Enoch walked faithfully with God; then he was no more, because God took him away."

He reasoned that he learned how to speed by watching what his parents did when he was a child.  Somehow his brain got stuck on fast.  Oh yeah, that'll take the ticket away.

There may be some truth to what he thinks.  But in the end, he was the one driving when he got pulled over.

And there's another issue about Bob that everybody ought to know.  See, Bob's a Christian.  And by that fact he ought to be an exemplary driver.  And by that fact he ought to take immediate responsibility for his own mistakes.

But Bob is not unique in this problem of blaming others.  A whole lot of his brothers and sisters in Christ do the same thing 24 /7.  Give Bob some time, he'll remember that, and blame them too. 

But Bob has no reason to point his finger at anyone.  Especially because of something so avoidable as a traffic ticket.

I mean, I can understand why somebody would blame the rapists for the fear they have as they walk down the street.  Or maybe they can put some blame on their mistakes at work because they didn't sleep well, do to nightmares.  But there's a difference between emotion and action.  There's a difference between involuntary fear due to trauma, and embracing bad habits.

There are two reasons why Bob can't blame his parents.  The first is obvious.  His body is his own, and he can make choices with his own mind.  In that case, it's absolutely ridiculous to blame someone else for bad habits.

The other part of about a christian blaming others, that shows a red flag of fault, is that the Christian is the one who can receive forgiveness for his sins.  Sure, you'll take your lumps now and then, while you're here.  We all get stupid now and then.  But in the end, you walk away unscathed.

Why would anyone with those two vast riches, look to blame someone else for their problems? 

There is one more article of consideration in regard to all this.  There is glory to give to the Lord when we simply endure without complaining, grumbling or blame.  We take it on the chin for the glory of Christ.

I heard that a man said in his prayers regularly, "Heavenly Father please hold no one accountable for any sins against me.  It is impossible that anyone should sin against me.  I am not the standard of holiness."

What kind of people would we be if we just take our lumps on the head and move on?  The word "holy" comes to mind.





Confidence of an Incompetent Buffoon - 2014-09-13 21:00

I want to testify about something that I think might be helpful to many.  If something can go wrong for me, it already has.  It just hasn't appeared before my face yet.  To add to that, I seem to be prone to make a number of really foolish choices along the way.  In short, I expect to fail. All told, I'd call myself stupid but I don't think its proper to elevate one's self.

Evidently this is the nature of Who I am.  And there are many who are like me.

There are a million and a half accomplished human beings. I fall into the majority of humanity.

With that said, I want to address the topic of confidence.

Confidence is a very fickle human quality.  By in large, most people have a false confidence.  I mean, they think they are something because someone has told them so, or they have fooled themselves into believing they are something.  All the while, their very soul knows the truth.

A person's confidence has to do with comparison to others.  If someone strokes your ego, you think you are something because they compare you to someone else.  But in fact, others are being compared to you.  Sounds like a formula for complete devastation.

That's all fine and dandy.  It won't stop just because I pointed it out.  But why do people pay so much attention to their confidence level?

The answer has to do with fear. People are horrified to think that others would realize they are only incompetent buffoons.  So they keep testing the water and fishing for compliments.

But what if no compliment ever comes?  Is the person destined to be devastated for their entire life here in this place of testing?  The answer is no.

There are butterflies, Birds, cats, dogs, horses, grass, trees and stars that do not compare us to others.  Often people who have a lack of compliments toward them will turn to such things.  Curiously, as a result people praise them for loving nature.  Ya hoo!  They got confidence!

But the fear doesn't leave, does it?  Instead of having a bold spirit you simply turned your attention to something that can't attack you.  You put a little finger bandaid over an amputated arm.

I have found that as I have to turn to the Lord Jesus Christ, I am accepted.  By faith in the words he spoke, I am someone!  And he promises not to ever turn away from me!

Yes I'm an incompetent buffoon.  But in my lord Jesus, I am precious enough for him to die on a cross to save me.

With this brand of confidence I can agree with the writer who said, "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength."

That doesn't mean I become an accomplished human being.  It means that the incompetent buffoon has found someone to love him.

This confidence despises human comparison.  It learns to make fun of my failures.  It generates an unquenchable hope.  And I no longer fear humanity.

The only thing I fear now is that I might displease him in some way.  But this is residual trash from the things I have been taught as a man.

Believing his words, I have confidence to approach the Most High God!  What is it to me if men compare themselves?  What is it to me if they think I really am an incompetent buffoon?

All it took was to believe in the Son of God.  Not at all an impossible task, when I realized I was a fool. 

If men have despised me, it has worked out for my salvation.  If they purposefully diminished me and cast me aside,  it was for my benefit.  Who needs the confidence of men when we have the confidence of Christ?

On a side note I will say I feel sorry for the beautiful people of this world; those people who are beautiful in the eyes of everyone, and have all the ego stroking they can get.  Since they have acceptance they are not likely to look for anything else.  But I would caution them to remember: you will get old, sick, frail, and eventually die. 

Where will your confidence be as you stand before the Most High God, naked and ashamed?  You'll be standing there with all the people who thought you were something.  They won't think so highly of you then.

Man has a problem.  He kneals before Jesus.   He asks if God is willing to help him.  The answer comes: "I am willing", and healing appears.

How many times do we read that God is willing?  How many times do we ask?  Still healing does not come.  Still suffering attends our everyday.  Still we ask.  Yet we do not see the hand of God move.

Shall we give up?  Shall we conclude that the power of God is not among us?  Shall we stop being Christians?  Shall we leave "The Faith", and turn to empty religious worship?

Perhaps instead of asking for healing we got to ask to be taught how to ask.  And if still no healing comes, nor understanding to ask, perhaps it is our lot to endure.  Then let us ask for endurance!

In all things God is good!  Believe this, and you move from death to life.  Just don't stop asking!  Just don't stop believing!

I have come to refer to this world as a place of testing.  This is true.  God will test every heart that lives. Therefore allow yourself to be tested and approved; that you may bring glory to the Holy One.

Since I was a young man I always wanted the nice truck.  An F150 King Ranch, in my mind they don't make better.  Fancy, shmancy, fun to drive, loaded with leather and luxury.  4 wheel drive and a great big v8.  White with a beige lower trim.  Sunroof, power back window, power everything, even power ego!

Well I finally got a 2007 King Ranch.  Its got a little rust and a few minor problems, but it's what I've wanted for decades. 

You know what's funny?  It doesn't mean anything more to me then an old rusty Econoline van I used to have.  I used to put a cable across the inside back doors just to hold the body together.  My dream of this world is no more than my nightmare.

If it had been a 2015 F150 King Ranch, it would have taken the same place in my priorities.  (Though I woulda been in debt four fifty years.) What consumes my dreams and my desires does not belong to this world.

I dream of being righteous before God.  I dream of hearing, "Well done thou good and faithful servant".  I dream of laughing and singing praise to Him forever.  I crave His loving kindness.  I want his will to be done more than my very life.

Have what you will, you people of the world.  Revel in your glories, for they will pass quickly.  I desire the living God in Christ Jesus.  And this to my pleasant surprise.

May your will be done forever Holy One!  You have consumed me, for you made me.  I crave you because you placed yourself within me.  You have diminished the glory of this world to smoldering embers in an ash heap.