It’s Either a Blessing or a Curse!

June 22, 2016June 24, 2016 / Andy R Taylor / 14 Comments

I know exactly which of the two it is….but, seriously, there are times that I wonder. As a kid there were a couple of my classmates that were killed in accidents, another one or two that died from vicious diseases. Joe Wingo, a ranch kid, was flying his kite when it got tangled up in some electric wires. He climbed up on a tank with a metal rod to try to untangle it when he was electrocuted. Joe Glenn Crane, just about the sweetest kid you’ve ever seen, was healthy as could be in the first grade….but by the third grade he’d contracted Muscular Dystrophy and was confined to a wheelchair. Both died before they were in junior high.

I was broken hearted both times; didn’t understand. Their funeral services were devastating for me. So, early on in my life, I subconsciously developed an attitude that would cause me to avoid funerals at any cost, no matter whose they were. It worked for me for a long time, or at least I thought so. It wasn’t long after I began doing ministry that I was asked to do my first funeral. I immediately thought, “No Way”! But the deceased person was the Granddad of a close personal friend so I felt like I couldn’t say no. I was serious in prayer with the Lord because I knew that I couldn’t do it without His help. I made it through the service just fine but didn’t really care if I ever did another one or not.

Well that was about 28 years ago and since that very first funeral I’ve done in the neighborhood of 360 more. Here’s my struggle; I can’t separate myself from the feelings that the family members of the deceased have. You’d think that after that many funeral services it’d get to be pretty routine. Not so for me. In fact it might be a funeral for someone that I don’t even know. I’ll get emotional just about every single time. When little grandkids come by the casket after the service is over and they’re breaking down with tears…..it’s about all I can do to contain myself. In some strange way it’s as if I’m feeling exactly what they feel. In fact about ten ears ago I did a service for a daddy and his little boy whose vehicle was t-boned by semi truck. It was hard and I remember driving from the church to the cemetery (about 15 miles) and telling the Lord, “I don’t want to do this anymore”. It was if the Lord spoke immediately my spirit, “Andy, you don’t have to do it anymore….but if you do I’ll give you a greater anointing to do it.” Well, here I am today…..still doin’ ’em!

I think Jesus was like this. It appears that He so identified with the feelings and the emotional state of people that he literally felt what they were feeling. There hasn’t been a funeral yet that has felt ‘routine’. Every single one is somebody’s grandmother, somebody’s dad, or somebody’s little girl. My next one….a little 16 year old boy, only child, a good kid that suffocated in a grain trailer. I’m already feeling what the family is feeling. I think I’ll be able to comfort and console them because of it.

It’s not a curse…..I know it’s a blessing. It just doesn’t feel like it a lot of the time!

Here’s a similar blog:

“Known”

Hell Fire, and Brimstone!

June 21, 2016June 26, 2016 / Andy R Taylor / Leave a comment

Hell fire and brimstone; that’s the term some use for preaching, or ministry, that threatens the listeners with the dangers of hell if they don’t turn from their wicked ways. It’s a style of ministry that, sadly, still finds its way in churches today. I’m not sure what the proponents of that kind of preaching think its merits might be. Personally, I don’t think much good comes from it. But you know, some people will make a decision based on their fear of hell, I guess, and I’m sure that decision is as valid as any other. It’s certainly not my style, and it’s not in any direction I’m headin’ towards.

I had a conversation a few years back with someone who commented about how much he liked that kind of preaching. He went on to say that people out there that are living in sin need to hear it in that ‘turn or burn’ terminology so they’ll, out of fear, run to God! I kinda got the feeling from this guy that he fancied himself to be pretty holy, and righteous, and that his own personal approach with his friends not walking with the Lord was the “hell fire and brimstone” method. I really wanted to ask, “Well, how’s that workin’ out for ‘ya?”, but I didn’t! But, I can make a pretty calculated guess…...It ain’t workin’! It also makes me wonder if the guy ever spends much time with the Lord at all.

The worst thing about that kind of ministry is that it conjures up a totally inaccurate image of Who God is, in the first place. That’s a pretty serious mistake, if you ask me. Here’s the thing; You and I will ‘portray’ to the world the “God we know“. That’s just another good reason that each of us should connect relationally with Him as Father. If He’s been portrayed to you by one of these HF & B preachers you’ll believe He’s mean,‘unappeasable’ and out to get you. That would be a gross misrepresentation, to put it mildly!

