“Cap and Trade” is a popular methodology bantered around by many politicians today on a systematic approach to curbing environmental emissions and, thus, reducing global warming. The essence of it is: reduce your carbon emissions and you can receive credits for it. If another company is struggling to reduce, they can purchase your credits and continue to produce their emissions for a price. In other words: it’s ok to pollute…as long as you pay for it. Although it may “theoretically” work, its actual achievements are full of debate.
Why do I bring up such a matter? Well…it reminded me of a similar methodology used by the Catholics. In Catholicism, when a person sins they need to confess and be absolved by a priest. Once you have been absolved, however, you still need to pay a penance which is proportional to the sin. Here comes the cap and trade analogy…“Indulgence”. This is the Catholic assertion that those who are extremely pious are considered to have built up an excess of merits or “goodness” and can, therefore, intervene on behalf of other sinners and either reduce or completely eliminate their penance. You can probably already see the practical predicaments this creates. During the Middle Ages this practice became so rife with abuse and corruption that a whole profit industry was formed and was not really contested until Martin Luther brought about the Protestant Reformation in the 1500s.
To try and barter our actions so that we can feel better…just isn’t working in my book; whether it be religious or environmental. When it comes to ‘sin’ and ‘paying a price’…the Bible is extremely clear on this point. Everyone has sin in their lives; everyone deserves to pay the price of death; Jesus Christ has paid that “sin debt” on our behalf so we don’t have to. There is no cap and trade when it comes to the economy of salvation. Christ paid it in full and all we have to do is believe and accept in faith this gift of grace.
Each time I hear about the cap and trade method in the news, I think about my salvation…and thank God that He has transcended all the politics and economic trials we face today.
Greg Morton
© December 17, 2009
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Monday, December 7, 2009
Enthusiasm
If any of you know me, you’d concur with any of the colorful phrases my wife uses to describe my overall personality….”bump on a log”, “stick in the mud”, etc. etc. I may have a touch of eloquence in my writing, but when it comes to verbal interactions…well, that’s a bit wanting. But, hey…this commentary isn’t about me. I only preface this to set up a situation that recently struck a chord in me. The other morning at work, as people were arriving and saying “Good morning!” I responded with my usual “mornin…” with my typical low key, mumbling tone. My faithful assistant—who is at the desk next to mine—declared “Say it with a little more enthusiasm!”
Ok…now the real commentary (finally). I already knew the etymology of the word “enthusiasm”, however, I thought I’d share it since many of you may not realize how the word was derived. It comes from the Greek word enthousiasmos to be inspired. This was derived from en- + theos God. When we have enthusiasm we are literally saying we have inspiration from God.
Clearly this is a unique testament to how people—even through the evolution of language—view the relationship we can have with God. If you have a relationship with God, you should be filled with inspiration. He created, He suffered, He forgave, He forgives, He blesses, He inspires.
How in the world am I going to sit at my desk mumbling “mornin…” with a sourpuss face now? The reality is…I shouldn’t be able to. I am saved by an amazing grace that I don’t deserve (but I’ll gladly take it) and have the love of God in my heart. Perhaps my humanness and habits may preempt my proper response…but I plan on living up to the word “enthusiasm” with a revitalized and improved effort to communicate en+theos.
Blessings! (said, of course, with a happy, smiling face)
Greg Morton
© December 7, 2009
Ok…now the real commentary (finally). I already knew the etymology of the word “enthusiasm”, however, I thought I’d share it since many of you may not realize how the word was derived. It comes from the Greek word enthousiasmos to be inspired. This was derived from en- + theos God. When we have enthusiasm we are literally saying we have inspiration from God.
Clearly this is a unique testament to how people—even through the evolution of language—view the relationship we can have with God. If you have a relationship with God, you should be filled with inspiration. He created, He suffered, He forgave, He forgives, He blesses, He inspires.
How in the world am I going to sit at my desk mumbling “mornin…” with a sourpuss face now? The reality is…I shouldn’t be able to. I am saved by an amazing grace that I don’t deserve (but I’ll gladly take it) and have the love of God in my heart. Perhaps my humanness and habits may preempt my proper response…but I plan on living up to the word “enthusiasm” with a revitalized and improved effort to communicate en+theos.
