Category: Daily Prompt Articles

Living Intentionally

Dr. J.D. Wilkins1 Comment

What’s a personal mantra or philosophy you live by?

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When I move from intellectually understanding or knowing God cares about me personally, to the application of this absolute truth, immediately something inside my being changes. The transformation seems elusive at times, and clear as day in other moments of my journey here.

When I begin my day with coffee, email, a walk with the dog, then browsing the news headlines… by the time I begin living, I’m a caffeine induced, conglomeration of thoughts and feelings, or anxious nerves trying to decide which way to go, or what to do next.

On the other hand, when I begin my day with Psalm 25:4 my whole life that particular day is a completely different story. Listen to the words of the psalmist, echoing the prayer of Moses from Exodus 33… “Make your ways known to me, LORD; teach me your paths.”

What I realize on those days when I intentionally invite God into my life, those days filled with their own list of trials or tribulations, joy or pain, grief or happiness… what I realize is that God doesn’t force me to listen to Him. He doesn’t force His will upon mine. What the Sovereign Creator of the universe does is wait patiently for me to ask for His guidance.

Then I realize, and hear, the prophetic nature of the psalmist words as they look forward to Jesus saying to His followers, “I AM the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me” John 14:6

Jesus, God the Son, came here to do exactly what I’m asking. “Show me Your ways LORD.” In fact the only way I can truly know that I am in the will of God, is by trusting in God the Father, who sent God the Son. On top of a mountain, when the Glory and Majesty of Jesus was revealed in just a glimpse, the voice from heaven proclaimed, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased. Listen to him!” Matthew 17:5

So I listen to Jesus and I hear Him say, “But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and remind you of everything I have told you.” John 14:26

These Scriptures bring clarity to how I am commanded to live intentionally. I was created to be a mirror, reflecting only the glory of God in all that I do. The only way to do this is to receive Jesus as Lord and Savior, since He is the only Way to Life. When I trust in God the Son, He instills inside me God the Holy Spirit as my guide for daily living. 

The more I ask God to teach me, lead me, guide me… the more God the Holy Spirit can use me to reflect the Glory of Jesus! Those days when I’m more consumed in my own thoughts and ways and means, God the Holy Spirit waits patiently for me to ask for His help. When I do He helps me. When I don’t, He waits. And waits. And waits.

Living intentionally doesn’t happen by accident. I have to choose it. So do you.

What is your choice today?

Fun Time Golf

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If you could start a new business right now, what would it be?

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My wife and I were on vacation once in central Texas at a well-known golf resort when we came upon an 18 hole putting course. It was one of the most fun times we’ve had on a trip together. We laughed, we cursed, we shook our heads in frustration, but overall, the memory is still fresh in my mind. 

If money were no object, and I could find the right property, I would build an 18 hole putting course like that one, which included par 5’s, par 4’s, and par 3’s. But there were a few things I would change. For instance some of the fairways were very worn over time, and not well kept. So, naturally I would work with a company who would not only build the course, but also include an on-going maintenance contract of whatever it is they build.

I miss the old putt-putt courses I grew up with. Today Putt-Putt Fun Centers still exist and often include Arcades, Go-kart, Bumper boats, Laser tag, and batting cages. However, I’m a purist, so the venture I would build would include only golf. On the other hand, I would also probably build a pitching wedge driving range (100-125 yards), and have a family eatery complex. I don’t know if I would design it with a “back to the past” diner atmosphere, or a food-truck atmosphere, which seems to be the rage these days.

All in all, my Fun Time Golf Center would be family oriented, and priced in the range for all families to enjoy. After all, if money is no object, I might even reduce the price so much, people couldn’t resist coming from all over the state… just to play my putting golf course.

It’s a dream, so why not dream big? Just saying.

crazy golf course mini golf

 (Picture of Tiger Wood’s Putt-Putt Golf Course in Texas: Image Credit Getty Images)

Grace for Gracie

Dr. J.D. Wilkins1 Comment

If you are a Shih Tzu owner you already know certain things about the breed which I am about to share. For all others, you’re welcome.

This animal is a toy dog breed which originally came from Tibet. Favored by Chinese royalty during the Ming Dynasty the Dowager Empress Cixi bred them extensively. The dogs came to Europe in the 1920s gaining popularity in the USA during the mid-1950’s.

The Shih Tzu is often referred to as the Tibetan Lion Dog. Gracie certainly fits this monicker since she likes to lie on top of our sofa and look at at the squirrels playing on the fence outside, or the leather chair perched next to the window in our office, so she can watch for the mailman to deliver his bounty.

Gracie is a very affectionate, people-oriented dog. A great companion for my wife and I. Here are just a few of the specific unique identifiers of the breed… of which, Gracie performs well in all categories.

  • Circle spinning before lying down. It’s a DNA thing. Circle spinning can be traced back to the ancestors who would do this in the wild to flatten grass or leaves to create a comfortable sleeping spot.
  • Shih Tzu Stomp. Gracie often uses her front paws to tap or stomp when she is excited, i.e. when it is time for her walk. The stomp is amusing and seems to stem from the ancient breed signaling their presence in a non-threatening way in the imperial courts. Stomping is a playful gesture indicating our dog is happy and wants to engage with us.
  • Snorting and Grunting. The sound is not unlike a human blowing into a handkerchief or tissue. Or maybe like a short breathy sneeze. It often means “You are not paying enough attention to me!”
  • Picky Eating Habits. This one is notoriously famous about Shih Tzu’s. We have tried a variety of foods. Gracie will eat almost anything we cook for ourselves, but this is not the healthiest diet for our little dog. After much trial and error, we discovered that it has more to do with the size of the bites offered, than the food itself. Although she would definite prefer fresh carrots to anything else, we offer her a healthy portion of small breed dry kibble, which she now devours ravenously when she is hungry. Tip: many dog owners want to offer their pets doggie treats. We experimented and found that if we keep some of her food kibble in zip lock bags around the house, when she acts like she wants a treat, we give her a few nibbles of the exact same dry kibble. She’s happy and we’re happy.
  • Paw Licking. This is a habit that can be linked to allergies… but also to sheer boredom. It’s as if Gracie doesn’t want to sleep at that moment, or play, or do much of anything, so she licks her paw. Or my wife’s foot. Which my wife loves. But me, not so much. I tolerate it sometimes and offer Grace to Gracie in the form of a foot bath. Ick.
  • Sudden Bursts of Energy. These burst can best be described as the “zoomies.” Gracie will run through the house, from the bedroom to the office, around the sofa, back into the bedroom, around the dinner table, and jump up into the chair she normally sleeps in. Then look at us watching her as if to say, “What? Can’t a girl just run?”
  • Sleeping with their eyes partially open. Ok. This one I get, because for some reason I do the same thing. It can be disconcerting at times to look over at our sleeping monster and wonder if she is asleep or just staring at us out of half-closed eyes.

Gracie is a dog with a large personality. But… she is stubborn to a fault. If you are thinking of getting this breed of dog for a pet, just know this, nothing happens unless they will it or choose it. Now, Shih Tzu’s can be trained to walk on a leash (which we have done), but walks can be difficult at times when Gracie decides she isn’t quite through sniffing that mailbox, and doesn’t want to leave yet. It would be easy to get angry at this stubborn animal, then she looks up as if to say, “Well, I’m waiting, aren’t you ready to go yet?”

