Previous Next News Title

Previous Next News Title

Previous Next News Title

Too often we end up repeating what we heard or read without really giving it all much thought. This story is about taking the time and energy to have an original thought, for a change. Previous Regurgitationalistics Too often we end up repeating what we heard or read without really giving it all much thought. This story is about taking the time and energy to have an original thought, for a change. Regurgitationalistics Next Regurgitationalistics by G.W. Bill Elliott, Jr. Regurgitationalistics Practice Original Thought Man has never invented a single thing (as of this writing)… ever never… nothing new… never… not one new element has been introduced into life. All we’ve done is ‘assemble’ things to be something else, and we call it ‘inventing’. Semantics, I know… but our thoughts and the many things we voice (communicate) have the same tendency… regurgitating things in a different way, but they are the same droning message (repeating news, citing scripture, gossip, etc)… over and again. Like we found a dirty, old, encrusted nickel… polished it up and claimed it as our own… holding it up for the world to see and in turn exclaiming our excitement for this new nickel of ours. Sure… the word “ Regurgitationalistics ” doesn’t even exist… well… it might now… since I am using it. Essentially I morphed the word Regurgitation, which fundamentally means; to give back or repeat, especially something not fully understood or assimilated . Now… I am not writing this to teach you some fancy form or regurgitation… rather… I have noticed that we tend to get all caught up communicating and sharing thoughts, ideas, “news and information” and that we easily fall into the trap of just being talking-heads… mostly. Giving almost NO thought to what we are sharing… just too busy repeating something we heard… something we saw… something someone else shared with us. Almost monkey-like in our zeal to ‘pass along’ some nugget of information… as though we are getting a finders-fee, or accolades for being the one to discover such a nugget… all gleeful and pleased with ourselves. This rapid-fire means of passing information along is leaving us brainless… training us to think-less about the message(s) we are passing along… giving us that instant gratification that we did society a favor by ensuring this message doesn’t die on my doorstep… at my feet… on my watch…. that it carries on into the future… that somewhere, somehow, someone is touched by it. So many of our social-websites provide the coolest tools to help us pass-along things that we either find, or their website (feed) has found for us… see… as you are finally realizing (hopefully), these sites ‘watch’ you and track your trends… follow your links… ‘listen’ to your words, and that in turn allows them show you stuff… and you get impressed and ‘touched’ by some moving statement… some touching sunset with the most romantic or spiritual-ish-sounding-probably-true statement… you can just NOT resist posting it to your ‘friends’…. without EVER adding your own commentary… without EVER telling us what ‘that’ means to you… how ‘that’ touched your heart (or mind) and motivated you to share it with us. Many years ago now, I was sharing some of my photography with an artist Uncle of mine… he spotted this photo I’d snapped in the Golden Gate Park (circa 1984) and asked if he could have it enlarged and mounted for me… uh…. sure, Uncle Leon, knock yourself out. I didn’t see what he saw. He gave this mounted and framed photo back to me some weeks later. He’d signed and dated it (he’s an artist, remember)… but… what he titled it to THIS day has changed not only how I look at ‘things’, but why I even bother trying to share them with you (and others). “Mary Had a Little Lamb” Initially… I thought…. “OoooKKkkkayy… uh… what?”, but then I realized he’d named it “Mary Had a Little Lamb” because to him… it represented Mary (the larger rose) who’d had the Lamb of God (the littler rose). Wow…Yea… tears still well up in my eyes… two reasons… I was that blind before and didn’t get it… and I now see. Too many people would just name something like this photo, “Roses”, or “Garden Roses”… nothing all too creative or ‘communicative’ about a deeper reason this photo was captured in the first place. You know… the whole ‘what inspires you to snap a photo?’ or, ‘what caught your eye about that photo?’ Give us SOME original thought about the things that inspire you in your life. Recognizing beauty, quality, even spotting acceptable character traits in others is no place to stop… I mean… passing some lovely photo along to others… even more-so when it has some ‘perfect’ quote in it… is just SO tempting. When you see something like that, you may consider, “oh… I need to show others this ‘nugget of truth’ and pass it along to those around me!” NOT! Take some time to consider ‘why’ that moves you… ‘why’ it caught your attention… and ‘why’ you are bothering to share it with us. Tell us how that makes ‘you’ feel… what you are experiencing and why that seems to impact you. OK… maybe you’re not thinking all that deeply about these snippets of information. But, that IS the point… we are learning to NOT have an original thought… we are losing touch with taking the time to consider something before passing it along… to even add ‘our flavor’ to it. No… not change the story and make it your own… just that we need to take a little more time to learn to express something uniquely ours… not passing along someone else’s wittiness, skill, or keen observation. Many years ago now, I was getting regular texts from a dear friend… a Christian brother who has been saved ’bout as long as me… we both were baptized at the same time in the same place. Cass would send me scriptures via texts on my phone. Two things that were bad about this; This was back in the day when text messages cost 10 cents per message (depending on your ‘plan’), and some of the passages he would send would spread across 4 or 6 text messages…. costing me some 60 cents each time! He never, EVER had any comment about the passage… never EVER prefaced it or followed up with some “and I think” commentary. One day, I finally texted him back and asked him to either start telling me WHY this scripture inspires him to send it, or stop sending them. Uh… he stopped sending them! And, that is the core of my point… we get our warm-fuzzies passing things along, but we rarely add anything about the ‘thing’ or what it means to us at that moment… why we are forwarding, why we are tagging, why we are ‘liking’, why we are even making any fuss over it. Technology devices today make it so easy to ‘pass it along’… to quickly let others know and see this ‘magical’ snippet that has moved us. Without us meaning to let it happen, this is teaching us to mimic godliness… to repeat what we see, or hear… to ‘be like’ we are spiritual. Over time and with repetition, we are going to convince even ourselves how ‘close to God’ we are, or how ‘not like those sinners’ we are, and worse… how much closer we are to good than evil. And… that gets us closer to ‘the rub’… the flaw… the core problem with regurgitating information… to retweeting… to liking… to simply ‘tagging’ things for which you approve. You invested NO time or energy into it all… you merely ‘raised your hand in approval’. We are becoming life-like, but not full of life… rather robotic and calculated. They have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not: Psalms 115:6 Going through the motions is getting easier and easier to do. With SO many ways to learn to do things, from DIY channels, to websites, to the well stocked YouTube site… almost anything you want to learn can be found. But, it is these subtle mechanisms in our lives these days that is making it tougher for us to even notice it is happening. So much so, that we are warned that our ‘acting like God’ mannerisms are going to blind-side us… going to catch us right at the very worst time in our lives when it is too late. Notice this warning Jesus gave us; Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. Matthew 7:22-23 Seems odd to me… I mean, the people recognize they were doing things “in thy name”, yet they come up short of the Lord’s hope for our lives… the ministry He wants us to portray. But, to have the Lord say, “…depart from me, I never knew you” seems harsh. Remember… it is NOT how well we know the Lord… it is how well the Lord knows us! Practice original thought… learn to express your thoughts… learn to personalize that ‘like’… learn to embellish that ‘retweet’… learn to make a topic your own. Any monkey can ‘pass it along’, like you are in some Chinese Fire Drill line, or something. How? Two key elements; 1) Study & Rightly divide His word, and 2) Grow Some Fruit. Me?? There have always been two scriptures or ‘phrases’ I have kept close in my heart and mind… “Study to show thyself approved” and “Rightly dividing the word”. Then, learn to ‘attach’ some scripture or some godly principle… even just to share something from your life or heart that inspires you to ‘tag’ this photo, this phrase, or this special link (on the social media sites). Almost all of us recognize beauty… almost all of us recognize quality… almost all of us recognize something inspiring, or motivating, or even just simply something that ‘matters in life’, like a quote, a phrase, or a nugget of truth. Take an extra little moment… take a little extra thought-time… take a little extra energy and just include how/why this ‘thing’ matters to you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. Matthew 24:5 THAT right there is one of the core reasons we need to do two things; 1) add some additional dialog or feedback about the ‘share’ you are passing along, and 2) just pass-over any ‘share’ someone else has passed on without really giving it much more attention. See… the subtly of heresy… the quiet agreeableness of half-truth… the believability of most of the ‘good things in life’ can actually ease you into a compromising acceptance of the wisdom of the world. Before you are even aware, it becomes a second-nature response in your life… becomes a go-to- statement you might use when someone asks “how is your day”, or “how is your faith”, or even deeper and more critical… “how is your walk with