Everyone is after A GOOD DEAL. Unfortunately we don’t always find it. Sometimes we have to settle for something cheap. The old saying goes, “If your outgo overcomes your income, your upkeep will be your downfall.” Dad repeated this time and again, but for some reason I didn’t ‘get it.’ Credit cards enter the scene. All of a sudden, all “good deals” were “affordable.” Then the bills started mounting and I started to ‘get it.’ Paying off those awful monthly minimum payment bills is not easy. Never-ending!!!
Dad always said, “It’s not a good deal when you can’t afford it.” Seeking a ‘good deal’ is always the most desired, but sometimes “settling for less” is the best thing. Now, good deals need repair, or become outdated in a month, and then (if you use a credit card to purchase it you go and find yet another ‘good deal.’ Then add more monthly payments. Yuck.
All of a sudden, if you didn’t have it before hand, you have this sick feeling in your stomach. The “hot-sweats” begin, repairs are now on top of the purchase on the credit card. Creditors love it, but I sure didn’t. Too many times, cards were maxed out, or balances were transferred to “better” credit cards. So it goes…

What does this have to do with anything? Well, perhaps someone can learn from my early financial mistakes.
1.  Settle for less instead of using a credit card. in other words, buy what you can afford.
2. Don’t let money problems become such a heavy burden, that you cannot enjoy life or seek first the kingdom of God.
3. If it’s too late, then use a strategy called “snow-balling” to get the card(s) dealt with once and for all. (“Snow-ball” method is where you pay off the smallest card, and then instead of spending that extra money to go into debt, use it one the balance of the next card and begin to pay off that one quickly, and so on. Pay all credit cards off. If you have a mortgage, then start paying on the principle with money now freed up from paid off credit cards.
4. Get life under control by living within your means… ie “SETTLE FOR LESS UNTILL YOU CAN AFFORD MORE.”
5. (This should be first) Put God first!!! Never put Him in a place other than #1.

Yes, we all want a “GOOD DEAL.! Nothing wrong with that. (Yard sales calling!)
You may recall, in John 15, that Jesus said, “I AM THE TRUE VINE.” Go ahead, read the chapter. You will see an active Gardener as well. The point we want to make now is that when Jesus said he is the “TRUE VINE,” he is implying that there are other vines… but HE IS THE ONLY ONE THAT TRULY SUSTAINS LIFE. Truly good QUALITY! The BEST! “You may say, “I can’t afford to be part of that Vine.” Wrong! You can’t afford NOT TO BE part of this Vine. This is Jesus. I mean you can’t get better “quality” because God sent his VERY BEST! Don’t even pause to consider the other “vines”(“good deals” because they are not what you want, not really. Even if they are “cheaper,” they will never sustain real life like the one Jesus offers.
We are always worried about the COST of course. Well, hear this. JESUS PAID IT ALL. John 10 speaks of how he gave (PAID WITH) his life out of His love. Think about it. He loved us so much, he was willing to die in shame, so we might be raised in glory. This ‘deal’ is not cheap! It does have a price. “A teacher of the Law of Moses came up to Him and said, “Teacher, I’ll go anywhere with you!” Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens, and birds have nests But the Son of Man doesn’t have a place to call his own.” Another disciple said to Jesus, “Lord, let me wait till I bury my father.” Jesus answered, “Come with me, let the dead bury their dead.” (Matthew 8:18-22 CEV) Crosses are not cheap, and the world doesn’t consider this cross a “good deal.” “Then He said to them ALL, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” (Luke 9:23 NKJV)

Looking back, I see a young boy about 10 years old, walking to the front, confessing Jesus as Lord, and being baptized into Jesus. Years later, after a dark journey to a ‘pig pen,’ did I come to appreciate the marvelous grace He offers. Now re-dedicated to Him, can I look and see the price is WORTH IT ALL. It’s worth EVERYTHING! Now I know. I need no credit card for this. I don’t worry about payments and interest. Jesus will always be there, on His throne, ready to save, and keep his people.
That’s a “GOOD DEAL!”
Grow in grace people!

