I PRAISE YOU 24/7!!!!!! AND THIS HOW YOU DO ME!!!!!

After dropping the game winning touchdown pass against the Steelers Steve Johnson, the Buffalo Bills wide-out, ranted on Twitter, "I PRAISE YOU 24/7!!!!!! AND THIS HOW YOU DO ME!!!!!"   Out of his frustration, disappointment and hurt he shouted and blamed God for his misfortune.   Predictably, the world jumped on @StevieJohnson13 for his rant and misplacing the blame.  He received national attention on TV, print, talk radio, blogs, and social networks.  Had he caught the ball I am not sure the world would know Steve Johnson.   Sadly I must admit I have placed blame at God's feet to many times myself.  Maybe I didn't send a tweet to the whole world about it but I am probably guilty of far worse.


It's funny how we believe we are entitled to so much.  "If I do this or that for you God, then don't I "deserve" what I want?"   There are plenty of voices in many pulpits that will reinforce this notion that we are entitled and that we can place God in our debt.  Your Blessed Life Now or The Blessed Life are just a couple of popular titles that will in subtle and not so subtle ways convince you that you deserve better.  The message that God is for you and that God is here for you is deafening and overwhelming.  As if God is not the center of the universe, you are.  But we don't have to go any further than our own wicked deceitful hearts to hear that message.  


Isn't it true, every moment of every day we tell ourselves we should have it better?  We should have more.  We deserve more.  We don't deserve to be treated this way or that someone or something is keeping us from happiness.   If we have any church background at all, at some point, the Steve Johnson thought comes into our heads and we say, "Look at all I have done for You, don't I deserve better?"  


When I think about the tantrums that I have thrown so many times it makes me sick.   What's worse, I really believed it.  God in His mercy opened my eyes to the obvious truth, we don't deserve anything from God but His wrath.  The reality that Steve Johnson can run and breath and jump is a miracle and only by God's grace do we have any ability at all.

Paul, in Ephesians 2, says it best, "All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath.  But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy,  made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved."

Clearly, Paul is not speaking to everyone but only to those who have been made alive by God.  And that is Paul's point.  It wasn't anything that we did or could do or bring.  We have nothing and deserve nothing but His wrath and if He doesn't intervene we are lost.  It is only by His grace.  With this correct perspective like Job we should say, "though He slay me yet will I trust Him".  He may crush me in this life and He may choose to bless me.  I may catch the touchdown pass and I may not, but whatever comes my way He knows what is best for me and without Him I would be nothing.  Paul goes on to say why He saved us in the first place.  And it isn't for us or so we could enjoy a "Blessed Life", on this earth, but rather,   "that in the coming ages He might show the incomparable riches of His grace".  That's right, it is for His glory. Period, end of story.  Not my story and glory. Not yours either.  His.  To Him be all glory, honor, dominon, power, and strength, forever and ever Amen.

Should we forgive Michael Vick?

On the way to work this morning I tuned in to a national syndicated morning sports talk show. As I listen to the anchors of this show discuss Michael Vick's return to football stardom, I couldn't help but notice how they so delicately handled his past dog fighting offenses. His dog fighting activity sent him to prison for 2 years. I listened to them go on and on asking, "should we forgive him, have we forgave him? What does it say about us as a society and fans that he has received the most votes for the pro bowl this year?" Listening in, my thoughts weren't really about Michael Vick at all. To be honest, I hope he has turned his life around. I hope that he makes a huge contribution to his community. But he really isn't my point or focus.

I couldn't help but notice how these guys talking about Michael Vick's past didn't even mention his past in any detail. It was obvious they were doing everything they could to avoid mentioning it, describing it, or discussing it. They did mention how disgusted they were with what he did and how they were outraged by his actions back then. They also described how they received enormous outrage and hate mail for even mentioning his come back a year ago.

What struck me by all of this is how they wouldn't say that he "killed" dogs. It was clear they were avoiding it.  I suppose perhaps they didn't want to be offensive. Their handling of the topic really began to bug me. Here is a guy that killed dogs and did prison time for it. But he didn't abort a baby. He didn't take advantage of a woman or women and then discard them. He didn't infect a child with aids.  He didn't buy a little girl for sex.  The effects of these and other offenses to humans are far graver and more devastating than killing some animal.

