"A collection of Gaelic proverbs and familiar phrases : based on Macintosh’s collection"

Look before you leap.

foto – hand saying stop 2009

Perseverance…

Continuing in a course of action without regard to discouragement, opposition or previous failure…

The false teachings of Calvinism declare that God pre-selects certain individuals and gives them faith regardless of any choices they have made for good or evil.  It goes without saying, then, that God also (according to this abominable teaching) purposely withholds faith from other individuals, effectively keeping them from ever being saved regardless of any choices they might make for good or evil.

The following is just a small study I did on the subject of faith.

Faith comes from God, but God has given the opportunity to have faith to all.

Heb. 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. [Amazingly, the Calvinist is taught that God purposely created the majority of people with the inability to please Him!  The Bible, however, leaves the way open to all men to exercise faith in God and seek Him diligently.]

Deut. 32:20 And He said: ‘I will hide My face from them, I will see what their end will be, For they are a perverse generation,  Children in whom is no faith.  (Was God angry with them for not having faith when it was His fault they had no faith?)Acts 14:27 Now when they had come and gathered the church together, they reported all that God had done with them, and that He had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles. [the "door of faith" is open to 2 groups--Jews and Gentiles! That covers everyone.]

Romans 10:17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

If faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God, then God has given every person the ability to have faith. We are to preach the Word of the gospel to EVERY creature; we are to preach the Word in season and out of season.

Those who reject the Word of God judge THEMSELVES unworthy of everlasting life! (It isn’t God judging them unworthy of receiving faith!)

Acts 13:46 Then Paul and Barnabas grew bold and said, “It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken to you first; but since you reject it, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles.

Heb. 11:1-3 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.  For by it the elders obtained a good testimony.  By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.

Is not the whole world responsible for understanding this same truth–that the world was made by God? Then it follows that every man has the ability to have this faith, but those who have been shown the truth and glorify not God…become fools because of their own choices.

Rom. 1:18-23 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,  because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools,  and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.

What man does affects his faith in God.  A strong faith, weak faith, or dead faith is determined by how a person hears, and what he does with God’s Word.

I Tim. 1:18-19 Wage the good warfare, having faith and a good conscience, which some having rejected, concerning the faith have suffered shipwreck. 

Luke 8:11-15 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. Those by the wayside are the ones who HEAR; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. But the ones on the rock are those who, when they HEAR, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away.  Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have HEARD, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity. But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having HEARD the word with a noble and good heart, KEEP IT AND BEAR FRUIT WITH PATIENCE.

Luke 8:18 Therefore TAKE HEED HOW YOU HEAR. For whoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he seems to have will be taken from him.

Heb. 4:2 For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it. [These Israelites who fell SEEMED to be God's people, yet they did not add faith to the hearing of the gospel. Their faith had been shipwrecked, as I Tim. 1:18-19 states can happen; these "in time of temptation fell away."]

James 1:21-25 Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.  (Notice you must DO 2 things: get rid of sin, and receive the Word with meekness) But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. (Again, what you DO counts. If you don’t DO the Word, you will become self-deceived.)For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror;  for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.

Faith must be accompanied by and perfected by works/obedience to Christ.

James 2:19-26 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble!  But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect?  And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God. You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only. Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

Faith works through love (Gal 5:6)

A Quick Scriptural Summary of Faith:

FAITH can be:

tested (James 1:3);

lacking, in need of being perfected (I Thess. 3:10);

denied (1 Tim. 5:8);

cast off (I Tim 5:12);

neglected (Matt. 23:23);

strayed from (I Tim. 6:10, 21);

departed from (I Tim 4:1);

overthrown (2 Tim. 2:18);

shipwrecked (I Tim. 1:19);

dead (James 2:17, 26);

strengthened (Acts 16:5, Rom. 4:20);

followed (2 Tim. 3:10, Heb. 13:7)

continued in (Col. 1:23, I Tim. 2:15);

encouraged (1 Thess. 3:2);

pursued (I Tim. 6:11, 2 Tim. 2:22);

grown (2 Thess. 1:3);

and kept (2 Tim. 4:7, Rev. 14:12).

What is a writer that does not write? It is one of the most awful feelings in the world, to know what you were meant to do, what you should be doing, but to not feel like doing it. Imagine if Kenobi told Luke he was the last of the Jedi and Luke replied “Nah, frakk that. I’m going to Nar Shadaa to bury myself in Juma and Dejarik.” That’s what your mind says when apathy gets a hold of it. Very little, really. Just “frakk it,” or the nearest colorful approximation.

Apathy is a terrible, terrible thing, especially for writers. It makes idiots out of geniuses, tramps out of the industrious. It has held me for the last week, and it has been horrible. I’ve had my reasons for wanting to escape a little, but it has gone beyond that. Apathy has gotten a hold of me, sapped the will from me. But I’m done sulking now.

It’s time to get back to work. It’s time to write again.

Alhamdulillah (praise and thanks be to God), it has been ten years since I was privileged with the Hajj.  I look back at this piece every year, more as a statement of who I was.  I was so young and so idealistic.  Now, I am so old and so jaded.  And, it has only been a decade.

Back then, this piece was a statement about the incomprehensibility of the world.  Now, it is a statement that — no matter how much I may change — we will keep revolving.

In the House of the King: Wondering about the Hajj

Written when I was a much younger man …
———-

I cannot explain the Hajj.