God”. Splitting hairs? No… separating the sheep from the goats, though! See… being aware of God’s word… being “learned” in the details… being exposed to His teaching enough to thwart the wayward and slippery-slope twists that can be tossed about… it is very important. Now… not everyone is going to be a writer… not everyone is going to be a preacher… not everyone is going to be a singer… and so on. You are you… you are His child, called to be who He wants you to be… be that! Just… resist doing the quick-n-dirty ‘like’… the simple scan ‘retweet’… the rushed five word reply to someone’s ‘share’. But, learn to apply YOUR ‘fruit’ from the Lord… the special skill… the special ‘insight’ the Lord has bestowed in your life… or is trying to bestow. See… 1 Corinthians 12:8-12 reminds us we all have different ‘fruits’ from a life lived in the Lord… and, fruit is the PROOF that there is life… fruit is the result of a mature and well established plant… fruit is the benefit the plant has gleaned from a hearty root system, great exposure to sun, and deep and rich consumption of the nutrients in the ground. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will. For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. 1 Corinthians 12:8-12 Now… do NOT get out there and pounce on any and every ‘violator’ of this regurgitationalistic problem… do not seek them out… do not hunt them down and terrorize them until they repent or cease to be so flippant as to just ‘like’ things on the social sites. The Bible tells us in 1 Peter 3:15 , “ But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: “. That is to say that we are to prepare our hearts… prepare our minds… prepare our life… ‘they’ will notice… ‘they’ will take heed…. ‘they’ will ultimately ask you, and you can then ‘give account of the hope that is within you’. But, if you continue to use the social sites to ‘like’ or ‘retweet’ or even to ‘post a link’ without even including your commentary on the matter… you are missing an opportunity to personalize why that ‘like’ even matters. You may be one of those kind of people who just prefer to keep your opinion to yourself… to keep silent… to avoid a conflict… even to just resolve to keep the peace, as it were. All those are possibly just how the Lord has developed you to be. More times than not, though… these are escape routes for us… they are tactics we have quietly surrendered to in our lives just to chug through this tough life without making matters worse, more complicated and just working toward being less conflicting. Chicken! Too many times, it is also being unsure of what to even say… where to ‘challenge’ others… or to question the half-truth of some “accept all people” poem or quote. That is why I’d mentioned studying the Word of the Lord… learning the ins-n-outs… exposing yourself to the deeper details. Point of reference… ready? There were more than “two of each animal” ushered onto the Ark! Think I am joking? Go check it out! They went IN “two-by-two” (male and female), but there were MANY more than just two of each! MANY! Genesis 7:1-5 There… that is a little more of what I am saying… what I am hoping to help you ‘see’. Too many of the ‘things of this world’ have influenced the songs we sing, the poems we adore, even the phrases we pass along to our young ones. But, they are half-truths many times, and we just quietly ‘like’ them… or ‘retweet’ them, and even just let them pass on by without raising a hand in disapproval, usually for two reasons; 1) ignorant and don’t know any better, and 2) too afraid (and lacking knowledge) to ‘buck the system’, as it were. In both cases, do something about it! Sure, the first one takes time (need to read, learn, adsorb, and discuss with others), but that second one is the one that usually stops us… just afraid… ill equipped… cautious. The Bible tells us to ‘prepare’, but not to be worried ‘what to say’, because the Holy Spirit will give you the words when it is time. I mean… it ‘was’ the Holy Spirit in your life that riled your attention… why wouldn’t it also be the Holy Spirit that would provide the words… provide that support. And when they bring you unto the synagogues, and unto magistrates, and powers, take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer, or what ye shall say: Luke 12:11 The core point is… do more than just agree with things passing through your life. Do more than just ‘keep the peace’… do more than just ‘like’, ‘retweet’ and ‘post a link’. These things make it ‘seem’ like you are in the know… seem like you are connected… seem like you are on top of things. But, add some ‘why this matters to me’ commentary… add some “and the Lord showed me this” dialog… add some of His Spirit to the things you say and do. Change your regurgitationalistic ways to original thoughts! How? I like to do three things when I see something I feel I need to ‘pass along’; Why – why this caught my attention (link, photo, phrase, article, etc) What – what it means to me, how I ‘feel’ about it How – how you can be impacted by it too (not simply stating, “this will change your life”) Now… go on… Practice Original Thought! …also, ‘like’ this page! Kidding… just kidding!

