From the Desk of a Geek

From the Desk of a Geek:

The Good Old Days

I sometimes sent and daydream what it would be like to live in certain places and time.

One of my favorite dreams is living in the 1930s and 1940s the sights and sounds of Swing, Jazz, night clubs, and dress up in a tuxedo for dinner and the theater.

Reflecting on the "good old days" can bring back warm thoughts and fond memories. But could longing for a lost past diminish the joy of the present and the hope God has in store for your future?

Sometimes you hear people talk about the "good old days"—a time when life was simpler, more carefree, without the troubles and confusion of today's world.

Do you ever long for the "good old days"?

When the "good old days" were depends on your frame of reference. Some would argue that the good old days were the 1930s, when life was simple and the country was built on church and family values.

Others might say it was the 1950s, when everyone seemed to enjoy a rapidly growing standard of living. Still others might look back on the 1980s as a time of prosperity and rejuvenation of national pride.

Were the good old days 1952? Postage stamps were only 3 cents, pocket-sized transistor radios hit retail stores and Singin' in the Rain was one of the top movies.
Of course, for the thousands suffering and dying in the Korean War, those days weren't so good.

Maybe you fondly remember 1964. The Beatles were all the rage, and John Wayne was a popular movie star. Science promised a future of leisure, with plenty of prepackaged food and no disease.
But then maybe you remember the fear you experienced as a child as you and your classmates practiced getting under your desks in case of thermonuclear war between the United States and the Soviet Union. Some of you may remember having to sit in the back of the bus because of the color of your skin.

The truth is that human nature, and the human condition, have always been a mixture of good and evil. The good old days were never as good as they seem.

Do present financial uncertainties, family problems, political chaos, loss of spiritual purpose and deterioration of morality throughout society have you longing for some lost good old days?

Here are three steps you can take to allow God to make today meaningful and help you grasp the future He is offering you beyond today.

1. Seek God's future for your life.

2. Seek God's purpose in your life now.

3. Don't allow present difficulties to sidetrack you from the future God is planning for you.

Are you allowing today's problems to rob you of your present peace of mind and hope for the future?

God wants to clean up your life. He wants you to turn to Him as the source of life and as your Father. He wants you to be His child forever in His Kingdom. This is His future for you. The question being asked of you is this: Do you want His future by living His purpose in your life today? 

Lonnie

From the Desk of a Geek: Mississippi River Adventures

From the Desk of a Geek:

Mississippi River Adventures 

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is an 1876 novel by Mark Twain about a young boy growing up along the Mississippi River. It is set in the 1840s in the town of St. Petersburg, which is based on Hannibal, Missouri, where Twain lived as a boy. 

In the novel, Tom Sawyer has several adventures, often with his friend Huckleberry Finn. Originally a commercial failure, the book ended up being the best selling of any of Twain's works during his lifetime

Tom Sawyer’s cousin, Sid, “had no adventurous, troublesome ways.”

He went quietly about his business, did his chores, and caused no ripples. Tom, however, was different. He had a nose for trouble. 

Occasionally, very occasionally, he “stumbled into obedient conduct,” much to the delight of his long-suffering 

Aunt Polly. 

But even then things were not always as they appeared.

It is impossible to imagine a book called The Adventures of Sid Sawyer. Who would want to read about a good kid who never got into trouble, never rocked a boat, never finagled his way out of a fix? We prefer the escapades and scrapes of an adventurous rascal. 

But as appealing as these characters are, their mischievousness can be disruptive.

Why do some people seek out trouble and home in on it like a heat-seeking missile? Perhaps it’s the thrill of matching wits with authority. Maybe it’s an indication of a restlessness of spirit that seeks a satisfaction not found in legitimate activities.

In the days of Isaiah the prophet, God asked his chosen people, “Why do you continue to invite punishment? Must you rebel for ever?”

The people’s rebellion and unacceptable behavior were inviting God’s punishment. In fact, the Lord was so disgusted by their behavior that he even told them that the donkey and ox recognize and appreciate their master, but his people’s behavior didn’t even reach the standard of those servile animals!

God is the one who defines acceptable and unacceptable behavior, if we question whether a man should concern himself with the eternal consequences of his actions, a brief reading of God’s dealings with Israel will show the facts. 

