Better Because Of It

 "Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.”  John 4:23,24

  Where do I begin? The past weeks have been fraught with powerful revelation and truth. I had to apologize to God because I listened to some people tell me that I was becoming "too religious" about things. Now understand, someone who is not at all spiritual minded, (seeking the things of God), can, in no way, advise a worshipper of God about anything that pertains to God. That's not Dennis talking; that's the Word of God talking. (1 Corinthians 1:25-30). Read it, please.  Through dedicated times of prayer and by asking God to open my eyes to things that were obviously before me, yet still cloudy to my natural eyes, I have emerged better for what He has allowed me to experience as of late.  Some may view my attitude to be one of vanity, superior thinking, narcissistic, or outright offensive. The fact of the matter is this; I had to forget what anyone outside of my body thought of me and return to my roots which are deeply entangled in God.

  During our recent fast I was privileged to spend some in-depth time with God in prayer.  It was revealed to me how so many of God's people, (including me), have become conformed to this world instead of being transformed as God desires us to be. As God's children we are not subject to the same "curses" or famines or plagues that are placed on the land in which we live in because of people's chosen disobedience. God always makes a way for His people to escape, but we are inundated with a constant barrage of television, evil associations and even fads and popular trends which are permeating many of the churches we attend.  We are beginning to accept anything; and I do mean anything!  From sex to drugs and alcohol to telling "white lies" to the blatant misuse of funds and supplies on our jobs, showing favoritism among employees and even thievery. (Thievery pertains to more than just money). We are quickly becoming a generation of "Christians" who do not appear any different from the world we preach against.

  We close our eyes to the wrongness being perpetrated by our leaders simply because they are our leaders. Do you not know that God holds us all accountable to each other and He cares less about the status one might hold in the church or on the job or in the home? If sin and unrighteousness are being committed, we are commanded to confront it, rebuke it, and insist on a change of behavior; regardless as to whom the fault lies.  Then, if at all possible, that person needs to be led back to God through repentance.

  I have said enough for now. Some will read this and dismiss it as the ramblings of another religious nut while others will read it and hear what is being spoken to their heart.

  I apologize to no man. I will do what I must do because I belong to God and Him alone.

 More to follow.

 Have a blessed day.

 Dennis  

A Dark Night In Aurora

   It's happened again; another man-made tragedy. And as mind shattering and unpredictable as  tragedies occur, this one was no different. It happened on July 19th in Aurora, Colorado. An American city with a population of approximately 332,354 souls who lived their lives perhaps not much differently than you and I. On this night hundreds had gathered at a local Regal Theatre to view the new Batman movie, The Dark Knight Rises.  Among the many moviegoers, who ranged from infant to elderly, was 24 year old graduate student James Eagan Holmes who succeeded in murdering 12 of the moviegoers and wounding many more with his rifle, shot gun, and pistols before being taken into police custody.  I will not elaborate on the morbid, shameful and pathetic details of the gunman's actions.  I will leave that duty  for the media. Instead, I would like to thrust my focus on another aspect of this tragedy.

  As we began to learn more about the victims, I suppose one of the main things that caught my attention was how eerily similar they seemed to so many of the actual people in my life. The aftermath of such a traumatic event is going to be felt for many years. Adults and children will have trouble sleeping. Again the lesson comes to me in all this. Life is too short. It's time to stop sitting around and talking about what should be done and just do it. I've made up my mind that I am going after mine. Tomorrow is not promised to any of us.
Dennis 
    

This Morning's Lesson

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The Millipede

  My alarm went off at 6:30 A.M.  My bed was cool and cozy and I had to fight the urge to remain cocooned in my covers. I sat up, gave thanks for another beautiful day of life, and donned my walking attire.  As I stepped onto my porch I was greeted by crisp, fresh air. Evidence of Last night's rain could be seen on the asphalt. This made me smile because I love the rain.  I wonder if one can ever truly clear their mind of thoughts, songs, news, or conversations. I always try as I began my gait because I believe it is my reasonable service to render earnest prayers and supplications for my friends and family who are hustling about in the rat race and often do not have the ample time to stop and pray for long periods of time.

