Category: Uncategorized

I do indeed now live a rich life. And certainly not because I either deserve it or earned it. Quite the contrary in fact. Nor do I not take great delight in realizing my numbered days regardless of how they play out, will be far beyond what I can now only imagine. Reading much scripture and a wide variety of purposeful wisdom books will kick start any life. “Movers and shakers” virtually in any field read incessantly; they literally devour books, and then engage in conversation with their friends, family and even total strangers about the uniqueness and richness of their gleanings ultimately bringing them to the table of real life, perhaps even down in the trenches of our daily grind, into our relationships in family, school, work, church, throughout our communities, and perhaps, depending on how God endowed and empowers us, to the far corners of our known world continually broadcasting our unique identity in Christ. Read the scripture quoted in the last paragraph if you think I’m blowing smoke.

Two of my sons encouraged me over the holidays to read a certain book but to steer clear of another. Friends and family frequently do that. So I read the one and was spiritually invigorated because the Scriptures are a “living” document, God can literally speak to you as you read from its confusing pages, In fact that is His principle desire for us as we are admonished by the two greatest commandments found in Matt 22; 36-40.

The second book of which I was told to avoid I had already read prior to their advice and even had five copies on my desk to loan out. And so for several weeks now I have pondered and considered frequently, at length, their comments and concerns. And then two days ago I listened to it again. I do that frequently. It takes time to gel, to weigh its themes and discover the books promise, and the authors hidden driven motivations. So after the second listen, I’ll just say the jury is out… and will be for years. Scripture is not nearly as illusive or so encumbered; besides it comes with a guide if you only ask!

I also listened for the second time finishing yesterday to Curt Landry’s “Reclaiming Our Forgotten Heritage: How Understanding the Jewish Roots of Christianity Can Transform Your Faith.” This book is not nearly as controversial in most circles but absolutely delightful in the fact that many Christians go their entire lives taking only the New Testament without the Jewish culture and wonder why they don’t have a full revelation of the body of Christ. Many simply do not understand all the pieces of the roots of the Christian Church and their place in the entirety of God’s Kingdom. The following verbatim paragraphs from Curt’s epoch masterpiece’s last chapter, are pertinent for persons such as me, caught in the cross hairs of legacy formation while living among our friends and “concerned” family members. Enjoy!

“One of the mysteries of legacy is understanding that lives speak louder and longer than words. Our children and our grandchildren and those who come after us will remember more about how we live than all the things we say. Our life example will outweigh the words we speak. Moreover, if how we live lines up with our words, then the wisdom we impart to others will have a better chance of being remembered.

Our legacy is our story, a parable of cultural principles that delivers a certain cause and effect. Every human being will leave a life legacy, path, a story, some kind of impact. The mark we leave is either our earthly DNA or our changed spiritual DNA. We leave the fruit of the works of our flesh or the fruit of the works of the spirit or a combination thereof.

When you were born again, you were grafted into a heritage that began with Adam and Eve, was consecrated by Abraham, Moses, David, and others in the Old Testament, and was fulfilled by the life, death, and resurrection of Yeshua. That whole rich spiritual heritage is now yours.

However, being grafted in, born-again, and filled with the Holy Spirit does not ensure that your God-given purpose, your destiny, will be fulfilled. I am challenging you to return to the roots of biblical instruction, where you will find the keys of identity, purpose, and power. When biblical instruction is applied, you will not find legalistic bondage but liberty that is practical and applicable today. That liberty will empower you to live and leave a legacy of your own.

Making the choice to follow God‘s ways is not always easy, but it does leave a profound impact on future generations, as was demonstrated by Israel Meir Lau, the chief rabbi of Israel. All legacies come at a price, and for some the price is very high. As a child, having lost both of his parents during the holocaust, Lau was imprisoned at Buchenwald, one of the largest German concentration camps. It opened in 1937 in a wooded area in East Germany. The camp was liberated in 1945, at which time Rabbi Lau was a frightened seven-year-old boy. To evade the retreating Nazis, he hid himself in a pile of emaciated Jewish corpses, but his eyes moved back-and-forth, keeping a watch of his surroundings. A Jewish American soldier spotted the movement and lifted him out from among the dead.

The soldier wept at the sight of him. “How old are you, my child?“ he asked in Yiddish.

Lau’s remembered response has struck with me to this day. “What difference does it make? I am older than you.“

“Why do you think that you are older than me? I am a soldier – look at my uniform.“

The seven-year-old Lau said, “Because you cry and you smile like a child. I stopped laughing years ago. I do not cry anymore. So who is older?”

Rabbi Lau has a keen understanding of this principle of legacy and has kept his thousand- year lineage of thirty-eight generations of rabbis unbroken. His own son, David Baruch Lau, has followed in his father‘s footsteps and is now the Ashkenazi chief rabbi of Israel.

Not all of us have the privilege of having our children and grandchildren follow so literally in our footsteps. But it is still a responsibility as parents, grandparents, and leaders to instill a sense of true legacy in those who come after us. Sadly, in western culture, legacy is too often seen simply as inheritance and is thought of mostly in terms of possessions, heirlooms, money, properties, vehicles, and so on. We have to train our minds to think of inheritance in a much broader sense.

If you were a parent or grandparent it’s your biblical responsibility to help your ceiling become your children’s floor and your children’s ceiling become your grandchildren‘s floor – building for them an inheritance of godly business, godly ministry initiatives, and godly relationships that help build Yeshua’s kingdom here on earth, just as it is in heaven. And even if you don’t have children, you still have a responsibility to the next generation. The responsibility of dominion that God gave humanity can only be multiplied beyond us through the education of those who come after us.

To keep our children and families (including our spiritual families) free from the enemy’s corruption, we must raise them up in the fear and admonition of the Lord through love and respect, but they must also see that the instruction is working. Legacy is the fruit of working God’s instruction and having it turn into a testimony of God‘s goodness that will last for generations to come.

I have learned that those who are truly happy and energized have two things in common. First, they have a healthy respect for what we refer to as their calling, the purpose for which God created them. And second, they have invested time and energy discovering or uncovering their roots and heritage. They have taken time to understand their own spiritual DNA and how it applies to the bigger picture. Making peace with these two important elements of their God-given identity brings peace and purpose into their lives and paves the way for even further success.

