Myron Speaks

More about the Blackberries:

“Good Morning Son, how did you sleep?  Are you ready to pick more blackberries this morning?”

Yes Dad, I’m ready.  Long pants, long sleeve shirt, socks, muck boots, socks, bug spray…ready.  Where should I pick today, Dad? 

“I want you to pick the exact same place you picked yesterday.”

Are you sure?  Remember, I picked that small area hard yesterday and trampled several of the bushes down as I walked and picked through.

“I remember.  I was there.  I was guiding you.  I showed you the way to the abundance of ripe berries ready to be harvested.  Trust me.”

Okay.  I just want to make sure we are getting the most possible in the shortest amount of time.  It’s really hot and I am really busy as you know.  Dad, I don’t see where I went into the bushes yesterday.  Dad, look at all the ripe blackberries in this same spot as yesterday!  Unbelievable.  It’s like these bushes were never picked.

“Myron, do you remember in Matthew 19:26 when my Son said “Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.”? (NLT)  I need you to learn that I can ripen the fields much faster than you can pick them.  I want them all to be picked so I ripen them in stages allowing time for my kids to pick and tell each of them about me.”

Dad, today as I was picking I became really sad at how many berries were ripe to the point of rotting because of the heat.  I was also really bummed with how many beautiful berries that I picked fell out of my hand and to the ground.

“You know the saying, ‘Four months between planting and harvest.’ But I say, wake up and look around. The fields are already ripefor harvest. ³⁶ The harvesters are paid good wages, and the fruit they harvest is people brought to eternal life. What joy awaits both the planter and the harvester alike! John 4:35-36 (NLT)  “Son, you did your job.  You went into the fields and picked the berries.  Some made it into the basket, others fell to the ground and others were rotten and not good for the purposes that I am having you harvest.  There is purpose in those that fell to the ground.  They will fertilize and grow new vines and new berries so the harvest continues” 

I love how the berries become jam, cobblers and many are just enjoyed as fruit direct from the vine.  The cuts on my hands, the sticking in my arms and the sweat soaking my clothes are worth the effort when we hand the jar of jam, or plate of cobbler to your kids and they enjoy the tastes, smells and fullness of your bounty.  It’s awesome to see some of what would have otherwise rotted on the vine become joy for our family and friends, and their family and friends and to people we don’t even know.  I love how many people ask if they can buy our jam and when we respond, no it is freely given.

“Son, be ready again tomorrow.  The harvest will continue.  The opportunities to bless are always in front of you. 

Did you enjoy the sound of the birds all around you while you harvested?  I stopped your ear buds from playing worship music so you would hear the worship the birds sing to me every morning.  I created them because they worship without ceasing.  I have never had a bird in a bad mood.  I have never had a bird not harvest diligently.  What is the price of two sparrows—one copper coin? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. Matthew 10:29 (NLT)  You are worth more than the sparrows and I provide all they need.  I have all you will even need.

Son, I love you.  I am so proud of you.  Keep trying.  Keep working.  Keep stretching and growing.  Keep your eyes on me.  I will show you where to go and will have the harvest ready for your hands. 

I Love you,

Dad”

Sow righteousness for yourselves,
    reap the fruit of unfailing love,
and break up your unplowed ground;
    for it is time to seek the Lord,
until he comes
    and showers his righteousness on you.

Hosea 10:12 (NLT)

“When the king heard the words of the Law, he tore his robes. He gave these orders to Hilkiah, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Abdon son of Micah, Shaphan the secretary and Asaiah the king’s attendant: “Go and inquire of the Lord for me and for the remnant in Israel and Judah about what is written in this book that has been found. Great is the Lord’s anger that is poured out on us because those who have gone before us have not kept the word of the Lord; they have not acted in accordance with all that is written in this book.” 2 Chronicles 34:19-21

This was King Josiah’s response when the Book of the Law of the Lord that was given through Moses was found and its contents revealed to him. He recognized the evil and sin that Judah had committed against the Lord God.

