Tag Archives: god

Fishing Nets Tossed in the Sand

Most people have heard the story of how Jesus called his disciples to follow after him. He did not go out and pick a group of religious leaders to take around and teach the people, nor did he pick a bunch of religious zealots to help him carry his message of freedom from the chains of sin. He picked several average guys from different walks of life and trained them to carry on the message that he began. The life of Christ is a very powerful story that sometimes becomes routine for people because they have heard it a hundred times. It is sad that it happens, but it is true. Sometimes people need a fresh look at parts of it in order to let the message continually impact and shape their lives.

As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fisherman. “Come follow me, ” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” At once, they left their nets and followed him. Matthew 4:18-20 TNIV

Seems like a simple story but hold on! What would make two brothers who were experienced fishermen their entire lives throw down their nets, leaving their source of income, and follow after Christ without question? Imagine if you were standing on the street here in downtown Indianapolis, and Jesus walked up to you saying to follow him. Would you drop your possessions and follow after him? Could you leave your work or friends and family? It is easy to respond, “Yes, of course I would!”

But think really hard…. Could you really do it?

It is powerful that these men whom Christ chose gave up their lives and walked with him, an incredible act of faith. It also speaks to the character of Jesus. His request was simple and straightforward.

Come, follow me.

At that point, Peter and Andrew would live changed lives and walk a new path. Their net laid there next to the sea; a symbol of their earthly lives. They left that like cast into the sand and walked into a new life with Christ.

What nets do you hold on to? What are you still fishing for? If we really experience Christ for who he is and what he can do in our lives, we will drop those nets and follow him. It is easier said than done, but with the help of Jesus, we can let go.

Unimaginable Faith

I am always shocked and amazed when people tell me that they believe there is nothing after life. Once we die, there is nothing, and it is all over.

If this is the case, what is the point of living? Why do you get up and go to work everyday? To think there is nothing beyond takes an insurmountable amount of blind faith. I argue, even more faith than believing any school of thought including reincarnation. 

One way I approach it is that if there is nothing beyond this physical existence, then we are just like the animals and insects that roam this planet. Why should we create rules, laws, moral codes? The raccoon pulverizing my trash can does not subscribe to a moral code of law.

This is truly survival of the fittest. True Darwinian school of thought where only the strong are able to exist. But then they die and the story is over. How depressing.

Taking a logical approach, I find it hard to imagine that in a world of many different living species, only one has evolved into an intelligent, self-aware and remarkable being that is completely different from any other living organism on earth. I believe it is a strong case for intelligent design. Otherwise, we are no better than the cockroach. We may be more physically vulnerable than the cockroach, but it could not write Beethoven’s fifth symphony. Our ability to survive is based on our ingenuity, not our physical evolution.

Everyone is born with a sense that there is more to this existence than just living and dying. To deny that is to have incredible faith that nothing you do in this life will matter because in the end, you will be gone.

I applaud the bravery and exceptional display of faith to these individuals. To have a “free pass” if you screw up in life is amazing! Unfortunately, my faith is not that strong, and I surrender to the inner feeling that there is something beyond what we do here on this earth. Therefore, I chose to live the best life I can being of strong moral character and humble to know that there is something greater than I am.

Pride is what drives those who believe there is nothing beyond. Plain and simple.

Days Gone Down

How many times have you wished to go back and change the things you did in the past? If only you had turned left instead of right…

Unfortunately, the reality is that the past is gone, and we can only move forward. We can reflect and learn from our past, but we must press forward. Live in the present and strive to the future. Always remember that tomorrow’s decisions are always more important than the decisions of yesterday.

A person may still be impacted by the consequences of their past actions, but it is more important to make choices to respond to the consequences. Wishing we had chosen differently in that pas  only leads to regret, desperation, and hopelessness.

Keep your eye on the prize. Do not let the days gone down, drag you to their depths with them. Residing there will delay your race forward. The prize lays before us, not behind. As the Apostle Paul tells us, we need to keep our eyes on the prize.

