Christianity for Dummy's part 1

The Gospel of Grace says that God loves you, and you need to accept that..period. I'll borrow a line from the late Bill Bright-God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life. Now on the other hand, religion says you must walk this way, talk this way-I don't mean Aerosmith's version, but rather do ABC and act like XYZ or, you'll end up in HELL. If salvation was based on religion, on a points system of earning our way to heaven, I guess there would be no Christmas or Easter, and Jesus's death would have been in vain.

Jesus left us with two, just 2 commands, well, really 1A and 1B and 2; Love God with all your heart and mind, and love your neighbor as you do yourself. In doing those two things, all other prior and future CC&R's are fulfilled. Number 2, is for those who are a part of Gods family; we are called to preach that Gospel locally and all over the world. So next logical question is what is the Gospel? Is it a positive message, or a hellish judgemental one?

Christianese

Nuclear Nipples, Atomic Tits, Bionic Boobs, Radioactive Rack, Massive Mammeries, Hydro-electric Hibeams, Power Pillows, Gigantic Jugs. The Twins.



Anyone living in SoCal knows exactly what I'm referring to- The San Onofre Nuclear Power Plant. It's a mighty small percentage of the world who understand the terms, and if you go around talking like that anywhere else, people with look at you sideways and think of you as one sick puppy me thinks.



Sometimes due to the way we speak... Christianese, the world may look at us strangely as well.

Shake it like a Polaroid

"Shake it like a Polaroid" I just heard that song by Outkast on the local hits radio station. Those of you with kids know what that means, but ask your kids, and I'm sure they haven't a clue. When was the last time you used a Polaroid camera? Companies go bankrupt when they don't keep up with the latest technology. I still remember buying a Pioneer Supertuner 8 track player for my car, and using those dial up companies with "lighting fast speeds" of 28k/second. A couple years ago all the rage was 3G, now it's 4G. Yesterday, I heard an ad where you can click a pic of a check with a phone to deposit it in your account while your falling down the stairs.

We had a couple fallen trees and thick broken off branches that I have been cutting up for firewood. It's amazing the difference a sharp blade makes. Ecclesiastes 10:10 says "if the ax head is dull and it's edge unsharpened, more energy is needed to accomplish a task. Keep the blade sharp and you'll find success." Obviously this applies to our work, our mind, as well as business models.

I've been in real estate for two decades now, yet I still takes classes every week to keep up on the latest trends, lawsuits, and the latest tools, available for a sharper blade. We live in an information age where the level of knowledge is increasing at warp speed. The way you did things two years ago may not be the same way you do it today. The knowledge you have two years ago may not be adequate to compete. The Bible tells us to persue excellence in all we do.

I'm sure we all want to hear "Wow, what a sharp individual" vs what a dull dude.

Teach a child to choose the right path or Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it. Proverbs 22:6.

Upon further study on this I see the verse doesn't say train a child to choose the path that I, the parent chooses for him. God has imprinted each of us with passions, aptitudes and skills. His word encourages those of us who are parents to train our children to recognize and pursue them. While we all want what's best for our kids, we sometimes force on them our ideas of what they should be. When we do that, we foreclose God's intentions for their lives.

I heard a story of a young gal- 12 or 13 years old - who was one of six or seven kids in a very conservative Christian family, homeschooled, and on a pretty short leash. One day she was asked what she wanted to be when she grew up. Without hesitation she said she wanted to be a wife and mother - "just like my mom." It was a response she had clearly given many times before. After several minutes of silence she blurted out, "Actually, I want to be an FBI agent."

My take is that maybe it means that children should be encouraged to pursue their paths in life based on the way that God wired them. Seems pretty simple, right? Maybe not. We've all heard stories of frustrated adults who become doctors or lawyers or work in the family business because it was always expected of them. They were forced to fit a picture their parents had drawn for their future.

Lunch with Mom

I just took my mom to lunch today and ran into a couple people I know; a past real estate client, and my Pastor growing up, co-author of the "Left Behind" book series.

My son is struggling with his math homework. In particular, fractions, finding common denominators, through division and multiplication, and and solving what 1/2 of 1/3 of X is. I see him struggle and scribble numbers, and the dad in me wants to just give him the answers. But would that ultimately help or hinder him, if I didn't allow him to work through each problem? So it is with us; as we go through trials and tribulations, aka problems, the reality is as we work through them, they prepare us for life, and many times, put us in a position to help others.

The past client was noticeably upset as she told me the story of how she and her partner lost about $100,000 in the real estate market. When it was my turn to share and explain my loss of many, many times that, laughing at the circumstances as I spoke. She couldn't believe my attitude. When I told her how confident I am that God is in control, and how good God truly is and pointed to my belly expressing the fact that I haven't missed a meal yet, she broke down and started to cry.