“‘This is what the Lord says: I am going to bring disaster on this place and its people—all the curses written in the book that has been read in the presence of the king of Judah. Because they have forsaken me and burned incense to other gods and aroused my anger by all that their hands have made, my anger will be poured out on this place and will not be quenched.’ Tell the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the Lord, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says concerning the words you heard: Because your heart was responsive and you humbled yourself before God when you heard what he spoke against this place and its people, and because you humbled yourself before me and tore your robes and wept in my presence, I have heard you, declares the Lord.” 2 Chronicles 24-27

God’s response to the ongoing disobedience of His chosen people was that “I am going to bring disaster on this place and its people.”

In this age of modern Christianity, we want to focus on God’s love (which is endless) and tell the consumer what they want to hear, when in fact we must be telling churchgoers and one another that God’s promises and decrees are complete and 360 degrees. He did provide eternal hope and love through his son AND he also tells us in his Word that he is a jealous God whose anger burns white hot and its intensity knows no bounds.

We are a Country that was founded on the principles and morality of Christianity. As a people, we have turned our back on God’s laws and requirements. We do not have benefit that King Josiah had of pleading ignorance about God’s laws and when Josiah was made aware and understood how he had violated these laws, he immediately humbled himself. Understand without confusion, God is angry at the United States, the Country founded on Him and his laws because we have turned our backs and challenged his authority and doubted his anger.

“And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?” Mark 8:36-37

I challenge you to set the priorities of this life in proper order for your children. Help them understand the temporal value of what the World says is of most value. Teach them that seeking righteousness and aspiring to obey and live lives that honor God are of utmost importance. Help them properly prioritize things so that when asked who they are or what they do, they answer without hesitation, “I am a daughter or son of God, I exist to further His Kingdom.” Set them free by helping them reject that they are defined by what college they attend, what job title they are assigned, what address they abide and what next, fleeting glamorous vacation they take.

“And He said to them, “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?” Luke 2:49

Let’s get to work humbling ourselves to the Omnipotent Creator of all things and get busy doing our Father’s business.

For there are many rebellious people who engage in useless talk and deceive others. This is especially true of those who insist on circumcision for salvation. They must be silenced, because they are turning whole families away from the truth by their false teaching. And they do it only for money. Titus 1:10-11 (NLT)

I have heard the refrain ‘do something’ over and over in the wake of the horrifying and tragic Uvalde shooting that occurred on Tuesday, May 24, 2022. I hear a society saying to a group of 535 failed people, ‘do something.’ The target (no pun intended) is always guns, because they are easy to attack without dealing with the difficult and underlying real issues. Be clear, this group has done something along with their predecessors who sat in the seats they know fill. Things cannot be done without the majority allowing things to be done. When I speak, I often use the illustration of the mirror and its undeniable truths. You cannot look in a mirror without seeing the truth of who you are, where you have come from, your frame of mind and your expectations for the future. America must look in the mirror in this moment and be honest with ourselves. We have done somethings that has delivered us at this moment of carnage and despair.

Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it. Proverbs 22:6

I hear of the 18 year-old little boy who systematically shot and wounded his grandmother and 17 others while killing 19 children and 2 teachers referred to as a ‘monster’, an ‘animal’, ‘pure evil’ and on and on. His actions are deserving of all of those labels. His life is deserving of labels including tragic, failed, broken, desperate, abandoned. A son of parents with long criminal histories, drug addiction, mother living with a boyfriend who drove him away to his grandparents. A life devoid of example, parents and leading. I have never heard the words God, Christ, Church…faith, hope, love, these things when his life is described.

“Parents, don’t provoke your children in a way that ends up discouraging them.” Colossians 3:21

A little boy desperate for love and acceptance, needing someone to pour into him that his life had purpose and that he was valued. Described as a ‘loner’ by most who knew of him, bullied by kids at school, left to seek understanding on his own. DO SOMETHING the chorus of the mob chants today. If only those in Salvador’s path would have done something to acknowledge that he was created by God for a purpose of good.