I did not experience that catharsis of attitude as did my brother, Malik El-Shabazz Al-Shaheed (Malcolm X). When I first saw the Ka’ba, I did not feel any excitement in my heart. I did not kiss the Black Stone; I did not touch the Black Stone; I did not even see the Black Stone. I did not cry on the Mount of Mercy. I did not feel a feeling of purification from sin — purification that is promised me (on successful completion of the Hajj).

And yet, I’m not disappointed.

I cannot explain the Hajj. I cannot even comprehend it.

How can you explain the night at Muzdalifa? Muzdalifa is a long field; some parts paved, some parts gravel, some parts dirt, resting on a declining slope of about thirty degrees. On arriving at Muzdalifa, our home for the night, I searched for some patch of ground to lay out mats for my wife and my self. The place was packed with people. Packed. We managed to find a few thin spots on asphalt. I laid out the mats and looked across the field. I saw something that, at least in life, I would probably never see again… not even in my imagination.

How can you comprehend it? It went as far as the eye could see. No, it went farther. As far as I could see, on this dry, dead valley, I could see nothing but people. People. Millions. All seemed to be dressed in white, a white that seemed to catch the green tinge of fluorescent light from the towering bulbs above us… a white accompanied by the steady soundtrack of the conversation of people.

Millions.

I remember stepping in the courtyard of the Ka’ba. We’ve all seen this courtyard: picture, television image, film shot. These images are used to symbolize Islam… used to advertise products… used to decorate rugs, rooms and hallways.

I stepped into this courtyard, and suddenly, this shaded mosque became this bright white ocean. The solid, drowning hum of prayers suddenly welcomed my heart, and invited me to witness, and thus, bear witness.

The Ka’ba, dressed with a white cloth under the black sheets (embroidered in gold), was floating amidst this galaxy of white ihrams. The walking pilgrims seemed a floating mass around this Ka’ba, performing the Tawaf. The crowd sucks you in and you circulate with them, celebrating Allah in this different form of prayer. Tiny birds caught my attention, speeding across the courtyard, singing somehow above the prayers.

I thought about those tiny birds. This big, black box is the descendent of that structure built by that Friend of God, the Prophet Abraham (peace be upon him, and his family). So too are those tiny birds the descendents of those feathered soldiers that protected this box from an army of elephants. Abraham. Abraha.

Tiny pebbles destroyed an army of charging elephants.

I remember marching toward the Jamaraat… a monument of the devil’s failure. I could not avoid the sense of doom as we proceeded through tunnels under these giant mountains of dirt and granite. Everywhere else during The Hajj people die of traditional illnesses; at the Jamaraat they are trampled by pilgrims dressed in white. The Last Day, that opens Surah Al-Hajj, describes chaos on earth. You taste it at the Jamaraat.

A simple exercise. Toss pebbles at this tall obelisk, marking the point where the devil dressed as an elephant to distract God’s Friend (pbuh). God’s Friend responded by merely tossing pebbles at the devil, and moving on. The exercise is simple, except that a few million people are trying to perform the same exercise, at the same spot, at the same time.

We walked toward the Jamaraat. With every turn on every street, it seemed that our number doubled or tripled — by multiples of one hundred or one thousand. We would pause to let large groups pass us, getting pushed by the growing crowd of hundreds of thousands behind us.

As we walked through the parking-garage-type structure that now houses the Jamaraat, the sense of doom only grew. It felt like we were approaching a beast, whose claws could reach out and strike us at any moment — the Minotaur, hiding at the end of the maze.

And suddenly it began.

The shouting just surrounded us. The crowd behind us pushed us forward, while the crowd ahead of us pushed us back, while the crowd ahead of them pushed their way out. I would try to hold my wife, but the crowd would knock me left and right. When I had the chance, I tried to toss the pebbles from the distance, my pebbles seeming to vanish in the air. I could see men with marks of blood — gashes — marking where they were hit by pebbles. We tried to make our way out, now working opposite a larger crowd. Someone behind me seemed to desperately grab my shoulder, tearing off my ihram. I looked back, and did not see him. Stray bottles of water and coke bounced their way toward us, spilling their contents on my feet and garments.

We made our way out — free.

Still…

I can’t help but think about that scene of thousands of arms catapulting the little pebbles in such a graceful, visual rhythm. And how odd of an event is it? How many monuments are actually celebrated by being pelted? I cannot imagine standing before the similarly shaped Washington Monument, despite its symbolism of the establishment of Freemasonry, and tossing rocks at it.

I cannot compare The Hajj to anything, but I can try to liken its impact to a parent being blessed with birth of a first child. This is a blessed event that has happened to so many people, and is experienced individually (yet collectively) by each of these people. After the event happens, you feel the emotional, psychological, spiritual, physical impact for days, or years — if you choose to feel it and work with it.

I imagine in The Hajj an opportunity to observe the state of life in the world. What did I witness? We were millions of people congregating in garb that hides our class and blurs our ethnicity, reduced to languages and colors. Many of us carried manuals, explaining the rites and wrongs, without providing any form of evidence except, in rare instances, partially quoted Hadith, and (in rarer instances), partially quoted Ayahs. We were looking to scholars to learn rules, not realizing that we were ignoring God’s Qur’an. The Hajj of God and His Messenger is so much simpler than the Hajj of Shaykh such-and-such.

