God's Boogers and Lipstick

Do you believe there is a spiritual lesson to be learned in every situation? I do. I think it's there if we only take the time look for it. And what happened at a Denny's restaurant two days ago is a prime example.

I attend a small men's accountability group every Saturday morning at a Denny's restaurant. We eat breakfast; do a Bible study; confess and encourage; and basically do what the Word calls “iron sharpening iron”. Yesterday I came into the restaurant with my friend Lyndy Phillips. (side note: He may be the best motivational speaker in the world. Hire him to come speak to your group. Info here) I took a seat at the usual place where I have been sitting for years: a u-shaped booth at the back of the restaurant. The waitress asked us if we wanted coffee. Lyndy declined. I gave her the usual nod of approval. And minutes later, sitting in front of me was a cup of piping hot coffee. I drank, talked, laughed, and shared like I usually do. I didn't even notice the stares two of my friends were giving to my coffee cup.

Actual Denny's Photo

Apparently on one side of the cup was a “USO”: unidentified stuck object. To this day there is quite a debate on what the object was. I think it was a booger. Others guessed everything from a scrap of hardened egg to a bit of human flesh. But the icing on this grotesque cake was the lipstick on the other side of the cup at the top. A beautiful lip-shaped Cover Girl pink crescent hung like a wreath of feminine victory. It was at the exact place that had been drinking. And no, I do not wear women's lipstick to a men's group, so it definitely wasn't mine. It obviously belonged to the previous recipient of that glass. It had just not been cleansed properly of the former “things”. I pushed it away, never again to touch my lips.

So what kind of biblically spiritual lessons can we take away from a boogered-up Denny’s coffee cup?

Well, for one: If you are truly born again, your cup has gone through the dishwasher and has been rinsed clean from God's perspective. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” 1Cor 5:17 You are a new cup. So why do we act sometimes like the booger on the cup, the lipstick on the rim, or the “turd in the punchbowl”? Because we have to cleanse our hearts and purify our lives. We need to keep the cup of our lives clean. We have to scrub the hardened sin spots that have been caked on through persistent use in our previous lives. Old habits die hard. And the things I still struggle with daily to eliminate from my life are the very things I have spent most of my life doing over and over. “As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.” Prov 27:17 I need my friends to be human Brillo pads. I need them to help scrub me clean of the deception and dysfunctions I have accumulated through years of living a sin lifestyle.

Another great lesson comes from this scripture: “We do not live for ourselves only, and we do not die for ourselves only.” Romans 14:7 Every time you interact with a person, one of two things is going to happen. Either you will leave your lipstick on them. Or they will leave their lipstick on you. That lipstick could be negativity, enthusiasm, hope, encouragement, fear, pessimism, laughter, tears, or joy. What you have will leave a mark on them. Make a commitment that people will be better when they leave you than when they arrived. Be a positive change in others. Leave the lipstick of the spirit on them.

And the last lesson I learned is to be aware. Look! Open your eyes. The waitress had no idea that there was a booger and lipstick on my cup. I'm sure she didn't carefully choose that cup so she could be malicious to me personally. I simply think that she is so caught up in the routine, mundane life of serving that she is on some sort of auto pilot. We get the same way sometimes, don't we? There are lonely, lost, hurting people all around us that we could encourage with a word or a touch, if we could only see them clearly. But many times we trudge on through the mud of our daily routine never stopping to look and see clearly. We pray for “God appointments”. Then we drive right on past them, caught up in our own little world. “Open my eyes that I may see...” Psalm 119:18

I believe that all things really do work together for good. I believe that the good times and the bad times are partners in our education. The best mountain ranges have both peaks and valleys. Surfers need both crest and trough of a wave for their exhilaration. And I believe that there are spiritual lessons everywhere if we will only look for them; even in a coffee cup from Denny's.

Nothing New Under The Televangelistic Sun

You might think that I am some sort of Neanderthal, but I don't have cable television. I used to have Uverse, which gave me over 400 channels with 56 of them being movie channels. And one night I nestled in on the sofa, popcorn in hand, so I could find something to watch and end my day with a time of mindless vegging. I actually scanned up all 400 channels and couldn't find one single thing of mental value to watch. Nada! So I am now the proud owner of a rabbit ears antennae. It is almost ludicrous to see a cheap antennae running to a very expensive flat screen television. But hey, that's how I roll!

So here comes the interesting part. My wife and I scanned what was available over the air here in Dallas, Texas late last night before we went to bed. It all seems to come down to three categories: Mexican, Religious, or Network. We chose religious. What a collection of minutia. There were two that captured our attention and made us watch briefly, until we could simply take no more. Evangelist Peter Popoff had a show where if you bought his amazing miracle water, money would come your way. He had lots of testimonies of people who had bought his miracle water and found within a week that somehow the bank decided to pay off their mortgages.

"Operators are standing by. This is a free call!"

Others told tales of money miraculously arriving in the mail from sources they had never heard of. I watched him play with people's hope like my cat plays with a toy. It was sad. I'm not saying that his ministry isn't real. I'm not even saying that those miracles were false. But what I am saying is there were so many red flags going up in my spirit it looked like a Tibetan prayer chain from the Himalayas. There was no mention of the name of Jesus or anything about redemption and salvation; only fast, easy, miraculous money.

