Moonlight

Night, bringer of sin and salvation
Harbinger of silence, stillness and tranquility
An invitation to peer within the depths of the soul

Adventure, freedom to roam the ebony-clad fields of the mind
Conquest of unknown joys and curiosities fulfilled
Peace abounds, as a song unsung finds its tune in the wind

No fear exists, no apprehension foretold
Uncertainty has lost its hold
This Potter’s creation has broken the mold

Life, this sweet, simplistic beauty can ne’er be described
Nor shall I try, for many tales yet untold are better seen than heard
No proper justice can be offered by the written word

Live.

Love.

Lead.

The warrior within

Exodus 15:3
"The LORD is a warrior; the LORD is his name."

Genesis 1:26
"Then God said, 'Let us make man in our image, in our likeness...'"

Man was made to be a warrior. It's woven into the very core and fiber of who we are. Courage, determination, aggression and passion are integral parts of who we are as men. From the dawn of recorded history man has waged war...for conquest, for freedom, for justice, for the weak. Whatever the cause may be, whatever brings forth a man's warrior tendencies...at the very core, a man is a warrior.

Society and culture have taught us that aggression and a warrior mentality are carnal and archaic, barbarian instincts that are bred out of "polite" and "proper" civilizations.

I was sitting here tonight in the quiet that night provides, thinking about the dichotomy that exists inside my soul. On the one hand, I am a hopeless romantic who desires to pour out God's love and tenderness to the One God has for me (as I wrote about in my last post). I'm a generally harmless guy, I'm not looking to hurt anyone. But on the other side of the coin lies a undying ferocity that I do everything to keep under wraps. If you've endangered or hurt someone I care about, you've probably seen this side. It is an underlying desire to see everything as a battle, a conquest needing to be strategized and deciphered. This side sees every sporting event as a war to be fought and every lady as a maiden to be rescued.

Every man longs to play the hero in a story, a grand tale of adventure and danger. It's why little boys' imaginations run wild with the most violent and horrible scenarios you can conceive. Every man, no matter how meek or timid he may seem on the outside, hides an inner warrior lurking beneath the surface. You'll see it if you mess with his family or his lady...if you endanger what he holds dear.

This natural tendency has been perverted, as most other things in our nature have been, by sin and the world.

Psalm 4:4
In your anger do not sin; when you are on your beds, search your hearts and be silent.

So often today we see the twisted, sinful version of the warrior within. Domestic violence, gang activity, school shootings, etc. are perfect examples of Satan's perversion of the natural ferocious and aggressive tendencies built into man.

Violence is not an inherently bad thing. Would you like proof?

Joshua 10:11
As they fled before Israel on the road down from Beth Horon to Azekah, the LORD hurled large hailstones down on them from the sky, and more of them died from the hailstones than were killed by the swords of the Israelites.

Read the Old Testament. It is filled with stories of a holy and righteous God who displays His anger and ferocity on countless occasions, usually directed at those who would do His people harm. Whether it's causing over 100,000 Midianites to turn on each other in the night or sending His angelic armies to massacre the Assyrians...the Lord's warrior tendencies are a sight to behold.

The point here is that we as men should be focusing on honing and regulating our aggression and warrior spirit. We should seek to glorify God with all the different facets of the personality He has blessed us with. Do not allow feminists, the liberal media and the education system in America to brainwash you into thinking your aggression is bad. Your freedom was gained and is protected by the very aggression many would seek to destroy from your very being.

James 4:7
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Submit your anger, you aggression, your warrior spirit to the God who loves and gave you those leanings in the first place. Do not sin. Do not damage those who look to you for protection and guidance. Seek His wisdom in how to approach this aspect of who you are, talk to your mentor or pastor about developing these tendencies into a healthy compliment to your arsenal of attributes.

Remember this above all else...

1 Corinthians 10:31
So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

Be blessed.

