Christianity

A ‘Week at a Glance’

/ Andy R Taylor / Leave a comment

Here’s a quick look at my posts from last week. If you happened to miss them, you can ‘binge’ read all of ’em in a matter of a few minutes.

*(Click on any highlighted link to read)

Dependently Independent!  – Some insight into the reality that, by grace, we’ve been given ‘liberty’ and my opinion as to what we should do with that liberty.

Did NOT See That Coming! – My thoughts on Kevin Durant’s decision to leave OKC

Have a Nice Day, Lord! – You’ll like this one! Helping the Lord to ‘Have a Nice Day’

The Parable of Pedro Flores – Spiritual insights from the movie, “Lonesome Dove”

“Cowboy Christmas” – A glimpse of what I was doing 35 years ago. A couple of pics, too.

Lives Matter! – A ‘re-post’ from May of last year in response to the recent events in Dallas

If you find the posts helpful, please share them with your contacts. Please go to www.andyrtaylor.com and click the “Follow” link. …..and as usual Thank You for taking the time to read my blog!

AT

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Lives Matter!

/ Andy R Taylor / 6 Comments

This is  “Re-Post” from May 27, 2015. In light of recent events it seemed relevant to post it again.

Lots of conflict on the news lately. It seems that racial tension is nearly as high as it was in the ’60’s. I remember that. I actually thought we had made some major strides in overcoming that in the last few decades but it doesn’t take too many like Al Sharpton egging it on to get everyone stirred up again. In my opinion he’s used up way more than his fifteen minutes of fame!

The cry from communities like we’ve seen in Baltimore and Ferguson, MO is that “Black Lives Matter”. I could not agree more! It’s kind of a ‘no brainer’, huh? I saw a sign in a yard in a nearby town that says that “Police Lives Matter”. Agree again! The truth is, and only an idiot would argue otherwise, that all lives matter!  I’m discouraged that in the greatest nation on the planet we’re even having this discussion. I don’t doubt that in many areas there are some strong prejudices and biases against minorities. I’m a country boy and I haven’t had to deal with that  much, so I don’t consider myself an expert in the least. I just know it doesn’t work….it doesn’t work for anyone! It’s the classic ‘lose-lose’ situation!

I think we’ve gotta stop making it a ‘white’ issue, or a ‘black’ issue and make it a human being issue! “Do unto others as you’d have them do unto you” still works! I agree that it’s a deeper and more complex discussion and that there’s at least dozen or more points to be considered. But let’s not make it any more complicated than it already is. 

If there’s anything positive going to happen, you and I should at least do our part. A good start is deciding that “Lives Matter”….. all of them! And anytime we see racial prejudices in our little world, we should step in, if possible, and be the voice of reason, righteousness and reconciliation. We should take the position of ‘peacemakers’ and see what happens. I know the Lord’ll bless the effort.

I doubt that many of my regular blog readers are racist…..hopefully none! So, in that sense….I’m preaching to the choir. But if you were to “Share” this post it might just hit someone that could make a huge difference. In the meantime, let’s all decide that “Lives Matter”!!

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The Parable of Pedro Flores

/ Andy R Taylor / 3 Comments

I’m disappointed in ‘ya if you don’t know who Pedro Flores is. I’ll forgive you if you’ll make it right. If you’ve never watched Lonesome Dove you won’t know who he is. For starters, why in the world have you not seen Lonesome Dove??! It’s just about the best movie ever made. For you, who are deprived, it’s a ‘made for TV’ miniseries from Larry McMurtry’s book about two semi-retired Texas Rangers, Captain Augustus ‘Gus’ McRae (Robert Duval), and Captain Woodrow Call (Tommy Lee Jones) and their journey taking several thousand head of cattle to Montana. You won’t be ‘spiritually rounded’ until you’ve seen it a few times. lol I’ve watched it no less than 9 times! So, as you might guess I’m somewhat rounded!

One of my favorite scenes in Lonesome Dove is when Gus, Woodrow and a few of their cohorts cross the border at night for a little fun to remind them of the ‘old days’. The Mexican bandito, Pedro Flores (a familiar foe who’s way up in years by now), often crossed the Texas border to steal horses and cattle. Gus and Woodrow enjoyed the challenge of crossing into Mexico and stealing some of them back from time to time. On this particular night as Pedro Flores was moving a big herd of stolen horses from one place to another Gus, Call and the boys swooped in, surprised the banditos and stole the whole herd of horses and took ’em back to Texas.

