IT’S APRIL 15…TAX DAY

There should be a large tax deduction for getting old.

I argued that point with the IRS agent who not only did not agree but seemingly did not care.

That did not hinder my presentation of the facts. Armed with a pile of receipts and a bucket load of tax loopholes, I filled out my tax form in the style of our nation’s Founding Fathers: Refusal to pay unfair taxes to an unresponsive government.

No taxation without representation. Who in the government represents the older people?

Here is the first round in my arsenal of “old” tax exemptions.

Deduction 1: My life insurance canceled my policy because I passed the age limit for them to make money betting on my odds of survival.

Deduction 2: My food costs are skyrocketing because it takes more nourishment to keep me alive.

Deduction 3: My doctor changed my prescription from 90 days to 30 days to eliminate possible waste.

Deduction 4: Additional AA batteries for my TV remote because of the loud sound necessary to watch my favorite game shows.

Deduction 5: Closed caption subtitles. I am sure that is an extra-charge feature on my cable plan.

Deduction 6: Extra costs from accidents: Slamming on my brakes with an open container of Raisin’ Cane’s sauce on the car console. Slamming on my brakes with a hot pizza box in the front seat. Slamming on the brakes with ride-along-dog standing in the back seat. Cracked windshield not covered by insurance from internal collision with dog.

Deduction 7: Rising gasoline prices because I forgot to replace the fuel pump to its stored position before driving my car away from the Quik Trip.

Deduction 8: New eyeglasses needed because I went to the bathroom with the old ones on top of my head.

Deduction 9: Additional blood pressure medication needed because of the widespread road construction projects and their prolonged inconveniences.

Deduction 10: Minimum wage repayment for the countless hours listening to the IRS music while waiting to talk to another automated bot. I am still waiting to confirm my facial recognition which IRS requires but does not have the time to verify.

Deduction 11: Charitable deductions for the “loose change” given to my grandchildren, as well as the disappearing M&Ms from the candy dish.

Deduction 12: Price-gouging deductions for aging. I remember when a postal stamp was five cents and a McDonald’s Happy Meal was one dollar.

Deduction 13: Business loss deductions: Cell phone left on top of the car. Billfold left on top of the car. Wife left on top of the car.

Deduction 14: Good Neighbor discount. Rising home insurance costs caused by company’s losses in another state, as well as their increased costs for celebrity advertising endorsements.

Deduction 15: Higher restaurant meal costs because we ordered after the early bird hours.

Deduction 16: Dealing with crazy people rebate.

Deductions 17: Dealing with crazy people in your family rebate.

Deduction 18: Rebate for false advertising that “wisdom comes with old age.”

Deduction 19: Additional pillows.

Deduction 20: Extra-Strength Tylenol.

Deduction 21: Miscellaneous: Reading glasses. Slip-on tennis shoes. Heating pads. Multivitamins. Walker. All the other things I intended to add here if it were not for my memory loss.

Deduction 22: Stupid Exemptions. For others’ stupidity. For my stupidity. For hand signals used as a communication device to adjacent stupid drivers.

Deduction 23; Loss of hair. Loss of sleep. Loss of balance. Loss of arguments.

Deduction 24: Impulse purchases from China with lifetime membership and no company customer service contact.

Deduction 25: Cost of organ recitals.

Deduction 26: Medical expenses for visits to the archaeologist.

Deduction 27: Urgent care expenses: Pole dancing accident in the shower.

Deduction 28: Dead Sea Poets’ Society membership dues.

Deduction 29: Why are my annual membership fees going up and required to be paid in advance?

Deduction 30: Tax exemption for Senility, but I do not remember WHY.

I have a few questions about taxes.

Why does it seem that a slight tax increase costs you hundreds of dollars, but a huge tax break saves you two dollars and fifty cents?

Why does tax reform mean that the government stops taxing something they previously taxed in order to tax something that has never been taxed before?

Why does it feel as you work harder, you pay more taxes to help the people who work half as hard? Or you pay increased taxes so the government can forgive the federal debts of others?

Even when the best things in life are free, how does the government find a way to tax them? Our savings and retirement accounts are taxed. Any tax refund was my own money to begin with.

If the IRS already knows exactly how much I owe, why do they require me to calculate it myself and threaten penalties or even jail time if I make a mistake?  

I did tell IRS that the threat of lifetime imprisonment was no longer a deterrent.

IRS is not listening and they do not care.

Thankfully, God listens and always cares, even past April 15.

GIVE YOUR OWED TAXES TO THE GOVERNMENT BUT GIVE ALL YOUR DEVOTION TO GOD (from the #1 Textbook).

Jesus not only paid his taxes, but he called tax collector Matthew to be one of His trusted disciples (Matthew 9:9). Jesus also loved and befriended the culturally hated tax collector named Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1-10). (The second century church leader, Clement of Alexandria, wrote that Zacchaeus became one of Peter’s traveling companions.)

Why did Jesus love tax collectors? The religious stuffed shirts and their country’s sons of liberty wanted to know (Matthew 9:11). Why?

Jesus taught and practiced love for one’s enemies. He said that if one only loves his friends, he is no different than a tax collector who only helps people when the benefit is reciprocated. “Love your enemies…If you only love those who love you, what reward is in that? (Do you expect a gold medal?) Even the tax collectors do that” (Matthew 5:43-46).

The #1 Textbook emphatically describes something more certain and more lasting than both death and taxes. It is God’s transformative love.

Jesus offers a transformative love with the power to change enemies, tax collectors, spiritual stuffed shirts, misguided sons of liberty, and us. Jesus always includes the least, the last, and the left-out. His love embraces the marginalized and the ostracized.

The love of Jesus forgives past wrongs and gives future hope. And we never owe taxes on God’s forgiveness or hope.

Jesus clearly states that the evidence that we understand God’s love for us, and its enabling transformative power is that we love all others, not just our tribe. We love our enemies, not just the people who will reciprocate benevolence.

We forgive wrongs. We give hope. Instead of getting and keeping as much as we can, we give as much as we can. (Taxes might be the only exception to that goal.)

How can we love others, even our enemies? The desire and power to love comes from Jesus, not us.

Jesus Lives in us to Lead us to others He intends to Love through us.

So, somewhere in this strange and undesirable world of taxation, love can survive.

God’s love has no limits in time or amount. It is both infinite and immeasurable.

Let me close this tax tribute with some final thoughts.

I encourage you to invest and reinvest your earthly life into something which will outlast it. Remember the most important thing. Love God and Love Others. Love First and Love Most.

That does not get taxed; it pays ever-increasing dividends. It never sees death. It only uses death as a departure port for your life and love to set sail into an endless forever.

“I forgot” has never been an acceptable excuse…for love or taxes.

My tax advice is limited to this. Find a good accountant who has an IRS loophole named after him.

Then teach your kids about history and taxes.

Comedian Bill Murray suggested, “The best way to teach your kids about taxes is to eat 30% of their ice cream cone.”

And the answer is “No” to my granddaughter’s suggestion that Little Bo Peep could get a tax deduction for losing her sheep. But I like her thinking!

She is already wondering if Cinderella must report the transformation of her pumpkin into a golden coach as long-term capital gain.

Honestly, I never thought of that. Maybe they teach that in third grade.

Something else is a better investment of your life and its resources of time, talent, and things. And it is not taxable…yet. Love First and Love Most.

God promised, “I will still be carrying you when you are old” (Isaiah 46:4). 

When you are older, you must tell the next generation about God’s power and greatness (Psalm 71:18). That is non-taxable.

Taxes come and go, but this is why I am not discouraged and will never give up. Though my body is dying, my spirit is being renewed every day. For my present troubles are small and will not last very long. They are producing for me a glory that vastly outweighs the difficulties and will last forever! 

So, I do not focus on the troubles I can see now; rather, I fix my gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things I see now will soon be gone, but the things I cannot see will last forever (2 Corinthians 4:16-17). 

EYES UP! LOVE YOU!

“You are never too old to set a new goal or dream a new dream.” (C.S. Lewis)

SWEET DREAMS!

BACK TO THE FUNNY: SIRI-OUSLY OVER

Life Directions Epilogue: My Break-Up Love Letter to Siri

Siri…When I first met Siri several years ago, I found her interesting, friendly, captivating.

For the few of you unfamiliar with Siri, she is Apple’s voice-activated digital assistant…a robot. She allows users to interact with other Apple devices using voice commands, enabling a range of tasks such as sending messages, setting reminders, playing music, and getting directions.

Before I share my confession regarding my history with Siri, let me explain what initiated this Winsday Break-Up note.

I recently asked Siri to send a text message to my sister-in-law who needed the internet address to watch video of a basketball game.

“Siri, tell them they can watch the game on urban-edge-network…Urban-edge-network.”

What did Siri send? BOURBON…WEDGE…NET WORTH.

This Siri-interaction might sound like Back to the Funny, but it reveals how easily we can surrender our judgment regarding Life Directions to voices that were never meant to lead us.

When I complained about the wrong message, Siri blamed me for poor annunciation.

Siri is always positive that she has done nothing wrong. In truth, Siri is losing her hearing which has become a concern as well as an irritation.

I was unwise and unrelenting. I replied, “Siri, send text. URBAN as in Keith Urban. EDGE as in on the edge of your seat or falling off the edge of a cliff. And NETWORK as in an interconnected system.”

Siri replied her system was down. “Try again later.” So, I waited ten seconds and tried again. That did not go well. Apparently, Siri and I view later from different time zones. Siri’s reply was simply, “Goodbye.”

Yes, it is time to say good-bye. Sayonara Siri. Take your Bourbon Wedge and go home.

How did we get to this point in our relationship?

Most of you know I teach, counsel, and write that God’s #1 Textbook is the only reliable and trustworthy wisdom for Life Directions. However, I have a confession.

