HARLEY DAISY

About a month ago a good friend asked if I wanted another dog. Reagan you recall did not make the cut for the "Into the Wild" adventure last year. He did find a great home with plenty of land to run around on. I have to admit that I was pretty hesitant about responding. I mean Reagan pretty much scarred me for life when it comes to 4 legged creatures. I have already raised 3 kids who despite my efforts to the contrary have turned out pretty good. I certainly don't need another one at 53 to screw up. As a matter of fact I waited about a week before even telling Matt about this opportunity. My friend really sealed the deal when she offered for us just to be "foster" parents for a month until she could get her placed. I discussed it over with Matt and WE both agreed, I mean I'm pretty sure WE both agreed, that this would be his dog.

Well the next day, Harley Daisy as she is affectionately known as, showed up at house (also known as The Pound, which is another story). Harley is five years old and is an English Bulldog. I must say she is the exact opposite of Reagan. Her idea of fetch is "I'll do it two times and I'm done." She has a 30 second burst of energy each night and then its lights out for the next 23 1/2 hours. And she is housebroken and doesn't have the energy to eat a thing except food. So the next time you are at the pound, you will see a live statute on the couch! You are required to pet her, just to make sure she is still alive! You all have a Happy New Year! God Bless, Art

DR. KING

Recently my life has been blessed with Dr. King. Meeting him and spending time with him has been a God thing. Dr. King runs a ministry in York County called Christians to Feed the Hungry. Some things you might like to know about Dr. King is he is 69 and has been feeding the poor for 38 years. His title of Dr. is genuine; it wasn’t a mail order thing or the back of a matchbook from Kumbaya University. This guy has a PHD Ivy League education from Columbia University. He was the original CSI before there was CSI. He was the York County coroner and head of the York County Substance Abuse organization when God told him to feed the poor. He usually works 20-hour days that start at 1.00 AM searching for homeless people in the overpasses of York County. Through his alliance of about 35 churches he serves nearly 6,000 meals a day every day, without one penny from any Federal, State or Local government program. His ministry was recognized this year as the most efficient charity in the state with 100% of donations going to the poor. Yeah that’s right, no overhead, no administration, and no salaries.

I have had the pleasure to spend several days over the past two weeks with Dr. King. I have been blessed to hand out coats, blankets, food and collect toys for the poor. I have seen places in Rock Hill that I didn’t know existed. I have met people who don’t even qualify to be called poor. They don’t exist except in Dr. King’s world. I have been blessed to meet other churches and pastors in this area who define the word giving. I have experienced one man’s incredible faith and belief in the God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not, as though they were.

Prior to starting my journey with Dr. King, Manning Kimble owner of WHRI and my conduit to the good Doctor had three pieces of advice for me. 1). After spending a day with Dr. King you will want to sell everything you own and give it to the poor. 2). Do not judge the people you meet and 3). Be prepared to experience miracle after miracle. All of that has turned out to be excellent advice.

Jesus addressed this exact situation in Matthew 25. Below is what he said:

34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. 36 I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’

37 “Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? 39 When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’

40 “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’

41 “Then the King will turn to those on the left and say, ‘Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons. 42 For I was hungry, and you didn’t feed me. I was thirsty, and you didn’t give me a drink. 43 I was a stranger, and you didn’t invite me into your home. I was naked, and you didn’t give me clothing. I was sick and in prison, and you didn’t visit me.’

44 “Then they will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and not help you?’

45 “And he will answer, ‘I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me.’

So the question for us this Christmas Season is which side of the King will we be standing on? The right or the left? I know for certain one man who will be on his right side.

I wish you all a Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah!
God Bless, Art

COST OF DISCIPLESHIP

I brought my Kindle with me on the Into the Wild adventure this year. I figured I would get some light reading in during our trip. I shopped the Kindle store for something easy or fun to read. I downloaded a couple of dumb novels that wouldn’t challenge me too much intellectually, if you know what I mean. About halfway through the second novel, God asked me why I was putting that trash in my mind and why not read something good.

I went back to the Kindle store and browsed the religion section. My eyes immediately fell on a book titled, “RADICAL, taking back your faith from the American Dream.” It was by a guy named David Platt. I never heard of him, but liked the title, so I downloaded it. It amazes me how just the little thoughts or ideas that God puts in your mind end up transforming your life forever. This book grabbed me from the very first paragraph and has made me challenge everything in my life.

This book makes you think about the American Dream (go to college, get a job, wife, family, 401k plan and health insurance and go to church on Sundays) compared to the cost of following Jesus. When Jesus talked about the “rich” I always knew those passages were referring to Bill Gates, Warren Buffet, Donald Trump and Oprah Winfrey. Now those people are rich. Me? I’m just trying to keep my head above water. But WE are all RICH who live in America compared to the rest of world. I don’t care if you are on welfare or food stamps; you are still rich by the standards of the rest of the world. All Americans were born with a silver spoon in their mouth and most of us don’t even realize it, including me. It became crystal clear to me the “rich” man Jesus was referring to was ME.

How many of us today would really follow Jesus if he told us to sell EVERYTHING and give it to the poor? Who would follow Him if He said, “Quit your job, your wife, your family and follow me?” Who would follow him if He said, “you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me.” I’ve worked my whole life for this “stuff”! Quit my job in this economy? Lose my life for You? What are you nuts or something? But that’s exactly what the cost of discipleship is all about.

This book made me focus on having a radical relationship with God. I had to ask God to show me all the “things” or “stuff” in my life that I had put in front of Him. The “things” I had put my security in, instead of Him. I wasn’t real thrilled with all the “things” he showed me. After 50 some years I had accumulated a lot of “stuff”. But in the words of Paul, all this stuff is worthless compared to the greatness of knowing Christ Jesus. So if the world calls me crazy or stupid, just know I am just trying to walk out this radical relationship with God. I wish you all a Merry Christmas,


God Bless, Art