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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by | April 14, 2015 · 1:35 pm

He Didn’t Strike Me Dead

I pray the following will encourage someone.

Confession time… I shook my fist at God, cursed Him, and asked him to kill me where I stood.

It was around 15 years ago in Kentucky, and it was a bad time in my life, needless to say. It wasn’t that I had lost almost everything except my wife and children; God was doing a work in my life, purging me of my pride.

The Unfaithful One

Kentucky offered a step up in what was proving to be an already successful career. On top of that, I thought by moving to Christian County (get that? Christian? A sign?), a place where at the time there were thirteen churches without pastors, surely God was opening a door for me to preach. Yep, things were looking great, and it was all about me.

Long story short, not only did my new position not pay the expected $90k+ a year, it was completely done away with! No longer could I afford the nice house in the historic district, or the nice car, or the private education for my girls; it took working four part-time jobs just to keep the power on! What was worse was watching my wife wait tables and clean houses (with a smile, no less) just to make ends meet.

That’s when full-blown depression set in. We’re talking suicidal thoughts, counseling, meds, nearly getting committed…you name it.

One evening, on my way home, I stopped by a liquor store  (they actually have drive-thru’s in KY) and bought a bottle of Kentucky bourbon. I had not eaten anything all day, so on an empty stomach this non-drinker decided to down a bottle of alcohol while walking around our neighborhood. After much contemplation, I’d already determined I was too fearful to kill myself, so I tried a different approach – tell God exactly what I thought of Him and His so-called “plan” for my life.

Literally, with my fist clenched and thrust toward the sky, I cursed God with every word I could think of. I condemned Him for letting me be humiliated; for bringing me to this point and abandoning me; for making me think everything would work for the best. I literally dared God – I begged God – to take my life. Like I had told a former prayer partner whom my wife had called on my behalf, just to try to talk some sense into me – he said, “Don’t you know you have a family who loves you? – I just didn’t care anymore.

Again, it was all about me.

The Faithful One

But even at that moment of total despair and resentment, that “still small Voice” was hard to drown out with my obscenities and vulgarities. “I love you,” He said, “and I know you don’t really mean what you’re saying…and even if you do, I still love you.”

I didn’t want to hear it! Like a little boy throwing a tantrum, I was bent on pushing the envelope, just to make God angry back at me, I suppose… just to hear the kind of response I wanted to hear – confirmation I was worthless – which in turn would prove I was right about God.

But my Father was patient (Psalm 86:15). When I was faithless, He was faithful (2 Timothy 2:13). And when I came back to my senses, when I begged to be forgiven for the blasphemous things I’d said, He didn’t condemn me (Romans 8:1). No, on the contrary, He sat me on His knee, put his arm around me, and gently whispered, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“As far as the east is from the west, [so] far hath he removed our transgressions from us. Like as a father pitieth [his] children, [so] the LORD pitieth them that fear him. For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we [are] dust.” – Psalm 103:12-14 

Friends, I am so thankful for the mercy and grace of God! All glory and honor are His! My God is Faithful and True!

Do you know Him?

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by | April 12, 2015 · 8:00 am

I’m a Sinner

I Still Sin

(updated)

It may come as a shock to some of you, but I still sin. Yes, this preacher still makes mistakes. You see, I am no better than anyone else, even though there used to be a time when I thought I was.

Years ago, when I was a really legalistic son-of-a-gun, it wasn’t uncommon for me to look down my nose at others who were “less spiritual.” Oh, I wouldn’t admit I thought I was better than anyone, because I really thought I was humble. It’s just, seriously, I never committed any of those horrible sins like adultery, murder, etc. All my sins were small, like not cleaning my room when asked, or looking too long at pictures in the J.C. Penney catalog.

But things changed. First, I found out that this self-righteous do-gooder could actually screw up – big time. Second, I found out that some of the ones I looked down on before had better excuses for their sin than I did. Third, I grew up. Forth, I found out what grace is all about.

So, I still mess up from time to time. I still sin, and that’s because I still live in unredeemed flesh. However, there are still times when I need to be reminded of how sinful my little sins are, and how great God’s grace is.

What I Deserve

Last week I lusted. Yes, this preacher – a married man and father of three – lusted. It’s not like I do it all the time, but I saw something on television that caused me to look longer than I needed to, to allow some thoughts to come into my mind that had no business there. A moment of weakness. Just being honest.

Later in the day, after a long day on a hot school bus, I took a shower. As I was washing my face, soap got into my eyes and caused them to sting. With a wince I felt a little twinge of guilt as I was reminded of the earlier sin involving my eyes. I said aloud, but to myself, “I guess I deserved that.”

Then, almost immediately, a still, small, Voice whispered into my heart, “No, what you really deserve is Hell.” In other words, it was like God was saying to me, “Anthony, is that how little you think of my Son’s sacrifice for you?” In other words, if all it took was a little soap in the eyes to pay for that mistake, why the cross?

Bam!