"When I hear stories like yours, it really puts things in perspective. Thank you so much for sharing, I feel so much better." I think what she was trying to say, was that she hadn't missed any meals either, and having to drive a three year old Mercedes, isn't so bad after all.

So now my son can tell me that 1/100th of a whole lot, is still enough!

Car Pool

Today was my first day as the carpool driver for 5 of the local kids. The last kid to be picked up was done so nearly a half hour before school starts, and school is a mere five to ten minutes away, depending on traffic. I thought I was leaving too early getting the kids there with 15-20 minutes to spare. Evidently not. One mom lambasted me up one side and down the other for being late. Great start!

Every family is different, and each has issues. I for instance, tend to be too mellow for some, while in my eyes, this mom to me seemed too high strung. In church this past week we looked into Jesus's family tree as recorded in Matthew 1. While you may think your's and mine are messed up, His contains names of pagans, prostitutes, liars, adulteresses, and murderers - messed-up people that God used to do amazing things. This just goes to show us that in any situation, any family background, God can work through it. Heck, even what some would consider a perfect "stock" family might even have issues we don't see, but God does. It is no different for you and me and our families. Don't wait to be all fixed up before you turn to Him. We will never be perfect, but the desire of God's heart is to pick us up when we fall and help us be what He intended for us.

Free Motorhome?

Did I ever tell the story how I got this Motorhome for free? Ever since I saw the first one on the road in the 70's I thought these were pretty cool. I still collect Hot Wheels-you know the little metal cars by Mattel that "kids" play with. Over 50 different models based on this Motorhome have been produced over the years. The most famous was the Urban Assault Vehicle from the movie "Stripes"

Anyway, my wife and I wanted to get either a trailer or Motorhome as the boys were growing up. We looked for a couple years, but couldn't find the right one-too junky, and one might break down in the middle of nowhere. Too nice, and one might get upset about beach sand, dirt (and spilt milk.) So that Summer came and went, and again no Motorhome, so we donated the monies saved to the church we attended at the time. The very next day, I get a call from a guy who handles all the donations for Childrens Hospital. He says he has the perfect one for me for 3500! We would have bough it for much more.

A couple years later we sold it-for a profit, and bought a CalTrans Orange one like the picture. I had it a mere 6 hours when someone offered me three times what I paid for it... Six hours! That profit was used to buy the one pictured for free! See how God works things out!

So again, when I start to worry about sales or lack of, I'm reminded that our God is good and He's good all the time!

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid" (John 14:27).

For sale

So yesterday, I did an Open House at the house I grew up in. Signage was up on a fairly busy street pointing potentials to the home. When only a half a dozen people showed, and a couple were just the walking by looky-loo's kind, I started to get that sinking feeling one gets when things don't go your way...

When you fix your mind on problems, you stumble. When you keep your mind on God, the problems tumble. Somehow, His peace is the real deal. While fear is a natural response to obstacles, adversity and failure, the peace He gives, is the supernatural response given to us by His grace. Just as Jesus had authority over the wind and waves, He has authority over the storms, in our lives. He has authority over our doubts, fears and shame.

I know that in His time, the right buyer, seller, or investor will cross my path and I'll have another story to post. Until then, I just continue to put it out there "I'm an Ambassador of God, masquerading as a Realtor."

Rarely early, never late

In a prior blog, I talked about how God always comes through in His time; rarely early, never late. Another time, I lost my keys. These were the computer chip variety, not one you can duplicate at the local Home Depot. As a matter of fact, this key was about $250 to replace; not something you want to lose or misplace. But I left my keys somewhere; either in the church service, the kids Sunday school rooms, or the doughnut table. Again, this church was on a college campus so it's not like there was a lost in found one could go to.

I retraced all the places I'd visited on campus to no avail. I knew they were never to be found again. But my son said "let's pray dad." We prayed, and walked toward on of the staffers we knew to ask him to keep an eye out just in case. I start explaining to him what they look like, when he reaches into his pocket and says. "Are these yours?" Thousands of people, large campus, found keys. Wow. Thanks God. Isn't it great when our kids teach us to seek God first?

Sweat the small stuff?

I'm consistently reminded how God has a way of working things out ahead of time and usually out of view.

Several months ago, our house in Georgia was being shared with 3 families; each had gone through some of life's difficult turns and we opened it up as an ark so to speak. Thing is, when you have a ton of people living in you house, the utilities and everything else goes waaay up. I freaked out a little when my checking account dipped down to under what the utility bills were for the month. One of the families had gotten a job a few months earlier and had some unexpected other income come in. I had been selling off my personal belongings to make the payments, yet it wasn't enough to cover, so I actually got upset and asked the family to pitch in like the other family was doing. Guess what, I really didn't need to ask since God had worked it out already. Just a few weeks after that incidence, a commission check came in that covered the costs for a few months. I gave most of the money back in gift cards, but the damage was done, things were not the same.