Eyeing the finish line and looking for the next starting tape

I have the distinct privileges of being one of the only people left in Nac over the break. You might be inclined to think that it would be a nice, quiet pause from the usual hustle and bustle of college life...and you'd be wrong. Big surprise there, right?

I've had a lot of late nights this week, and a lot of time has been spent on self-assessment and realigning my will with God's. I am fully aware of the fact that calendar years mean nothing to God and that His plans are perfect. It doesn't worry me too much at all that I still don't have a good idea of exactly what is going after I walk that graduation stage in a little over 276 days and 8 hours. It doesn't bother me that I'm 24 years old and I am no closer to a potential wife than I was this time last year. Don't mistake my thoughts for sorrow, just readiness and eagerness.

Jer. 29:11 is possibly one of the most overused and cliched verses in the Bible. It is completely true, no doubt, but I think it's full impact is lost unless you really stop to think what is being said by the Creator. When you pair it with Rom. 8:28, you know beyond a doubt that nothing happens or doesn't happen that is not somehow connected to God's sovereign plan for your life.

I am naturally philosophical. It gets me completely wrapped around the axle sometimes, but that's life. I am enjoying college immensely, but I cannot wait for the day when I have no roommates other than my wife, a job with actual upward mobility and a clear vision of the ministry and purpose I am here to fulfill.

As I stand here at the biggest crossroads I have ever faced, there is excitement mixed with a tad bit of apprehension. There is so much out there that I have never experienced, so much I haven't seen, so much unknown. I am so glad I have an Almighty God who loves me as His own and has called me to be a piece in His puzzle.

I have no problem admitting it...I am eager to walk the path with someone that leads to marriage. I have no intention of rushing anything or acting foolish, but when God opens that door I will gladly walk through it without hesitation. There is so much of me that has been keeping, waiting and longing for her. The physical sense is such a small part of it...that holy union will be glorious when it gets here. Immensely hard and a time of intense growth and maturation, yes. But still glorious.

Gen. 2:18 - It is not good for man to be alone, I will make a helper suitable for him.

As I near the finishing tape of one race, I am wide eyed in search of the starting line for the next one. So...to my wife, wherever you are right now...whatever you're doing...Just know that I love you, I miss you and I'm praying for you.

Be blessed.

The results are in...

Tuesday, March 4th, the great state of Texas held our primary elections. John Mccain soundly defeated Mike Huckabee, thus ending Huckabee's bid for the presidency. This leaves Americans with 2 Über-liberals and a RINO (republican in name only) to choose from for President of the USA.

I am horribly terrified for the next 4 years of America. There isn't a single candidate now available to the voters that doesn't leave a putrid feeling in my stomach. I do not call myself a republican, although I normally vote as one. I am a conversative, and this election makes me sick. I voted for Mike Huckabee, and was gleeful to do so. Mike is about as good a man as you can find.

Mccain reminds me of Senator Palpatine from Star Wars 1, where on the outside he looks just fine and caring...but in reality, he is evil and twisted beyond imagination.

The only reason George W. Bush won either of the last two hotly contested election was because of the fervent support of the evangelical right-wingers. John Mccain has make it abundantly clear that there is no love lost between him and the church. As much as I truly hate the idea, I think that the democrats will have a fairly easy time defeating him.

Now the question is "Who will lead America now?": A closet muslim with ties to radical black-supremesists or the former first "lady" (it's laughable that we even have to call her a lady...) who's already run the country for 8 years.

The answer is obvious, for those of us who call on the matchless name of Jesus Christ. We can have faith in perilous times like these because we know that our Creator has written out this chapter of human existence just like all the rest. Regardless of what happens, regardless of how bleak the situation looks right now...God's will is being accomplished and His purposes are being fulfilled. This is definitely one of those times where I have to just take my hands off the situation and say "OK, God...do your thing." Honestly, I'm scared to death for America, but we should be acting in a spirit of faith and obedience to biblical commands.

Romans 13:1 "Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God."

My friends, that's pretty cut and dried. Those are my thoughts on the situation...

Be blessed.