Everything is pure to those whose hearts are pure. But nothing is pure to those who are corrupt and unbelieving, because their minds and consciences are corrupted. Titus 1:15 (NLT)

Until 1968 anyone could walk into a story and purchase a gun without filling out any type of form, or worry about their data being stored by the government for a still undermined purpose. Since 1968, there have been hundreds of laws passed pertaining to guns, gun ownership, types of guns that can be owned including preventing the ownership of automatic guns and restricting everything from types/styles of guns, types of magazine, types of ammunition and on and on. Ironically, as gun laws have increased and cities like New York and Chicago have implemented non-constitutional laws that prevent gun ownership, crime and gun crimes have skyrocketed. When London implemented laws that prevented and criminalized gun ownership, violent crime skyrocketed.

I have owned and known gun owners for most of my 58 years on Earth and have yet to see a gun jump up and shoot people. Nor have I seen a knife jump up and stab a person, a car start and kill a family, alcohol force it way into a person, a baseball bat decide to no longer hit balls and decide to harm humans. I have seen a digression in the recognition of the value of life by certain users of all of the aforementioned inanimate objects that I listed. I have seen the purposeful destruction of the parents of kids in our society, reducing the parents rights and encouraging the children to learn from a broken society versus the home that had been the primary source of character, moral and spiritual education in the child’s life. I have seen a government become more intrusive in the lives of every American, reducing rights and removing the influence of values through experimental legislation and societal change for the purpose of satisfying the misguided desires of the very small minority. I have witnessed the removal of God from our schools and society, the demonization of our Country’s pledge of allegiance and flag, the ever increasing and educationally driven confusion over gender, sexual orientation, race shaming, parent diminishing, core curriculum assaulting agendas of the National Education Association, while the National School Boards Association works feverishly to criminalize the rights of parents…through the over reach of our government.

But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests,^[a] a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light. 1 Peter 2:9 (NLT)

The tragic destruction of the family and the resulting confusion or outright disdain for the value of life have and are causing the horrifying and immeasurably sad actions of children killing humans. We focus on the disgusting act of a young man, while ignoring the hundreds of similar actions that play out weekly in our most highly regulated and “gun controlled” cities. We focus on the low hanging fruit instead of accepting the brokenness of our society as opposed to focusing on the heavy burden of fixing that which is broken. Creating more unenforceable gun laws is a means to feel better “that something has been done” as opposed to courageously saying ‘we have taken our Country down wrong paths and our children are paying for our wrong leading.’

Because a person decides to drink alcohol to excess and get behind the wheel of a car, too often killing a family or a son or daughter, I don’t think the answer is to remove cars from society and bring back the wagon. America’s educators and far-right political opportunists create in me much greater fear and have agendas that will wreak significantly more destruction through suicide and desperation in the form of “educational or societal reform” than an inanimate object possibly ever could. No child should live in fear of harm either physically, mentally or emotionally. Every child is deserving of love, a home with a man (father) and woman (mother), opportunity and encouragement to pursue the God-given purposes for which they were created as a boy or a girl. Acronyms in our society (NRA, NEA, NSBA, BLM, NMA and on and on) represent the interests of the constituents, most of the time at the cost of too many others, AKA “the majority.”

I agree that our government should do what they are entrusted to do: protect our rights, acknowledge the sanctity of the home and the protected role of the parent and build a society that honors one another while zealously guarding our way and quality of life. Hard things that will diminish the tragedies occurring all around us.

Step one. Let’s recognize the gift and purpose in every life around us.

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” Jeremiah 1:5 (NIV)

“In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.” Ephesians 1:11-14 (ESV)

A great friend of mine, Gary Bekker, wrote this comment yesterday to a group of men that I am privileged to be a part of: “The most amazing thing about this inheritance (referencing the inheritance that God offers and gives us in Christ Jesus), is that there are no performance criteria that we need to meet to receive it. Just believe and receive.”

Have you heard the term “generational skip” used? Over the past decades, I have worked for and with a lot of very wealthy people who would plan for the transfer of the wealth they had amassed in a variety of ways through simple inheritance upon their death to complex trusts with a variety of controls assigned to the trust designed to protect the assets of the trust and the purpose of the recipient’s life. Simply put, the inheritance was typically a reward and the trusts were complex and controlling. In a business setting, I often heard this discussed out of concern from the people that I worked with and for, that their sons or daughters would live lives of meaning, purpose and impact. Using what they had inherited, or been entrusted, to make a difference rather than simply live gratuitous lives of self indulgence. Hmm, sound familiar to what the World is selling today?