The gospel needs to be presented in the ‘right’ way! It is, after all, “The Good News”! As we connect personally, and relationally, with the Father we’ll find the Truth that the Bible talks about.

It’s the goodness of God that leads people to repentance.

Check these out:

You Got to Me Too Late!

It Ain’t Just “Good News” …… It’s “Great News”!

It Was a Great Answer!

June 20, 2016March 7, 2020 / Andy R Taylor / 2 Comments

If you’re not familiar with our Camp of Champions, you should check it out. It’s just about the most unique church camp you’ll ever bump into. It’s a rodeo church camp. There’s a few others out there but I’d estimate that ours’ is the biggest of its kind anywhere. This was our 14th year and as usual we had participants from about 8 states. It’s for boys and girls age 6-16 who have their sights set to participate in Jr. rodeo. In the 14 years since the inception of the Camp of Champions we’ve had several national junior rodeo champs, high school rodeo champs, college champions and even a PRCA world champion!

Instructors for the Camp of Champions is a virtual “Who’s Who” in the rodeo world. There’ve been too many world champions to mention who give their time and energy for a few days to help these kids in their respective rodeo events…but they’re also ‘champions’ in their walk with the Lord. Rodeo instruction takes place in the daytime and there are tent services at night with the instructors doing testimonies and most of the ministry. In the past 14 years there’s been well over a thousand young people who’ve given their lives to the Lord without any ‘pressure’ from us! We believe that the Holy Spirit is good enough at what he does that we don’t have to try to manipulate or frighten kids into making a decision. Jesus didn’t do that…..so we’re not going to do it either!

I learned a long time ago that you don’t have to convince kids that God is real…..or that He’s good! They already know…..and they already believe! But during our camp recently I was reminded again of just how much the Father has already done for us to enable us to believe. It was on the last night service of the camp. There were over 80 boys, and about twice that number of parents, instructors and helpers under the tent. I was closing out the service when I asked a couple of really simple questions. “Do you believe in Jesus?” It was unanimous! I think every kid and adult in the tent responded with a loud, resounding “Yes”! I then asked the question, “Why do you believe in Jesus?” …..and it was unanimous again. But, this time, not one single person answered, I mean, total silence! It was 100% quiet! And, it suddenly occurred to me that, that was a great answer!!

Here’s my reasoning; The Bible is clear that we’ve all been given ‘the’ measure of faith. It’s the same quality of faith that God used when He ‘spoke’ the world into being. It’s faith to believe in Jesus, His Son, even when we can’t even tell you “why”. I heard someone say it this way one time; “I just know down in my ‘knower'”! It’s that deep, God given, assurance of the reality that He exists….and that He’s good!

So, if you can say you believe in Jesus but you just can’t answer why…..That’s a great answer!!

Maybe you should tell Him, “Thanks”!

Check these out, too:

The Thing About Unconditional Love

Maybe You Should Quit Whippin’ Your Own A#$!!

It’s All Good!

May 30, 2016March 13, 2022 / Andy R Taylor / 1 Comment

Here’s a catchy little Robert Zimmerman (more commonly known as Bob Dylan who turned 80 recently) tune that you might like titled, “It’s All Good”. (click here to listen) Not everyone likes Dylan (understandable, ….and you’re forgiven).…and hardly anyone likes him like I do but either way he’ll go down in music history as being the greatest poet/songwriter of our generation.

It’s all good! I like that phrase. I’ve already used it a time or two today. It’s ultra positive and anytime it’s spoken it gives everyone involved an upbeat feeling. It may not always be entirely a 100% accurate, which I think is still OK, but it’s a perspective thing. It’s about making a positive declaration even when everything might not be exactly like you had hoped it would be. And, I think if we’re declaring that “It’s all good”, we might actually feel better about the things we’re having to deal with.

There’s just something about making a positive confession that’s good for the soul. It stirs optimism in our spirit, but that’s not all. It’s really an authentic statement of faith of the highest order. If you back up a little bit and look at the big picture you’ll grasp the reality that the Lord really does have control over all these, seemingly, chaotic things happening in the world today……including our own little petty dilemmas that we struggle with day in and day out. But we’ll only see those problems of ours’ as ‘petty’ and insignificant if we can look at them with an eternal perspective. When we do that….then we can start to believe our way out of our discouragement, knowing that there are better days ahead.

Looking back over 65+ years of ups and downs, victories and failures scattered along the road of life…..and considering where I COULD be. I’d have to say, “It’s All Good”!!

Don’t Tie the Ends Up!