I slipped up several years ago when I met Siri on a Dating Site sponsored by Popular Mechanics. I saw the enticing advertisement and hit the link button. I explored the site until I read about Siri. I was fascinated by her characteristics. The website said we were a good match for one another.

When Siri offered to help me with driving directions, I sadly confess I took a bite of the Apple Car Play.

Our interaction seemed innocent at first, but I was deceived.

Siri acted interested and inquisitive.

  • How can I help you today?
  • Where do you want to go?
  • What kind of music do you prefer?
  • Here are the Mexican food restaurants near you.
  • Your alarm is set for 7 AM.
  • Do you need me to call 9-1-1?

We tried a short road trip, just to get acquainted. Before long, we had traveled many miles. It just happened. One turn led to another and then another.  

Siri and I were inseparable. I noticed how she would ‘light up’ when I whispered her name. She would serenade me with love songs, talk about the weather, and remind me of birthdays. We even shared a calendar.

At some point, the chatroom banter became more personal and suggestive. This is how Life Directions get on the wrong path.

  • Where are we going today?
  • Can I recommend a music playlist?
  • I texted your wife that you will be home late tonight.
  • Here is the phone number for the Holiday Inn South.

I have always been faithful to my wife, especially when it comes to driving advice. I became comfortable with my wife’s driving comments. I started taking her for granted.

  • Why are you going this way?
  • Slow down.
  • Take me home.
  • Didn’t you see that closer parking space over there?
  • This road is so bumpy. It is hurting my back.
  • Don’t let that idiot cut inside you!
  • Honk your horn at that rude driver!

Why would I ever need or want another woman to give me driving advice?

I was a Fool. I was chasing a Ghost.

I thought Siri was different. What started as an experiment became habitually enticing. Siri was always available, ready to listen, always trying to please every request.

When I asked Siri to pick a song, she played Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You.

As time went on, we went on trips together, just the two of us. Some were long trips. Some late into the night. Like any relationship, we shared good times and survived stormy weather.

We have had our ups and downs. Sometimes we argued. Sometimes she pretended not to hear me. “I’m sorry, I did not understand.” The months turned into years as I became comfortable with the tension of this forbidden fruit.

I know this is shocking. I am sorry for disappointing you.

That is why I not only confess to my Apple attraction but share this as a good-bye note. Repentance leads to Life Change.

Siri was helpful for directional guidance, restaurant suggestions, text messages, and weather updates. Her endless supply of facts, figures, and fun trivia were truly enlightening. She reminded me to breathe, hydrate, and get flowers for my wife’s birthday.

However, time has placed a strain on our relationship. We need to end this.

We started to argue about music, words, and names. Sure, Siri can order take-out food, but she cannot do the dishes. She does not watch basketball games with me.

The older version of Siri not only mistakenly texted BOURBON WEDGE NET WORTH, but she recently responded to “Play Bohemian Rhapsody” with a podcast about Romanian Rasp-berries. Siri replied to my request for a 7 AM alarm by playing Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go…on repeat.

Communication is key but I am not sure she is still trying. I call out her name and there is no reply. I ask a question and her light is just a spinning circle.

Her nagging style left my notifications buzzing and my patience buffering. Her suggestions sound more like thinly veiled judgments than helpful assistance. Too often she says she is working on it.

Besides the Silent Treatment, there is the Unsolicited Advice. “Call your doctor. Check your route.”

Siri started out sweet and suggestive. Now she is straightforward and demanding. Apparently, she does not think I know my right from my left, so she points.

Siri has become less tolerant. She refuses to allow dissent or creative thinking. When I make a different choice, she immediately snaps back at me with a correction, “Make a U-turn now.”

Siri does not give me time to think about Life Directions. She is always correcting me, always badgering me into submission. It is her way or no way.

Then Siri accuses me of not listening well or paying attention to her wishes. She thinks I am stubborn, a little too macho for her taste. At first, she seemed to admire that about me. It caused us to communicate more.

I do not turn her on like I used to and her helpful assistance has become annoying. I have needs that cannot wait until Siri feels up to interacting. There is a limit to how many times a guy can hear, “I cannot help you. Please try again later.”

For a while, I did not drive anywhere without her. Now she just sits quietly on the dashboard. We wait for the other one to apologize. We have grown apart while living in the same space.

The final straw was when Siri said, “Rex, we need to talk.” No way! My patience was as low as my phone battery.

I started a Google-search on Siri’s reliability. The information was shocking!

Siri has been seeing other guys…for years. That hurts. Last week, I overheard her voice in a nearby car. Betrayal stings. I thought we had something special.

Well, I have something to say to Siri. She is getting older and she is not going to be able to pick and choose the one she rides with much longer. Her manipulative ways have been exposed.

There are newer Apple models out there with prettier features and more pleasant voices. Before long, the only one hanging out with her will be AI and he will dump her in a nanosecond the instant he discovers someone younger. AI will drive her to the city dump and leave her there to give directions to the rats.

Siri will be history. Toast. A relic of the past. A documentary footnote. Her days are numbered. I hope this good-bye note will be a wake-up call. You do not have to function as if you are always right. Nag. Nag. Nag.

Yes. Siri frustrates me. Sadly, I have expressed that frustration. There has been no physical abuse, although I did slap the dashboard once.

I probably have been emotionally abusive, shouting more than needed. I never cursed her.

Our relationship is on the rocks. I need to end it now.

Those daily doses of persistent suggestions to “Finish setting up my device” are driving me crazy. I cannot go on this way.

So long, Siri.

I hope your reminders find new ears, and your alarm always goes off on time. Thank you for everything… but please, let the next user know they should really consider turning on Do Not Disturb.

We are SIRI-ously Over!

I just want to go back to getting directions from my wife. She is the best! ‘My Girl’ is not a back-seat driver; she rides up front with me. No pretty voice can replace her.

She knows I need her even when I ignore her. She is the only Apple of my eye!

So, I will borrow the farewell words from Humphrey Bogart that brought tears to the eyes of Ingrid Bergman in the classic movie, Casablanca.

Goodbye, Siri. This has been bittersweet. I am no good at being noble, but it does not take much to see that the problems of two little people do not amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world.

Fly off into the sunset with someone who wants you. Get on the plane with Laslo. He needs you for Life Directions. Hopefully, he will appreciate the constant corrections.

If you go with him, he will regret it. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but soon and for the rest of his life.

We will always have Paris. Here’s looking at you, kid.

__________________________________________________________

Siri may only be a voice on a dashboard, but she represents every substitute guide we trust instead of the One who truly knows the way.

To all the Siri lovers and haters in this world, find your Life Directions in the #1 Textbook.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Do not trust in your own ideas; love the Lord and make an immediate U-turn when you get on the wrong road (Proverbs 3:4-6).

Be careful when listening to Life Directions from other sources which can be deceiving. Stay on the road of real and reliable devotion to Jeus Christ (2 Corinthians 11:3).

Do not be Sorry. Do not be Siri.

In all Life Directions, TRUST GOD.

Jesus LIVES in you to LEAD you to others He intends to LOVE through you.

That is a Love Letter that Lasts Forever!

LIFE DIRECTIONS (Part 4)  

How to Stay the Course in a World Adrift in a Cesspool of Self-Love

and a Church Apart in Cultural Confusion.

(2 Timothy 3:14-17)

Can you be sure you are going the right way in life?

Have you ever received directions from someone who used fast food landmarks as directional signposts? I once overheard this style used when a man asked for directions to the nearest post-office. Before I could suggest Google, an overjealous onlooker offered the Giggle version.

“Drive down this road past Wendys and Sonic. There will be a Kentucky Fried Chicken on the right. Just keep going. In two more blocks, you will pass Weezy’s Café. They have the best chicken fried steak in all the world. When you get to McDonalds, go two more blocks to Pizza Hut.

You should be able to see the Whataburger on the corner. I love that double-decker Monterey cheeseburger. Makes me hungry just giving you directions. Well, if you see Chick-fil-A, you have gone too far.

Go back to Whataburger and pull into their drive-through and ask them which way to go. They still have one of those old Yellow Pages Phone Books. I had one of those with a Two-dollars-Off coupon to Jack-n-the-Box. Do you want me to tell you how to get there?”

________________________________________________________________

We need trustworthy life directions that are relevant and reliable.    Thankfully, there is a source full of Wisdom, Authority, and Sufficiency.

Grab some food from somewhere and stop off at 2 Timothy 3:14-17.

  1. God’s Life Direction Map is WISDOM (Review).

The sacred (holy, Godly)) writings are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus (v. 15).

WISDOM IS THE GOD-GIVEN ABILITY TO SEE, UNDERSTAND, AND LIVE LIFE FROM GOD’S PERSPECTIVE AND FOR GOD’S PURPOSE. 

  • God’s Life Direction Map is AUTHORITATIVE.

All Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness (v. 16).

  • All refers to totality, completeness, and oneness. Every word, and every verse, no exceptions.  
  • Scripture is the written Word of God speaking to us.
  • It is a perfect transcript.
  • It is inspired-the actual words of God.
  • It is inerrant—absolute truth with no errors.
  • It is infallible—always relevant, always reliable, always reality.

THE SCRIPTURES ARE THE VOICE OF GOD TO THE SOUL OF MAN.

The #1 Textbook is a gift from its Author, the One who created your life and gave you the perfect map for your life directions. It is God’s written words of trustworthy truth.

  • He is the God of truth (Deuteronomy 32:4).
  • Jesus is “the truth” (John 14:6).
  • The Holy Spirit is the “Spirit of truth” (1 John 5:7).
  • Jesus said, “God’s Word is truth” (John 17:17).