I guess it is time to confess that I am a Christian who struggles with anger. I know this is a problem from my early years, and perhaps putting this here will help others or generate some interest and comments.
Genesis 4:5-7 “but He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell. So the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why is your countenance fallen?” (Of course we realize what happened afterwards AND the sad consequences.) “If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not well, SIN lies at the door. And its desire (is) for you, but you should rule over it.”
These are powerful verses for sure. As I read these words I can see myself the whole way through. All I know is, anger is a real problem and a difficult thing to deal with. I’m not sure that I understand all of this in the since that I fully understand ‘the WHY’, but I’ll try to be as clear as I can be.
Question: COULD CAIN HAVE STOPPED, RE-CONSIDERED HIS OFFERING AND DONE IT CORRECTLY, AND BEEN ACCEPTED? Was it a fore-gone conclusion that Cain was doomed to offer something unacceptable and be rejected? What is wrong with offering the best veggies? Why is a lamb more acceptable? Questions that send the mind into a ‘spin” for sure. Don’t have the answers here.

Getting back to the anger issue… How do we overcome it?

Memories of growing up are spotty to say the least. You probably know my parent and may even know me and my brothers and sisters.
My brother Bob was stricken with polio when he was 21/2 and almost dies. Dad recalled that he and mom fell on their face in supplication for Bob. He went through the iron-lung thing, numerous operations involving fussing the back to stop the curving (stenosis), legs were useless, bone used from legs and hip to fuse the back. Full-body casts, using a stick or clothes hanger to scratch. Bed-pans and urinals, back braces, tears, frustrations, prayers, trips to Warm Springs, Ga. As kids we recall peering through the hospital window at Robbie in iron lung, and his sweet smile.

Anger was a silent invasive enemy for us. Frustration because now the DYNAMICS of the home was changed for good. Everything centered around Robbie. EVERYTHING! Think about it. How would a disaster like this affect your home?
MOM: Expected to do much more. Money for food, clothing and other expenses, were tight.
DAD: Fulltime ministry and church work. Most of the time spent outside the home. Sacrifice!
ME: Help mom take care of Robbie. I’m a older brother, now a part time care-taker…

EVERYTHING WAS CHANGED!
Angry? Yes! I wanted us to be normal. Shouldn’t feel angry! I know. But you try changing bed-pans and urinals at night. How you as a kid FEEL? There was though a lot of smiles and laughter. Bonding.
I CAME TO THE POINT WHERE I WAS ROBBIE’S PROTECTOR. I COULD GET ANGRY WITH HIM, BUT NO ONE ELSE COULD.

Let me know as I go through this, if you can identify with these feelings. Maybe I’m the only one. Who knows.
“Thru the years,” things changed. Robbie (Bob) was not expected to live to 50 years old. HE LIVED TO BE 65! Not expected to get married! He was! Experiencing life in so many ways. Just look at the pictures in my gallery and dad’s. You will see Bob growing up.

God bless you. Don’t allow anger to control. Control it! Don’t open the door to or give the devil a foot-hold. Danger ahead. Find a way to conquer anger.
More coming on this…
Grow in grace.

a.) D.Y.O.R. (Do your own research!) My problem is thinking just because I went to preacher school, thinking I know it all. I DO NOT! Always learning here. Always searching for deeper understanding of Scriptures, it’s cultural background for the various books. It is truly amazing. Sixty six books all with their own audience, and purpose, background. The idea of tasking verses out of context, using them to fit and support our own beliefs is not a safe way of studying. We condemn others for doing this, but we do it ourselves. Shame. Yet a word of encouragement … we are basically on target. Have an open mind. “Familiar Scriptures demand that we consider them over and over.” Who knows we may learn more.
b.) I say all this because when it comes to the book of Ephesians, we need to research the cultural context and it’s influence on why it was written by Paul. D.Y.O.R.!
c.) Specifically looking at the verses in the title:

1. WATCH YOUR WALK!
A. Very simple idea Paul presents… since we all being part of the “body” of Christ, have a great influence on others who are in the body. Each one has a specific strength to add, a specific contribution to make to the over-all strength of the body. What’s your part? Not doing your part, not using your Spiritual gifts, not growing in grace, simply means a deep loss to the over-all body of Christ.
B. “No longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk…”
i.) “Futility” (useless, offering no hope)
ii.) “understanding darkened” (seeing everything through an evil lense).
iii.) “alienated from the life of God”
iv.) Reason behind this? Because of their own ignorance. Because of their own
blindness of their hearts. THEY JUST DON’T WANT TO SEE, UNDERSTAND,
CHANGE.
v.) “Past feeling,” “Given over to lewdness, to work all uncleanliness with greediness.”
This is so bad. Just think of this. NO FEELING, NO CONSCIENCE, NOT CARING.
Doing something so much you come to accept it as a “so-what?!”
Scary isn’t it? Dear God, keep us from this hardness of heart!
C. Letting our guards down, accepting things that are wrong, accepting an attitude towards
our own lives that “we are just humans.” We stop trying to really grow. We preach that
others need to “repent,” while never repenting ourselves. HYPOCRITE!
i.) My own struggle is just this. It is a daily struggle to be genuine and grow.
ii.) Tempted to give up, stop trying.
iii.) I must WATCH MY WALK. My own walk MUST MIRROR THAT OF JESUS.
2. GETTING TO SPECIFICS
A. “Put off CONCERNING YOUR FORMER CONDUCT…”
i,) Time to stop and think of my PAST CONDUCT. I don’t like it, regret it, stupid choices.
ii.) The old man continues to be more corrupt… deceived by lust (DYOR). Lust=desiring
and letting the flesh control. Allowing sinful desires to not only surface but dwelling
on these… day dreaming… tempted… dragged away (again) into sin. Our cycle must
be broken if we are to be free in Christ. Lust is deceitful…
B. “Be renewed in the spirit of your mind.”
i.) EVERYDAY is a battle for the mind… EVERYDAY! Almost EVERY MINUTE…
ii.) I admit it. I struggle. This is my battle.
iii.) “Put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness
and holiness.”
C. HOW???
i.) CONFESS – To God (forgiveness) He promises to forgive… I Jno. 2:1f
ii.) CONFESS – To another brother you trust (healing) Jms. 5:16 “Confess your
trespasses to one another, pray for one another, THAT YOU MAY BE HEALED. ”
Does it work? Yes! Is this easy? No! You want to be healed? Yes! So DO IT! No more
excuses. Time to break the cycle of sin in life.
iii.) RUN! Time to exercise! Joseph (Gen. 39) Joseph had to deal with Mrs. Potiphar.
HE RAN FROM HER!
I missed for so long the need to RUN! LEAVE! GET OUT! Quit playing ‘footsies’ with
Satan thinking, it’s ok. It’s not! A wise man knows where his weakness is. A foolish man
knows and plays anyway. Read Proverbs 5:1-10ff
3. BACK TO THE BUTTERFLY AND SPIDER.
A. Let’s be honest with ourselves. Romans 7 speaks of a war going on. As long as we are
in this world, we will have to be involved in this ward with the flesh. Our flesh.
Our struggle.
B. In our lives, we cannot give in to the “spider” (flesh)(old man), that always seeks the
dark places. “We are only as strong as we are honest” (with ourselves).
C. Strive for spiritual growth (butterfly). Put off/put on. Strengthen the soul and mind.
Follow after (focus your eyes on) Jesus (Heb. 12:1-2) .
D. Come on people. Let’s do this. Pray for me, pray for yourself.

GROW IN GRACE!