What was that Qur’an that we were reading? It was a Qur’an of Surah Al-Fatihah, Surah Ya-Seen, Surah Al-Rahman, and the Surahs of the last the last thirtieth of the Qur’an. Our Qur’an was a Qur’an of phonetics, not a Qur’an of thought; Qur’anic thought that is almost as dead as the paper of the diplomas, certificates and paychecks that we have prostituted it for.

And what is that mosque that houses the Ka’ba? Consider the Ka’ba, such a simple structure, made of brick — the first, and model mosque. This building that surrounds it, however, is itself but a museum, calling on its observers to marvel at its towering minarets and giant gates. Its hundreds of clumsy, marble pillars provide hindrance for worshippers seeking spots for Salah, or seeking pathways to move elsewhere. The gates that lead to the only air-conditioned space of this building are named after a king, where as other gates were named after The King.

And consider the guardians of the Ka’ba: the Saudi Police. These officers, dressed in their tight, brown uniforms, with such ironic badges. The center of the badge is an open, blank book. Around the book are branches. At the top is a crown. And on that book rests that mysterious symbol: an eye. Is it that the prophesied Dajjal is here? Has it seized the Ka’ba — not to destroy, but to control — to control the heart of the Muslims. Thus, is it urging them to seek the reward of reaching toward the the Ka’ba’s kiswa (laced with solid gold), and thus, leading them to forget the massive poverty that sits in the hot sun outside the mosque? Thus, are Muslims being urged to focus on the smaller aspects of Islam and ignore the larger aspect of Islam — to relieve suffering with relief work, rather than to establish a system that cures? Perhaps.

Conspiracy theories aside: the tiny birds above, like this Ka’ba, like those pilgrims that arrive from everywhere, like the Qur’an that tells us about them, seem to be reduced to mere ornaments that we see and hear.

Was this The Hajj? Did I perform what I was to perform? So much of The Hajj is like Jum’a: when reduced to its simplest form… just an issue of attendance. So many of the practices of The Hajj, like the practices in our daily lives, are, when reduced to their simplest forms… just rituals.

Yet, the various attendances, and the various practices offer loads of various benefits. At Arafat, you are offered to seek from Allah His bounty. With Salah, you are offered to seek strength. With Zakah, you are offered purification.

Did I earn what I was to earn? Did I learn what I was to learn?

When all is said and done, I still think back to the Day at Arafat. I tried to call on Allah for His bounty, almost all day, as He invited me to do so. In that last hour, as the day set toward night, I stood there, as did so many others, facing in the direction of that Ka’ba. The air was thick; the environment was strangely serene; the ongoing white noise of conversation suddenly turned to silence.

And we were praying to Allah.

And I think back to that Tawaf, around that holiest of spots. It is so easy to forget Allah’s commanding control when we are participating in the implementation of His will. I watched the Tawaf from the top floor of the mosque, and, like a bug at night to a light, couldn’t help but stare. The giant whirlpool of people just kept turning and turning.

And they were praying to Allah.

And I am back from The Hajj, perhaps more focused in my relationship with Allah, perhaps more serious about my relationship with Allah, perhaps more alert about my relationship with Allah. I am back from The Hajj, but I still feel as though I have not yet left.

I don’t know that I ever will.

I’m… thirsty.

A few weeks ago I had a dream that turned lucid in the middle of it, as they often do with me. I was walking around a medical school campus on my interview day, and thought, “I should really remember this school, because I’m going to go here.” The only problem is that I cannot remember the name of the school. I do remember a bright, sunny day, and this beautiful grassy quad, with crisscrossing concrete walkways. That scene does not help me much because many of my top choices have similar scenes. Ohio State has a quad similar to that, and the campus is beautiful. UCSF has one, albeit much smaller due to the urban setting. UCSD, my home campus, has a couple like that, and I looked at pictures from it again tonight, because I didn’t think it could be it as first. The angle of the picture was very similar to my dream though, so now I’m thinking that I really might end up at UCSD. I should really don the attitude my brother has about my possibility of attending UCSD SOM. Statistically, I have a better chance of gaining admission there than even the other UC’s. At least I do not have to go through that stressful, arduous process for another year. In a way, I’m almost glad that I am going over by one quarter, so that I can have some more time to gather better LOR’s and prepare for the MCAT and just get everything in order a little bit more. It will also give me some time to relax, something I don’t ever really have right now, and surely won’t once medical school begins.

There are days where I look at the path I have chosen and wonder if it is really worth it personally. I am working so hard right now, and I am barely on my way to becoming a doctor. How far will I have to push myself on this journey? Will I be forced to find my breaking point, or just bend until I almost break? Is pushing myself to the brink of insanity worth the lives that I might save? There are simply too many questions to be answered as of yet. There is still so much I do not know, medically and worldly alike.

I hope that I will be able to attend UCSD SOM. It would help me to keep my debt down enormously because a) it is a California school, and I am a California resident, and b) I would be able to continue to live at home and not have to worry about rent and bills, plus, I am a sucker for my mom’s cooking.  The only down fall is that I would still a 45minute commute- one way on a good day- each day. It is hard now, but I don’t know if I can handle that during the arduous process that is medical school. I hope I can. My family is a very big support system for me, and they have helped me through some of my toughest times. Yes, they have also been the cause of some, but they have been there when I need them nonetheless. I don’t know what I would do if I could not cry on my mother’s shoulder or be hugged by my brother when I come home from some really hard cases. I need them more than they need me I think.

