"But dedicate your lives to Christ as Lord. Always be ready to defend your confidence [in God] when anyone asks you to explain it. However, make your defense with gentleness and respect." 1st Peter Chapter 3, Verse 15

Friday has arrived and I welcome you once again, on this March 30, 2012. If you read some of what Tim Tebow said in his press conference the other day, he emphasized that his desire was to live out and act the way Christ would want him to as opposed to always be trying to convince people with his words. He knows it is a combination of the two but one thing I notice is how that good folks who know the Lord can come off as being really mean spirited and unloving. I see it in Facebook postings. I see it in emails along with their attachments. Some of this stuff borders on hate mongering and, in my opinion, they do nothing to advance the truth or the cause of the Gospel. That does not mean we should not stand up for what is right. We should. But, at the same time, we must do what we do with love and understanding. I cringe sometimes at the images that people forward because they are so distorted and ugly. Oddly enough, when God's people resort to this type of ugliness, it actually provides a platform for the ungodly to reject any and everything we might have to share. Some of the things I see come from people who feel very strongly about the things they want preserved or changed. For some of them, they have glaring issues that they obviously don't feel so strongly about. If we recognize this obvious hypocrisy among ourselves, there's little wonder that those who are lost do the same. We are to speak the truth in love. (Ephesians 4:15) How much did Jesus love the most ungodly of all people? Enough to give Himself up on an old rugged cross. Something to think about on a Friday. Amen.

What about freedom of speech? I believe in it. I support it. However, we who answer to God are held to His accountability, first, foremost, and always. Everything, including man made laws, are secondary to God's Word. We do not answer to a higher power or to the man upstairs. We who know Him are accountable to Him, the Living Lord of the universe, creator and sustainer of all things! Faithfulness to our God transcends it all including the pursuit of life, liberty, and happiness. Those are not bad things and as Americans they are our foundation, however, they pale in comparison to our allegiance to He who said "Let their be light." I've heard at times folks who are believers proclaim that they broke no laws and did nothing illegal even though their actions to the casual observer indicated they had taken advantage of a weaker brother or sister. We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, including yours truly, (Romans 3:23), but I do not want to live my life based on some kind of technical compliance with fallen man's laws. I bought a used vehicle from a gentleman once who believed in transacting business based on his calling as a Christian. He agreed to sell me the vehicle but with certain restrictions. Any and all things that might be found to be problems were on him for the first six months, period. (Including the tires!) I had no contract but I had his word and his handshake. On the other hand, I know of another situation where a man who was a recognized Church leader bragged about passing off a vehicle that he knew was bad onto some folks who were ill equipped to even have it fixed. His joke: They didn't ask so  he didn't tell. I never thought that was funny. I'm not pointing my finger at anybody because any of us can fall into this kind of trap. That's why we need God's help even in the seemingly mundane transactions in life. Amen.

No. I did not wake up with a preaching cap on. I did, however, open up my blogging utility and this is what fell out of my thoughts. Maybe it was because I have been tested in this area a couple of times over the past few weeks. They were not huge but enough where self interest could have trumped doing what I knew in my heart of hearts I should do. What's that you say? You would not have even given it a thought and would have done the right thing? That's great but I will just tell you I still have stuff to overcome because I have not arrived. Don't think I will until that day when I am absent from the body and present with the Lord. (2nd Corinthians 5:8) And, here I was, thinking it would get easier as the golden years unfold. I'm not sure, in this economy, they are golden anymore for most people. Gold is too expensive. Maybe I should say in my recycled tin years. Just joking. They are golden not because of worldly riches but because of God's goodness, yes, even when I do have to pause and work through some things one would think I should know by now. Maybe that's where the term lifelong learner came from. With me, I think slow learner is a better way to describe it. Now, here's what I want you to do. Go and enjoy your Saturday and if at all possible make an effort to show up where God's people meet, on Sunday, the first day of the week. Believe me, when you do, it will make the rest of the week a whole lot better. Amen.         .....More later.