holler

ugh

Tiger Woods

Tiger Woods. That name today stirs a lot emotion in people. 12 days ago today Tiger was all over news. There was concern, worry and even tears over whether Tiger was okay. In case you forgot he was in an accident in his neighborhood and rushed to a hospital. It was all over the news. Worry shortly after turned to speculation, and speculation turned to gossip. Tiger Woods, on of the greatest athletes in the world today and maybe of all time (I am calling him an athlete even though I don't think golf is a real sport, no contact, no blood, no cardio - u may get a blister every now and then though so....) fell. He fell publicly and he fell hard. And soon after the car wreck it started.

Women from all over and from all walks of life went public with the relationships or relations with Tiger. And pretty soon, Tiger was a joke. Everyone was picking on him, calling him out, hating on him and calling him out for not being a "good guy." For not making "better decisions." How could he? He was a role model. What will kids and young people think? He should have been better. He owed his fans more. This was all that was heard. Occasionally you may hear someone defend him but all in all it was all about kicking a man that was already down.

I am definitely not giving Tiger a free pass, or even saying he was justified in his actions. Instead I think we HAVE to look at this and compare it to our life. See 2 things keep going through my mind as I think about this. It was 2 things that Jesus said.

1- "Let the man without sin, cast the first stone!"

2- "There is no one that is good, no not one."

See we are very quick to start hurling stones at Tiger, but if we step back we will see that we are no different. Tiger sinned, and guess what I sin too. I sinned yesterday, today and will sin tomorrow. It is my nature, as it is Tiger's nature. I, just like Tiger am just a man, broken and messy, in need of a Mericful, Gracious, Loving God. See I am no different, in fact the Bible tells me that If I know the truth and keep sinning and someone doesn't know the truth keeps on sinning I am the worst of the two.

The other thing I have drawn from this situation is that fact that someone can have everything. Be filthy, stank nasty rich, be a admired by the world for their gift(s), have a model for a spouse be held in high esteem by millions and still be unfulfilled and unhappy. See Tiger has everything and has nothing. He has nothing because he doesn't know my God. My God that wants to know him, love him, forgive him and have a relationship with him. See the Bible also says it is easier for a camel to get through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to get to heaven.

My hope and prayer for Tiger is that he may lose everything so that he can gain Jesus. To know a savior, that as the preacher Matt Chandler said before brain surgery to remove a tumor, a Saviour that he is honored to suffer for and honored to have a brain tumor for it may glorify God.

Praying for ya Tiger!

Worthy?

Lately I have been feeling more and more frustration and angst over Christian culture. I am not sure where you are with it all, and I am not just talking about Christian TV (of which I would volunteer to go and punch all TBN folks in the throat.) I am more speaking of our Christian culture. Our little pretty lives as Christians where everything is always "blessed" and nothing is real. It has gotten to the point with me where it makes me angry. I watch our world go by and see so many people that are need of our awesome God and yet watch so many Christians, churches and ministries become more and more inclusive. Using words like discipleship and worship to make them feel better about their lack of sharing the gospel. I think we have just gotten out of balance. We have put all of our eggs in the basket of asking God to give us more and more of Him, and to "feed" us more of His word, and just one more worship song after an hour of worship; that we have forgotten and missed that everyday we come in contact with people in need of a Savior, and yet miss them because we are too focused on ourselves. Just look at all the Christian bookstores (now for the record I personally don't and won't shop at them because they take advantage of those that do by jacking up the price on everything.) Christian bookstores are filled with books about YOU, and what YOU need, and what YOU want instead of about HIM!!

Chew on this for a minute. Did you know that today you can grow up in a Christian home, go to a Christian school, listen to Christian music, watch Christ movies, eat a Christian establishment (Chik fil A), go to a Christian college, then get a job for a Christian employer and never see life outside of the Christian world. At first this may seem great, awesome, even ideal. But if we read the Bible and read the gospel and really believe it then we must see that this would be the worst way for any Christ - Follower to live their life. God has commanded us to go and share the gospel all the way to ends of the earth and I fear that there are very, very few that are actually doing this. ARE YOU? AM I?

Now hear my heart, I am not in any way hating the church or ministries that assist the church, for what they are doing. In reality I am asking you to check yourself before you wreck yourself. Our calling as Christ-Follower is to Love God and Love OTHERS! Time to step up or step off. PEACE AND LOVE - JOSH

Only Chance

Well, here we are. I always said that I would never do this. You know have blog, but here I am after several years of saying it with one. My hope with this blog is several fold. I hope to honor God with everything that is on this page. I hope it will be a light, a joy, a hope and an encouragement for those who are trying to walk with God. I hope it will be Jesus to those who do not know my awesome God. I hope that the realization that this is our ONLY CHANCE at life will become clear. And that God will use this spot for His GLORY and His renown. Peace and Love - JOSH