We moved to the next station where W. V. Grant, Jr. was doing his miracle healing deal. The problem with his show is that he used so many clips from decades past I am not sure if any of it was recent. He was selling his miracle healing handkerchiefs, and a gold key that contained a personal scripture “just for you”. It was the key to prosperity. I thought I remembered him getting hammered on an NBC special years ago when they did an expose' on televangelists.

Throwin' down the beats for the Lord!

I think Grant was the one that was using a wireless ear piece to receive the gift of “discerning of spirits” via his wife on a microphone in the back. I'm not sure. I do know that he did some jail time. Yes, there could have been real power in those handkerchiefs. And it also could have all been a scam. I'm not saying that. But again I watched the hope in people's eyes. They wanted so desperately to believe.

I love Jesus. I love the fact that the Pharisees needed someone to kiss him so the soldiers would know who to arrest. He looked too much like all the other disciples. There was no hesitation in discerning which one was Grant or Popoff, and who was not. I love Jesus for the fact that he was broke. I love him for his willingness to heal all that were oppressed of the devil; not just one or two. (Acts 10:38) I love the fact that there was nothing the recipients of his grace had to purchase, send in, do, or carry. They came to him with absolutely nothing. And he responded in power, truth, love, and authority. The last time I posted on this blog I asked if Jesus would embrace technology. I'm not sure if he would tweet or have his sermons simulcast. He probably wouldn't wear French cuffs on his starched, white shirt. But one thing I do know for sure, he would point people's attention away from himself and towards God Almighty. I know that one look into his eyes and everything would change for the person who was fortunate enough to cross paths with him. I know that his ministry would not show people how to grow their own personal little kingdoms. He would be very concerned with the condition of their souls; in a way that no prosperity can heal. He would touch them with profound truths which would call them to a deeper understanding of their Creator. And he wouldn't want their money. He wouldn't have to wheedle or cajole them using “heat of the moment” tactics. He would simply trust God for his provision. And like He always does, God would “show up”.

I know that I probably sound way too judgmental. Especially since Jesus said this: "for he that is not against us is for us." Luke 9:50. But are we really "for Jesus" if we don't do what he says? I've lived too many years as a Christian hypocrite. And I'm done playing the game. I want to follow my King in truth and obedience.

So although most televangelists aren't as bad as “Jersey Shore” or some of the Kardashian crap, they should point you to the author and finisher of your faith: Jesus. You can get clearer reception by turning off the television and hitting your knees. But if you need a silken tied, perfectly coiffed compass to point you in the right direction, then by all means head on down to Best Buy. Check in the antennae isle. There is a miracle key and a vial of water with your name on it.

Will Jesus Embrace Technology?

With all the buzz about the “end of the world” shenanigans lately promoted by the Family Radio false prophets, I started thinking about what the next step for us truly look like. Scripture is clear that we will head into a time of tribulation, and will have both the advent and demise of a man called “the beast” with his devious cohort “the false prophet”. There will be the much debated “mark of the beast” given to all who give their allegiance to this man and his world system. But the Christians who have the faith to hold out until the end will get a special treat: they get to see the much anticipated return of Jesus himself.

“But let me reveal to you a wonderful secret. We will not all die, but we will all be transformed! It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed. For our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies.” 1 Cor 15:51-53

And look at this:

“For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the Christians who have died will rise from their graves. Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever. So encourage each other with these words.” 1 Thes 4:16-18

So it is clear that there will be many who are changed, and meet the Lord in the air at his triumphant return. Jesus comes back down, extinguishes the evil ones from off of the face of the earth. And then he sets up his millennial kingdom. What happens to those who have been lifted off the earth, and then return with him:

“And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.” Revelation 20:2-6

So those who are alive at the return of Jesus, who have kept themselves free of the beast's system, and who have not lost their faith; get to reign with Jesus for a thousand years. But what will that kingdom look like? If he comes soon, he will meet a generation of very tech savvy people in the air. And he will take those people to the next millennium. This is a generation that is used to cable television, the internet, and Apple products. Will Jesus set up his reign “old school” with a simple type of life? Or will he take full advantage of technology? Will we have access to Jesus through some type of social media? Or will Jesus have us live a lifestyle like it was 2,000 years ago. Will there be flight in manufactured machines? Or will we have the abilities with our spiritual bodies to appear like Jesus did and walk through walls.

If people like Michael W. Smith get to go, will he write amazing material for his King and publish it through technology channels for all on the planet to enjoy? Will we get to hear sermons and teachings from Jesus archived? Or does one have to be there? If this is true:

“That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.” 1 Cor 2:9

Then we probably have no idea what a future filled with technology invented non-selfishly, but purely for the pleasure of our King would look like. Either way, it will be nice when the trash is taken out, a king we have never seen but worshiped is readily available, and there is something we can only imagine: world wide peace. Maybe I'll tweet about it.

I'm Just An Old Pair of Speakers

Dahlquist DQ-10

My common sense is telling me not to write this blog post. Blogging is a little bit like sending an email: one should wait and count to 10 before it's sent. Because once it is out there...it is out there. But what the heck! I am still feeling the funk and mentally processing the difference between the truth and the lies. And it is all because of the speakers that I love: My Dahlquist DDA 1T's!

