A Blacksmith Speaks

Hi gang.  What follows is something I read this past week and it really stopped and made me think about some things.  I don't normally post other people's work, but this is really cool

A number of years ago a Christian blacksmith, whose life was full of suffering and pain, was challenged by an unbeliever to account for all the suffering God had allowed in his life.   His response to the challenge went something like this:

"As a blacksmith, I often take a piece of iron and put it into the fire to bring it to a white heat.  Then I put it on the anvil an strike it hard a few times to see if it can be tempered.  If I think it can, i plunge it into cold water, suddenly changing the temperature.  

I repeat this heating and quenching process several times.  Then I put the iron on the anvil and ham mer it and bend it.  After it cools, I rasp it and file it, turning it into some useful article which will serve for many years.  If, however, when I first strike it on the anvil, I see that it cannot be tempered, I throw it onto the scrap pile and sell it for a few pennies.  

I believe that God and Father has been testing me to see if I can be tempered.  He has repeatedly put me into the fire and into the water.  I have tried to bear it patiently and quietly, and my daily prayer has been: 'Lord, put me into the fire if You will.  Put me into the water if You think I need it.  Do anything you please, Lord - only don't throw me onto the scrap pile.'"

Do anything you please - just don't throw my in the scrap pile.   Man, what a great analogy for our lives.  

I know you're going through some stuff.  But don't lose sight of the fact that you're being tested, tempered, hammered, quenched, rasped, and filed into something God can use for many years.  

Keep the Faith and thanks for stopping by.

Ride it out? Or keep on pulling?

I have a few friends right now that are going through some tough stuff in their lives.  When we experience crisis in our lives we react somewhat instinctively.  As men, I think we're conditioned to kind of hunker down in the storm and just ride it out.  I have certainly done that a lot in my life.

I believe that the danger in "hunkering down"  is that it leaves each of us isolated - and that's where we're vulnerable to attacks from satan.  He wants us to pull back, sort of retreat to ourselves, and tend to our wounds on our own.  In fact, I believe that he puts thoughts in our heads like - "I hate sharing the same story over and over.  These people all hear it for the first time - but I'm sick of telling it.  It makes me feel like I'm some kind of needy freak or something".  I know this first hand because I've had to tell people over and over about how I lost my job and how I'm looking for something else.  

I think the answer to this dilemma is to find one or two strong guys who can walk you through these experiences.  They've already heard you story, they know what you're all about, and they can continue to help you grow and make it through the storm.  Everyone else you can just smile and tell them you're doing fine.  I can be one of those guys for you - but it's okay if you choose someone else.  I won't be offended or put out.  I just want the best for you in your situation. 

Let me share a little story with you.  I know a family who farmed exclusively with horses.  The raised hay and wheat and planted/harvested all with horses.  I was helping them one day with a 4-horse hitch.  They had two old seasoned draft horses and two colts that they were training. They put the two seasoned veterans in the middle and a colt on either side.  If the younger horse decided to go his own way in the hitch he'd have to pull against both of the veteran horses.  After a few tries at being willful and selfish, the younger horses came in line and learned from the older ones how to pull together as a team.   The point here isn't that we're unruly and selfish.  The point is that we need to get through the hard stuff as a team - not as the Lone Ranger.

You can't go it alone.  Hunkering down to weather the storm seems like a natural instinct.  But the real answer is to hitch yourself to some seasoned Christians and learn how to pull.  Someday God will hitch you in the middle.   

Getting What We Deserve

The other day my son came to me very upset over a run in he had with a friend in the neighborhood.  This kid and my son go back and forth.  One day they're best friends and the next day they're bitter enemies.  My son said to me, "Should he get what he deserves?"

Immediately, I flashed back to a message I heard at my church and the words the pastor said.   "I'm sure glad I don't get what I deserve".  Based on my behavior as a follower of Jesus, a parent, and a husband - what I deserve isn't very appetizing.  However, I have the full forgiveness of the Grace of God.  So, fortunately, I can avoid what I deserve.  Jesus Christ got what I deserve when he died on the cross and went to hell and back on my behalf.  

So, I told my son that even when his friends do mean things we try not to repay them with more mean things.  I told him that he needs to take care of himself and not put himself in a position to endure the mean things of other people - but that it is also important to forgive people when they hurt us and deserve to be hurt in return.  

To err is human.  To forgive, divine.  

Thanks.

Walking the Talk

Hey.  

Just a note from me about being genuine.   Going back to my post on Soldiers In Boxer Shorts -  I have my verses on my computer monitor so that I put the armor on every day.  Yet, tomorrow is one of those days that I have to make sure I put it on when I wake up - and make sure it's strapped on good.  

I have a lot of crap coming at me tomorrow.  I need that belt of truth to keep my pants up.  I need the breastplate of righteousness to protect my heart.  I have to have my boots on to make those ready steps toward the lines of battle - steps I'd rather not take.  The shield of faith is something I cannot leave behind.  I need it to protect me from the devil and his demons.  I have to protect my melon with the helmet of salvation.   And the sword of the Spirit - my Bible - it must be in my hand and in my head - open, so it is useful as a weapon. 