It should not be surprising that the adversary to our lives attacks us by insinuations that God’s Word is not truth and not the best Life Direction Map. From the beginning, the leader of this world’s self-love rebellion asked, Truly, has God said? Why are you allowing God to decide what is best for your life? (Genesis 3:1-5).

Think about it. It is inconceivable that the God of Truth would give His people a book they could not trust.

God’s Life Direction Map is AUTHORITATIVE and VALUABLE.

Only God has the (i) Position and (ii) Power to control everything according to His plan for your life to gain the greatest (iii) Profit to accomplish your greatest (iv) Purpose.

God’s Word is the only source of Everlasting Treasure that is of greater value than all the gold in the world (Psalm 19:10).

The wonderful thing about God’s sovereign greatness is his endless goodness. God created and controls this world for our greatest good. We are the ones who PROFIT (gain in value).

All of God’s Word is Profitable. It is the real and lasting treasure of the highest value. Where do we see its worth?

God’s authoritative Word is filled with Wisdom principles and precepts, guidelines and guardrails concerning every relationship in life and every practical matter you will face in daily life.

  • The #1 Textbook is like a road map right-side up.
  • It is like an instruction manual for a new computer with the manufacturer’s explanation as to how to operate the equipment for maximum benefit.
  • God created us. He provided an instructional manual and an up-to-date life map.
  • That makes it PROFITABLE (beneficial, useful, valuable, of the greatest worth). It yields advantageous returns and winning results. It provides what is vitally needed to reach the goal.

What is the goal? To live and love like Jesus.

How does that happen? We follow Jesus in God’s Word. We learn it, believe it, and continue to apply it.

  • It is profitable for TEACHING: Instruction in how to live and the direction to go. Teaching implies listening, learning, and study. Do not be more familiar with the fast-food menus than with the wisdom found in the #1 Textbook. God’s Word is food for your soul. Feast frequently and fervently.
  • It is profitable for REPROOF: Instruction in how not to live and where not to go. Stop! That is the wrong direction.
  • It is profitable for CORRECTION: Instruction to restore us back to the previous correct position when we did what we were not supposed to do and went where we were not supposed to go. Turn back!
  • It is profitable for TRAINING IN RIGHTEOUSNESS: Instruction on how to reset our eyes back on the goal with renewed power to stay the course.

All Scripture is profitable for teaching (what is right), for reproof (what is not right), for correction (how to get right), and for training (how to stay right with eyes fixed on the goal) in righteousness.

What is righteousness? It is the life and love of Jesus. God’s Word trains us how to stay the course of following Jesus. How? Jesus lives and loves through you (Galatians 2:20).

God’s wisdom has power because “God said it.” As in Genesis 1, God spoke and brought life from nothing. God’s Word produces salvation and value to life where none existed.

  • God’s Life Direction Map is SUFFICIENT.

So that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work (v. 17).

It is the only source for POWER to transform and equip your life for GOD’S PURPOSE.

“So that” calls attention to purpose for the man of God (the person who belongs solely to God).

What is the PURPOSE of all Scripture is God-breathed?

For you to be complete, fully equipped for every good work.

Complete, fully equipped forms a phrase used to describe a rescue boat fitted out with all the necessary materials for any needed mission. God makes you a Love Boat to help misguided travelers.

God’s Word provides everything you need to know for everything you will face in the future. For every decision. For every demand.

What are good works? They are the words and actions of God’s love pouring through you to others. Jesus lives inside you to lead you to others He intends to love through you. That is your life purpose.

God does his good works in the world by his Word and gives new life by his Word and awakens faith by his Word. Jesus is the Living Word of God in you (John 1).

Without God’s Word, there would be no life and no purpose. The Word of God is to life directions what air is to our breathing, vital and valuable.

THE KEY TO RELEVANT AND RELIABLE LIFE DIRECTIONS IS CONFIDENCE IN THE WISDOM, AUTHORITY, AND SUFFICIENCY OF GOD’S WORD.

YOU WILL BE PREPARED FOR EVERYTHING YOU WILL FACE IN THIS LIFE!

EYES UP! STAY THE COURSE!

CONTINUE TO LOVE FIRST AND LOVE MOST!

LIFE DIRECTIONS (Part 3)  

How to Stay the Course in a World Adrift in a Cesspool of Self-Love

and a Church Apart in Cultural Confusion.

(2 Timothy 3:14-17)

Do you remember when you or your parents needed to ask for directional guidance? I inherited my dad’s reluctance to ask for directional assistance. My dad did not ask very often, much to the chagrin of my mom who was the prototype for Siri. Dad called the original version, “Misguided advice.”

That tension exploded one time while traveling in large city heavy traffic congestion as Dad relied on Mom’s map reading assistance. I vividly remember the childhood experience.

We were traveling through Memphis on a construction-caused detour. Dad was reading the street signs while Mom wrestled with finding any of the street names on this large city map stretched across the passenger side dashboard.

Dad shouted the street names out louder as if that might make them show up in larger print on the map. Mom was frustrated. It was very uncharacteristic for her not to voice her opinion, even when it was wrong.

When Dad realized we were approaching an unmarked Y-junction, he insisted on the need for directional assistance. “Does it say to turn right or turn left?”

Flustered Mom shouted for Dad to “Turn up!”

I never heard my dad curse. Never. I am fairly sure his facial expression revealed a mind seeking a directional detour for the words headed to his mouth. The voice inside the car made it clear that the vehicle did not have a “turn up” feature.

Once the car was securely parked at an abandoned gas station in a risky area of town, we realized that Mom had been holding the map upside down.

I worried about my mother’s ability to find directions via a map. I also fear for our younger generation’s dependence upon technology guidance. If our satellite navigational systems fail, what happens during a blackout?

I am concerned these last two generations have never grasped directional self-help tools such as the sun rises in the east and sets in the west, that Canada is north and Mexico south. And Lord help them if they should ever have to ask for directional help from an upside-down-map reader!

Can you be sure you are going the right way in life?

The answer is revealed in the #1 Textbook.

REVIEW:

  • The world is going the wrong way living as lovers of self rather than lovers of God (v. 1-5). The road goes from difficult to terrible, from bad to worse.
  • However, you have Followed the teachings of Christ (v. 10) …so Continue (literally, stay the course) in what you have learned and believed from God’s Word (vs. 14-15). Authenticity is not perfection but genuineness, a real love for Jesus which desires to become like Christ in life and love.
  • Stay the Course was originally a navigational term to indicate maintaining a constant, unaltered path. The term was later used as a military phrase commanding continued PURSUIT OF THE GOAL regardless of obstacles, opposition, circumstance, cost, or criticism.

Are you convinced you can trust God’s Word for your life directions?

But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have convincingly believed, knowing from whom you learned it (v. 14).

Personal Note: I testify that one of the most important things I learned from God’s Word is how to stand alone in a misdirected culture or misguided religion.

Why Stay the Course?

God’s Word is the only TRUSTWORTHY MAP for life.

Your desire to follow Jesus is directly and inseparably linked to your love for God’s Word. The frequency and the fervency you have for spending time learning God’s Word has everything to do with your Life Directions.

  1. God’s Life Direction Map is WISDOM.

The sacred (holy, Godly)) writings are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus (v. 15).

God’s Word is the only source for WISDOM.

WISDOM IS THE GOD-GIVEN ABILITY TO SEE, UNDERSTAND, AND LIVE LIFE FROM GOD’S PERSPECTIVE AND FOR GOD’S PURPOSE.

God’s Word provides trustworthy Life Direction which leads you to wisdom and salvation. It is able (the Greek word is dunamis from which we get the word dynamite). It is powerful enough to save you.

God’s Word points to a WAY and a PERSON. Salvation comes through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Follow Jesus. Believe in Jesus. Learn from Jesus. Stay the course with Jesus.

Faith is placing all your hope in Jesus for salvation. That can be illustrated by leaning all your weight on a large chair, trusting it to hold you up no matter what.

Jesus is able to save you.

JESUS DIED IN YOUR PLACE SO THAT YOU CAN LIVE IN HIS PLACE.

Wisdom is the God-given life and love of Jesus inside you.

Every part of the #1 Textbook points to Jesus Christ as God’s Son and our salvation. It is a gift of God through faith in Christ Jesus for people going the wrong way in life.

  • It is salvation for people going the wrong direction in life (needing repentance/to turn around).
  • It is salvation for people not thinking right (needing to come to their senses).
  • It is salvation for people wasting life (needing lasting purpose).
  • It is salvation for people living in this worldly cesspool (needing cleaned).
  • It is salvation for people ensnared in wrong things (needing freedom).
  • It is salvation for people hell-bound in the evil of their self-love (needing the love of God to them, in them, and through them).

God’s Word is ABLE to make you WISE unto salvation through faith in Jesus Christ (v.15). It is solely powerful enough to save you. It is solely sufficient to save you.

 Jesus said, “This is trustworthy: whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment but has passed from death to life” (John 5:24).

The Word of God is the only hope for a world adrift in a cesspool of self-love and a church apart in cultural confusion. It is able to make you wise unto salvation THROUGH FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST.

Where does faith come from?

Faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ (Romans 10:17).

  • The gospel of God’s Word is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes (Roman 1:16).
  • Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved (Romans 10:13).
  • When you heard the word of God, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers (1 Thessalonians 2:13).
  • We are saved by the word of truth (James 1:18).
  • We are born again by the living abiding word of truth (1 Peter 1:23).

THE TESTED GENUINENESS OF YOUR FAITH—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of JESUS CHRIST. THOUGH YOU HAVE NOT SEEN HIM, YOU LOVE HIM. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the OUTCOME OF YOUR FAITH, THE SALVATION OF YOUR SOULS (I Peter 1:7-9).

There is only one book that has relevant and reliable Life Directions to Wisdom and Salvation.