I had a conversation with my wife earlier today about selling a three speaker arrangement that I have had for years, but is currently not being used. I have been a fan of Dalquist speakers since the middle 70s and used to drool at the end of Emerson, Lake, and Palmer's “Lucky Man” when played on a pair of DQ 10s. The rumble of the 20 cycle note and the air around the synthesizer is just pure bliss. So my wife said something that stuck me like a knife earlier today. I have a paid of Dahlquist DDA 1Ts that tower beside a Pinnacle monster sub-woofer. It's Nirvana for the ear drums. She said that because those are so old, they aren't worth anything. I retorted that those three are a $2,000 system that are extremely valuable because you can't get them anymore. I don't know why I put them up there with the treasures of Tutankhamen and the Mona Lisa as far as value goes. Maybe because they have given me so many years of pure audio pleasure. Maybe because in my mind they are still new. But the reality is that they are simply old speakers that were great in their time, but now have been passed up by a new generation of trendy, cool, hip, happening speakers. The new stuff is flashy and valuable to this Ipad generation, but they sound like crap. And this alt/bro generation has neither the time nor the inclination to value what is older.

Pinnacle Sub-woofers will punch you in the chest

 I went online to see what they are worth to try to prove a point to my wife. But as usual, she is right. I can't even find them anywhere. I did find a discussion thread where old geezers reminisced about audio equipment from the bygone days of yore. It made me feel like I was at a D-Day Invasion reunion. I remember when Tom Holman was a real guy, and not just a big THX roaring in at the start of a movie. Saul Marantz, Amar Bose, Paul Klipsch, and Henry Kloss all had active parts in the R&D of their companies. Now they are just logos on some venture capital Korean consortium that uses their name for marketing recognition. And today it dawned on me that I am old at 52. I look at myself with the same eyes that I see my Dahlquist speakers. And I see beauty, ability, and technical perfection. But the world sees me as something that might not even get an opening bid on Ebay. I thought I wasn't supposed to be worthless until my seventies. What I see as career “prototypes” the world sees as failures. What I espouse as “Edison's 1,000 ways how not to make a light bulb” the world sees as career instability. I'm such a loser!

Paul Klipsch

Then I pulled a David at Ziklag and started looking at ages. Abraham was 75 when God told to leave Haran. Harland Sanders started KFC with his first social security check at age 65. Noah was 500 when he started building the ark. I even shook my head in amazement as I watched a Bob Proctor video yesterday. He admitted that he was 77. He is amazing. So that gives me hope.

I, like my speakers, put the air around the strings of Beethoven's 7th that contribute to it's melancholy tone. But I live in a world that wants to blare Snoop Dogg at ear bleeding levels. Like my sub-woofer, I hold my auditory integrity during the cannon shots of Tchaikovsky's “1812 Overture”. But I live in a world that wants it's speakers to be hidden while they jack cars in “Grand Theft Auto San Andreas” on their 3D televisions. I secretly want others to see the value in me. But I know that the younger, better looking, smarter, more tech savvy uber-man is what the world is attracted to. So I'll finish this day with gratitude that I am still in the game. Solomon did say that a live dog is better than a dead lion. And an old speaker that will give me goosebumps during “Braveheart” is better to me than a new and fresh e-speaker.

Anthony Weiner is the Anti-Antichrist!

Anthony Weiner's resignation officially takes place at midnight tonight. In case you have no idea who I am talking about, he is the congressman who was busted for tweeting pictures of himself to a myriad of woman. And although I didn't see the Full Monty versions of his macho offerings, (who would want to) the ones I saw of him flexing in the mirror in the gym were pathetic enough.

I wish I could "unsee" this.

Notice I didn't say that Weiner was the antichrist. I said that he was the “anti-antichrist”. He is the exact opposite of the coming world ruler who will be blessed by Satan himself and be given power to rule the world for three and a half years. That is if you believe the prophets Daniel and John the Disciple. Both of them had much to say about “the man of sin” and his trusty sidekick known as the false prophet. They will bring quite a show to planet earth right before the return of Jesus. We know from John that Michael himself gets to kick the crap out of all those who decide to follow them, and he gets to throw both of them into the lake of fire.

“And the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who did mighty miracles on behalf of the beast—miracles that deceived all who had accepted the mark of the beast and who worshiped his statue. Both the beast and his false prophet were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur.” Revelation 19:20 NLT

Ouch! And check out what happens to then one who anointed them both:

“And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.” Revelation 20:10 KJV

There is “forever”, which is a pretty long time. But these folks get a double portion of torment: forever and ever.

Daniel is pretty clear that the reign of the antichrist will be no cake walk. Although he totally runs the show, there will be opposition and rebellion from a couple of different kings. Read Daniel 11. But one thing that is never prophesied to happen is what happened to Anthony Weiner. And that is why I call him (and others) the “anti-antichrist”. Women will not be a factor. Remember how Monica Lewinsky was a distraction and the bane of Bill Clinton's presidency? You can sit and think about how many men have been brought down by illicit relations with women, and lots of powerful names will come to mind. Vice Presidential candidate John Edwards, New York Governor Eliot Spitzer, Italian President Silvio Berlusconi, World Bank and IMF president Paul Wolfowitz, and the list goes on and on. As long as there have been men with great power, there have been “femme fatales” who have brought them down. Can you say Samson and Delilah anyone? And the pulpits are full of men like Jimmy Swaggart and Paul Sheppard who have paid great penalties for their lack of self control in the naked woman arena. And not only our generations, David had his Bathsheba, Caligula had his sister, and Jerry Lee Lewis had his underage cousin. But the man of sin will be different.

