Networking for Gain

The social networks accessible by internet lend themselves to a variety of use. There are luring ads that end up costing the gullible more than they anticipated. Offers of winnings that have minutely written disclaimers are abundant. I have seen these advertisements, announcements, and petitions posted by individuals, businesses, and assorted groups. What a tool of deceit and deception! Illusion of immediate gain is a great advantage in this modern system of communication.


Sadly I have observed begging through this media that disappoints me. This method of panhandling is rather subtle and usually represents someone who wants to publicly display a shortage that exists in their life. This could also infer their lack of resourcefulness to resolve life’s obstacles.


I could certainly use extra funds to ease my burden of bills. For example: If I purchase the latest expensive and unnecessary hi-tech item and cannot pay my rent because the money was misused for my pleasure should I expect anyone else to bail me out of my predicament by posting my stress to all on my social network?


Everyone comes upon hard times. I don’t want to be a beggar. My confidence must truly be in God, my provider. He can come through in those times through true face-to-face relationships, not electronic transmissions.

Is posting your needs a matter of putting trust in the omnipotent God who supplies? Is it like taking an offering for your own lack of faith? Do you hope to obtain cash or gifts to declare God is faithful in supplying your needs? I read in my Bible that “motives are weighed by the Lord.”


Consider also that this type of display will show a discerning person how poor of a steward you are in the first place. However, the Bible says, “Let your request be known.” Is that a valid argument to support internet panhandling?

REPOST OF MY EARLIEST BLOG

I feel it is necessary to repost this blog for those who may have missed it or wonder what happened to us.

WHERE HAVE ALL MY SERMONS GONE

Yep, when I was "evicted"as pastor from the church I began the process of vacating my office. I packed up my pens, pencils, paper, equipment, etc. One of the things I did was dispose of all the sermon notes I had cataloged and preserved in binders. I must say some of them were really good. The 100's of notes had been used, unused, revised and revised again during a period of more than 30 years of ministry. I had never been treated with such disdain by so-called Christians. I taught and preached the Word of God without fear or favor. Hours of prayer and study had been applied to formulate homiletical sermons for the congregations I served in. It could be said some had impact and others were kind of missing something. My last sermon was on Walking In The Spirit. I was told by my superior that it was not appropriate (he didn't even hear it). My response is that I preach what God wants delivered: I obey God rather than man. The price was high but I would do it all over again and with more conviction than then. Well all the notes went into the dumpster at that church and who knows where they ended up, perhaps in some earth-filled dump I suppose. Maybe someone discovered them prior to the trash pick-up and they live on. I don't care. But now I have you to know that the disposal I made of them was my symbolic expression of how the people trashed me. These sermons are stored on CD's. Yeah, isn't that a kick? It was only ink-filled paper that was dumped, but the messages live on in data form accessible on any PC. Perhaps soon I will publish them on a blog. Hang around and see what happens. Father, forgive them for they knew not what they did.

HEY PREACHER!

Now that I have your attention I want to ask you a very serious question and expand upon its theme with additional thought provoking questions:



First, what are your motives?



Do you perform your ministry out of job profession obligation or God’s love?

Are your goals and intents pure through the call of God?

Are you truly called to your place of ministry?

Is there a spirit of competitiveness within your bosom to become important?

Are you self-aggrandizing to advance in your profession?

Do you crave for hierarchical attention?

Do you please people more than God?

Do you succumb to whims of contributors for the sake of survival?

Is the role of finances more important than the truth that may offend?

Are you joyful in your relationship with the Lord?

Is your family a constant sacrifice for the sake of the church?

Do your sermons reap maturity in the listeners?

Is the size of your congregation more important than the quality of relationships?

Is your “boss” the denomination or God?

Does your community know you exist?

Are you impacting your community effectively?

Do you impose your questionable convictions upon your congregants?

Are your people skills honed and effective?



I believe the above questions will, when answered truthfully, help evaluate your true purpose. Everybody needs change in their life, including preachers. It is critical for the preacher to understand that it is God who weighs our motives. He is the judge we will stand before. We need to continue to be transformed through our rethinking of what is important and what is trivia.



I am truly astounded at the ineptness that is exhibited by preachers who have no formal training. I suggest you apply yourself of available resources. If you are going to write, use correct grammar and punctuation. Be able to support your hypothesis or give good argument for your stance. Check your statements after backing away from them for a while. Reread what you wrote or have someone close to you critique your writing. Don’t unintentionally fall into a pit of unnecessary muck through misuse of the language art. Remember the media of the internet reaches a large audience.

