord.
 
How could he say that? How could he rejoice in God when so many things have gone wrong: the fig tree doesn't blossom ( a major source of nourishment at the time ), no grapes grow, no olives grow, the harvest is poor, the herds of sheep and cattle become ill. How could anyone rejoice in God after that?
 
Look at the last part of verse 18: "I will joy in the God of my salvation."
 
No matter what happens, God is always the God of salvation. He is our Source of strength.
 
Habakkuk says that "[God] will make my feet like hinds'" - (a female deer) - "feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places."
 
He will give us the ability to walk upon the mountaintop, overcoming the struggles and the problems that we may face.
 
Oh, God, I vow Habakkuk's covenant to you: I will love you and praise you no matter what. I will draw my strength from You and You alone. Thank you for being a personal God, the God of my salvation.
 
Amen.

The Better Half?

As a man, I have to be completely honest in saying that...I don't understand women.

I know, I know, this probably comes as a big "shocker" to most people, but really, I just DO NOT understand them. Just ask my wife.

They are emotional, hormonal, and they love to talk in riddles, whereas men--for the most part--are logical, level-headed, and to-the-point.

For example, we have two beautiful children already. If I wanted another child, I would say, "I think I want another baby"--I must insert a note here: To my mother-in-law who reads this blog regularly, DO NOT WORRY! THIS IS JUST AN EXAMPLE! and now back to our scheduled programming--Where as my wife would simply stare at all the beautiful little girls in their pink bows and tiny dresses until their parents pulled them away in concern while shooting evil glares in her direction.

So what is the point? Men and women...are you ready for this?...are DIFFERENT!

This does not mean that one is better than the other-in fact, I believe that my wife has far outshone me in just about every aspect of life, which is something I deeply admire her for.

But did you know, that Women are really different?

In Genesis, the creation of the world is recorded, everything from the seas to the moon to mankind.

God created Adam--a man--first, but saw that, even though there was a mate for every creature and beast, Adam was alone. And so he created a woman for him.

But let's look a little closer, shall we?

Genesis 2:7 KJV
And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.


Genesis 2:19 KJV
And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof.


Genesis 2:21-22 KJV

(21) And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof;
(22) And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.

Did you happen to catch it?
 
Let's look again.
 
Genesis 2:7 KJV
And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

Genesis 2:19 KJV
And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof.

Genesis 2:21-22 KJV
(21) And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof;
(22) And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.

God made the woman from a completely different material!

While, some would say, "Well, he made man from dirt, and woman from man, so he made woman from dirt too", I would have to disagree. Yes, every man and animal was formed from dirt, but once he formed it into something else, it was no longer dirt.

Now, as a man, I have to say, I'm a little offended. Essentially, A woman is version 2.0 while we guys are just completely outdated.

When you look at it from this angle, It's small wonder in the difference in men and women. We seem different because we are different.

Now, ladies, this does not mean that you can now shove it into your husband's face that you're better than he is.  The man has his purposes too...mainly reproduction and opening up pickle jars, but still.God made us all equal.(I have to say, I find it a little ironic that I'm using the same phrases that men have used on women for centuries to placate them)

There is one other thing that I would like to point out int this chapter that I think is just completely beautiful.

Have you ever heard someone say, "I felt like a part of me was missing. And the I met him/her"? For Adam--and I believe for every man to follow--that was literally the truth. Eve was the part of him that he was missing.

She completed him.

And if you are married, you know the feeling. You can't even begin to think about what your life would be like without your spouse, because they belong with you. They are, in every shape, form and fashion, your soulmate.

This gives a whole new meaning to the phrase: "She's my Better Half", because, you know what guys?

She really is.

God's NOT Dead

1 Kings 18:27 KJV

(27) And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked.

The more I read about Elijah, the more I just...I mean, you gotta love him, right?

He's challenged the 450 prophets of Baal to a contest: Whose God can rain down fire from Heaven to consume the sacrifice on the altar. They dance around, cutting themselves and pouring their blood on the altar, and they do this from morning until noon--roughly six hours. Can you imagine that?

Finally, at noon, Elijah starts laughing. "Maybe you should shout louder. Baal might be talking or pursuing or traveling. He might and even be sleeping and so shout louder; he needs to be woken up."