When we brought Gracie home to our house from the breeder, she was wearing a cute little Christmas outfit, and had this Christmas Cane stuffed toy in her mouth. We nicknamed the cane “baby”, so even now when she carries this around in her mouth looking for another place to bury it, we ask her, “Gracie, you got your baby?” She stops, looks at us, as if to say, “Don’t bother me. And look away, I’m hiding this. Pay no attention over here. Nothing to see here.”

All these little idiosyncrasies can be annoying at times. But it is so easy to offer Grace to Gracie, for she has stolen our hearts. She is a gift from God to us. Just like the free gift of Grace.

There’s a Good Reason

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Knowing the Truth of God’s Sovereignty

Agreeing with the title of this article takes a certain amount of perspective. Which is sometimes hard to have when a person finds themselves in the throes of uncertainty, pain, or loss. When a loved one is lying in a hospital bed, when your sports season is over because you have a torn ACL, when the money runs out, when you hear those words you thought you’d never hear, “we’re finished”… it is hard to believe from any context, that there’s a “good” reason.

And yet, believing that there is a good reason depends mostly on which foundations a person builds their life. If there are no absolutes, if everything is relative and subjective, a person may wander in and out of happiness like some meandering river that follows the contours of the earth on a path of least resistance, making its way ever so slowly to a lake or the ocean. Sea level is the farthest the river can go. Its existence will be swallowed up by the vastness of the ocean. Where the waves are endlessly pulled and pushed, governed by the moon’s gravitation producing low tides and high tides.

There’s a good reason for these tides.

The power of the moon results in the oceans bulging on the side of the earth that faces this orb in our sky, as well on the opposite side. Then as the earth rotates different land masses pass through these ocean bulges resulting in the cycle of low tides and high tides. These tides shape coastal ecosystems creating habitats for species both under and above the water. They are also instrumental in nutrient distribution and the movement of sediment which support marine food networks. These tides drive breeding patterns, life cycles and migrations, not just for fish, but for birds and mammals as well.

Even in this description we see good reasons for events that might otherwise seem indiscriminate and meaningless. Simply sitting on a beach watching the endless repetitions of wave after wave while peaceful to some, may be senseless to others.

Some perspective.

The apostle Paul tells us that if we are “in” Christ Jesus, we are no longer condemned. Condemned to what? We are bound as humans to be negative, sinful people. God says do it one way, and we say, “I’ll do it my own way.” Doing things the human way often leads to bad choices, resulting in unexpected results, and unintended consequences.

However, in Romans 8 Paul gives us the definitive discourse of what happens when we build out lives on the solid foundation of the promises of Jesus. As adopted sons and daughters we are able to know God the Father and can actually call out to him “Abba! Father!” when life seems so uncertain. Paul says that whatever situations we face, whatever trouble or sense of loss, whatever suffering, that all combined over a lifetime the sum total cannot be compared with the glory of Jesus revealed in us. In Christ we have God the Holy Spirit who intercedes when we can’t even utter the words, “Father…”

So What’s the Good Reason?

Paul asks that same question, “What then shall we say to these things?” It’s a rhetorical question. The apostle’s question says, “You should know this answer by now. But since you don’t I’ll tell you again.” Then he follows with three more rhetorical questions.

“If God is for us, who is against us?” “Who will bring charges against God’s elect?” “Who will separate us from the love of Christ?”

As if to hammer this whole foundational truth “There’s a Good Reason” into our hearts by sheer force of words, Paul concludes chapter 8 of his letter to the church in Rome this way.

Romans 8:35-39

Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or doubt, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? … But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor another created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

The good reason, the best reason perhaps, is knowing that whatever situation we face, whatever loss or persecution for our faith, not one single event or person will ever separate us from God’s love. We are His children. He sees our pain and suffering and He is moved by it. He delights in our joyful celebration of life. He desires for us to know He is still in control of all that happens to us, and He isn’t going anywhere. He will see us through it all.

Knowing this frees me from the condemnation of always wanting to know “Why?” Knowing this allows me to live freely in the midst of my human limitations, failures, pain, and losses. Knowing this brings joy in the midst of sadness, smiles instead of frowns of despair. Knowing this allows me to love those who would kill me, and pray for them urgently. Knowing this and living on this foundational truth, brings great glory to Jesus. By glorifying Jesus, I bring glory to God.

Now, that’s a good reason!

What’s a song lyric that has stuck with you forever?

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It’s an iconic song. It describes a large portion of my life. It has never been far from the fingertips of my brain. In 1968 Harry Nilsson released an album titled Aerial Ballet. On this album was a top hit song written and sung by Nilsson. ONE.

”One is the loneliest number that you’ll ever do 
Two can be as bad as one 
It’s the loneliest number since the number one”

Most of my life, while I had friends who hung out with, and mostly included me, they all would probably still reflect on our time together and describe me as a loner. For the most part I lived alone while attending college . When I became “two” and got married, even from the get go it seemed the two of us lived separate existences and often passed like ships in the night. For 13 years in the high tech industry I flew around the county going to meetings, then was stuck by myself in a hotel room waiting to travel again or for the following day to start, which held yet another series of meetings.

When I left the secular world and went into ministry, The first church I pastored was essentially a one person office at the church, with me as the sole staff member. We had part time people who helped with music, and custodial work, and secretarial duties, but mostly for all those endless hours I spent in the office I was alone. The second church was a little better. It was a three person staff, with a secretary we all shared. There was some camaraderie there, but most of that time was alone time as well. The third church was one a friend of mine and I planted. Just two guys out knocking on doors, meeting people and gaining a foothold in a 55+ gated community. It was hard work, and much of it was done in my office, which was in my home, alone.

Some might read these words and see them as describing a truly depressing world. However, the complete opposite is true. The song lyrics stuck with me because by the time I hit the road traveling, I was used to being alone. By the time I started pastoring I had even more experience with aloneness, and often found comfort in knowing it was just me and God.

Weren’t you sad?

Well, that would be an easy deduction wouldn’t it? And I would never say all that time alone didn’t take a toll, on me and my family. The solace of it all was knowing that I was in fact never alone. It was indeed just one human person, me, but there was always another person present though unseen. I happen to believe that God’s Word is without error. I also believe that when God says something, that I can take whatever He says is as an absolute fact, and always true. Which brings me to…

A Second Song lyric that has stuck with me

As a small child I grew up learning to sing in church. The song “Jesus Loves Me,” has always been the anchor song from my childhood, when I turned blue and sang Harry Nilsson’s One.

Jesus loves me, this I know,
for the Bible tells me so.
Little ones to him belong;
they are weak, but he is strong

Even as an adult man I love this song for its simplicity, its foundational truth-telling, and its comforting message. “I will never leave you nor forsake you” is a promise from God found in the Bible, specifically in Hebrews 13:5 and Deuteronomy 31:6. Whether you are a young child, with child-like faith, an adolescent straining for maturity, a young adult making your own way for the first time, or a seasoned veteran life-liver with wisdom just oozing from your presence… Harry Nilsson’s “One” doesn’t have to define you or your existence. There is ONE who is greater than Nilsson and all the others would-be philosophers of life. His Name is Jesus. He loves you, and is near to you now. Call His name, come to Him for strength and salvation.

Promise Keeping

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What an interesting idea. Making a promise to myself.

