Some Things I've Learned Insights of 50+ Years

Welcome to My Website

Introduction
Greetings. After many years of contemplation, I've decided to create this site as a means of sharing the knowledge and wisdom I've gleaned from 58+ years of life. As the years have gone by I've learned many things from the people I've known and the situations I've gone through; the good, the bad and the (quite) ugly. I realized from these experiences that, while each person's path in life is a bit different, there is a common wisdom we share that directs the quality of our lives and inspires the legacies we will leave behind. I hope some of the things I've written here will add to the quality and understanding of the reader's life.

Let me begin by saying that much of the wisdom I've acquired has its foundation in the Christianity I've embraced as a sincere and absolute belief. I am first and foremost a Christian. I believe there is a God and that He sent His Son as a sacrificial lamb to take away the sins of the world. That following His death, He ascended into Heaven where He now sits on the right hand of the Heavenly Father. I believe that anyone who believes this truth in his/her heart and confesses that belief with his/her mouth shall receive forgiveness for all the mistakes, poor decisions, and hateful or immoral thoughts ever made. And along with this forgiveness comes an adoption into the family of God, with all the rights and responsibilities thereto appertaining.

On these pages I'd like to share some of the scriptural insights I believe the Lord has placed on my heart; insights intended to edify the church. I'll also share pearls of wisdom garnered through my journey as a son, grandson, brother, nephew, child, teen, man, husband, father, granddad, student, and teacher. Some of these pearls will serve as inspiration, others as warnings. Nothing shared on these pages is intended as fodder for philosophical argument or debate. I am not seeking input from the reader to stir up controversy or create discussion in anything I write. I merely want to share the things I've learned in the hope of helping at least one person's journey to be a little less burdensome.

Finally, for those who are unable to see because their eyes are focused only on themselves, I leave you with this: You're so vain, you probably think this site is about you; don't you?

The Lord put this on my heart a week or two ago.

All teachers/leaders have one of two attitudes:

"It's lonely at the top. And I LOVE the silence!" or

"It's lonely at the top. I have to bring others up here."

Which attitude does YOUR teacher/leader demonstrate through his/her actions?

To every concept there is an opposite and a reverse.

"In the presence of the Lord there is fullness of joy."

also means

When there is fullness of joy you are in the presence of the Lord

The Lord unites us through our weaknesses, not our strengths. Not all of His chosen are

skillful speakers or writers. Not all of us can compose songs, paint or sculpt. Yet all

of us feel fear, anger, sorrow and discouragement. In these areas we are one.

To truly hear what a person is saying, you must put aside all your preconceptions, notions and the

innate tendency to rush to judge and listen with your heart.

Any leader who causes strife will not be remember for any great accomplishment.

How is it, a person turns off a light and then questions the ensuing darkness?

I find it interesting when I look across a room and see all heads bowed . . .

as everyone looks at their iphones, ipads, kindles, tablets, smartphones, etc.

Grace is receiving something you didn't deserve.

Mercy is not receiving something you did deserve.

It's been said, "There are none so blind as those who will not see".

There are also none so lost as those who choose to be blind.

And there are none so enslaved than those whose blindness makes them ignorant of their chains.

I have seen heroes, so I know what a hero looks like.

I have spoken to heroes, so I know what a hero sounds like.

I have watched heroes, so I know how a hero behaves.

This man is a hero.

You can gain insight into a passage of scripture by emphasizing each word in the verse, one word at a time.

For example: We know all things work together for good to those who love God (Rom 8:28)

    1. We know all things work together for good to those who love God

            We: the people of God; the believers in the church

    2. We know all things work together for good to those who love God

            know: understand; realize; accept as truth

    3. We know all things work together for good to those who love God

            all: everything; nothing is excluded; visible or invisible now and always

    4. We know all things work together for good to those who love God

            things: situations, circumstance; events now and always; visible or invisible; known or unknown' everything

    5. We know all things work together for good to those who love God

           work: labor; energy; energized motion; accomplishing; putting out power

    6. We know all things work together for good to those who love God

            together: an assembling; a gathering; organized; collected; out of many, one

Get the idea? Try finishing this scripture and then use this study method during your next reading.

Jesus Betrayed (Mat 26)

As Jesus sat with His disciples at His last supper, weary and tormented by what the rest of the evening would bring, He looked across the table at the men sharing this meal with Him. Proving Himself once again to be the Son of God, Jesus told the 12 that one of them was about to betray Him. Disturbed by this revelation, the disciples became restless. Each looking at one another in disbelief that someone sitting among them could be capable of such treachery. I often envisioned how this scene might have been depicted in a movie: As soon as Jesus predicts the betrayal His disciples stop eating and become completely silent. Slowly, and in unison, all eleven heads turn to look at Judas, who sits at the table unmoved by the prophecy. But this is not what happened. Judas had never let it be known or shown that his heart was far from their Teacher's heart. That his ways were not Jesus' ways. His desires were not for the Kingdom of Heaven, but to line his pockets with the silver of the masses. Judas had been quite successful in hiding these ambitions from his colleagues, but not from Jesus. And prior to this moment, although Jesus had always known of Judas' deceit, He never hinted at the darkness in Judas' soul. He never shared his disappointment of Judas with any of the other disciples, and He never asked any of them to speak to Judas about his attitude. Jesus never planned an intervention for Judas, nor did He attempt to stir guilt in Judas' heart. Instead, Jesus show him patience and love; a love more powerful than any thoughts of resentment Jesus otherwise might have had toward Judas. Even with the knowledge that Judas' actions would lead Him to the cross.

Look at how His disciples react to Jesus' revelation of a traitor among them. They became "exceedingly sorrowful" and asked Him, "Lord, is it I?" Not one of them asked: "Is it him, or him?" They each looked to themselves for the responsibility for such an action, not believing that any of their colleagues could be capable of such an act. Then Judas speaks up: "Rabbi, is it me?" Did you hear that? Did you notice the difference in Judas' question? Have you read this so many times that you missed the important distinction between Judas' question and that of the eleven?

A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. (Matthew 7:18)

In this scripture the word "fruit" is plural, not singular. A single act does not define a person's character.

Rather, what a person does consistently across time and place defines his or her character.

Integrity means to do the right thing in all circumstances, even if no one is looking.

Sometimes good people do bad things & sometimes bad people do good things.

Doing a bad thing doesn't make a good person bad anymore than doing a good thing makes a bad person good.