The "Standard Operating Guideline For Life"  is the Holy Bible.

"Making Change"

July 25, 2004

"And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven."

- Matthew 18:3 (NIV)

Sometimes, bad things happen to us to prompt a change in our life. I'll give you a good example;

Our unit was dispatched to a shooting. We staged, waiting for law enforcement to come and secure the scene. After a fairly short wait, we were cleared in to the scene. A side note to this - as we pulled up to the scene, the generator on our unit backfired... cops reached for their guns, my supervisor said he nearly threw up and my partner and I had simultaneous heart attacks! LOL.

Anyway, we are directed in the the victim. Luckily for our patient, the bullet had made a clean entrance and exit in an extremity. A parent of our patient showed up on the scene after being called there by a friend. The parent rode in the front of the unit with me on the way to the hospital. The parent was obviously shaken and was crying and kept saying, "All I envisioned was that my child was shot in the head." And, upon arrival at the hospital, our adult patient looked at the parent and said, "This was bad. I've got to make a serious change this time."

Well, that told me two things - first, our patient realized the severity of sin. But, secondly, it also told me that their had been trouble in the past, too, because of the statement "this time." That means there wasn't a change "last time."

Now, let's say the shooting occurred due to a drug deal gone bad. The sin of drug use had led to a consequence - a shooting. The drug user, then, was the victim of the action of another person's sins... drug distribution and shooting a human being.

Our verse this week are the words of our REAL CHIEF, Himself. HE tells we must "change and become like little children." Think about that - would a little child deal drugs? Would a little child shoot people? Okay... in our weird society those things have happened. But, let's think about it from the standpoint of a three or four year old. All you care about it hugs from mommy, playtime with daddy, finger-painting and eating your crayons.

We must change all right - we must grow as CHRISTIAN adults while maintaining a child-like innocence to sin. THAT, my friends, is the way to make change...

...On HIS Shift,

"Don't Worry, Be Happy"

July 18, 2004

"Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?"

- Luke 12:25 (NIV)

A few years back, a writer by the name of Bobby McFerrin wrote a song that became an instant hit. It was called, you guessed it, "Don't Worry - Be Happy."

The other day, Cindy and I were cruising around and the song came on the radio. "Here's a little song I wrote... you might want to sing it note by note... don't worry - be happy!"

But then came the second verse - "In every life we have some trouble... when you worry you make it double... don't worry - be happy!"

THAT was the verse that made me stop and think. It reminded me of a couple of verses from the Standard Operating Procedures for Life (the Holy Bible). One was this week's verse... in JESUS'S own Words. The other, though, is the verse that comforts those who might worry... "In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." (John 16:33b - NIV) You see, JESUS said that, too.

It's true, when you worry about trouble in your life, you "double the trouble" by your worry. Trouble will come. Sorry. Fact of life. But, worry doesn't have to come. That's something that you choose to do... or not.

When our REAL CHIEF says "... you will have trouble," HE also says, "But take heart!" Which means, "don't worry! I am in control. Turn your trouble over to ME!

Hopefully, you won't run into any trouble this week. But, if you do, turn it over to our REAL CHIEF. Then, just sing along with me...

Here's a little song I wrote
You might want to sing it note for note
Don't Worry - Be Happy
In every life we have some trouble
But when you worry you make it Double
Don't Worry - Be Happy
Ain't got no place to lay your head,
somebody came and took your bed
Don't Worry, Be Happy
The landlord say your rent is late,
he may have to litigate
Don't Worry - Be Happy
Ain't got not cash, ain't got no style,
ain't got no gal to make you smile
Don't Worry - Be Happy
Cause when you worry your face will frown
and that will bring everybody down
Don't Worry - Be Happy
(by Bobby McFerrin)

You've got the tune stuck in your head now, don't you? :>) Sing it to yourself as you serve...

...On HIS Shift,

"Garbage Everywhere"

July 11, 2004

"Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for it is light that makes everything visible."

- Ephesians 5:11-14(a) (NIV)

Several shifts back, my partner and I responded to a fairly unusual motor vehicle accident - "Medic ##, Engine and Rescue ## - a report of an overturned truck...."

Okay, so an overturned truck is no big deal you say, right? Well, this time I knew it was going to be a little different... as we pulled through the evening rush hour traffic, we see, sure enough, an overturned truck... an overturned garbage truck. And, you guessed it, there was garbage everywhere... all over the freeway, all over the shoulder, in the ditch with the truck... everywhere. And, as we opened our doors, WHEW!!! Try to imagine the plentiful aroma of rotting eggs and meat and... well, whatever society tosses out. And there, laying in the mud and the blood and the waste are our patients.

I tell you this story because it is a great metaphor for sin... there it is, all spilled out for everyone to see. That is how it will be on Judgment Day. You will stand before our REAL CHIEF and your whole life will be laid out for HIM to see. You see, that's why, in this week's verse, that we are encouraged to expose sin. Why? Because we all try to "hide" our sin. Think about it. We try to keep our sins to our self. We don't tell anyone about it.

Our REAL CHIEF knows when we sin. But, HE is also quick to forgive when we do sin. There's a catch, though. You have the obligation to expose your sin... to admit to GOD that you have sinned. Then, you must ask HIM to forgive you. HE is faithful in HIS promise to do so.

Do you have a "secret" sin in your life? It could be alcohol, drugs, pornography, gossiping, lying or whatever. Expose that sin to THE Light... CHRIST. Admit your wrongdoings. Ask for forgiveness. Don't live in darkness anymore. Live in the LIGHT and you will shine as you serve...

...On HIS Shift,

"God Bless America"

July 4, 2004

"Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD"

- Psalm 33:12(a) (NIV)

A friend sent this to me. I think it is entirely appropriate to forward it to you.

July Fourth is the birthday of our nation. I believed as a boy, and believe even more today, that it is the birthday of the greatest nation on earth.

The 56 men that gathered in July 1776 to sign the Declaration Of Independence in Philadelphia were honorable men... so unique that we have never seen their like since. Some gave their lives in the war that followed, most gave their fortunes, and all preserved their sacred honor..

What manner of men were they? Twenty-four were lawyers and jurists, 11 were merchants and tradesmen, and nine were farmers. They were soft-spoken men of means and education; they were not an unwashed rabble. They had achieved security but valued freedom more..

In recent years, however, I've come to think of that day as more than just the birthday of a nation.

It also commemorates the only true philosophical revolution in all history.

Oh, there have been revolutions before and since ours. But those revolutions simply exchanged one set of rules for another. Ours was a revolution that changed the very concept of government.

Let the Fourth of July always be a reminder that here in this land, for the first time, it was decided that man is born with certain God-given rights; that government is only a convenience created and managed by the people, with no powers of its own except those voluntarily granted to it by the people.

We sometimes forget that great truth, and we never should.
 

God Bless each of you this holiday weekend. Stay safe. God Bless America...

...On HIS Shift,