Spitzer and his physical therapist

“Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all.” Daniel 11:37

Many people believe the wording that he will not regard “the desire of women” to mean that he will not worship nor regard the gods that women like. And there is some merit in that thinking. But I tend to see it another way. If this man is anointed by the Dragon himself, and has only three and a half years to try to send as many people to hell as he can; I don't think he will have the time nor the libido to waste it on trollops. I can't see this man being a horn-dog. Power is his game. Total control is his aim. And as he sets himself up in the “holy of holies” in the Jerusalem temple as god, he won't flex his spiritual muscle to try to win sexual trysts with women who see that kind of thing as an aphrodisiac.

Can you imagine the antichrist tweeting HD pics of his package to someone? Do you see the false prophet calling down fire from heaven with a member of the Swedish Bikini Team on each arm? You can't can you. And neither can I. Where so many great men have had blind spots in the sex area, this man will be rock solid and focused. Luckily he will be replaced by a righteous King who was also tempted in ALL AREAS, yet without sin: Jesus. I'm sure Jesus probably had a cute sister of a cleansed leper literally throw herself at him. Maybe not. But we know that he overcame all that this world had to offer in the way of getting him to stumble. And he marched right over it.

So take hope fellow Christians in the fact that we will someday soon have a righteous King who can not be bribed with boobs nor distracted from integrity by batting eyelashes. And that gives me great hope in the future.

“And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.” Revelation 2:12

Will We Speak Hebrew In Heaven?

If you go to Google and type in the word “hallelujah” you will get 29,100,000 returns. That is a very strange phenomenon for a word that is not in the Bible one single time. Yep, that's right; it's not in there. And yet there are almost thirty million mentions of it on the Internet. If you are a Christian, you are probably doubting that it is not in the Bible. So go see for yourself. The first time we even see the two Hebrew words that make up that saying is in Psalm 104:34:

“Let the sinners be consumed out of the earth, and let the wicked be no more. Bless thou the LORD, O my soul. Praise ye the LORD.”

Those two words that comprise the saying praise the Lord are where we get the saying Hallelujah. But if it isn't in the Bible, where did we get it? And why do so many Christians say it? That answer comes from the New Testament. When John was taking his tour of heaven in the book of Revelation, he heard people saying that word. In fact, lots of people. And he wrote that book in Greek, so the word we see four times in Chapter 19 is “Alleluia”.

Think on that for a minute. While John was in heaven, he saw the multitudes of people saying “praise the Lord” in Hebrew. Now it is possible that everybody in heaven will be speaking Dutch or Spanish, and only occasionally shout out a Hebrew phrase. But I tend to believe that Hebrew will be the predominant language with which we will all praise God. And yet another point of our Hebrew language of the future comes from Revelation 15. Here's what John saw:

“And I saw something like a sea of glass mingled with fire, and those who have the victory over the beast, over his image and over his mark and over the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, having harps of God. They sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying: “ Great and marvelous are Your works, Lord God Almighty! Just and true are Your ways, O King of the saints! Who shall not fear You, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy. For all nations shall come and worship before You, For Your judgments have been manifested.” Revelation 15:2-4 NKJ

This song of Moses is taken from Exodus 15. And in Deuteronomy 31 he taught it to the next generation:

“So that very day Moses wrote down the words of the song and taught it to the Israelites.” Deuteronomy 31:22 NLV

Guess what language Moses spoke? Hebrew. Guess what language his song is sung in? Hebrew. Guess what language we will probably be speaking in the New Jerusalem according to what John saw? Hebrew. Maybe it is time to get some Rosetta Stone software and get a jump on the crowds.

Also note that the two times that phrasing for hallelujah is used is in relation to the vanquishing of the enemy. In Psalm 104 the sinners and wicked are no more. In Revelation the term is offered up only after the antichrist, false prophet, and wicked are removed from the game. Pretty sweet deal, right? After God takes care of those who are against us, it is only natural for us to bless Him with our thanks and praises.

Although not in the Bible, here is the best secular song with that word in it. So many people have covered that Leonard Cohen song; from country and folk musicians, to rockers like Jon Bon Jovi. It might be because it's great. Or maybe because they have this small part of their spirit that has hope and is already reaching out to the One who made them and inhabits their praises. Either way, God is good all the time. And it is a good thing to praise Him. Here is the version by the great John Cale from the Velvet Underground.

Do We Need More Medieval Sex?

Medieval sex is simply getting ridiculous. And I didn't really understand what it was all about until yesterday. I had a “moment of clarity” (so to speak) after getting really mad at HBO. And please understand that I am no prude. I am a recovering porn addict so I have seen it all. But I never understood why that world is invading the other ones, until today. Here is my journey.