After dinner last night, my wife and I were sitting around the table discussing the current state of events in our home. We shared warm thoughts about how blessed we feel to live in a nice house, swim in our pool, and have friends over for an evening feasting on delicious food, celebrating our friendships, and playing a mostly-friendly game of chicken foot. I have to admit, some of my friends can be very cutthroat when the dominoes come out. Still, it’s all in good fun and nobody takes themselves too seriously.

Turning Point

Then our discussion turned to my current activity of writing on this blog. You see, I began writing online with the idea it was important for me to have a voice. Like many others out there, I thought myself to be something of a wordsmith. Some who’ve actually read my material are yawning at this notion. Others might agree, but not with much enthusiasm. A few, (albeit probably all are friends or family) think I’m a real genius and expert communicator. Go figure. Words are like art, each often leave different impressions on various readers and observers. In the fall of 2015, which seems like eons ago, I bravely ventured into the online blogging game with a very naive expectation of what would happen next.

Here’s how I started at that time. I would write something every day. Even if only a few words or thoughts. Just to maintain my presence in the blogging community. It was important to me to write something relevant, attempt to be humorous at times, and deeply philosophical with other articles. I wrote nonsense, I wrote truth. But I wrote. I wrote and wrote and wrote. When I started I didn’t know where to start so I used the “Word of the Day” prompt to gain a subject for my material.

After a time, I found the “write something every day challenge” a bit difficult to accomplish. It was more of a goal really I equivocated. Then there were a few years when I was busy writing for a Bible Study I was leading and the effort to publish anything else was strained for time. So, I published my Studies here on this blog. If anyone is interested just search “bible study” on my home page. After that I randomly from time to time would get back online and write something that seemed to be a hot button or touch point for my current life situation. But the write something every day notion was clearly in my rearview window. Until now the last thing I wrote was in 2024.

Almost Two Years Later

I had a dream. In the dream, I believed I was dying. As a Christ-follower, I saw myself praying, “Ok, I’m ready to go. Just take me now.” Even as I was saying the words there seemed to be an unseen entity who was gently whispering “Am I not Sovereign? Do I not get to decide what is best for you, and when it is time for you to come home? What is My name?” I could hear my own voice in the dream going over the many names of God I’ve studied from Scripture over the years. Suddenly it was crystal clear the promise I should make. I will begin again.

Starting Over

The next day I got up and looked at my blog for the first time in almost two years. What I discovered sent me running to my wife to show her the revelation. Since January of this year, without writing a single word, I have had more people visit the site, and read the articles of the last ten years, than I previously had in several of those years combined. I was completely stupefied. People were still downloading the bible studies. More and more people everyday were downloading my top story “Fast Like Peanut Butter.”

In those few moments I was reborn as a writer. I knew there was a promise I had to make to myself now. Don’t stop writing. Reach out to someone. There are people all over the world just like yourself I said. Reach them, encourage them, affirm them, instruct them. Don’t stop spreading the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus on the platform you already have. Here’s the promise: Persevere!

And I will.

Until Next Time

I’d love for you to follow my blog. I’d love to see what you are writing. I’d love to hear from you with your thoughts about what I’ve written.

Stay close… more to come!

Do what?

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Something on your “to-do list” that never gets done.

Personally, in my humble opinion, to-do lists are overrated. And I don’t use them anymore.

Instead, I make task lists for the task I’m on that day. For example, I know that my car needs an oil change. Normally in the past I would begin a list of things I must take care of by putting, “Change oil in car” somewhere near the top of the list. But here’s the thing, most of those to-do lists never got finished.

The lists would sometimes be longer than others, but invariably, I knew then, but I know better now, I’m not going to finish everything on that list today.

Now I call it “today list” and only put on that list exactly what I need to accomplish today. While I know the car oil needs changing, and that is not going to change, and it is not going to change itself, realistically it is just not something that is going to get done today.

But re-examining the concept of the to-do list into a today list, I have de-cluttered and reduced the stress in my life. I no longer rush from one menial task to another trying to get “finished” so I can enjoy life. Instead, I enjoy life while doing the things that are most important to do today.

I’ll probably get my oil changed on Monday, but… we’ll see. Because today is Saturday, and I’m doing Saturday things today.

Rotisserie delight…

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What’s your favorite thing to cook?

A few years ago we remodeled our patio area. Included in the project was a new gas grill, small refrigerator, and grilling utensil storage. We were glad the builder of the home took the time to put a gas connection right where we needed it.

New gas grill

One of the features of this grill was a rotisserie attachment you can see pictured here top right of the grill. The plug on the wall provides power to the unit so it rotates, nice and slowly turning the meat as it cooks.

Here is the prep for a nice pork tenderloin I cooked using this unit.

Pork tenderloin
Finished product

Serve it with fried apples and onions and you have a feast!

Fried apples and onions

One all time favorite, you can purchase at any supermarket is rotisserie chicken. But when you have your own rotisserie it is so much more fun to take it right off the spit, cut it up, and serve it piping hot!

Rotisserie Chicken

Enjoy! We certainly do!

complain?

Dr. J.D. Wilkins2 Comments

What do you complain about the most?

Today I pulled a muscle in my back while playing golf. It hurt. I couldn’t finish the round. But really? Why would I complain about that? I got to play golf.

Last Thursday I had a skin cancer cut out of my forehead, and the doctor said all margins were clear. But really? Why would I complain about that? I got to play golf today.

I have to pay my monthly bills tomorrow. I have plenty of money to pay them with. But really? Why would I complain about that? I got to play golf today.

Are you starting to see a pattern here? I like to play golf. Those days I get to play golf are great, but so are all the other days when I do the mundane tasks that fill the hours and minutes of those days too.

I am alive. I am free. I determine my actions and activities on most days. When I do have appointments to see doctors or dentists, or whomever, I set those to fit my schedule, not theirs.

I am in love. I’m married to the most wonderful woman in the world. She loves me unconditionally for who I am, not what she wishes I would be or become.

And on top of all that, I get to play golf.

Why complain?

Outside

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If you could make your pet understand one thing, what would it be?

Wouldn’t it be nice just once to have Doctor Dolittle skills to tell your pet what you would like them to know and have them actually understand it?

Eddie Murphy is a genius at times, and with this portrayal of Dr. John Dolittle,(1998) hysterically funny as well. He narrowly misses hitting a dog with his car one night, and the dog yells, “bonehead!” And suddenly Dolittle is able carry on a dialogue with animals.

This would be a real treat for me with our little shih tzu. Now, just over 2.5 years old, she still randomly potties in the house. There is no rhyme or reason for this, and my theory is she just wants attention. It seems when we simply do not make her the center of our universe, she takes it out on us by doing her business inside.

And it’s not like she doesn’t have a nice yard to do her business, or that it’s hard to get out of our home to take care of that. When we moved in we installed a doggie door because our older shih tzu had mastered the art of going outside through a doggie door several years before. It took our newest one not more than a few minutes to learn how to go out and come in without our assistance.

It would just be nice at times, when I look at this dog and say, “go outside” that she wouldn’t just stare at me like “what?”

In some ways I believe she understands exactly what I’m saying, and why I’m saying it, but she’s just being stubborn, and thinking “bonehead!”

James

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Write about your first name: its meaning, significance, etymology, etc.

James is derived from the Hebrew name Jacob, which means “supplanted.” A supplanted is one who takes over or takes the place of someone or something else. Think: a conquering king or a conquistador.