The Christmas season is one of my favorite times of the year, and today we put up our tree and got the house partly decorated. For now, I will not worry about my impending MCAT’s, nor med school apps, nor the finals that are only two weeks away. No, I will enjoy this beautiful season and the warmth that it always brings me. I will read, enjoy, see friends and family, eat food that we only get a few times a year, and make music. I will be happy and relaxed, if only for this short time before the madness that comprises my life begins again.

You will need

• A water-repellent tablecloth
• A regular tablecloth
• A misting/spray bottle filled with water (or any other way of sprinkling water onto the tablecloth)

The Script

Storyteller: (holds up the regular tablecloth and the misting bottle) In my hands I’ve got a spray bottle filled with water and a table cloth. Now watch carefully and tell me what happens when I spray the cloth. (spray cloth, let kids answer to the effect of “it gets wet”)

Storyteller: Yeah, all the water just gets soaked up into it and it gets soggy doesn’t it? Let’s try it again with a different tablecloth, and tell me what happens this time. (spray the water repellent tablecloth, let the kids say what happens) Yeah, it doesn’t really soak in, as a matter of fact if I shake the tablecloth (shake the tablecloth, the water will shake off leaving it dry and possibly getting some kids sprinkled in good fun) it’s completely dry.

Storyteller: This reminds me of something that Paul said in the Bible. He said that he knew what it was to be rich or poor, or to be hungry or well fed, but he could do all things through Christ who gives him strength.  Sometimes, bad things come at us like the water in the bottle and it’s easy to think that we won’t be able to make it, but with Christ in our hearts, we can be like this tablecloth (hold up the dry tablecloth). We can do all things through Christ who gives us strength

20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. …..24 Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, 25 to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen. (Jude 20-21, 24-25)

John Piper in a sermon, “Learning to Pray in the Spirit and the Word, Part 1:”

Now keeping Christians safe for eternal life is what this book is really about. That is, this little letter from Jude is about perseverance – it’s about how to fight the good fight and take hold of eternal life (1 Timothy 6:12), and how to finish the race and keep the faith (1 Timothy 4:8), and how to endure to the end and so be saved (Mark 13:13). And verses 20-21 say: This perseverance is something you do. You build yourself and others up on the foundation of faith. You pray. You keep yourselves in the love of God.

But that is only part of the context. At the beginning and the end of this little book, there is another truth, a deeper truth about perseverance – or about “keeping.” Look at verse 1: “Jude, a bond-servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, To those who are the called, beloved in God the Father, and kept for Jesus Christ.” Notice the word, “kept.” Here is the idea of perseverance again, only here at the beginning it is not the Christian who is keeping himself. He is being kept.

Some translations say “by Jesus Christ.” Some say, “for Jesus Christ.” The original Greek can mean the one as easily as the other. Both are probably true in Jude’s mind. But let me show you why the NASB chose to say “for Jesus Christ.” Evidently the translators thought that the “keeper” behind the verb, “kept,” in verse 1 is not the Christian himself and not Jesus Christ, the Son of God, but someone else. Who?

Who Is the Keeper?

Sometimes you need the end of the story to know the full meaning of the beginning. So look at the famous doxology in verses 24-25. “Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy. . .” Now we have our perseverance attributed not to ourselves, but to someone else. Who is this? The next verse makes it crystal clear. Verse 15: “. . . to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.”

So the one who is able to keep you from stumbling and to make sure you arrive in the presence of God blameless and with great joy is “God our Savior through Jesus Christ.” So God the Father is the ultimate keeper and he acts “through Jesus Christ” because the death of Jesus is the purchase price and foundation of all grace, including the grace of keeping us – that is, the grace of perseverance.

So back to verse 1. “Jude, a bond-servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, To those who are the called, beloved in God the Father, and kept for Jesus Christ.” The main thing to see here is that it is not we who are keeping in verse 1 or verse 24. It is God the Father through Jesus Christ. God called us, God sets his saving love upon us, and God keeps us. So now we have two truths about our being kept safe for eternal life as Christians – just as we saw last week from Romans 6:22-23. There we saw that sanctification was something we do. Here we see that our perseverance to eternal life is God’s doing (we are “kept,” verse 1; God is able to keep us, verse 24; and it is our doing – verse 21, keep yourselves in the love of God).

Over and over in the Bible we see this: God’s action is decisive; our action is dependent. And both actions are essential. So I urge you again to resist the mindset that cynically says, “If God is the decisive keeper of my soul for eternal life (verses 1, 24), then I don’t need to ‘keep myself in the love of God’” (verse 20). That would be like saying, since God is the decisive giver of life, then I don’t need to breathe.

No. No. Breathing is the means that God uses to sustain life. So the command to breathe is the command to fall in with the purposes and patterns of God to give and sustain life. This is what I mean by the term, “means of grace.” “Grace” is the free keeping-work of God to sustain our spiritual life that leads to everlasting joy. The “means of grace” is our “keeping ourselves in the love of God.” God’s “keeping” inspires and sustains our “keeping.” His keeping is decisive and our keeping is dependent on his.

The most difficult  question I’ve ever asked myself, ironically, was “what do I want?”.  It sounds like an easy question, I know, but it’s actually a tough one.  I’m not talking about what do I want for lunch, I’m talking about what do I want to achieve in this life.  To answer that question takes a tremendous amount of honesty with ones self as well as commitment.  Before, I had always had the idea that I thought I knew what I wanted, thought I was on the right track to achieving my goals.  But I was just fooling around, never fully committing, putting the responsibility on a higher power, allowing the chips to fall where they will.  Simply, I was trying, not doing.