I guess my problem with that conversation was just how skewed our values are and have become. There is outrage over animal abuse and in contrast there is very little reaction over the abuse to mankind that goes on daily all around us.

Am I alone in this? I wonder what you think?

Rangers fight back demons

Our Texas Rangers have done it! They have defeated a 39 year old demon. This team and these players have a great story. Many of the players on this team have great stories. None better than Josh Hamilton's story of his battle with substance abuse. We too often hear the dark and ugly side of athlete's. You can find as much information and details of the sorted tales of Brett Farve's sexting or Tiger Woods extra marital activities as you have time for. It is everywhere. But where are the stories of men overcoming, beating back life's challenges?

Josh's story highlighted on the I am second video is amazing. What is just as amazing is his continued submission to the Lord. The Lord captured his heart in that moment of desperation and has kept Josh ever since. Recently, Josh went to speak to a youth group at a local church testifying of the Lord's faithfulness and saving power in his life instead of celebrating with champagne with his teammates after the game that clinched the playoffs this season. After the Tamba Bay playoff series his teammates celebrated with Ginger Ale.

When we watch Josh Hamilton take the field tonight against the hated Yankees, like any of us who have been saved and rescued, Josh knows there wouldn't be a game or a life without Christ doing for him what he could not do for himself. Jesus truly is the Demon hunter for all of us. That makes me want to shout hallelujah, Thank you Jesus, Lord your worthy of all the honor and all the praise and Go Rangers!


You can learn more about Josh Hamilton at TriplePlayMinistries.com

2010 Republican "Pledge To America"

Link: GOP Pledge To America

Amen! The House GOP nailed this one.  You can't go wrong sticking to the Declaration of Independence and Biblical truth.  Because God is our Creator and we are His cherished creation we have intrinsic value that no government can take away or improve. When our liberties are infringed upon by our government it is our right and duty before God to act in accordance with God's will and power to change that government.

Roger Staubach, still Captain America

Recently Published In a Letter to the Editor Column in the Dallas Morning News.

To Roger Staubach, still Captain America -- Recently, my brother was sitting in first class on a flight from Dallas-Fort Worth to Colorado Springs when a couple boarded and sat in front of him. He immediately recognized the man as Roger Staubach. They exchanged greetings, and Staubach said he was headed to Colorado Springs for the inaugural Warrior Games.

After 60 or 70 percent of the plane was boarded, a female Army soldier who had lost her leg boarded. Staubach insisted she sit in his seat; she said, "no, thanks," but he insisted. He took her place in a middle seat way in the back. After a few minutes, the young girl got tears in her eyes and said she wanted to go to her seat and have Staubach return to his.

The flight attendant overheard, and, as the female soldier headed to retrieve Staubach, the attendant said she had a no-show and both could sit in first class.

The flight attendant returned with the female soldier, but Staubach sent a double amputee Army soldier to sit in his seat. Staubach remained in coach the entire flight and disembarked last. My brother waited and asked for an autograph for my birthday; Staubach said certainly. It's a great gift, but the greater gift is knowing Roger Staubach is still Captain America.

Drew Werner, Addison http://topics.dallasnews.com/topic/Addison%2C_Texas>

How "beautiful" He is

A continuation of several posts expounding on each line of the song "How He Loves Us". I hope you enjoy this as much as I do.

"And I realize just how beautiful You are, And how great Your affections are for me".
...But he who has been forgiven little loves little. Luke 7:47
.... when he came to his senses Luke 5:17

Kim Walker ~ How He Loves US with lyrics
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-rW528qiYw

Love is an amazing emotion that God has given mankind the capacity to enjoy and reciprocate. The trouble is the human heart, on its own, doesn't fully understand love nor do we appreciate love or know how to give or receive love. This is only possible by the work of the Holy Spirit. I sighted these two verses because they are two of my favorite stories told in scripture that gives us insight into an appropriate response to God's kind of love.

The first is the story of a "sinful" woman who anointed Jesus feet while He was "reclining" with a group of men. I envision a group of guys hanging out telling stories and laughing, making lots of noise. And then this woman shows up and the room gets very quiet. As she breaks open the jar of perfume and begins to wash Jesus feet there are hushed whispers all over the room. No one can believe what is happening and that Jesus is allowing this "sinful" woman to continue. Jesus explains to Peter with an analogy of forgiven debt and delivers this powerful line, "he who has been forgiven little loves little". When I read this I think about my life and the rest of us who grew up in church all our lives. We grow up in comparison mode of lying to ourselves we are "good" people. We don't fall into any of the major sins therefore we are better and deserving. This is a dangerous horrible place to be because it limits our capacity to love Him.

