by | May 4, 2015 · 9:52 am

Secrets to a Long Life

Morning Questions

I don’t know what it is about Monday mornings and the questions kids want to ask while I am driving. Something must happen over the weekends which cause children to seek wise counsel from the school bus driver.

One question I got the other day was just too big for me. I mean, seriously, I laughed, shook my head, and ignored the kindergartner. He asked, “Mr. Baker, why is the world so big?” If I had answered truthfully and said, “Because that’s the way God made it,” then I would have been fired. So, since I couldn’t think of anything overly stupid with which to respond, I stayed silent.

However, this morning, there was a question I had to answer. This morning a young girl got on the bus and asked, “Mr. Baker, do you know the secret to living a long life?” “Well, there are several secrets, but what’t the one you know?”

“Play the harmonica,” she replied.

“Play the harmonica?”

“Yes,” she said matter-of-factly. “Because playing the harmonica will help your lungs, and strong lungs will help you live longer.”

“Is that so?” I asked. “Yep,” answered the little girl.

“Well,” I replied, “my daddy played the harmonica, and he’s dead.”

My Secrets 

OK, so I’ve never been convicted for the over use of tact. Sometimes I am too brutally honest for my own good (so my wife says). Other times, however, I can be sweet and compassionate – just not this morning, evidently.

Anyway, this morning’s question got me to thinking. Could I come up with some secrets for living a long life?

10 Secrets to Living a Long Life (by someone who hasn’t yet died):

  1. Never pull the trigger when it’s pointed at you.
  2. Never smoke more than 3 cigars in an hour.
  3. Never jump from a moving vehicle if it’s moving through the air.
  4. Never corner a rock badger.
  5. Drink at least 3 glasses of something a week.
  6. Eat food.
  7. Don’t drive drunk, or with a teenage girl with directional issues.
  8. Breath regularly, except in the tourist’s bathroom at the Bush’s Baked Bean factory.
  9. Hide all sharp objects, scissors, and ammunition before going to bed with an angry wife.
  10. Drink excessive amounts of coffee.

Serious Secrets

Now that you have my secrets for living a long, not necessarily healthy, life, what does the Bible say about long life? What kind of “secrets” can we find hidden in that wonderful book of Wisdom?

5 Biblical Secrets to Long Life

  1. Obey and honor your parents (Deut. 5:16; Eph. 6:1-3).
  2. Don’t mess around with another person’s spouse (Prov. 6:29-35).
  3. “Keep my commandments, and live…” (Prov. 7:2).
  4. “Forsake the foolish, and live…” (Prov. 9:6).
  5. Repent of your sins and accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior – that’s the secret to ETERNAL life (John 3:15-16; 10:28; Rom. 6:23).

 

So, what are your secrets to living a long life? Do you have any more to share with us? Leave them in the comment section so we can all learn to live a little longer 😉

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by | April 30, 2015 · 7:00 am

How Does It Hurt You?

The Argument

You have heard this argument before, but I want to phrase it several other ways, just to help clarify it.

  • Little Julio likes pulling little Emily’s ponytail at recess. How does that hurt you?
  • Greg and Henry each enjoy the sight of blood, along with the thrill of dismemberment. They aren’t planning on cutting off your index finger, so how does that hurt you?
  • Habib thinks it’s perfectly fine to beat his wife to a pulp when she disappoints him, and she believes he has every right to do so, because he’s her husband. Their marriage may not be healthy in your eyes, but they think it’s OK. The are happy and in love, so how does that hurt you?
  • Mary, Bob, Sue, Helen, and Marty all live in a communal relationship and want to marry each other, spend the rest of their lives with each other, and ultimately die together so at a predetermined time, so as not to leave one behind to grieve without the others. They love each other, have no children, and are all orphans with no debt to any creditors. What they want to do is mutually agreed upon out of love for each other, but you aren’t invited to the going away party. How does that hurt you?

The Answer

Honestly, in the most immediate of terms, I am not hurt by any of the above hypotheticals. Similarly, I am not hurt by the murder of a homeless man in Thailand, either. But just because it doesn’t hurt me doesn’t make it right. Of course, when it comes to whether or not same-sex marriage itself will hurt me is one thing; making it a Constitutional right and forcing me to go along with it is something totally different.

The justification for same-sex or multiple-partner marriage cannot be based on what is felt by others. A victim-less crime is still a crime, even if no one ever feels the effects.

