Have You Seen My Movie?

Apparently in the new Zach Galifianakis movie, the title character's name is Marty Huggins. Dad sent me the link a few months back to the movie trailer. Here it is if you haven't seen it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Pv0zZfxEnI Dad said, "Get ready for some ribbing." I love Zach, so no worries, even if his character is a tad feminine. Maybe someone will google the name and stumble upon this blog. If that's you, then drop me a line. It'd be great to know you were here. I've already gotten a few twitter request follows from people that I don't know, so I guess anything is possible. At any rate, enjoy the blog. I am working on a devotional that will be on Amazon shortly. I'll keep you posted. Go enjoy the movie, and feel free to spend some time poring over the timeless words of Proverbs. There is so much wisdom and freedom to found in the Word of God. God bless you, and thanks for stopping by the blog.

Sometimes God Speaks In Such An Obvious Manner Even I Get It

Last night I was coming home from Greenville and stopped to get gas in Columbia. It had been a long day of visiting clients and making cold calls, and I just wanted to get home, take a hot shower and watch the Tarheels and Blue Devils go at it. I filled my car up, and as I was about to drive off, I noticed a young man with a gas can asking another customer for help filling it up. This guy was tatted up. I'm talking more face tattoos than Mike Tyson. I watched for a few seconds the reactions of the other patrons. In that moment, I felt impressed that I should help him. A nudge from God, if you will. Nah, I told myself, that other guy will help him. It's probably just a scam I thought. Best to not get involved. So off I drove, the guy getting smaller in my rear view mirror the further I drove, while the sense that I should turn around to help kept getting more burdensome. But I'm stubborn. I hit the entrance ramp to I-20 to Florence thinking that probably wasn't God's will for me to help that young man. He looked a little sketchy anyway. The license plate of the first car I passed stopped me cold. It was "GODSWIL". You gotta be kidding me. That voice in my head said, "So I really had to spell it out for you, huh?".  Needless to say I got off the next exit and made my way back towards the gas station. I was kind of hoping that I'd get back and he'd be gone, but sure enough, I see him with the gas can. I drive up next to him. "What's the story, man?"  He points to a beat up Explorer and tells me that he and his 3 friends are headed down to Savannah but they ran out of money because they had to pay for some car repair. "Did the guy in the car you were waiting on fill your gas can up?" I ask. He tells me no and that people don't seem to be too helpful or interested in helping him. Maybe that's because you look like you'd bite Mike Tyson's ear off, I thought. I ask him his name. Evan, he tells me. I relate the story of me seeing him while I was filling up and feeling impressed to help him but driving off anyway. He laughed when I told him about seeing the license plate. I could tell Evin was somewhat amazed at the sequence of events that led up to my return.   You don't mind filling up the gas can, he asked. Nah man, I say.   I can't explain it, but in that moment, i knew I was supposed to fill the SUV up.  After that license plate, I'm done arguing. I tell him to pull the Explorer to the pump, and I fill it up.  I tell Evan that I am not a perfect Christian but that I try to listen when God tells me to help someone, though sometimes I do require an occasional license plate with a message from God. I have some leather study Bibles in the trunk from our last Bibles for Athletes event. I ask Evan and his 3 friends in the car if they'd like a Bible. Don't feel obligated I tell them. Just take one if you want one.   Evan walks with me to get the Bibles out the trunk of my car. That's a sick Challenger, he says. Thanks, I respond. I'm not promising that God will bless you with a Challenger, I say, but if you do what God says, He will bring you good things in life. We shook hands, he grabbed a Bible for himself and his friend who said she'd like one, and I wished him a safe trip.  This time the ride home was less eventful: no more license plates with reprimands from God. I said a quick prayer that Evan would realize that God was infinitely concerned with his well being. So much so that He would use something as crazy as a license plate to compel me to turn around to help him. If you don't mind, say a prayer for Evan. I have the unmistakeable feeling that God is going to do amazing things in him and through him. 

Being Like Jesus

“… a man of wicked devices is hated” (Proverbs 14:17b). Jesus is the preeminent example for how Christians should live their lives. He never used people or manipulated them to get what he wanted; he was never deceiving or misleading. He spoke the truth in love, was a friend to the friendless, and loved others unconditionally. He never stepped on people to gain position or power. He was not impressed with the pursuit of riches or political clout. He served others, held his tongue and turned the other cheek – even though these characteristics were perceived as signs of weakness. His motives were pure and unselfish, and he gave without expecting anything in return. How far short we fall from His example! All too often, we resort to the tactics of the world to obtain what we desire. We ultimately end up using the same schemes, plans, and devices that Satan uses. We take advantage of others for personal gain and manipulate people who possess the things we desire. We use deception to secure a contract or land a big account by misleading a client about our past success. We love conditionally and befriend those who can offer something back in return. We chase after prosperity and prestige, and we are more concerned about our reputation than we are in helping others. We scheme and connive to get ahead at work, to own more “toys” than our neighbors and to be the most respected and envied man at church. Godly men, we must not be masters of wicked devices, but we must be followers of the Master. We must pattern our lives after His and allow the Holy Spirit to conform us to His likeness.