Sand Fleas

A few days ago, I was talking to a friend who served in the Army. Since I served in the Marine Corps and he in the Army, we like to swap stories; these conversations can be most entertaining. While we relive some hilarious, often, almost unbelievable tales, invariably, some of the more unpleasant things arise. In our last conversation, “sand fleas” came up. If you don’t know what a sand flea is, I suggest you look it up online; however, whatever you find cannot possibly come close to what anyone who has dealt with them knows about them.

During my days at Parris Island (an island in SC for Marine basic training), I became well acquainted with the sand flea. They are very small but pack a powerful bite. They are not your garden variety flea, at least not as far as I am concerned. As I recalled, once they bite, the don’t stop until something makes them or they die of old age. Okay, maybe that is somewhat of a stretch, but it seemed like it.

Oftentimes, after we left the chow hall, our drill instructors would march us into a field and have us march in place in the tall grass to stir them up. Then we would have to stand at attention, perfectly still, and let them cover us. As you felt them all over you, crawling into your ears, nose, eyes, and everywhere they could get, you watched them on the neck and ears of the guy in front of you. It was torture!

I always felt that our DI’s were sadistic and this was simply a form of torture derived for their entertainment, much like Nero burning Christians in his gardens. I remember praying hard and trying to figure out any possible motive, which was never explained to us, and I always came up empty. It must have been sheer evil on their part.  

What I didn’t know then…

The reason for this inhumane treatment was to teach discipline. To stand perfectly still while something is gnawing on you takes discipline. Discipline that could save you and your buddies lives in combat. Later, one of our DIs told us of a Marine patrol in Vietnam that was returning from a mission when an enemy convoy approached them. They dove off to the side of the road in haste to avoid contact. Once the convoy had passed by, the Marines began to regroup; each emerged but one. When his buddies finally found him, he had dove into a bee hive. He was so swollen, he was only recognizable by his uniform. He had never made a sound. Had he yelled out in agonizing pain, his buddies would have been taken prisoner or killed. Discipline.

When I learned of this, my whole outlook changed. Every torturous thing I encountered, I thought of this true hero and I persevered with a purpose. It wasn’t pleasant and I hated it but I had a great reason for doing it and one heroic Marine’s memory to honor.

Today, many people are asking, “If God is loving and all powerful, why does He allow suffering?” The answer is not easy and it goes against what we see as loving and just. Most of us do all we can to spare our children from pain. Many mothers prohibit their children from certain activities because they don’t want their child to suffer. While that is loving, it is not wise. We learn from experimentation. How many of us learned not to touch a hot stove because we touched it, not because we were told not too? How many of us were spared a deadly disease because we got inoculated? I have never met a child who enjoyed getting a shot. But our mothers allowed the Dr. to hurt us because they knew it was best for us.

We live in a fallen world. Fallen because of us, not because God made it so. We invited sin into God’s perfect world that He created for us. Sin has ramifications. A holy, just God, cannot simply overlook sin, He must judge it. He could have dealt with sin right there in the garden and wiped out Adam and Eve but He didn’t. He provided a way to reverse the effects of their sin and it cost Him greatly. He sent His Son Jesus to pay for our sin, on a cruel cross, so that we could be restored to Him.

But why does He allow us to suffer?

Pain and suffering are results of our sin but also to bring us to our knees. We either bow the knee or shake our fists. If becoming a Christian ended all our pain, everyone would become a Christian; not because we love God, rather it would be to escape pain. God is love and desires our genuine love in return.

For the Christian, daily trials teach us of our need for God’s strength and discipline. In the Old Testament, we read about Joseph (Genesis) and Daniel (Daniel). Two young men who experienced great trials but had disciplined themselves early. To many, they could have taken the easy road and simply asked for God’s forgiveness later. Not these two boys. God had big plans for them and though they suffered, neither budged. Neither complained, at least it is not recorded if they did. Joseph, who was betrayed by his family, later stated, “But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive” (Gen. 50:20, NKJV). He could have had them killed or thrown in prison, afterall, he was the second highest ruler in Egypt, but he chose to see how God used bad circumstances to bring greater good rather than exact revenge. Discipline.   

As I have grown in my walk with the Lord, the trials have gotten harder. The Apostle Paul wrote, “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it” (1 Cor. 10:13, NKJV). As babes in Christ, He will protect us from more than we can stand. As we mature in Him, He allows greater trials. Every time we overcome a trial, we become more disciplined and strengthened. We can jump into a spiritual bees nest and never make a sound. When others see the difference in us, they are either drawn to it or repelled by it.