From dream to fruition.

When I asked myself for the first time, “what do I want?”, I couldn’t come up with an answer.  I was stunned!  How could I not know what I want?  The truth is, I knew what I wanted, I just wasn’t able to commit all of my time and energy out of fear.  Fear of failure, fear of rejection, fear of loss, fear of humiliation.  The list goes on but the important part is the common denominator, fear.  I decided that I was no longer going to allow fear to stop me from obtaining what I wanted in life.  I was no longer going to allow fate to conduct the orchestra of my life, I was going to take charge and be the creator of my own destiny.

So what if others think I’m weird, we’re all weird.  So what if I don’t get what I want, at least I tried.  So what if I feel alone on my quest, that feeling won’t last long.  If I keep my focus on the finish line instead of the hurdle in front of me, chances are I’ll trip.  And one thing’s for certain, life has plenty of hurdles one has to look out for, and by keeping your attention on each one you are most likely going to get to the finish line not only sooner, but with less scars.

Sometimes life delivers a super hard blow, causing us to question our journey.  It’s during these times that we must not only maintain our course, it’s also vital we burn the fire of determination even hotter than before, for it’s how we march through the mud that our character is defined.  Everyone knows how to walk the yellow brick road, but when our path is covered with layer upon layer of hardships, and with the mighty storm of doubt sometimes washing away part of the road, making it difficult to find our way, we must trust in ourselves, knowing that we’ve made the right choice to travel along this trail, and go even harder in the direction that our heart tells us.

It still took some time to answer that damn question, what the f#@$ do I want?!, which now I know was of benefit.  There’s no need to rush into something that I might not want in a months time.  And there’s no need to think that just because I’ve decided what I wanted now that it might not change in the future.  It sounds tricky, I know, but you’ll know when you’ve come up with your calling, it will vibrate through your entire being.

Now that I know what I want, I know what it’s gonna take to get it.  And one of the most valuable lessons I’ve ever learned is this – anything is possible.  If I want to travel the world, it’s possible.  If I want to have a family and a house with a white picked fence, it’s possible.  If I want to walk on the moon, it’s possible.  Anything and everything is possible, so dream big!  But you must be willing to work hard in order to be given what you want.  Because another lesson I’ve learned is that nothing that I ever wanted came easy.

Now ask for what you want.  For without asking, how can you receive?  One of my new things is saying my wishes out loud.  When you say them out loud you are more likely to have them come true.  Your putting it out there, letting the universe, and the people around you know what you want.  And I like to replace the word “wish” with the word “will”.  For example, I will travel to South Africa.  Instead of, I wish I could travel to South Africa.

Not at any time are you to be afraid of asking for what you want or need, not once.  No matter how grand the request is, even if you’re certain the answer will be “no”, ask it.  For you will never know if you don’t ask.  With that said, you must be willing to accept “no” as an answer.  Because sometimes you will receive it, and if your able to accept it, you most likely won’t be devastated by hearing it.  Try to get people to say no to you, it’s good for you to hear it as well as it’s good for them to say it.  But another highly valuable lesson I’ve learned is this – there’s no such thing as no for an answer, only different ways of asking the same question.  What I mean by that is this, if your going after something you truly want in life, not just something you desire at the moment, like a free upgrade to first class on an over night flight, which I’ve asked for and received , then you have the power of purpose behind your words, and you will speak with honesty and intention.  With those 3 nouns aiding your quest, and if you genuinely want something, no element can stop you.

I’ve come to the realization that it’s not the ends that are important, it’s the means that truly matter.  Hence the phrase – “getting there is half the fun”.

Playtime is over, it’s time to get to work!  But not to worry, it will be one of the greatest things you could ever do for yourself as well as for those that love you.

I think it was OPT, a star CrossFit Affiliate owner and CrossFit Games competitor that coined the term “being comfortable with being uncomfortable”.  It’s a pretty simple phrase that sums up how it feels to push through CF type workouts.  What’s more remarkable is how this phrase carries over into other aspects of life.

If you’ve gotten a feel for this blog, you’ve seen that the workouts usually leave the poor souls who are doing them completely wrecked.  They’re wrecked because they’ve just pushed their minds and bodies to their perceived limits.  No one can do these workouts for them, nor is anyone making them by holding a gun to their heads(honestly, I don’t!).  They not only have to make the conscious decision to show up to the gym, but also have to be prepared to face the workout and get it done.  Their motivation is greater than their desire to quit.  And the more workouts they get through, the greater their confidence builds for getting through the next one.

How many times have you gotten a last-minute assignment from your boss that just seems impossible?  How about getting into a scuff with your better half that makes you just want to explode or walk out?  Or, how about sticking to a study schedule that actually prepares you for that mid-term without the need of an all-nighter?

If you can push through 20 rounds of Cindy (5 pullups, 10 pushups, 15 squats) in 20min, anything after that seems relatively easier.  Work, relationships, and studying all seem to be a bit more manageable and less intense than 95# thrusters.  You start to build a sense of never quitting.  Quitting, or even resting, means less rounds completed, or another minute on the clock.  In CrossFit, “every second counts” and quitting becomes a smaller and smaller voice in your head.  It’s replaced by fear; a good fear.  This fear keeps you safe, it keeps you questioning yourself, and it makes you want to peform better as to not let yourself down. 

