Pear Harbor, or as it is called by the people of Hawaii, Wai Momi, meaning “harbor of pearl” is a beautiful serene place. The US naval base was used to hold the US Pacific Fleet. Japan initiated the strike to keep the US from greatly effecting the war they where planning to wage against Southeast Asia, Britain, The Netherlands, and the United States. Japan used six Air Craft Carriers, and a total of somewhat 363 aircraft. They as we have all read and have learned took the United States by what some call the greatest surprise military strike ever performed. They decimated their intended target. The US had not a clue what was coming, their was no formal declaration of war.  ”December 7th, 1941 – a date which will live in infamy” Franklin D. Roosevelt. Approximately2,402 people killed, and over 1,282 people wounded. With repercussions that will last forever.

While eating lunch the other day I had the opportunity to sit alone. I read my bible and ate my food and just thought about life, and things along that nature. When my meal arrived, I closed my bible to prevent my sloppy eating habits from covering the page and just sat their and took in all that was around me. My wife often gets a kick out of me, because I look and notice everything around me, I listen to conversations, watch eyes, look at the construction of the building, you name it, I see it. Well this day was no different, I as sat, a table next to me had three business colleagues, talking about all they had going on, and every other thing had to do with relaxing and drinking a  beverage of some sort. I thought to myself if this is what I used to sound like? Could I have been this lost? Yes, I concluded I was probably far worse. I thank God He snatched me up from the pit I was in, and has now given me ears to hear, and eyes to see. These poor souls that where next to me had not a clue, and if they did have a clue they where choosing not to give it attention at all. I then ask myself how it is people or mankind in general can choose to ignore God. How is it we know He is in existence, and choose to not do His will? Why do we choose not to hear? I think in a way, as the US in 1941, we feel there has been no formal declaration of war. We feel we are safe, we know the potential for death is there, but it is at bay and as long as it is there we are fine. All will be as usual, no cares, nor worries, just life.

I have known many a people who as myself at one point had this point of vision. I know several, who are no longer hear on this earth. My best friend, and brother may have never heard the engine noise of the bomber till it was too late. I pray the Lord forgive me for my wretched ways of not screaming sooner for the decimation to come.

Take the time and hear God now, see His works, and know He is God, and repent as I. For the time will come,when He will whisper no more and all will hear.

“And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth. ” Revelation Six teen and One.

Mike Tuttleson was an average man. He worked a ranch for the majority of his life just south of Livingston Texas. If you where to ask anyone of him, their response would be, “Mike is a hard worker, and he is good to his family”. Mike was one of those men, who went above and beyond in all he did, his wife became interested in art not to long ago, and before you could shake a stick, Mike had built a studio for her on the backside of their home facing the west, so as the sun set, her work would catch the light of the passing day. Mike was known for this type of love for his family. Whatever he did, he did in complete dedication to his family.

 

As time grew on, as it always does, Mike’s family moved forward in the ways of life, His children grew up and left home, and His farm turned from a working farm into more of just a vast pasture.  It was some point along this time, that Mikes heart became somewhat different. He was sitting with his wife in her studio, late one evening; the sun had just set as he looked at his wife with tears in his eyes. She turned to him and asks him what was wrong. His reply could have knocked the rock from the very foundation of their home. Mr. Tuttleson went on to tell his wife, that though they had been married for almost forty years his emotion for her was no longer the same. He did still care for her, and he knew he needed to be there for her, and he promised he always would. He went on to tell her, that all would stay the same, except for his feelings for her where gone and he did not for see them coming again. After his wife gathered her composure, she managed to ask him when this all change took place. Mike told her he could not put a date on it, but he knows that throughout his life he has done things, of necessity, and what he thought was the right thing to do. What had started of as a deep love for her, had been overtaken by the cares of providing and supplying for his families needs. This was no longer pure love, it had more so become, just a way of life. It took his wife all that she had, to turn and gaze out the window, into the darkness of the pasture, and remember that she loved this man, and though this has come, she would continue to do so as long as she had breath in her lungs.

 

Mike and his wife, continued to live as one, for the remaining days of their lives. Mike passed at the young age of eighty two. After his burial one of his friends walked up to his wife and assured her, she had been blessed by having a husband like Mike, one who had dedicated his life, to the well being of his family, and rendered his love to her alone. His wife in utter despair choked back her tears and only nodded, for unknown to all around, her heart had not died that day, but many years prior, for the sun had set, and it was to never rise again.

 

Our Lord speaks of love often in His word. I am guilty of becoming callused to this word; in modern society it is tossed around as much as “hello” or “good bye” in common conversation. During Paul’s letter to the church in Cornith, he tells them “and now abide in faith, hope, love, these three, but the greatest of these is love”. (1CR 13:13) Paul states prior that “If I speak in tongues of Men and of Angels, and have not Love, I am but a resounding gong, or clanging cymbal”. In my weak interpretation, if I walk in faith, and, and hope in all earnesty, if I have not love, I am nothing. This speaks volumes to me, and I feel God has been convicting me of this for some time now. What are the reasons for which I do, what I do. For though I do what I do because I know it is the right thing to do, am I doing it out of Love or out of devotion? Furthermore if what I do is out of devotion, can this be brought in and twisted as a “love”?

