Merlin's Mustache

I do try to eat twice daily, 11 am & 6 pm, while skimming devotionals for pertinent future blog inspirational material, frequently getting inspired “out of my gourd,” so to speak; terminology from Hesston College days perhaps? I’m personally processing some rather heavy stuff with a very tight schedule for the next 30 days, such that I was seriously considering while driving to my 9 AM to see our accountant, thinking that I should really shut down the blog for the next 60 days, and give “everyone” a break!

Doug’s advice to us this morning was the word “simplify” and that I too sensed from the Lord, as i had just been processing taking a blog break. Understand, not only was our auction a trifle disappointing, but the way we added additional properties into the mix over the years, now exempt from our home tax exemption was not helpful either, for now it raises our tax liability. But you know what, our family was so very blessed those 41 years on those 10 acres in a community of paradise, both spawning and maturing each of us for our life’s destinies, that now I can only say, so what? After 41 years of tax breaks by running a business at home, and getting those breaks when we really needed them, how dare I quibble now over a possible tax liability of a good used car, or two, depending on your tastes? Again, it really is all about perspective; HIS, NOT ours!

Moving on, I spent 5 hours Tuesday PM in Aultman ER with my former neighbor of 17 years, Jeff, who had brain surgery in April and was initially given 1-5 years to live. After nearly a month in both Canton Aultman and the Cleveland Clinic, he was sent home with 4 different seizure meds that worked well the first month plus+, thru his first 30 day round of chemo & radiation, but for the past 4-5 days, he has fallen twice, with multiple seizures daily. So, after 10 hrs. in the ER, he was sent back to the Clinic by 11 pm for evaluation and med tweaking. Pray for Jeff’s healing and his newly found faith to thrive as he is a frightened 54 yr. old man with way too much baggage to process without Jesus.

Now, onto the “nugget” devotional I found while eating brunch and considering my tax liability, Day 152, from Robert J Morgan’s “All to Jesus” A Year of Devotions.

“For just as in Adam ALL will die. So also in Christ ALL will be made alive. I Cor 15:22

Dr. Bob Hill was a dear friend of mine and a member of my staff at Donelson Fellowship. He was 72 years old, has his degree in gerontology from Oxford, and had longevity in his genes. We assumed he’d live be a hundred years old.

When his mother passed away at 93 years, Bob drove to St. Louis to help conduct the funeral, and he opened the service with these words: We want to welcome everyone here to this memorial service for our mother. This is not a time for grieving but a time for celebration.”

Then Bob slumped to the floor and died of a massive cerebral hemorrhage.

I miss Bob terribly, but I often think of the incredible poignancy of his last words: “This is not a time for grieving, but a time for celebration!”

First Corinthians 15 is the “Resurrection Chapter” of the Bible. Apparently, some of the Corinthians had questions about the resurrection, and Paul tackled them in this glorious chapter. He began by reviewing the historical facts of Christ’s resurrection. Then he suggested that the bodily resurrection of Jesus provides the PROOF, POWER, & PATTERN for our own resurrections.

As in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive, “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet” (v 52).

Don’t worry about dying, and don’t over-grieve over loved ones in heaven. Christ arose, and all is well. It isn’t a day for grieving, but celebration!

BOTTOM LINE:

And as I have heard it explained over the years, we as His redeemed empowered & transformed believers, are already in a spiritual sense, living resurrected lives here on earth, merely awaiting our final transitioning. So, what’s the big deal about death & taxes? Really now?

Claim your birthright! Live your destiny in Him! Now! And none of this “someday I’ll….”

Always remember Dr. Bob Hill’s last sentence! Perspective at its best!