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by | April 29, 2015 · 1:48 pm

My Predictions

I Listened

After listening to the arguments before the Supreme Court of the United States, I believe, unless God moves on the hearts of 5 of the Justices, same-sex marriage will become recognized as a Constitutional right. More Justices than not continually stressed that “marriage is a Constitutional right,” so why restrict it? One Justice – Kennedy, I believe – even suggested that not allowing a woman to marry a woman would be equal to “sexual discrimination.”

Supreme Court

Because I believe the SCOTUS will rule against the States, based on what I would call nothing more than a “fairness” bias, there will be substantial immediate and long-term consequences for our culture, especially for Christians.

Predictions

The following are only the predictions that first come to mind. I am confident this list will not be all-inclusive.

  • Vulgar celebrations will commence. The in-your-face LGBT crowd will celebrate with exuberant joy, much like what happened in the spirit world when Christ breathed his last breath on the cross. It will be demonic, like most gay-pride parades are.
  • Marriage will be devalued forever. When this ruling comes, marriage will never be the same, for the whole purpose behind this movement is not simply to gain access to marriage, but to destroy it.
  • Litigation will go through the roof. After this ruling comes, one that declares marriage a fundamental right to whomever, every form of relationship will claim equal status. And because of that, trial after trial will ensue until multiple partners, animals, and farm equipment enjoy the same “equal protection under the law.”
  • Pastors will become prime targets. As much as some want to say this won’t happen, I believe it totally will. As with Christian bakeries, photographers, and florists, pastors who refuse to marry gay couples will be accused – no, convicted – of everything from sexual discrimination to hate crimes. Because it will come to the point where a pastor must violate his beliefs or go to jail, he will be targeted by those who have always wanted him to suffer for his beliefs. I predict this with utter confidence.
  • Churches and Christian colleges and institutions will be forced to close. Let’s face it, this is one of the results many in the gay community are salivating over. When this ruling is passed, the next step will be to mandate that Churches and Christian colleges change their bylaws and guidelines or, at the least, lose their tax-exempt status. For many, this will force closure. For example, if my little church was forced to all of a sudden have to pay property tax on our sanctuary and gym and fellowship hall we would have to close the doors – we don’t bring in that much revenue. It will happen, believe me.

So, in a nutshell, those are a few of my predictions. However, the cultural ramifications are probably incalculable.

But on a positive note, God is still God, the Righteous Judge, and His law will stand long after Washington D.C. is dust.

Help us, dear God, to stand strong in love, but “having done all, to stand” (Eph. 6:13). 

Update: Below is a link to a Wednesday evening service at my church where I preached a message based on the above post.

Click on the picture to hear the sermon I preached.

Click on the picture to hear the sermon.

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by | April 28, 2015 · 9:21 am

Intercede for Marriage Today!

Today Is a Big Day. I thought you should know about it.

Folks, there are so many things going on in our country today, so many things that I cannot even begin to address them all. You know about what’s happening in Baltimore, don’t you? I hope so.

But do you know what is going on today in the Supreme Court? Oral arguments are being presented in a key case that will affect the whole nation and the definition of marriage.

I would seriously encourage you to look at the times below and pray accordingly.

(The following was copied from Pray4Marriage.org)

Courtroom Schedule – 4/28/15

On April 28th, 2015, the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) will hear oral arguments about the constitutionality of marriage for the states of Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and Tennessee.

KEY QUESTIONS

There are two questions that will be considered by the Court. Ninety minutes is allotted to oral argument on question 1; 1 hour is allotted for oral argument on question 2.

  1. Does the Fourteenth Amendment require a state to license a marriage between two people of the same sex?
  2. Does the Fourteenth Amendment require a state to recognize a marriage between two people of the same sex when their marriage was lawfully licensed and performed out-of-state?

KEY CASES

Obergefell v. Hodges (Ohio), 14-556
Tanco v. Haslam (TN), 14-562
DeBoer v. Snyder (MI), 14-571
Bourke v. Beshear (KY), 14-574

Read the Family Research Council’s Amicus Brief on all these cases

COURTROOM SCHEDULE

10:00 – 10:30 a.m.
Mary Bonauto, well-known same-sex “marriage” lawyer who serves on the staff with GLAD.

10:30 – 10:45 a.m.
Donald Verrilli, Jr., Solicitor General of the United States, will argue against God’s definition of marriage.

