Hunters Safety And My Mouth 4/12/2015

Good Morning,

We have a nice refreshing day here in Wisconsin and I am enjoying some quiet time before heading to church. I have a big cup of Door County Mocha Mint Coffee sitting next to me as I write some thoughts for the day.

James 3:2-10English Standard Version (ESV)
² For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. ³ If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. ⁴ Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. ⁵ So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things.
How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! ⁶ And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life,^[a] and set on fire by hell.^{[b] 7} For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, ⁸ but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. ⁹ With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. ¹⁰ From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers,^[c] these things ought not to be so.

Yesterday our church sponsored a Hunters Safety class for those wishing to obtain a license to hunt wild game. It was mostly kids and their parents who attended. I however decided to attend. I was grandfathered because of my age and am not required to have a certificate from the state to obtain a license to hunt. But since the class was offered at church Grandpa decided to attend. I am proud to say that I graduated. One can never be too safe with a gun.

But while I was there learning a few things and realizing I was already doing the safe things but just never had to complete a written exam and a field test, my mind could not help but equate gun safety to mouth safety.   One acronym we had to know was TABK.

T  Treat every gun as if it is loaded.  We need to treat our mouths as if they were loaded guns and
     could go off on purpose or accidentally. We need to think before we speak.

A  Always have the gun muzzle pointed in a safe direction. Speaking kindly is always a 
     safe approach to keeping your mouth pointed in the right direction.

B   Be aware of your target and what is in front of it and beyond.  What collateral damage can the
      words that are coming out of your mouth going do to the target of your words and possibly
      others? It might be best to be quiet and not take that verbal shot.

K   Keep your finger at all times outside of the trigger guard until ready to shoot. This reminded me
      that if we all shoot with our mouths  first and ask questions later in life, we are going to assume
      that we had all of the information and we could be speaking out of turn and worse yet out of
      ignorance.

So in closing I think we should all obtain permits to use our mouths!! No not really. We just need to practice good mouth safety.

God bless,

Marty

Rock My World 4/11/2015

Good Morning,

My day has started a long time ago and it I am going to be moving all day long. This will be one busy Saturday right up until bed time. So I will be brewing some Door County Cinnamon Sugar Biscotti Coffee thanks to a good brother. Thanks Todd. It warmed my cup and my heart.

Matthew 24:35New King James Version (NKJV)
³⁵ Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.

2 Timothy 3:16New King James Version (NKJV)
¹⁶ All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,

The two passages above point us in a great direction.
1. God's word is good for yesterday, today and always.
2. The Bible is the inspired word of God.

Now as we look at the rest of 2 Timothy 3:16 we can also know that the attributes of God's word. 

Profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, are attributes of expectation. When  we open God's word and read, we should expect it to accomplish something within our lives and souls. Opening God's word and then obeying it as God speaks to our hearts through it, is a sign of desiring a closer relationship with God.

"We must allow the Word of God to confront us, to disturb our security, to undermine our complacency and to overthrow our patterns of thought and behavior". (John Stott)

We should desire with deep passion for God's word to do something when we read it in faith. We have the Living Word and anything with life has an impact on it's surroundings.

When you read the Bible, are you just reading? Or are you reading with expectation?

Faith is a matter of choice. If the Holy Spirit speaks to you through the Word of God, you have to make a choice to follow it or reject it. The Christian living an "expectant faith" accepts the Word as truth and applies it to his own life or the lives of others.  

Have a great day?

Marty
 

Come to Me 4/10/2015

Good Morning,

A cup of Door County Peanut Butter Crunch Coffee sits next to me with the steam rising slowly into the air. I am writing this morning and I find it difficult, as I am physically and emotionally drained. It usually takes quite a lot to wear me down but I am there for sure.

I am sure that I am not the only one who feels like this from time to time. This warrior has a dented helmet, my sword is dull, my armor is chaffing me, and I am tired. So I need to withdraw from the battles of life and run to Dad. I know that eventually I will return to normal and get right back into life. It won't take too long. I need to spend time with God and let Him heal some wounds, restore some pride, fill my heart again with love from above and then send me back in.

So since I am not the only one that this happens to let me show you the way to be rested in the Lord.

Matthew 11:28-30New King James Version (NKJV)
²⁸ Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

You see, the problem is this. I tried to solve the world's problems that surrounded me in my own strength. I forgot that Jesus is with me and I am yoked to Him. I didn't stop and ask for directions, I did not learn from Him. So the world ate me up a little and spit me out. I ran on my own power and I ran out of power.

Scripture is easy to understand when we apply it to our lives. I missed that part of the equation. So learn from my mistakes and do better than the teacher.

God bless,
Marty

On Eagles Wings 4/8/2015

Good Morning,

  My coffee this morning is Door County Cherry Crème. I am making another long road trip for work today and won't be home until later tonight. The thought of arriving home to my wife and our crazy dog will carry me through and make coming home that much better.

Last weekend my Nephew Nick and I were able to approach an American Bald Eagle and get close enough to snap a good picture with a cell phone. Seeing an eagle is always a big thrill for me. The site of this grand bird immediately takes me to a biblical place in my mind and gives me a picture of rest and strength. Knowing that I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. Knowing that He alone is my Shepherd and leads me to rest in green pastures.

Isaiah 40:31King James Version (KJV)
³¹ But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

There are many things in nature including sounds that will cause me to stop and think about a passage of scripture, praise God, or just reflect on His greatness. Waterfalls especially remind me of His abundant blessings. A baby crying reminds me that He is the Creator of all life. A sunrise always has me thinking about the resurrection of Jesus.