James was first seen in the English-speaking world around the 13th century, and was the name of 13 British kings. One of these kings commissioned the Bible to be printed in English for all English-speaking people to read for themselves.

In the Bible James was the name of Jesus half-brother, who was also the first pastor in the church established in Jerusalem, after Peter continued going out to missionary efforts.

In the Bible James is also the name of John’s brother, the sons of Zebedee. These two brothers were firebrands for Jesus with zealous extreme reactions to how the general population in Judea responded to the ministry of Jesus. This caused Jesus to give them the nickname “Sons of Thunder,” after they petitioned Him to call down fire from heaven to annihilate the unbelievers. It is a great example of Jesus’ humor. And interestingly, one of my best friends over the years is a man named John.

My name was given to me by father, whose name was James.

My son was given the name James to carry on this tradition.

Although my name is James, at times I have been called Jim, Jimmy, Bubba, Day-light, and a host of other less flattering names or terms, but that is a story for another day.

I am James.

Lead, follow, or get out of the way…

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What makes a good leader?

A good leader is one who has walked where the followers are now walking.

A good leader is a good listener.

A good leader praises and admonishes the followers, instructs and corrects the followers, models actions for the followers, then evaluates the characteristics or goals to be achieved by the followers.

A good leader is encouraging and understanding, not condemning or belittling.

A good leader is self-aware and leads others to be self-aware.

A good leader never assigns a task which the leader has never done, would never do, or isn’t willing to do.

A good leader is head of the tribe, not a lone wolf in a pack of lone wolves.

A good leader inspires then enables every follower to become a leader.

A good leader, leads.

Grace

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Can you share a positive example of where you’ve felt loved?

There is no greater love expressed or received than from the one who offers grace to the person who doesn’t deserve it.

I know this is true, because of the many times in my life I have received this kind of love extended to me when I least deserved it.

From my mom…

From my dad…

From my sisters…

From my family…

From my friends…

From the people to whom I was a pastor/teacher…

It’s an amazing thing when you know you’ve messed up big time, thinking to yourself “oh, I’ve really done it this time,” and someone says “I love you anyway.” “This doesn’t change my love for you.” “I forgive you.” “We’ll get through this together.”

The world is just more hateful today than it was when I grew up. Then grace was more than a concept. Grace was something you learned early on in life and offered it genuinely and regularly, because basically we are all flawed human beings. We all mess up. We all need grace.

Perhaps it is the mindset of not needing grace that has perverted and distorted people’s thinking, then really believing, they have no need for grace. If I’m ok in my skin, and don’t really care what comes out of my mouth, or what I do with my body, or how that may affect those around me… well, in a word, I don’t need your grace.

In my mind I guess, this is the person who needs grace the most. Mainly I think this because I believe all the bluster and pomp is a deflection of how a person really just wants to be loved. So, they need some grace.

Oh, they may not think so now. But when faced with a barrage of true grace, from a variety of people over the span of time, I’m convinced the person will come to realize grace was their greatest need.

Why do I offer grace to anyone today? Because in my lifetime, I have been shown great grace, from a wide variety of people, who could have written me off at any time, saying “why bother? He’s a lost cause.” But they didn’t.

Instead, they loved me. Some of them still do. Some of them will offer me grace forever, without fail, for all eternity.

That’s how I know I’m loved.

Clutter?

Dr. J.D. Wilkins2 Comments

Where can you reduce clutter in your life?

According to Miriam-Webster “clutter” is “to run in disorder.” Wikipedia goes further, “… may refer to any of the following: Excessive physical disorder… a confusing or disorderly state or collection, etc.”

How to get rid of clutter when you mean junk around your domain, whether apartment or house, well, we all face the same problem. At its base level clutter centers around the question: “Do I need this?” And to determine the answer you might use the following filter questions to make that decision.

When was the last time I used this?
Am I keeping this for its sentimental value, intrinsic value, utility value, or is it just taking up space because I can’t part with it?

If it has utility value, when was the last time I used this item? When do I see myself ever needing or using this item again? Would it change my life in any way if I didn’t have this item in my cluttered domain?

You get the idea.

If it has emotional/sentimental value, do I view the item with the same emotional attachment I had when it came into my possession, or has this changed over time, I just don’t want to part with it? Again, is it going to change my life in any way if I don’t have this item in my life?

If it has some intrinsic value (think art or antiques for example), is there also some sentimental/emotional value, or investment value that prevents me from parting with it? Is the value more beneficial to my bank account, or to the investment I’ve made and the appreciation in value I expect?

All these questions will have positive results and reduce clutter in my “stuff” if I answer them honestly.

Which I did recently, and have written about in the past few weeks on my blog. I cleaned out stuff I’ve had since 1972. Ugh. I can’t believe I even kept some of it. Some of that old junk, I didn’t even know I had. It was just stuck in a bin and put up on a shelf never to see the light of day again… until it got tossed in the trash!

Now, all that said, when I move from talking about “stuff” to talking about “mind clutter,” well that is a whole different ball of wax. Just thinking about the “clutter” in my mind over the last 10 years makes my head hurt.

Recently, I’ve discovered the truth of applying some counseling I received about 8 years ago. In sharing my emotional pain with a counselor, he introduced me to the concept of “flushing.” Everyone reading this will probably laugh out loud, as I did that day, at the metaphor for getting rid of emotional baggage.

But don’t laugh too loud…

Simply put, I have put my emotional and psychological pain on trial. I set a chair just a few feet in the room opposite mine, then imagined the person causing me the pain sitting in that chair opposite and facing me. I imagined them saying or doing whatever it was that hurt me so badly. I imagined what I wanted to say in response, but instead of it just being in my head, to the person in the chair I would yell, or scream, or slam books, make faces, etc.

Now for the important step. I imagined all the pain, tears, disappointments, anger, hurt, and then I reached over and “flushed” that toilet of “clutter.” Sometimes this step took multiple attempts to get it all out.

This does actually work in resolving emotional clutter stemming from relationship issues. But there is one more step, and it is just as important.

When the body is injured in some way with a cut, the human body is equipped with healing properties that over time heal the would. But not without a scar. What happens in the human mind when we touch that scar? Immediately we remember the event, the pain, and all the clutter associated with that injury. And it is as real as if it happened in that moment.

Emotionally/psychologically we have the same type of memory. We may have gone through the whole process of “flushing” out the “clutter” resulting in the beginning of the healing process. But what happens when we are reminded of that psychological pain or emotional injury? We are right back there in the moment, and it is as real as when it happened the first time. Even though we “flushed,” our memory won’t let go that easily.

So here’s the final step. You have to have a word or phrase you say to yourself every time one of these events occur. Be careful to select the right phrase. For example, the phrase should never start with “don’t”, like “don’t go there”, or “don’t think about that.” It’s like saying, “don’t think about elephants!” Now what are you thinking about?

Rather than “don’t” a simple two-word phrase is what I adopted, “Flush it!”

Use this phrase if you want to, or come up with your own. Just remember, every time those feelings come back, that you’ve already flushed, the phrase is your way to remind youself how you’ve already dealt with this issue.

And now it’s just “clutter.”

On-line madness…

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In what ways do you communicate online?