Previous Next News Title

Previous Next News Title

Previous Next News Title

When it is wrong to get ahead of God... to 'get involved' in hopes of becoming spiritual... effectively attempting to justify your calling, however subconsciously and unaware you are doing this. Previous Flesh is Willing When it is wrong to get ahead of God... to 'get involved' in hopes of becoming spiritual... effectively attempting to justify your calling, however subconsciously and unaware you are doing this. Flesh is Willing Next Flesh is Willing by G.W. Bill Elliott, Jr. Matthew 26:41 Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. Wait… the title of this story is “The Flesh is Willing”, yet this scripture claims it is weak… and it was Jesus who actually said it… so, that must be right! No, I am not trying to mislead you or give you some bait-n-switch headliner to draw you in and trick you into reading and doing something you really didn’t intend to do. See… the flesh is very willing to do things, to get involved, to perform or get into action… even to accomplish something in your life, justify your existence… it is very, very odd how subtle… how ingrained it can be in our lives to ‘do’ without thinking… without questioning why… just do. Many times we just have a physical drive to get involved, to make an impact on our world, to have an influence and “make right the wrongs” as we see it. Unwittingly, this emotional, mental and physical motivation can get RIGHT in front of the Lord’s leading over our lives…. His peace for the direction we are taking… His blessing for His calling on us. Sure, we have gotten so good at disguising it that we actually now think this is the right thing to do. Quite some time ago, I tweeted this thought that came to me; See… the longer we do the wrong thing… sorry… the ‘right thing‘ , it is harder and harder to be convinced that it is wrong and ‘that other way’ is really where Jesus wanted you to go. Again though, this all it not really our fault. I mean, it is your fault… no wait… it is not your fault… dang… wait… See… all our lives we are pressured into doing things. Many times, whether we want to do them or not… many times out of peer pressure… too many times out of guilt, or some justice-driven commitment (activists). It’s not your fault… wait… it is your fault… wait…. dang! OK… one last attempt… it IS your fault. You are to blame for your life, for your choices, for your actions. No one, but you will stand before the Lord and ‘give an answer’ for how and why you lived your life like you did… did what you did, how you did, and why you did. What Drives Us I struggle, struggle, STRUGGLE with why I am doing things in my life… not over-analyzing… not second guessing… not doubting…. just ‘checking my heart’, being sure of my choice, learning to listen, hear, and act by His Spirit’s calling and leading. But, why do we do things in our lives? I mean sure, showering, eating, sleeping… these are the ‘part of life’ things we do. But, things like Jogging… like Cycling… like Weight Training and/or Treadmill exercising… like Dieting… like “New Years Resolutions”. Each of us can only answer to the secret and inner part of our core lives for the reasons or motivations for these kinds of things. But, it is these kinds of things (the reasoning) that helps lead you to the deeper “why am I doing this” stuff that the Lord shows you (church, ministry, work, politics, music, etc). As a ‘template of thought’, or a ‘model of process’… let’s focus on Jogging or Cycling for exercise. Right out of the gate, one of the core reasons most of us do either is based on exercise. In turn, that means a healthier life, being fit-n-trim, weight-loss, cardio stability and strength. See?? All kinds of GREAT reasons to be doing these activities. These activities are both Physical and Mental… and some would say even Spiritual. No question here… so far! But, for a moment, get back to what was the core purpose, reason, or ‘trigger’ that convinced you to make your body DO these activities. The body (flesh) is motivated to ‘get into action’ by our thought process, which is driven by the mental side of us as well as the spiritual side of us… we ‘think on a thing’, or ‘make a determination’ based on information, thought, convictions (you see yourself in the mirror!). Nothing EVER wrong with this… just… if your Spirit isn’t as into it much as your Emotions or Mentality are, your flesh is going to be strung out in a bad, bad way! Whatever it is, it ‘makes sense’ (logic and rationale), so you set your body into motion over it. I mean… how long HAVE you jogged before getting really tired… that ‘wall of pain’ or ‘wall of willingness’? See… when your emotions (or rationale) convince your body to ‘do something about it’, you get right into action… you may even go to some great lengths to prepare (gym membership, a trainer, educate yourself on diet strategies, etc)… you may even have had an ‘event’ that occurred, which motivated you. Regardless… once your body gets to that ‘wall’, or once the newness wears off, or once your mental state changes (you become discouraged, or distracted, or even derailed with some other activity)… the willing flesh stops! See… the flesh IS willing, but your Spirit was too weak to drive on… to remain motivated… to own this task. Other things that motivate us into action though are less obvious… less tangible. Accolades can be a very, very subtle liar in your life! Unwittingly, we can get motivated to do things ‘in the public’ eye so-as to bring attention to ourselves (or even to bring attention to someone else). I have seen COUNTLESS people get involved in a ’cause’ because someone they know (or even themselves) were victims of something heinous, something life-changing (cancer, plane crash, violence)… and now they are a ‘champion for the cause’. The Need Never Justifies the Calling Because there is a