 

In Ephesians, Paul is closing his letter to the Church in Ephesus, he states, “Grace be with all them who Love our Lord, Jesus Christ in sincerity”. (Eph 6:24)I have skipped over this simple yet deep word no telling how many times. “Love our Lord, Jesus Christ in sincerity”. Sincerity as described in the dictionary is “pure; unmixed; unadulterated”. For me to do anything that is not of sincere love, and label it as for the for “Christ” is nothing more than an act of devotion. 

 

I recently began a study, of the book of Revelation. It is being taught by Charles Swindoll. In this study, we are taken to the second chapter of Revelation, where the Church of Ephesus is addressed yet again. The Lord says unto the church “I know your deeds, your hard work and perseverance. I know that you can not tolerate wicked men, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles, but are not, and have found them false. You have persevered and endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. Yet I hold this against you: you have forsaken your first love”. It is a tremendous statement, because as we read in Ephesians we know of this Love. This love was for Christ, and it was to be a sincere love, a pure; unmixed; unadulterated love. So though the church, has remained faithful, and done all listed things, this is there downfall. They are warned, to repent, and to do things as they did them at first, or the Lord will remove their lamp stand.

 

At this point I am sure you are asking yourself, how this is possible, to do everything right, yet forget ones love? As with Mike Tuttleson and his relationship with his wife, I as a Christian, fall into love with my Savior. I begin to structure my life around His priorities. I become involved in a church, and devote my time to its correct functioning. Yet all the while it becomes more of a way of life, than a reason for life. As I sit down and look out the window of time, and realize that many of the things I was doing where not out of Love for my Lord, but more because they where what was expected of me, and what society mandated as a correct lifestyle. This is an adulterated love. At this point, I have lost touch and forgotten my First Love. I have become a resounding gong, a clanging cymbal. For though I may walk in faith, pray for the sick, tithe of my gifts, and of my increase, and whatever else may come along it boils down to the simple fact that  if I do all this, for any other reason than for the love of my Lord, it is in vain.

 

I challenge you as I do myself, to look at your life. Do you do, what you do out of a Sincere Love for your Lord? If not, then fast and pray, allow the Holy Spirit to guide you and interpret this as you will.

 

 

(for the sake of all involved, Mike Tuttleson is a fictional character)

 

 

 

 

I do hope that most of the people reading this article are sitting down when they are reading it, or should I say if you are not sitting down please do so. Please take heed you have been warned, this is going to be very real, I am going to lay a rather peculiar thought of mine, right before your very eye.

It has been almost a year now, and I have had a statement rolling around in my head, more so my heart. One I hold dearly to. It has almost in a sense been my mission statement for the past year. Continually, daily I think on it and try and adhere to it in every sense. Though, I must admit I do fail, and often make it only a few hours of the day prior to temporarily abandoning it, only to quickly feel the pain of repentance and once again cling to the promise of forgiveness through Christ. This statement, this grouping of mere words, is monumental to me. This is me, it is what keeps me from being me, and being the me that my Lord intended before my very birth. This proclamation of words is me, killing me, so that I might live.

So where am I going with this you are probably asking.  I will be quick in this; I am heavily weighing the thought of getting a tattoo, of this very pronouncement. Now do know that I have studied and prayed on this very thing, and I feel rather well versed on such said subject. I am aware of the several directives in the bible on markings, and such, however I am also aware of the context from which they are derived. The first being Leviticus 19:28 where the Jews are commanded to “Not cut your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves. I am the Lord”. I believe from what I have read that God is telling His people to not be as the pagans in their rituals that they felt would please there gods in the afterlife. Also noted is 1^st Corinthians 6:19, “Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, who you have received from God?” This I understand as Paul telling the church in Corinth to stay away from the sexual rituals of the gods of the time, or sexual immorality. I know there are others, but those two stand out in my feeble mind.

This tattoo would be a simple sentence, written in Aramaic, Greek, or Latin. It’s location is yet to be determined. There would be no symbol, nor drawing, just words, beautiful words that mean more to me than I could ever properly converse. It would be not for the benefit of another, nor to bring attention to anything other than my Savior, and what He has taught me by these words that is required of me. However not only of me, but to any who choose to walk in Him.

So with this, it seems I pretty well have my mind made up. Although I am still in disbelief, for my entire life I always labeled myself, as being not the “tattoo type”.  I have never really been for them, and never really against in a sense either. Nor can I say I am at this point one more than the other. So with that said I also know myself well, and know that I also value the counsel of the wise.  So what say you? What are your opinions, suggestions and convictions? Please hold nothing back, for I desire your thoughts.