“We still gotta long way, still a long way to go.”

Power in Freedom

To most people, the idea of power is equivalent to control. Power becomes synonymous with “power over” something. It could be a person, a group of people, an object, a behavior, or an idea.

Do not confuse power as control. True power comes from letting our souls free from forces that exert control over us. Power comes from a life of morality and resistance against immorality.

Real power comes from freedom in thought.

Compromising is the greatest enemy. It is important to remember that you can not control other people’s actions nor their moral compass. Each individual must make those choices though they will likely be influenced, coerced, or forced. In this we lose our power.

Our power is compromised, leaving us powerless and controlled. We become mindless drones.

Moral goodness is obtained within oneself by discovery. Take the knowledge and let your soul guide you. People are born with a conscience and the knowledge of good and evil. Do not do what is good because you are told to. It must be a desire- a passion!

Do not be a prisoner to this immoral world. Use your power to break free of its chains. Continue to pursue truth in all things every moment of your existence. There is no greater power!

Bravely Into the Unknown

What is it about the unknown that fascinates us? Why can’t we be content and just let the unknown be what it is? Humans have a drive to want to know more than what is placed before them. We are like the little kids who constantly ask their parents, “why?” It is that moment as a parent that we try to explain, but the follow-up “why” keeps coming like a torrential flood.

I use this example, because in life every answer can be followed up with “why.” There is always more to know even when we think that we have gotten to the final answer. Guess what? There is no final answer to this question; it is a chain of constant mystery and constant discovery. To me, that is what makes living so fascinating! You can never know it all and you can constantly discover new things every day of your life! I can continue to try to be like a motivational speaker and put a positive spin on everything, but I am a realist also. This can be an extremely frustrating and disheartening part of life which can become a spiral downward into depression and eventually apathy.

The soul needs to find answers but must also be enlightened to the fact that not all answers can be found. I remind myself on a daily basis that if I knew all the answers my tiny brain would not be able to handle it, and I would likely implode. The human mind is not equipped to handle total knowledge. We can barely handle the knowledge of good and evil. When faced with morally good choices, how many times do we choose the evil choice? It is an almost daily occurrence.

Humans are made in God’s “image” and not made to be “gods.” This does not mean that we should not strive to be greater than we are. We need to continue to strive to be holy and moral, seeking out the answers to life. Souls are designed to grow in wisdom and knowledge just like an apple tree is designed to grow fruit and flourish. Everything in nature grows for a purpose according to its design.

Mankind is not different in this respect.

It is different in that we are self-aware with the ability to destroy the balance. It is the price of the knowledge between good and evil. Right and wrong. Moral and immoral.

Humans are the most destructive force of nature.

Will you strive to rise above it?

Back to the Howling Dog Out in the Woods…

They say with age comes wisdom. While I believe this to be true, I feel more than wisdom is gained with age. We gain perspective. When we are young, we are adventurous to the point of wrecklessness. There is a sense of invulernabity that people approach life early on.

We strive for the exceptional life, traveling a “yellow brick road” to fame and glory. We constantly dream of being more than we are, no matter how successful our life has been. How many times have you imagined yourself as a music star or a great actor? I know all of us dreamed of fame and fortune.

With age comes perspective and the realization that the road we walk is endless and will never reach the great kingdom of Oz. No matter how much we achieve, the human soul craves more and will be unsatisfied.  It is human nature. There is a spark in each of us that strives to perfection even though we see clear as day that we are completely flawed.

We must come to a realization that perfection is impossible within the human framework. Perfection or success is not found on a road paved in gold or a penthouse in the highest building. We need to focus beyond the physical world of success.

It is the success of the soul.

Oh, I’ve finally decided my future lies beyond the yellow brick road.

Cultivation of one’s soul is where satisfaction in life comes from. It is clear there is moral right and wrong and a life focused and learned on the moral good will bring about our best life. You may or may not believe in God, but I do, and I believe that the key is to sow seeds of peace, love, and holiness while rooting out evil, hatred, and selfishness. These things will strangle one’s soul, causing misery and despair.