As one of those around when the internet actually opened up to public online services, I was among the few that resisted the urge to do all things digital. Working for a company in the late 80’s it was my responsibility to on call companies in the cellular industry with a new proprietary technology for error detection and correction using cellular phones. Naturally I spoke with presidents, vice-presidents, engineers and CEO’s of major corporations like AT&T, Soutwestern Bell, Ameritech, and all the others.

1986 Motorola Carphone mounted in soft side briefcase

At that time these customers were divided about even seeing the need for, or ever understanding how a person might want to send data over a cell phone. In 1987 I connected my portable cellphone mounted in a brief case, attached to an NEC portable computer, standing in a parking lot in Cupertino, California … with a computer located in Dallas, Texas and sent a 3-minute data stream back and forth without any errors or corruption in the data. Most people thought this was madness at the time and scoffed at the need of ever doing such a stupid thing.

I’m now writing this article on my iPad, and will “publish” or send the data wirelessly to a router connected to the fiber optic cable which brings internet service into our house. Traveling on this fiber optic signal the data will arrive at some unknown server, somewhere out there in the “blue nowhere.” But it will show up as a blog post on my website asiwassaying.me.

Almost everything I do with data is online these days. I bank online, I pay all my bills online, talk with my sisters online, chat with my friends online, get answers to questions I have online, sometimes go to church online, listen to music online, watch tv online… one might almost say I’ve gone mad.

Except I’m not. In fact I’m pretty much like any other “connected” person today. We are tethered online to the world we do not see, and cannot touch, with data that travels unseen on Wi-Fi technology.

It started for me over 40 years ago. I wonder what the next 40 years of technology discoveries will bring? Will people 40 years from now be asking “Ha, remember when your grandad did everything on-line?” What a trip, with new discoveries on the horizon, I can’t wait for the next leap.

new beginnings…

Dr. J.D. Wilkins2 Comments

Think back on your most memorable road trip.

This is a hard one to say “most” memorable. We’ve been to Horseshoe Bay in south Texas twice, Colorado twice, Arkansas, Ruidoso, Santa Fe, Austin, Odessa, and countless trips back and forth to Lubbock. But, most memorable is really difficult to pinpoint. We purchased a mid-range nice camera when we got married and have taken it on every road trip, air trip, or sometimes around the block walking in our neighborhood.

So, I guess my most memorable trip(s) are those I think about when I view the collage of photos adorning our walls. Here are just a few…

Horseshoe Bay, Marble Falls, Texas
Breckenridge, Colorado
Fairmont Chateu, Lake Louise, Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada
Athabasca Falls, Alberta, Canada
Palo Dura Canyon, Canyon, Texas
Boot Tour, Wimberly, Texas
Cliff dwellings, Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Anthony Chapel, Garvan Gardens, Hot Springs, Arkansas
Hawaii

Rent free… I don’t think so!

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Come up with a crazy business idea.

Ann Landers was a famous advice columnist who coined the phrase, “lives in my head rent free.” Originally this phrase referred to a person, place, or thing that I think about often, and I can’t get the thoughts to go away, or move out!

Now in the era of “woke”, social media has transformed the phrase from something that might have been positive and turned the meaning into negative feelings toward another person. Landers said, “hanging onto resentment is letting someone you despise live rent-free in your head.”

So, I had this great idea, that if someone wants me to live rent free in their head, because they hate my guts… I would just start charging them for the use of my image in their heads. I mean seriously, it’s my image. Like a copyright or a fingerprint, it is unique to me and they can’t just use it for free! I’m going to charge them.

Conversely, those that hate me have indeed occupied a large amount of space in my head over the last ten years. And essentially they have lived “rent free” in my head as I often pondered why they treated me in such horrible ways. So, in keeping with my “charge rent” idea, to rehabilitate my own thinking process, when their actions come popping back up like a mole in my yard, I would just send them a bill.

Maybe it would be based on amount of time spent thinking about all the angst they have caused me. Like “reparations” of a sort. If I spent 30 minutes on Tuesdays with these images, conversations, or hurtful ideas in my head, I would send the person a bill for $50. I think $100 an hour for how they used to live rent free is a pretty good deal.

Of course, I do realize this is a “crazy business idea,” but not many of my crazy business ideas have worked in the past either. Some of them not because the ideas were crazy, but because I was crazy not to pursue them. I will give you one example.

I was starting to bald before I was 25 years old. Genetic patterns and all that. But I had this crazy idea back in the early 80’s to create a visor cap with hair attached, so a guy wouldn’t look bald. Everyone had a big laugh at my expense, which was fun. But look at what I found on Amazon today…

Visor with hair attached.

Funny huh? Crazy idea huh? Yes, crazy like a fox!

Maybe I’ll give some thought to my “charge rent” idea.

Ha ha ha ha ha ha … laughing all the way to the mental/emotional bank.

Get Your Motor Runnin’ …

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Describe an item you were incredibly attached to as a youth. What became of it?

13th Birthday

Being on this bike in the summer of 1967 was the thrill of a lifetime. Even now, thinking back to the first moment I set my eyes on it, the first thing that came to my 13-year-old mind was “freedom!”

Now I could escape! Now I could ride with the wind! Now I could be with my friends 20 miles away without asking for a lift into town! What joy! What ecstasy! Just the thought of it now brings goose bumps on my arms.

I can feel the vibration of the motor when it starts on the first kick. The pulsing of the blood through my veins as I “Head out on the highway, looking for adventure, in whatever comes our way” (Steppenwolf 1968 – Born to Be Wild).

None of this would have been possible without my mother. She had tricked me into going outside to feed our pet chicken (don’t ask), which resided in our tiny one car garage. Then lo and behold, there in front of my eyes was this shiny new motorcycle, exactly like the one in this photograph.

I’ve often wished I still owned this bike. So what happened to it? Along my life-path my mother died tragically in an automobile accident. We lost her too soon. Eventually my dad remarried. Then as things go, the new couple moved, and certain items had to go. My dad saw no need to keep the bike, so he either sold it or gave it away, I don’t really know which, that was never clear.

It hurt when I found out and had no recourse to pursue the bike. For a while I was angry, but in those days I was probably angry about a lot of things with my dad, but those are stories for another time.

The connection to this bike was not with my dad, but with my mom. She made dad buy it. She wanted me to have the freedom she had lost, by having 4 kids, and cancer. She survived the cancer and the 4 kids, only to graduate to heaven before we were all ready for her to go.

I don’t need to “see” the bike in my garage to be on it again. I don’t have to feed the chicken to see the huge smile on my mother’s face when I came running back in the house to thank her. All I have to do is close my eyes. And there I am.

That smile, so warm and forgiving…

The wind blowing in my face as I race toward freedom…

It’s all still here, vivid and clear as the first ride around the block to test out the bike.

It’s all still very much alive and well in my memories of then…

(If any of my blog posts touch you, and you want to tell your friends, here’s the link)

Who gets the glory?

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What is your mission?

My mission now in this era of an un-cluttered life has not changed from what I have sought my whole life… to experience God’s grace daily, to expand God’s kingdom on earth and in heaven, and to bring God glory as He gives me opportunity to speak His truth.

Since I am not perfect, I fail often in this mission.

Yet, even in this failure I get to experience fresh new ways to experience God’s grace on a daily basis, thus fulfilling my mission.

Since I am retired, I’m not necessarily on the front lines of sharing the gospel from the podium, or in a classroom.