Blessings! (said, of course, with a happy, smiling face)
Greg Morton
© December 7, 2009
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
No God...No Problem! (or is it?)
There’s a new campaign this season being spearheaded by the American Humanist Association; their slogan “No God?... No problem!” Their contention is that you don’t have to have God to be good…you truly can be good for goodness’ sake. This slogan will be promoted on buses and other transit systems all throughout the holiday season.
Unfortunately the message is, in and of itself, correct. The problem is that “good” does not equate to “saved”…thus my difficulty with the whole premise.
I truly understand how the Christmas season can be a challenge for an unsaved person trying to relate to the religious significance that we, as Christians, hold dear. Our holiday has been pumped with so much commercialization it’s a wonder anyone, Christian or otherwise, can get past the hype and into the truth. We then add this concoction of traditions melding contrasting concepts: Santa vs. Jesus; malls vs. Messiah; parties vs. prayer; good times vs. godly times. It’s no wonder the atheists want their say.
The problem I personally have with this campaign is that it is implying “good” is good enough. While it’s true you don’t have to be religious per se in order to be good, the Bible is very clear that “good” is not good enough for salvation. This is the message I wish were being promoted throughout the holiday season.
No God?...for me, that’s a problem.
Greg Morton
© December 1, 2009
Monday, November 23, 2009
I Wish I Were An Ass
Yeah…I thought that might get your attention.
Ok, boys and girls. Everyone sit down on the floor, get comfortable, and Uncle Greg is going to tell you all a little story.
In the 22nd chapter of Numbers there’s a great accounting of a very unusual nature (which, by the way, the Bible is rife with…for those of you that may think the Bible is “boring”). Balaam was a non-Jewish “seer” (it’s debatable whether he was a true prophet) with a strong reputation within the region for being able to provide curses or blessings on God’s behalf.
The current king of Moab, Balak, saw this enormous group of Israelites approaching closer and closer—who’s exodus from Egypt was well known—and became afraid of his land being invaded by them. He called upon Balaam to put a curse on them so that they could be held back and defeated. Balak sent his emissaries to fetch Balaam and pay him handsomely for his services. Balaam told them to spend the night and he would “speak” to God about it. God told him, “Don’t do it…I’ve blessed these people.” Balaam relayed the message to the princes and sent them on their way. Balak, not taking “no” as an answer, sent even higher ranking princes to convince him and, again, Balaam said he’d have to confer with God. This time God said, “Go ahead, but only tell them exactly what I tell you to say.”
Balaam set off for his journey but the very fact that he didn’t take God’s answer to heart the first time really ticked God off. God sent an angel to confront Balaam but only the donkey he was riding saw the angel. The donkey--seeing the angel had a sword in his hand--turned off the path. Balaam, not knowing what was going on, beat the donkey into submission to journey on. This happened two more times and each time Balaam beat the tar out of his loyal companion.
This is where it gets weird…the donkey then spoke to Balaam and said, “Hey! What have I done to you to deserve a beating?” Balaam (who, apparently, didn’t flinch at the fact a voice was coming out of his donkey) responded, “Because you made me look foolish!” Then the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam so that he too could see the angel with the sword. The angel asked the same the thing the donkey asked, “Why have you beaten your donkey three times? I’ve come to oppose you because your path is a reckless one.”
With all my heart I wish to be the loyal companion that is able to see God and what He wants…just like that trustworthy donkey of Balaam’s. To be going down the wrong path and not able to see the stop signs God is giving you…this is a valid fear and concern. It truly inspires me to keep that close connection, even when it may feel a bit distant.
So what happens in the rest of this very cool story….what happens to Balaam, and Balak, the land of Moab, and all the Israelites? Hey, I’m not going to recite the whole Bible to you. You need to go read it for yourself….you know, during your Bible reading times (you are having those, aren’t you??)
Perhaps I am a bit of a tease, and even perhaps what the title of this commentary implies. But, truly, we all need to have eyes that see and ears that hear when we approach our Lord and Savior. Pray earnestly for this and I guarantee you will be more fulfilled.