That whole scene reminds me of a phenomenon we’re often faced with in our spiritual life. The Bible talks about the fact that we have an ‘adversary’, the devil, who walks about like a roaring lion. It also states that he comes to steal, kill and destroy. He, the devil, will steal anything and everything he can from us. But in all actuality all he has going for him is the fact that we’ll believe his lies. And, just like Gus and Woodrow knew the methods of Pedro Flores…the Bible says that we’re not to be ignorant of the enemy’s devices. We have the ability….and the authority (because of what Jesus did!) to take back what’s been stolen from us, that which is rightfully ours.

So, the next time you realize you’ve been stolen from by the likes of Pedro Flores….do like Gus and Woodrow. Plan a little counter-attack of your own. Your obedience by faith to the will and plan of God for your life will help you recover everything that was taken!

Thus, the parable of Pedro Flores!

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Have a Nice Day, Lord!

/ Andy R Taylor / 2 Comments

It’s been a real adventure raising 5 kids. We had Clint, our first, only a year into our marriage..and the parental learning process began. Parenting is one of the most challenging and rewarding things you’ll do in your life. We’ve enjoyed every minute of it even though there’s been plenty of things to work through with each of them. I will say, looking back, that the years of raising kids goes by incredibly fast.

We have thousands of great memories from those years. One of those memories is when we started praying before meals. We’d often take turns and let the kids if they were willing, pray a lot of the time. I’ll never forget how one of our boys, who was about three at the time, often prayed. I’d help him get started and then he’d take it from there. He had just a little lisp at the time and his prayer would go something like this: “God, Bleth Mom and Dad, Bleth my brotherth, bleth MeMaw and Papaw….and uh…..have a nithe day, God!” It was about the sweetest prayer you’ve ever heard. I can’t help but think the Lord, Himself, loved the prayer and especially the part where He was told to, “Have a nithe day.” He probably doesn’t hear that too often.

I was thinking about that recently and I made a little Top-10 list of the things that should help the Father to have a ‘nithe’ day: 

  1. Get to know Him….No, I mean, really get to know Him! *He wants to be relational with you. Interact, and relate to Him as Father!
  2. Receive His ‘gift’! *Salvation is free……Receive it!
  3. Find your place/Discover your destiny! *You’ve been gifted so you can be a functional contributor to the Body of Christ. Get in the process of finding out how you’re gifted!
  4. Gravitate into your ‘sonship’! *He has handpicked you to be His son/daughter. Make the most of it….and keep it simple!
  5. Be ‘who’ you are! *There’s no one like you. Don’t try to be anyone else!
  6. Use your faith! *Learn to be led by the Holy Spirit!
  7. Get along! *Be a peacemaker! Dad’s love it when their kids get along!
  8. Get back up! *Everybody gets knocked down….not everybody gets back up!
  9. Be a ‘learner’! *It’s a lifetime endeavor. Make every day a day to learn!
  10. Be ‘free’! Jesus died for us to be free; free from sin…free from the Law! Enjoy your freedom!

Don’t forget…..He’s already extremely proud of you and He wants to see you succeed in every area of your life! And, maybe sometime in your prayer time, you can even tell Him to “Have a nithe day”!

You might like these, too:

Good Ground Grows Good Weeds, Too!

What If It’s Not to ‘Break’ You,….but to ‘Make’ You?

Dependently Independent!

/ Andy R Taylor / Leave a comment

Sounds like an oxymoron, right! But not so. On this day that we celebrate Independence Day, it prompted me to think about our spiritual life and what’s been done for us but the Lord Jesus Christ.

240 years ago today the Declaration of Independence was signed. We became The United States of America on that day. We came out from under what was perceived to be unfair oppression from Great Britain. The Revolutionary War, which would recored more than 10,000 casualties, ensued and would continue for several more years. But the 13 colonies would prevail and bought for us freedom….and the reality of a sovereign nation. The Biblical principles that this nation was founded on is one of the key reasons that the United States of America is still the greatest nation on the planet.

Liberty is an important word as it relates to a nation….and it’s an important word as it relates to our spiritual state, as well. There are some amazing similarities  between the liberty we enjoy as American citizens….and the liberty we enjoy as born-again believers. The 13 colonies were under unfair oppression from Great Britain. Mankind was under the oppression of our sin nature. In the revolutionary war bloodshed was required to win our freedom. Those soldiers were willing to lay down their life for the possibility of true freedom. But the purchase of our ‘spiritual freedom’ was vastly different; there was only One Who was wiling to lay down His life for our freedom. And, that sacrifice was the only thing that would be able to buy our freedom. It would be available for anyone in every generation….and the only requirement is that we’d just believe!

Freedom might be more valuable than we can consciously understand. Since we’ve never experienced it otherwise in America we can’t imagine what it’d be like to not live in a free nation. Immigrants to America might have a better perspective on that than we do. Our spiritual freedom is, likewise, extremely valuable if you consider the alternative. It’d probably do us some good if we did that from time to time.