In order to live well and leave a legacy, we must discipline ourselves and intentionally change our habits and patterns so that we create an atmosphere conducive to empowering that legacy. This requires a commitment to hard work and a certain “daily grind.” Just as you must exercise and challenge your muscles if you want to grow stronger physically, you must repeatedly challenge yourself and practice your faith to build it up to accomplish bigger dreams. As Rabbi Lau said, we must ask ourselves: What shall we do? We cannot operate from a victim mentality. We must make sure that our choices impact our destiny and our legacy.

In closing, I hope that this book will prepare a table for you in the presence of your enemies and that the Lord will anoint your head with the oil of your new identity in Him. My prayer for you and for all of us is that we would have an appreciation of God’s mysteries and God’s ways.
Now consider the words from Ephesians 3:14-21. For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through his Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height – to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

I have been strangely quiet since before Christmas. Certainly not because there isn’t an abundance of “ideas” or material! But I’m getting to the point where I only write when prompted. And this was certainly not on my  3×5 card this morning.

I am increasingly aware I am to be personally transparent in this blog. Frequently I have done everything but that. Not that what I’m promoting is not of value for you but I’m thinking at some junctures, such as in this post, I’m being called to exhibit what I’m personally experiencing for whatever reason. So let me bring you up to date.

First I want to give credit to Pastor Carl’s for his sermons and our Sunday school class for attempting at least to continue the sermon’s relevance to our personal journeys as well as the prayer times we enjoy together. Quite honestly, I was very discouraged earlier this fall with my lack of leadership in the class and I spent much time in prayer for greater insights, perhaps for some new faces, greater regular attendance vs. the sporadically appearing, for greater interest and vigor among the participants, and about then I was introduced to Jamie Winship and his teaching on our identity in Christ that I spoke of in an earlier blog.  

I listened to a number of his You Tubes and became quite taken with the simplicity of  his living out the gospel message whether state side or multi-culturally as he and his family lived primarily in Muslim hot spots around the world for 30 years as a professor in their universities. So much so that I unconsciously took a fast from Jamie for 90 days. Prior to that I was talking and sharing Jamie across the board. Then total silence from me. This was not planned by me at all. This is not the way the former “merlin” worked. Prior when enamored by whatever “it” was, I pursued “it” literally to its death or mine.

This “Jamie fast” reminds of Carl’s first message this year titled simply”Four Prayers for our New Year” including first, prayers of observation (so that we are aware of how God is continually revealing Himself to us); second, prayers for opportunity (what does it mean for us to respond appropriately as Howard Thurmond reveals in his poem “The Work of Christmas”  (google it); third, prayers for obedience (Jamie is relentless on simple obedience, why do we continually ask God for “whatever” when we never ever obey him?); and fourth, prayers for outcomes, and it is here I wrote in my notes that Carl next said, “Ultimately, leave it to God!” Just leave it to God! But no, what merlin has usuallydone in the past after completing the equivalent of the first three prayers, he then pursued out of a weird idea of “entitlement” (I did the first three so I deserve “my” outcome) what he perceives as the desired outcomes relentlessly until everyone is either “wounded” or disenfranchised into spiritual oblivion. I recall two such escapades at KMC that I was so implicated during the 90’s.

I shared with our SS class last time that it is my observation that I can not recall even one time where I’ve been deeply wounded by one person either in or outside the church. Rather remarkable but just as I’m writing this now, I recall  one brother whom I love dearly, who really got in my face once in total disagreement, and it hurt, but big deal, only once? Read Anne Graham Lotz “Wounded By God’s People” for her wounding encounters at Olympic levels!

But what really pains me now and drives me in coaching for the healing and restoration of wounded hearts is the fact that while I’m looking in my life’s rear view mirror, I am reminded of all those precious souls I met on the interstates, the back roads, and the alleys of life where I flat out selfishly used and manipulated persons, events, situations, relationships, etc. for “merlin’s downfall” and certainly not God’s glory.

Case in point, I recently contacted two persons that were good friends of mine nearly 52 years ago but I had refused to build on that relationship several times over the years. Little wonder now I’ve not heard from either of them since I recently emailed them because real friendships do not go into electronic hibernation ready for an instant retrieval whenever it suits you to beam them up in person.

So, after a 90 day fast from Jamie’s You Tubes, I finally re-listened to one this week. But I can just hear you asking what happened during those 90 days? Fair question as God was teaching me to apply two of Jamie’s main tenants in approaching any situation or person from God’s spiritual perspective: 1.) What is it that you want me to know about this person or situation and 2.) What is it you want me to do with or about this situation or person? And then patiently wait until you hear his reply.

And I waited until I heard him uniquely on several fronts. Step out here, it is time to move ahead. Withdraw your energies there because it is not in his timing. Read or listen to this. So I did, such as the following books during my fast from the Jamie Winship You Tubes and indeed, most of these were listened to on Audible:

“A Life of Intimacy” by John Bevere;

“The Rock, the Road, and the Rabbi” by KL Gifford & Rabbi Jason Sobel;

“Playing with Holy Fire” and “Saving A Sick America” by Michael L Brown;

“The Magnificence Obsession,”; “Wounded by God’s People,” & “The Daniel Key” by Anne Graham Lotz,

“Stealth War” by Robert Spalding,

“Don’t Be Evil” by Rana Foroohar,

“Dark Agenda” by David Horowitz,

“Overcomer” by David Jeremiah,

“The Agenda of Angels” by Kevin Zadai,

“Reclaiming our Forgotten Heritage” by Curt Landry,

“My Lost Family” by Danny Ben-Moshe & Dasha Lisitsina,

“Buried Deep” by Margot Hunt,

“As Kingfishers Catch Fire” by the late Eugene Peterson   

And of course considerable scripture including the gospels and especially from James and 90 days from “The One Year Bible..NIV” Please join me as I continue to call Tyndale House Publishers Customer Service weekly at (855) 277-9400 to request they publish “The Message Version” in a “One Year Bible” ASAP

It is little wonder I can say 2019 was indeed the best year of my life to date. I’ve been told it is a known fact that persons of integrity whom are making significant impacts in their realms of influence for the Kingdom of God are all readers. In my case, since I do not have the luxury of reading, I choose to listen to life changing books of wisdom, the ultimate choice being the Bible in my estimation, though certainly many may disagree with me. Currently I am Kindle reading Bart D. Ehrman’s book “Misquoting Jesus: The Story Behind Who Changed the Bible and Why” which is a stretch for me. I’m told this is the layman’s edition so I’d certainly not attempt a more vigorous academic version.