I believe this is why the Special Ops community produces highly motivated, modern day, intelligent warriors that are capable of extraordinary acts.  There is no quit in them.  They fear failure more than death.  In the gym, we’re far from that spear tip’s edge.  But, we’re trying to use similiar methods to build confidence, capability, and character.

“It pays to be a winner”

1 Corinthians 9:24:27

Say to Archippus, “Take  heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you may fulfill it.” Colossians 4:17

When I was in college, I ran on the cross-country team. In the final even of the season, the state’s small colleges competed against each other, with about 75 runners in the event. We ran the 5K course in the rain and mud on a cold November day.

As I neared the finish line, I spied a runner from one of the other schools just a short distance ahead of me. He became my goal. I ran as hard as I could and passed him just as I crossed the finish line. That last dash meant I finished 42nd, which seemed a lot better than 43rd! It meant our team finished one position higher in the final standings than the team represented by the runner I beat. The point? I didn’t give up — I ran all the way through the finish line.

This is probably what Paul  had in mind as he wrote to Archippus, one of his young ministry proteges: “Take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you may fulfill it” (Colossians 4:17). When we feel discouraged and want to quit, it’s good to remember that the Lord who entrusted us with the privilege of spiritual service will give us the grace and strength to carry out that service. Let us “run with endurance” (Hebrews 12:1) so that we will receive the “imperishable crown” (1 Corinthians 9:25). —bill crowder

Run the straight race through God’s good grace, lift up thine eyes and seek His face; life with its way before us lies, Christ is the path and Christ the prize. —monsell

Running with patience is perseverance in the “long run.”

Pic of some trees in my yard

  James 1:12  Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial…

As the Thanksgiving holiday approaches…

Like everyone else, I ponder all the many blessings in my life!

Perseverance never feels like a blessing when we are going through it…

But, many of my life’s blessings have come as a result of perseverance.

I recognize the hand of God and His amazing gifts to me.

And yet, I have noticed that just like the children of Israel…

my own personal “promise lands”  require me to possess the land God has given me.

To have courage not to quit even when I feel like it.

This year, I am thankful that God has taught me that quitting is not an option!

Football “spectating” is an interest. Here in Michigan I watch three teams and cheer them on in turn. Two college teams and one professional team makes it fun.

When both college teams win and our professional team adds a “W” it is a great weekend. But, lately, that kind of three-sweep is rare. In fact as the end of the season draws closer, the “L’s” have stacked up rather high.

Saturday began the weekend of hopeful optimism. It was the last game of the year for the University of Michigan Wolverines. This Big Ten Conference game is supposed to be a huge rivalry with Ohio State University Buckeyes.

The game was at home. Over a hundred thousand spectators filled the Big House. But, the game was disappointing and the final score matched that disappointment.

Then, I turned my attention later in the day to Michigan State Spartans. They were playing Penn State Lions. Initially, the game was competitive. But, then the power of Paterno’s team emerged and his gridiron gladiators won the game running away.

Saturday logged two disappointing losses for our College teams. What hope was there for Sunday? Could our 1-8 Lions pull off a victory, only their second for the year?

The game was not sold out so there was a black out in our area for TV. Radio was our only access. The Lions were behind when I ran out of radio range.

I turned on my computer and had the www.detroitlions.com website keeping me up to date in real time. But, the only data stream told me the actual score, game clock and who had possession. As the last seconds ticked away, the Lions were behind. The Browns were leading 37 to 31.

According to the website, time expired and the score favored the Browns. I assumed that they had lost and went out on errands. That’s when my telephone buzzed with an email sports news alert.

I couldn’t believe what I was reading. The notice declared that the Lions had won the game 38-37. An interference call by the Browns gave the Lions one more play with no time on the clock.

In this improbable game scenario the Lions scored a touchdown with a successful point-after. The Honolulu blue won their second game of the season. I was delighted beyond words!

photo credit: Google image

We have much to escape, much to shed, much to loose, much to famine from and much to walk without. Moreover, there is far more that we ought receive. It is made perfect in the Lord. And it is the Lord whose perfection is gifted freely unto those who so submit that they receive it.

There is but one way to sever the chains of bondage from that which you come from. You were born to an environment where no father nor mother may have existed. Perhaps it was an environment by which chaos devoured you lean and mean into futile rebellion even unto that which is good. For what is good?

Is it your friend beside you? Your wife? Your brother? Your neighbor? Be it your dog that returns even after you have wrongly kicked him in your deeply embedded rage of anger? Was it Mao Tse Tung or perhaps Benito Mussolini or even Adolf Hitler? Who is good?

Ought it be defined and declared that all men should agree? Ought your good be greater than mine? Perhaps your good just as good as mine? Yet when my good just isn’t good enough should I fashion is definition accordingly? And to you the same? Should in debate the definition be altered by mere perspective? Ought we pervert our utterances evermore that we tailor it to our quests for inequity? Are you willing to accept that there remain truth everlasting? What is good?

WHAT IS GOOD

• Matthew 19:17 – And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.
• Mark 10:18 – And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.
• Luke 18:19 – And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God.

Now let it be known what is good. Therefore there be no mistake nor nothing but a definitive proclamation of good. The definition of good is thereby defined and everlasting on its own accord. It is neither me nor you. It is Almighty God as Jesus so proclaimed.

Finally, from where have you arisen? Great disdain do I have for much of what I had to endure during my earliest years of childhood and youth. It was not great and certainly not the worse. But have I been shown any other way that I might know how to be a “good” man to raise a family of two boys or moreover be a deserving husband of such a great wife who takes great care of myself and our boys?