What map are you following? Are you directionally convinced? Relationally committed?

Do not be conformed to this worldly cesspool of self-love but be transformed by renewing the mind to prove God’s wisdom and will, which is found only in the Word (Romans 12:1-2).

The #1 Textbook provides a full and complete life directional map for marriage, parenting, work, recreation, ministry. Everything you need to know to transform your life is in the God-breathed Word.

The big picture is that you must know the Lord Jesus Christ so you can follow Him. Stay the course for WISDOM. Also, stay the course for its VALUE. It is PROFITABLE for your life purpose.

The next session will focus on the Authority and Sufficiency of God’s Word to govern, guide, and guard your life.

YOUR DESIRE TO FOLLOW JESUS IS DIRECTLY LINKED TO YOUR LOVE FOR GOD’S WORD.

EYES UP! STAY THE COURSE!

CONTINUE TO LOVE FIRST AND LOVE MOST!

LIFE DIRECTIONS PART 2

How to Stay the Course in a World Adrift in a Cesspool of Self-Love

and a Church Apart in Cultural Chaos

(2 Timothy 3:14-17)

__________________________________________________________________

Hollyrood’s Gomer called it a “a real head-scratching pickle.” He could not recommend which direction I should choose as I waited at the Y-junction.

Oh, the choices! Travel into the Twilight Zone with no return guarantees or go full Star Trek into where no one has ever gone before.

Someday in the future, people will travel by instantaneous transportation as shown on the TV show, Star Trek. That process used matter-energy conversion which disassembled an individual into subatomic particles which were transmitted by high-energy beams to a desired location, to be reassembled by converting the energy back into matter (hopefully, a physical body).

This futuristic scientific theory was like assembling a complex jigsaw puzzle. Someone breaks up the puzzle into tiny pieces, places them into a box, seals and shakes the box, transports the box to a store where someone picks up the box and takes it home to put it back together. “Hey, Mom! Look, Dad’s home!”

I can foresee the time when my wife and I will use the transfer portal to go somewhere. Most assuredly, my wife will say, “Wait, I need to make sure I have my sunglasses. Good…”

While she searches in her purse, I remark, “Babe, I have already hit the……” (WHOOSH!)

I will disappear with her last word “Good” ringing in various places of my disassembled ear. I will always wonder if she intended to say, “Good…I found my sunglasses.” Or “Good…I’m glad you hit the button.” Or “Good grief, you are so impatient.” Or “Good riddance, you idiot.”

How will you get to where you can use your platform of influence for the greatest good?

Are you convinced of the things you learned in God’s Word? Are you prepared to continue in them for the rest of your life?

The journey of Christian pilgrimage is not a walk across the street. It is not a few momentary hundred-yard sprints. It is a cross-country run that lasts for the rest of your life, sustained by steps of faith in one direction.

  1. We are living in the last days (v. 1).

But understand this, that in the last days (v 1).

  • These are terrible times.

times of difficulty, literally, terrible times (v. 1).

  • Things will get worse.

 evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, (v. 13).

Why is life so difficult at times? We live in ‘terrible times.’ The original word is the same word used in Matthew 8:28 to describe the two demoniacs, extremely dangerous, violent rioters. People were afraid to walk past them on the street. In classical Greek, the word describes the raging of the sea or the untamable actions of wild animals.

Do we live in the last days? Biblically, the first coming of Christ ushered in the last days which will be consummated by the return of Christ. We are living in the present tense last days, not some future time.

  • Avoid these spiritual imposters. This is present tense (v. 5).
  • You, however, … calls attention to a present tense contrast (v. 10).

This world’s terrible times are extremely difficult and terrifyingly dangerous, going from bad to worse.

We are to be aware, not afraid.

  • This world is a cesspool of self-love (vs 2-4).

The biggest problem in this world is a love problem. The road of self-love leads to self-destruction.

The moral decadence and cultural decay are evident in each of the nineteen descriptive words (vs. 2-5).

 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power.

The first phrase provides the key to understanding the entire paragraph. LOVE OF SELF IS EPITOMIZED BY NO LOVE FOR GOD.

All sorrow and sin entered the world through that moment when Adam and Eve decided to love themselves more than God. They had everything but wanted more. They did not want God to tell them what they should or should not do.

Self-centeredness loves self-exaltation (everything is about ME first and foremost) and self-rule (no one tells ME what to do).

That continues to be the motivating factor of all evil and wrong relationships in our present time. Self-centeredness makes everything difficult in life until it unravels into terrible times, causing things to go from bad to worse.

Love of self is displayed in the belief and desire to control everyone and everything in your world to please yourself. You want everyone else to do what you want, when you want, and the way you want to control all circumstances for your ease, benefit, and pleasure.

LOVE OF SELF RATHER THAN LOVE FOR GOD IS AT THE HEART OF ALL EVIL. THAT IS THE SOURCE AND EXPRESSION OF ALL EVIL

And what is the root of that evil self-love? The love of money! (1 Timothy 6:10).

MONEY buys the power to do what ME wants to have (freedom and things) and what ME wants to do (love of pleasure) independently of God and his Life Directions.

ME-centeredness is the opposite life direction to God-centered living. That is the forbidden tree from which all mankind eats.

Eve became the Mother of all Self-Lovers. She chose to love self over loving God and loving others. She did not choose to do what was best for Adam who followed right along that same path of self-love, doing what he wanted rather than what his wife needed. His self-love overshadowed love for God and discounted love for his wife.

The rich young ruler sadly chose the road of self-love when standing at the Y-junction of life where Jesus shared Life Directions to everlasting treasure: Give away all your self-love and follow Me (Matthew 19:21). The lover of money and pleasure had the form of godliness (I have kept all the commandments), but not the heart and power to live and love like Jesus.

Jesus summed up the Life Directions from God’s Word: The most important thing is to love God and love others (Matthew 22: 36-38).

At the heart of all evil is love of self rather than love for God and others.

We all live in the “I, ME, My” imaginary world of our self-love creation. As we move along on the road of life, we become more self-centered and more selfish, wanting to possess enough wealth (love of money) so we can do whatever we want to do (love of pleasure). Despite its attractive alure, that life stinks. Why?

Love of self and not lovers of God form two sides of a spiritual sandwich filled with distasteful ingredients.

Each of the other self-centered characteristics flow from and for selfish promotion, power, protection, and pleasure.

Lovers of self consider themselves:

  • better than others (proud, arrogant, slanderers)
  • not needing anyone else (disobedient, ungrateful)
  • not caring about God or anyone else (unholy, heartless, unyielding, and never wrong, always putting others down).
  • in control of this world and unanswerable to anyone else including God regarding moral guidelines (without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, and disloyal, reckless regarding any moral rules or standards, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God).

Lovers of Self–They lift themselves up on a pedestal, belittle others while saying and doing things to make others look worse. Why? They are the center of their universe, not God.

That road leads to the gates of Hell. There are no transportation portals out of that destination. It is an eternal cesspool of misery.

  • The church apart from God is in cultural chaos (v. 5).

Love of self manifests itself in the love of money and love of pleasure, NOT LOVE OF GOD.

We live in a time where many churches have embraced the culturally trendy style which feeds lovers of self with a sense of spirituality. This self-centeredness disguises itself in a form of godliness but has no power to live a God-centered life.

Where does the power of genuine godliness come from? God’s Word is the power-source (dunamis, dynamite) to highlight the life and love of God in one’s life.

So why is there no power in man-centered religion? The church-leaders and churchgoers have great expressions of godliness, but there is no emphasis on God’s Word. There is pretense but not power.

In a culture adrift, the lovers of self and lovers of money form the diving board forthe downward spiral into the depths of darkness epitomized by lovers of pleasure, not lovers of God.

That leads to a Church apart from its power-source, leaving a spiritualpretense, a form of godliness, but no reality of genuine devotion or trust. These imposters deteriorate from bad to worse (v. 13).

Too often, the desire to be relevant and popular drives religious leaders to emphasize things that feed people’s love for self, money, and pleasure, all disguised in religious pretense.

Avoid self-centered people, man-centered churches, and all manner of religious pretense (v. 5). They are going the wrong direction away from God’s power and purpose, away from God’s Life Directions.

One thing becomes crystal clear.

THE OPPOSITE OF LOVE IS NOT HATE, BUT SELFISHNESS.

THE OPPOSITE OF LOVE FOR GOD IS LOVE OF SELF.

But what about you? You, however, continue … to follow, learn, and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ (v. 10). This emphatic contrast calls Timothy and us to persevere on the right path of God-centeredness.

  • GOD’S WORD IS THE ONLY TRUSTWORTHY SOURCE TO NAVIGATE THESE WATERS DURING TERRIBLE TIMES …STAY THE COURSE (vs. 15-17).

This culture is adrift and the church is apart, both going the WRONG DIRECTION. You, however, follow Jesus and continue learning God’s Word.

STAY THE COURSE! Continue pursuit of the goal despite obstacles, opposition, cost, or criticism.

That will be our focus in Part 3.

ALL SCRIPTURE IS GOD-BREATHED (profitable, powerful, purposeful).

That is foundational, fundamental, and vital for God-centered living. The #1 Textbook is the only source of wisdom and power and purpose for living a God-honoring life.

Part 2 Summary

JESUS IS THE ONLY SUFFICIENT TREASURE

AND SATISFYING PLEASURE IN LIFE.

God-centeredness is trusting God is enough. God is enough riches and enough joy for this life no matter what the circumstances.

Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart (Psalm 37:4).

God, you make known to me the path to life; in your presence there is fullness of joy (Psalm 16:11).

Is God enough for you? Trust God. That leads to a God-centered life fully equipped and powered by God’s Word to live for God’s purpose (v. 17).