God displays his righteousness by dealing rightly with his people. That includes ensuring that they live with the consequences of their actions.

But the question remains. Why do people continue to invite punishment?

Why do we persist in rebelling against God? The answer is found in Isaiah’s statement. We invite punishment when we take from God all he provides but do not “appreciate his care.” We invite trouble when, after years of instruction, we “still do not understand.” 

We continue to rebel when, prompted by our wicked hearts, we willfully turn “away from the Lord.” We behave like God’s ancient people when we cut ourselves off “from his help”.

People who persist in rebelling and inviting God’s punishment are asking for trouble. And there’s nothing appealing about that!

Lonnie

From the Desk of a Geek: The Delta

From the Desk of a  Geek:

The Delta

I don't consider myself a "blues-man" although I've been spending alot of my extra time researching The Blues, and the men and women who became legends because of the blues for an upcoming podcast.

Artist like "Son" House, Muddy Waters,

John Lee Hooker, Mamie Smith,

Blind Lemon Jefferson, and the great 

Robert johnson.

Delta blues is one of the earliest-known styles of blues. It originated in the Mississippi Delta, and is regarded as a regional variant of country blues. Guitar and harmonica are its dominant instruments; slide guitar is a hallmark of the style. 

Vocal styles in Delta blues range from introspective and soulful to passionate and fiery.

There are many legendary folklore that go with the blues, one in particular is the story of Robert Johnson and his deal with the devil down at the old crossroads.

Legend says that, as a young man living on a plantation in rural Mississippi, Johnson had a tremendous desire to become a great blues musician. 

Johnson was instructed to take his guitar to a crossroad near Dockery Plantation at midnight.

 There he met the Devil who took the guitar and tuned it. The Devil played a few songs and then returned the guitar to Johnson, giving him mastery of the instrument. 

This story of a deal with the Devil at the crossroads mirrors the legend of Faust. In exchange for his soul, Johnson was able to create the blues for which he became famous.

We all have bad days, and we all feel like singing the blues but how we categorise our bad days as such depends on our individual outlook. 

For some of us a rainy day and getting splashed by a car on our way to work is all it takes to doom the day ahead. But for others a bad night's sleep, transport delays, a wardrobe malfunction and an unforeseen work emergency would not be enough to dampen their spirits.

Regardless of how much or how little it takes for us to feel fed up with our day, the prospect of a new day brings with it exceptional hope. It means a clean slate, a fresh start and a chance to begin again.

In a similar way but on a much greater scale, as Christians, our relationship with Christ offers the same things. 

Even our best days before we came to know Christ could appear to be not really that good once we come to know Christ. 

But once we open our hearts to Him, even our bad days could become some of our best.

When we let the Lord lead us we have so much to look forward to. And that goes for here and now and in heaven.

But sometimes the scary stuff that's happening all around us can make it hard to see the glory that God brings. During times like these, it's comforting to hear His voice and flood our thoughts with His ability to bring about a new day and a new us.

If you're having a bad day, spending some time meditating over any number of the following pieces of Scripture can help to lift your mood. 

Even if you're not going through a bad time at the moment, these Bible verses could help a friend who is. If you can think of someone who's down today or in the days to come, why not share these uplifting and optimistic biblical extracts with them?

Psalm 30:5 — "For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favour lasts a lifetime; weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning."

Ecclesiastes 7:14 — "When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider this: God has made the one as well as the other. Therefore, no one can discover anything about their future."

John 16:33 — "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

Lamentations 3:22-23 — "Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."

Lonnie

From the Desk of a Geek

From the Desk of a Geek:

Do Not Pass Go, Do Not Collect $200.00

Choose you this day whom you will serve…  Joshua 24:15

When I was growing up we always played board games and I still enjoy playing them with my kids. My favorites are games like Boggle and Scrabble because I love words. Guess you can tell how much I like words by how much I write.

I think the game all my family likes to play the most is Monopoly.  We don’t do that one as much because the game usually lasts so long we end up taking breaks and then coming back to it. Sometimes we go back to it the next day.

Our board games are all stacked up in the corner of our living room and I was looking at that stack recently and thinking of all the strange names they all have.