In summary, I see I’m already at 1400 words and I’ve only addressed two of the seven points I outlined when beginning. I heard a publisher once say that every book has to fulfill its promise in order to be an outstanding book. My promise tonight at the outset was that I’d be transparent with you and after reading this blog, you would know exactly what just recently transpired in my life; the good, the bad, and the ugly…. But also only by the grace and mercy of God can I look you squarely in the eyes, and declare “I am redeemed by the birth, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus and as thus, am endowed, and empowered by the Holy Spirit to continue building his church as recorded simply in the Acts of The Apostles.”      

May we not be the group in the future church Jesus alluded to in Matt 8:12 while addressing the astonishing faith of the Roman captain. I suggest you just consider who could be the most offensive “captain” to our “churchy culture” today that would make our heads reel if such a miracle occurred for such a pagan “captain?” I can think of several that may certainly rock the Christianity Today staff and associated media.

But listen to what Jesus says just before He pronounced the healing. Reading from The Message in verse 12, “Then those who grew up ‘in the faith’ but had no faith will find themselves out in the cold, outsiders to grace and wondering what happened.”  That scripture literally jumped off the page at me when I read it this morning in my One Year Bible Jan 10 reading. I ask myself by what or whose criteria am I evaluating the strength of my faith? We are indeed in the balance! Tough words for we the culturally comfortable. No further comments needed from me.” I’d love to hear from you though.

Blessings as YOU GO FORTH FULLY ENDOWED & EMPOWERED for 2020 with prayers of OBSERVATION, OPPORTUNITY, OBEDIENCE, & OUTCOME (But do leave the outcomes to God!)

While looking thru the Christmas cards in the church mail today, I suddenly realized that it was either this week or never! Last year while recuperating, I indeed had time to send some 200 plus cards. Not so much this year so I decided I’d write a LONG note conveying our Christmas greetings.

We have certainly been blessed this past year as we indeed hope you were as well! And in so many very diverse ways! As Pastor Carl outlined for us this morning, we may not always choose an (1) awareness of how deeply God has historically and yet even today, longs to be intimately involved in sowing peace amidst the abundance of conflict in our intersecting relationships, even in this community. It’s not like we don’t know we need Jesus big time everywhere! Perhaps we’re so “tightly wound or bound up” we’re immune to any degree of (2) anticipation of anything significant beyond mere survival, and certainly not, (3) already joyfully aware of his gifts, not to mention  anticipating broadening and facilitating his gifts in greater exciting dimensions as He empowers us through the Holy Spirit.

So once again,  after the Christmas Season is laid to rest, (perhaps even before) and our spiritual eyes have glazed over, and we return to our pews (if we even showed up) to simply sit, soak and sour. And if this Season’s Greetings stuff is just all too mundane, troublesome, or worry some, we may even just split and withdraw from the festivities totally.

Wow, is that ever negative! Or, is there an element of truth present? I maintain either a Christmas or Easter based transformation is actually our only antidote. Cuddling up with one more Hallmark Christmas rendition and all our inherited culture and legalism will not empower meaningful spiritual joy in our hearts and minds and for sure, not in anyone else’s either. Aptly summarized, I’ve heard it said true worship is revealed by who we obey, not merely who we sing to. Ouch!

Quoting beginning from John 17:31 “Jesus answered them, Do ye now believe? ….. These things have I spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” And from John 3:17, “For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.”

Folks, scripture such as the above has been the bedrock of our faith. Our need for peace and overcoming may someday be experienced in a dimension we cannot now fully even imagine. I totally understand books are written daily to substantiate any passing whim or anticipated market. I just listened last week twice to a book by an agnostic author I’ve not read prior (hence the listening twice) by name of David Horowitz titled “Dark Agenda: The War to Destroy Christian America” that basically connects all the historical dots I have thus ”lived and witnessed” in my 71 years revealing a candid first hand reporting that I find both enlightening and so very disgusting, considering the current world events.

Somehow I feel like we’re entering a time similar to that of the correspondence between Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Maria von Wedemeyer 1943-45 in the book titled “Love Letters From Cell 92,” as edited by Ruth-Alice von Bismarck. The writings of David Horowitz may deeply disturb all of us on different fronts and levels, but his pedigree is unequaled being raised in a Jewish communist/socialist family investing half of his life in such causes but because of some bitter life experiences, awakened and converted during early midlife and is now today one of the few authors who publicly speak of the major role the Reformation played in birthing this unique American experiment of government.

Quoting from Dark Agenda, “By 1776, the colonists had come to a revolutionary conclusion. These 150 years of experiments in colonial government had persuaded them that the theocratic government was not only a bad idea, but an un-Christian one as well. A theocracy was invariably oppressive because it allowed no room for dissent, no freedom of conscience for the individual. Contrary to the claims of Christopher Hitchens, and other detractors of Christianity, America is the logical, if not the inevitable, development of the Protestant Reformation. Hitchens was the most articulate and entertaining of the New Atheists, first meeting David Horowitz as a budding radical in London in the 60’s and then as a close fiends for the decade before his death in late 2011.

Two core doctrines of the Reformation were “justification by faith” and “the priesthood of all believers” (I would add ‘in community, and not individually,’ the latter being so prevalent today)” The first reflected the Augustinian view that human beings were flawed and sinful by nature and, therefore, can only be saved by God’s grace. This led logically to the American idea that government requires checks and balances to restrain the devious impulses and desires of its citizens and officials. As James Madison, one of the principal framers of the Constitution, put it: “If men were angels, no government would be necessary.” The second core, “the priesthood of all believers” led directly to the principle at the heart of the Declaration of Independence, that “all men are created equal” and endowed with rights by their Creator – rights no government has the right to deny.