need does not justify that God called you to solve it. God calls you, period! With His calling on your life, an outlet will be presented… God prepares you to receive and use your calling, and He prepares the world to accept your calling. Sure… no doubt you can do good… that you can improve things in people lives… that you can have a positive impact and make a change. Great… very good. There is a danger in that though… diving in to solve a problem ‘can’ be a misleading of God’s will for your life… you/we can get SO wrapped in “this is the right thing to do” that we cannot really see that our flesh got motivated into action, but without His leading over our lives. The Flesh is Willing, The Spirit is Weak Now here is where we need to explain what happens if and when you are so busy ‘doing’ His will and don’t recognize you are not actually called to be doing that. There are three scenarios Jesus presented in the Gospels to help us understand where people have had “good intentions” that just failed miserably. In the midst of having good intentions, you are actually setting yourself up to be consumed by evil itself… the VERY evil you are working and fighting against… consume you! Worse, as you turn to the Lord and lean on these ‘works’ as badges of your efforts to ‘make something of your life‘, He will literally cast you away! Wait… God rejects us? Uhhhhh… yea… who’da thunk it! Consumed by Evil Right… without the protection of the Holy Spirit over your life, your calling, your very ‘work’, you expose yourself to being consumed by the very evil you are battling… the very ’cause’ against which you are fighting… the very, very turmoil you are trying to settle can and will cause turmoil for you, but not just by a little bit, either. 13 . Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth. 14 . And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so. 15 . And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye? 16 . And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. Acts 19:13-16 Sure, the King James version is a tough-read, right! But, it helps us to re-read it and try grasping what the Lord is telling us. These Jews were really just trying to ‘cast out demons’. Remember now, they are God’s chosen people remember, not run-of-the-mill citizens… and, their ‘intentions were good’, right?! But, even ‘the evil spirit’ knew they had no spiritual backing… no spiritual strength… their flesh was willing, but their spirit was weak (I’m wearing that out, eh!). For more on this, please read the Demons & Exorcism story on this site, too. God Rejects There are times in the scripture where God actually tells people ‘get away from me’. Now… he NEVER said that to Satan… ever! He always told Satan to “get in his place’, by telling him “Get thee behind me”. But, the people on this earth who get all energetic and are so focused on diving in and being involved (some of those ‘wrong reasons’ discussed earlier) are prone to be rejected and told to ‘depart from Me’. 21 . Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22 . Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 . And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. Matthew 7:21-23 Yikes… right! Not to fear… well… too much, anyway! God is NOT vindictive, viscious, or out to get you (that would be Satan coaching you from the sidelines). If you can, go back to that passage, and read from the beginning of the chapter, or at least from verse 15 (beware of false prophets)… Jesus is working to let you know how not-to-be-fooled about how He actually wants us to live. He “knows thy works”, sure… but even better, He knows ‘why’ you are doing the work… the spirit that has motivated you… the purpose… your flesh is willing to do this work, but His Spirit is weak in you. Surrender Time In all your efforts… all your work… all your passion to ‘be involved’, have you ever ‘surrendered’ to God’s primary criteria? Mark 10:17-25 provides us with a great example of “ the flesh is willing, but the spirit is weak “. In this passage a very wealthy and well meaning person wanted SO badly to be included in this ‘movement’ that Jesus has stirred… we don’t know by this passage whether he was motivated by those ‘accolades’ we discussed earlier or if he genuinely wanted to help (good hearted, good intentions). But, when Jesus told him ‘one thing you lack’ it mad this man so sad… so broken, likely. We get all zealous and motivated and excited and even plan our lives to ‘get out there and DO something’ only to find that Jesus’ primary criteria is that we start by stopping! By selling out? By giving away ALL that I can use to forward this cause? Seems backwards, dumb, and rather impractical. But, it DOES quicken your spirit and make you check your motives, right! Well… it better… it should! Too Scared to Move, Now? Don’t be… please… just be ‘aware’… just be in a ‘waiting on the Lord’ posture in your spirit… not SO ready to pounce and solve a problem, provide a solution, get involved. Sure… “there is a fire”, JUMP on it! But, you’re bored (in your spirit/soul) and seeking an activity where your skills and passion can make a difference… wait! His leading will let you know when it is time. If you ever feel ‘frozen in your tracks’ and unsure if you should even MOVE… please read the Dead Weight story on this site… it is safe to be moving in the Lord… just listen, too! One of the other, and worse, things about waiting on the Lord’s calling on your life… the ‘want’ to have God lead you… that yearn to “let go and let God”, as they say… is keeping your spirit, your heart, and your mind in a place where you are at least ‘willing’ to follow His leading. See that? “Wanting to” is way different than “Willing to”. This is not a “Lead me. But wait… not over there.” discussion with the Lord. Submission is key, but you’ll never get there without being vulnerable with yourself, with the Lord.