My Utmost For His Highest. Sept 3

He would not drink it, but poured it out to the Lord. 2 Samuel 23:16

What has been like “water from the well of Bethlehem” to you recently— love, friendship, or maybe some spiritual blessing (2 Samuel 23:16)? Have you taken whatever it may be, even at the risk of damaging your own soul, simply to satisfy yourself? If you have, then you cannot pour it out “to the Lord.” You can never set apart for God something that you desire for yourself to achieve your own satisfaction. If you try to satisfy yourself with a blessing from God, it will corrupt you. You must sacrifice it, pouring it out to God— something that your common sense (and our culture) says is an absurd waste!

How can I pour out “to the Lord” natural love and spiritual blessings? There is only one way— I must make a determination in my mind to do so. There are certain things other people do that could never be received by someone who does not know God, because it is humanly impossible to repay them. As soon as I realize that something is too wonderful for me, that I am not worthy to receive it, and that it is not meant for a human being at all, I must pour it out “to the Lord.” Then these very things that have come to me, even within sight of the Celestial City, will be poured out as “rivers of living water” all around me (John 7:38). And until I pour these things out to God, they actually endanger those I love, as well as myself, because they will be turned into lust. Yes, we can be lustful in things that are not sordid and vile. Even love must be transformed by being poured out “to the Lord.”

BOTTOM LINE:

If you have become bitter and even outright sour from too much self-indulged sitting and soaking, perhaps it is because when God gave you a blessing you hoarded it? Yet if you had poured it out to Him, you would have been the sweetest person on earth. If you are always keeping blessings to yourself and never learning to pour out anything “to the Lord,” other people will never have their vision of God expanded through you. Perhaps scenario three is not so much about our rights, but rather about our responsibilities to others!

Further Reflection on WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS

The remarkable thing about fearing God is that when you fear God you fear nothing else, whereas if you do not fear God, you fear everything else. “Blessed is every one that feareth the Lord,” from The Highest Good—The Pilgrim’s Song Book, 537

In April Loretta and I watched a 2006 movie titled “The Ultimate Gift,” based on Jim Stovall’s novel so titled starring Abigail Breslen, Ali Hillis, Drew Fuller, Bill Cobb, Lee Merriwether, and James Garner in his final live action film appearance before his death in 2014.

Last evening two close friends and I viewed it together and once more, I was greatly enamored with its message. Reading its reviews today though gave me a nagging chill, as I must assume I’m quite out of my league in predicting what constitutes a professionally done and a worthy inspirational flick. That being said, there are times you must trust what you’ve known and credentialed in your heart for years experientially, even when some friends & family, etc., are momentarily convinced that their sources, are the new norm and worthy of your acceptance.

I still like the film, even if the ratings are low, and a ponzi scheme may have been involved, as “Its sincerity, optimism, and its tight and often compelling screenplay, sparkling dialogue and ‘first-rate’ production values,” flies in the face of Rotten Tomatoes, who gave it an approval rating of 33% based on 60 reviews, or a 5.20 /10.0.

I was also enamored with Carl’s message yesterday such that I posted it detailing the three major invitations Jesus offers us at the Starting Gates of Life and beyond:  First Decision, which gate; followed by which Direction we choose to travel, that ultimately, determines our final Destination.  

May I make a suggestion? I think “The Ultimate Gift” movie is an excellent follow-up and conversation starter for these three scenarios: 1.) for the seeker approaching the Starting Gates, or 2.) for the struggling soul under conviction as they are being propelled down on the broad road as if in a stampede, or 3.) for those on the narrow road approaching their final destination having checked the Decision  and Direction boxes with authenticity, even joy, but now with the Celestial City Destination in view, you’re experiencing a fall chill in the air, and you’re at a loss to risk engaging conversation, for what would others make of your questions, concerns.