And I would add, doing so in community rather than “in our own eyes,” to insure equality and rights are lived out and perfected in actual practice; or, if you would, “caught” not merely “taught.”

 So be alert to the new definitions of “created equal” and “endowed with rights” in light of current events!

Now we will transition from the “big-picture” historical to the current events at the Erb residence at 2417. I recall my Christmas joy last year was permission from my doctor to put partial weight on both legs. And now 15 months later after the accident 9/18/18, I’m glad to report I have no pain or limitations whatsoever in either leg. Rather amazing considering the grim verdict before going in to surgery. I was so very fortunate to have another opportunity at continuing my mobility.

As I say in the by-line to my blog, merlinsmustache, “Retooled & Thriving,” none of you have any idea just how true that R & T is for me. But not just because I made a choice; it was because I was given another opportunity to make a choice! I do not take that opportunity lightly as we all know “timing” is everything, whether in basketball or your life, a split second or five feet more may introduce us to eternity.    

For Loretta and I, we did begin 2019 with everything up for grabs. We were indeed reluctantly considering some serious downsizing. And then in October, after more than year of intensive prayer and soul- searching, God suddenly provided an answer taking us in a whole new direction, all occurring ironically within 48 hours of our implementation of daily reading “decrees and declarations,” and within minutes of us seriously considering accepting a “low-ball’ offer on some real estate. Simply amazing how God has once more provided so abundantly! In addition, it was determined that Loretta’s mother who has lived in our rental out front for the past nine years should now move in with us for her continued safety which she is eagerly anticipating. So now we will have a brick rancher to rent early next year if anyone is looking.

And yes, I am no longer debating changing vocations. Now I find it difficult to believe I so resisted a career change. Indeed, what was I thinking? God has opened so many doors and opportunities for us to experience life during the past 15 months, it is almost breath-taking. And so deeply satisfying!

And this is where we best close. We do wish each of you a Merry Christmas and a most Joyous New Year as we move forward “exercising” our opportunities of faith by living and knowing that “Jesus did in fact overcome the world” as exhibited in his birth, life, death, resurrection, ascension, and his ever-present gift of the Spirit. Go forth in 2020 both knowingly empowered and endowed! merlin

Quite understandably, I have been criticized for being “too hard on myself,” especially after a post like the one prior where I explained I lacked courage to “get comfortable being uncomfortable” because I  “earned” an inferiority complex because as a lad I chose thought patterns, behaviors, and activities in direct opposition to achieving my life’s Essential Purpose (EP).

I really do believe what I’ve experienced thus far in life is not that much different from your story. Quite by accident, as none of these posts are ever planned out in advance, and in looking back over the past year, I realize now their underlying theme to date frequently hinge on we as humans too often not being willing to honestly examine who we really are becoming (or not!) and what is it that really drives us day after day on the treadmill of life?

I’m going to share an experience I lived recently. We had some friends visiting last week end and after touring Holmes County on Friday afternoon, they began quizzing me over dinner at Mrs. Yoder’s about my childhood in west central MN. Being ten years younger, they were raised in Cincinnati and found it difficult to comprehend the daily rigors and perils I experienced on the farm prior to college where I enjoyed my first daily showers (even multiples if needed); where the closest electricity was three miles away until I was three; and when indoor plumbing finally arrived during seventh grade. What the Cincinnati folks could not comprehend was that these three deprivations were still the norm on many of the farms they had just driven by minutes prior, but now, more insidiously than merely the print, radio and TV of my era, were the Big Tech slot machines in our pockets (phones) powered from space.

So I tell you this bit of history not for sympathy nor an identity with Thoreau, but as the idyllic event it really was without today’s compelling distractions. In stark and riveting contrast, I dare you read Chapter Six titled “A Slot Machine in Your Pocket” from Rana Foroohar’s new book “Don’t Be Evil: How Big Tech Betrayed Its Founding Principles and All Of Us.” I’m warning you this chapter may make you physically sick with its 52 minutes of examples such as how the “designer of “Fortnite” with its more than 200 persuasive technology design tricks to purposely draw kids in to their “web,” admitted to the Wall Street Journal that it was his goal to create a game that would engage kids for hundreds of hours if not decades.”

“And then there is the craving for social approval that most of us will recall from our teenage years. This phenomena is not new. What is new though is how Instagram and Snapchat platforms have elevated this need to the level of full-fledged addiction. Consider the average  teenager who spends 7.5 hours per day playing with screens and phones. Is it any wonder they are more isolated, less social, and more prone to depression than previous generations? It is even scarier that these conditions can be monetized by the platforms that create them. In 2017, Facebook documents leaked showed that executives had actually boasted to advertisers that by monitoring posts, interactions and photos in real time, they are able to track when teens will feel insecure, worthless, stressed, useless and a failure , and can micro-target ads down to those vulnerable moments when young people need a confidence boost. Think about that for a minute. It is an endless wanton commodification of our attention with little or no concern for the repercussions for individuals. This is how today’s devices create desires we didn’t even know we had, at least not to this degree making us feel anxiously incomplete without them, almost as if we were missing a limb.”

So folks, here is my bottom line. If a kid like me,  growing up in such a positive mentoring village with every opportunity in rural MN during the 50’s-60’s, could go so far wrong for so long, what can we expect for our youth today given the “traps & webs” referenced above, not to mention much of the US male population up to and now approaching their 50’s and even beyond?

Jesus frequently told stories as perhaps should we. I love to both read and tell stories, especially true stories. Matthew Kelly tells one of each beginning about page 232 in his Rhythm of Life book that indeed provides hope for our honestly truth-inquiring minds today. Enjoy.  

                                                            *****************

Perhaps you are familiar with Leonardo da Vinci‘s famous painting The Last Supper. Leonardo was living in Milan at the time he painted it, and when he committed himself to that particular composition, he decided he wanted to approach it in a unique way. He wanted to find thirteen men to pose, one for each of the disciples and one as Jesus. He wanted each of his models to look exactly as he envisioned Jesus and each of the other disciples to have looked. And so his search for these men began.