This woman, my wife, stands at my greatest honor and thanks to have gifted me such earnest prayer and persistence in the Lord. I cleave unto her my wife who stands to build me to my finest hour in the Lord. She stands resilient in her directives to deliver us from generations’ fate. Tired in her plight she drives on that our two boys may be delivered from our own woeful pasts. She builds me up even when undeserving of such gifts of grace. She is magnificent in her manners and sharp with her retort against wrong. Correction is fierce but even still loving and pure.

I am inspired and go nowhere without. We are one in the same. She prays fervently on my behalf and behalf of our family. At my greatest hour she awakens me to rise. She is a valiant warrior herself, faithful and steadfast for the Lord. Even before her I stand, yet she stands before me such a gift that by whom there is much gain.

Likewise at such low she raises me accordingly by way of earnest servitude to the Lord everlasting, fashioning herself tireless in righteousness for the sake of our family even at great measures.

I have learned many of the wrong ways by the manner at which I have arrived. As a man, as a husband and as a father I am merely lost upon my own accord. My practices are vaguely practical and even less loving than I might be of myself if I even knew love beyond which she has led me. I was left to my own right, left to my own way, left to my own flawed vision of what family ought to be. My wife has been the greatest of contenders on my behalf. Her pursuits were greater than my reliance upon self. She ushered me unto my redemption. She in her own graciously loving way was delivered me that I might be saved from my own peril and likewise the generations hereafter.

Now what damage has been done? The path from which we might flee might lead full circle in our haste and angst against our those who’ve delivered us unto this moment. Now what damage has been done?

The damage from mere words can draw down nations. Words ruin marriage and raise up armies against a people. How is it that the generations from which you come and which follow shall not equally be affected by the sins therein of the forefathers? Even you at work whose anger is awoken take it with you and lay it upon the threshold of your home. Ought not the same remain for generations of perpetual misery that is made feast on our families?

• Exodus 34:7 - Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty ; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children’s children, unto the third and to the fourth generation .
• Joel 2-3 – 2 Hear this, ye old men, and give ear, all ye inhabitants of the land. Hath this been in your days, or even in the days of your fathers?3 Tell ye your children of it, and let your children tell their children, and their children another generation.

I urge you to release it.

As a man and warrior, the enemy is real and wears a face and yet likewise goes silent among you, unnoticed. He wears the face that our soldiers face in Afghanistan. He is shewn down by bullet or by hand. He wears a face in more common places and yet goes unnoticed and lives freely among you to toil in your way. Target acquisition. Engage. Eliminate.

Sever ties from the way of generations who have jettisoned you unto this moment and make new for you, your family and even still such a great country among us.

And take upon you “the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,” that you may drive the sword straight through that which you were and lead those generations who follow unto greatness greater than you yourself, as it is purposed deep within you, where reside the voice hereafter referenced. Heed.

• Ephesians 6:10-20 – 10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places .13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;19 And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,20 For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

Last night was movie night at the church. I showed the film Flywheel. That was the first movie that was done by Sherwood Baptist Church in Albany, Ga. Most of my crowd had seen the church’s other two movies, Facing The Giants and Fireproof. Only a few, though, had seen Flywheel. (For the record, I highly recommend each of the films.) At the end of Flywheel, the lead character names his new baby girl Faith. This comes on the heels of all the lessons about faith that God has been teaching him.

I once heard David Gibbs. Sr. say, “The faith walk is on a need-to-know basis.” In my own walk with the Lord, I’ve experienced enough to learn the truth of these words. God never gives me the full revelation of what He’s up to in my life. I pretty much just get the guidance and instruction I need to take the next step. Whenever I think I’ve got the path figured out and can, perhaps, run ahead, He throws me a curveball to keep Me looking to Him.

Hebrews 11:1 in the New Living Translation describes faith as “the confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen” and “the evidence of things we cannot yet see.” Tell me, are you “hoping” for a particular thing from God? Are you desiring something you “cannot yet see”? Rest assured that if the thing is God’s will, He will bring it to pass in His timing and way.

But in the meantime He wants you to have real faith that He is going to do what you want Him to do. There simply is no substitute for this faith, and it makes an incalculable difference in your overall attitude and mindset. Faith creates optimism, hope, and joy; a lack of it creates pessimism, despair, and gloom. So, if you were naming your baby girl today, could you honestly name her Faith? If you couldn’t you need to admit it and have a long talk with God about it. The answers you are looking for are found in Him.

President Theodore Roosevelt

 

 *** Note from Coach O: the following is from President Teddy Roosevelt’s famous “Man In The Arena” speech in Paris, circa 1910. It was forwarded to me by my brother in law, Jimmy Hendricks (no, not THAT “Jimmi Hendrix” ) Thanks, Jimmy!

What a great quote and a reminder to “stay in the game” (arena), no matter how tough it gets because THAT is where victories are won!!

——————————————————— 

 It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better.

The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood,

Who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings;

But who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause,

Who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails,

At least he fails while daring greatly. So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.

The real voyage of discovery consists not in making new landscapes but in having new eyes.

I spent the vast majority of my teenage years running long distance. This would lead most people to believe I am a person of great endurance. And while there is a hint of truth in that line of thinking, it would appear my life is revealing quite the opposite to be true. To put in simply: I am one of the most inconsistent people I know.

This isn’t about blogging. This is about life.