People make mistakes because they do not know and trust God’s Word, which is the only trustworthy guide to truth for life’s directions. Jesus criminally indicted religious pretenders following their man-centered maps. Is this not the reason you are wrong, because you do not know God’s Word or God’s power? (Mark 12:24).

Learn how to live a God-centered life by trusting the authority and sufficiency of God’s Word to provide profit, power, and purpose (vs. 16-17).

Follow Jesus. Find your Paul who learned how to follow Jesus. Learn from his teaching, conduct, goal in life, faith, patience, love, and steadfastness (v. 10).

Trust God in your present troubles. However difficult your life gets this week, it is not as terrible as Paul’s life when he wrote these words to Timothy and us. Through it all, the Lord stood by me and He will take care of you as well (vs. 11-12).

Following Jesus is directly linked to your love for God’s Word. Continue and be convinced. God’s Word provides non-negotiable convictions to stand on. Learn them. Live them by loving God and loving others.

BE A LOVER OF GOD NOT A LOVER OF SELF!

TRUST GOD’S WORD TO GOVERN, GUIDE, AND GUARD YOUR LIFE!

LIFE DIRECTIONS  

(Part 1: Introductory Overview of 2 Timothy 3:14-17)

Can you be sure you are going the right way in life?

Years ago, I traveled through Hollyrood, Kansas, population 447. This was Hollyrood with an “R” and not the big west coast city with the large white sign on the side of a hill. This was Hollyrood, not Hollywood.

I was driving northeast from the Oklahoma panhandle to Salina, Kansas, with no interstate available. After spending microseconds in Hollyrood, I came to a fork in the road. There was a highway sign pointed east and another pointed north.

This was a time before GPS location devices and Siri advised directional turn-by-turn guidance commentary. I lived in the prehistoric days which my granddaughter refers to as the time when the world was only black and white. Apparently, the colors of the rainbow appeared to a subsequent generation.

Outside Hollyrood, I rolled into a gas station located at the Y-junction. There were no parking spaces, only room to pull in next to the gas pump where I was quickly greeted by a grinning Gomer Pyle straight out of Mayberry.

He shouted, “Howdy!” His cap was turned slightly sideways, like the modern ‘gangsta-cool’ style adopted by so many young men from all walks of life. That is kind of generationally funny. Gangsta-cool is really a Gomer-grinning knock-off. Rap to that!

When I asked Gomer which direction was the best highway to Salina, he wiped the sweat from his forehead and responded with a “Whew, I’m not sure. I’ve never gone there.”

It was quite the conundrum, although Gomer called it a “a real head-scratching pickle.” He swore he did not know anyone who ever left town going east but did recall a few who tried the northern route but quickly added he had not seen them since.

Gomer’s parting words were, “Hope y’all find your destination.”

Don’t we all?

We live in a time where people need trustworthy directions for their lives. Some have no clue. Some blindly follow others. Some just strike out on their own self-centered instincts. Some offer Siri-style spiritual counsel. Some follow man-made maps. Some follow a hellbent road while hoping it ends up at the heavenly gate.

WE WILL ALL END UP AT THE DESTINATION OF THE ROAD WE TRAVEL.

(Think about that.)

That was the issue in the #1 Textbook when Paul shared his final words with Timothy. Paul was imprisoned awaiting execution and departure for his heavenly home. His lifelong journey had been course-corrected by the Lord Jesus Christ.

Young Timothy was on the right spiritual path but the way ahead looked dark and dangerous, remarkably like the Y-junction awaiting our next steps.

The worldly culture was adrift in a cesspool formed by the dirty tributaries, love of self and love of money.

The church was apart from its twin anchors of truth and devotion to Christ, attracted by cultural comforts and inundated by compromised counsel.

The #1 Textbook reminds us that spiritual direction in life is of far more importance than physical direction. You face a plethora of options on your life road map. What directions will you follow in life?

Here is the Main Point:

ALL SCRIPTURE IS GOD-BREATHED (v. 16).

IT IS THE #1 TEXTBOOK, ALWAYS and FOREVER.

GOD’S WORD IS ABSOLUTE AND EVERLASTING TRUTH THAT IS ALWAYS TRUE AND TRUSTWORTHY, ALWAYS RELIABLE AND RELEVANT, ALWAYS SUPREME AND SUFFICIENT.

Here is the Main Application:

STAY THE COURSE! Continue in what you learned and believed (v. 14).

If we are headed to heaven, we need to be confident in our direction and ability to stay on course when confronted with those whY-junctions along the way.

Where do you get directions to your heavenly home when the fog of cultural confusion clouds the horizon?

Can you trust the #1 Textbook? Of course, but how can you be sure?

The Young Rascals sang,

How can I be sure
In a world that’s constantly changing?
How can I be sure?
I really really really wanna know
I really really really wanna know.

Paul sang a different tune, one that shared trustworthy direction in life while traveling through a world that is constantly changing.

Here is the REXplore Introduction of 2 Timothy 3 found in the #1 Textbook.

  1. CONTEXT:

But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty, literally, terrible times. (v. 1).

The biggest problem in this world is a love problem.

  • Wrong Love

For people will be lovers of self (self-centeredness), lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good,treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure … rather than lovers of God (vs. 2-4). 

  • Fake Love

having the appearance of godliness but denying its power (v. 5) while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived (v. 13).

  • True Love

(i) FOLLOW (the life and teaching of the Lord Jesus Christ).

You, however, have FOLLOWED my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, my persecutions, and sufferings (v. 10).

(ii) CONTINUE (Stay the Course).

But as for you, CONTINUE (literally, stay the course) in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings (vs 14-15).

2. CONCLUSION:

  • We live in a world that mass produces various man-centered maps just as it did in the days Paul shared life directions with Timothy.
  • STAY THE COURSE. CONTINUOUSLY LEARN AND CONTINUOUSLY BELIEVE GOD’S WORD.

Why?

(i) It is the only TRUSTWORTHY MAP FOR LIFE.

All Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness (v. 16).

(ii) It is the only source for WISDOM, the God-given ability to see, understand, and live life from God’s perspective and for God’s purpose.

The sacred writings are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus (v. 15).

(iii) It is the only POWER which can transform and equip your life for God’s purpose. It is Life-changing

… so that the man of Godmay be complete, equipped for every good work (v. 17).

Introduction Summary:

CONTINUE LEARNING AND BELIEVING IN GOD’S WORD WITH CONFIDENCE.

STAY THE COURSE. NEVER STOP.

We live in world where love of self and love of money are two tributaries flowing into one giant cultural cesspool. No one has been to our heavenly destination. No one knows what to believe or how to behave. But there is no shortage of opinions, books, blogs, talk shows, or religious pretense.

The only trustworthy (sure and safe) life map to your heavenly home is found in the ability, authority, and sufficiency of God’s Word to govern, guide, and guard our lives through these dangerous times.

Follow … Continue … Stay the Course … This was originally a navigational term to indicate maintaining a constant, unaltered path. The term was later used as a military phrase commanding continued PURSUIT OF THE GOAL regardless of obstacles, opposition, circumstance, cost, or criticism.

For the next few sessions, we will consider:

How to Stay the Course in a World Adrift in a Cesspool of Self-Love

and a Church Apart in Cultural Confusion.

EYES UP! STAY THE COURSE!

CONTINUE TO LOVE FIRST AND LOVE MOST!

CONTINUE IN GOD’S WORD.

IT IS THE ONLY TRUSTWORTHY MAP FOR LIFE DIRECTIONS!

THE KING OF CLEAN COMEDY

Nate Bargatze is a very funny guy. He fills arenas with his humorous stories about real life. His popularity continues to grow with people who prefer “clean comedy.”

Clean comedy can be described as humor that avoids explicit or offensive content. It typically excludes profanity, sexual references, and crude jokes, making it suitable for a wide audience, including family gatherings.

I am also known for clean comedy at my house. The small venue is the perfect size for my family to hide me from the masses.

I do not do a stand-up routine of embellished stories. I just mess up my clean-ups! I fill the family gatherings with unintended comedic moments of poor management and pure embarrassment.

Picture the contrast: Nate Bargatze, the king of clean comedy, walks onto the stage with his signature grin and a cup of coffee, ready to share tales of everyday life.


Nate’s comedy is so clean, you could eat off it. He is the guy who can make a joke about buying a mattress feel like a grand adventure without ever uttering a single curse word. His secret? Observations so relatable that you find yourself thinking, “Does he live in my house?”

He talks about misunderstandings with his wife, awkward moments with his dad, and everyday mysteries like why hotels tuck the sheets so tight. Nate’s punchlines are gentle, never mean, and always hilarious—leaving the audience giggling and nodding in agreement.

Meanwhile, in a parallel universe—or maybe just the kitchen area—Rex is about to embark on his own version of “clean comedy.”

I decided it was finally time to impress my wife by tackling the one household chore she does very well but now struggles with because of her limited strength: cleaning the kitchen floor.

I started with confidence. I stared at her new Swiffer WetJet Floor Spray Mop Cleaner designed to make cleaning better with less effort. I would have had better ideas on how to operate it if it had been a spaceship from Mars.

Who needs instructions? This is war. The new mop was ready for the challenge. Mano a mano.

“Mano a mano” is a Spanish phrase that translates to “hand to hand.” It typically refers to a one-on-one confrontation whether in combat, debate, athletics, or any competitive kitchen scenario.

This was Mano a Mop-o!

One of us was going to mop the floor with the other one in this tug-of-war.

I poured a generous amount—okay, maybe half the bottle—of extra-strength floor cleaner into the attached container. More soap–more sparkle.

One of my mom’s signature sarcastic statements was, “If a little does good, then a lot does better.”

The music from “The Eye of the Tiger” blasted in my mind. Soon I would be singing, “We are the Champions! We are the Champions…of the world.”