One day while sitting in church, the voices of the choir were so angelic that he turned around and looked up into the choir loft. As he did, his gaze fell upon one young man in the choir loft. He perfectly matched how Leonardo had visualized Jesus to look. After church Leonardo approached the young man, explained his project, and inquired as to whether he would be interested in posing for the painting. The young man agreed, and the following week he spent four days posing in his studio in Milan.

Leonardo’s search continued, and he quickly found someone to pose as Peter, Simon, and Matthew. Within eleven months he had found and painted all the persons in the scene except the Judas.

Leonardo could not find his Judas. He looked everywhere. He would walk through the streets of Milan, some days for endless hours, searching the nameless faces in the crowds for a man who embodied how he envisioned Judas to have a looked. Eleven years passed in his search when he  finally realized he been looking for his Judas in the wrong places.

Leonardo thought, if I am to find a man who has the qualities and appearance of Judas, I must look where such men are gathered. With that in mind, Leonardo went to the prisons in and around Milan, searching for a man with pain and anger in his eyes, with harsh impatience on his face, with the scars of pride and bitterness on his cheeks, and with the marks of brokenness in his features – a man who looked to him like Judas.

After many days and many prisons, he came across that man. He explained to the man what he was doing and asked if he would be willing to pose for the painting.  The prisoner agreed, and Leonardo made arrangements for him to be brought to his studio in Milan under guard.

The following week he was brought to the studio, and Leonardo began the final stage of his work. As he painted, Leonardo noticed the prisoner was growing more restless and distressed, even by the hour. Leonardo observed that the man would look at him, and then at the paining, and every time he seemed to be filled with a certain remorseful sadness.

By the middle of the second day, Leonardo was so disturbed by what he was witnessing in his model that he stopped work and said to him, “Is there something wrong? Do you not like my work?” The prisoner said nothing, and Leonardo inquired once more, saying, “You seem very upset, and if I’m causing you pain in any way, perhaps we should stop.” The man looked at the master painter and then at the paining one more time. As his gaze fell away from the painting, he lowered his head, lifted his hands to his face, and began to weep inconsolably.

After several minutes, Leonardo was finally able to settle him down. “What is it?” he asked.

The prisoner looked expectantly into the artists eyes and said, “Do you not recognize me, master?”

In confusion, Leonardo replied, “No, have we met before?“

“Yes,“ the prisoner explained. “Eleven years ago I posed for you, for this same painting, as the person of Jesus.”

May I suggest in each of us there is a Judas and Jesus. Our lives here on earth are an incomplete work unless we can discover the Judas and Jesus within us. We must come to know our strengths and our weaknesses. It is often very easy to find Jesus within us. Too often we shrink from the task of examining our faults. Yet it is only by knowing the flaws and the defects of our character that we can begin to work to overcome them.

Our weaknesses are the keys to our richer more abundant future. Our strengths are already bearing the fruit they can. Our weaknesses are the un-farmed lands of our character. Pull the weeds from that land, till the soil, plant some seeds, and we will yield a great harvest.

Most people don’t want to know about their weaknesses. This is a classical sign of mediocrity. While the rest of us are standing around arguing for our weaknesses, ther heroes, leaders, the legends, champions, and the saints who in all the history books, went looking for their weaknesses. They didn’t hide their weaknesses and they didn’t hide from them. They woke early each morning and went out to face them, because they knew their weaknesses were the keys to their richer, more abundant future.

If you want your future to be bigger than your past, start to transform your weaknesses into strengths.

Are you prepared to face the Judas in you?

                                                            **********************

When God was creating the universe, some of the angels were discussing where each of them felt God should hide the truth. One angel said, “I think God should hide the truth at the very summit of the highest mountain.” The next proclaimed, “I think God should hide the truth at the very depths of the ocean.” Another said, “No, I think God should hide the truth on the farthest star.”

God overheard the angels and spoke up, saying, “I will hide the truth in none of these places. I will hide the truth in the very depths of every man and every woman’s heart. This way, those who search humbly and sincerely will find it very easily, and those who do not will have to search the whole universe before they find it.

Well Said! Blessings as YOU GO FORTH APPLYING THE TRUTHS OF THESE STORIES IN YOUR LIFE TODAY WHILE ON YOUR BIG TECH DOMINATED TREADMILL>>>> merlin

My reading of late is becoming much more diverse and I am trying to provide you all a wider variety of topics that I think may be relevant for you. The heart of this post, possessing courage, impressed me months ago and tonight I saw it and decided to write about it. Perhaps Carl’s second advent message (Light replacing Darkness) and some of our Sunday School conversation afterwards prompted this composition.  

I would have done well to have applied this post’s principle of courage to my life even as a teenager. I was not an individual as a lad whom exhibited outstanding personal courage for my beliefs and convictions. In fact, I would say I’ve been a whimp for most of my life steering clear of controversy becoming abnormally quiet whenever the conversation turned controversial, or perhaps I’d just steer the conversation in another direction.

This being “whimpy” resulted for all the years I battled an inferiority complex (IC) and that may surprise you, but believe me, I earned that IC. It certainly was not inherited, or afflicted upon me, or by being raised in a cultural subset, or because of being in any form a victim of undesirable circumstances. No, my IC was the direct result of specific decisions I made  during my younger formative years when I clearly chose thought patterns, behaviors and activities that were in direct opposition to the promptings I initially received from my conscience. In time, the conscience’s wisdom diminished and my rational mind provided me an “adjusted truth” and I “functioned.” But, I never “flourished” because of that pesky IC!

Until just recently, that is! And my journey to my “freedom to flourish” is not relevant to this post just now, at least. What is relevant is that I made a decision to acknowledge my Essential Purpose (EP) in life. And you may be surprised to know that as a young lad by fourth grade I knew my EP and celebrated the  freedom it afforded me, before I succumbed to the thought patterns, behaviors and activities that destroyed my peace as spoke of by the rich man in the prior post.