Previous Next News Title

Previous Next News Title

This is a spin on that saying for 'attending angels unaware', but it is the angry, mean, and troubling angels we need to watch for moreso. Previous Attending Idiots Unaware This is a spin on that saying for 'attending angels unaware', but it is the angry, mean, and troubling angels we need to watch for moreso. Attending Idiots Unaware Next Attending Idiots Unaware by G.W. Bill Elliott, Jr. Sure, the timely phrase ‘attending angels unaware’ is quite popular and we seem to secretly hope, wish and pray someone unique will bless our lives or at least give-us-a-break (they’d truly be an angel, huh). But how rare is it that we are in the presence of angels? While it is virtually impossible to know, this passage was handed down to us to help keep us on our toes and ever diligent that we treat others well (in keeping with “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”). But, the odds are much better that we’ll actually be in the presence of idiots. And, it is this unawareness to which we need to focus. Disclaimer: Yes, “idiots” is a harsh word to use, but it is merely a contrasting word to help reflect a comparison to an angel who bears gifts for you. Do not miss the forest for the trees! Hebrews 13:2 – Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares . Many times however, the natural progression of our daily lives exposes us to various encounters with other individuals; be it a quick stop for fuel, pop into the local store for some dinner ingredients, and even an innocent walk in the park. It is these common, ordinary, and sometimes predictable events wherein we should be more cautious. These relaxed encounters are not as high on our radar or watchful-eye for some spectacular or blessed event to occur; they are mundane, they are routine, they are pretty predictable, in fact. In these moments, we tend to drop our guard and even worse, loosen our skills and willingness to overlook annoyances, quirks, and even insulting mannerisms of those around us. It is in these idiotic circumstances when we should be more the wary. For, our reaction and reception of these toilsome moments define our character much better than the ‘kiss of an angel’ we might receive from the Heb 13:2 episode. From people cutting you off in traffic, to a rude or condescending Help Desk Operator, even to others around you having private conversations on their mobile devices in public areas. These types of events can really cause us to steam right up and get overheated, and maybe even lash out. CUTTING YOU OFF IN TRAFFIC Inevitably, someone is going to cut you off in traffic. We all are in a hurry at times, so to them it seems appropriate to dive in and accomplish their mission. You however deem this a rude and insulting event, and it takes all you can muster to not lash out at them. Be careful, for this offender may well be an idiot! It is this very moment, this very opportunity to grace, for patience, and certainly for forgiveness. RUDE “HELP DESK” OPERATOR It’s not really the Help Desk Operator’s fault, since you had to navigate a myriad of telephone menu choices just to get to the operator. So, you are already upset, frustrated, and have quite a bit less tolerance for any further deviation from your original intended goal. Yet, the Help Desk Operator’s impatience with you is equally frustrating, for they too do not want to be there and they do this very thing ALL day long with ignorant and helpless people like you all day long, over and again. Be careful, for this offender may well be an idiot! CELLPHONE ON THE BUS The convenience of mobile communication devices is beginning to have a negative impact on our public lives. Too many times we are subjected to an individual’s phone conversation, but we are a captive audience since we are stuck on the bus, or a train, or even just waiting in a long line. The longer the publically private discussion continues, the angrier and more frustrated we can become with this apparent disregard for the surrounding people’s presence. Be careful, for this offender may well be an idiot! Heb. 13: 3 actually gives us a few cues; “ Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body. ” You, in fact, are just as they; a fallible human. You too, at times, are an idiot. Consider how much of them is actually you, and while you grow weary of the number of idiots around you, imagine how many times through the day that you are someone’s idiotic experience! Matt. 5:38-48 Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also. And whosoevershall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away. Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. Face the turmoil, the tension, and even the anguish of the idiots head-on! No, do not be forceful, contemptuous, or even vindictive. Merely accept these folks as though it is God accepting you (Golden Rule personalized; do unto others as you would have God do unto you). Being kind to kind people (angels) is easy. It is the idiots of our lives that challenge us and provide the best opportunity for growth; both for ourselves personally, but also (and even more importantly) for the idiots and any on-lookers. They are witness to an interaction that has a contrary result from the expected one (someone treats you rudely, it is easy to be rude back). In the process, God has been magnified and His presence in your life has become even more apparent.