Don't get me wrong I don't want my children to ever experience the consequences of dark deep rooted sin. But the reality is all of our hearts are deep and dark and filled with sin, we just don't know it until the Holy Spirit reveals our hearts to us. There is none good no not one. We believe the lie that we ever were. Because of this lie we sit around a room whispering while the "sinner" is absolutely captivated by Him.

Gratefully, but with much pain, I had a "come to my senses" moment back in 2007. I had chosen a path that continually and progressively led me to a dark place. When that moment came, I call it my 2x4 moment because it felt like I had been hit in the head with a 2x4, I came to my senses. In that moment I stood in my filth. I was disgusted by what I had done and who I had become. I was lost and I knew it. I had no hope and like the boy in the story in Luke 5 all I wanted to do was go home. But like him, I didn't know if He would have me. It is then I looked up in the middle of my mess; filthy, dirty, desperately wanting to be clean that I saw the Savior. All I saw was this pure, holy, "beautiful" God that looked at me with love and desire.

Unconditional love is so unlike anything that we could ever imagine or give or even receive on human terms. We don't even expect it from one another. We all believe that we have to perform, or provide, or be something of worth before someone will love us. As I stood there with nothing of worth but who I was; I had nothing to offer but me and who could love that? But He did. There is no explanation for why He chose to love me. Why He would choose me. It truly is of no doing of my own. He just does. There is no other words to describe it but "beautiful". In that line in the song it is so simple but so powerful, "and I realized just how beautiful Y0u are and how great Your affections are for me." This captures that moment. Like when the woman caught in adultery and Jesus lifts her head and ask where are your accusers? This is that beautiful moment.

I so wish I had come to this place without having gone the dark path. I so desire for my children to be spared the pain of sin and pray for mercy over them. But I also feel sad for church goers who aren't moved in worship by a Savior that is so great, and so gracious, loving, so forgiving and oh so beautiful. In that moment when I am so overwhelmed by, captivated by, enraptured by His great love I gladly forsake all my junk, my sin, my filth, for Him. If only for a moment I can possess Him, have Him, obtain Him. If were the whole realm of nature mine that were an offering far too small. Love so amazing so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all.

How He Loves Us - Part 2

For the next several posts I hope to expound on each line of the song "How He Loves Us". I hope you enjoy this as much as I will.

Love like a Hurricane, I am a tree bent by His waves of mercy.
For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. II Cor 5:14

Kim Walker ~ How He Loves US with lyrics
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-rW528qiYw

I loved the movie "The Notebook". As the love story builds the main character wrote love letters to his lover every day for one year. Later, as the story unfolds and the truth comes out about the un-returned letters, the lover is blown away by Noah's, the main characters, persistence and great faith in her, even though she never once responded or acknowledged the letters and effort. After being told of the letters, years later, she is clearly overwhelmed by his expression of love. The audience is captivated by this demonstration of love as well.

The line in this song so beautifully describes the Fathers violent, persistent, and tenacious pursuit of us. Jesus did not just write us love letters, which He did, but His demonstration of love towards us is so amazing so overwhelming and violent the image of a hurricane is beautiful. I have never personally witnessed a hurricane except on TV. The images are horrific. The wind and rain are relentless. It seems that it never stops. Wave after wave after wave of relentless thrashing. This image of this relentless violent rain is a great visual of His love for us.

No greater love than this than a man lay down His life for His friends. He took our place. Taking for us what we did deserve and giving us what we didn't. Martin Luther wrote of Jesus, "Hanging cursed upon the tree because of our transgressions, Jesus, in the Father's righteous judgment, had become "adulterer" to save sexual sinners. Likewise, He was "murderer" to save the hateful, as well as "oath-breaker," "liar," "sorcerer," and every other type of wicked person, even though He never committed a single one of these sins."

In our place Jesus took all our shame every embarrassing sin, the humiliation, the scorn. He took it all so that we might enjoy, obtain, and possess Him. What a Savior.