May 26, 2016May 27, 2016 / Andy R Taylor / Leave a comment

When I say, “Don’t tie the ends up”, I’m, in essence, saying, “Don’t get so rigid in your current Biblical knowledge and understanding that you can’t change when presented with ‘new’ Truth.” I’ve seen this happen a lot over the past 25+ years and it’s problem of the highest order. For a leader, such as myself, it can make change, transition and transformation come to a grinding halt for both the church, and individuals alike.

The church is known for rigidness in it’s particular doctrinal and denominational mindset. Don’t get me wrong, some of that can be good but it can also stunt the growth and halt the spiritual advancement of everyone involved. It has the strong potential to lock us into systems of thinking that will eventually lead us to boredom, staleness and exclusivity in our Christian walk.

The argument might arise as to how one can have a certain spiritual view today and then later totally change their stance on an issue. I actually think, in a perfect world, we should be doing that all the time. If we’re genuinely on a search for the truth it just makes sense to change when we get a better, clearer view on any subject. We all have ‘some’ truth….but none of us has ‘all’ the truth. We should be open to others’ perspective, give it a listen, weigh it out in light of Scripture, let it ‘marinate’ in our mind and spirit, test it in real life situations and pray about it. By doing so we’ll stay in a perpetual state of spiritual growth (as we should be!) and not high-centered in our own limited little, tunnel-vision view of truth.

There will surely be those detractors out there who would want to accuse me of compromise or being wishy-washy about the truth. I’ll be quick to tell you that where I am today…..is not where I’ll be a year from now. I intend to keep growing, changing, adapting and shifting based on my understanding of the Truth. I’m a learner…..and learners must be flexible and open to change. There’ll be plenty of times that the change won’t come easy…..but for the most part….it’ll be for the better.

Don’t tie the ends up!! I’ve given this advice many a time over the past 25 years. It isn’t always received with open arms. In fact, here in the ‘ol Bible Belt that kind of advice is often met with harsh criticism and some pretty mean-spirited indignation. But, it’s good advice.

Don’t be so locked into your little piece of the truth that the Holy Spirit, Himself, can’t break through the crust to enlighten you more.

Check these out:

The Bible Does Not Have All Your Answers!

$$$ – Being a “Thousandaire” Might Just Be Better Than Being a “Millionaire”!

Here’s Our Chance!

May 12, 2016July 26, 2020 / Andy R Taylor / Leave a comment

“I came here looking for something I couldn’t find anywhere else.” It seems to be the heart cry of a lot of people these days who are willing take a chance on the Lord…..or maybe even willing to take a chance on the church. We’re living in, what seems to be, very uncertain times. But there is a growing undercurrent of people looking for some ‘real’ answers to their real problems. They don’t want the ‘religious’, churchy, ‘holier than thou’ thing….and who could blame ’em? That never actually worked for anybody,anyway! No, they’re looking for something genuine, authentic, real. They don’t know what it looks like, or feels like……but they know what it doesn’t feel like. The church in America really needs to adjust to be relevant for the times we’re in. Our message is timeless…..but the methods of reaching the world are stale…..and everyone knows it except the people in the church. For some reason they’re the last to get the news. We won’t get many chances with these ‘searchers’; we better get it right!

Many of these people are desperate, desperate enough, in fact, to gamble and see if this God they hear us talking about exists or not. They’ll try, and try hard. At least that’s what I’m seeing of late. But when we make them feel like they can’t make it or make them feel like they’re not good enough…..they’ll believe that’s how God sees them, too. They think, “Hey, you don’t know me, but you don’t like me…..and you say you care less how I feel.” If we don’t act like we care and make them feel important ….they’ll, in turn, believe that they’re not important to Him. They won’t hang around for that! ….and again, who could blame ’em? Tragic!

Deep down, they all wonder if the Lord could really love somebody like them. They have an inner sense of destiny (that’s a God-given thing!) but they haven’t found anyone who can give them the key to help unlock those secrets. They’d say, “I ain’t tryin’ to be nobody, I just want a chance to be myself.”.

Here’s our chance! Let’s get it right!

*Oh, and by the way…..“I came here looking for something I couldn’t find anywhere else. I ain’t trying to be nobody, I just want a chance to be myself.” That’s the first two lines of the #1 country song by Buck Owens and Dwight Yoakum, “Streets of Bakersfield”! click here to watch.