I've had asthma since I was two. One day on my way to church, I neglected to take my inhaler with me. When church was over and I went out to the car, it wouldn't start. I knew I needed a battery soon, just didn't know I needed it that soon. I almost got asthma just thinking about the idea of pushing the car out into the lane to find someone with jumper cables. The first person I asked said she didn't have any cables. Then she turned around and said "I think I might, let me look." I started following her back, and guess where her car was parked? Nose to nose with mine.

Now you may ask what's the big deal about that? The church was so large, it was renting the auditorium of a local college. There were thousands of parking spaces, and the next service was about to start. So of all the parking spots and of all of people, the one that I asked, was the only one that wouldn't bring on an asthma attack.

Story after story, you think I'd know by now not to sweat the small stuff...and yes, it is all small stuff

DUI of the HS

Psalm 139 tells us that God is always present. He searches our souls and knows everything about us. When he sees us heading in the wrong direction--toward disappointment and destruction--he invites us to come under the influence of his Holy Spirit so that he can guide us in a new direction. When times come on us that seem disappointing like Habakkuk talks about, rest assured, God is in control.

Habakkuk 3: 17-19
Though the fig tree does not bud
and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails
and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen
and no cattle in the stalls,

18 yet I will rejoice in the LORD,
I will be joyful in God my Savior.

19 The Sovereign LORD is my strength;
he makes my feet like the feet of a deer,
he enables me to go on the heights.

A reason to ask God to test us is so we can discover what our next right step is. God sees the road ahead of us. When I ask him to search me and test me and lead me, I am asking that he guide me away from what offends him and toward a solid, lasting way of life. Then, rather than driving under the influence of my fearful, frustrated mind, I can choose to follow his guidance and rely on his strength. When I get wobbly I know he will hold me tightly. He sees past the next turn and wants to lead me to an amazing destination.

With God in command, it's easy to abandon the silly and destructive ways of our secular culture and refuse to live under its influence. Instead I can drive with strength and confidence, under the influence of God.

An App for That

"If you put away the dishwasher and the silverware, I'll take out the trash and the recyclables." That's the deal my boys worked out today since they didn't like how I assigned the chore list. So far, that transaction has worked out okay; few ever do however.



How often do we think God works on a system of give and take; that our relationship with God is a series of transactions? Living every day in a system of transactions means that we must do things to get God to do things. If we do bad things, then He does, causes, or allows bad things to happen to us. In the transaction system, God can be distant, cold, and disconnected. God is not relational but reactive. Many of us have been taught that this is how God works and daily strive to make good transactions with God. I've yet to find any instance in the Bible that presents a God of transactions but a ton on a God of transformation, who loves us and out of His great love, desires to transform our actions, our beliefs and our values in spite of ourselves. That's the whole Agape thing...I love you period. He's got an app for that.

I've blogged before on the importance of the rudder to a ship, and how important it is to start your day with your personal rudder pointed the right direction.

F. B. Meyer stood on the deck of a ship approaching land, he wondered how the crew knew when and how to safely steer to the dock. It was a stormy night, and visibility was low. Meyer, standing on the bridge and peering through the window, asked "Captain, how do you know when to turn this ship into that narrow harbor?"
"That's an art," replied the captain. "Do you see those three red lights on the shore? When they're all in a straight line I go right in!"
Later Meyer said: "When we want to know God's will, there are three things which always occur: the inward impulse, the Word of God, and the trend of circumstances. Never act until these three things agree."

Attitude of Gratitude

Maybe it's just me, but I've noticed many people I come in contact with are not very happy; something is always bothering them and rarely thankful. An attitude of gratitude is imperative to living fully and God-centered. Our culture of comfort teaches us to be thankful for big homes and cool cars, nice clothes and a full pantry. While those are certainly things to be grateful for, we need to begin with thankfulness for our salvation and our relationship with God--regardless of our level of income, mode of transportation, or the brand name on our shoes. I've heard it said that gratitude and joy are the twin children of grace....gratitude follows grace and joy follows gratitude.


One blogger comments about meeting with a friend "Over lunch one day, he told me about a time when he was severely depressed and felt hopeless about his life stage and situation. As he sat at his kitchen table early one morning, he decided to make a list of the things he was thankful for. The list, he explained, kept growing and growing and growing, until he had hundreds of things written down. He fell to his knees in gratitude to God. It was that simple exercise that lifted him from his depression. His focus changed from all that was wrong with his life, to all that was right."


As we meet with God each morning, and walk with him each day, let's live with the perspective-altering attitude of thankfulness. Then watch how he changes us and works through us.