I really wanted to watch the miniseries called “The Tudors” when it first came out. But I didn't. It is currently being reshown on BBC America, so I set the DVR to record some episodes. I had heard great things about it from friends whose opinions I trust. I have always thought that was an interesting time in history. As a Catholic boy, I took Sir Thomas Moore as my patron saint at my confirmation. And have many times scratched my head in amazement at Henry VIII's quest for a male heir. Cromwell, Boleyn, Mary, Elizabeth: all fascinating people. So When Showtime came out with the series, I couldn't wait. Well, this series is excellent; all except for one thing: the gratuitous sex scenes. I am sick and tired of having to fast forward past a scene because of some naked wench in Henry’s room. Yes, we know that he was a total horn-dog. But the 1966 movie “A Man For All Seasons” portrayed all his iniquities without having to show any of it. Do we really need to have bare butts to get the point? I understand that sex sells. But geez! What is it selling for Showtime? So I moved on.

I also couldn't wait for the Showtime series called “The Borgias” to air. Again, an amazing time in history. And one to really chagrin the Catholics. So I taped it. And this is one great series. It is sit on the edge of your seat intriguing. And very well written. But here we go again: gratuitous “T and A”. This story could easily have been told without having to show all the forbidden sweaty humping of the monarchy. Good Grief! Yes the pope was a letch. But to constantly have naked nuns fluttering out of rooms in a convent ticks me off. Where do the Skinemax after dark B-movies end and prime time soft core porn begin? Yes, this is in prime time. I got angry because I had to have a trigger finger on the remote control. Ridiculous! I remember when what was sexy was what was NOT SEEN. The imagination is far more stimulating that the eye. Yes I'll probably watch the season finale this weekend. But with the papacy at a falling point, why spoil the moment with boobs?

 I was already miffed because “Spartacus: Gods of the Arena” on Starz was nothing short of porn. The little I saw left me angry. I had anticipated seeing another version of “300” or “Gladiator”. Instead I got male penises and full on lesbian action. Why should I have to watch guys kiss in order to get my fill of testosterone-laden gladiatorial arena battling? Yes, Rome was decadent. But the 1960 Stanley Kubrick, Kirk Douglas, Lawrence Olivier version of “Spartacus” didn't have to push the envelope in order to tell this great tale.

Today was the final straw. I started watching HBO's new series “Game of Thrones”. I was excited to take certain aspects of medieval castles and jousting; and merge them with a science fiction fantasy genre. And I wasn't disappointed. Strong characters and well written plots merge with kingly honor and deceptive power struggles. But dang it: why do I have to watch the queen do doggie style sex on her wedding day. Seriously! Everybody holds their meetings in a brothel in this series. What? That's right. Any time the characters want to meet, there are naked whores flittering about. And it is just pathetic. Because their nudity adds absolutely nothing to the story except for puerile titillation. How did Peter Jackson do it with "The Lord of the Rings"? Those were fantasy movies that won every major accolade and made gazillions of dollars; all without one single act of oral sex. What are you thinking HBO?

Where is the clean "guy stuff"? Where is the gruff series where a man can be a man without having to battle waves of lust? James Bond had plenty of sex. But we never had to actually look at his wiener or some trollop’s buns.

So here is where my moment of clarity came in. I wondered what kind of market these shows were serving. What is their niche? I mean, come on: anyone can get plenty of hard core porn on a computer, I pad, or smart phone for free. And if a man wants to see people having sex, HBO probably isn't his first outlet of oculary delight.

Why interject all the sex into a television series where it serves no purpose other than to get a man's motor running? And then I got it. It is all a part of a master plan where the lines between right and wrong are getting blurred. A man can truly tell another accountability partner that he hasn't looked at porn. But in reality, he is simply watching a male oriented television series and getting all the mental fantasy fuel he wants. It's safe, easy to click away from, and deliciously deceptive. Or so the lie will whisper. How far we have come from the boobs in “Braveheart” and the one sex scene in “Band of Brothers”. It's just plain sad. I noticed it in Fox's O'Reilly Factor when they showed the same bikini clad clip of Carrie Prejean over and over. I quit watching Bill. And it is everywhere, on every channel, and at every media outlet. Who knows what the future holds. Maybe we will finally beat Rome during the time of Caligula as the most sex-laden country in history. But then, HBO will probably make a miniseries about us.

Only 11 Days Left To Get Free Stuff From Deceived Christians

Well, if you believe the people at Family Radio, the world is going to end in 11 days. And unfortunately, there are thousands of Christians who are buying into this theory. The best news report I have seen on these false prophets was on NPR. Here is what they had to say. Make sure to listen to the 6 minute audio report on this page.

Apparently, these people have taken what they consider to be the the date of Noah's flood and added seven thousand years to it to come up with the date of the “rapture”. So at around 6pm on the day of the 21st, there is supposed to be a giant earthquake which will start at the Pacific rim near Australia and move across the whole Earth. Then Jesus will appear to take up the church in a “rapture” and leave everyone else here in a giant chaotic state to fend for themselves. And if you believe any of that, I have a bridge to sell you. What they don't realize is even the Bible itself puts the date of the flood at 2348 B.C. For them to say that the flood was 7,000 years ago shows they have not done their homework. Here are some things you need to know about this end time delusion that has swept the hearts and minds of many of God's people.