 

 

The sound of a high compression motorcycle engine has always made my blood flow at an extremely comfortable rate. Something about sitting on a Sport Bike and laying into a turn while at excess of speed just somehow seems right with my soul. From a young age I loved bikes, I rode BMX, Free Style, Dirt Jumped, Touring, and whatever else came my way. Fear was never really an issue, for the thrill was greater than the risk. So it continued to be in my older years, I graduated to six hundred plus cc’s and with this I entered into a whole new era of thrill. No longer was it five to thirty five miles an hour, no now it was a ninety degree turn at sixty plus miles per hour, dragging the peg of the bike as it leaned over to the point of no return, or coming into a straight away and reaching one hundred and twenty plus miles per hour in literally seconds. I can almost hear the scream of the bike as I type. I loved it. I still do, however now the risk outweighs the thrill.

 

There was an evening that stands out in my memory, I was coming into a turn, I knew I was going too fast, I tried to decelerate but I was already too far into the turn, so in order to get the bike to bight, all I could do was lay back into it. I always made a practice of looking at the end of the turn, to focus on pulling my way out. This time I made it about a quarter of the way through, and there was the side of the road, the bike washed out from underneath me and away we went. I thought I would never stop sliding. When I finally stopped, I had a view of the pavement right before my eyes. I was face down, and the wind was still knocked out of me. My bike was about fifteen feet from me, unbelievably still running. I stood up and ran over to turn it off. Stood it up and started looking at all the damage on the bike, as well as myself. Of course I was more concerned about the bike. This I am sad to say would not be the last time this would occur.

 

This mentality seems to be the same for many areas in my life. I know I am entering something of danger, yet the thrill outweighs the danger and I bear down and lay in to try and make it through. It is usually something that is close to my heart. Something I desire and feed on, for happiness and satisfaction, as my story.  My walk, or my race may be at the time as my motorcycle ride, however it differs greatly in one sense. On a motorcycle if you apply the front brake in a turn, it will stand the bike upright, therefore forcing the cycle out of the turn, causing certain peril.  In my daily walk, if I am entering danger, I can make the decision to hit the brakes, by calling on Christ and if I do, this as well will stand me upright, only this time saving me from peril.

 

Temptation which always brings sin never comes in something that does not appeal to you. This we know, but what we do not always remember is that we are given eyes to see what lies ahead and it all comes down to a simple decision. Is taking this turn, at this speed going bring me happiness, as well as Christ, or is taking this turn only going to bring me happiness? For you see if it is not for the Crown, we are to have nothing to do with it. We are to take our time, the one thing we are given here on earth, and stay away from the pitfalls that are before us. Plan our course, so as not to run out of ground. This will bring Glory unto God, as well as joy unto our souls.  It does no good to race into battle, only to fail and crash. How much more beneficial to ease into it, with the Wisdom of Jesus that is within us and make it through unscathed and taste the victory that is at the crest of the turn.

 

First Corinthians Nine and Twenty Four through Twenty Seven:

 

“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the price? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man beating the air. No I beat my body and make it a slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.”

 

I have not written for some time now for many reasons, one being I am determining for what reason I even write.

However today is different, I am struggling with Christmas gloom. This gloom follows me year around, may it be my birthday, Easter, or what ever the monumental occasion, I am mentally in the dumps. I have tried for years to put a finger on it, but to no avail I have not come to any conclusion with solidity. In the past, I would bury my gloom with a stimulant and all would be fine. However since I have come to know Christ, and received His Holy Spirit that side of me is gone a dead. Paul states in First Corinthians,  ”I die daily”. I have found that in my life, I have need to die by the hour, all day long. Constantly, I am fighting back the desires of my flesh.  This I know will never cease. I will continually have to “beat my body and make it my slave” until this robe of flesh is exchanged by the grace of my Lord.

So I asked my Lord yesterday, what was the cause of this gloom, His reply, “it is within you”. Now with this I am frustrated. For as I stated earlier with such lack of eloquence it is plainly evident that this could not be the case. Nor could one who is so set on depleting myself of needs or barbs of the flesh could I be the one who has something within me that brings pain to God. It, this thing, this tormentor of my soul, I am afraid is un-forgiveness. Yet I do not understand how it could be present in me at all. I love and wish the best for all that are in my life, desiring nothing other than blessings for all. How could it be that there is a dark side to my affection? Is it furthermore even possible? I have prayed more times than not, that what is within me would be removed, and replenished with Gods will, how could there be anything but that? Is my psyche stronger than my spirit, that it can hold and attain a grasp of my will, that not even by choice I submit? Is the oppressor of my soul, my very own mind? Death I will meet in every sense if I do not overcome this. For if I forgive not, nor will I be forgiven. Matthew Six and Fifteen. More so, I will hold in bondage, what Christ has shed blood to free. 

Damn this spirit of Un-forgiveness. By the might that is within me by Christ, I will find you, and by the Power of Jesus Christ you will be defeated. I will find you, and you will hide no more, you may snarl your face, but as you turn, the Sword that is sharper than any two edge sword will smite you down where you stand. I fear not, for thy Lord is thy God, and by His name I have been set free, and by His name, shall you flee.

So now the journey shall begin………….