Looking Beyond Our Imagined Good

"Imaginary evil is romantic and varied; real evil is gloomy, monotonous, barren, boring. Imaginary good is boring; real good is always new, marvelous, intoxicating." Simone Weil

It deeply saddens me that on the whole, Christians have done an awful job creating a vision of GOOD that is "new, marvolous and intoxicating." Instead, we've focused on two important, but completed aspects of our faith.

The first is redemption. It is important because it is the foundational truth for everything we believe. Christ's death, burial and resurrection redeemed us from the curse of sin and has made us new again. It is also complete. There is nothing more to do beyond His saving act.

Second is "the don'ts." Outside of salvation, the other focus of the church is what not to do or say. We've reduced our remaining time on earth to a mission focused on staying within a series of restricting and stifling rules. Now, like redemption, these are important because they are absolute truth and we are called to follow them. But once again, these rules are complete - they were written a LONG time ago.

Now, let me stress that I am NOT saying we should not focus on these things. We should. They are two pillars of the faith. But there's more that we never mention. We tell folks to NOT do this, or NOT do that, without giving them compelling alternatives. Nature abhors a void, and not offering replacements for the bad stuff means it will ultimately come back in. This has left people to lead grasping lives that are, or will be, "gloomy, monotonous, barren, boring."

It's sad. The people around us are literally DYING to see life manifested. Grab hold of God's gift.

Strong, Passionate and Dangerous

- I want to be strong.
I want to walk and lead with confidence. A confidence that comes from a place filled by God. A confidence that is peaceful yet explosive at the same time. I want to lead, plan, guide, love and move from this place. I want to be strong.
I want to be a man.

- I want to be passionate.
I want to live from a place deep within me. A place where God encourages, inspires and provides. A place I often ignore because of doubts, insecurities and fears. I want to stop ignoring.

I want to go when He says go, speak when He says now, trust when He says move. I want to faithfully live out the dreams He has given and inspire those around me to do the same. In the little and the big, I want to MOVE. And move from my heart.
I want to be a man.

- I want to be dangerous.
I want to unleash the Godly empowered man in me and inspire those around me to greatness and push them to success. I want to sweep my wife off her feet and free her to be the woman she is - beauty-full, power-full and sexy. I want to surprise my kids with my time, devotion and inspiration and help them unleash all that they have as well - abundant and abandoned love for God and their friends and TALENTS! I want to WAKE PEOPLE UP to the gift they've been given:

LIFE! Abundant and empowered life through Christ our Savior.

I want to be a man.
Yes Lord, I want to be a man.

Why You Should Be Wealthy

Why You Should Be Wealthy
Category: Life

We live in a world that cannot make up it's mind about money. And no group of people is more confused than the church. I personally believe this is a tragedy and I'd like to point out why. So here are my 25 reasons why I think you should be wealthy:

1. Because you can.

2. Because others can't.

3. Because others need you to be so...

4. They can see your success and believe they can succeed too.

5. Because righteous, rich and loyal Christians terrify the enemy.

6. Because a 10% tithe of a lot is a lot.

7. Because 25% or 50% of a lot is even more.

8. Because there's no way to legally become wealthy without helping a whole lot of people (and if you win the lottery, see reason #7). Wealth is gained by providing something people want and creating a company (jobs) to provide that something. Both of these activities help people. Period.

9. Because the Lord gives you the power to gain wealth. Deuteronomy 8:18 - But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your forefathers, as it is today.

10. Because He hates poverty. Among others, here's Prov. 10:15 - The wealth of the rich is their fortified city, but poverty is the ruin of the poor.

11. Because the bible says the following in Prov. 13:22 - A good man leaves an inheritance for his children's children.

12. Because you'll be free to spend your time how, where and when you're truly needed instead of spending 50% of your waking life working for someone else.