Take a moment to look around today and thank God for what you see. He painted that living picture just for you, just in that moment. Capture that thought and keep it. Ask the Holy Spirit to lead you to a passage of scripture that you can recall when you see that sight or others like it again.

This helps me to walk each day knowing that I am never alone.


Deuteronomy 31:6New King James Version (NKJV)
⁶ Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.”

Have a great day. God bless,
Marty

In His Shadow 4/8/2015

Good Morning,

Headed out of the door with a cup of Door County Blueberry Cobbler Coffee in my hand. I have a bit of a road trip today. I will be just South of Door County! I wonder if I would be missed at work if I just headed a little further North for a couple of days?

Psalm 91:1-2

91 He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High
Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
² I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress;
My God, in Him I will trust.”

Above is a picture of our Springer Spaniel Gibbs. I was training Gibbs that day to retrieve ducks on the water. He was just a year old. It is hard to train a puppy to do a lot of things. But to sit still and wait until he is told to leave is very hard for them to do. The water is very inviting and the temptation to jump in and just swim around is almost overwhelming. I recall that day very well. I started throwing the training duck just a few yards from shore. Gibbs waited and retrieved on command very well. I then threw one out to the middle of the pond. This was further than he had ever swam before. He waited and when his command to go was sounded he didn't move. He looked up at me as if to say "are you sure"? In the picture you can see my shadow over him. I reassured him that he could do it with a soft voice and told him to go. He flew off of the shore and swam toward his mark. The whole time he was swimming I was encouraging him with every yard. When he returned we celebrated by rolling around on the ground and playing. His confidence and trust just soared that day. He was under my shadow. He did not know that I was wearing a life jacket and would have gone in after him if he needed help. He found out that day that I would not ask him to do what he could not do. He could trust me.

God is like that. He coddles us under His wing, but expects us to soar in our service to Him when asked to do so. He sets us up to jump from the shore and trust Him not to let us drown in our efforts. He is always there when we look up and listen. He never leads us astray.

Gibbs is a very confident hunter now. But he still knows that the best place is next to me waiting for instructions. Friends, do the same thing with God. Draw close to Him and await His word of guidance, then jump into action, knowing you are in His shadow.

God bless,

Marty

Lighting Candles 4/6/2015

Good Morning,

Just a little Door County Cinnamon Sugar Biscotti Coffee goes a long way on a somewhat cold morning here in Wisconsin.

 

Philippians 4:6-7
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

No doubt, some of the things going on in the world leave me with a heavy heart. The pilot who purposely crashed his airliner, killing all that were on board just sickens me. The thought of a group of terrorists going on to a campus in Kenya and killing hundreds of Christians sickens me. I speak for many who feel the same way. But what I am not seeing is a bigger call to prayer from evangelicals around the world. The kind of prayer that fills stadiums and shakes heaven's gates. I am not seeing the lazy praying knees of the overly concerned, packing churches and requesting prayer for God to intervene.

The title today is "Lighting Candles". I am not suggesting that candles be lit and a dollar spent so someone else can pray for the world we are concerned about. It is a metaphor for the following statement. "If you are not busy lighting candles, don't complain about the darkness." (Anonymous)

Don't complain and whine about what is going on if you are not willing to dirty your knees and cry out for a lost world. It's time to get serious about prayer and turning our world around. We cry about the senseless murders and we should. Yet we have thousands of babies slaughtered each day in abortion clinics and that doesn't bring us to our knees.

We have things a little backwards here friends. It's time for a change of heart.

Food for thought.

Marty

A Resurrected Life 4/6/2015

Good Morning,

Monday has arrived and I believe Monday's were made to lead us to the next weekend. My coffee of choice is Door County Coconut Crush.

I had a very nice Easter weekend spent with a nephew and my dad. We worked hard on Saturday, then enjoyed a great dinner and all three of us watched a basketball game. It made leaving for home very hard yesterday.

Sunday we celebrated the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Any Christian and even non-believers can tell you that Easter is the day that Jesus rose from the grave and conquered the sting of death. There is eternal life for those who have received Jesus as Lord and Savior. ( John 3:16)

But what about our Earthly lives? Those too are to be resurrected.

John 10:10New King James Version (NKJV)
¹⁰ The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

A resurrected life is not one of more toys, a better spouse, or even "a spouse". It is not one of more riches, or glamorous jobs. No it is not. But the abundant life that Jesus speaks of is a life that lives to the fullest for others. A life that is content with where it is. An abundant life is one that lives like it knows that someday it will leave this world for heaven, but as long as it is here it works to love others, and lives to spread the word of Jesus Christ. This is a happy, abundant, resurrected life. This is what the Holy Spirit who indwells in a Christian can live. An abundant resurrected life is one that can see and count it's blessings and learn from the past, not live in it. It is a life, that despite bad circumstances can praise God.

A resurrected abundant life does not go and repeat the same mistakes over and over. Not feeling resurrected? Try keeping yourself in the "zone". The Jesus zone! Not the "I will try this for awhile and if it doesn't work out I am going back to my unhappy, self centered, self controlled un-resurrected life. Friends this never works. I see way too many people who claim to be Christians base their happiness on circumstances alone. Their faces are paralyzed into Mr. or Mrs. Sad Sack Grumpy!

My Dear readers,. If this is you it is time to put on you big boy or big girl pants and drop the pity party that Satan so much wants you to have. Christ overcame the grave and that takes great power. He can resurrect your life and put it back together. But you have to trust Him to do it in a way that is best for you. It might not be the vision you have. Once you surrender to His love and leadership you have started to live a resurrected, abundant life.

Too much for a Monday? Read this again tomorrow.

God bless,
Marty