Now is the time…. change your perspective and let go of the unattainable. Go beyond the yellow brick road and find a fulfilled life cultivating your soul.

More to This Life

Recently, I have been pondering over some of the certainties that this existence can bring. One thing that is guaranteed in this life is conflict. As humans, we are constantly pitted against each other. It could be over religion, politics, relationships, or even where to go to eat. Humankind, in its current state, will never be without conflict which plagues daily life.

Another certainty that we face is finite human existence. Death will come to everyone no matter how careful or healthy we live our lives. As we get older, we have more and more people pass on from this life and no matter how many times it happens, it never gets easier. This can be one of the harshest realities that a person can be faced with. As George Harrison wrote on his first solo album:

“All things must pass away.”

This includes the good and the bad. If everything passes away and nothing is infinite, is there hope? Why do we push to live and overcome if things appear hopeless?

People have a drive within their core that strives to achieve more no matter how much they attain. And I am not talking about materials, wealth or success. What I am referring to is our deep-rooted desire to be a “better” person, that is, to achieve a better character than we are at this moment; the deep seeded desire to become more.

There is this little spark within us that constantly searches for truth. At times one may think they find truth but can turn out to be a falsehood. The soul will constantly question everything, even when there is no other explanation. It is human nature. This is what sets humans apart from all other living things. We don’t just work to survive. We want to know why we work to survive.

Humans value their lives and, therefore, should put a higher moral standard on preserving lives- both their own and others. It is “good” to do all we can to preserve life as much as possible. We can be faced with dilemmas such as self-defense or capital punishment, but it is important to remember that death is final. It cannot be taken back.

This is what can make funerals and celebrations of life so difficult. A person can’t be repaired or replaced. It is total finality. It becomes a reminder to us of our limited, fragile existence, and one day we too will be gone. It is easy to lose hope in this darkness.

Now the darkness only stays the nighttime
In the morning it will fade away
Daylight is good at arriving at the right time
It’s not always gonna be this grey

 Everyone desires to believe that there is something beyond this life. Many believe it to be a cycle, and we will continue living many lives while others believe we have only one life and rewards or punishment await us depending on how we live our lives. Who is right? Who is wrong?

One thing most beliefs share is that there is more beyond this life. There is more to this life than living and dying; that there is some continuation after death. All humans are striving for the same goal since we know that this life on earth is finite, we just can’t agree on what is beyond. I argue that this rooted belief and desire in most individuals to know what is beyond proves that there is something beyond. For me it is an eternal existence with God in a place called Heaven. You may not agree, but that is ok. All I ask is that you open your mind and explore the possibilities, and don’t shut it out because being “Christian” is a hypocritical way of life. People are flawed. We have free will and can choose to do whatever actions we desire to do, whether morally good or bad.

The atheist can be just as hypocritical as the God-fearing man.

I challenge you to think of death as a new beginning, not an end. The people we lose can continue to live on in our memories as we let their actions from their finite existence impact how we live. Good and bad. Moral and evil. We must learn lessons from the failures and successes of those who have walked before us.

When you are remembered, what impact did you have on the people you loved? How will they remember you?

All things must pass
None of life’s strings can last
So, I must be on my way
And face another day

The Wealth of Knowledge

This weekend, I was mulling over my next article, but I wanted to reach out to those reading my blog. Topics come to me from listening to news, reading books and articles, and many times, music ignites a thought. This time, I would like the audience to ignite a thought or two.

What about you? Is there a topic or thought that you would like me to write about? I would like to pursue topics that my audience is interested it.

Please share in the comments any topics you would like to hear about. The pursuit of truth always continues, and we must persevere, persisting in the hunt.

I was bold in the pursuit of knowledge, never fearing to follow truth and reason to whatever results they led. -Thomas Jefferson

I look forward to your responses!