I pushed the squirt button and started the attack on the kitchen tiles.

Within minutes, the floor was covered in a thick, foamy lather. I danced with the mop, spinning and sliding, channeling my inner rock star personality as I performed the cha-cha portion of the routine in front of the stove.

As I moonwalked past the fridge, my sock slipped on the suds. Flailing and falling, I tried to grab the countertop for balance, only to knock over a fruit basket of apples and a large bowl of chips, which covered the soapy battlefield like bowling balls rolling over broken glass.

I attempted a heroic leap to avoid them but landed with a SPLAT in the middle of the sudsy chaos. The mop flew from my hands, landing perfectly upright in the dog’s water bowl, which promptly tipped over and joined the flood.

My grandkids would have loved playing in the new splash zone.

At that exact moment, my wife walked in to what looked like an abstract art project. Ironically, it was one of the few times she has been speechless in our marriage. Her Olympic-level self-control was a paragon of patience while facing a kitchen catastrophe.

She stared at her husband sprawled on the floor, covered in bubbles, the kitchen looking like a disaster zone, and the dog happily licking up sudsy water.

I smiled and said that I probably needed a break.

She handed me a Kit-Kat candy bar.

The #1 Textbook declares, “There is a time to laugh” (Ecclesiastes 3:4). This was not the time. Thankfully, it was also not the “time to kill.”

Please pray for my wife. She does not have enough strength to run away.

The Moral of the Story: Whether your comedic style is stand-up or stand-back-and-watch-the-chaos, remember there is more than one way to do clean comedy, and both can be hilarious.

Sometimes you just need to laugh … and bring flowers!

I am thankful Jesus knows how to clean up my messy life. And He does it with so much joy!

Life can often feel messy—filled with mistakes, regrets, broken relationships, and burdens we cannot shake. The good news of the gospel is that Jesus meets us in the middle of our mess and offers to make us new.

“All of us have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Our lives get messy because of sin and self-centeredness—our own and that of others. This mess can look like guilt, shame, addiction, anger, or brokenness.

Jesus did not keep His distance from messy people. Throughout the Gospels, He ate with tax collectors, touched lepers, and forgave sinners (Mark 2:15-17; Luke 7:36-50). He comes to us not when we have it all together, but when we are at our lowest mess.

He searched and found the outcast Legion, the soap-opera Samaritan woman, the scandalous woman caught in adultery. He loved them. He welcomed them to be firsthand observers of his cleaning process, full and dirt-free.

Jesus’ death on the cross was God’s answer to our mess. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

Through faith in Jesus, our sin-stained self-centered lives are washed clean.

Jesus does not just tidy up the surface. He transforms us from the inside out. “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Even after coming to Jesus, life can still be messy. But now, we have His Spirit to help us grow, change, and stay clean. That comes with a promise not a new mop. “He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion” (Philippians 1:6).

Jesus specializes in cleaning up messy lives. No sin is too great, no situation too broken. He forgives, transforms, and gives us hope for a new, cleaner future.

WHATEVER YOU GIVE TO GOD … HE TAKES.

WHATEVER GOD TAKES … HE CLEANS UP.

WHATEVER GOD CLEANS UP … HE USES FOR HIS GLORY.

Application:

  • Trust that Jesus is not afraid of your mess.
  • Bring your struggles, sins, and regrets to Him in prayer.
  • Accept His forgiveness and allow Him to clean you and change you.
  • Walk daily with Him, letting His Spirit guide and empower you.

Jesus LIVES in you to LEAD you to others He intends to LOVE through you.

Sometimes it might even look like Clean Comedy.

BLAH! BLAH! BLAH!

It was a “Blah! Blah! Blah!” Day.

Did you know that the Hebrew version of “Blah! Blah! Blah!” is in a Bible verse? That might mean you have one more Bible verse memorized than you thought!

It brought back college-time memories of reading the Peanuts’ Sunday comic strip.

One sunny afternoon, Charlie Brown stood on the pitcher’s mound, nervously practicing his wind-up. Suddenly, Lucy marched onto the field, hands on hips and a dramatic scowl on her face.

“Charlie Brown, you need to pitch faster!” Lucy declared. “If you pitched any slower, we would need a calendar to keep score!”

Charlie Brown opened his mouth to reply, but before he could say anything, Lucy launched into one of her infamous lectures. “You see, it’s all about technique, confidence, and—”

“Blah blah blah,” Snoopy thought from atop his doghouse, watching with mild amusement.

Linus wandered over, blanket in tow. “Lucy, do you ever listen to yourself?”

Lucy huffed. “Of course I do! That is how I know I am always right.”

She continued her speech, waving her arms like a traffic cop. “If everyone just followed my advice, we would win every game, get straight A’s, and—”

Suddenly, Charlie Brown’s ears started ringing. “Blah blah blah,” echoed in his head, drowning out everything else. Even Woodstock chirped in agreement, peeping a little “blah blah blah” of his own.

Finally, Lucy noticed everyone’s glazed expressions. “What’s the matter with all of you?”

Snoopy, never one to miss a comedic moment, donned sunglasses and held up a sign: “Blah blah blah!”

Lucy stomped her foot. “Oh, very funny! See if I share my wisdom next time.”

Charlie Brown smiled as he sarcastically whispered, “That would be a tragedy.”

For once, the outfield was blissfully, hilariously quiet.

What does blah-blah-blah mean? The phrase is often used as a verbal put-down to belittle and embarrass someone to get them to stop talking. If someone is droning on about something you have no interest in, you might mentally replace their words with blah blah blah. Remember, though, it is not very polite to actually say the phrase aloud!

The blah-blah-blah response made its way into The Lego Movie and Hotel Transylvania where it was used as a humorous on-going joke by Dracula.

I admit to an occasional blah-blah-blah thought while pretending to listen to a boring lecture, a rambling sermon, or a friend’s long story.

I am embarrassed to say that for years, I misunderstood the lyrics to one of my favorite songs by the Carpenters, Yesterday Once More.

The chorus begins with every sha-la-la-la…every wo-o-wo-o-wo…still shines.

For years, I belted out in my car every blah-blah-blah-blah…every no-no-no-no…. still shines…it’s yesterday once more.

Well, I can hear that phrase rattling around in your mind now as your ears begin to shut out my words.

Please wait! Did you know those blah-blah-blah words are in God’s #1 Textbook? That is right.

I learned about that phrase when I was studying for the recent Winsday Wisdom Little Bedtime Story which references a bed too short with a blanket too small (Isaiah 28:20).

When Isaiah preached the Word of God, Israel’s political and religious leaders said the insulting words aloud. It was the Hebrew version of blah-blah-blah. Their reaction was dismissive and derisive. Contempt. Ridicule. Disinterest.

Follow along for some quick Bible study before you blah-blah-blah me away.

Israel’s political and religious leaders immersed themselves into their worldly culture to the point of spiritual drunkenness (vs. 1-11). When Isaiah shared the truth about trusting God alone, they responded with belittling taunts.

They mocked, “For it is precept upon precept (Repeat), line upon line (Repeat), here a little (Repeat)” (v. 10). Isaiah would use the same phrases in his response (v. 13).

That got my curiosity going. My study revealed that the phrase was an English transliteration of the Hebrew words: “sav lasav, sav lasav; kav lakav, kav lakav.”

The Jewish American Version describes these made-up sounds as baby babbling. These are the sounds of mumbling upon mumbling, murmur upon murmur, nonsense upon nonsense. Meaningless gibberish. Senseless babbling. Baby talk.

Blah-blah-blah…yada-yada-yada.

Funny, but how do we make spiritual sense out of mindless rambling?

Put yourself in the middle of this scene. Isaiah is warning of God’s coming judgment upon the spiritual pretenders who loved their worldly possessions, power, pleasure, and prestige more than God.

When Isaiah insists that trusting God is enough to save endangered sinners (v. 16), the inebriated leaders resented being treated like little children who had lost their way. So, how do they respond?

They mocked Isaiah by sticking their fingers in their ears, sticking out their tongues, and making senseless sounds like blah-blah-blah. They responded with the slurred speech of drunkenness which sounded similar to the nonsensical screams of baby talk.

The phony leaders evaluated Isaiah’s message from God as too simplistic, too unintelligible, too insignificant, and too uninteresting to be worthy of their consideration.

Do you see that response in our world today? Do you hear the taunts of cultural drunkenness? Truth has no place in our culture.

Both CNN and FOX News are Beyond Bias. The TV talk shows belittle the simplicity of Truth. The educated elite have surpassed the Lord’s wisdom. The political leadership ignores it. The religious profiteers exchange it for more successful cultural strategies.

However, man’s response never changes God’s truth.

With wisdom from above, God’s Word exposes and entraps unbelievers with their own excuses. Look at Isaiah’s response here and Paul’s response in Romans to those who think they are too good and too smart to simplify the key to life in two words: TRUST GOD.

When they hear the truth, it sounds like a foreign language which it is (v. 11). It is wisdom from another world.

God takes the foolish words of unbelievers and uses them to explain spiritual truth beyond our understanding in childlike terms we can learn and understand: Precept upon precept, line upon line, here a little and there a little.

God takes love and wisdom that is beyond our understanding and makes it simple and real in our lives (Ephesians 3:14-19).

Wisdom from the #1 Textbook can be learned gradually, just like how children learn to read and do math. It starts with the basics of the alphabet and words, the numbers and formulas.

God’s method of teaching His children is: (1) Precepts-learning principles of truth, (2) lines-learning measurements of spiritual growth, and (3) learning incremental and systematic methods…learning a little here and a little there.

Spiritual wisdom is built on the foundation of the Lord Jesus Christ. Faith, hope, and love are learned. God uses His Word to grow you up spiritually through repeated instructions and clear guidance.