Escape From Presumption

Recent life events have led me to a “know so” perspective. There is now more clarity of direction and purpose for my life. A certain confidence is within my spirit. In my introverted personality I had failed to realize my individuality. Personalizing comments regarding my activities and endeavors have to take their rightful place and not remain offensive. I certainly need to take charge and not feel intimidated or competitive with my peers or others of seeming powerful influence. There is no need for me to “kiss up”. I can now say that I am finding my own way with respect of good advice and counsel that is given with true concern of my life. I believe in myself more and will not succumb to put-downs by those who do not know the whole facts.


My assertions in the above paragraph are meant to assist the reader in finding their rightful place in life too. Each of our life assignments must be taken under the guidance of Scripture and the wisdom imparted to us through life experiences. We should not avoid counsel and advice of family and friends, but ultimately we will have to take responsibility for our decision and suffer the choice, right or wrong. Not all advice and criticism is valid. Weigh each piece of information with the tools you have been given: your sound mind, Scripture, and common sense. A view to the future is advantageous.

Competitiveness should be conducive to personal growth. This is matter of doing what you have been called to do; finish the race God has put you in with integrity and character always in place. I will no longer allow false or phony presumption to overrule truth unfolding in my life.

Wannabes, Ponder This .....

I chuckle about people who must put themselves out front to be acknowledged. They thrive on attention. Their efforts to obtain response are not always subtle. It seems as though they have something deep within that is crying for attention. They love to have attention lavished on them and their particular situation. Many would describe their personality as extroverted. I might describe it as obnoxious.


It is true that everyone has a desire to be appreciated and recognized in a positive and received manner. Each individual, extrovert and introvert, has a God given destiny to fulfill in life and when we attain goals toward that destiny acknowledgement or praise is deserved and earned. Our life purpose cannot always be ascertained immediately because of the comparison mode each of us find ourselves encumbered by so often. There will be failures along the way to our destiny. Distractions can interfere with our duty to perform. We also have to combat the external forces of jealousy and possibly even hatred.

Some people are takers and others are contributors. Self-sacrifice for the benefit of others is a rare character trait. “Wannabe” attitude overwhelms the average person. Motivation comes at varying levels. Pats on the back can often sustain us in moments of slow down. There are also many emotional events that assist or prevent attainment of goals.

Society can make or break individuals as well as groups of cooperative people. We have to revert back to where our real strength of perseverance comes from. Is it the God we reverently serve? Is it our ego we loudly declare?

I will no longer let people dictate my conscience or determine my destiny. I am determined to walk in the paths that my great Shepherd leads.

OUR HOPE

May the true meaning of Easter come to light in the souls of men. My cry is for humanity to grasp the truth of Christianity that will ultimately redeem all responding individuals. It saddens my heart that there will be those among humanity that will reject God’s plan and thus be lost forever by their own choice. For God is not willing that any perish (John 3:17).

My message to the president would be: Please SERVE our nation, not with your own party’s agenda, but rather with the heartbeat of compassion for doing what is right in God’s sight. Of course if you don’t believe in God and His Son, then we are all in trouble. Do not compromise the Declaration of Independence and Constitution by forcing laws and liberal thinking upon us contrary to the original intent of our founding forefathers.

My hope does not lie in government but rather in the resurrection power of Jesus Christ my Lord. Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus.

I would also like to note the sacrifices of our nation’s military on this occasion. A co-workers son was recently injured in Afghanistan and is in critical but stable condition. Photos brought me to reality of what is really happening. These men and women desire our support and we must pray for them and the nation they are serving in.

An Apology

You may not deem it necessary for me to apologize for not posting for more than a month. However, I must do so for my own sake, because my intentions were to post at least twice a month some little thought or my much needed therapy.


In this post I would just like to say that it has been a very busy season with work issues and exciting family things that will come to light in a future post. I hope my readers will continue to check out information in the future here.

Many of the readers I have are contacts through Facebook. I find this tool amazing and informative. I remain interested in people of my past even though they may have gone different directions or could care less about me. Long relationships should be cherished if possible. But I must remind myself that it is a two way street. If they choose not to remain in contact I must accept their rejection of friendship gracefully and let God heal.

Thanks for stopping by/ Check back often. Hope to post regularly again soon.