13. Because you'll eat healthier and probably live longer.

14. Because you'll have extra food and...

15. Extra cars and...

16. Extra homes.

17. Because someone you know is hungry, has a broken down car, or simply needs a place to go on vacation.

18. Because you would be a Godly and kindhearted employer.

19. Because you would be a Godly and kindhearted landlord.

20. You'd have more peace in your life. I didn't say happiness, I said peace (see reason #10).

21. Because you could become more active in your community, town, state or country.

22. Because money is a tool and...

23. As a tool, it is either controlled by you, used against you, or sitting idly wasting away. Wealth is NOT about amounts, it is about control. It is about stewardship – which is really what this post is about (see reasons 1, 6-9, 11, 12, 13, 14-19 and 25) .

24. Because properly gained wealth is one of the tangible measures of how you've helped other people. This sounds controversial, but it's not. What I mean is IF and WHEN you help people (see reason #8) you will gain wealth. For some reason, this repels people from moving forward in life. They keep their goals small so "people won't think I'm greedy and selfish." Sorry, but if you have the next Microsoft, Cancer treatment, Automobile Engine or local restaurant idea inside of you and you don't let it out, THAT is being selfish and greedy. And DON'T apologize if letting them out gives you reasons 6, 11, 12, 13-16 and 18-21 in the process.

25. What have you been given? This is much deeper than reason #1. That is not simply about effort but about living out the big dreams God has placed in your heart. The ones that make you excited and terrified at the same time. The ones that cause you to think "what if" and "no way" in the same breath.

My hope is that you'll put "because you can" with "what have you been given" and become a #5. And isn't that what you really want to be?

The Heart of God

feminine
- masculine
beautiful
- strong
soft
- tough
loving
- protecting
captivating
- dangerous
gentle
- correcting
enveloping
- leading
fierce
- aggressive
life giving
- guiding
wise
- cunning
tender
- firm
thoughtful
- risky
tough
- determined
sacrificing
- sacrificing

passionate
- yes, passionate

21 Years With Beauty

Here's what I wrote about our 21st Anniversary this past February:

21 years ago today, after 26 days of dating and 3 months of engagement, Jill and I were married.

That we're still together after 21 years is not a surprise. Of course I'm amazed, thankful, awed, intermittently frustrated and hopeful, but not at all surprised.

I'm amazed because Jill is far more beautiful today than the day we were married - and that is saying a lot. What takes away my breath, though, is the depth of her beauty. It comes from a righteous heart tempered by many storms and struggles, that is determined to grow in faith. A heart that is determined to turn those struggles into victories. A heart that is growing in the realization of purpose and direction.

I'm thankful to a God that has never let us forget that we knew we were to be married and that divorce was NOT an option. More specifically, I'm thankful that on the days that one of us DID forget, the other one didn't. In the end, the fact that both of us have fought for the marriage when the other has forgotten has made what we have all the richer.

I'm awed by the character of Jill. She has stuck by a man that has not always been worthy. She has held tight to God and His promises even when I was working against His plan. She has advised, nurtured, loved and supported until the man that she saw and the marriage she believed in became a reality. She has also touched others, starting wih our children. I will never be able to repay her for the sacrifice, based solely on blind faith, of homeschooling Kayce and Jennah. They are what they are because their mom has laid down so much to just BE there.

I'm intermittently frustrated and hopeful because that's life. Our life is not perfect and we've both bent, twisted, altered and given up on our hopes and dreams until it hurts. Man it hurts. But then there's the deep place inside that says stop and look closer - WOW. I have hope that despite laying down so much, what we've built and will CONTINUE to build is far beyond anything I could've ever imagined.

Yes, I'm amazed, thankful, awed, intermittently frustrated and hopeful, but not at all surprised. I'm not surprised that we've lasted 21 years. The day we got married, we knew it was for life. That was our desire, hope and plan. And I'm not surprised that in the tough times - and there have been the worst imaginable tough times - God met us with exactly what we needed to stay together.