I recall sitting at a board (often confused with bored) meeting for a company that I was entrusted to lead at the time and during the lead up to the meeting start, listening to the business’s majority owner’s son discussing his first disbursement from a sizeable trust in his name. He was telling that he had just ordered a new 2-seat Mercedes and was discussing all the bells and whistles that he had added to the car. To be clear, this guy was a genuinely nice guy whose father had him jump through a lot of life hoops to arrive at this moment. As he was talking, I remember thinking, ‘your dad never drives anything but a moderate, American-made car. I wonder how he will respond to your purchase?’ After several minutes of telling us all about the car, the father looked up from his work and said “I’ll tell you now, that if I see that car parked in your driveway, it will be the most expensive Mercedes in history because there will not be additional trust disbursements!” Upon hearing this, the son (without missing a beat said, “boys looks like it’s going to be a Buick.” The Trust was revocable.

“Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. ²⁴ Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ.” Colossians 3:23-24

God assures us through His Son’s death and resurrection that ours is an irrevocable inheritance. So this begs the question, what inheritance understanding are we passing to our children and all those in our path? This is the Prom, elevation and graduation season, moving from preschool to elementary, to middle and high school, college and graduate school and “out into the World.” There is always much fanfare, pomp and celebration for these World assigned benchmarks of importance, and it is important to recognize achievement in meaningful things. The question begs, are we pointing others to the singularly important thing in life? A relationship with Jesus Christ, through the freely given inheritance of eternity?” The Gospel truth.

“So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. All of it is meaningless, a chasing after the wind. I hated all the things I had toiled for under the sun, because I must leave them to the one who comes after me. And who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool?” Ecclesiastes 2:17-18 (NIV)

Where are we pointing the next generation? Toward Jesus and the only truth and light that exist in this World today. The only! Having now gone through numerous seasons in my life and headed into yet another season, God has placed upon my heart to empower His next generation. Protect them. Boldly speak out to them of who He says they are and Whose they are. Teach them to be aware of the lies the World will tell them of what is important. Things that very well may take them away from the only truly important aspect of this life of fleeting seconds leading to eternity’s choice. Heaven or Hell. Encourage them to pursue exactly who God has created them to be. His daughters and sons representing Him, executing the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19), leading others to relationship with Him…all through the vocation(s) that they are destined to attain and live out as Christ Followers. The only title that and attainment of importance, His daughter or son.

There is real truth in the statement, how we live our lives defines that which is important in our lives. A wonderful pastor friend that has had profound influence on my life asked me one time, “Myron, when you are in a room full of people, do you stand out?” He asked me this in reference to my faith and my actions because they should differentiate me in a business setting. This question haunted me at first and over time became a life mantra I pursue: Lord, in every situation stand out through me. My prayer for each of us is that we will protect the next generation and not skip them. That through our genuine love and time, we will teach them that which is important. A sold out life to Jesus Christ, lived each day with purpose and impact. I life that celebrates the achievements based in relationship with Him. Lives focused on the only ‘next’ that matters; Heaven or Hell.

“All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see. So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world. You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy. The reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls.” 1 Peter 1:3-9 (NLT)

Let’s go. The next generation is waiting.

Don’t you love how, if you will allow Him, God will use all things as teaching moments for us in our life? The key considerations here are: 1), do I allow Him; and 2) am I teachable?

“8 He replied, “Don’t let anyone mislead you, for many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and saying, ‘The time has come!’ But don’t believe them. 9 And when you hear of wars and insurrections, don’t panic. Yes, these things must take place first, but the end won’t follow immediately.” 10 Then he added, “Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 11 There will be great earthquakes, and there will be famines and plagues in many lands, and there will be terrifying things and great miraculous signs from heaven.” Luke 21:8-11

I am guilty of being upset, concerned, stressed, confused at all that is happening around me. Being disillusioned by the events occurring both domestically and internationally. Desiring to lash out at those that I disagree with, using my ‘vote,’ my righteous indignation to protest and change all that is wrong occurring around me. Hmm, then that pesky verse Matthew 7:5 shows up: “You hypocrite! First, remove the beam out of your own eye, and then you can see clearly to remove the speck out of your brother’s eye.” WEB translation.