I wish I could have been there to see that.

But did you know that there are some that believe that maybe God Himself is sleeping, or away?

I remember going to church and my Sunday School teacher--a big burly man everyone called "Coach McGuire"--teaching us the chorus "God's not dead, He is alive". I remember how it completely just blew my mind that some people actually used to think (and still do) that God is dead.

It still does.

Okay, I can understand thinking sometimes that He's not listening, or just doesn't care, (even though He IS there and He DOES care--usually during these times, the distance has been caused by sin on our part, not because God doesn't care about us), but thinking that He's dead? I mean, if He were dead, then He wouldn't really be God then, would He?

But it's amazing how people who profess to be Christian's--people that go to church all the time--can sometimes forget that God is real and really alive!

Just remember that God is alive.

1 Peter 5:7 KJV
(7) Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

I am so thankful for a God who is ALIVE, who listens to me, who CARES what happens to me.

Who LOVED me enough to come down from Heaven, to spend His life ridiculed and rejected by everyone that He had come to rescue, knowing the whole while that He would sacrifice His life for me and was glad to do so.

What a God! I don't know much about a whole lot of other religions, but I'm pretty sure that ours is the only one in which there is an ALL-POWERFUL God who cares about someone as insignificant as you and me.

Luke 12:6-7 KJV

(6) Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God?
(7) But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.

A farthing is about a quarter of a penny and FIVE sparrows could be bought for two. Basically, dirt cheap.

But God cares about every single sparrow. And we are worth SO much more in God's eyes, and so He takes care of us and loves us.

Let's look at how Elijah's story ends.

1 Kings 18:31-38 KJV And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of the LORD came, saying, Israel shall be thy name: (32) And with the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD: and he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two measures of seed. (33) And he put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid him on the wood, and said, Fill four barrels with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice, and on the wood. (34) And he said, Do it the second time. And they did it the second time. And he said, Do it the third time. And they did it the third time. (35) And the water ran round about the altar; and he filled the trench also with water. (36) And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word. (37) Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the LORD God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again. (38) Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.


Elijah drenches the altar and sacrifice in water--in the middle of a drought, no less. They must have thought he was CRAZY!-- and prays. God comes down and consumes the ENTIRE ALTAR: STONES, WATER, WOOD, AND DUST!!!
 
When we pray to God, He hears us. It may not feel like it--we may have sin in our lives. If so, get that straight first--but He hears us.
 
And when God hears His people...Amazing things happen.

Hosea...My Own Personal Love Story

Hosea is one of the minor prophets in the Bible. Most people have probably never heard of him or read the book that bears his name.

But in this book is one of the most beautiful passages of scripture in the Bible to me.

Hosea was a prophet of God, contemporaries with an old Amos and a young Isaiah and Micah. He may have even known Jonah.
God told Hosea to take "a wife of whoredoms"--to marry a prostitute, essentially.

Can you imagine the amount of gossip that this generated? Can you imagine what the headlines would say if Billy Graham married a prostitute? It would be perhaps the biggest church scandal ever!

But Hosea ignored the talk and married Gomer (Hows THAT for a name?) and proceeded to have three children:
1. Jezreel - Retribution
2. Loruhamah - No more mercy
3. Loammi - No longer my people

After at least two and a half years, Gomer returns to a life of prostitution. She leaves behind her children and this honorable man for a life of sin.

So did Hosea just say, "Oh, well, i guess she doesn't love me"?

NO

Even though-by Mosaic law-he had a right to divorce her and have her stoned, Hosea chose to pursue her. He found her in bondage, literally, as a slave and he bought her freedom.

Isn't that just...beautiful?

Hosea is portraying a type of Christ. This is Christ is His most beautiful form. He is the Lover, the Groom, always pursuing His bride, despite our sin and our constant abandonment of Him.

We are all Gomers. We leave behind the lives we've built and sweated and the One that has pursued us relentlessly.

But He pursued us still. Even when we were in bondage He bought us with the Highest Price.

Even when I had betrayed Him in every way, He loved me and wanted me.

And so remember, even though you may be in bondage to pornography or alchohol or drugs or any other sin: God still loves you and He will NEVER stop pursuing you.

So stop running and let Him find you. Let Him change you.

Surrender yourself to Him.