On The Road Again

Well it looks like I will be going on the road again with Raider and buying a truck from them.

I have to say that I am excited about going back over the road because I really do enjoy it and I really enjoyed working for Raider last year. The only issues I had with them last year were all related to truck management. I like to idle my truck more than they allow. I like to fuel whenever I want so that I can meet my shower or log book needs. And I like to run whatever route I feel works best for me. I have been driving for a while and have reasons why I prefer some routes to others. So All of those issues become non issues now that I am buying my own truck.

I am a little nervous about the timing of it all though. CSA is going into full operation now and Raider has some pretty bad numbers in the several categories. I am concerned that this might make me a target in my little red truck. Also the price of fuel is going through the roof right now. That should be offset by the fuel surcharge but it still lurks in the background.

I have really enjoyed the last eight months of working for Lukes Asphalt. Billy and Dallas are two of the best guys to work for that you will ever meet. We had a great time fishing and hunting in Wyoming and a great pheasant hunt in Hart, TX. Going to work never felt like going to work. I always looked forward to seeing the guys and hearing about the night before. If it were not for being able to buy my own truck I would probably work for the Lukes until it was time to retire. I’m going to miss them day to day but hope to stay in touch and do some more hunting and fishing with them.

Anyway, 2 weeks  till I start with Raider. I’m anxious.

Judge Not… But Do Speak Up!

All of us know that Jesus says in Matthew 7:1 “Judge not lest ye be judged”. That is a commandment from Jesus Christ and we are to follow it. A major problem with this though is that many people are not clear on what it means to judge and so the Devil has used that misunderstanding against them. One of the Evil Ones most successful tactics is to take a small amount of the truth and mix it with false interpretation in order to lead the Christian astray. I would like to try and separate the truth from the lie in this case and to shed a little light on the subject. Hopefully this will strengthen our resolve to do the right thing. To exemplify brotherly love as we speak up for what is right and speak out against what is wrong.

It is not judgmental to yell “look out” when a person is about to get struck by something or is walking off a cliff. In fact the bible instructs us over and over again as in 1st Thessalonians 5:14 to warn our brothers.

Suppose you see your friend walking down the sidewalk listening to their iPod and not paying attention to much of anything. They are completely oblivious to the fact that although the crosswalk sign says “walk” there is a car screaming down the street that is going to run the light. Would you find a way to get their attention so that they would not step in front of it? Or would you let them get run over? You would alert them right? I sure hope so anyway. Were you judging that friend by stepping in to help or were you looking out for their welfare? You were looking out for their welfare and trying to help them with no thought of judgment whatsoever. That car was going to kill them and you just wanted to make your friend aware of that so that they could stop before they got run over.

Now suppose another friend is living with their girlfriend and that friend has made it known that they are having sexual relations. Do you say anything to this friend about the fact that the bible clearly says that sex outside of the bonds of marriage is a sin? What about the co-worker who tells crude jokes or your friend who regularly drinks excessively? Do you say anything to these folks? What about the Christian who cheats on his taxes or fails to pay all of his debts? Do you say anything? If you are like most Christians you say nothing. Either because you have been regularly scolded by those who misunderstand the commandment “Judge not lest ye be judged” or because you yourself have not understood it.

When it comes to sin we are all guilty. No one except the Lord Jesus Christ has ever or will ever live a sin free life. I myself have to admit to committing every one of the sins listed in the previous paragraph. I am not proud of it but neither will I hide from it. I have come to know that those things grieved the Holy Spirit; I have vowed to do them no more and have asked God to forgive me in the name of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The Lord has forgiven me and remembers those sins no more.

When you see your fellow Christian committing a sin I believe it is your duty as a brother or sister in Christ to speak up. Don’t point your finger at your brother or sister and tell them that they are going to burn in hell for what they are doing, but gently remind them that as Christians we believe that we will be called upon to answer for our actions and lifestyles. Do not judge them for what they are doing because I am sure that if every detail of your life were exposed you would be just as guilty as the one you are seeking to judge. We all are. So don’t be judgmental but do say something. We do have a responsibility to each other, we all forget, we all get careless, we all sometimes stroll down the sidewalk so wrapped up in ourselves that we fail to pay attention.

Do not let your friend get hit by that car. Judge not… But do speak up!

Trust In the Lord

I want to offer some words of encouragement to my friends and acquaintances who are troubled by recent events in the national news. Violence and anger top the headlines on all the news programs and it seems that respect for fellow human beings is becoming a thing of the past. Apparently our government has lost all interest in listening to the will of the people and is determined to give us what they think is best for us whether we like it or not. It is quite understandable to have concerns about the direction the government is going and what that means for America what it means for our way of life.

If I allow myself to dwell on these negative indicators I can become quite frustrated and that is why we have to remember that there is a God who created this world, all that is in it, and He has everything undercontrol. We are children of God if we believe that Jesus Christ died for our sins so that we might be forgiven and come into the presence of the Father. I do not understand God’s entire plan but He has promised His children a place in Heaven among the angels where sin does not exist and He always keeps His promises.

Yes we do need to stay engaged in the affairs of our government and our society and to stand up for what is right while denouncing what is wrong, but while we are doing that we should stay focused on the larger picture. As children of God we need to be working to further His kingdom regardless of the state of the world we live in. I don’t know what the future holds for this country but I am not worried. We may be headed for serious troubles or for minor corrections, God may be bringing America down so that it can be built up stronger or He may tear it down completely. God will not allow a nation that turns its back on Him to prosper. He will tear down those nations and peoples who defy Him and refuse to acknowledge Him. Israel was God’s chosen people and yet He made them slaves to the Egyptians for 400 years because of their disobedience.

Is He about to take our freedoms from us because of our disobedience? I don’t have the answer to that question but either way I will delight and be glad in the Lord because scripture says that He does all things for the benefit of His children. If you believe that Jesus died for you, trust Him to take care of you. We may be faced with some great struggles ahead of us but God will not give us more than we can handle. If we can learn to truly trust Him and to be satisfied with the blessings He gives us we will know peace regardless of the troubles of this world.