Those words they use for game names have stuck around in my head for several days now and after thinking about them for a while, I decided we could learn a little about choices we make in our lives from some of them.

*Monopoly

What’s monopolizing your time?  What is monopolizing your thoughts?  What is monopolizing your life?

Do you take chances with your witness?Are you showing up in places or doing things that you know could tempt you? That can cause consequences.

*Sorry

Do you confess your sins so you keep your fellowship with the Lord?  Do you follow the biblical guidance on forgiving others

*Twister

Are you twisted up with sin?  Sin has a way of entangling you.  You can’t serve two masters.

*Trouble

Are you a troublemaker? Do your actions cause others to stumble 

*Chutes and Ladders

I noticed this game wasn’t in our stack of games in our living room, but as I was thinking about these game names, that one came to mind. 

My kids have outgrown it now but when they were little, they loved it.

Are you climbing higher in your Christian life or are you sliding down? Are you growing and moving forward

Like our Christian lives, here we are moving ahead and climbing higher, but when we don’t stay in the Word or start skipping church, and swish, we slide down that chute and have to pick ourselves back up and push forward again.

We play games as entertainment, to spend time with our kids, or just for the plain enjoyment of the game.  We think of games as lighthearted things, but everyday living isn’t quite so lighthearted.  We move space to space and hit high points and low points on the way.

The thing is that we don’t move around that great gameboard of life by taking some dice in our hands, rolling, and seeing what numbers come up before we move. Our spaces and directions we move in are all by our own choices.

Only we have the power to decide which way we are going to go, how many steps we are taking, and how long we will stay at a point.

We don’t go along and then have to stop and pick up a card that says, “Today you will spend time with the Lord in prayer” or “Today you will sin”.

It doesn’t work that way. We choose what we end up doing.  We have control of the board. Sure, circumstances and things come up in our lives but only we choose how we deal with them. Only we choose how we are going to live from day to day.

In Joshua chapter 24, it is talking about where Joshua brought all the tribes of Israel together and reminded them Who God was.  The people had gone off to serve other gods and Joshua gave them a powerful demand that day, “Choose you this day whom ye will serve”.

It’s what we’ve got to think about ourselves every day.  Are we going to serve the Lord today as we take on life step by step?

Lonnie

From the Desk of a Geek; Cowboy Up

From the Desk of a Geek:

Cowboy Up

I'm not a country boy, a cowboy, or a farmer. That's my wife, with the exception of being a "cowgirl" not a cowboy.

But sometimes I daydream with my guitar while sitting on a hay bale watching my wife ride or work with her horses.

I daydream about being a cowboy in the old west. Maybe a peacemaker like Wyatt Earp, or a gambling gentleman like Doc Holiday, and sometimes I sit and daydream about legendary rodeo star Lane Frost,  an American professional rodeo cowboy who specialized in bull riding, and competed in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, and left this world way to soon...

Just like getting on the back of a bull or reaching out to grab that steer, finding salvation takes courage.

It means looking closely at yourself and your beliefs and, as an adult, overcoming the challenge of believing in something you cannot see or touch with what might require child-like faith.

Jesus was real. Beyond what we see in the Bible, he was a real, walking, talking, historical figure verified in more than the Bible itself. But He was much more than just a prophet or a good teacher as many describe him–Jesus was the Son of God, fulfilling Old Testament prophecies of a coming savior.

And like the courage needed to compete in any rodeo sport, finding salvation, a perfect eternal life in Heaven, means finding the courage to believe with all your heart that Jesus was the Son of God and believing the sin we are born into keeps up separated from God without Jesus.

Think of the rage an infant is capable of expressing, untaught, to understand we’re born into sin and it is that sin that separates us from God. 

Isaiah 59:2 says..

“But your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that he will not hear”.

But while God shows both wrath and love, He is also just and in his justice, sin must be dealt with 

Romans 6:23  reminds us "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord”. 

The last part of that verse tells us, God is also good and has provided a gift to us in his Son, Jesus Christ. 

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Christ was sent to die for our sins, to receive God’s wrath that was meant for us, before being resurrected so that through our faith and belief in Jesus’ life, death and resurrection, we could be ‘saved’; given eternal life in Heaven because through Jesus we could be see without sin and allowed in the presense of God.

