Blog #1,845

August 9, 2015 / Ragamuffingospelfan / Leave a comment

“It’s in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone” (Ephesians 1:11-12, The Message).

I think I’ve mentioned this before, but bear with me. Sometimes, you can read a passage out of a familiar translation so many times that you stop seeing it. You stop really taking in the meaning of the words and merely recite words.

It’s good to take a different (unusual, quirky, eccentric) translation like The Message to bring a freshness to what the Apostle Paul is saying. Like I’ve said before, The Message doesn’t always get it right, but sometimes it really does. Like here.

What is my identity? Is it my paycheck? Is it my occupation? Is it my bank account? Is it the initials after my last name (or perhaps the initials in front of it)? Is it how many responses my social media posts get? Is it how many views my blogs get?

No. No. No. No. No. No. No.

My identity is in Jesus. Who I am is solely based on Whose I am. My purpose is based on Whose I am.

I’m part of something much bigger than me and my little problems. I’m part of what God has been doing since before time began up until after it ends. God is about redeeming His creation and I get to be a part of it.

Oh, and I get to be a part of the “creation getting redeemed” part. I get redeemed. I have supreme value, not because of how talented or witty or handsome or charming I am, but because Jesus thought I was worth dying for. That and that alone determines my worth, my identity, and my purpose.

That’s who I am and what I’m here for.

Good Ol’ Billy

August 8, 2015 / Ragamuffingospelfan / Leave a comment

Where was I at 10 pm on this beautiful Saturday night?

Was I trekking through my favorite spots in Franklin? No.

Was I at a concert? No.

Was I riding around late at night with the windows rolled down and good music blasting? No.

Where, you ask, was I?

I was hanging out with those three doggy friends of mine, watching a Billy Graham crusade from 1975.

Just about everything from that broadcast seemed dated– except for the message.

Billy Graham opened his message by saying that being rich isn’t about how much you have but about what you can live without.

Billy spoke about the three things none of us can do without if we want to go to heaven.

1) Without the shedding of blood, there’s no forgiveness of sins.

2) Without faith, it is impossible to please God.

3) Without Me (Jesus), you can do nothing.

He talked about how one way of defining faith is to recline fully on or to put all your weight on Jesus. It’s Jesus plus absolutely nothing else.

It almost made me want to find a brown plaid suit and bust out some 70’s music.

It did make me more thankful for the legacy of men like Billy Graham who were faithful to proclaim the same saving message whether it was in season or not, cool and trendy or not, popular or not.

It’s the message that still saves today.

It’s 10:34 on a Friday Night

August 7, 2015 / Ragamuffingospelfan / Leave a comment

Well, it’s 10:34 pm on this Friday night in August. You may be out and about, painting the town all sorts of colors while I am hanging out with three lovable doggies.

I’ll take it. I like people and I like hanging out with people, but every now and then dogs are good,too. They’re not the best conversationalists, but that also means they don’t ask questions and form assumptions. They just love you in their own gentle doggy way.

Ditto for cats.

So there’s not much worth watching on television. It seems like the more channels there are, the less there is to watch. Hence the going out on Friday nights.

I suppose I could turn off all the media and pick up a good book. Yeah, I think I’ll do that.

It’s a Dogsitter’s Life

August 6, 2015 / Ragamuffingospelfan / Leave a comment

I’m back dog sitting again. It’s one of my favorite ways to spend a few days and earn some extra cash. Plus, I get to hang out with some of my furry canine friends. It’s a win-win.

I’m one of those weird people who like both cats and dogs. They both have their own ways of showing affection and love and being cuddly. Your life is enriched by having a cat or a dog (or if you prefer, a gerbil or a hamster).

The best part is seeing an animal that was abused and mistreated learn to love and trust again. Seeing fear turn into trust is one of the things I love most about rescues.

The Bible says that God rescued us from our own bad choices and brokenness. We’re all learning how overwhelming fear can turn into confident trust by the power of perfect Love.

Perfect Love still casts out all fear.

Those Sleepless Nights

August 5, 2015 / Ragamuffingospelfan / 1 Comment

I had a rough night last night. Well, that may be overstating things a bit. Last night, I didn’t sleep as well as I normally do. That’s more accurate.

I tossed and turned until after 1 am, then managed to wake up several more times in the night. At least I didn’t wake up one minute before my alarm is set to go off. That’s the absolute worst.