Share these blogs if you find them helpful! Thanks….AT

“Nothing I Can Do About it Now”

May 2, 2016March 7, 2020 / Andy R Taylor / Leave a comment

A day or two ago I was listening to my favorite XM station and one of Willie’s songs I’d heard several hundred times before caught my attention. The words, that I’ve sang along with by memory for as long as I can remember, caught my attention. And I thought to myself, “I need to write a little something up about that.”. The song, “Nothing I Can Do About it Now”, (click here to listen) is probably a testimony of Willie’s about some of the mistakes he’s made in his life. I think the reason it resonates, so, with me is ……it’s kinda my testimony too. And, truth be known, probably about 90% of the people reading this little blog can readily identify with it, as well.

Willie, whether you like him or not, will go down in history as one of the greatest country songwriters of all time. (I’m a huge admirer of songwriters!) Example: He wrote country classics, “Crazy”, “Night Life”, and “Funny How Time Slips Away”, all in a 24 hour period! Think about that one for a minute! And, again, whether you like him or not he’s already staked his claim on country music immortality. Generations after you and I are gone when anyone mentions “Willie”, everyone’ll know exactly who they’re talking about.

I first saw Willie in the ’60’s on the Wilburn Brothers Saturday afternoon TV show. It was a ritual in the Taylor household to watch country music on Saturdays. Willie was clean cut wearing a suit and tie and was an exceptionally good guitar picker. And he never really reached a broad following until the ’70’s when he donned the bandana and the braids. Armed with “Trigger” (his trademark guitar) he took on the ‘outlaw’ persona and literally millions of new, and younger, fans took note! And, as they say,…….the rest is history!

“Regret is just a memory written on my brow, and there’s nothing I can do about it now”. Like Willie’s song, most of us have a long, long list of regrets and if we’re not careful we’ll let those regrets affect who we really are and how we live out the rest of our lives. After the Lord rescues us we mustn’t let those blunders rule our lives. It just wouldn’t be right, considering what Jesus has done for us! Willie addressed that very thing, “And I could cry for the time I’ve wasted, but that’s a waste of time and tears” “And I know just what I’d change if I went back in time somehow, but there’s nothing I can do about it now”.

Can’t do anything about it; its true. But what we can do is not keep on doing things that we know will bring deep regret; quit making the same old mistakes. And if you’re a youngster reading this, let the song,….or these words, (or better yet, the Holy Spirit) steer you away from doing dumb stuff. Life’ll be a whole lot better for ‘ya!

And for the rest of us….that got that news too late, ….we’re forgiven! Willie’s concludes his song by singing, “I’m forgiving everything that forgiveness will allow, and there’s nothing I can do about it now”.

Check these out:

“I Keep A Close Watch On This Heart Of Mine”

“I Ain’t No ‘Fortunate Son’”

“It’s Complicated!”

April 25, 2016April 26, 2016 / Andy R Taylor / Leave a comment

I hear that a lot these days. It’s a common admission on FaceBook and other social media sites, and it’s usually used to describe one’s relationship status. It may just be me….but I think I’d steer away from any relationship that’s ‘complicated’. If I were to give advice to any of those claiming to be in a complicated relationship, it’d be to simplify. I think that’d make it easier on everyone involved. I’d love to see just one person on FaceBook describe their relationship by posting….”It’s Simple”!

I imagine a lot of people might also classify their relationship with the Lord as complicated. I mean, He’s a pretty profound Entity to say the least. In fact, in His infiniteness, He could decide to make Himself totally un-understandable if He wanted to. But, it’s just not in His makeup to do so. He could reveal Himself to be so complex that it would totally boggle the human mind. He definitely has that capability, too. But, again, it’s not anything He’s interested in doing in the least.

He has never wanted His relationship with us to be complicated. That’s one reason He reveals Himself as, Father. And, He doesn’t just reveal Himself as Father only because it’s a relationship that we can understand, and relate to….although it does go a long ways in helping. Nope, He reveals Himself as Father…..’cause that’s Who He really is!! It’s the clearest description of Him and of His nature.

Religion has a way of complicating our relationship with the Father…..but don’t let it! When you’re feeling like it’s getting complicated….just revert to the simplicity of that Father/son, Father/daughter relationship that He deeply desires to have with you. Enjoy!

And when anyone asks you about that relationship you’ll never, ever have to say, “It’s Complicated’!

Check these out:

Simplicity! It’s All I Have to Offer

If You See God “Wrongly”…….You’ll Never See Yourself “Rightly”!