Yet, even in retirement I have the opportunity daily to write something that might reach someone with the Truth of God’s Word in a transformative kingdom building way, whether here or in heaven.

Since the beginning of my mission at 6 years old, now at 70 nothing has changed.

Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen. (1 Timothy 1:17)

(If any of my blog posts touch you, and you want to tell your friends, here’s the link)

Things Change

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What are your thoughts on the concept of living a very long life?

Once upon a time in the 1940’s a man named Thomas J. Watson said, “I think there is a world market for about five computers.” Watson at the time he made this remarkable statement was the president of IBM.

On my 50th birthday I said to my children, and anyone who asked how I felt about turning 50, “Well, I’ve lived about a third of my life so far.” When I made this bold declaration I was a big proponent of the idea that “things change.” I believed then, and still do now at 70, that new technologies will extend the opportunity for human existence beyond just the current 70 to 100 years marker that is still prevalent today. Oh sure, there is the odd person who lives well into their 100’s, but these are not the rule, but rather the exception.

Why would I believe this? Because one constant in all of human existence over time is, things change. World politics, economic structures, modes of travel, health, education, pick a topic and do a historical search and you will see just how dramatically things have changed over time. And significant changes are even now on the horizon.

Consider the implications of the singularly important research being conducted today in nuclear-fusion (think “free energy”). Researchers at the National Ignition Facility announced in December 2022 they had produced a fusion reaction. Read about it here: https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-023-04045-8 This process has now been replicated at least three times in 2023 according to a December report from the LLNL

Or perhaps the next consideration is equally as important: AI technology. According to snowflake “Generative AI… will reshape how we live, work, and do business.” Isn’t this the very essence of “things change?”

Or what about breakthroughs in science and medicine? Founded in 1907 to help organize chemistry research, CAS became a self-supporting division of American Chemical Society in 1956. Listen to their mission statement, “At CAS, our passion is advancing scientific progress. As a leader in scientific information solutions, we curate, connect, and analyze the world’s published science to accelerate breakthroughs.”

CAS lists the top scientific breakthroughs for 2023: space exploration, AI predictions, synthetic biology, single-cell metabolomics, greener fertilizer production, advancements in RNA medicine, and more… read all about it here: https://www.cas.org/resources/cas-insights/emerging-science/breakthrough22

Obviously, I could go on and on about how our world is changing, and how that has the possibility for prolonging human existence, helping us be more productive, etc. But for a moment at least let’s turn to the spiritual side of this idea of longer life.

Before the Flood which covered the earth in Genesis 6, all of humankind had become corrupted with the exception of one man and his family, Noah. Before the rains ever came, before God revealed His plan to Noah about the Ark, God made a startling change to human’s alive at the time. He said to Noah, “My Spirit will not remain with man forever, because he is also flesh; nevertheless his days shall be 120 years.” (Genesis 6:3)

Now Genesis chapter 5 is a long list of generational history from Adam all the way to Noah. Most of the names listed lived well over 120 years, with Methuselah leading the pack with a whopping 969 years under his belt before giving up the ghost.

We know this phrase was in existence at least by 1611 , when the translators gave this rendition of Mark15:37 “And Jesus cried out with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost.”

But I digress. In many of my previous blogs I’ve spent a good deal of time establishing that I believe the Bible to be 100% accurate and true, without error, making it the sole authority for our lives today.

Therefore my thinking about living out an extended life beyond today is based in the will of God for my life. I like David know that God is in charge of this detail, but I don’t want to know my end as David did in Psalm 39:4. It is enough for me to know that He has numbered my days, and when they are finished I will be with Him.

And that is when the Living out of a very Long life will begin… because things change… and I will be changed too.

Big Bang Syndrome

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What could you do differently?

Watching the BB comedy series several times now from the pilot to the finale has taught me some things about myself. In hindsight I never knew I was a lot like Sheldon Cooper, but I was. Certainly not in the aspect of Sheldon’s eidetic memory, although my memory is pretty good, but in the sense that Sheldon was constantly correcting other people’s perspective on an issue. Sheldon seemed to have an answer for everything, a solution to every problem, that was simply better than everyone else’s ideas or solutions.

These days I find myself looking back and see a lot of that in me, with people or situations in the past where I might have been their Sheldon. It’s humbling to me that I acted or spoke in these ways, and I’m trying to do this differently now.

One aspect of Sheldon’s personality which I identify with but am striving to do differently today is this constant offering of an opinion before being asked if I even have one. Becoming highly sensitive to this flaw in my behavior was sparked recently in a conversation with a very dear person in my life. Without waiting to be asked if I had any ideas, insights, or solutions, in a conversation with this person I just jumped in with both feet and found them squarely in my mouth.

Not only was it not the right time for me to say something, it was not even something I should have said, or been involved with. In acting this way I instantly felt uncomfortable, wishing I had said nothing at all.

The person accepted my apology, and life with them goes on, but in this is a valuable lesson for all of us. Social media in general, regardless of the platform (TikTok, Facebook, Instagram or whatever), has given everyone the impression that we can just rant and rave to our hearts content about anyone or anything.

I’m going to try to do it differently. I’m going to hold my tongue, wait to be asked my opinion, make observations to myself rather than outloud, and most of all, think before I speak. What a novel idea, huh?

The beginning of the end: New Year’s Day

Dr. J.D. Wilkins1 Comment

What makes you feel nostalgic?

Answer: everything.

Opportunity lost, childhood.

Memories of my own children.

Thinking about…

… when the news was news

… when truth was absolute

… when climate change meant seasonal changes in the weather

… when the Bible had authority

… when it was making love not having sex

… when honesty was the best policy

… all things before the year 1995

… all things before the year 1976

… most things in college

… playing raquetball

… High School Choir

… High School Basketball

… Coming to Jesus… best of all!

Cars… cars… cars… Truck?

Dr. J.D. Wilkins1 Comment

What is your all time favorite automobile?

I’ve driven everything from a 1950 Chevrolet Deluxe I bought from my grandmother for $50.00 in 1969, to my current ride which is a 2017 Cadillac XTS (red). Here is it parked in my garage…

New storage cabinets!

But my absolute favorite is the 2019 Dodge Ram truck I bought from CarMax which had 12,000 miles on it. I’ve always wanted to own one, and it seemed just the right time to purchase it. I built three sheds, and these cabinets with wood you just can’t haul in a Cadillac. I really like my truck!

more storage please…

Dr. J.D. Wilkins2 Comments

How are you creative?

One of the joys of home ownership is all the repairs and replacements that have to be made over time, to keep your domain in optimal condition for enduring the elements as well as daily wear and tear. I really enjoy these tasks that only Mr. Fixit (that’s me) can do. I occasionally have to call in one of the professionals to do plumbing or electrical work to make sure the repairs are all up to code. But for the most part, it’s little ole me who does the majority of the work. Now, that said, my wife is creative in her own right, so she helps me in some way on all of these tasks. She’s got a real flair for decoration, so our home is always beautifully detailed with objects of art, photos, or general memorabilia that keeps our guests interested.

The most recent task became actually more a major project when my wife and I decided we needed a better solution for all our Christmas decorations. So, we agreed to take the space in our garage used for all my large tools, and create a space to store the decorations in a way that would be easier to access as we grew older. We’re just young chickens right now in our early 70’s, but decided to plan ahead anyway. Here are some before and after shots of our “creative” solution to Christmas storage. We also made room for our golf clubs, small hand tools, a plethora of nails and screws, as well as chairs for watching the grandkids play sports. What fun we’ve had being creative!