The Bible documents the willingness of Jesus to die an agonizing death, nailed to a cross. It documents His resurrection three days later and the preparation of His disciples to spread the word of salvation to the rest of the world. 

Since that day about 2000 years ago, generation after generation of Christians have been spreading that message, helping others find Christ and the salvation he offers. 

If you can find the courage to ride a bull or wrestle a steer, can you find the courage to make Jesus the lord of your life.

Lonnie

From the Desk of a Geek: Junk

From the Desk of a Geek

Whatcha Going To Do With All That Junk

Life has a funny way of teaching us more about God and His ultimate desires to improve our lives. No, this isn’t a Prosperity Gospel message, actually quite the opposite. 

The Lord, and my wife 😀 have been speaking to me in the last months about getting rid of old belongings instead of adding to the collection!

In most homes there is at least one junk drawer. Hidden deep inside this drawer are pieces of things that are broken, miscellaneous keys, obsolete cellphones, and items that we would hate for our guests to see.

The same is true for many of our spiritual lives. Buried deep inside us are bits and pieces of spiritual junk that should be discarded; yet for some reason we hang on to them. Consider what James tells us can happen whenever we fail to clean out our spiritual junk drawer.

“What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something but don’t get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.  

(James 4:1-3)

James refers to fights and quarrels. Perhaps the struggles he is speaking of are conflicts among the believers. Perhaps the struggles he is referring to are the struggles within the believer. Sometimes we can be hiding junk in our hearts that clutters our relationship with God and causes us to live a life that is spiritually disorganized. 

How can we clean out our spiritual junk drawers?

Whenever I find myself struggling over something, I turn to the Word of God and prayer. I have found that only God’s Word can give me the truth I need to get back on track, and only prayer can bring peace to my heart.

Hearts have junk drawers filled with indifference, jealously, resentment, and envy. Periodic cleaning is required. Today is a perfect day for a heart search. The kitchen drawer can wait.

So are you ready to clean out your spiritual junk drawer? Don’t be afraid. God already knows what’s in your heart and He is waiting to help you sort your way through it. 

Having gone through this process many times myself, I can promise you that you will be much happier once you allow God to help you get your life back in order.

Lonnie

From the Desk of a Geek: How Do I Love Thee

From the Desk of a Geek: 

How Do I Love Thee

Well here we are Valentine’s day 2021, so what better way to start my little encouraging devotion then to talk about some interesting Valentine’s Day facts..

There really isn’t any other day on earth like it.  If you just look at Valentine’s Day by the numbers, it boggles the brain a bit:

♥  $130.97 – The average estimated amount an individual will spend on Valentine’s Day.

♥  $224 million – The estimated number of roses grown for Valentine’s Day.

♥  $18.6 billion – The projected total amount Americans will spend for Valentine’s Day.

♥  $1.6 billion – The amount people will spend on candy

♥  $1.9 billion – The amount people will spend on flowers

♥  $4.4 billion – The amount people will spend on diamonds, gold and silver.

❤.....and finally over six million folks will propose on February 14th 

The word “love” might bring to mind a familiar phrase:

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.

On one episode of Jeopardy, the contestants couldn’t name the book of the Bible where these verses are written, but they recognized the words.

Many have heard these verses recited in wedding ceremonies or seen them written on Valentine’s Day cards. 

And they are found in 1 Corinthians 13, often called the “love chapter” of the Bible.

At a certain point, some might say 

1 Corinthians 13 has been quoted too much, which can cause words to lose their meaning. 

People might think, “Yeah, yeah, ok. ‘Faith, hope and love, and the greatest of these is love.’ I know. I’ve heard it all before.”

Others have heard someone say, “I love you,” but a happy ending didn’t follow. For some, the word “love” has been exhausted. 

That’s because if we read or speak beautiful words about love again and again, but do not do it with intention or understanding, then the words begin to sound like empty statements.

In fact, 1 Corinthians 13 teaches that people must connect to love, specifically the love of God, in order to live meaningful lives.

Valentine’s Day brings good news because–whether single, married, divorced, separated, or any other sort of status–people can connect to the best kind of love, God’s love.