First of all, even the pastor himself had an earlier date that came and passed without the church being taken. It was supposed to be September 6th, 1994. That passed. Suddenly he remembered that he had not read the book of Jeremiah? So with egg on his face, I mean with the Holy Spirit on his head, he came up with a new date of the 21st of May 2011. Remember the ones in California who “knew” that the date of the “rapture” was in 1988. That was based on Israel becoming a nation. They gave away all their earthly possessions. Then they stood naked on a mountain waiting for Jesus to give them their “robes of righteousness”. Imagine their shame as they left the mountain broke and naked. And these Family Radio knuckleheads will do the same.

First of all: There Is No Pretribulation Rapture! People like Tim LaHaye have done the church a great disservice by writing those “Left Behind” books. My wife loved the books and read them all. She is a big fan of the storytelling but thinks that they are scripturally unsound. I think they are pure evil. They perpetuate a false teaching that the antichrist will take full advantage of in the future. The rapture theory was not taught by any of the greats of the faith like Knox, Huss, Wycliffe, Luther, Calvin, Cranmer, or Wesley. The Bible is clear that Jesus only returns once, not twice. Here's what the word says:

“They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.” Acts 1:10-11

In the same way means IN THE SAME WAY. Not a partial touchdown. Not a fly-by to scoop up some Christians. But he comes back exactly like John saw it in Revelation 19. Read it for yourself. And when does he come back? When do we meet him in the air? The Bible spells it out:

“Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed—in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” “ O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?” 1 Cor 15:50-58 NKJ

So when is this trumpet? When do we meet the lord in the air? Easy, it's the last trumpet as shown here:

“But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.” 1 Thes 4: 13-18

Jesus comes at the LAST TRUMPET. In Revelation 8:8 there are seven angels with seven trumpets. Read what happened while the first six blow theirs. Because the seventh doesn't sound until Revelation 11:15. Does any of this look like the rapture these deceivers are trying to sell you? Of course not. Here's all you need to know.

1. Jesus said it best when the subject of the end times came up. His disciples asked him when would these things be and what would be the sign of his coming and of the end of the age. His response was this: “Beware that no man deceive you”. Mat 24:3-4. He knew that deceivers would abound and deceive many. Even the false prophet looks like a sheep but speaks like the dragon. And,

2. If you know anybody who belongs to the Family Radio cult, they are giving all their money and possessions away. This is an excellent time to pick up a car or a house cheap. And you have 11 days to score some serious deals before they all figure out they have been duped and want their stuff back.

“But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father." Matthew 24:36

Ropin', Burpin', Praisin', Fartin', Fellowshippin', and God

What an interesting weekend I had. I was invited by my friend Lyndy Phillips to go to a men's retreat in Oklahoma. I attend a nondenominational church here in Dallas. And the retreat was sponsored by the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma. So that means I got to walk among 3,000 Southern Baptist men from all over the state of Oklahoma. The retreat was titled “Men Rewired”, and it took place at possibly the most gorgeous area of that state: Falls Creek Conference Center. I have been to the Arbuckle wilderness on other occasions. And as I rode through the mountains and trees, it was hard to believe that I was in Oklahoma.

What an amazing time. And there were three amazing take-aways from the weekend. Those of you who are Baptist will probably smile. Those who are not will scratch your heads.

1. It's all about the altar call! Their services were amazing. But each one ended with a request for men to become honest with themselves about their own spiritual condition. And it's if not good, “Come on down” to make it right. They would keep their “invitation” open for an inordinately long period of time. It was as if the longer they played the music and tried to coerce sinful men to leave their seats and journey forward, the more men would finally succumb. That is strange to me. I don't see Jesus doing that; or Paul for that matter. I am a very big fan of accountability and the confession of sins. (James 5:16). I also understand how much faith it takes for the power of God to move in a tangible way. Remember the woman who pushed through the crowd to touch the hem of his garment? (Mark 5) Even the prodigal son had to make the first motion of a trip home before the father ran to meet him. But to think that the Holy Spirit can't tell a man to get the porn off his computer or quit stealing from work from his seat in the auditorium makes me wonder. I guess it's just a Baptist thing. I'm not sure if it worked or not. Because the throng of men heading to the stage were a perfect mix of pastors who were asked to pray for people, and men who were coming to repent. So I guess it was a safe way for a man to confess and repent: look just like everyone else heading to the stage.

2. Keep those hands down! I admit it: I'm one of those types of people who get so lost in the praise of our great and glorious God that I simply must raise my hands in worship. But apparently the Baptists aren't. Imagine 3,000 men singing to some of the most anointed worship music ever. Then imagine only 6 or 7 raising their hands up to God in celebration. Yep, that's right. As I raised my hands, the older gentlemen next to me look at me as if I had just got off the mother ship from Venus. He had one of those “you ain't from around here” looks on his face. It was funny. Why are some men so afraid to freely worship God? Remember when David danced before the Lord with all his might? And his wife despised him in her heart. Why? Yes all things must be done decently and in order. ( 1Cor 14:40). And more churches are falling into the “slain in the spirit” and “holy laughter” trap. But Geez! Can't a man with a Skoal ring on his jeans and a big belt buckle take a minute to raise his hands to his King?