Back of cabinets
Now we can park inside again.

Where’s the Courage?

Dr. J.D. Wilkins2 Comments

Many famous people in history have put their own spin on the word “Courage.”

The most quoted spin, in the USA at least, might be from Franklin D. Roosevelt who said,
“Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the assessment that something else is more important than fear.”

Mark Twain said,
“Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear.”

Plato said,

“Courage is knowing what not to fear.”

Martin Luther King Jr. said,
“We must build dikes of courage to hold back the flood of fear.”

Maya Angelou said, “Without courage we cannot practice any other virtue with consistency. We can’t be kind, true, merciful, generous, or honest.”

J.R.R. Tolkien said, 

“It is not the strength of the body that counts, but the strength of the spirit.”

And last, but not least, John Wayne said,

“Courage is being scared to death, but saddling up anyway.”

In a world filled with this cancel-culture mentality, hate being spewed from social media posts like Old Faithful in Yellowstone National Park, and the constant barrage of negativity and fear mongering stories put out by the thousands from the national news media, we have become a nation totally lacking in any moral fiber or courage.

If Plato is right, then we should know better. 

If Martin Luther King Jr. is right, then why aren’t we building dikes to reach the sky to prevent the world’s influence on our minds, attitudes, and actions.

Where’s the courage?

Consider Tolkien’s quote. We are not just weak physically from bodies pumped full of over-processed fast food and who knows what pollutants on the produce we buy at the local supermarket. We are so weak spiritually in this county that I’m amazed we still exist as a nation.

Where is the true Christ-follower today with the courage to stand up and say, “This breaks God’s heart! This breaks my heart!  It is time for change.  It is time to NOT BE AFRAID anymore!”

You’d think I was making all this up.  50 years ago, I would never have thought the world as we know it today would exist.  But it does.  And somebody told us it would become this way, but we didn’t listen.

Maybe we should listen now.

Jesus told his closest followers about the days to come, and those days are here.

In Matthew 24:4-12 He said many people would come in His name and say they were the Messiah, the Savior, to deceive whomever they could.  He said there would be wars and rumors of wars.  He said nation would rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.  He said there would be famines, earthquakes and more all over the world… but this was not the end, but only the beginning.

He said the world would hand over Christ-followers to be persecuted and killed.  He said Christ-followers would be hated by all nations, and because of this there would be a great abandonment of people saying they no longer believe, and worse, they would hand over their friends and loved ones to be tortured and killed, because of hate.

He said that lawlessness would increase and multiply, and because of this people all over the planet would turn cold and loveless toward each other.

This is our reality today.

Matthew 24:15-31 is a starkly dramatic image of days to come in our world which are not here yet. And many, many people will not have the spiritual fortitude to endure these times. Read it for yourself and see what’s coming.

So, where’s the courage??

Head knowledge is one thing but knowing the Author of this information is a whole different thing. And here is what I mean.

The common message throughout the Word of God is simple: Do not fear!

This phrase is used 365 times in Scripture… do NOT be AFRAID!

But the command by itself is meaningless unless there is some good reason why we are not supposed to be afraid. Right?  So what is it that allows Christ-followers to not be afraid?

Here it is.  And if you don’t have this underlined in your Bible, and memorized in your brain, then do it now.

Deuteronomy 31:6 (CSB)
Be strong and courageous; don’t be terrified or afraid of them. For the LORD your God is the one who will go with you; he will not leave you or abandon you.

There is an clearly defined underlying doctrine of belief in Scripture that is required of every true Christ-follower for the empowering of this mighty promise.

God is in Control. 

God’s Word is absolutely Authoritative for every believer. 

God’s abiding Presence is constant regardless of our circumstances.

There must be more than a cursory acceptance of intellectual understanding that these three statements are true.  They must actually rule over your every thought, attitude, and action.  They should be the filter through which every choice you make is made.  They MUST be so ingrained in your hearts and minds that no other construct of reality makes sense in the world today.

And when they do become all these things, then AND ONLY then, will you be able to be strong and courageous, instead of terrified and afraid of what comes next.

Pick a problem, any problem, happening today.  Covid, Political upheaval in our nation’s capital, Israel on the brink of war. The World on the precipice of WW-3…  none of these events takes God by surprise.

God is on the job.  He is in control, speaking authoritatively through His written Word, and constantly abiding with and in those around the world who believe this is indeed true.

So … where’s the courage?

It’s time for some courage!

Let’s make it more personal…

Where’s your courage?

In the name of Jesus, what will you stand up for in courage, or stand against in courage, that would bring glory to God today?

What Time Is It?

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“Does Anyone Really Know What Time It Is?” written and sung by Robert Lamm in 1969 might be considered a startling question of extreme importance in 2023. The repeating chorus is worth examination, and goes like this:

Does anybody really know what time it is?
Does anybody care?
If so, I can’t imagine why
We’ve all got time enough to cry

– Chicago

He’s walking down the street and encounters a man who asks him the time. Then he passes a woman who says her diamond watch has “stopped cold dead.” Then he observes people being pushed and shoved “trying to beat the clock.” He doesn’t know where he is, where to go, can’t see in front of him, the snow is coming, everyone is worrying.

There are metaphors galore here for me, but can you see? I’ll point out a few I see, and maybe stimulate you to find your own in these uncertain times.

One of the things God did right at the beginning of it all was to establish “time” as a construct that mankind could rap their minds around. God separated the light from the darkness, and He called the light “Day” and the darkness He called “Night,” and we continue to use these very terms today. Even though it was God who instituted these definitions in the ancient past, mankind is still bound by them. Each light/darkness cycle was divided equally and became know as the 24 hour day sometime between 1550 – 1070 BC. And we have been using this standard of “time” since that time.

This is significant in the discussion of time today, and knowing what time it is, because most people are under the illusion that time as we know it is eternal. But they would be wrong. Time as we know it was established by God to define life as we know it, but this life will not last forever. Empirically we know this because death is still a part of our existence. Only without death will life be eternal.

Like the man who comes up to ask what the time is on my watch, he doesn’t know what time it is. If he doesn’t know the time, his life is out of sync. He’s confused about his next actions. He doesn’t know where to go next.

Like the woman whose watch has stopped dead, she seems totally lost, asking the question perhaps “Has time ceased to exist since my watch no longer works?” How silly, time marches on whether your own particular timepiece is functioning or not.

The chaos which ensues upon a person’s life when they lose all track of time can be devastating. They may not remember who they are, or how they arrived at a particular location. They might have difficulty remember recent decisions which lead them to this very anxious period of time for them. A person might even lose their sense of identity, personality, heritage, purpose, or any aspect of their previous existence.

Allow me in this moment to suggest some very real current applications of how the loss of “knowing what time it is” has wreaked chaos across the world today.

The heightened search for “identity” is directly related to not knowing what time it is. For example, all things being equal and remaining as they have in the past the average 12-18 year old adolescent has their whole future ahead of them to make as many mistakes as they want, learn and grow from them, and still live a productive life. However, things are not equal and remain as they have in the past. Today we have a culture bent on telling an adolescent they can make up their own minds about their “identity.” If they are male and want to be female, medical doctors, psychologists, school teachers, and parents who have lost all sense of time are telling these children they support this choice. And not just support it, but make it happen at all costs. And make no mistake, the cost is significant, but mostly for the child. All the doctors, teachers, and parents are just diving deeper down the black hole of delusion, but the child is facing a lifetime of consequences for these adult’s endorsements and actions.

