Category Archives: Inspirational

April 13, 2009 · 9:09 am

Swimming Upstream: “Slumdog Millionaire Was Good, But…”

Honey body-slammed me and then twisted my left arm behind my back until it touched my nose. All the while, she whispered, “Just surrender, okay?”

I pounded the carpet with my right fist until the pain was too much to bear. “Okay, I surrender!” I screamed.

So, she let me up and pointed to the car keys on the counter. “Let’s go,” she said.

Hanging my head, I obeyed. And to be honest, once we sat down in our seats at the movie theater, I did enjoy myself. Slumdog Millionaire was better than I thought it would be, but yet…

These fairy tale movies which depict a one in a billion chance of a person raising himself out of pathetic squalor into a life of plenty leaves a person sad after the warm fuzzies wear off.

It sort of reminds me of the the time movie actress/activist, Jane Fonda, joined the Native Americans in their picketing and occupying efforts of taking over Fort Lawson, near Seattle. All went on a hunger strike which lasted for a week. Then, a settlement was made between all parties involved.

The Native Americans then went back to their miserable lives on the reservations or wherever. But what about Jane Fonda? Poor Jane was so exhausted that she rented a villa in Acapulco for a week. How miserable, huh?

And after my popcorn bag was empty, I realized I’m as much a hypocrite as I thought Jane Fonda was back in 1970. What have I really ever done to help the poor people of the world?

Sadly, very little.

…remember the poor…(Galatians 2:10)

Swimming Upstream appears at this blog site on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. It’s a little of this and a little of that, all written to encourage and exhort believers in their Christian jouneys.

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April 12, 2009 · 7:09 am

He’s Alive!

Some like to dismiss Easter as just a pagan holiday, not worthy of Christian celebration. And yes, maybe the name has pagan origins, but who really cares about some dead, dumb god who never had any power. Jesus has reclaimed this day for His glory, and if you doubt it, try to travel somewhere by an airplane today. Almost impossible, right? Jesus reclaimed this day for His glory. And guess what? He is going to reclaim every other day of the year for His glory.

Why? He’s alive!

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April 10, 2009 · 10:03 am

Swimming Upstream: “Before Satan Kissed Jesus, What Happened?”

And Satan entered into Judas who was called Iscariot, belonging to the number of the twelve. (Luke 22:3)

The battle in Gethsemane was set. On the one side was God who became flesh so that the works of the devil would be destroyed (1 John 3:8).

On the opposing side was Satan, working through a puppet named Judas. Backing Satan up was a Roman cohort (300 soldiers) armed with swords and spears, and an armed crowd of officers and slaves from the Temple.

Jesus’ motley crew included eleven sleepy men with two swords (Luke 22:38).

As Satan and his group approached Jesus, something happened:

So when Jesus said to them, “I am He,” they drew back and fell to the ground. (John 18:6)

The last thing Satan ever wanted to do was bow down before Jesus, and yet, he was forced to do just that as he approached Him.

Yes, Satan via Judas got up and kissed Jesus. Yes, the disciples fled in fear. Yes, Jesus was tried, convicted and crucified. And yes, Jesus rose from the tomb and sits at the right hand of the Father in heaven.

But before all this good stuff happened, Satan bowed down before Jesus. And guess what? Satan still bows down today before Jesus.

It’s just that the person Jesus lives within us.

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April 8, 2009 · 6:06 am

Swimming Upstream: “How Barack Obama Set Me Free”

No doubt about it, I was not a Barack Obama fan. His position on abortion alone was enough to set my feet in concrete on the other side of the fence, opposing him.

But now, I have to admit that his election has set me free from something; and I like the freedom.

What is that something? A belief that somehow our government could help usher in a revival and a return to godliness in America.

I know there are those who will point out the William Wilberforce’s, Abraham Lincoln’s, and Ronald Reagan’s as examples of who God can raise up to change nations… and thank God for these men. But for every Hezekiah and Josiah, there have been far more Saul’s, Ahab’s, Manasseh’s and Herod’s who have been enemies of the cross of Christ.

You see, with my freedom I realize first and foremost that I am a citizen of heaven. My hope is in a King, not in some elected officials who will usually let us down with their compromises and broken promises.

Yet, even now, men are positioning themselves for the next election, saying this will be the most important election ever. If only, Christians – like me – will support them, they will return America to a “shining city on a hill” status. These men will use evangelical speak and bow their knees at all of the right altars. And who knows? Maybe they can carry it off.