Here's where it gets good. We sang a song where the lyrics were “I'll stand with hands high and heart abandoned. In awe of the one who gave it all”. I thought that surely if the lyrics dictate a raised hand, they would comply. Nope! Never! I guess standing stoically like a rock is good enough for grand pappy, and it's good enough for them.

3. Man up! The third thing that came out of this past weekend changed my life. One of the featured speakers was Michael Catt, Senior Pastor of Sherwood Baptist Church in Georgia. If you are not familiar with them, they make Christian movies. They did “Facing the Giants” and “Fireproof”. And I was lucky enough to get to watch their newest movie to be released in September: “Courageous”. How I managed to fight back the tears while sitting among dusty cowboys is beyond me. This movie is great! Check out the trailer.

I found this trailer on YouTube and called to Jayne to come in and watch it. I teared up as it played. And I had already seen the movie. This is one powerful movie. And it strikes right at the heart of what is wrong with the church today: men are weak and women have to take the wheel. I love my children more than anything on this earth. And I have some deep issues of regret that I wasn't a very good father. Maybe that is where all the emotion comes from. And this movie will do the same thing to you.

So I guess my big “A-ha” moment came as I thought about this past weekend. I realized that as dads, we want our children to raise their hands to us, but we don't raise them to our heavenly Father. We want our children to come to us freely, and without coercion. But sometimes we need to get hammered with endless stanzas of "Have Thine Own Way" before we move to our Father.  We want our kids to crawl up into our laps, but we keep God at a distance. It makes me disappointed and a little hurt when I only get occasional communication from my kids (usually via Facebook or text), yet that is the way many times I communicate with the one who knew me in the womb.

So here are my lessons from the Okie weekend. Be free with your praise. Tell your Father you love Him. Watch “Courageous” when it comes out. And lastly, MAN UP! Just be a freaking man! Stop being weak. Get right with God, and then stay right. Cover your wife and kids with blessing and praise. Stay tuned for more thoughts from this last weekend.

The Rock God Met The God of Rock!

I love amazing encounters with really interesting people. This past weekend I had one of those. I had the opportunity to work in security at the International Guitar Festival which took place at Market Hall here in Dallas, Texas. Imagine if you will a giant convention center filled with nothing but guitars and things pertaining to the music business. It was quite a gathering of very peculiar people. There were large music vendors like Gibson, Fender, and Yamaha all showing their newest wares that turn the mediocre into guitar virtuosos. There were lots of 50-something women still dressed like they were groupies waiting for Motley Crue to come out of the stage door so they could party with the band. Unfortunately, they still look hot, only in their own minds. And yes, there were lots of 60-something men, adorned with rock gear who still live in a 70s time capsule. It was sad. Remember the song by Jethro Tull “Too Old to Rock and Roll, Too Young to Die”? That song was written for these wrinkled musicians of the days of yore. But my weekend changed at a place called the cave.

I was working the back of the facility at a small room where they did “up close and personal” guitar clinics. George Lynch of Dokken blasted the room at a decibel level to make sure that nobody had ear drums left. Like Spinal Tap, he just wanted to make some ear drums bleed. They screened a great movie called “The Wrecking Crew”. Watch it if you can. It's amazing. But then, in came rock star Rick Derringer to do a clinic. I stood outside the room, trying to look as daunting and bad-ass as possible. I was security after all. But I listened intently to everything he was saying. He told his story. The room was packed; and all ears were focused on his captivating storytelling abilities. Everyone was amazed at the famous songs he had played guitar on, and the fame he had accumulated. And then he did it. He played the famous song that everyone thinks about when the name Rick Derringer is mentioned: “Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo”. Horned hand salutes bobbed in the air as swaying heads and tapping feet played right along with his song. The man hit all the high notes. He still has it. Then his clinic took an amazing turn.

He went on to tell the people that he had rewritten that song due to the fact that he now has a relationship with Jesus Christ that changed his life. And he sang it with the new/improved lyrics. “Rock and roll hoochhie koo” was now “Read the word, live it too”. “I'm high all the time, hope you all are too” now sings “I'm high on God hope you all are too”. And the lyric that still sang the same “truck on out and spread the news” took on a whole new meaning. It was at that time that half the crowd got up and left. They weren't interested in hearing any of that “Jesus shit”. Rick didn't seem to mind. He continued with the clinic, giving glory to God by telling about how his life changed for the better. His smile was peaceful and angelic. His testimony of God's provision in his life was motivational. I was stunned, inspired, amazed, and so proud of him. There was no doubt that God has done an amazing work in his life.

Here's where the story gets really good. As I stood by the door, God spoke to me. He said to tell Rick Derringer that “I will honor those that honor me”. That was straight from the Old Testament.

“But now the LORD says: ‘Far be it from Me; for those who honor Me I will honor, and those who despise Me shall be lightly esteemed.” 1 Sam 2:30

As Rick was leaving I walked right up to him and told him that God had given me a message for him. He didn't balk or discount me. He stopped and said “What is it?” I told him. He immediately raised his hands in the air and said “Praise God”. Could this be the man that worshiped at the altar of the rock gods? I guess that is the beauty of the transforming power of our Lord. I then told him a version of Luke 12:8 that just came off the top of my head:

“Also I say to you, whoever confesses Me before men, him the Son of Man also will confess before the angels of God.”