So as I rant, lose valuable time, sacrifice my energy at the alter of “I can change things” clearly outlined as ‘to come’ in the Bible. My Father in Heaven is saying to me, “do you trust me? Do you have faith in me in all things? Is your relationship with me conditional, based upon the status of the temporal things of this Earth? Myron, do you believe all that I had written as a guidepost for your life and the source of outlining what must and is to come?”

So, He is saying to me. Myron, …”Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone. Anyone who believes and is baptized will be saved. But anyone who refuses to be will be condemned.” Mark 16: 15-16 NLT (As a side note, I love who God speaks directly to me and I interpret this to affirm that I am counted among His favorites. A guy can dream and if you dream, dream big.)

The hard question that I continually struggle with is “do my actions and does my life reflect what Jesus and the Father foretold in the guiding book of my life?” Does my complaining, accusing, worrying, self-righteous indignation reflect the Gospel and what my life as a Believer is instructed to represent? Does my reflection mirror a man pursuing righteousness and presenting the hope of the Savior?

I choose hope in Him. I choose joy in all things. I choose to believe and accept all things occurring are foretold and must occur for me to be one day closer to my Father in Heaven for eternity. I choose to love and pray for those that I disagree with, recognizing that they are equally created by the Creator of all things, needing His love as I need His love. I choose to believe more strongly than ever in the deity of God and the power of our petitions to Him in prayer. I believe.

“Consider it all joy, my brothers and sisters, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” James 1:2-4 NASB

Let’s go!

“16 Jesus replied with this story: “A man prepared a great feast and sent out many invitations. 17 When the banquet was ready, he sent his servant to tell the guests, ‘Come, the banquet is ready.’ 18 But they all began making excuses. One said, ‘I have just bought a field and must inspect it. Please excuse me.’ 19 Another said, ‘I have just bought five pairs of oxen, and I want to try them out. Please excuse me.’ 20 Another said, ‘I just got married, so I can’t come.’

21 “The servant returned and told his master what they had said. His master was furious and said, ‘Go quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and invite the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame.’ 22 After the servant had done this, he reported, ‘There is still room for more.’ 23 So his master said, ‘Go out into the country lanes and behind the hedges and urge anyone you find to come, so that the house will be full. 24 For none of those I first invited will get even the smallest taste of my banquet.’” Luke 14:16-24 NLT

The prophecy has been fulfilled. The curtain has been torn. JESUS IS ALIVE FOREVERMORE. The New Covenant is established.

20 Now may the God of peace—

who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus,

the great Shepherd of the sheep,

and ratified an eternal covenant with his blood—

21 may he equip you with all you need

for doing his will.

May he produce in you,

through the power of Jesus Christ,

every good thing that is pleasing to him.

All glory to him forever and ever! Amen.

22 I urge you, dear brothers and sisters, to pay attention to what I have written in this brief exhortation. – Hebrews 13:20-22

There has never been a day of greater promise than the 3rd day. The day that changed everything. The day that life and life’s purpose is clearly understood. The day that love is realized.

There is a beautiful Hymn written long ago (1880), based upon Matthew 11:28 “Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest” that rings so beautifully on this day of absolute assurance.