So, as I say frequently, when we are in the third scenario, and quite apt to just sit there, soak, and eventually sour, I suggest you first consider professional empowered focused Christian counseling. Why, because if you’re thrived thus far on your journey, you know the basics, you are established, your close friends have shared so many exquisite bonding encounters with you, etc., so that now, I suggest this seeing a professional is merely helping you gain a new perspective, by helping you noticing the clues about you much as Andy Andrews does in his book “The Noticer,” when actually this fictitious Mr. Jones is the undercover professional focused Christian counselor, in that he has been given a gift of noticing things that others, for whatever reason,  simply miss, and he even points this out frequently to those with whom he therapeutically dialogues.   

Now, if telling you to seek out a counselor offended you, just chill and read the book, or watch the movie, “The Ultimate Gift.” I also highly recommend reading two other books if you’re in the third trimester of approaching the Celestial City and are already experiencing a chill in your spirit pending your transitional delivery: 1.) “Going ‘Till You’re Gone” by Berlin OH. Christian Aid Ministries (CAM) prolific author, Gary Miller, and 2.) John Burke’s two most recent books, “Imagine Heaven” and “Imagine the God of Heaven. Three very different books but so uniquely spiritually anointed to minister to those of you struggling in scenario three as you prepare for eternity.

I’ll not bore you again but I credit my remarkable recovery after my 9/18/18 accident and instant unplanned retirement, such that within 12 months I stupidly racking up a $100,000 in debt; to first of all developing a daily routine including writing this blog, now over 400 posts (actually, I’m told writing is excellent therapy improving one’s mental health!), reading & reflecting on Utmost, reading & reflecting on dailylightdevotional.com, reading & reflecting on One Year Bible, Loretta’s major love and research, and John Burke’s Imagine Heaven book.

This post this Labor Day evening, 52 years after we buried my mother, Stella Mae Gingerich Erb, Labor Day 1972, 2 PM, came out of last night’s movies ferment. I almost forgot to include the 12 valuable life lessons the movie illustrates and follows on the screen after the credits. Profound. I didn’t even know there was Fox Faith production entity.

The Ultimate Gift based on a novel by Jim Stovall

The movie highlights the twelve gifts of Life:

1.) Work: “when you enjoy work like you just did, you can do anything.”

2.) Money:

3. Friend: “I plan to know Jason for the rest of my life.”

4.) Learning: “Do you truly know how to learn?” 

5.) Problems: “You don’t begin to live until you’ve lost everything, heck, I’ve lost everything 3 or 4 times, it is the perfect place to start.”

6.) Family:

7.) Laughter:

8.) Dreams: Your need to be free to dream…  “Actually, I don’t know if I can dream. I do know I can help others fulfill their dreams though.”

9.) Giving: “I do have to give away some money away….”

10.) Gratitude: “apparently, someone came by and paid my back rent, was it you? Thank you.”

11.) A Day

12.) Love: I love you Son. Good-by

Sometimes I think that this movie ought to be a requirement prior HS graduation, sorta like I now realize I should have taken some Home EC cooking classes. Same principle in operation.

Leading actors/actresses

Emily Rose – Abigail Breslen, Alexia – Ali Hilis, Jason Stevens – Drew Fuller, Theophilus Hamilton – Bill Cobbs, Miss Hastings – Lee Merriwether

Music:

“My Mom Says I’m Cool.” Arlen, RAE MUSIC

Dodge City Rockers

“Crazy” written by Willie Nelson, performed by Patsy Cline

“Gotta Serve Somebody.” written & performed by Bob Dylan

“Simple Gifts.” Shaker Hymn adapted and arranged by Aaron Copland

“The Thrill Is Gone.”   written by Rick Darnell & Roy Hawkins performed by BB King

“The Arrival of the Queen of Sheba” written by G. F. Handel performed by the LA Guitar Quartet

“Caramba” performed by Tierra Caliente

“Arrullo” performed by La Voz De Ninos Dios

“On Fire” written by Jon Foreman and Daniel Victor, performed by Switchfoot

“Breathe Me” performed by Dan Carey & Sia Furler

“Something Changed” written & performed by Sara Groves

“Legacy” written by Kelly Morrison & performed by Ed Goggin