I'm not surprised there have been tough times. Joshua makes it clear why there are "giants in the land" and I'm thankful for them. We have a depth and richness to our relationship born out of those times. Jill and I have fought, clawed, sweated and bled for what we have and we are wealthy for it. We have lived life, and lived it to the full. And what a life it's been.

Happy Anniversary Jill.

Seduction and Wealth

In the post I just finished, "More About Men," I attempted to make a point about the counterfeits of the enemy and used Victoria's Secret and Donald Trump to illustrate. Let me clarify what I'm saying.

As we look around this world in which we live for meaning and direction we would all do well to remember the Author and Creator of everything as well as His non-creative, deceiving enemy. We would do well to understand that the enemy cannot build, create, design, invent, solve or innovate.

The enemy did not create the beauty, nor the attraction men and women have towards it, that is blasted on our screen in Victoria's Secret commercials. God did. Am I saying that the commercials are okay? No. That beauty, displayed that way, is NOT meant to be viewed by everyone and used to sell stuff. In addition, the commercials put doubts into the minds of both men and women about measuring up to impossible standards.

But would I be wrong to suggest that the power portrayed in those commercials pails in comparison to the power Eve had on Adam when she was first created? Was that power good or bad? What was it for? What does this mean for Godly relationships between men and women?

Same thing with Donald Trump. There's no doubt that he's a driven man (and not by money, by the way), but can you really say the desire to succeed at something grand is unGodly when Adam and Eve were told to explore and subdue the world? What does this mean for Godly men and women today? What does God want us to do, how high should we be aiming for?

I still don't feel like I'm nailing my point, but what I'm trying to say is that there are reasons why we Christians seem to want the same things "the world" wants. Because they aren't "the world's", they're God's. And seeing them in this way - cutting through the deception of a counterfitting and non-creative enemy - gives us motivation and reason to live powerfully and make a difference.

Forgive me if I'm off a bit in expressing my thoughts, I'll keep working at it until it's all out.

More About Men

I last wrote - far too long ago - asking "Where Are All the Men?" I was frustrated at the time and that feeling hasn't gone away. But I'm not frustrated because of the lack of men, I'm frustrated because of the two reasons I believe there are no men.

First, the enemy has convinced believers that the entire purpose of Christ's death and resurrection was forgiveness and reconciliation. We've been lulled into a self-satisfying waiting game believing that we've been given eternal life with God – a life that begins when we die or when Christ makes his triumphant return. Don't get me wrong, this is indeed an important part of Jesus' victorious resurrection, but it is only a half truth.

Second, the enemy has crafted a desirable set of counterfeit objectives for men (and women) to live for. Well, let me rephrase this second point. My REAL frustration is that we – believers – have missed the truths behind these counterfeits. Aghast at a Victoria's Secret commercial, we teach that seduction is bad. Misunderstanding the motivations of a Donald Trump, we teach that wealth and success are bad. And don't even get me started with our love/hate relationship with sports.

We must see through these lies if we want men and what they can bring. We must believe that beyond salvation, Christ's mission was one of restoration. Restoration to LIFE – and a power filled life at that. A life meant to be lived, explored, molded, crafted and expanded. A life meant to be acted upon and fought for. And we must see that the waiting game lie and the counterfeit objectives are the enemies of this age and our very lives are the way we defeat them.

Marriage isn't simply a commitment for life; it is supposed to be a passion filled relationship full of growth, excitement and adventure. It is the earthly, source of power and encouragement for all that a man and woman can do. Parenting isn't just about teaching children wrong from right; it is the foundation on which civilization rests. Work isn't for food and shelter; it's for inventions, solutions, employment and wealth – for the worker, the community, the nation and the world. And Christ didn't come just for salvation; He came to give life to people He needs for History.
There is no such thing as man who doesn't matter and there is nothing more important and desperately needed than a man boldly living a Christian life.