The lyrics go:

“Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling

Calling for you and for me

See on the portals He’s waiting and watching

Watching for you and for me

Come home, come home

Ye who are weary come home

Earnestly, tenderly Jesus is calling

Calling, “O sinner come home”

O for the wonderful love He has promised

Promised for you and for me

Though we have sinned He has mercy and pardon

Pardon for you and for me

Come home, come home

Ye who are weary come home

Earnestly, tenderly Jesus is calling

Calling, “O sinner come home”

Come home, come home (come home)

Ye who are weary come home

Earnestly, tenderly Jesus is calling

Calling, “O sinner come home”

Jesus death was not in vain because Jesus rose from the dead and with His resurrection, every prophecy, every statement, every word that he said were proven true. The eternal life that Jesus death and resurrected life offers is for you and me. It is a gift. It is love. It is unconditional. A true gift that cannot be earned, only accepted. Jesus is asking you right now, in this moment, “come home.” Come into relationship with me. He continued saying in Matthew 11:29-30 NLT “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Thank you, Lord God most High for the 3rd day. For Jesus. For His resurrection from the dead. For life. For joy. For eternity. For eternal love.

“And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.” Mark 1:35 ESV

You ever notice how quiet often causes our minds to race, our anxiety to take over, our insecurities to manifest themselves in ways that can become crippling for hours, days, weeks, then simply laughed off as ‘ridiculous’ or abruptly leave when Jesus shows up or the Holy Spirit speaks. I wonder, did the disciples and followers of Jesus learn from him and retreat to quiet places to pray, seek and expect upon his death, or did they hide and cower in fear for what was to come?

“But he would withdraw to desolate places and pray.” Luke 5:16 ESV

Today is Saturday. The day of silence. The Savior of the World has been killed. The small band of Believers has been scattered. They’re scared. Disillusioned. Are they being hunted? Was this all a dream…a nightmare? The man who Jesus said was the rock upon whom he would build his church had denied him 3 times in a matters of minutes. One of his chosen 12 had betrayed him for a few pieces of silver. The disciples ran and hid. Their human weakness and vulnerability has manifested itself in sin, doubt, guilt, questioning.

“Afterward Joseph of Arimathea, who had been a secret disciple of Jesus (because he feared the Jewish leaders), asked Pilate for permission to take down Jesus’ body. When Pilate gave permission, Joseph came and took the body away. With him came Nicodemus, the man who had come to Jesus at night. He brought about seventy-five pounds[a] of perfumed ointment made from myrrh and aloes. Following Jewish burial custom, they wrapped Jesus’ body with the spices in long sheets of linen cloth. The place of crucifixion was near a garden, where there was a new tomb, never used before. And so, because it was the day of preparation for the Jewish Passover and since the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there.” John 19:38-42 NLT

So a rich man, member of the Jewish council and a “secret disciple” along with a Pharisee, member of the Sanhedrin and Believer who only met with Jesus at nighttime took the bold step to ask for, prepare and lay Jesus body in a tomb. The typical process for discarding the dead who had been crucified was to throw the bodies on a pile of existing corpses. Probably one last action of disdain and disrespect for those ruled vile enough by the leaders of the day to be killed in what was considered the most painful and degrading way possible. (As an aside, the body of thief on the cross who was now walking in paradise with his Savior, was most certainly thrown into this pile,) Joe and Nick stepped up. They loved the Son of God too much to live with the thought of his body being discarded, desecrated and abandoned,

“But everyone who denies me here on earth, I will also deny before my Father in heaven.” Matthew 10:33

We don’t know what happened in that tomb where Jesus was laid. We don’t know his thoughts. Did the angels come and minister to him as they did after his 40 days in the wilderness? Did Satan come and bow low and admit defeat, having the date outlined to him when his rule over the Earth finally ends Did a royal celebration occur that celebrated sin’s defeat for those who believed in what had and was to occur? We don’t know.

We do know that Sunday is coming. That the pathway to eternal life has been paved in blood. That everything the King of King’s’ Son said had come true. Sunday is coming. Jesus words will become manifest.

“Without question, this is the great mystery of our faith: Christ was revealed in a human body and vindicated by the Spirit. He was seen by angels and announced to the nations. He was believed in throughout the world and taken to heaven in glory.” Matthew 10:33 NLT

Here’s what I know because He has told and shown me through His history and life Book. His disciples would become apostles and take the Hope, Grace and Mercy that is Jesus, to the World. Rejected by many, embraced by some, truth to all. The Church’s rock would be Peter. Young Stephen, an early deacon of the Church would boldly lay his life down for his King. That the 11 who fled and hid, would do miraculous things because the of the example of Jesus and a faith tested and proven through Jesus death, resurrection and instructions. That these 11 and so many others would lay their lives down for the greatest good. That light beat darkness. That Grace and Mercy are freely given. That Hope came, died, rose again and surrounds each of us. That our choice is simple: acceptance or rejection of the One from whom all life flows.