Sure, the simpler, innocent life is mellow and typically painless. While this is a go-to way to live life, this innocence can be very damaging and leave you guilty and to-blame after-all! Previous Fat Dumb and Happy Sure, the simpler, innocent life is mellow and typically painless. While this is a go-to way to live life, this innocence can be very damaging and leave you guilty and to-blame after-all! Fat Dumb and Happy Next Fat Dumb and Happy by G.W. Bill Elliott, Jr. Typically, the term “Fat, Dumb, and Happy” is often used to describe someone who is plodding through life without much of a care-in-the-world attitude… oblivious to pending doom… even ambivalent to even caring about not caring! Just smelling the flowers… enjoying life…. resolved to not fret, worry, stress over ‘things you cannot control’. For me, this term conjures up a simpler life… a not-as-worried approach to the buzz of the world around us… even a complacency, disconnect, and even that whole ‘devil may care’ or innocent (ignorant?) way we choose to face life. For SO many people, it is en-grained… it is part of who they are… it is a built-in trait or ‘habit’ they have settled into and just don’t even care to care to care… or care! Personally, I ‘get it‘. I mean… living a simpler and much more casual life can be utter bliss. Something like when we were children… when we were too young to have brokenness merged so viciously with the maturity of our lives. As we get older, we just seem to collect more baggage… more anguish… more angst, frustration, and even deep, utter disappointments. Oh, to actually be back at the Fat, Dumb, and Happy stage in our lives! Innocence Lost, some will say. Being an inquisitive and ‘curious little boy’ at times, I kind of broke this phrase apart a bit ’cause the Lord was showing me that we all so easily get into a Fat, Dumb, and Happy place with our emotional and spiritual lives with Him and our lives with those around us. Fat : plump; well-fed; like a good, fat chicken. Dumb : lacking intelligence or good judgment; stupid; dull-witted. Even lacking the power of speech. Happy : delighted, pleased, or glad, as over a particular thing. So many of us ‘church goers‘ or ‘waiting on God‘ people or even just ‘following the Lord‘ people seem to give more time and attention to getting, than doing… to being a consumer and not a producer… to absorbing… gleaning… even just ‘ soaking up His goodness ’ in our lives. " But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. " James 1:22 There is a point in our lives when we have to ‘push away from the table’ as it were, and be busy doing the Lord’s work… actively putting His leading of our lives to work for those around us. Faith is a wonderful, wonderful attribute to have in your life… a deeply settling aspect of our spiritual, emotional, and even physical portions of our lives… but, oddly enough… Faith on its own is dead… Faith on its own is useless… Faith on its own means you are obese, actually (the Fat part). See… James 2:14 states, “ What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? “ Put your faith into action… get a work-out going… burn that fat… lose the flabby, the weakness, even the unsightly bloat of an over-stuff being (not physically, silly!). Otherwise, as Proverbs 1:31 confirms, “ Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices. ” Sure… the King James Version is a little awkward and tough to read, but essentially that is confirming that doing what you want, the way you want, how you want, when you want will leave you wanting! Being dumb on the other hand sounds harsh…. seems derogatory… almost insulting. So… get over yourself for a little bit here and think about how else this word can represent us as Christians. See… even back while Jesus was on the earth and healing people, a man brought his son to Jesus, and proclaimed, “ … Master, I have brought unto thee my son, which hath a dumb spirit ” ( Mark 9:17 ). The boy he brought couldn’t speak… or maybe wouldn’t… as it may be in our case. WAY too many times we are either unsure of what to say to others, afraid to say anything to others, and even worse, unaware that we even SHOULD say something to others… dumb, huh! "I was dumb with silence, I held my peace, even from good; and my sorrow was stirred." Psalms 39:2 As this passage from Psalms identifies… we can get ourselves in a place where we are ‘dumb with silence’… not being willing, able, or ready to ‘give account of the hope that is within us’… or, just simply too simple and shallow to care. Happiness tends to drive that problem! Wait… WHAT ?? Yes… enjoying the happiness you currently have… or… maybe not wanting to be sadder… we resist jeopardizing what level of happiness we may already have. Some time ago, I wrote a story here on the site about The Pursuit of Sadlessness wherein we work and work to be less sad… a funky form of happiness (not as sad). But, Proverbs 14:14 actually states, “ The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways: and a good man shall be satisfied from himself. “ Now… I didn’t just call you a backslider… not me! Nope… rather, I am working to show you how being settled with being Fat, Dumb and Happy is not God’s way for our lives. Sure, you may look around your life and feel complete… appear to be well-rounded in your spiritual life (you give willingly, you attend church, you are empathetic, etc)… I just want you to be careful for the half-truth of your life. See… Proverbs 27:20 claims, “ Hell and destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied.” It is that ‘pursuit of