So I’m tired.

The Bible says that God grants sleep to those He loves.

I know that more than a few of you know what it’s like to go whole nights without sleeping. It can get to be a frustrating process, with you getting more and more weary and less and less able to sleep.

Maybe God has you up in the middle of the night for a reason. Maybe He’s putting something (or someone) on your mind to turn over to Him in prayer.

Pay attention to what God whispers in your ear on those sleepless nights. Maybe cease from all your tossing and turning and be still. Listen for that still, small voice that calls you Beloved.

I hope that I’ll sleep better tonight. I think I will. But in case I don’t, just know that I will likely be praying for some of you.

It’s Called Growing Up

August 4, 2015 / Ragamuffingospelfan / Leave a comment

“This is God’s Message, the God who made earth, made it livable and lasting, known everywhere as God: ‘Call to me and I will answer you. I’ll tell you marvelous and wondrous things that you could never figure out on your own.’“(Jeremiah 33:2-3 MSG).

I think I’ve figured out a lot of the process of sanctification and maturity.

It’s when you look back over a time when you felt like you were completely the injured party and justified in all those things you said and did and realizing, “Well, that was stupid. I shouldn’t have done and said that. I should probably never do that again.”

Maturity is realizing that the one who needs growing up most is me. Sanctification means that the log in my own eye needs to come out first before I start nitpicking about all those splinters I see in other peoples’ eyes. It means I’m the one who most needs to change.

You can never control how others will treat you. You can never make people understand how hurtful those things were that they said or did to you casually without thinking. Some people are just so good at making and having new friends they never learn to treasure the ones they already have.

You will learn that passive-aggressive is not the way of a child of God, nor is boycotting everyone who slights or offends you. You will also learn that what you intended and what they interpreted won’t always be the same thing. You will learn above all that there is no such thing as too broken or too far gone or too lost or too hopeless for the God who raises from the dead.

You can only control you. You can only forgive the brokenness in others as you come to see your own brokenness. You can’t ever go back and unsay and undo those things that cost friendships and sleepless nights. You can move forward and behave differently from now on.

Above all, you can give yourself grace. You’re not who you were then and you’re not yet who you will be. You’re allowed to fail and make mistakes so that you can learn from them and grow and not make them again in the future.

If you listen long enough and are even the slightest bit honest with yourself, you’ll hear God revealing aspects about you that aren’t your best self. He’ll show you your flaws not so that you can beat yourself up, but so that you can become a better you. He will not only show you, but He will change you if you are willing.

That’s called growing up.

Another Random Blog

August 3, 2015 / Ragamuffingospelfan / Leave a comment

I have lots of thoughts running through the ol’ noggin all the time. Every now and then, I need to let a few of them loose so you good readers can share in the joy that is called my brain.

1) Social media is great. I love it. I love how you can communicate with friends and family even though you may be oceans apart. I do say this though: if you’re married, I hope that your primary means of communication isn’t through social media. I hope that for every one post to your husband or wife, there are at least five face-to-face conversations (and at least four of those being affirmations). Posts and texts are great, but nothing replaces hearing and seeing your loved one say, “I love you” while looking you in the eyes.

2) As much as I still love summer, it does tend to run on. I’m ready for all things autumn, from cooler temps to pumpkin spice everything to jackets to leaves changing colors. I think you know (or you should know by now) that fall is my favorite season of all. Mostly because I don’t sweat so dang much.

3) As much as you will need forgiveness from others and as much as you will need to forgive others, the most important person you need to learn to forgive is you. You see more of your own weakness and brokenness than anyone else. You know more than anyone how your own road is littered with the carcasses of good intentions and promises you discarded along the way. You also need to know that if God can forgive you of anything, there’s no reason why you can’t forgive yourself. Remember that Jesus was willing to die for what you did. It’s hard, but it’s harder to live in the prison of self-loathing and regret.

4) Go forth and do something frivolous and spontaneous today (or tomorrow if you’re reading this after 10 pm). Take time to notice your surroundings and to take pleasure in God’s creation. Take time to cherish those God has placed in your life for this season. Wherever you are, be there in the moment and live it to the fullest (to borrow a bit from both Jim Elliott and Oswald Chambers).

That’s my latest random post. There will surely be more to follow as I think very nonlinearly.