  Most days I see several people on my trek through the neighborhood; the jogging, wiry woman with her blond hair tucked underneath her baseball cap in a ponytail, the trotting gentleman with the runner's shorts accompanied by his two small dogs, (who are notorious for defecating in the street), the middle-aged woman who always has a pleasant countenance as we pass each other and exchange pleasantries about  whether it will be hot today or if we will get some much needed rain.  Men and women smile and wave at me as they drive past in their automobiles on the way to do this or that. When it's quiet and serene and friendly like this one can easily fall in love with people and life again.

  As I was making my return journey I noticed a bright orange and black millipede crossing the road.

  

Differences Between Centipedes and Millipedes

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Characteristic	Centipede	Millipede
Antennae	long	short
Number of Legs	one pair per body segment	two pairs per body segment, except for the first three segments, which have one pair each
Appearance of Legs	visibly extend from sides of body; trail backward behind body	do not visibly extend from body; rear leg pairs in line with body
Movement	fast runners	slow walkers
Ability to Bite	can bite	do not bite
Feeding Habits	mostly predatory	mostly scavengers





Characteristic

Centipede

Millipede

Antennae

long

short

Number of Legs

one pair per body segment

two pairs per body segment, except for the first three segments, which have one pair each

Appearance of Legs

visibly extend from sides of body; trail backward behind body

do not visibly extend from body; rear leg pairs in line with body

Movement

fast runners

slow walkers

Ability to Bite

can bite

do not bite

Feeding Habits

mostly predatory

mostly scavengers

  My first inclination was to quickly find a small stick and pick it up and take it off the road, lest it get smashed by an oncoming vehicle. And then I heard it speak.

 "What are you doing", asked the insect.

"I'm getting you out of harms way", I replied.

 "And who has determined that I am in harms way"?, it said defensively.

"But you are in danger of being killed as you cross this wide road and besides that, the pavement is hot from the rising sun which must be tortuous on your many feet. And not to mention the fact that you are an open target for foraging birds", I reasoned.

"What may seem to you as my demise is actually the natural order of my being", it explained. "You view my journey across this road as long and dangerous while I see it as very necessary because the garden on that side of the street which I travel towards has a certain plant that is good for my body and it is not found on the side of the street from whence I came. As for the hot pavement, It does not bother me because my feet are in constant motion; therefore, I am not standing still long enough for the heat to affect me.  And yes, I am aware that cars pass by on this road quite frequently, but I cannot afford to be afraid because fear will cause me to never venture out of my comfortable and familiar environment. And lastly, if a bird happens to spot me and snatches me up to feed to her babies, even then my life has served some good purpose. Now, sir, if you do not mind; I have a journey to continue and dreams to fulfill. Have a good day."

Today, I learned not to disturb the natural order of things.

Have a great and productive day.

I love you all.

Dennis

Who Can Fix It?

"Dear brothers and sisters, not many of you should become teachers in the church, for we who teach will be judged more strictly."
James 3:1 (New Living Translation)


  My morning began with a pleasant, quiet walk through the neighborhood. I was still motivated after walking so I decided to mow my front yard. It was after 8 A.M. and I felt it best to do it before the sun was directly overhead. As usual, my thoughts were plethora as I moved about with my chores, reflected on the weekend, and prayed.


  Sunday church service was good. This particular church has won me over primarily because of the pastor's preaching. It never fails that he has a Word for me directly from the Lord. The theme of Sunday's message centered around our having made it through with the help of the Lord; and even though it is our own fault, at times, that we are in our rough period, God still is faithful to bail us out.  And yet, there remains a certain sect of believers who are most eager to be the mouthpiece of God for so many others.  The privilege of being gifted to pronounce God's warnings, admonishments, correction and blessings on the lives of His people should never be taken lightly. In fact, I venture to say that to prophesy is one of the most coveted spiritual gifts but it also comes with a very high price.


  As I progressed in my military career it became mandatory that I attend many schools which taught me not only about my military occupational specialty (MOS), but about individuals, as well. You see, the Army did not see fit to allow me to "grow in rank" without equipping me with the proper tools to administer as I lead my many soldiers in training, everyday living, and eventually into war. I also had to learn the proper conduct towards the officers and senior non-commissioned officers above me.  Being a conduit for God should be taken even more seriously.


  Oftentimes the Word of prophesy one may receive is not a fore telling of something definite, but merely a warning if that individual does not alter his/her behavior. Without the proper discerning of the unction greater damage can be caused in delivering such a thing to a person. Depending on where the person is spiritually, such news could cause them to become fearful, anxious, or nervous and they will succumb to their fears and fail or fall out of God's grace. Sometimes the unction given to us about another is simply for us to pray. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. (James 5:16, International Standard version).