My brothers are around me - outfitted the same way.   Their battles may be similar to mine or they may be very different.   But we all have our dragons to slay and our demons to beat down.  

This is where it's important for all of us.  Standing on the battlefield in our boxers, we'll go down for sure - probably by 9 AM.  But fitted with the Armor of God, we'll live to fight another day.  

Have a great week.

Remodeling of Dreams

If my pastor knew what I really took  home from some of his messages I think he'd be frustrated with me.   I 'm sure there are times when the message God gives me, personally, isn't the message Pastor Jeff intends me to get - or maybe it is.   Last night in church was one of those times.  

Something he said stuck with me through the night and I'd like to share it with you and maybe build on it.  As humans, specifically Americans, I think we get trapped in the ways of popular culture.  I know I do.  Culture says that to be respected I should own my home - after all, interest rates are low and it's a buyer's market.    Culture says I should drive a clean, newer model car - if I can't afford to buy I should lease.  Culture says I need to send my kids to school in the latest casual fashion designs.  Culture, culture, culture.  

Romans 12:2 is a piece of the Bible that my pastor used to support something on an entirely different subject.  

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - His good pleasing, and perfect will.

He paraphrased this in a way that made it real for me.  Think of this as Remodeling your Dreams.  Having spent some time in the home improvement business - I got this!  Remodeling my dreams!  

As men, we are constantly pressured to establish our identity in cultural things.  The big thing is our careers.  Without a job that pays a respectable amount of money we're somehow just not men.  Maybe we feel that our identity is defined by the car we drive, the home we live in, or something else.  We need to remodel our dreams by tearing out and demolishing what popular culture wants us to be, rebuilding our manhood after what God thinks we should be.  

I say we.   When I'm writing here and when I'm talking to you, I'm also talking to myself.  I had a chat the other day with a spiritual heavyweight.  I told him that when I write this stuff I'm writing it first for myself.  I can't expect to have an impact on  your life unless mine is in line.  Yet, I struggle with the same things you struggle with.  We're in the canoe together.

Please think about how  your dreams need to be remodeled.  And please share a comment if you can.

Soldiers in Boxer Shorts

This post is an addendum to the post I made toward the end of June regarding the spirit realm.

 

I spend a lot of time reading stuff on the internet and listening to talk radio about the war against terrorism in Iraq and Afghanistan.  One of the things you hear democrats and republicans squawking about is the issue of properly outfitting troops.  This is not politics, so I'm not going any further with this - except to establish the analogy.  

As Christian men, we go into battle from the moment we open our eyes in the morning to the time we close them at night.  However, I'm guessing that a lot of us leave our armor in the barracks and go off to fight the good fight in our spiritual boxer shorts and T-shirt.  Can  you imagine a US Army recruiting commercial on TV showing a GI standing in the sand in his underpants with his hand shielding his eyes from the sun in an effort to see the enemy on the horizon?   

This is what the Bible says about how every Christian (not just men) are to outfit themselves for battle with the dark side.  

Ephesians 6:12,13

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.  Therefore, put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes so that you will be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.

Not only do these verses acknowledge battle in the spirit realm but also tells us that we shouldn't go into battle in our boxer shorts.  What's more, this is how we should outfit ourselves.

Ephesians 6:14- 18 

Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

So, here is the 4betteror4worse challenge for this week.

1. Find your Bible (if you don't have one post a comment and I'll send you one).
2. Find this verse and put it somewhere where it'll be in your face. (Mine will be taped to the side of my computer monitor).
3. Read this verse every day and do what it says.

Your life will change during these 7 days.   When it does, I'd like to hear about it.

Thanks for tuning in.

Keepin' it Real

Galations 6: 1a

1Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. 

I've been working with Donnie, painting houses for the last couple of months.  Donnie is not only a great guy for the work he does and the craftsman-like way that he does it.  Donnie is one of those individuals in this century that you can call a man of  God.  For Donnie, to move from painter to pastor is not a big step.  

Donnie has no fear of being seen as a Jesus-follower.  He possesses a courage and confidence about his faith that I envy.  Further, as a brother in Christ, he has no problems with calling someone out on issues of faith and Christian living.  I know this first-hand because, in the past three weeks, Donnie has called me out on a couple of things.  He first called me out on the issue of God's providence (God's ability to provide everything my family needs and in His own perfect timing).  He also called me out on an issue of stewardship - a matter of wants versus needs.   What's more, he did it in a way that didn't belittle or berate me.  He simply called it what it was and pointed out that what I was doing is wrong.

You see, Donnie lives the verse listed at the beginning of this post.  He knows the verse, knows where to find it, knows what it means to practice it, and has the courage to actually put it to use.  How many of us men can say that?  How many of us that call ourselves followers of Jesus Christ can say with sincerity that we live the Bible?  If I do - I don't do it nearly enough.  

Donnie doesn't have a gold cross hanging around his neck, he doesn't have the little Christian fish symbol on his business cards, he doesn't witness to the waitress at the diner.  However, spend any amount of time with this cat and it's very clear where he comes down.  He's just keepin' it real.