This Valentine’s Day, remember that love is so much more than flowers and candy and cards.  It is even more than the deepest feelings you experience, because real love is expressed by unconditional commitment and unwavering dedication to our loved ones—which should be everyone!

Picture yourself as God’s living Valentine to a world that needs His love.

Lonnie

From the Desk of a Geek: Yes Drill Sergeant

From the Desk of a Geek:

Yes! Drill Sergeant 

Men and women enlist in the armed service of the United States every day. When they do, they sign up and make a commitment to serve. They’re provided with new clothes. Their old identity as nerd, athlete, or dodgeball hero is all gone. 

They just become a soldier. Then they go into basic training where they endure physical challenges that get their bodies in shape and their minds in line with the rules of the service. In exchange for all this, the government feeds, clothes and houses them during this time and pays their way.

Did you know that as a Christian, you have been enlisted as a soldier representing the Kingdom of God? You no longer represent yourself. 

In God’s Kingdom, He will clothe you, feed you and provide for you. He also will train you through the Word of God through your pastor’s teaching and your personal devotional time. 

There are some hard things you have to endure in your soul (mind, will and emotions) and your flesh- like forgiving people and being kind when you don’t feel like it.

Paul wrote a letter to Timothy and encouraged him:

In 2Timothy 2:3-4 we are reminded “Therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No one who wars tangles with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who chose him to be a soldier.”

The purpose of hardness we endure is to get us in shape. We don’t always feel like praying or reading our Bible, but we know we have to spiritually fit to combat the attacks of the enemy, the devil. 

In order to win the battles of life, we have to submit to being trained or disciplined by God’s Word so that we win! Just like a soldier in Basic Training, it’s not always joyful- but it reaps a great reward. We learn how to live as a team, rather than just for ourselves.

Hardness does not include sickness or depression. God never trains us with these- these are attacks of the enemy, the devil. We’re never to endure sickness or depression. Soldiers aren’t trained with these things.

You may be trained through a job with a tough boss. You may be trained in school with a tough teacher. You may be trained through a irritating brother or sister to walk in love and forgive. 

Just remember, every time you submit to this training and respond correctly, you’re getting in better shape all the time to be a good soldier in God’s army.

Sabine Baring-Gould had a brilliant mind. Born in 1834 in Exeter, England, he mastered six languages, became an author, archaeologist, architect, artist, teacher, and folk song collector. He also was a full-time minister.

In 1865, the school at the church where he was pastor planned to join with the school in a neighboring village. He wanted his children to sing while marching, but could not think of anything quite suitable. He sat up that night and composed a hymn called “Onward, Christian Soldiers.”

He pictured the Christian life as a battle. Like soldiers, we should march as to war, “with the cross of Jesus going on before.” 

We are imitating the leading of Jesus, our “royal Master.” He saw the church as “a mighty army” that was following in the footsteps of saints who had lived before. 

Remember you, too, are a soldier in God’s army, fighting a non-stop spiritual war. Do your part to win the battle by serving God with all your time, talents, and treasures. With God on your side, you can be confident of victory! Be bold and go into battle today.

Lonnie

Super-Sunday

From the Desk of a Geek:

Super-Sunday

The excitement is in the air and the signs are everywhere, people sporting their favorite team’s jersey, heightened chatter in the news, at work, and at church, neighbors spying out the most coveted “man cave,” not to mention those dreadful lines at the supermarket as the supply of hot dogs, chips and dip vanish as if we’re preparing for an invasion.

Now, I must admit I’m not a sports fan. With the possible exception of Tim Tebow, I couldn’t guess what team—or even what sport—a famous player belongs to.

And thanks to my momma, only team I would root for is Tampa Bay. 😀

Still, the taste of imminent victory is contagious. Why? Because we were created for victory! 

Just as sports fans memorialize their team legends among the various Sports’ Halls of Fame.

The Bible offers Christians the famous “Hall of Faith” in chapter eleven of the book of Hebrews: an extensive list of God’s people, both men and women “who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight.” 

(Hebrews 11:33-34)

We were created for victory! As Super Bowl Sunday approaches, the smell of victory simply feeds on this God-given desire. Its power rests in the fact of the certainty of one thing: someone is going to win. 