Leave a comment

Just Another Day

How many days do we spend doing the same things over and over? Are we trapped in a monotonous existence, doing the same things expecting different results?

Insanity.

As humans, we are dynamic creatures that need to grow and expand.  We are wired to live a progressing life, growing both spiritually and mentally. Yet, we continually find our lives trapped in a never-ending cycle of routine. 

Are you stuck in the mud with your wheels spinning? All you are doing is making a muddy mess and unable to make it to the store for Tide.

The first step is to recognize the problem. Admit that your life is stuck in a vicious cycle – a “groundhog day” if you will. Problems can not be solved overnight, as much as we would like it to be. I challenge you to break the cycle and give yourself a nudge every day.

Change your way of thought. Throw off the mundane and explore the possibilities that are out there. Your soul craves adventure, even in the smallest amounts. It could be taking a hike, calling an old friend, or even mending a burnt bridge. It is never too late to heal, and healing can be an adventure of its own. We need to stretch and test ourselves and our limits to grow as individuals.

We are not and never will be at our full potential. Not even close. Humans are imperfect with a desire to be perfect. A successful life is always making steps forward.

Stop spinning the wheels, and don’t make today just another day.

The difference between being ordinary and extraordinary is doing the right thing while nobody is watching. -Jim Rohn

Misinformation Train

Daily, individuals are bombarded by all kinds of information about people, events, and theories. Currently in the news, there is talk of car-sized drones above New Jersey, a murder/assassination of a healthcare CEO, and the constant fear of what could potentially be called Word War Three. These are just a few examples. This is the age of unlimited communication with the internet and dozens of news stations bombarding us with both useful and, more often, useless information.

How many really care how Snoop Dog cooks his bacon?

Trying to sift through all the pointless articles to find real news can be a challenge. Even when we find “legitimate” news, we are left with conflicting or bias explanations, distorting the facts. The truth is always elusive. CNN focuses on attacking the conservative minded people while Fox News bashes the liberal audiences. It is a media war that continues to rage and become more volatile on a daily basis.

Dispelling misinformation can be a nearly impossible task. Humanity needs to accept that there are always agendas being played out, conspiracies in the works, brutal fights for power and really bad boxing matches on Netflix. Truth is the hardest thing to see through the thick fog of misinformation. Yet it is there!

One must ask themselves, what is good? What is positive? What benefits humanity the greatest?

There are so many distractions that pull us from the truth. Unfortunately, I am not even sure Occam’s razor can cut away all of the garbage that encloses the truth. So why is it so hidden? Humanity wants to shield itself from accountability and conviction. Hide the truth, then make your own morals that benefits you, the individual, not humanity as a whole.

Wokeness thrives on hiding and distorting the truth in order to move its own agenda of denying accountability. Even if you take God out of the equation (theoretically), humanity cannot survive without a moral structure. For example, there are people who want pedophilia to be a “sexual orientation”. Unbelievable. This act is detrimental to children and emotionally damages them for the remainder of their lives. Nobody would benefit from this behavior if it was accepted. Instead, it drives humanity down a road of self-destruction.

I understand this is an extreme and disturbing example, but the same case is truth for rape, murder, enslavement, theft, genocide, etc. These acts push society closer to chaos and has no benefits to humanity as a whole. Within the philosophical ideal of utilitarianism, John Stuart Mill puts forward the “Greatest Happiness Principle.” In this, actions are “right” in proportion as they tend to promote happiness and “wrong” as they tend to produce the reverse of happiness.

This “happiness” is not based on the individual, but rather on humanity. Moral actions will benefit all people while immoral actions are the ones that hurt people, even if the person or persons acting benefit from it.

Our goal should be to strive to reach the higher “good” for the human race as a whole. The less suffering, the more we will find happiness in living. The “anything goes” attitude will lead to the destruction of civilized society. Cut through the garbage that the misinformation train dumps on your doorstep.

Be the insurrection.