We hugged, and he went outside to do a radio interview. I saw him again briefly the next day and reminded him what God had told him. He raised his hands and kept walking. I love that man.

So why do I write this story? Because as we approach Easter, it is good to remember that the power of the resurrection can work in the life of any man; regardless of how bad he might seem to be. There are bonds that can be broken, healing that can take place, and new starts in life that can begin.

“This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” 2 Cor 5:17

We all have some old things that need to pass away. Let this season be the time of spring cleaning. And then call out to the One who raised Jesus from the dead. By looking at Rick Derringer, I can tell that God is still in the miracle business.

I Met The Death Angel Last Week

There are many things to love about life. I guess my favorite is how it interrupts the mundane and regular with a surprise that will change everything, at least for a while. Last week I met the death angel. And I haven't been able to put what happened out of my mind since then.

I was driving on my way to the gym to workout like I do most afternoons when I came upon a major intersection. There was a white van that belonged to a plumbing or A/C business sitting at a red light. Behind it was a car full of teenage girls. To the left of it was a truck with a Hispanic man in his 40s, and behind him was a black woman who was a nurse. The driver of the van opened his door at the light and got out, and fell to the pavement. At first I thought he had dropped something out of his window and was retrieving it. Then he laid down on the pavement. My second thought was that he heard some type of strange noise emanating from under the van, and that he went down to take a look. It was at that exact moment that a kind of a chill came over me and goosebumps raised on my forearms. I immediately knew that the man was dying. I pulled over, parked, and got out of my car. I ran to the spot, weaving around the cars full of annoyed people that nobody was moving. By that time the Hispanic man was straddling him and beating on his chest. The girls had gotten out of their car and were standing there just looking at him. The nurse was on her knees, had his wrist and was looking for a pulse. She touched the side of his neck. I had a chance to get a good look at the man lying on the street. He was probably in his late 40's, dressed like a blue collar worker, was overweight, and lied there motionless. His only movements were from the CPR being performed. Then something strange happened.

The nurse dropped his wrist and said to us that he was dead. The man performing CPR refused to quit until the ambulance arrived. She said that it was of no use. But he just continued pinching his nose, blowing in his mouth, then beating on his chest. And a thought instantly wafted through my mind that I had dreamed and prayed about for years. I thought, “I am going to lay hands on that man, pray, and bring him back from the dead”. Jesus did it. And Jesus said that the things he did shall we do also, and greater things that that. Strangely, there was absolutely no check in my spirit, no thought of unreasonableness in my mind, nor fear of what the others might think as I lay hands on this man and he comes to his feet. I was ready, willing, and able to perform a bona fide miracle, just like the kind you read about in the Bible. I could see myself looking up to heaven, and saying something like “In the name of Jesus, rise and walk”. I'm not sure whether I took a step towards that man or not. But I do know that the next thing that happened is hard to put into words. The most intense fear I have felt in a very long time seemed to step right up to me and block me. Although I could see nothing, there was definitely something or someone there. And I found myself completely paralyzed. So I just stood there, like a dog who had been told to “stay”. And I did nothing.

I was amazed at how fast the ambulance came screaming in. There was also a policeman who blocked the street. The paramedics took one look at the man and knew that it was too late. They didn't break out the defibrillator or start beating on his chest. They simply brought out a gurney, and asked for help to lift the portly body onto it. It was clear that this “earth suit” no longer had an inhabitant. And would soon be returned to dust.

I have asked many questions about last Tuesday that still have yet to be answered sufficiently in my mind. Why did the man have to die on the pavement in East Dallas? Why couldn't he have died a more noble death; something like throwing himself in front of a bullet to save the Pope's life? Why didn't I raise him from the dead? I bargained with God about how much he would receive glory in a miracle like that. Think about the press: “God Lives...and Still In The Raising From The Dead Business!” What a killer Easter season PR blitz for Jesus that could have been. But the one that haunts me still is: who stepped in front of me that day? Who was this unseen man that carries such power of fear? Was this the man who went through Egypt killing the firstborn? Or was this a loyal servant of Satan there to take this man to a place he really doesn't want to be? I thought about the movie “Ghost” where shadowy figures come out of the ground and take men screaming in fear to the nether world.

I've learned that everyone dies. I've learned that the way we die isn't as important as the fact that we die. Suicide seems worse than choking on a chicken bone. But neither of them can beat saving a bus load of orphans. Or dying on a cross. I hope I face death with dignity and honor. I hope I am not afraid. I want my belief in the fact that my Lord died for me, and that I trust in him, to be the overwhelming factor on the day that somebody is picking up my “earth suit” and putting it on a gurney. I hope I am surrounded by someone who loves enough to keep beating on my chest and blowing in my mouth, never giving up on me. But most importantly, I hope that when I am asked to leave this place, that I have understood my destiny, and have given my best in trying to achieve all that God wants me to do. That may be today. But if it’s not, I'll seize this day and live my life to it's fullest. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to go tell some people that I love them.