I maintain regardless of your walk in life and your responsibilities at the moment, we all can benefit from a good dose of courage, courage for whatever challenge or situation we may be facing. Hopefully, you’ve not been incapacitated as long as I chose my bondage. Actually, Christmas and Easter exist to terminate IC’s, especially when you acknowledge your EP. Funny then, how courage will prevail naturally.

What follows are some paragraphs from Matthew Kelly’s business management primer “The Culture Solution” applicable to all of us whether in business, education, parenting, etc. driving home the point that once you understand your EP, managerial courage at whatever level you intersect it “is getting comfortable being uncomfortable.”    

Managerial courage is essential to a coaching culture, and coaching is essential to a dynamic culture. It all ties together and is essential to long-term success.

The secret to establishing this kind of culture and developing managerial courage is something that I have hinted at a few times throughout the book. It is one of the most important lessons I have learned in my career. I was familiar with the idea, but it never had really clicked with me. It was an HR leader who finally got it through my very thick skull.

I was in the boardroom with the leadership team of a very successful nonprofit that was experiencing massive growth, and a difficult decision needed to be made. There was George Josten, a 29-year-old HR professional. I don’t use that word, professional, lightly. He is a consummate professional. George was there to answer any HR related questions the leadership team might have as they worked their way through the problem at hand.

Conversation rambled around the room, moving from salient points that need to be considered to a clear discomfort with the decision that everyone knew needed to be made and acted upon expediently.

I turned to George, who is always the quiet observer, taking in all the data and other people’s perspectives before offering his thoughts, and asked, “What are your thoughts?”

“It seems that some of you are trying to get comfortable with this. The thing I would say is that you are probably never going to get comfortable with it, but don’t forget, he has put you in this situation. You hired him to do something very specific, which he said he could do, and he has failed to do it. Now you need to let him go, and you are trying to get comfortable with that. You are not supposed to be comfortable with some of the stuff. Your discomfort points to an emotional intelligence that probably makes you very, very good at serving this organization. The goal here is to make the right decision. The goal is not to get comfortable. You are a relatively new leadership team and these things are going to come up from time to time. They do even in the best organizations. You have to get comfortable being uncomfortable.“

Wow. I just sat there. Twenty-nine years old. “You have to get comfortable being uncomfortable.” Brilliant. Powerful and practical. On one hand he told them it’s OK to be uncomfortable and you should be. But at the same time, you have to be OK with being uncomfortable and do what needs to be done.

It was one of the best moments on a team ever. I talk about it all the time. If you want to be a good leader, coach, parent, spouse, friend, and so on, the faster you get comfortable being uncomfortable, the better.

Managerial courage just might be the art of getting comfortable being uncomfortable. What I am certain of is this; if we want to build a Dynamic Culture in our business, our church, our families, with our spouse, we all need to get comfortable being uncomfortable. A Culture Advocate celebrates mission as king even when it is uncomfortable.

Merlin here now, and don’t forget, discovering your EP is the precursor to enhancing your Courage to grow your Dynamic Culture as a Culture Advocate, whether in business, church, family, your spouse or friends. Do celebrate the brightness you’ve been given this Christmas!

Go Forth With Abundant Courage In The Pursuit of your EP!>>>> merlin

My blog from Nov 26^th referenced prayer and reflection as the second simple strategy to enhance your thankfulness. Great truths are sometimes expressed in few and simple words. As Scott Ashley wrote in an editorial, we’ve all seen the bumper sticker “No God, No Peace. Know God, Know Peace.” I’m not big on bumper stickers but seldom have so few words said so much since we live in a world of far too little “real God” and far too little “real peace.” It’s not hard to see the connection.

Merlin now speaking, I am reminded daily while out and about of the “illusiveness of peace” in the lives of many I meet. None I meet have experienced such success as exhibited in the following story, and seldom if ever are the people I meet even remotely aware of their lack of peace as this rich man expressed himself, let alone, candid and honest enough to forth rightly admit their extreme lack of “real peace.” I have included the following paragraphs from Kelly’s Rhythms of Life to flesh out the uniqueness, the functionality, and the bedrock importance of prayer and reflection in the daily routines of believers or Christ followers as the second simple strategy to enhance our thankfulness.

A few months ago, I spent a couple of days with a very wealthy gentleman in Europe, a friend of a friend. This man has more money than you and I could physically count in a lifetime. All his life he has worked very hard, and his achievements and businesses are admirable. One morning at breakfast, it was just the two of us and he began to speak. “There is something different about you, Matthew. I don’t know what it is, but it is special and rare. You make me ponder life.” I said nothing, and he said nothing for several minutes. Then he continued, “I will tell you this because you are young and perhaps it will be of some use to you. I’m a very wealthy man. I have more houses than 10 families could live in, more boats and cars than I could ever use, more money than I could ever spend. Everywhere I go I am treated like royalty…. but I have no peace. Peace…. and the funny thing is I would give everything I have, the things I’ve spent my whole life building for just a little peace. As a little boy I had it, but now as an old man, I have no peace.“ The most overwhelming sorrow and pity for this man welled up inside me, and I wondered how many others felt this way. I couldn’t help but think to myself, it’s not a “funny thing,“ it’s a tragedy.

As time goes by, what I discover most about people is that we want to live in peace.

This is why in a time when so many people are turning their backs on prayer, I am trying to embrace prayer with my whole being. Prayer gives me that peace. Prayer teaches me to use my life for a worthy purpose. Prayer reveals that purpose. Prayer warns me when I wander from the narrow path. Prayer increases my ability to love, and my ability to be loved. Prayer fills me with hope, and that hope is not the conviction that everything will turn out well, but rather the certainty that the way I am spending my life makes sense regardless of how it turns out. Prayer allows me to live my life in peace.

If you look into the eyes of the people you meet today, you will see clouds and storms, fear and doubt, confusion and worry, anxiety and restlessness. But very rarely, in this day and age that has turned it back on prayer, do you ever look into a person’s eyes and see the calm, still, peaceful waters of a crystal-clear lake.

