The Rudder

Two all beef patties special sauce lettuce cheese pickles onions on a seseme seed bun. What a mouthful, literally.

I am getting an education here at Coffee College. Sizes, quality grade, percentage of craked or chipped beans, smell, feel in the mouth, taste, (I guess taste would be important). After roasting, are there any cracks, did all the moisture get expunged? Is the bag doing it's job of letting the gas escape while not letting in air that would spoil the batch?

I can tell you all about the Big Mac I can tell you all about the coffee. Until you experience both all the knowledge in the world is worthless until an action is taken. What is that action? That's right, I have to taste, smell, chew, swallow, burp and fart sometimes, to get the understanding and reality of a Big Mac and a daily grind. Experience is the key.

Josh McDowell once said "Going to church does not make you a Christian anymore than going to McDonald's makes you a Big Mac"

Revelation 3:15-17 (New Living Translation)

15 "I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other! 16 But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth! 17 You say, 'I am rich. I have everything I want. I do not need a thing! "And you do not realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked.

Ouch! 1 Corinthians 13:1-4 (New Living Translation)

1 Corinthians 13
Love Is the Greatest
1 If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but did not love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God's secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but did not love others, I would be nothing. 3 If I gave everything I have to the poor and even Sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; [a] but if I did not love others, I would have gained nothing.
4 Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud

Carnal Christian is a term created in the 60's or 70's. Can not find it in my bible. The story of the sheep and the goats, I do find. Denying self taking up the cross and following Christ I get.

He's either Lord of all, or not Lord at all.

The longer I'm down here in a third world nation, the clearer the picture of just how spoiled and comfortable we are with our Country Club churches and the thorns of life choking and paralizing us to really follow the new commandment. To love God with all our hearts minds and souls and to love our neighbor.

The Rudder

Proverbs 11:1 (New Living Translation)

Proverbs 11
1 The Lord detests the use of dishonest scales,
but he delights in accurate weights.

I'm here in Nicaragua learning all there is to learn about coffee. For instance, it is the second largest commodity sold on the New York Stock Exchage. Second only to oil.

From one pound of coffee, certain coffee companies can sell 30 cups of Vente coffee at $1.85, or 30 foo foo drinks at $4/per drink. So as you can see, what a coffee company acqires wholesale coffee at per pound at compared to the final product resold, the profits can be astounding. If the scales are dishonest, companies can take advantage of the farmers and increase profits by a huge measurable amount.

So the problem is that some companies in spite of public perception, use scales that are dishonest by about 10%. One reason the company I'm with down here can survive and flourish is that they are honest in all their dealings from the scales, to the quality rating, to the repayment in 10 days or less compaired to 60-90 days for others. So many other things.

Esperanza Coffee Company besides supplying beans to Dunkin Donuts and Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf uses their profits wisely. I have been to where they build orphanages and rehab centers and drill wells, support the farmers and their families. There is a great kid here at the B&B they took off the streets and now lives here. He hadn't had a real meal as long as he could remember, hadn't had a bath or had his hair cut for years, had no shoes and clothes were barely there. Even though he is only 11 and we pray and fellowship with him, and is getting straight A's in school.

I brought a football with me. He'd never seen one before, so his first few throws were just like when mom throws a ball. We cured that that fairly quickly.

Many lives hang in the balance.

The Rudder

I like my coffee hot, although when it's 90 degrees out, I like it iced or frapped.

Lukewarm, umm, not so much. I think most Christians assume they are in the fertile soil spoken of in the parable of the sower in Matt 13. You know what they say about assume?

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2013:1-12&version=NIV



I'm down here in Nicaragua staying with a family that knows what it means to lose everything, take stock of life, and relocate here to make a difference in people's lives for the gospel. Here in the rain forest, life is so different from both SoCal and ATL. Just getting from point A to point B is an adventure. You can take a shower if there is water in the well. Hungry? Go catch the loudest chicken or at least gather a few eggs. Need an alarm? Cock-a-doodle-doo! Living simply after losing everything financially. But this family rocks! They say they wouldn't "do over" for one second. They realize firsthand God allows trials and tribulations to affect us to grow closer to Him. But more importantly, to join God in whatever He already is doing, and making a difference in other's lives.



This is the fertile soil spoken of.



Thorny soil is where most pitch their camp. Maybe not purposely, but nevertheless it is what it is. Unfortunately, many people and churches, have huge mortgages, car payments, overhead, etc that requires much resources. True religion is supporting those who could never repay like orphans and widows, and the starving. Yet, if you ask the typical Christian or church if they would be able to help support a ministry down here or over there, the response is generally a resounding "no." Not because they don't want to but rather because they can't. The thorns of life have their grip firmly planted in the hearts, wallets and budgets. Besides, that might take them out of the comfort zone of lukewarmness.