sadlessness', I mentioned earlier…. we strive to survive and forget to be alive! Putting any of this into action is never easy. Otherwise, SO many people would already be doing it instead of just settling for that Fat, Dumb and Happy approach to their lives in the Lord, let alone in the world. All the ‘fatness’ of the world can never satisfy you for more than short-term spurts… resting on the surges that give us the impression we are spiritual… that we are connected to the Lord… that those ‘chills’ we get up our spine are really more than just some emotional appreciation. Nope! Unless you hunger and thirst for His leading in your life… for His will… for the things that please the Lord… you’re going to end up going back for more (things of the world). And, those things leave you ‘fat’ in so many wrong ways. Now, Matthew 5:6 tells us; “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.“, which is a perfect example of consuming the right things… wanting the proper pieces of God, the proper way. Hunger and thirsting after righteousness is WAY more than ‘want’… much more than desire… so much deeper than being a consumer at church, or reading spiritual guides, or even just praying over it all. Hunger and thirst AFTER righteousness… not FOR it… AFTER it! It is a matter of producing ‘fruits of the Spirit’. Growth in your life will produce fruit! "Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God" . Philippians 1:11 Beware though, being filled with His Spirit… having great fruits in the Lord… that warm, deep feeling of being in His will and all that… is useless if you are Dumb! No… not the ‘dumb’ we use as slang or some derogatory label… dumb as in not speaking… dumb as in being silent… dumb as in selfishly keeping all His grace in your life to yourself. Now it may be that you are scared to share… a little intimidated to expose such a personal and private part of your life… you may not have enough of a grasp on it all to even feel confident to interject in a conversation, or have anything to offer those around you. Take courage and listen to what the Lord had done while he was here on the earth… Luke 11:14 states, “ And he was casting out a devil, and it was dumb. And it came to pass, when the devil was gone out, the dumb spake; and the people wondered. “ That is to say that you can ask the Lord to strengthen your life… to remove that ‘dumb’ spirit within you… to free up your inner-being to proclaim the joy within. Well… unless you do not HAVE any joy within! But, way back in Ezekiel, God was letting him know that there was coming a day when God ‘would’ free-up Ezekiel to speak… to utter God’s grace to the people ‘once they have repented from their ways’. God is ready to prepare you to share… to be ready to give account of the hope that is within you… no longer dumb. "In that day shall thy mouth be opened to him which is escaped, and thou shalt speak, and be no more dumb: and thou shalt be a sign unto them; and they shall know that I am the LORD." Ezekiel 24:27 Happiness in Godly things, however is a happiness that is deep, wide, and never ending. Now… I am not oblivious to the many, many things on this earth that do provide happiness… do provide such a rich sense of satisfaction… such an awesome inner glow in our spirits, even. Too very bad it is not lasting… not able to be sustained… to endure the ‘hell’ we encounter soon thereafter. Those ‘godly things’ are tough to follow, though… I mean, the bible ‘does’ tell us to ‘seek after these things’. Too often though, we want the “what do I need to do” list of items, when all along the Lord has been showing and telling us what NOT to do! 1 Timothy 4:1-11 is a bit too long to include here in this writing, but get over there and read that, please. Especially that last verse, which states; "These things command and teach" . 1 Timothy 4:11 Granted… not much of an exhortation or ‘threat’ of pending doom if you don’t do all those things. But, I needed you see that verse 11 is directing us to ‘command and teach’. Command ? As in ‘order people around’? No… read that ‘command’ as “have these things under your command“… be exercised in these things… be in control of these things in your life. Then teach them to others! See… we are instructed to ‘rightly divide the word of God’, which is to say we grasp it’s meaning, it’s intent, and learn to pass it on to others, too… not just sit there all ‘fat, dumb, and happy’ in the knowledge we gained. Then, back over in John 13:17 , Jesus tells us, “ If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them. ” Now THAT is the right kind of happiness… the everlasting kind of happiness. Maybe you have tried… maybe you have waited and wanted ‘this’ so badly…. so deep in your soul… but, this happiness eludes you. Not to worry… well.. much longer, hopefully! "Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full" . John 16:24 See?? You have not been asking “in His Name”… asking Jesus to get into your heart and life, and surrender your ‘will’ to His leading. But, it clearly states there, “ask and you WILL receive“… that your joy may be full! How ? We all serve the same one Lord… we all follow Him identically different, though! I mean, my path and your path are different. We lead different lives to this point, and now we are getting ‘back on track’ to His world… to His place… to His righteousness for us. Psalms 16:11 reminds us, “Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.“ You will be His happy. You will no longer be dumb, but speak. You will be lean in Him. No longer simply Fat, Dumb, and Happy.