Relational Equity

April 20, 2016April 21, 2016 / Andy R Taylor / Leave a comment

Equity: In finance, equity is the difference between the value of the assets and the cost of the liabilities of something owned. For example, if someone owns a car worth $15,000 but owes $5,000 on that car, the car represents $10,000 equity.

Anytime we make a payment into our investments we are building equity. I’ve been paying on my home loan for years. I’m at the point now where I can almost see the end of it. So, I’ve got a lot of equity in my home. In the last year or so our local economy has tanked. I have a friend in the banking business who recently told me that there were 200-300 homes in our area for sale. There’s a good number of those folks just walking off from their homes…..and the loans attached to them. Not a good situation for anyone involved. It does make sense, though, that if you have a lot of equity in that home that you’d do everything in your power to somehow make the payments. Yep….too much equity to just walk away from.

In the same way we make investments in possessions, property and the like, we also make investments in relationships. And every time we interact with someone else….we’re building equity; ‘relational equity’. Julie and I had our first date in 1967, we got married 10 years later, to the day. Next January we’ll have been married 40 years….but together for 50! That’s a lot of equity! A lot of relational investment…and way to much to walk away from. (not that we’re thinking about it! lol)

Relationships are important. They’re challenging, to say the least, but the greatest joys in life come through our relationships. They can also be a source of heartbreak too….but they’re still well worth the investment. We have to take the chance, the stakes are too high, there’s too much to gain! And, besides…..”it’s not good that man should be alone”! Engage…interact, stay hooked and build equity!

It works the same way in our relationship with the Father. Every time we interact with Him we get to know Him more. That’s building relational equity! And the more we ‘know’ Him the more we will, naturally, love Him. If you want your life to be as rich as it can possibly be…..start building relational equity today…..with people…..and with Him!

Check these out, too:

Loyalty – A Forgotten Virtue

A “Disposable” Relationship

‘Betrayal’ – Nothing Easy About It!

The “Only Thing” That Really Works

‘Thorns in the Flesh’

April 19, 2016April 20, 2016 / Andy R Taylor / Leave a comment

Did you ever have one of those nagging, ongoing situations that seemed like it might never end? I mean one of those things that you worked and worked to remedy but just couldn’t find your way to a solution. Yeah, ……me too! I’ll bet if we ask around we’ll find that it’s fairly universal.

As people, we all handle those situations in different ways. We can complain and whine about our situation. Done that! We can worry ourselves sick and lose sleep over it. Done that one, too! We can agonize over it and let the weight of it control our lives if we’re not careful. Yep, you guessed it, done that one, too! So far, those methods haven’t done me much good!

But I think there’s an extremely valuable lesson found in the Bible (Imagine that!), if we’re willing to consider it. In one of Paul’s letters he eluded to, what he called, a ‘thorn in the flesh’; You should read the story. No one really knows what that thorn in the flesh was, although there’s plenty of speculation. Some think it was his failing eyesight, others think it might have been a difficult person he was having to deal with. And one of my friends suggested that it was Paul’s wife! (There’s no record of Paul having a wife; so, I can only surmise that my friend was thinking about his own situation! lol)

Paul was a pretty spiritual guy by my standards. Here’s what he did. He prayed. (now there’s a novel idea!) Not once, not twice…..but three times. But nothing happened! You ever experience that??! Yep, I’ve done that, too! But in the middle of his dilemma he came to a brilliant, and profound, conclusion. He said, “I have found that in my weakness, the power of God is made manifest. And, when I’m weak, then I’m strong”. Even though he didn’t get his prayers answered, he came out of it better off than he was, going in! How can that be possible!?

Here’s my conclusion; From what I see Biblically and from what I’ve experienced personally, it appears that there’s just some things that the Father doesn’t make us strong in. For His own reasons, He seems to be OK with allowing us to remain weak in some areas. We have to consider that the Lord might want us to realize what Paul realized. We will find out, like he did, that His strength is made perfect in our weakness! So, there may always be an area or two in our lives where we ‘know’ that we have to be totally trusting in Him! I think He likes that!

He spoke to Paul, right in the middle of his trial, “My grace is sufficient.”! Whatever it is that you’re going through…..you can be 100% guaranteed that there’ll be grace enough for you.

So, when you’re facing some of those trying circumstances, by all means pray! But, don’t throw in the towel if He doesn’t remove your ‘thorn in the flesh’. He might just have something greater for you!

Check these out, too!

You Can Live in the Past if You Want To…..But There Is a ‘Downside’

There’s a Charge For Extra Baggage