$80 a month is an average salary for a family here. Back in the states, what's that, Starbucks for a week for a typical family?

Bravo network has some interesting shows don't you think?

Not one of the channels I normally would surf, but an interesting tidbit of info came my way yesterday. Seems the "Housewives of Orange County" is going to have a "Christian" on the show. The show will follow her to Free Chapel OC. This is interesting because Free Chapel is here but has an OC location as well. Another episode will feature having the Pastor, Jenzen Franklin over for dinner. This could be fun!

This morning as I turned on TV (not Bravo), a very polished Televangelist caught my eye, rather my ear, with a very pertinent message. I have to admit, all I caught was a tidbit there as well. He told a story how a proper church lady questioned him about God and money. "If God wanted me to have any extra money, He'd give it to me." The woman said. He responded with "And if God wanted you to comb your hair He's do it."

I had already passed on to another channel to see election results when it sunk in. Their could be some truth to the retort. Both require an action on our part. I quickly went back to the channel just in time to here him say "When was the last time you actually spelled it out to God and asked him, really just asked Him for extra?"

Extra would come in handy right now on so many levels.

I sometimes just assume He knows my thoughts and wishes (He does) But like James 4 says You have not because you don't ask, or you ask with wrong motives.

As a salesperson, I can go visit clients and be pleasant, but unless I ask for the sale blatantly, I may not get it.

My dad just about wanted a business plan presentation when I would ask him for something. If Powerpoint were around back then, it would have been required. I had to provide all the positives and negatives of why I should need this purchase (even if he knew it was a need) I'd make my presentation and he would grant... or not, based on my motives, the usage, effects on others etc.

In the same way, God our Father, really does want us to ask Him and be ready in our hearts with an expectancy of an answer that He knows best and sees around the corners and behind the walls of each request.

So Father God, I ask for favor and blessings today so I can bless others and be used mightily by you today. The results of the request have now been effectively transferred to The Decision Maker.

The Rudder

Perception is often each person's reality whether that reality is true or not. Your perception of a situation is going to dictate your response more than the actual reality of it. Our life experiences, our past treatment of circumstances, and our personalities all contribute to how we view situations in daily life. We all see things through our own set of glasses at times. Men view things differently than women. I view things differently from my wife...

For instance, Janet just accepted a job offer back in San Diego that will cover our basic bills. The crazy thing is it was one interview vs my hundreds. How does one perceive that?

My perception is that God has always come through based on personal past circumstances combined with His nature of Love, Compassion, Grace, Favor, Mercy, and our Faith. In our 23 years of marriage, we have had several "seasons" where financially things got pretty bleak. That is the nature of 100% commission self employment, yet, our basic needs have always been met. I treat our current condition in the same light. He will bless us not because of what we can bring to the table, but because of who He is. By living fearless in a fearful world.

My wife's perception employs structure and security; she likes to know that what comes in will cover what's going out. Must be a chick thing...When God knit her and designed her, one of her attributes was that of administration and of rhyme and reason, and method. She completes me and balances the family...And we need her balance!

"Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom" (James 3:13-14).

Through wisdom, discernment, prayer and seeking His face, we will see how this plays out and what the future holds both here in Atlanta or there in San Diego.

The Rudder

Past blogs talk about this and Prov 16

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=prov%2016&version=NLT

I've been looking for consistent work for quite some time and nothing has really come through. I applied at positions in San Diego as well, still nothing. Janet applies for one job there, and gets it. How does one frame this based on this scripture? We "rolled the dice" for her to go apply...


"Planning from God's view is a process. It isn't merely an exercise in reason and analysis. It requires entering into the mind of Christ together with our minds to determine which course to take. In the Old Testament, the priests wore breastplates with the Urim and Thummim in a pouch on their breasts. It was like a roll of dice that the priests were required to perform to know which direction they were to take on a matter. It was the ultimate release of all decisions into God's hand. God did not want the priests to rely on their own intellects for final decisions.

We have an uncanny ability to make decisions based on our own needs and wants. However, God desires that we seek Him to know His plans for us. David was a skilled warrior who never lost a battle. He consulted God on every decision. He knew the results of the battle rested in God's hand. So, if he was to gain victory, he had to know God's mind on the matter. Sometimes this requires more time given to the process in order to hear His voice. Sometimes it may even require fasting and prayer. Sometimes it may require input from other godly friends." OH