Smoke em' if ya got em'

What do you identify with smoke? To a young man i met today he related it to sorrow, for his house burned to the ground and he lost family members due to smoke inhalation. I relate it to birthday parties since my childhood was filled with happiness. To timber cutters smoke means run, or danger. To the lost man it signifies an end unwanted, and undesired.

There are different smells that smoke makes depending on what is being burned. A house fire smells like tar b/c of the shingles, that tar smell is overwhelming. A brush fire smells quite different. I personally always love cool fall mornings because of the wood fires people use to heat their homes with. It is a sweet smell to me. Birthdays have their own unique smell as burning wax candles are burnt and blown out - to me that smell means it is a time of celebration. Then i also remember that poor little squirrel that didn't understand just how electrical currents flow and the aroma of burn hair turned my stomach. Incense is used by many to make a room or house smell better. In the Holocaust testimonies of people burning in concentration camps was a most horrid smell, that was detectable for miles. I do not like smell of smokers smoking, I thank God for Credit/Debit cards and gas stations that accept them so I do not have to go inside to pay and come out smelling like smoke. Diesel smoke, factory smoke, train smoke, match smoke, electrical smoke, machine smoke, marijuana smoke (which I personally have never tried), candle smoke, gas logs smoke, cigar smoke, plane smoke, liquid smoke, fireworks smoke, grill smoke (which I like), Japanese restaurants cooking smoke in front of you smells good. Food burning in the oven has its own unique smell (gag),What smoke smells bring you joy? sorrow? celebration?

To God, some smells please and some he dislikes as well....a sacrifice for sin is a sweet smell to God but no sacrifice is needed today because, Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice for sin that appeased a Holy God forever.
Rev 8:4 - He likes the way incense smells with prayers
And the smoke of the incense, [which came] with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand.
Rev 15:8 - His glory is smoking hot
And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled.

Rev 9:2 states that the bottomless pit is filled with smoke- not a smoke I want to smell.

The bible says smoke arose, and it arises, rises up....aka it goes up.... to the heavens so to get to heaven do as the Hebrew children did and follow the pillar of smoke... following the smoke will lead you up to a higher place. Jesus died on Calvary to take you to a higher place if you call on him to repent of your sins. Smoke em' if ya got em'

Bridge Heading Where?

Two points of view here when beholding such a sight. A) is this a bridge to nowhere; or B) is this an adventure into the great unknown? Both a little scary, both are filled with mystery. Some day I feel I'm on the bridge to nowhere - nowhere good anyway, and at any moment could step off into the end of life as i know it. Yet there is an excitement of pursuing across such a bridge to see what awaits, an adventure if you will.

I am not talking about what awaits after death at all - for I know where I'm going then. It is the now that I speak of. What does this day hold - do we want to run across to see or creep over if fear? Normally I would run over, but as of late in my life at least, I have been walking more cautiously. In fear really of what new horror awaits just out of sight. But things were not always such.

The overwhelming majority of my life has been a run to get their and get it done. Now I have a different approach. In good days we have no problem heading over - in more trying times we naturally are more cautious to say the least.

What is over their? Treasure and gifts; rewards or ruin; gloom or glory; vipers or victory? So much of our life we think we have planned out but in reality we really don't know what is ahead - death, disease, deliverance?

The only one who can find any amount if comfort is the child of God. He alone knows what is over there, and he alone can help or hurt us with it. It is hard to say but true none-the-less, whatever is over their is for our good and his glory. Sometimes you wonder how can He get glory from such a tragedy as death, or heartbreak - but i have seen it, beheld it with mine own eyes. In funerals souls come get saved. In tragedy hearts and lives knit closer together and to him as well. He allows the pain so as to administer the cure. As Job said and as we also may say (who knows what is over their) "The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away, blessed be the name of the Lord"

Keepin it real

Sad to say but the world is more honest than the church in most places. We put on a fake smile, dress in clothes we are exspected or feel obligated to wear instead of what we want to do and go through our play performance every Sunday trying to feel something. The only time it gets real is when God shows up and shows out. Then people get real - dealing with sin, sorrow, hurt, pain, suffering, and self. We really do go through our unwritten programs every week unless He messes it up for us. I hope and pray God messes up your service sometime soon and it gets real - the singing, the worship, the praying, the preaching, and the repenting. Why Lie the drunk says, so if the world is keeping it real shouldn't we be? Keep it real, get it right, or get right when its not.