Why is it that we are so consumed with the notion of instant gratification? I mean, I love the idea of patience and working hard for something so long as the person doing the waiting and working isn’t me. A good movie with an inspiring protagonist who fights through near insurmountable trials always captures my affections. However, when it comes to my life, I want clear sailing.

Time and time again we are reminded through the Scriptures that the process of becoming more like Christ does not happen over night. In 2 Corinthians 3:18, Paul speaks of this transformation when he says we are “being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another.” The actual word for transformation there is the same one we get for “metamorphosis.”

Now, I don’t know if you have ever watched a caterpillar turn into a butterfly (I know that is not scientifically correct but work with me), but it’s pretty boring. When I was young, I remember capturing a caterpillar and putting him in a jar because my dad told me he would turn into a butterfly. I was so excited and kept checking that jar just waiting to see what would happen. Sure, it was cool to see the cocoon appear (again, this isn’t about scientific accuracy), but it seemed like nothing else happened and it went on forever! I was a little kid and lost interest so I moved on to other things. But guess what? After a lot of waiting, the cocoon opened up one day and we witnessed a brand new monarch butterfly.

Yet so often the Lord has to remind me that I am just like that caterpillar, except even slower yet. And if I am being honest, that just annoys the mess out of me. It is so easy for me to be excited about what the Lord is going to do, but so difficult to put myself into the position or circumstances that allow him to actually do it in my life. I want superior biblical knowledge, a perfect marriage, a vibrant ministry, and book deal overnight. That, however, just isn’t how things work.

What I find even more interesting is the effect this realization has on my thoughts and actions. Because I can’t have everything right away, so often I choose to  have nothing at all. In so many ways this reveals my childish faith. I am like the small boy who will give up an entire day of playing outside with my friends because I am too stubborn (or stupid) to spend a few minutes cleaning my room first. It is this sort of paralyzing mediocrity that has so plagued me over the years.That sheer unwillingness to accept the challenges of sanctification and begin the long and arduous process of removing the impurities through the furnaces of affliction.

So today I write to express my frustration, but at the same time acknowledge my weaknesses. Much like the tortoise in that beloved children’s tale, I must be reminded that the race of life is not a sprinter’s competition. In an attempt to press on I have resurrected this blog and killed the other. While it was fun having my own domain and a catchy name for a while, it was a just one more distraction that stole my attention from Christ. Just as the words of Hebrews 12:1-2 have been a spring of encouragement and strength for so many years, I now turn to this blog and pray God would allow it to serve a similar function in the days to come.

I am well aware of the vast inferiority of my thoughts and the lack of profundity in my thinking. However, I also know that my thinking is all I have. This notion of waiting around for the perfect post is pure insanity as I assure you it will never appear on this blog. To that end, I hope to write more. It will probably be shorter, less organized, and at times very simple. However, I must resurrect the sort of thinking that once played such a critical role in my relationship with Christ. I don’t know how to get there, but I must start in some direction lest I spend there rest of my life in the same position.

I cannot sit any longer. I must run again.

Read Steve Witzki’s excellent article here.  The article will also link you to an article by Calvinist John Jefferson Davis who also traces the doctrine back no further than John Calvin.  While the truthfulness of such doctrines must ultimately be decided through careful exegesis of Scripture, the novelty of Calvinist doctrines like inevitable perseverance should not be discounted (and personally I would find such things very troubling if I were a Calvinist).  Nor should Calvinists continue to make wild claims that their doctrines represent historical Christian orthodoxy.  Such claims are simply false.

Related posts:

Nick Liguori, “Eternal Security Examined Historically: Did the Apostles Teach Eternal Security to the Early Church?”

The Early Church and Calvinism

Tim Warner, “Perseverance of the Saints”

Tim Warner, “Eternal Security?”

Church History and Calvinism

The new season of Tough Love, which is a show on VH1 hosted by Steve Ward, has aired on Sunday. For those unfamiliar with the show it is a show about women who need some serious help in order to find love. The host tries to help these women with issues in dating and get them on the right path to finding love. If you haven’t seen season 1 then you don’t know how it ended, but none of the women found any love and are still the same. What is even worse it that after ten weeks of working on one of the girls she is back for season 2.

The reason I bring this up is because it demonstrates my next point. One must be willing to change and be very determined and persistent to attain any kind of change. There is only so much that can be done by a person trying to tell someone else how to change, but it is up to that person to apply the things they learn. As the show goes Steve Ward tries to teach these girls on how to change and what to do to change, but they do not take anything out of it. They are not changing because they are not welcoming these changes. All they do is keep yelling that since he is the only one saying these things that there is something wrong with him and not them. I would like to challenge that point with one argument. These girls are there because they need help. They have voluntarily applied for the show to get help because they obviously are not happy with the results they are getting from doing things their way. Steve Ward is there to teach not the get help. I can also tell you that by applying the things that I write about and ideas I try to spread to others I have a very happy and rewarding life. These girls just act like they completely lack any values and morals. In order to change one needs to stop pointing fingers at others and look inside for what is really at fault for the personal failures that one experiences.

Having someone lead and challenge you to grow and learn is only part of being able to do it. An individual has to be absolutely determined and realize that what someone else is telling them makes sense and use that knowledge not give up. It is hard it is really hard to change, to grow, to mature, but that is not a reason not to do it. The rewards you will receive from it will be priceless. The results you will see from your decisions will lead to a happier and more rewarding life. Try it don’t give up and see for yourself.

Until next time

Ta ta