Prayer is essential. Prayer cuts through and clarifies. Prayer reminds us of what is really important. Prayer awakens our awareness to our legitimate needs. Prayer is a great friend to introduce us to ourselves. Prayer is the great mediator that introduces us to God. Prayer is The faithful friend who points out who we are and who we are capable of being. Prayer reveals the deepest desires of our hearts and points out the path that was ordained for us from the beginning of time. Prayer whispers those golden words “That is your star, go now and follow it”. Prayer gifts us with purpose and direction and peace while in pursuit of that direction. Prayer is both a journey and a destination. Prayer is opportunity to become intimately familiar with the better person we know we can be — and that familiarity is the beginning of wisdom. Prayer helps. Prayer is important. Prayer is needed. We need prayer. Prayer doesn’t need us, and God doesn’t need prayer. Prayer doesn’t help God, it helps us. It isn’t something we must do, it is something we should do. I pray because I cannot help it. I pray because I am a better person when I do.

Pray.

FYI, according to the NIV Exhaustive Concordance, the word “pray” is used 121 times whereas “prayed” is used 68 times, “prayer” 106 times, “prayers” 32 times, “praying” 36 times, and “prays” 12 times. Likely sufficient admonition to go and do likewise!

Blessings as YOU GO FORTH REVELING IN YOUR PEACE BY KNOWING GOD…. FOR TRUE WORSHIP IS REVEALED BY WHO WE OBEY, NOT WHO WE SING TO>>>>  merlin

I admit to selfishly having enjoyed this past Sunday afternoon by listening to an entire book in one setting like I’ve not experienced for far too long. Struggling to win over a prevailing sore throat for a week, I was basically quarantined from people and confined to my office to avoid afflicting anyone else, which is a bummer during a Holiday weekend and what’s even worse, I’m not entirely sure I’ve won the battle yet.

But before leaving Sunday afternoon, my eldest son Ben, suggested I read two books that he had recently read while on vacation in Viet Nam. And by 10 pm, I had finished listening to the first one by Robert Spalding titled “Stealth War: How China Took Over While America’s Elite Slept.” You may remember last Thanksgiving Ben introduced me to Matthew Kelly who was exactly the author I needed to read from extensively during my recuperation period and my life’s course adjustment.  I am not exactly sure how Stealth War may impact me in the next year, as that as with everything, depends entirely on how we allow God to facilitate or coordinate all the variables in our lives. Micro-managing or facilitating my life is not my big concern any longer. Knowing one’s essential life’s purpose provides a focus so that my goal now is to simply obey His bidding, which I’m suspecting this author was doing when he wrote this book, a goal espoused by many of us but too seldom actually practiced, by me at least! It is a story that really needs to be told, portions I’m sure that are in stark contradiction to the fake news surrounding us today. The following paragraphs are taken from the book’s promos.

China expert Robert Spalding reveals the shocking success China has had infiltrating America institutions and compromising our national security.

The media often suggest that the Russia poses is the greatest threat to America’s national security, but the real danger lives farther east. While those in power have been distracted and  disorderly, China has waged a 6-front war on America’s economy, military, diplomacy, technology, education, and infrastructure — and they are winning. It’s almost too late to do the shocking, though nearly invisible, victories of the Chinese.

In Stealth War, retired Air Force Brigadier General Robert Spalding reveals China’s motives and secrete attacks on the West. Chronicling how our leaders have failed to protect us over recent decades, he provides shocking evidence of some of China most brilliant ploys, including:

1. Placing Confucius Institutes in universities across the United States that serve to monitor and control Chinese students on campus and spread communist narratives to unsuspecting American students.

2. Offering enormous sums to American experts to create investment funds that funnel technology to China.

3. Signing a 30 year agreement with the US that allows China to share peaceful nuclear technology, ensuring that they have access to American nuclear know-how.

Spaulding’s concern isn’t merely that America could lose its position on the world stage. More urgently, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has a fundamental loathing of the legal protections America grants its people and seeks to create a world without those rights.

Despite all the damage done so far, Spalding shows how it is still possible for the US and the rest of the free world to combat and win China’s stealth war.

Robert Spalding is a national security strategist and a globally recognized expert on Chinese economic competition and influence. He retired from the US Air Force as a brigadier general. He is a former pilot of theB-2 Stealth Bomber, as well as former director for strategic planning at the National Security Council in the White House. He was the chief architect for the widely praised National Security Strategy.

Rob has lived in mainland China, both as an Olmstead scholar and as the senior defense official at the US Embassy in Beijing, and traveled extensively throughout Asia. He is fluent in Mandarin. During the 2016 UUD incident, Rob averted a diplomatic crisis by negotiating with the Chinese PLA for the return of the UV, without the aid of a translator.

Rob is a Life Member of the Council on Foreign Relations, and a Senior Fellow at the Hudson Institute, Washington, D.C.

This book is an executive summary of the last six years of Rob’s efforts to combat the influence of the Chinese Communist Party in America and around the world.

To watch Rob’s interviews on Fox News and CNBC, as well as numerous radio and YouTube channels, concerning matters of national security, 5G, and foreign policy, visit armchaireconomist.io.

Stress isn’t bad. Stress all the time is bad. Downtime isn’t a waste  of time. Too much downtime is a waste of time. Money doesn’t drive performance. Passion and purpose drive performance.

You can’t get more time, but you can have more energy. It is time to unleash the energy factor in your life. How? With three simple but powerful instruments. The first involves regular sleep. The second deals with regular prayer and reflection. The third instrument delves into the ancient tradition of the seventh day as a day of rest, reflection, and renewal.

It is these three instruments that shine the light of wisdom into the deep places of our hearts, minds, bodies, and spirits, revealing to us all our strengths and weaknesses. They encourage us to look at the different areas of our lives and to examine different aspects of ourselves – to observe the ways we respond to certain events, activities, people, and circumstances.

From this we gain the self-knowledge to place us in the position to understand our legitimate needs in each of the four areas of life – physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual.