It’s funny, when I look back at the horrible things I endured at the hands of my drill instructors, I’m thankful. They pushed me to be tougher and better than I thought I could be. I had that one dead Marine, who gave his life for others, as an example and role model. I can even look back and laugh at so much that I once thought would kill me and I am grateful. I don’t believe I’ve ever met a Marine or soldier who said they wish their training had been easier.

When we reach the end of this life and look back, will we be grateful for the pain God has allowed us to experience? I think so because I have already seen how pain has helped shape me into who I am today and it makes my heart tender to the plight of others. As the years go by, I will see even more how God has used my pain, to bring about good, maybe even save many people. I can’t wait to get to heaven and see the Big Picture.  

As a Christian, Is it okay to Ask Questions about God?

The following is from a response I wrote to a young Christian and new college student preparing to attend a Christian university:

Joe (not his real name), I think you raise some great questions that many are asking today. Unfortunately, what you describe as the typical church responses are all too common. I have been in the church almost all of my life and from my personal experiences, most in the church are not open to questions, especially hard ones (even pastors). I believe most of these are lazy and apathetic. Some are simply ignorant, don’t know where to find the answers, or they remain silent as they know they will be beat down for speaking about such things. I have had my share of run-ins with this mindset. I believe it is very foolish and destroys our ability to effectively reach others.

Peter said, “always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear…” (1 Pet. 3:15, NKJV). The word apologia was used here and it is where we get the word apologetics. Apologetics is simply giving an answer for what we believe and why. Questions, as you have, are very common today and this is why there are so many apologists today. Many devote themselves to colleges because so many students are asking questions that their families and churches could not or would not answer or even try.

Is God’s Word not good enough? Certainly not! God’s Word has reached millions but, in the world today, some people have to be shown outside evidence that will lead them to look at the Bible and consider it. Our willingness and ability to explain it to them will help them see it as credible. To support this claim, consider why so many young people who grow up in the church leave the church by the time they are in their early twenties, if not before? Many of them say the Bible is a book of fables and fairytales. Many believe much of the Bible was taken from other religions that pre-existed Christianity. Even many pastors today do not believe in the inerrancy of Scripture. If we cannot defend why we believe the Bible, why should we expect skeptics to believe what we say we believe? Do we not seem silly?

We have sufficient evidence to defend our faith historically, scientifically, and philosophically. We can give enough evidence to win a court case but all the evidence in the world will not win everyone. Even Jesus did not win everyone, and we are certainly not equal to or better than Christ.   

Dr. Gary Habermas (Liberty University) wrote a book with one of his former students, Mike Lacona, called The Case for the Resurrection of Jesus. He has delivered an excellent presentation, based on his book, around the country (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9aiPCeDku_k&t=5s). He makes a compelling argument for Jesus’ life, death, burial, and resurrection.

J. Warner Wallace, a forensic expert, also makes a compelling argument for Jesus, using the same techniques he has used in law enforcement (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14JkC5at_Fw).

Lee Strobel, a former atheist, sought to disprove God and the Bible, much like     C. S. Lewis, but after going over the evidence, he became a Christian. He has an excellent book/video series: The Case for a Creator, The Case for Christ, and The Case for Faith.

Other great apologists I recommend:

Ravi Zacharias (Philosophy) and his team at RZIM, Frank Turek (Philosophy and science), Michael Behe (science), Stephen Myers (science), William Lane Craig (science/philosophy), Hugh Ross (science), J.P. Moreland (philosophy), Norm Geisler, Paul Copan, Greg Koukl, Francis Chaffer, and C.S. Lewis. Of course, there are many others.

God bless~

Quote from 1 Pet. 3:15 retrieved from BibleGateway.com 

Regret?

Do you have regret?

Do you think you will have regret when you die; if so, what will it be?

I would like to share with you what I truly believe will be the biggest regret anyone of us will ever face.

Several years ago, a woman I knew lay dying in a hospital room. Looking back at her life, she had it all: wealth, power, influence, respect, family, the list goes on. She would, by most people’s standards, have lived the ideal lifestyle. But as she lay dying in that hospital bed, all she could think of was her fear of death. There were no friends crowding the hallway to visit her. Bankers and business associates weren’t making sure she was comfortable. No family crying and praying over her. Not even her pastor was there to make sure where her eternal destiny would be.

The one person who visited almost every night was an unlikely friend, her daughter-in-law. This young woman had suffered for years at her hands. She had been criticized and a former wife was thrown in her face constantly. The children from the previous marriage were clearly her favorites. But in her dying days, this young woman was her only constant companion. She would sit by her bedside and read from the Psalms. Over and over, the woman would say, “I’m so afraid of dying, please don’t let me die.”