But as for me, I have been there. Done that. Bought the bumper sticker. I’m not putting my energy, time, prayers or faith in our political system ever again.

I plan on devoting my life to where my true citizenship lies…and to the soon-coming King.

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April 6, 2009 · 10:05 am

Swimming Upstream: “Are Strings Attached to Your Church? Or to You?”

The Executive Branch sent a chilling message to traditional churches and believers last week with its firing of GM’s CEO. Did you hear it?

…the man who supplies the [financial] means exercises authority in the realm to which his [financial] means are devoted…and he dare not receive money from anyone who would use his [financial] gift to interfere with the Lord’s will… (Watchman Nee, The Normal Christian Church Life, pp.147)

If the federal government can fire a private corporation’s leader, what will stop the same federal government from actively and aggressively interjecting its beliefs onto traditional churches via its Gestapo arm, the IRS? Nothing. Nothing at all.

In fact, the U. S. Legislative Branch let the cat out of the bag when it it voted a 90% tax on legitimate – though unwise – AIG bonuses. There was no compunction in their use of the IRS. None at all.

Now, maybe tax write-offs are no big deal to you or your church. After all, it’s only a small amount for most believers.

But what if in the interest of obeying new hate laws, you are required to sign a pledge avowing you will not attack abortion or homosexuality or Islam or any politician. Why? So you can receive your Social Security, Medicare, Health Insurance, Tax Refunds, Welfare, Food Stamps, etc.

Then what?

The floodgates are open; and this is the road America is heading down. Can we stop our nation’s suicidal free-fall? I have my doubts. Big ones. What are these doubts based on?

If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now, they are hidden from your eyes. For the days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side, and level you, and your children within you to the ground; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation. (Luke 19: 42-44)

More and more, I’m thinking that America missed its time of visitation on November 4, 2008.

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April 3, 2009 · 8:28 am

Swimming Upstream: “What Does America Owe You?”

Farmer Larry Who with sister

My roots are small Farmtown, USA, right in the heart of the Midwestern corn belt.

As a kid, I grew up on a farm, drove a tractor before I was six years old, joined 4-H at ten years of age, fed cattle, slopped pigs, gathered eggs, shoveled manure, baled hay, combined oats, picked corn and even attended a one-room schoolhouse until I was twelve years old.

Besides doing chores, my parents made sure that I never missed a Memorial Day ceremony, a Flag Day parade or a Fourth of July celebration. They instilled in me a pride about being an American and loving the freedoms our forefathers fought and died to pass on to us.

Not once did I ever hear my parents say America owed them something. Not once. They believed (and still do) that it was up to them to plow the fields, plant the corn and if the weather cooperated, they would harvest a crop. If the weather failed them, then it was time to get a winter job doing whatever just to survive until the following spring. Then, the farming cycle started all over again.

How times have changed, right?

Today, almost everybody has their hands out wanting something from America, as in our federal government. Businessmen want bail out funds. Bankers want bail out funds. Home owners want bail out funds. Credit card owners want bail out funds. States want bail out funds. Cities want bail out funds. Schools want bail out funds. America owes us! So, give me. Give me. Give me.

It seems nobody read the fine print on the loans that they incurred with their debts. You know, where it says that eventually the money would have to be paid back…or else.

So,what does America owe you?

If you have reason to believe you are owed something, you had better scurry over to the federal trough double-quick today because tomorrow will be too late. Our economic system will not survive the hatchet jobs being done on it by the Washington fools who are tinkering with it.

Maybe this would be a good time to check out Matthew 6:33 –

But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

And then, maybe we should follow its advice. Today!

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April 1, 2009 · 8:02 am

Swimming Upstream: “The Perfect Gift”

Honey sipped her coffee before answering. “No, let’s not go to Hawaii. Too crowded. How about new wedding rings?” she said.

“Wedding rings?” I said, shaking my head. “No, I don’t think so.”

We were stumped. After almost thirteen years of marriage, we could not agree on a perfect gift for our soon arriving anniversary. It had to be something unique. Something special. But what was it?

As we sat there in Starbucks, a heavy-set man wearing a Harley-Davidson motorcycle jacket sat down at the table next to us. He took the jacket off and revealed his arms. They were covered with tattoos.