  We are all vessels in which the process of living has produced cracks, dents, chips and scars in our being.  So while we are busy surveying the defects of others it would do us well to inventory our own selves. There is but one God. 
  
"I have learned that success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has had to overcome while trying to succeed."  -Booker T. Washington
    
 Have a great day.
 Dennis

The Benefits Of Being Real

A friend should be one in whose understanding and virtue we can equally confide, and whose opinion we can value at once for its justness and its sincerity.
Robert Hall

 I am blessed. I say this not because of the acquisition of any specific material possession(s) or merely because I am able to move about on my own power. It is not because I am able to have fathered children or have known of the tender love of a woman. It's not even the friends whom I have had the pleasure of obtaining over the years nor my enemies who have taught me so much, (especially how to pray). No, I must say that I am blessed because I have been afforded the ability to look myself in the eye and say to my soul; there is nothing covered that will not be revealed; neither hid that shall not be known. (Luke 12:2)
  Have you ever met someone who always had something to say about everybody...and with an attitude?  In my day we labeled this type of action signifying. It was always easy to spot a signifying person. They often had a critical expression on their face and their eyes never missed anything. Rather than correct a problem they would choose to draw every one's attention to some one's embarrassing moment. If you were standing near them they would remain focused on their subject while with one hand tap you until you looked at them and followed their face to its target. Perhaps they were focused on someone wearing something they "had no business wearing in public", or maybe it was an interracial couple, a handicapped person, or a terribly obese individual; whatever the case, they were always keenly aware of what was happening or about to happen EVEN IF IT DID NOT CONCERN THEM AT ALL.
  Sadly, even today there are so many who claim to be living the righteous lifestyle but cannot keep their hands off other people's business. These folks pity everyone except themselves. We look at certain individuals who seem to have attained and we desire to be as they are but we never take into account what it took for that person to get to where he/she is. The disciples of Jesus were like that. They saw the great works that Jesus did and heard the awesome messages he preached and some asked if they could sit at his side and share in his glory. Jesus asked a simple question of them; "Can you drink from the same cup I am bound to drink from"? (Matthew 20:22) If many of us knew of the trials and trauma and pain and lost and disgrace and the hurt or the evil we were going to endure in our lives would we still have gone into this walk or would we have chosen another path?  Of course, I would like to believe that I would have still chosen to be the person I am today. Not because I have it all together and I have never known of the cloudy side of life, but rather because of my experiences, (which are many and still counting), which have taught me that I am no better than any body else and that it is only by God's grace that I am not a convict, a murderer, a thief or dead.  And I have been richly blessed to have met others who are similar to myself; individuals who are both near and some afar, whom I can openly speak to and with concerning my most secret thoughts and they do not judge me or put my business on the 6 O'clock news. 
  Being real is not a right, but a privilege. It is a privilege to be considered a true friend. It is a privilege to love your neighbor. It is a privilege to love yourself.

Mi Familia

"And the steward said within himself, What shall I do, seeing that my lord taketh away the stewardship from me? I have not strength to dig; to beg I am ashamed."  Luke 16:13 (ASV)

  It is amazing as to how circumstances in one's life may change from one moment to the next. The Apostle Paul once remarked "I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. 13I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. 14Nevertheless, you have done well to share with me in my affliction. " Philippians 4:12-14 (NASB)
  I give all honor to God as I openly confess that certain circumstances in my life have caused me to utter these words as the apostle himself was made to realize. No person should ever have to compromise their freedom, values/ethics or self respect in order to attain or maintain a dignified lifestyle; but as sure as sparks fly upward, we are born to incur troubling circumstances in our lives. (Job 5:7). I therefore commit my cause to God and will not complain about my troubles.
  My family of origin is now located between North Carolina, Maryland, Georgia, South Carolina, and Memphis, TN.  My siblings and I do not communicate on a daily basis and some have inferred that we are no longer a close family; however, I have come to understand that constant phone calls do not a close family make. In fact, some people will confess that they receive too many phone calls from family.
  I thank God for my siblings for although each are quietly going about doing what is needful for themselves and their families, they are always quick to answer the call when one is in need. Their love and support flows to my valley as a welcoming river and I am renewed with love and strength from on high. My family is an extension of God's angels here on earth and a sign of His benevolence in my life.
  I love my family...eternally.
Dennis