It has been many years now since she passed. I can’t help but think she was lost, although I don’t know that for sure and I hope not. In her last months, none of her riches brought her pleasure. They certainly do not now. She left behind all the things she thought were precious.

If she is in hell now, I wonder what weighs heaviest on her mind? There is a passage in the Bible that I think might answer this question. Luke records a story Jesus told about a rich man and a beggar. The rich man enjoyed his wealth and power but never considered the beggar who sat at his gate in misery. Both died, and the rich man asked that Lazarus, the beggar, might give him drops of water to sooth his pain. Then he asked:

I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.’ Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.’ And he said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ But he said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead (Luke 16:27-31, NKJV).

Does she, like this rich man, desperately want someone to go back to her family and warn them? Is this her greatest regret? 

What if today was your last day on earth. What would be your biggest regret?

Do you have a spouse, children, grandchildren, anyone who needs to hear the Gospel? If so, why not cry out to Jesus right now?

If you are truly sincere in your heart, He will hear you and come to rescue your soul. Then you can join with Him to reach the hearts and minds of your loved ones. Don’t die like the rich man who will spend eternity with regret. Make this decision now to follow Jesus.

      “And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. I and My Father are one.” (John 10:28-30, NKJV)

Women Marching...

Last week there were multiple marches across the U.S. The first was in support of the worth and rights of the unborn, held in Washington D.C. The others, held in various major cities from coast to coast, were billed as “women’s marches.” Ironically, the women’s marches were really focused on two things: abortion rights and hatred for President Donald Trump.

Several conservative news sources interviewed marchers and the degree of oblivion was astounding. As I watched the procession, the signs the marchers held were pro homosexual, abortion rights, or hatred for our president. Are we to believe these are the three top priorities for women in America today?   

I’m sure some really felt some sense of threat over what this administration might do that would affect them but rather than based on facts, I suspect their fears were and are fueled by community organizers, Planned Parenthood, and other activist’s groups that want to push their agenda. Most are not willing to engage in dialogue but prefer to scream over anyone who disagrees with them. When asked what policies they disagreed with, not one could give an example. It sounded like they were all instructed from the same playbook: 

1) President Trump is misogynistic 

2) President Trump wants to deny a woman’s right to do what she wants with “her” body 

3) began to scream over those who disagree.    

Does screaming in the street, dressed as a vagina, really win people over? 

A firestorm has been raging of late over sexual harassment against women. Actors, directors, politicians, and others, many well respected, have been dealt a death blow to their careers; some may even find themselves going to prison before it’s all said and done. Like most in this nation, I agree; if they have committed a crime, they should pay. What I find funny, not that there is anything humorous in all of this, is that this one issue seems to be the only topic that both liberals and conservatives agree on, barring the case of Roy Moore.

Moore, a conservative Republican from Alabama, lost his senate run due to allegations of sexual misconduct. His accusers waited forty years to come forward with their claims and most have been overwhelmingly discredited, leading some to believe this was nothing more than a ruse to keep him from being elected. His opponent, Doug Jones, won the seat. Jones is an ardent supporter of abortion. Before the allegations, Moore was overwhelmingly ahead of Jones in the polls.

My intent here is not to make a case for one or the other but simply use this as an example. For many liberal women, and even some conservatives, a “claim” of misconduct against a woman is worthy of a lynching without a trial while abortion is championed as a woman’s right. For most conservatives, a claim of sexual misconduct is worthy of investigation and a proven crime against a woman is deserving of prosecution and punishment. At the same time, most conservatives believe in the sanctity of life for the unborn; all life is precious and worthy of protection.

Regarding the argument of sexual misconduct, my problem with the liberals is how they choose to condemn a man who is simply accused of a violation, if they disagree with his political views, while overlooking a man who has been found guilty when his political views align with their own. Case in point, Bill Clinton. Clinton was notorious for his sexual scandals, while in the White House no less. Today he is cheered as a hero by the left. How? Why?

Is this not hypocrisy at its finest?

It seems that liberal women are dictating morality, even law, in today’s America. Out with the Constitution, out with the rights of the accused (man), and out with the rights of the unborn child. Feminism has finally reached the pinnacle that it has fought so long and hard for. I do not imply that all women subscribe to radical feminist beliefs, this is certainly not the case. I also do not believe that women should be denied rights. I just don’t understand how they can deny the rights they have fought so hard for to their unborn children.

When I was a child, my mother refused to allow us to have a pet hamster or gerbil. Her reason was simple: they eat their own young. As a child, I found this horrible and unacceptable. How could a mother eat their own babies? As an adult, I ask a similar question, how can a mother have her child cut in pieces and sucked out of her womb? The safest place on the planet should be the mother’s womb.