“It is obvious what kind of life develops out of trying to get your own way all the time: repetitive, loveless, cheap sex; a stinking accumulation of mental and emotional garbage; frenzied and joyless grabs for happiness; trinket gods; magic-show religion; paranoid loneliness; cutthroat competition; all-consuming-yet-never-satisfied wants; a brutal temper; an impotence to love or be loved; divided homes and divided lives; small-minded and lopsided pursuits; the vicious habit of depersonalizing everyone into a rival; uncontrolled and uncontrollable addictions; ugly parodies of community. I could go on.

This isn’t the first time I have warned you, you know. If you use your freedom this way, you will not inherit God’s kingdom.

But what happens when we live God’s way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely.

Legalism is helpless in bringing this about; it only gets in the way. Among those who belong to Christ, everything connected with getting our own way and mindlessly responding to what everyone else calls necessities is killed off for good—crucified” (Galatians 5:19-23, The Message).

‘Tis the season. And I don’t mean that it’s time to start decking the halls and singing Christmas carols. I mean it’s tornado season.

The Middle Tennessee area had a batch of storms move through the region today. It’s never fun to see tornado and strong thunderstorm warnings. Hearing those sirens going off gives me cold chills.

However, I am thankful to report that I am still here. The storms have passed and all that remains is rain.

I have never known a storm, no matter how severe, to last forever. All storms must come to an end at some point, whether literal or metaphorical.

I still believe that the same Jesus who spoke peace to the waves all those years ago can still calm those storms. As the saying goes, He will either calm the storm or He will calm His child in the midst of the storm. I have found both to be true.

I doubt I’ve head the last of those tornado sirens, but I know that I can rest assured that I have nothing to fear when I’m safely held and carried by the Prince of Peace.

Lately, it seems like every time I turn around, I see that someone else has been diagnosed with cancer. I don’t know if there’s really been an increase in the number of cancer cases or if I’m just more aware of it, but I can’t get away from it.

I know too many who have lost their cancer fights. My childhood best friend Nathan lost his cancer battle a few years back. A friend lost her mom to cancer late last year. It seems like there’s no escaping it.

Thankfully, we’ve come a long, long way in finding cures and treatments. We’re able to bring cancer into remission in many cases and even help to maintain a longer quality of life for so many with terminal cancer.

I just wish sometimes that cancer would go away. I want it to stop. I don’t want to see or hear of another child who has found out that he or she has cancer. I don’t want to read about it. I’m tired of it.

I’m praying for a cure for all forms of cancer. I’m praying that one day having cancer will be like having the flu or bronchitis with a regimen of medicines to help knock it out. Better yet, maybe there will be a vaccine.

Ultimately, my confidence isn’t in a cure or a vaccine. My hope is that one day that cancer, like all disease and death, will be no more. I know that because of the resurrection, my hope isn’t wishful thinking or pie-in-the-sky dreaming, but a confident assurance in what God has promised.

I suppose that in heaven, cancer will be a vague memory. I know that Jesus will wipe away every tear of sadness and sorrow and loss. One day all the bad things like cancer and hatred and war and poverty will be undone and all that we’ve lost will be restored a thousandfold.

In the mean time, cancer is stupid. I don’t like it at all.

I’ll keep praying and hoping and waiting. One day stupid cancer will be gone.

“To pray in a hurry of spirit means nothing. To live in a hurry means to do much but effect little. We build more quickly in wood, hay, and stubble than in gold, silver, and precious stones; but the one abides, the other does not. If he who feels the world is too much with him will make for himself a little space, and let his mind settle like a bee in a flower on some great word of his God, and brood over it, pondering it till it has time to work in him, he will find himself in the greenwood” (Amy Carmichael, That Way and No Other).

No one will ever have time unless he or she makes time. That’s the secret. If you become a victim to the tyranny of the urgent, you will always be in a hurry, always doing much but effecting little. It takes intentional focus and ruthless elimination of busyness.

You never go wrong if you carve out time for God in your schedule. Time with God is never wasted and is never in vain. What you sow always comes back many times over.

I’m preaching to myself again. I make time for what I want, which is usually not God or His word. I’m sure all of us prioritize many other things and people over God many times in a day, then wonder why we’re not growing in our faith.

May we all learn to abide in God a little more each day until it becomes a habit. Until it becomes the very desire of our being over anything else.

“The practical problem about charity (in our prayers) is very hard work, isn’t it? When you pray for Hitler & Stalin, how do you actually teach yourself to make the prayer real? The two things that help me are (a) A continual grasp of the idea that one is only joining one’s feeble little voice to the perpetual intercession of Christ, who died for those very men (b) A recollection, as firm as one can make it, of all one’s own cruelty what might have blossomed, under different conditions, into something terrible. You and I are not, at bottom, so different from these ghastly creatures” (C.S. Lewis, Letters of C. S. Lewis).

That helps in praying for our enemies. In this day and age, the word enemy can mean so many different things. It could mean those in your life who make your life difficult. It could mean those across the political aisle from you, especially leaders and Presidents of the opposing party. It could mean those who in a very real sense intend to do you and your loved ones harm. It could also mean those who are just up to no good, like your Hitlers and Stalins.

The point is that when we pray for them, it’s not the strength of our praying ability or our faith that counts. It’s the power in the One to whom we direct our prayer. Jesus is the one who intercedes for us. Jesus is the one who died for us– and for the very ones we pray for.