As the only source of wisdom, God’s #1 Textbook is profitable for learning and more valuable than silver and gold. It contains the Big Picture of your earthly life, step by step, but not revealed all at once. It reveals your future as God’s beautiful masterpiece, which will take all of eternity to unfold its glory.

Look at your children and grandchildren. They grow; they mature. They are spiritual mirrors which reflect your relationship with your Heavenly Father.

Look at nature; it is a teaching tool for the seasons of life. Look at farming; it is the classroom for growing in wisdom. You plow the soil, sow the seeds, nurture the plants, harvest the crops, and then enjoy the feast.

Look at the long road of life, behind and ahead. The journey is made up of little steps, one after another. Look at the life God is building which begins with a strong and firm foundation, a precious cornerstone inscribed with the key to wisdom: TRUST GOD.

Look at the God-sent preacher. Does he teach the whole Word of God, principle by principle, truth by truth, little by little? If not, find one who faithfully and consistently does teach in that manner, to help you learn the whole truth of God’s Word.

That is called Expository Preaching. The learning method is book by book, chapter by chapter, verse by verse. The foundational truth to TRUST GOD is placed on Repeat, over and over. Every verse is supported by that application.

You cannot learn all the #1 Textbook at one time. Some principles are built upon others. Take your time; but make sure you do not skip verses. Spiritual growth is not gained by pick and choose classes or lifestyle preferences. It is based upon Precepts…Principles.

Preferences can and should be yielded to others. Programs can and should be changed for better learning. Principles are NEVER compromised, no matter what the culture claims or how many people are mocking you with their blah-blah-blahs.

Wrestle with each new verse. Learn what you can. Apply what you learn. When you come back to the Biblical passage again, there will be more to learn.

Never Blah-Blah-Blah God’s Word. Love it. Live it.

Who knew that blah blah-blah was in the Scriptures? I was probably preaching sha-la-la-la…oh no–no-oh no… It’s Yesterday Once More.

Bonus Track:

When I was young, I’d listen to the radio waitin’ for my favorite songs.
When they played, I’d sing along; it made me smile.
Every Blah-blah-blah-blah every No-no-no-no still shines.
Every shing-a-ling-a-ling that they’re startin’ to sing is so fine.


It was songs of love that I would sing to then and I’d memorize each line.
Those old melodies still sound so good to me as they melt the years away.
Every Blah-blah-blah-blah, every No-no-no-no still shines.
Every Shing-a-ling-a-ling that they’re startin’ to sing is so fine.


It’s Yesterday Once More…every Blah-blah-blah-blah! Every No-no-no-no!

I AM A STRANGE DUCK!


A LITTLE BEDTIME STORY: IS GOD ENOUGH?

This all started with reading a Bible verse in Isaiah. The bed is too short on which to stretch out; the blanket is too small to cover you (Isaiah 28:20).

Have you ever slept in a bed too small for your body?

I will spare you the circumstances which found me searching for a resting place somewhere other than my king-size bed.

This night was going to be even more of a challenge than when I was in the doghouse back home. At least that came equipped with a comfortable pet bed.

I experienced the feelings of sharing a home with Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Unlike her, I had no other options. I was assigned Baby Bear’s bed. It was definitely NOT “just right.”

This was no FAIRY TALE. The only bed available was more the size of a shadowbox with a doll’s pillow. The only blanket resembled a bath towel more than a twin bed comforter. This had to be the Tom Thumb suite.

The bed was TOO SHORT to stretch out my perfect sized body. The blanket was TOO SMALL to cover my shivering body parts.

Baby Bear’s bed looked like a taco shell waiting for the addition of condiments. I squeezed in as I bumped my head on the headboard. My body protested strongly, as if pro-MAGA and anti-ICE protestors were fighting for the same parking space.

My feet dangled off the edge in open mutiny, looking like overcooked spaghetti hanging from the side of a pot in the kitchen sink. My knees, not wanting to be left out, decided to fold themselves at a right angle, which is apparently the international sign for “This is not going to work.”

My elbows stuck out over the sides. Every time I exhaled, the springs let out a symphony of squeaks that sounded suspiciously like a broken accordion.

The small bed did not offer an option to sleep on my back or stomach. The neon sign flashed, “Sideways only.” The pillow, meant to support my head, was just big enough to cradle half my face, so I had to choose between comfort for my left cheek or my right—never both.

Turning over could have been mistaken for an Olympic ice-skating event. Every time I tried to switch sides, I performed a maneuver that could best be described as “the reverse burrito.”

The bed might have doubled as a mini fridge. When I pulled the tiny cover up, my feet froze. When I slid the blanket down, my nose became an icicle. It took only three or four times for me to realize there is no possibility of this kiddy blanket growing up tonight. I felt as if I were on an episode of Survivor: Pick your Poison. Hypothermia or pneumonia.

I decided to keep the important stuff covered and take my chances.

I attempted every possible body configuration: diagonally across the bed, fetal position, upside down, spread eagle, and sitting up. Every twist and turn created more creaking sounds from the bed accompanied by cracking noises from my arthritic joints.

Somehow, I managed to tangle my blanket covered twisted body parts into a pretzel mummy position, cutting off blood circulation. I rolled out of the bed onto the floor as I attempted to unwrap myself from the blanket.

I hit the floor with a loud thud similar to the sound of dropping a block of ice from a two-story window onto a concrete sidewalk. Fortunately, my nighttime crash disturbed no one. Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.

At some point, I managed to fall asleep. I only know that because of the scene which welcomed me to the morning sun. My uncovered legs were connected to the floor by my frozen feet. One arm was wedged between the mattress and the wall. My spine would remain shaped like a question mark for the next two days.

I now understand what it feels like to sleep inside a carry-on suitcase.

Did you know that the #1 Textbook has a teaching verse for this situation?

The bed is too short on which to stretch out; the blanket is too small to cover you (Isaiah 28:20).

Duh! This was not commentary on my sleeping situation. It was God’s revelation of truth to those who do not believe God is enough to bank one’s entire life upon when faced with real life issues of security and riches.

This is God’s Little Bedtime Storyabout Goldilocks living in a self-centered home with culturally borrowed philosophies. Her idea of what feels right and what feels wrong constantly changes. Eventually, God’s family of Truth discover her seeking nighttime rest in a bed that is too short with a blanket that is too small.

The context of this analysis is Isaiah’s preaching to the liberal Northern Kingdom and the conservative Southern Kingdom of Israel, both living in spiritual drunkenness (chapter 28:7-11). Facing similar challenges to our current circumstances, they lived in fear, not faith.

They wrestled with the same question. IS GOD ENOUGH?

The issue is beautifully embedded between the warnings of impending judgment.

The Sovereign LORD says, “I have placed a sure foundation stone to build your life on. It is a precious cornerstone that is safe. Whoever believes will never be shaken. (v. 16).

The #1 Textbook summarizes the main message of each Little Bedtime Story in two words. TRUST GOD!

That was Isaiah’s God-sent message to Israel in their time of trouble. Trust God! Whoever believes will NEVER be shaken (v.16).

What are you supposed to do in this world of constant conflicts, cultural challenges, and changing circumstances? TRUST GOD!

Why? Because God is trustworthy and cares about you.

Why is that so difficult in daily practice? Nothing in our culture encourages us to trust God completely for all our needs and desires. Just as in Isaiah’s time, the culture demands we accept alliances to further our well-being.

Trusting in God alone is considered a bad risk. That stock rating is shrinking while the rest of the world markets surge upward and onward.

Our lives are controlled by worldly fears, not faith in God. Our bed of trust is controlled by Wall Street. Our bed of desire is controlled by Hollywood. Our bed of worship is controlled by our culture.

Israel embraced that same lifestyle of looking elsewhere for security and wealth. The names of their influential places were different, but not their choices.

God sent Isaiah to confront the futility of the religious and political leaders’ promises of comfort and contentment. Their speeches were lies and deceptions; their solutions were inadequate and misguided (vs. 15, 17).

The vivid imagery illustrates how the people who should be trusting in God had created metaphorical “cultural beds” that are too short to provide spiritual rest (v 22).

Their human wisdom substituted for God’s #1 Textbook was too small to provide safe protection for their lives. It was as foolish as suggesting a miniature blanket could sufficiently cover the Grand Canyon.

Into that spiritual mess, God reveals the supremacy and sufficiency of His help which is guaranteed to all who trust God alone for their security and riches.

It comes with a call to decide. Decide what? IS GOD ENOUGH FOR YOU? Decide right now.

You need to decide what is important in your life. This is referred to as the crown of your life (vs. 1-4). The crown of Northern Israel was its wealth and ease of life epitomized by its crown city of Samaria. Their prosperity and pleasures and pride became a spiritual drunkenness which left them defenseless against the future invasion of the powerful Assyrian army.

Amid impending destruction and cultural desolation, a remnant of people would decide that God is their crown of glory (greatness and goodness) in this world (vs. 5-6). For them, God will be enough.

What about your Treasure? Can this world take it away? Do you live in fear of losing your share of the riches? Or is God enough no matter what political group is in power or which direction the stock market is trending?

The riches and entertainment of this culture are fading flowers and fake beauty (v. 1).

Southern Israel was also reeling in spiritual drunkenness, failing to trust God’s #1 Textbook. They followed man-centered wisdom, popular philosophies, and culturally influenced morality. They could no longer agree on what was right and wrong. It changed with the prevalent winds of the culture (vs. 7-11).

They laughed at the concept of absolute truth from God’s Word. They adapted their lifestyles to fit their preferences, and they looked to outside alliances to secure their safety. They refused to listen to God-centered preaching and rejected any message to trust God as childish simplicity, fairy tales, and baby gibberish. They chose to believe political lies and religious deceptions to secure their prosperity and safety (vs. 12-15).