Do you realize that even if all you and I had ever done was commit some little, private sin, Jesus would have still had to die on a cross to reconcile us with God? Do you realize even the smallest, most insignificant sin is still sin in God’s eyes? ALL sin separates us from the Father, therefore ALL sin is worthy of Hell.

But praise the Lord for God’s amazing grace! It saved a wretch like me. Through it the righteousness of Christ was imputed to me, and therefore I am now truly clean, holy in the sight of God my Father.

I’m a sinner, but I’m a saved sinner. Thank God!

Do you want to know how you can be a “saved sinner,” too? Click on the Eternal Life tab at the top of the screen. If you’d like to talk with someone about it right now, call 1-888 – Need Him.

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by | April 9, 2015 · 10:40 pm

A Perfect “Fool” Storm

I want to keep this simple, so no fancy fonts, no pictures, and no links. All I want to do is offer my personal opinion on the recent shooting of a black man by a white police officer in North Charleston, South Carolina.

Please, take this for what it’s worth from a preacher who’s just calling it as he sees it.

First, to shoot an unarmed man in the back is cowardly. More than that, it’s murder. After thinking about this for a while, I can’t come up with any logical reason for why police Officer Michael Thomas Slager unloaded round after round into the back of an unarmed, slow-moving, easily-caught 55 year-old. There is absolutely no excuse.

Secondly, what would cause a man to get out of a car and run from police? He didn’t want a ticket? He didn’t want to pay child support? He thought that by running he wouldn’t have to go to jail when he was eventually caught? He thought running would make him look innocent? I mean, seriously?

So, what we have here is a simple case of two fools coming together and exhibiting how foolish the two can be when BOTH act like idiots – a perfect “fool” storm.

If you think it’s justifiable to shoot a man in the back when he is running away from you, you are a fool. If you think it’s smart to get out of your car and run from armed policemen, like you think you can get away, you are a fool. I make no apology for saying so.

So, may justice be served, and may the family of Walter Scott find peace. But, for the love of God, I just pray that the race-baiters won’t get a foothold in North Charleston, because this wasn’t as much about race as it was about two men making foolish decisions which ended in tragedy.

The best way to heal this situation is to admit the truth, reach out in love, and seek to learn and apply godly wisdom. Otherwise, more foolish actions will lead to more perfect storms, more shipwrecked lives, and more pain.

Forsake the foolish, and live; and go in the way of understanding. – Proverbs 9:6

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by | April 9, 2015 · 6:00 am

Bonhoeffer, In His Own Words

Seventy years ago in the early morning hours of April 8, 1945, a man of God, a theologian, a hero, was hung by the Nazis. His name was Dietrich Bonhoeffer.

Now that the new Nazis of the world are spreading their anti-Christian, anti-Semitic hate around the world, doing everything from forcing people to bake cakes to beheading them on a beach, I could think of no better way to honor a young pastor who gave his life in the fight for freedom and truth than to share some of his own words. Then again, maybe we could honor him by being more like him.

“Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love.” – 1 Corinthians 16:13-14 ESV

 

RNS-DIETRICH-BONHOEFFER

Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906-1945)

“Christianity preaches the infinite worth of that which is seemingly worthless and the infinite worthlessness of that which is seemingly so valued.”

“Christian love draws no distinction between one enemy and another, except that the more bitter our enemy’s hatred, the greater his need of love. Be his enmity political or religious, he has nothing to expect from a follower of Jesus but unqualified love. In such love there is not inner discord between the private person and official capacity. In both we are disciples of Christ, or we are not Christians at all.” ― The Cost of Discipleship

“A pastor should never complain about his congregation, certainly never to other people, but also not to God. A congregation has not been entrusted to him in order that he should become its accuser before God and men.” ―  Life Together: The Classic Exploration of Faith in Community

“The fearful danger of the present time is that above the cry for authority, we forget that man stands alone before the ultimate authority, and that anyone who lays violent hands on man here, is infringing eternal laws, and taking upon himself superhuman authority, which will eventually crush him.”

“We must learn to regard people less in the light of what they do or omit to do, and more in the light of what they suffer.” ―Letters and Papers from Prison

“When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.” ― The Cost of Discipleship

 

(Quotes credit: GoodReads.com)

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by | April 7, 2015 · 3:17 pm

I Didn’t Bake a Cake

“I Didn’t Bake a Cake”

I didn’t bake a cake.

Of course, it’s not like they didn’t take

All the other pastries I created,

Like the ones they bought when the couple dated.

I just didn’t bake a cake.

 

I didn’t bake a cake.

But if I was a thug and tried to make

A getaway, and then got shot,

I’d be a hero, alive or not.

But I just declined to bake a cake.

 

Because I didn’t bake a cake,

The death threats are more than we can take.

We’re losing everything; we hide in fear.

The reason for the terror made perfectly clear:

I didn’t bake a cake.

 

You’d thought I was an abuser!

You’d thought I was a buyer and user

Of drugs…or women and children.

But I wasn’t. Now I’m facing prison,

All because I didn’t bake a cake.

 

– Anthony Baker

 

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