Also, it helps to remember who we are and who we might be but for the grace of God. There is some good in the worst of us and some not so good in all of us. The Bible calls it a sin nature, and we all have it. We’re not as bad as we could be, and sometimes, the only things hindering us from doing bad are opportunity and the grace of God. If I’m honest, it’s a really good thing that God doesn’t grant me the desires of my heart all the time, because what I want isn’t always good for me.

Above all, it’s helpful to remember that no one is beyond the saving grace of God or is excluded from the love of God. No one. Even me. Even you.

Well, it’s Sunday night and I’m just about to call it a weekend. Sooner than later, I will be in bed like a good little citizen, so I can put in a productive week at work next week.

Other than that, I don’t have much else going on in the ol’ noggin.

I’m thankful that spring has arrived. I like winter, but I also like it when winter’s over. The same goes for summer.

I’m not a fan of extreme temperatures, which is why I prefer spring and fall over summer and winter. My favorite is fall, but I like spring for all the new growth and colors, not so much for all the pollen and other allergy-related activity.

I’m thankful for all four seasons. Each has its purpose and each has reasons to celebrate. Of course, every day that I wake up is another reason to celebrate.

I’m also thankful that my old Jeep is still going strong. I may be partial, but I prefer my old vehicle to most of the newfangled stuff I see nowadays. Do I sound old when I say things like that?

Anyway, I need to get to bed, so I can wake up tomorrow morning and get coffee at some point. Did I mention that I’m also thankful for coffee?

As I’ve mentioned before, I was inspired by the show WandaVision to watch all the Marvel movies from the beginning. I decided on the order of movie release versus the order of the storyline. I’m sure I just alienated half of the uber-fans of Marvel, but in my defense, I’m sorry. I’m a newbie. Forgive me.

These are definitely the kind of moves that do well in the summer– lots of action and special effects. But they are well-made action movies with a lot of character development and storyline. There aren’t any two-dimensional heroes or villains here.

I love how most of these movies find the heroes facing dire circumstances and almost insurmountable odds. You know they will win, but how seems a mystery. One thing is constant in every movie– they never do it alone. They always find allies who will aid them in their time of need.

The Christian faith is not a Lone Ranger faith. It was never meant to be me going it alone, trying to figure it all out on my own. That’s why community and accountability are so vital. That’s why there’s the Church. I don’t mean buildings or locations. I mean God’s people gathered together doing God’s work God’s way. The Bible calls that koinonia, or fellowship.

The last movie I finished was Thor: Ragnarok. That means there aren’t many left until I’m completely caught up. I’m sure that will be a bit of a letdown day for me, but maybe by then there will be new movies in the Marvel universe.

Still, my prayer is that those who follow Jesus will follow Him surrounded by brothers and sisters who will encourage, support, and challenge them. We are truly stronger together.

I found this prayer when I was looking for something else. It’s part of a Covenant Renewal Service. It’s not an easy prayer to pray, but if you mean it, then I believe you are ready to see God in a way you’ve never seen Him before. You’re ready to see God unleash in you things you’ve only imagined or dreamed of up until now. It’s a prayer of total surrender and commitment:

“Let me be your servant, under your command.
I will no longer be my own.
I will give up myself to your will in all things.

I put myself fully into your hands:
put me to doing, put me to suffering,
let me be employed for you, or laid aside for you, let me be full, let me be empty,
let me have all things, let me have nothing.

I freely and with a willing heart
give it all to your pleasure and disposal.”

I’ve been saving my money for a new(er) vehicle lately. Still, I’m not ready to give up on the Red Sled just yet. She still runs good and gets me where I need to go. Plus, I just hit 379,000 miles. I almost feel like I need to shoot for 400,000.

My Jeep may not look as stylish and fancy as some of the new models, but I defy you to find one of these new-fangled cars that will last 24 years and 300,000+ miles. They may have more bells and whistles, but they don’t have the staying power of one of those old Jeeps.

Of course I’m partial. I’ve grown quite fond of the old Red Sled. I’ve been driving this little Jeep for so long that it feels like a part of me. When I ever get a newer vehicle, it’s going to take me six months to figure out where I parked because I’ll always be looking for a red Jeep. It will take me while to get used to a new steering wheel, new seats, new everything. It won’t be the same.

But for now the Red Sled remains. She may not look as pretty as she did way back in 1997, but she still has a certain kind of style and charm. I think I’ll keep her around for a bit longer.

Well, it’s back.

That wild and crazy time of the sports year has returned with a fresh selection of 68 college basketball teams set to duke it out (pun somewhat intended) for the glory of being national champions.

It feels a little different this year with the pandemic still hanging around. It’s hard to really get into it as much as in years past because there have been so many distractions in the past 12 months.

This time last year all lovers of college basketball were still reeling from the news that there would be no college basketball tournament. The season had abruptly and unceremoniously ended.

This year, they’re back. Even if it’s not quite as festive an occasion as in years past, this is still the March Madness we’ve all been waiting for. So today I did my civic duty and filled out my brackets for the Tournament Challenge.

Will I win? Probably not. Still I keep holding out hope that my amazing intellect — or more likely sheer dumb luck — will lead me to have a winning bracket. Even so, I’d rather see a lot of upsets and see another Cinderella team knock off a few national powerhouses. I always seeing a little David school taking down a Goliath.

I’ve cut back this time. So far, I’ve only filled out a measly 6 brackets. If I’m still feeling lucky, I might add one or two more.

If you’re like me, you’ve got your fingers crossed and hoping for the best for your brackets. May the odds be ever in your favor.