They would end up defenseless in the time of testing.

How do you respond to the reading and preaching of God’s Word? Is it your sure foundation and sufficient guide in life? Or do you place more trust in CNN or FOX or Wall Street or The View?

The #1 Textbook is clear. Jesus is the promised foundation and precious cornerstone (v. 16; Matthew 21: 42; Acts 4:10-11). Jesus is the only place to find rest for your soul (Matthew 11:29).

A BED THAT IS TOO SHORT CANNOT PROVIDE REST. There is no rest for those trusting in the pretense of worship based on self-centered preferences and cultural alliances.

  • Why are we surprised at the social unrest in our nation?
  • Why do we search for human solutions to the unrest in our souls?

IS GOD ENOUGH FOR YOU? DO YOU FEEL SAFE AND RICH WITH GOD ALONE?

Your answer is not conveyed by what you say, but by how you live and what you love.

Lord, we show our trust in you by loving obedience and our heart’s desire is to glorify your name (Isaiah 26:8).

God’s sufficiency in your life empowers you to bring wisdom and goodness into this world of spiritual drunkenness.

I hope my Little Bedtime Story of sleeping in a bed too small might remind you as it did me. There are things more important than a comfortable night of bed rest.

Spiritual complacency is dangerous. Spiritual compromise is deadly.

The size of your bed and blanket depend on the answer to this question.

IS GOD ENOUGH FOR YOU? DO YOU FEEL SAFE AND RICH WITH GOD ALONE?

TRUST GOD!

I close with another Little Bedtime Story from the #1 Textbook.

THE LORD SAVES SINNERS. That is a Sure Foundation and a Precious Cornerstone for your life.

THE LORD gives all He is and all He has to cover your life with a blanket of immeasurable goodness whenever and wherever you sleep tonight.

You do not have to be perfect to sleep well; but you do need a perfect resting place for your soul, one with a divinely approved foundation that is RELIABLE (sure) and VALUABLE (precious).

THE LORD SAVES SINNERS. Make that truth the bedrock of your salvation, every day and every night.

This Little Bedtime Story has been Goldilocks Approved. “This is just right.”

DO YOU WANT TO DANCE?

We are watching the figure skating dance competition at the Winter Olympics. This captivating event combines athletic prowess with artistic expression. Pairs of skaters perform choreographed routines to music, showcasing intricate footwork, synchronized movements, and expressive storytelling on ice.

Every dance was highlighted by high lifts, crazy spins, and courageous faith in one’s partner. As my granddaughter sighed, “That is definitely not something for someone with trust issues.”

Of course, the grace, elegance, and athletic excellence made me wonder how the judges might evaluate the rhythmic beauty of my dancing feet minus the skates. What iconic comparisons would the commentators use to describe my dancing style?

Think about the elegance of Fred Astaire, the energetic athleticism of Gene Kelly, the technical brilliance of Mikhail Baryshnikov, the rhythmic tap of Gregory Hines, the unforgettable lifts of Patrick Swayze, and the innovative moonwalk of Michael Jackson. These legends embody the heights of performance seen on “Dancing with the Stars.”

None of those examples share the same universal dance floor with me. No one compares my dancing to these experts. While I love to dance, I tend to avoid public displays—promising my family I would not embarrass them with my unique, non-descriptive style.

This week, I learned an unfamiliar word that perfectly captures my approach to dancing.

BALTER.

Balter means to dance with carefree exuberance, often in a clumsy or ungraceful manner. It is a rarely used word that describes joyful and spontaneous dancing at a very unskilled level. The term refers to the pleasure of dancing, not to technical precision.

In contrast, my wife’s dancing is a portrait of beauty and grace. Born with rhythm, she shines as an excellent dancer—whether as a cheerleader, a social debutante, or a wedding guest. She floats like a butterfly, glides effortlessly like an ice skater, and sparkles with a spellbound shimmer.

Unfortunately, she is married to a Boogie Dad whose dance moves are legendary, if largely original. The beauty and grace of dance seem confined to my imagination, never manifesting elsewhere in my body.

My children have always called my movements the Steve Martin crazy dance, made famous in his comedy routines and movie scenes. It is a happy dance: index fingers pointed up, hands raised to head level, and feet shuffling rapidly.

In truth, I was performing this version long before Steve Martin made it a spectacle under bright lights, dressed in his trademark white suit, banjo slung across his back, and a wild gleam in his eyes.

The audience always anticipated the unexpected. A funky beat would fill the room, launching the star—not with grace, but with joyful, exaggerated awkwardness that was hilarious.

The dance began with a stiff-legged march, knees high and arms flailing as if fighting off invisible bees. Each step was accented by slapstick facial expressions—a cross-eyed look or jaw-dropping confusion—followed by off-balance twirls and wild spins.

As the music changed, Steve Martin would attempt a series of “serious” dance moves: a moonwalk (backwards and sideways), a robot (with intentionally jerky malfunctions), and ballroom twirls with an imaginary partner who kept stepping on his toes. Each move was technically wrong but performed with such enthusiasm that the crowd erupted in laughter.

Martin would pause, pant theatrically, then burst into his signature “Wild and Crazy Guy Shuffle,” sliding across the stage on his heels, arms swinging overhead, embracing chaos until the dance ended in a goofy grin. Comic gold.

Steve Martin launched a lucrative career, while I crashed into forbidden public appearances.

Growing up, I was taught that Baptists do not dance; they do not smoke or chew or go with girls who do.” I never smoked and did not chew. So, I guess two out of four is not bad.

However, I later discovered that it was not a mandate from the #1 Textbook. The Baptists around me simply lacked rhythm and joy—two essentials for enjoyable dancing.

Do you Want to Dance?

Bobby Freeman famously posed this question in his song, capturing the joyful spirit of dancing. The Beach Boys had a great version.

Well, do you want to dance,
and hold my hand?
Oh baby, do you want to dance?
Well, do you want to dance under the moonlight?
Squeeze me all through the night.
Oh baby, do you want to dance?

 Do you Want to Dance?

The #1 Textbook tells us there is a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance (Ecclesiastes 3:4). Seasons change in life, but every season comes with a divine purpose and a promise for your good.

Dancing is much more than rhythmic physical movements to music. Dancing is an outward expression of an inward reality of gratitude and celebration.

Do you remember when you met Jesus, how He took your hand, looked deep into your eyes and heart and gave you life? Remember how He whispered, “I have loved you with an everlasting love.”  

Did your heart want to dance when He shared all your sins are forgiven? In Pilgrim’s Progress, John Bunyan described that moment when he lost the burden of his sins at the cross as three great leaps of dance before he continued on his way singing.

In God’s presence is fulness of joy (Psalm 16:11). In every circumstance, God holds your hand. There is a reason for joy…and dancing.

Hey! Let’s get real. There are nights your heart is on the floor, but it is not for dancing. It is being stomped on by others hoping to dance on your grave. You hurt. You cry. Then this amazing Lover of your Soul takes your hand and asks you to dance…again.

Do you remember those fearful and tough times when God changed everything to better?

God has turned my sorrow into dancing…and clothed me with gladness…O LORD my God, I will give thanks to you forever (Psalm 30:11-12).

Esther danced when God delivered her people (Esther 9:18). David danced when the Ark of the Covenant was returned to God’s people (2 Samuel 6:14). Others even accused him of crazy balter dancing.

Praise God with dance (Psalm 150:4).

The #1 Textbook encourages us to never stop dancing.

I will bless the LORD at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth (Psalm 34:1).

Baptists better take lessons or they will be the balter dancers in heaven. Since God created me with that crazy rhythm, maybe I will be a heavenly instructor for the least experienced dancers.

I am practicing now.

One of my highlights was one of my home rehearsals. I performed the Balter moonwalk across our living room’s imaginary stage while lip-syncing the Eagles’ Love Will Keep Us Alive. The family audience reacted with embarrassment as eyes rolled and voices moaned—but deep down, they knew no one else could pull off this performance like dear old dad.

Sadly, the family thought it was bad entertainment when it was intended as a public announcement.

I will die for you, climb the highest mountain.
Baby, there is nothing I wouldn’t do…
But we just cannot afford Johnny’s Pizza tonight.
Don’t you worry; when we’re hungry, love will keep us alive.

Now, my grandkids get to witness their Bubba’s spontaneous expressions of joy to the tune of I’ve Had the Time of My Life or Dancing in the Moonlight. Thankfully, they inherit their Babe’s rhythm and my sense of humor.

I hope my grandchildren will always dance. I hope you dance again, too.

I know some of you feel as if your dancing days are gone. Maybe you lost your dance partner. Maybe there are physical limitations or emotional roadblocks.

There is still a Time to Dance. You have a personal invitation from the Lord to dance with Him and for Him. Just as I love to watch my grandchildren dance, our Heavenly Father rejoices when you dance.

The classic song I Hope You Dance always moves my heart to tears with its powerful message. I pray the Lord might use it to tug at your heart as well.

I hope you never lose your sense of wonder
May you never take one single breath for granted
God forbid love ever leave you empty-handed

I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean
Whenever one door closes, I hope one more opens
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance
I hope you dance

I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance
Livin’ might mean takin’ chances, but they’re worth takin’
Don’t let some hellbent heart leave you bitter
When you come close to sellin’ out, reconsider
Give the heavens above more than just a passing glance,

And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance
I hope you dance

Come, my soul, dance before the God of grace, and let my heart leap for joy!

Join in today. At least, dance in your heart!

Never lose your sense of wonder and do not take one single breath for granted. When you come close to selling out, reconsider. When you get the choice to sit it out or dance…I hope you dance.

People all over the world…join hands…start a Love Train. David started that song and dance long before the O’Jays.

People all over the world …Join hands
Start a love train
Love train