The total abandonment of the “rule of Law” in this nation and around the world is a function of mankind’s loss of knowing what time it is. It is never a good time or even a right time to put a group of people so far above the law that they have no accountability for their own lawless actions. The whole “Cancel Culture Wars” which exist in our political systems, social media, mainstream media, Hollywood, and corporations who take stands on social issues is some of the best evidence of a whole world which has lost all sense of time and purpose. We can’t just co-exist anymore with differing opinions and preferences. Today if a person disagrees with another person they might be completely written off as dead to the one who thinks they are right and can never be wrong. In the past there were ways and means to come together and reason rationally between two points of view. But that time seems completely destroyed, and begs the question, “How long before we just destroy the whole human race, because we cant’s seem to find a way to get along?”

Perhaps the most severe sense of the loss of time perspective is found in the spiritual realm. This is not a time to talk of angels and demons and their powerful influence in our culture, perhaps I’ll address this in a future article. So, when I talk about the “spiritual realm,” I’m talking about knowing, understanding, and recognizing what God is doing right now, while the chaos caused by the loss of time on earth is growing more powerful every day.

Remember, I introduced the topic by saying God established “time” as a construct that mankind could rap their minds around. God didn’t say the time mankind had on earth was limitless. In fact the Word of God makes clear that mankind’s time on earth is very finite, and under the complete control of the One who established time in the first place. All a person has to do is read a few verses, in complete context of the whole Bible, to see from God’s own Divine Voice that mankind is speeding toward disaster by the very fact that no one seems to know what time it is.

Jesus said, (Matthew 24:12) “Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold.”

Just a cursory view of the news, breeze through twitter, Facebook, or another social media, will give a very clear image of how cold this world has become with all the hate-filled rhetoric which people type with no filter or thought of the consequences of their words. Murder is on the rise, regardless of what the news people say. Shoplifters don’t run out of stores anymore, they blatantly walk in, take what they want, and walk out, looking directly at someone taking a video with a mobile device, because they don’t care what time it is. In their minds… it’s time to loot.

The political landscape today is littered with the long dead careers of decent, honest, good men and women because their political opponents are so filled with hatred that they will say anything and do anything to move their own deluded time-is-of-no-consequence agenda forward. Power hungry sociopaths who arrive empowered by an office and a title believe themselves now to be above the law, and under no limit of time. For they will with every fiber of their being pursue staying in that place of power at all costs.

The Apostle Paul said of people losing all sense of time, (Romans 1:22-23)

“Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and they exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible mankind, of birds, four-footed animals, and crawling creatures. Therefore God gave them up to vile impurity in the lusts of their hearts, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them. For they exchanged the truth of God for falsehood, and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.”

From the early 1960’s well-meaning Bible-based teachers would use this verse to condemn the gay community and the spread of the deadly HIV-AIDS virus throughout the world. However, even these were deluded by thinking that this verse was so limited in scope and time. But how could they possibly have known what God already knew, that just 50+ years later the ramifications of this one passage from Paul would be so pervasive in cultures all across the globe?

This verse is very specific and deals very specifically with the LGBTQ+ agenda today. It is not enough that they hate anyone who does not affirm their agenda, it must be praised and lauded as the loftiest and sublime option known to mankind today. Does anyone in this culture really know what time it is?

Paul goes on, (Romans 1:26-32)

“For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged natural relations for that which is contrary to nature, and likewise the men, too, abandoned natural relations with women and burned in their desire toward one another, males with males committing shameful acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error. And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a depraved mind, to do those things that are not proper, people having been filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, and evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, and malice; they are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, without understanding, untrustworthy, unfeeling, and unmerciful; and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also approve of those who practice them.”

Here’s the thing. Today we sort of see Paul here, writing these words, as a Prophet, and perhaps there is that aspect of him. But from Paul’s perspective, he wasn’t writing about the future. Paul was describing the attributes of the citizens of one of the most brazen and godless cultures of history, Rome itself. We foolishly think the LGBTQ+ agenda is a brand new thing. It is not. Even as Paul was writing these words, the writing was on the wall for the Roman culture. Less than 400 years later Rome fell due to political, social, economic, and military problems.

Is anyone out there listening? Does anyone really know what time it is?

Going Somewhere

Dr. J.D. WilkinsLeave a comment

In my distant past I read books. By this I mean I preferred hardcover books to paperback, and I shunned those who purchased the first electronic reading devices as though they had a serious and contagious illness to which I was vehemently determined not to succumb. As I said this was my distant past.

For the first time in too many years, two weeks ago while pondering the beautifully leather bound classics my wife inherited from her father at his recent passing, I determined to pluck one from the shelf and read it. I did this as much to honor the man who willed us these books, as to simply read an actual book. Much of my reading over the last 15 years or so has been using my Kindle reader on my mobile devices. So yes, I did succumb to the evil electronic readers available today.

Imagine my surprise when I opened the pages of a book never read, a book which had been printed and bound, and boxed and shipped, then put on a shelf to live out its days, unread. Instantly I was greeted with the fragrant musky scent of old paper and leather. My mind raced back to former days and the joy of buying that hardcover book and breaking it in, before ever reading a word. I did this now with a leather bound copy of Treasure Island, originally titled The Sea Cook A Story for Boys, first published in 1883.

My copy of Robert Louis Stevenson’s book was printed and published in 1975 as a limited edition by the Franklin Library, Franklin Center, Pennsylvania. It includes copies of the original illustrations by N.C. Wyeth and used by permission from Charles Scribner’s Sons. From first to last these 305 pages of story kept me captivated for days. I highly recommend this book, however, the point is that it served as a bridge for me. A bridge back to the joys of reading an actual book you can hold in your hands.

Is the story less rich or less enticing when read electronically? No. Does the meaning and moral of the story diminish in anyway when read electronically? No. But that is not my point. It probably won’t change my lifestyle of using my mobile devices to read a book when I’m out to lunch without my wife, or when I’m on vacation, or at any other time when it is necessary or convenient to do so. The Bridge part is that I’m now going somewhere. I’m going back in time to that place where one of the best parts of my day was to sit down with a good book and read.

Everyone has good intentions. I do too, having the intention to read more than just one of these leather bound classical works. I’m not sure I can do it in my lifetime, for while there only 88 of these beautiful and colorful books, they include works and titles that are very heady reads.

The Tragedies of Sophocles, Political Writings by John Stuart Mill, The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri, Thucydides – The Peloponneisan War, War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy, Pensees by Blaise Pascal, and the Trail by Franz Kafka.

It might take me a year or two to get through just these 8 books and there are 80 more of the same vein, all classical works in their own right. So I may have good intentions to read all 88 before I die, and while it remains a noble crown to achieve should I do it, I’m 68 years old in a couple of days, so it seems a daunting endeavor.

So there before is The Bridge. I would never have to purchase another book in my lifetime to fill my mind with thoughts above my own, more brilliant than my own, more entertaining than my own. It is a bridge which I’ve set my foot upon and I dare not turn back. I wonder if I’ll make it all the way across…

#WordPrompt