THE PROBLEM WITH PROFESSIONAL SPORTS

May 31, 2025 By Leave a Comment

NFL, NBA, OLYMPICS certainly have their following, ‘religious’ following.
Maybe not quite so much anymore for some people.

Professional sports celebrate those approaching perfection that we can’t reach.
But we sure can criticize those who are almost perfect.
We rally others in the pastime/hobby of discussing the faults of professionals that are broadcast to the world.

Where does that leave us who are far down the list of anything close to their level ?
If I realize I’m not good enough, I will spend my time pointing out the faults of others who are paid enough to get soundly critiqued for every mistake.

Also, if I realize I’m not good enough [as a person] inside, I will spend my time finding fault with anyone somehow less good enough than me.
Maybe that will make me better ?

Actually, a Bible verse fits to cover all this:

“The fear of man brings a snare.”

If you fail to see the connection with others to make ourselves seem better–
— Just thinking about someone else’s faults is a fear that traps us.
— Even further, wondering what someone may think or say about us is a snare.
— Thinking about what we would say to a certain person, or to an anonymous person can take our freedom and rob us of useful thought and time.
— Criticizing can be a serious waste—and a snare.

The fear of man can be a plague—but there is a better way, in the very next verse.

“The fear of man is a snare.
Whoever trusts in the Lord will be safe.”

Filed Under: Faith Based, Political---Cultural

WHAT PLEASES JESUS MORE ?

May 31, 2025 By Leave a Comment

+ When you are praised if you read your Bible, talk about Jesus, worship publicly ?

++ When you are criticized, threatened, persecuted, in danger of death if you read your Bible, talk about Jesus, worship publicly ?
– – –
What pleases Jesus more ?

What did Jesus say ?
– – –
+ “Woe to you when all men speak well of you,
For so did their fathers to the false prophets.”

++ “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

Filed Under: Educational, Faith Based, Political---Cultural

LORD, WHAT DO YOU WANT ?

May 31, 2025 By Leave a Comment

BEFORE
“What must I do to be saved ?”
“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved.”

AFTER
— Take your life with Jesus seriously.
“What shall I give to the Lord for all His benefits toward me ?
I will call on the name of the Lord,
I will take of the cup of salvation;
Then I will pay my vows.”

THEN
— Take your life with Jesus seriously.
There’s always more.
“More about Jesus would I know.
More of His grace to others show.
More of His saving fullness see.
More of His love Who died for me.”


— Take your life with Jesus seriously.
“Grow in grace
And in the knowledge
Of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”

— Take your life with Jesus seriously.
“As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.”

— Take your life with Jesus seriously.
“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.”

Saved by the grace of God.
Then live to show a closer walk with Jesus.

Filed Under: Educational, Faith Based, Inspirational

ELIGIBLE FOR THE KINGDOM

May 28, 2025 By Leave a Comment

I will make reference to a crude word in this brief article, because it is part of life for a couple veteran friends of mine at Church In The Park.

One friend is disabled and faithfully shows up every Sunday morning.
He sits in his car, and we always have meaningful conversations.
That definitely adds purpose to my showing up to sing and share Jesus.

We have another friend (Marine, 80 years old, with health issues) that I only met a few times, with deep, meaningful memories, along with his deep profanity.
The friend in the car has occasional contacts with the other, and tells me about their style of mutual vulgar interactions.

He refers to the other being an a_ _ hole—descriptive, but not derogatory.
I said, “Jesus loves a_ _ holes. Thank God !”
He agreed.

By the way, make a quick review of the people Jesus reached out to most graciously—those kind of people.
We should do the same, even to those who are not our kind of people.

Filed Under: Educational, Faith Based, Inspirational, Political---Cultural

ANOTHER TASTE OF HEAVEN

May 28, 2025 By Leave a Comment

Whenever I visit Ted Winkler, I can only say it is another taste of heaven.
That was especially true last Sunday afternoon.
Five members of his family were there, and the place was filled with the honor due their father and grandfather.
I am amazed and thankful for the ease and clarity with Ted as he shared about any subject, and how his heart breaks for the fellow veterans who don’t have the family like he does, and cry out bitterly.
This adds to the blessing of another taste of heaven, when I asked Ted what I could pray for most, for him.
He said, “Nothing. God has blessed me and given me everything I ever asked for. I’m just thankful.”

W O W ! ! !

Can I possibly expect to experience that from God in my life ?
I’m just thankful for Ted Winkler—his faith, his life, his testimony, his service.

Walking in and out of the Temple VA Nursing Home, I said to several people, “Coming here teaches me to not complain.”

Read TASTE OF HEAVEN on this site.

Filed Under: Faith Based, Family, Inspirational, Political---Cultural, Time

WRONG SEX

May 25, 2025 By Leave a Comment

(written in 2010)

Wrong sex* is like poking a hole through a dam to get a drink of water. While you’re drinking, you don’t care how big the hole gets because you’re thirsty and the gushing water feels so good as it gets stronger. When your thirst is quenched and you see the damage and try to plug the hole, you can’t do it—it’s impossible. You can only watch the rest of the dam wash away. Then you have to rebuild the whole thing. However, you will always know where the weak spot is in the dam in case you want to do this whole thing over again.

*as defined in the Bible—any sex not exclusively with your lifelong marriage partner

Filed Under: Educational, Faith Based, Family, Health, Inspirational, Political---Cultural, Time

TRUTH IS NOT . . .