Thoughts On Mr./Mrs. Jenner

August 2, 2015 / Ragamuffingospelfan / Leave a comment

I’ve been thinking about the former Bruce Jenner, now known as Caitlyn Jenner. There are a lot of people applauding how brave he/she is and there are other’s villifying him/her.

Here’s what I think.

I think that if Bruce wasn’t happy with who he was, then I doubt Caitlyn will be. I think that once all the media hoopla has died down, once Caitlyn returns to whatever semblance of normalcy that she can manage, she will find out that changing the outside won’t fix what’s wrong on the inside.

Here’s what I’ve learned in my own life. Actually, it’s something that I keep coming back to again and again because I’m so forgetful.

It’s only in Jesus that you can have enough or be enough because Jesus in and of Himself is enough.

Those who chase after fame or wealth or status will eventually find that it doesn’t quite fill the vacuum inside. Nothing fills that God-shaped hole except God.

I have enough because I have Jesus. I am enough because Jesus is enough and He has me. It’s really that simple. No matter what happens from this point forward, it will always be that simple and true.

I truly hope that Caitlyn Jenner finds for herself that Jesus is enough.

I hope that I keep finding out and keep being reminded that Jesus is enough, because chasing after the Joneses and the brass rings and climbing the ladders are all so very exhausting.

Jesus is enough.

I can feel my heart-rate slowing as I read those words. I remember that it’s really not up to me to make my life work, to give my own life meaning. I remember that Jesus promised He would meet me where I was, love me as I am, and take me where I need to be.

That is enough because Jesus is enough.

If I Had Lots of $$$$

August 1, 2015August 2, 2015 / Ragamuffingospelfan / 1 Comment

I was thinking what I’d like to buy if I had loads of cash, i.e. I won the lottery or a distant rich relative kicked the proverbial bucket.

Note: This is all for fun and none of it has any bearing whatsoever on reality.

I’d like to buy:

1) A red mini-cooper (preferably one with a British flag emblem either on the roof or on the side-view mirrors).

2) A Mac Book Pro.

3) One of those houses either on West Main Street, Fair Street, or one of those side streets around the heart of historic downtown Franklin.

4) The complete series of Friends on blu ray.

5) One of those ultra lightweight carbon bikes.

6) An upgraded DSLR camera that shoots HD (maybe a Leica camera even?)

7) A sizeable donation to Freedom’s Promise (who works with the victims of sex trafficking in Cambodia).

8) Being able to anonymously buy people’s dinners and pay their bills.

9) A really old Bible from the 1700’s.

10) A really old coin from the 1700’s.

11) Anything from the 1700’s.

12) A vacation in Scotland, Ireland, and England.

13) A cruise around the Mediterranean.

14) A newer and spiffier iPad with improved WiFi.

15) To stay one night at both the Peabody Hotel in Memphis and Opryland Hotel in Nashville.

16) One of those portable DVD players.

17) More vintage transistor radios to add to my burgeoning collection.

18) One really old and really big radio that still works (like the one in A Christmas Story).

I think that covers it. At least it covers all that I can think of in my tired old brain at 11:03 on a Saturday night on this first day of August in the year of our Lord 2015.

What I Love on a Friday Night

July 31, 2015August 1, 2015 / Ragamuffingospelfan / Leave a comment

“The Life-Light was the real thing:
    Every person entering Life
    he brings into Light.
He was in the world,
    the world was there through him,
    and yet the world didn’t even notice.
He came to his own people,
    but they didn’t want him.
But whoever did want him,
    who believed he was who he claimed
    and would do what he said,
He made to be their true selves,
    their child-of-God selves.
These are the God-begotten,
    not blood-begotten,
    not flesh-begotten,
    not sex-begotten” (John 1:9-13).

I love how through following Jesus and dying to self you find your true self.

I love how the best expression of who we are and what we were made for is to be a “child-of-God” self.

I love how it all starts and ends with God, not me.

I love that because God started and will end it, I can rest assured that the end is already as good as done and I don’t have to fret that I will somehow screw it up.

I love how no one who ever truly wants to find God and know Jesus will ever be disappointed for all find what they truly seek.

There are lots of things I love about this passage, but those are a few.

Most of all, I love how God’s got me right where He wants me even when I have no idea of where I am or where I’m going and I can ultimately trust Him more than what I can see or feel.

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