“That’s it,” whispered Honey, pointing toward the man.

“What?” I replied.

“Let’s get tattoos.”

The thought of a tattoo excited me as much as it did her. So, we spent the next forty-five minutes designing the perfect one for our upper arms. When we were done, we went over to the Temecula Tattoo Parlor.

The tattooing process did not really hurt much. Just some gentle pin pricks. Honey’s tattoo healed perfectly, but mine required some special salve, but seems to be doing okay now.

And of course, the tattoos are Christian, not some pagan art. If you want to, you check them out, look here.

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March 30, 2009 · 8:34 am

Swimming Upstream: “Squandering Time Or Not”

“What do you do to relax?” asked the doctor.

“I play golf,” replied Doug.

“Oh, golf can be relaxing. How often do you play?” said the doctor.

“Never!” said Doug, “and what’s bad is that I’m going to have to cut back.” (Multiplicity, 1996, movie starring Michael Keaton and Andy MacDowell.)

Using time wisely has always been a touchy point for us Christians. Should we go to a movie this afternoon and enjoy ourselves while people are suffering in Fargo? Or what about the starving children in Rwanda? Or the imprisoned believers in Tibet? Shouldn’t we just stay home and pray for everyone?

Basilea Schlink, the founder of the Evangelical Sisterhood of Mary, dealt with this issue in one of her many books. She tells how she visited the Louvre in Paris. Walking by the works of Michaelangelo, da Vinci, Rembrandt, Raphael and others, she felt guilty and miserable. How could she possibly enjoy herself while so many people were suffering throughout the world?

Now if you haven’t heard of Basilea Schlink, check her books out. This German lady was a woman of deep prayer, as in six to ten hours a day.

Schlink states that she was finally set free from her misery and guilt when she understood in her heart that she was no longer living under religious Law, but rather, she lived under grace and was led by the Spirit.

Most of us have heard this simple truth over and over. And yet, how many of us really believe it?

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March 27, 2009 · 6:16 am

Swimming Upstream: “Count The Costs Ahead of Time”

Recently, I ran across two accounts of major church movement leaders reacting to their critics. One wrote a letter in which he pointed out the unfairness he had suffered from all of his critics. Most of whom have been Christians.

The other leader lashed out at a Christian reporter who criticized his handling of a matter. Their comments have continued back and forth.

No doubt, both leaders have been hurt by their critics’ attacks. And sadly, both have defended themselves out of inner hurts and wounds from all of their past battles with critics.

A friend of the letter writing leader posted the letter on his blog and asked for comments. What did people think?

I commented this way:

I’ve always admired the way Kenneth Hagin handled his unmercifully cruel critics when reporters called him for a reply to a book or magazine article that lambasted him or his ministry. His standard reply was, “No comment. God bless them.”

Isn’t this the way Jesus handled his critics?

What do you think happened to my comment shortly after it was posted? If you guessed it was deleted in a New York second, bingo! Go to the front of the class.

Admittedly, I disagree with some of that church leader’s positions, but I would have given the same comment to Honey, our children and everyone. Why?

If you have a calling to pioneer a new revelation and truth to the Body of Christ, guess what? You will have critics… lots of them. Some will be from your family. Some will be from your church family. Some will be your friends and neighbors. Some will just not like you for no reason at all. They will travel out of their way to beat on you like a drum. It will hurt. Count on it!

But within your calling is everything you will ever need to run the race Jesus has set before you. There will be enough grace, faith,finances, miracles and whatever to stand in the midst of every fiery furnace. And if that’s not enough, Jesus will invite you into His fellowship of suffering where He will heal all of your hurts and make you whole again…everyday if needed. It’s an open door.

So, make up your mind. Count the costs ahead of time. If it looks too tough, don’t pick up the baton for your calling. Let someone else run the race in your place. Just sit on the sidelines out of the way, keep quiet and don’t complain.

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March 26, 2009 · 8:46 pm

Prayers Needed For Cindy and Family

If you have looked at the news lately, then you’ve probably heard that Fargo, ND, is teetering on the edge of a major calamity. Flood waters are expected to crest above 41 feet and stay there for days. (Floodstage is 18 feet.)

Cindy Hanson and her family lives there. She is an active commenter on this site and a great poetess. You can follow her updates on the flood at her site.

Take the time to pray for Cindy and her family.

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