But freedom can be a tricky thing if we’re not careful. If a nation strays away from the Godly, and Biblical principles she was founded on, lawlessness and chaos is likely to ensue. It’s also true of our spiritual condition. We were ‘given’ our absolute freedom….from sin, and from the Law. But to continue on without the guidance of those same principles and the help of the Holy Spirit……Well, you can just imagine the outcome.

The wise person will develop a keen understanding of their spiritual freedom….and even though we’ve been given total independence…..we’ll take that independence and willingly become ‘dependent’ on Him! That’s what I call ‘Dependently Independent’!

So, on this day, I choose to be mindful of, and extremely grateful for, the freedom that we have as Americans…and I also choose to be mindful, and grateful, for the freedom I’ve been given in Christ Jesus!

Another one you might enjoy:

I’m All For Celebrating ‘Independence Day’, But I Think We Need A ‘Dependence Day’ Too!

“Freedom’s Just Another Word” …… But It’s a Whole Lot More Than That!

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10 Tips That’ll Help You Become a “Learner”

/ Andy R Taylor / Leave a comment

I’m a learner; I like learning…and if you’re like me you can easily see that the possibilities for a learner are unlimited. We live in the information age where anything you want to know is simply a ‘click’ away. My Mom and Dad set me on the course of being a learner early on. One of the most profound things I’ve ever learned is a little something Dad told us when we were kids, and then reinforced it throughout mine and my brother’s  lives. Here’s what he said, “When you think you know it all, you’re as smart as you’re gonna get.”. That proves to be true if you’re a jet pilot or a lawyer; a plumber or a senator. But, the profound thing about it is that if you buy into it….it puts you on the path of being a lifetime learner. There’s a few practical things that I think’ll help if you want to choose to be a learner. *Keep in mind, it’s an inconclusive list…..since I’m still learning!

  1. Make a conscious choice to be a learner.
  2. If you’re going to be a learner, you must allow the truth(s) that you know to be challenged
  3. You must be able to consider ‘new’ information
  4. Learn to not reject opinions that differ from your own
  5. Listen!
  6. View every day as a day to learn
  7. View every event you encounter to be a learning experience
  8. Consider that every person in your life is there for you to learn from
  9. Some of the hardest things we endure in life hold the greatest lessons for us
  10. Be quick to ‘give away’ the things you learn

Caution: The tendency as we grow older is to taper off in our learning.

Learning is an Adventure! Embrace it!

As long as  you’re learning, you’re growing!

Try these too:

“It’s Not Your Job to Fix Them!”

Virtual Reality

Listen More …….. Learn More!

Listen Up!!

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Are You ‘Led’, or Are You ‘Driven’?

/ Andy R Taylor / 1 Comment

That’s a good question; and it’s an important question as it relates to how we’re living out our lives. Now, I’m not saying one or the other is correct for you. That’s totally up to you to decide….but I think we need to answer that question somewhere along the road of life. And, if you ask me, the sooner we’re able to answer it, the better. I’ve been both. And, truthfully now at nearly 63 and doing the math, I’ve spent about half my life in a ‘driven’ state….and the other half being ‘led’.

I’ve observed over the years different ones (some who I was very close to) who are extremely driven. They seem to always achieve more than those who are not so much that way. No real surprise there. But, when you look closer, it becomes apparent that many of those who are extremely driven can never get enough. And, whether the drive is for money, fame, fortune or even power….they never seem satisfied. They can’t relax, they can’t rest…they just can’t get enough, they have to have more. And, not that I’ve achieved any significant degree of success in those mentioned things….I can admit to,….and can relate to, being driven at times to have them.

But all that was early on in my life. It began to change at about age 30 for me, and only after I started learning to follow the Lord. I think it’s possible to try to reconcile the two. In fact it might even be a natural thing, at least at first,…..but it won’t work for long. It won’t work, primarily, because we’re created by the Lord, Himself to be ‘led’! He’s the One Who has the secrets to our lives; He’s the One Who has the ‘keys’ for our true contentment; He’s the One Who knows who we’re supposed to be…..and what we’re supposed to do with our lives.

Are you led…..or are you driven? My experience is, you’re one or the other; there’s no middle of the road. One way’ll leave you ‘never satisfied’…..the other will fully satisfy!

Check these out:

God Moves Through ‘Influence’ ……. Not ‘Control’!

God Is My Co-Pilot! ……and therein lies the problem!

 

 

It’s Either a Blessing or a Curse!

/ 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”

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Hell Fire, and Brimstone!

/ 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”!

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It Was a Great Answer!

/ 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#$!!

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