These three instruments therefore lay the foundation for these needs to be met. The result is a man and a woman completely in harmony with themselves. This harmony produced by this rhythm of life increases our effectiveness in our work. It makes us more present in our relationships, and empowers us with a spiritual presence and focus – all of which gives birth to that deep and abiding peace, an inexpressible joy and satisfaction, and a sense of fulfillment that burns within us, igniting an excitement and a passion for life.  

Provided by Matthew Kelly from his book, “The Rhythm of Life: Living Everyday with Passion & Purpose.”

Blessings This Thanksgiving As You Reflect Utilizing The Three Instruments We’ve All Been Gifted!! … merlin

On October 7, I introduced you to Christian Moore’s “Resilience Break-Through” and this evening I just finished it. Continuing in the vein of “flipping-the-switch” I’ve chosen to share his electronic device assessment for this post. The following is verbatim from his book beginning on page 84.

“I’ve put together a short self-assessment to help determine whether your own use of electronics devices, (or as I like to call them, ED‘s) is having a negative impact on your emotional intimacy – in other words, whether you have electronic device disorder (EDD).

To get a better sense of how important your EDs are to you, give yourself one point for each statement that describes you and then read the recommendations for your score. (Remember: the assessment is only valuable as long as you are willing to be honest and do your best to avoid self-deception. You might want to consider asking someone who knows you well enough to answer on your behalf to give you a more complete and accurate perspective.) If you find that even just one or two of these questions describes your use of EDs, you may need to make a conscious effort to connect more with actual people and limit the amount of time you spend electronically connected. I know this is easier said than done, but it is absolutely vital to a healthy relationship.

+When spending time with other people, I can’t help occasionally pulling out my ED and checking it for updates.

+The information I obtain on my ED is more relevant to me then the information I am receiving from people in front of me.

+I can’t sit through an entire movie, game, or other event without checking my ED.

+The first thing I do in the morning or the last thing I do at night is look at my ED.

+When driving, I have a strong desire to reach for my ED.

+I can’t attend a family event without using my ED.

+I can closely predict the remaining battery life on my portable ED.

+The frequency with which I check email is much greater than the actual number of emails received.

+When I don’t access social media, I feel disconnected or frustrated.

+I communicate with more people through my ED than I do in person.

+People close to me have complained about the amount of time I spend on my ED.

+I feel anxious if I leave my ED at home or am ever away from it.

+I always know where my ED is.

+I feel a surge of excitement when I receive notifications on my ED.

How to interpret your score

You should have one point for each of the statements in the list that describes you.

1-2 points: You’ve got it under control. You are in the safe zone. If you can maintain the balance you currently have between the real world and technology, you’ll never be at risk of electronic-device disorder (EDD).

3-4 points: You have symptoms. You like your ED, but you’re not nearly as hooked as a majority of the population, and use your ED primarily for communication and a little bit for entertainment. Be careful not to get hooked on too many ED features that can slowly detach you from the people around you.

5-6 points: You are mildly disordered. In my observation, most people fit in this category. You love your ED, and without realizing it, you may be disengaging from others. Your family and close friends are probably the most aware of your EDD when they’re trying to make conversation or get your attention. Try putting your ED in another room for a few hours a day and really focusing in on your loved ones, others significant relationships, or a worthwhile hobby.

7-8 points: Electronic-device disorder has fully kicked in. If you score this high you’re in the danger zone! Pick one night a week to turn off your ED and focus instead on your family, friends, or a worthwhile interest. Gradually increase the number of nights a week you do this until your EDD score is between 1 and 3.

9 or more: EDD rehab is in your future. This is a severe case! Your life would literally cease to function if you were deprived of your ED, and that means you’re shutting yourself out of relationships and endeavors that matter most. Turn off your phone when you are driving, in a meeting, or eating a meal with someone you care about. Once you’re able to do this without experiencing anxiety, start turning it off one night a week, gradually increasing the number of nights a week you do this until your EDD score is between one and three.

Note: You may be tempted to give this assessment to someone you think needs it. Be careful, as this could make someone defensive without more context.

What message are you sending?

If you were a parent and this is something you struggle with, you might want to give your kids permission to ask you, “Mom/Dad, is what you’re doing on your phone right now more important than paying attention to me?” when they feel ignored or frustrated by your EDD. It’s also good to be aware that our kids themselves are growing up addicted to and overstimulated by these devices. We may one day feel rejected as our kids choose electronic devices over us, and at the same time we may be contributing to their addiction if we don’t give them guidelines and rules about their usage. Remember that song from the ‘70s, “Cats in the Cradle“? It was a popular song about a dad who didn’t have time for his son, and then the son grows up and doesn’t have time for his old and lonely dad. That may be us one day, recognizing the sad irony as the next generation grows up to be just like us – too plugged in to connect.”

The above is quite revealing and disturbing to me, and of course, my ego wants to snap back with “I’m the exception because of …..but my weaker maturity kicks in with “yeah, yeah, YOU always think YOU are the exception when actually you are not because….!!

Blessings as YOU GO FORTH TODAY FULLY “CONNECTING FOR REAL” … WHILE REMAINING SUFFICIENTLY “ED- DISCONNECTED” TO BE REAL!!!      merlin

Taken from Pray For ME Prayer Guide: The Prayer Champion’s Guide to Essential Prayer For the Next Generation by Tony Souder

Week Four Day One…. Page 59

Father, open my eyes so that I might see you more clearly, savor you more fully, and share you more freely.

1.) Circle or underline any keywords and phrases you See:

… since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything…..  “in him we live and move and have our being.” (Act 17:25, 28)

What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it? (I Corinthians 4:7)

2.) Savor these truths in prayer for you and your student:

“Father, every breath is a gift of your grace and favor.

It is from your hand that we have life and breath and all things today.

It is in you that we live and move and have our being.

Keep us from taking your constant sustaining goodness for granted.

Create genuine delight in our hearts today for each breath.

Give us eyes to see the wonder of your sustaining favor, and cause our hearts to be full with thanksgiving.

For your glory and our good, in the all sustaining name of Jesus,

Amen.”

3.) Write down any thoughts or ideas you may want to share.

Blessings as YOU GO FORTH TODAY DECLARING HIS CONSTANT SUSTAINING GOODNESS AND FAVOR…….. merlin