May 25, 2025 By Leave a Comment

+ Truth is not diverse—no different versions, but Truth !

++ Truth is not equitable with anything but Truth !

+++ Truth is not inclusive with anything but Truth !

– – –
– – –

+ Truth is not diverse—no different versions, but Truth !
Diversity is not truth—Jesus is !
“I AM the Way, the Truth, and the Life.”

++ Truth is not equitable with anything but Truth !
Jesus is clear—all paths to God are not equal !
“Strait (restricted access) is the gate, and narrow is the Way that leads to life (in heaven), and few will find it.”

+++ Truth is not inclusive with anything but Truth !
The highway to hell is inclusive for lots of different people, who don’t know Jesus !
“Wide is the gate, and broad is the way that leads to destruction (in hell), and many go there.”

– – –
– – –

Fallout from Christians messing with DEI—playing with fire.

Give the devil a little finger, and he’ll take the whole hand.

Christian—giving a little room for diverse, false ideas without immediately refuting them, gives them a foothold of credence, and doubt of the Bible, the Truth.

Like evolution—are you a little open to ‘old earth’ ?—only reason to invent lots of years is to make room to speculate something happening a long time ago before we have any record, with zero evidence of it happening in the 6000 years of actual history, and with no accountability to God the Creator.

Like sexual fuzziness—give a little finger, takes the whole body—read the article WRONG SEX (use search bar).

Like erasing/rewriting American history—ashamed of our Christian founding—tear down our monuments—re-name so we forget—Ft. Hood ‘bad’, to Ft. Cavazos ‘good’ ? (real Americans, real soldiers hate that, for good reason).

Like the City of Temple, Texas, playing with DEI and not opposing LGBT takeover.
Then they have to ban people like me from speaking at city council meetings, after I gave clear warnings half a dozen times.

Like forgetting the history of Concordia in Austin (was my college, now a university)—embrace, endorse DEI—spend money on it—paid positions—defy church jurisdiction—lose Biblical testimony.

Why such majority acceptance (or partial acceptance) of evolution, by Christians ?
Why Christians did not rise up and stop the universal introduction of evolution in schools ?
Why Christians, even today, are wishy-washy about young earth/old earth ‘debate’ ?
Answer—it’s always about believing the Bible, or not believing the Bible.
Did God really say, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” ?
Did God really say, “In six days God made the heavens and the earth.” ?
Did God really say, “Male and female, He created them.” ?
Did God really say, “Don’t eat the fruit from that tree.” ?
Did God really say, “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.” ?

There’s more—more Truth in the whole Bible.

There’s also more—more untruth, more unanswered questions, more destruction, more tickets to hell—without the Bible—even worse, despising the Bible and trashing it.
WHY ?
Because it came from God !

Everyone knows that—that’s why the fight is so fierce against the Bible, against God, against His people.

Filed Under: Educational, Faith Based, Inspirational, Political---Cultural, Time

FOLLOWING JESUS – – – HARD ? or COSTLY ?

May 24, 2025 By Leave a Comment

In what country does it cost the most to follow Jesus ?
Nigeria is one at the top of the list.
If you say you follow Jesus, others will hate you, try to kill you.

In what country is it hardest to follow Jesus ?
America – – – for a much different reason.
It is still easy to say you follow Jesus, but just don’t say too much that might offend someone.

In Nigeria Jesus followers know exactly what it means to follow Jesus, and immediately pay the cost—no room for compromise there.

Most Americans don’t know anything about the cost of following Jesus, and try to avoid criticism, by comfortable compatibility with the culture.

Jesus called his followers to a narrow path, through a narrow gate to enter.
He promised the world would hate us—as proof of following Him.
“If anyone chooses to follow Me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, to come after Me.”
“Whoever is a friend of the world is the enemy of God.”
“He who kills you will think he is doing God service.”

It is hard to be a Christian in America, not because of the cost, but because there is no cost—it is too easy.

Filed Under: Educational, Faith Based, Political---Cultural

THIS IS MY BODY

May 24, 2025 By Leave a Comment

“This is my body, . . . This is my blood. *

This is my body – – – This is my choice.

– – –

How blasphemous ! ! !

Abortion is indeed the sacrament of the left, of evil, of the devil.

Your baby is not your body !

YOUR BABY IS NOT YOUR BODY ! ! !

– – –
– – –

* “This is My body, given for you.
This is My blood, shed for you.”
—–Jesus, to every follower in His Truth

“The thief (devil) comes to kill, steal, and destroy;
I came that you may have life, and have it more abundantly.”
—–Jesus, to every child inside their mother

Jesus came to give life, not take life.
He gives us life, every single one of us.
He gave His life, for our sin.
He gives meaning to all of our lives, in all circumstances—and, in all locations.

Note that Jesus said He came that we may (might) have life—we can accept His offer of life for ourselves, or reject it.
We can extend His offer of life to protect the unborn, or reject it—and join the thief, the devil, in the most despicable “killing and stealing and destroying” the lives of precious babies.

Filed Under: Educational, Faith Based, Family, Health, Inspirational, Political---Cultural, Time

SUGGESTIONS FOR THE SEARCH BAR

May 21, 2025 By Leave a Comment

From time to time I list some words to look for in my writing on this site over the last thirteen years.
TEST MY TREASURE (half dozen articles, note the dates, relevant today)

Filed Under: Inspirational, Time
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