During the months, weeks and hours leading up to the big game, fans of both teams are thoroughly convinced they are on the winning side. 

They bought the tee-shirt, found a friend with a big-screen TV, agreed that the loser pays for the pizza, all because they genuinely believe victory is imminent.

Yet, until that defining moment, no one knows for sure. Even when all appears lost, the fans of the trailing team never give up hope, praying for a miracle, often ‘til the very end. 

Victory it’s what we were created for. Still, every year, many discover they put their faith in the wrong side.

One day each of us will face another defining moment, one concerning the most decisive battle of all—the battle for our eternal soul—and in that moment, the moment we enter eternity, we will discover whether or not we chose the winning side. 

Yet unlike the Super Bowl, we don’t know the day or the hour that moment will come. We have to choose now.

So which is the winning side?

John 3:16, which is God’s promise: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”

And yet when we look back at Jesus’ final moments, all appeared lost as He hung dying on the cross; many of His fans deserted Him, gave up hope, never expecting a miracle. 

But that’s precisely what happened. Jesus was raised from the dead and in that moment, He defeated our final enemy, death itself.

Don’t wait until your defining moment to know the outcome of your eternity. You can choose today to embrace the winner; choose Jesus, choose victory. It’s what you were created for! “But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (I Corinthians 15:57)

Oh and for momma Love,

"Fire the cannons!!!"

Lonnie

From the Desk of a Geek: Negative Ghost Rider

From the Desk of a Geek:

Negative Ghost Rider.....

I love to celebrate the goodness of God wherever I see it, and I believe that He wants to reveal himself, even when we aren’t looking for Him. 

Tonight when I got home from work I was thinking about doing a podcast episode, but I actually want to wait till Saturday, because I want to try a Facebook Live show.

So I decided to watch the 1986 movie Top Gun, which I'm sure if you are reading this you have seen the movie and if you haven't sorry for the spoilers 

It was in the scene of Goose’s death and its aftermath that led me to an unexpected reflection on the cross of Christ. I was blown away by this revelation of the Gospel.

Let's rewind a tab bit shall we....

Maverick, a young, talented fighter pilot, and his radar operator, code named Goose. 

Arrogantly aware of his exceptional skill, Maverick believes himself above the rules governing his peers and the Navy at large.

Maverick quickly makes enemies among his fellow fighter pilots and superiors at the Top Gun Naval Fighters Weapons School. 

In their eyes, he is a loose cannon who flies only for himself. Indeed, Maverick makes rule-breaking choices during combat exercises, leaving his wingmen stranded. 

Yet Maverick’s ego comes to his defense, and he often fails to see his fault in these situations.

In the final combat exercise, disaster strikes. Maverick, assigned to be the wingman for a fellow pilot, Iceman, struggles to keep his ego in check. 

Both pilots are trying to be number one, and neither wants to give an inch. Maverick goes in for the winning shot on an enemy fighter, however Iceman is in the way, and Maverick loses control of his F-14 in Iceman’s jetwash. 

Maverick and Goose eject from their doomed jet and parachute into the ocean.

It is then that Maverick realizes his long time friend and flight partner has broken his neck in the escape, dying instantly. He is grief-stricken to the point of giving up being a pilot, blaming himself for Goose’s sudden end

Scripture says we were united with Jesus on the cross, that our sinful nature died with Him on that fateful day. Yet it is in this union in His death and resurrection that we find forgiveness and new life, free of the constraints of sin and death. 

We are able to finally see ourselves as our Father sees us—loved and accepted beyond measure, without condition.

A part of Maverick died with Goose that day. A most important part—his ego. His sinfulness. 

After all, that’s what sin is, isn’t it? A display of our own ego? A belief that we can do something to be worthy? 

I think that day Maverick realised his very own ego had killed his friend in a way.

When we look at the cross we see that it was our very own sins that killed our saviour. We were united with Christ on the cross, for we finally saw the inability of our own efforts to produce anything good. Our ego, our every effort was destroyed in the moment we took Christ’s life because of our sins.

For all his bravery and all his skill Maverick could not do anything to save himself or his friend. It was this very same bravado and skill that had directly led to Goose’s death. 