10:45 – 11:30 a.m.
John Bursch, former Michigan Solicitor General, will argue that states are not required to recognize same-sex “marriages.”

11:30 a.m. – Noon
Douglas Hallward-Driemeier, the attorney on record for one of the central cases and the only lead lawyer with an established Supreme Court practice, will argue that same-sex “marriages” must be recognized.

Noon – 12:30 p.m.
Joseph Whalen, Tennessee Associate Solicitor General, will argue for a state’s right to limit marriage to one woman and one man based upon a 2006 Tennessee referendum that passed by 81% of the vote.

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by | April 25, 2015 · 8:00 am

Earth Day Was When?

When was Earth Day? The 22nd? Oh, you mean I missed it?

Darn it!

Yes, I was planning on celebrating Earth Day this year, but it totally slipped my mind. For some reason I was distracted. Dang it, what was I doing?

It must have been really important.

Oh, I know! I think, instead of worshiping the planet, I was worshiping its Creator, instead.

Silly me.

 

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by | April 24, 2015 · 12:50 pm

Guard Your Big Mouth

On occasion, like when Proverbial Thought uploads a post, I read something I’ve written a while back and say to myself, “Wow! That was pretty good!” So, since it’s something I’ve written, I’m going to forego the whole “reblog” thing and just copy and paste some wisdom from my other blog.

Proverbs 13:3

“He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life: [but] he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction.”

Big Mouth

What can be said about this proverb that is not painfully obvious? Would it help if we read it in another translation?

The Holman (HCSB) puts it, “The one who guards his mouth protects his life; the one who opens his lips invites his own ruin.” The ESV says, “Whoever guards his mouth preserves his life; he who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.” I’d say the message is the same, wouldn’t you?

A big mouth will get you into serious trouble. It may even cost your life.

Loose Lips

There used to be a saying back in the 1940’s: “Loose lips sink ships.” During World War II enemy spies were known to make friends with the families of soldiers and sailors. Knowing the tendency for proud parents, spouses, and children to talk about letters from the front, the enemy would listen and take note.

Many times, without even knowing it, something was said that gave details of secret missions. Lives were lost when people said more than they should.

Sometimes people get into serious trouble because they can’t keep secrets. Some people say things they don’t mean to say. Some people open their big mouths without thinking, then destruction comes.

Post a Guard

If you have a tendency to say things you shouldn’t, you may need to erect some barriers, or even post a security guard in front of your mouth. You can never be too safe when you know you possess something so dangerous.

Look back at the proverb; it says, “he that keepeth..” That means “to put a guard around.” A wise man will have in place a guard – a mental guard – that checks his words before they cross his lips.

Guard:  Good evening, Mr. Word. Going out for a stroll, tonight?

Mr. Word:  Actually, Mr. Security Guard, it’s none of your business where I am going.

Guard:  Oh, most certainly it is! If you don’t provide a good reason for leaving the premises, I must ask you to return.

Mr. Word:  All right, then. I was about to tell my wife that dress looks better on the hanger than her.

Guard:  (Speaking into a radio microphone) I need backup, immediately  Get back sir! Get away from the gate! You are a danger to all of us!

A Real Danger

If you don’t think your words are worth guarding, consider what James said about the tongue…

“If you claim to be religious but don’t control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless.” – James 1:26 NLT

Now, consider the words of the Apostle Peter…

“For the Scriptures say, ‘If you want to enjoy life and see many happy days, keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies. Turn away from evil and do good. Search for peace, and work to maintain it.’” – 1 Peter 3:10-11 NLT

Be careful what you say.

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by | April 23, 2015 · 5:46 pm

Quoting Jindal

Speaking Out

We are living in a day when the Nazi “brown shirts” are being replaced with bare breasts, and the swastika replaced with a rainbow. People coming out of the closet are coming out of the woodwork, and any idea worth floating must first feel comfortable on a gay pride float. If you disagree with the party and aren’t part of the pride, then consider yourself the modern equivalent of  “Untermensch” (sub-human).

Because of the growing animosity towards Christians in America, not to mention the modern holocaust occurring in the Middle East, now is not the time to be be silent. Now it the time for Christians and social conservatives, including all rational lovers of liberty, to speak out! We must not cower and hide; we must be bold and visible.

Enter stage right a man the left can’t stand…

Governor Jindal

bobby jindalThey are rare, but every once in a while a political leader will take a stand based on conviction, not polls. Louisiana is privileged to have one such statesman – Governor Bobby Jindal (R).