Sunday is coming. Que up the celebration. It’s going to be eternal.

“Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.” “I have not failed. I’ve just found ten thousand ways that won’t work.” Thomas Edison

I had the privilege to begin teaching a new Fight Club Men group in Maryville, TN this past week. This group of men came from a wide array of backgrounds, upbringing, geographic locations, career paths, etc. They all had a common bond that brought them together. Addiction. Lives paused by addiction. Lives defined by addiction. Lives gaining because of addiction. Lives being prepared through the experience of addiction for purpose. Hearts humbled, joy emerging, hungering for impact through the freedom being gained in new identities. Identities in Christ.

In 1986 the Boston Red Sox were on the verge of winning the World Series when their All Star first baseman allowed a simple gounder to go through his legs, giving the Mets “new life” that resulted in the Mets winning the World Series. When asked about the play, the Red Sox player said “one play, one error does not define me or my career.” The error he committed was on one of the most basic plays in baseball and an action, feet apart, eyes on the ball, glove on the ground, taught to players from the very beginning as they learn the art of playing baseball. His feet were apart, his eyes were on the ball, he glove in position and then raised in expectation of a bounce that never happened. An error. A simple error that only would define him if he chose to stop there and not show up again, to play the game, use the skills and pursue the goals that he had been gifted with ability to perform.

How are you defined? Who defines you? As God has been appointing me to bring the message of hope and freedom from pornography’s influence in the local church and in too many good men and women’s lives, I have been blessed with great counsel from the men He has put around me. One good man and fellow Christ warrior generously poured into me with this statement and beautiful thought. “Man, first and foremost, remind them who they are. Remind them whose they are. Confirm in them that they are God’s son and that He loves them exactly where they are.” Transformative thinking. Beautiful. Thank you, my brother Tim, for these words of wisdom and empowerment.

How does God define you?

FREE

2 Corinthians 5:18-19 “All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.”

CHILD OF GOD

John 1:12 “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.”

Romans 8:16-17 “The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.”

Galatians 3:26-28 “… for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

1 Thessalonians 5:5 “For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness.”

CHOSEN

1 Peter 2:9 “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”

John 15:16 “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.”

OLD SELF IS DEAD

Galatians 2:20 “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

Colossians 3:3 “For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.”

NEW CREATION

John 3:3-6 “Jesus answered him, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.’ Nicodemus said to him, ‘How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?’ Jesus answered, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.’”

2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”

NO LONGER CONDEMNED

Romans 8:1 “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

TEMPLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

1 Corinthians 3:16 “Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?”

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.”

WARRIORS

1 John 5:4 “For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.”

A VICTOR

Romans 8:37 “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”

So, another long post and if you have read this long go forward with the understanding that you are God’s beautiful daughter or son that is not defined by your failures. You are defined as a child of the King, created for marvelous purpose, destined to fail and try, try again. Walking forward into another day in the knowledge that your life and your life experiences exist to help another person coming in your path to find freedom, joy, purpose, relationship and eternal life with and through Jesus. You’ve got this.

Then Jesus asked them, “Would anyone light a lamp and then put it under a basket or under a bed? Of course not! A lamp is placed on a stand, where its light will shine. For everything that is hidden will eventually be brought into the open, and every secret will be brought to light. Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.” Mark 4:21-23 (NLT)

Probably the greatest victory that the Father is delivering through Fight Club Men is the victory over guilt and shame, He is doing this through communities of men understanding that addiction or dependence does not define them. Christ does. That transparency and vulnerability delivers gain and growth while removing the chains of secrecy and isolation. That God’s purpose in our lives is greater than Satan’s attacks and attempts to keep us imprisoned in the past.

There is a reason why a windshield is larger than a rear window. Focus on the future that God has planned for you. It is marvelous.