Ink

Roses are red, violets are blue, I thank the good Lord, I never got a tattoo. What in the world is the human desire to ink up their body. Truly I don't even like the fake kind. Is tattooing a choice or what a "friend" does to you when your wasted? But honestly when I was a teen in High School I did think on getting a "Tigger" (from Whinny the Poo) tattooed between my calf and heel (glad i didn't now) Why? because I could bounce. Never did I want barbed wire around my arm or a dragon on my back, a loves name or initials, or even an heart with mommy on it burned into my arm. Lev 19:28 makes it pretty clear "Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the LORD." Don't cut it in nor print it on. Ow well, maybe the need arises from the local trailer park and grows from their, who knows. Can you be a red neck without one? Who knows! Are they condemnable, No. I have many vets with their service branch on their arm faithfully in church today and God saved them. A tattoo on a arm in a service is only a testimony of a gracious and forgiving God. But being real, just go buy some paper and have the artist draw on it, carry it with you, show that off. Avoid the pain and the potential Aids threat from shared needles. Use your head for something besides a hat holder, wise up, save the loot and go buy something for yourself less permanent.

Unplugged

Are we addicted to convenience? I have spent 3 hours today trying to get my wife's phone fixed at the Verizon store, while she has used mine for the last couple of days. New number - check, last 4 digits of her Social Security number - no. Wait let me call her - ow - I can't no phone. I'll text her - ow- no phone. My mind illuminates, I'll call her mom to get it - but no phone. I have noticed pay phones have disappeared in the past 7 or 8 years with the cell phone wave. A cordless phone, but today a phoneless cord and it is aggravating to say the least. My hat goes off to those who still don't use cells, and have not got the addiction to punch a number when something happens funny, tragic, pointless, or just to feel or look important to have a cell phone stuck in your ear. Is the mark of the beast a cell phone #, just saying they are stuck into our forehead most all the time with our right hands (yes, biblically your ear is part of your forehead). I feel disconnected from the world today - but after a while it is kind of nice not to hear anyone elses problems so that I can actually deal with mine (minus the cell phone bit). I wonder, should I disconnect from facebook and blogger for a few days? Na. I will pledge to still surf the unending wave until Jesus return, unless the power goes out. I challenge you to disconnect sometime for a day and see if it helps you to connect to God. Gotta go - phone is ringing

Due Reward

For the child of God we are assured that their is better days ahead. I'm not sure how many 1,000's or 100's or 10's will be up looking and praying for His return tonight, but Lord willing I;ll be one. Sleep for a preacher is a precious commodity. I heard preacher Lockee say one time he averaged around 4-5 hours day. Honestly I have seen only 14 hours of sleep in as many days plus the occasional 10 min power nap here and their. A preacher without a burden is like a cow patty without a fly, it's just unheard of. The strain can lead us to neglect our most precious gifts from God if not careful = family, children, wives. The good Lord knows I have done my share of burying myself in the ministry and neglected my family way to much and to long. I want to say no man on earth has ever had a sweeter family. Children who wake up ready to smile in the new day, and hugging and kissing you as they go off to bed- Hannah, Abigail, Isaiah I love you all dearly and would die for you if need be, I want your every dream to come true, and i want you to dream big.

To my wife, I must say that no woman on earth does more with less credit than you. My/Our ministry together for the Lord though a tremendous burden has beared fruit and in Glory we will see the full effects of our labor together. So to often you get my frustrations poured out on and dumped on you. Never a word do you say, but are always their every service being truly a blessing to me. To see you on the pew with our children is a great encouragement to me and the work we have together in the Lord. Spring, I love you, with all my heart, in good times and bad, now and forevermore. The yellow rose is for you, a cheap download some may say but if we were rich, a million and one would I buy for you. I'm praying for many more years of labor together for His glory and honor, we both know that without you, my/our ministry would not be possible. You are and have been a help meet to me.

Not many more valleys! (I pray)

I have but one prayer today - O, Lord help me to be a husband, and father you would be pleased with and help those I love dearly. I am many things seen and unseen I admit very ashamedly, but at the end of the day I have learned, I love with an Agape Love (don't ask me how- I'm not sure my self) for my children and wife. I have had three O days in my life this week - I will not survive a fourth, unless it is God saying O to me "O, Timothy". Pray for me friend that I may have one of those days, soon. I appreciate some people at Taylorsville Campmeeting expressing a joy in reading this blog. My heart desires to met with him today, would pray for me that i be so.