Addressing the growing controversy over laws protecting the free expression of religious conscious in the workplace, Gov. Jindal wrote an OP-ED for today’s New York Times. The following are two quotes I pulled from Gov. Jindal’s bold declaration.

“As a nation we would not compel a priest, minister or rabbi to violate his conscience and perform a same-sex wedding ceremony. But a great many Americans who are not members of the clergy feel just as called to live their faith through their businesses. That’s why we should ensure that musicians, caterers, photographers and others should be immune from government coercion on deeply held religious convictions.”

“As the fight for religious liberty moves to Louisiana, I have a clear message for any corporation that contemplates bullying our state: Save your breath.”

That’s how you do it, folks. Be clear, be fair, stand firm, and let the opposition know you will not be intimidated.

Now, cowards to the back of the line.

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by | April 21, 2015 · 3:15 pm

Ten-Minute Post

I literally only have about 10 minutes to write this post. I decided to write it after I found two half-eaten donuts in a box fixing to be put into the garbage.

Now wait a minute, let me clarify something. The two donut halves were not eaten off of; they were cut in half. But yes, they were being put into the garbage, but they were in their original boxes. Is there a problem with this? It was in the teacher’s lounge. So what’s the big deal?

Evidently, there was nothing wrong with getting these two donut halves. Actually, I got no strange looks from anyone when I asked for them. The only thing I got criticized for was buying a Diet Coke.

“You’re not going to drink that are you?” “Well, yeah,” I replied. “I’m evening things out, that’s all.”

“That’s… that’s bad for you! It’s got aspartame in it!”

“True,” I said, “But the regular stuff has corn syrup in it.”

“Well, that’s better than aspartame,” they retorted with a sneer.

Then I said, as I walked away, “Yeah but how many corns had to die in order to make that corn syrup? Don’t you care about the corn?”

All things in moderation, folks. All things in moderation.

  

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by | April 20, 2015 · 10:29 am

Thanks for Your Prayers

My last post was a call for intercession. I am most grateful to all who prayed.

I am sorry that I cannot go into detail, for it can be difficult praying for something when you don’t know specifics. However, if you would just continue to remember my family and me as we deal with a particular issue. In our own wisdom and strength the path is scary and the load is heavy, but with the Spirit leading and in God’s strength the path will be lit and the burden won’t be carried alone.

Let me also add, pray that my eyes be open to what snares the Enemy has laid before me. Even though that old devil is defeated, I don’t want to encourage his state of denial or make his retreat any easier.

There is much I would like to blog about, but there are many other things which must take precedent. Keeping things in their proper perspective are important right now, not viewer stats. For those of you who regularly visit here, please forgive me for the recent lack of pithy posts.

You and I may never know down here the affect your prayers are having, but one day we will know as we are known, and on that day will can rejoice together for God’s providence and grace. In the meantime, just know that you are appreciated and our Father sees all.

Until next time, God bless!

OH! By the way! This is my 700th post! That’s cool! 🙂

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by | April 15, 2015 · 6:43 pm

Sounding the Trumpet

“And I said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, The work [is] great and large, and we are separated upon the wall, one far from another. In what place [therefore] ye hear the sound of the trumpet, resort ye thither unto us: our God shall fight for us.” – Nehemiah 4:19-20

The children of Israel were trying to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, yet they had to be spread out because of the size of the work. And since there were but few of them, and the threats from the enemy was ever-present, they worked with one hand, kept a sword in the other, and listened for the sound of a trumpet.

Nehemiah saw that their few numbers, if attacked in one spot, could be overrun. However, if when one group working on one section of the wall would sound a trumpet when under attack, the rest of the groups would come to their aid, increasing their fighting power.

For those of you who understand, the parallels between the Jews rebuilding their wall and those of us who fight spiritual battles are striking. If nothing else, we should understand that Satan always looks for the greatest points of weakness, and that’s where he will attack. If we never sound the trumpet for reinforcements, and if we, the reinforcements, never show up when called, is it any wonder so many battles are lost?

Friends, I’m sounding a trumpet. I need you to intercede for me, my family, and my church congregation. I cannot, in my own strength, bear up under the demonic attack being launched. I don’t need to give you details…I don’t need anything from you…all I am asking is for you to hold up my arms (Exodus 17:11-12) through intercessory prayer.

This is the proper use of the internet, wouldn’t you say?

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