His ego and skill were no longer good for anything, for they died in Goose’s in death. Maverick was lost in despair, and not even being exonerated at the tribunal for his actions could move his guilt. 

He was ready to throw away everything he had worked for his whole life, everything he was created to enjoy because he could not reconcile himself to his circumstance.

Maverick was well and truly united with Goose in his death. Everything he thought he knew about himself and had put his hope in was destroyed. He could never again go on living, continuing to believe in his own ability the way that he always had.

Thank God this is not the end of the story, for Maverick or for us. Just as Jesus’ resurrection is evidence of our forgiveness and restoration in Him, Maverick experienced a resurrection through the forgiveness of Goose’s family. 

Goose may not have been physically resurrected, but his spirit lived on in the lives of his wife and son, who offered Maverick love and acceptance.

This acceptance brought about a transformation within Maverick. His identity had forever been altered, which in turn made Maverick into the pilot he was always had the potential to be. 

God in turn, has always intended for us to break free from the limitations of our egos and live in the freedom that He designed for us. 

Perhaps the cross can shape our vision, our perspective of who we truly are, forever united with Christ and accepted by love that truly takes our 

"breath away".

Lonnie 

From the Desk of a Geek: Fear

From the Desk of a Geek:

Fear

John Kreese said it best in the 80s hit movie The Karate Kid, and his star student echoes it today....
"Fear does not exist in this dojo, does it?"
(Cobra Kai) - "No, Sensei!"
(Cobra Kai)- "Strike first, strike hard, no mercy!!"

Cobra Kai is the former YouTube, now Netflix runaway hit TV show.

Without giving away any spoilers it's a look at the students of the original Karate Kid movies of the 80s all gown up and have kids, jobs, and karate dojos  of thier own.

But to me it seems the biggest story line besides the cool flashbacks,
are the fear that is shown in the show.

The fear of Johnny failing as a father and teacher, Daniel's fear of failing as a father and businessman, and the students fear of each other and bullies.

King David had many opportunities to be afraid. As a boy, he faced attacks from wild animals. As a young man, he confronted the giant, Goliath, and the armies of Israel’s enemies.

Then David faced the wrath of King Saul, who came to view him as a rival to be eliminated. But, in every situation, David found that he could trust in the Lord and that this trust took away his fears.

There are many reasons why each of us might experience fear. We can be afraid because of the situations we face or the forces that are coming against us. We might feel overwhelmed or unsure of what to do.
We might be asked to do something that is difficult. Yet, as David learned, we can be delivered from fear by focusing and depending on the Lord.

David declared that he realized God was his light and salvation. This means that the Lord gives us the right perspective on life.
We don’t need to fear wars or opposition, personal problems or uncertainties. We don’t need to be afraid if we make mistakes, have weaknesses, or don’t know what to do.

As we trust in the Lord, He will light our path and provide everything we need. If we focus on Him instead of on our problems, He will give us strength and take away our fears.

Is there any fear in your life? Look to God. Meditate on His promises and confess them as true.

Trust in Him. Let Him be your light and salvation. Make Him your stronghold. You can be safe and secure in Him.

In Psalm 56:3, King David writes, “When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.” 

Not if, but when, David says. He knows that fear is a stubborn, persistent enemy of the human heart; and he also knows that the only realistic and effective way to fight fear is to continually put his trust in God.

What David says in Psalm 56:3 helps us because fighting our fears isn’t a one-and-done act, but a continual practice. 
Trusting God is the same: It doesn’t necessarily mean our fears vanish. It means we know where and to who to go with them.  Again and again.

We place our faith in countless people and things. We believe our legs will support us, so we get out of bed. We believe our brakes will enable our car to stop, so we drive.
We believe our boss will pay us, so we show up for the job. When we have faith in something, our behavior is affected. We act out of faith.

The opposite of faith is fear. We can choose one or the other. Imagine a world in which car brakes only worked half the time. We would be terrified at every intersection. God is infinitely more reliable than the finest car on the market, but we don’t treat Him that way.

Our faith seems to extend just beyond our ability even though God is able to do infinitely more than we can imagine.
We hope for good when God promises the best.

Oh and.....sweep the leg!!

Lonnie