Blessings!
Greg Morton
© November 23, 2009
Ok, boys and girls. Everyone sit down on the floor, get comfortable, and Uncle Greg is going to tell you all a little story.
In the 22nd chapter of Numbers there’s a great accounting of a very unusual nature (which, by the way, the Bible is rife with…for those of you that may think the Bible is “boring”). Balaam was a non-Jewish “seer” (it’s debatable whether he was a true prophet) with a strong reputation within the region for being able to provide curses or blessings on God’s behalf.
The current king of Moab, Balak, saw this enormous group of Israelites approaching closer and closer—who’s exodus from Egypt was well known—and became afraid of his land being invaded by them. He called upon Balaam to put a curse on them so that they could be held back and defeated. Balak sent his emissaries to fetch Balaam and pay him handsomely for his services. Balaam told them to spend the night and he would “speak” to God about it. God told him, “Don’t do it…I’ve blessed these people.” Balaam relayed the message to the princes and sent them on their way. Balak, not taking “no” as an answer, sent even higher ranking princes to convince him and, again, Balaam said he’d have to confer with God. This time God said, “Go ahead, but only tell them exactly what I tell you to say.”
Balaam set off for his journey but the very fact that he didn’t take God’s answer to heart the first time really ticked God off. God sent an angel to confront Balaam but only the donkey he was riding saw the angel. The donkey--seeing the angel had a sword in his hand--turned off the path. Balaam, not knowing what was going on, beat the donkey into submission to journey on. This happened two more times and each time Balaam beat the tar out of his loyal companion.
This is where it gets weird…the donkey then spoke to Balaam and said, “Hey! What have I done to you to deserve a beating?” Balaam (who, apparently, didn’t flinch at the fact a voice was coming out of his donkey) responded, “Because you made me look foolish!” Then the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam so that he too could see the angel with the sword. The angel asked the same the thing the donkey asked, “Why have you beaten your donkey three times? I’ve come to oppose you because your path is a reckless one.”
With all my heart I wish to be the loyal companion that is able to see God and what He wants…just like that trustworthy donkey of Balaam’s. To be going down the wrong path and not able to see the stop signs God is giving you…this is a valid fear and concern. It truly inspires me to keep that close connection, even when it may feel a bit distant.
So what happens in the rest of this very cool story….what happens to Balaam, and Balak, the land of Moab, and all the Israelites? Hey, I’m not going to recite the whole Bible to you. You need to go read it for yourself….you know, during your Bible reading times (you are having those, aren’t you??)
Perhaps I am a bit of a tease, and even perhaps what the title of this commentary implies. But, truly, we all need to have eyes that see and ears that hear when we approach our Lord and Savior. Pray earnestly for this and I guarantee you will be more fulfilled.
Blessings!
Greg Morton
© November 23, 2009
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
I Want, I Want, I Want
The Bible is rife with the teachings of material possessions… or the lack of them. In every instance I read in the Bible, God never seems to really care if we do or don’t have things in life. What is His concern is our attitude towards them. Are we grateful? Do we appreciate them? Do we expect them?
I’ve always been in a quandary when it comes to praying for things. Praying for people comes easy to me; but for things...that always unsettles me. The Bible states “You do not have because you do not ask.” James 4:2 (NAS) That, in and of itself, tells me I may not have the wealth I want simply because I haven’t asked God to make me wealthy. That’s a tough hurdle for me since it sounds so arrogant and selfish. Read on, though, to the following verse of James 4 and it says “You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures.” Well, that pretty much puts it in perspective.
1 John 3 also states “…and whatever we ask we receive from Him,” with the all important follow-up “because we keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight.” Ooohhhh, so that’s how it plays out, huh?
Bottom line, God knows our heart. He knows why we ask and providing it is not an issue with God. The Creator of the universe can certainly throw wealth, fame, and any earthly pleasure your way in a wink of His holy eye. God really does want good things for His children but, more importantly, He wants us to be as close to Him as He was to us while suffering on the cross. That is His desire. If being wealthy and famous fits within His plan, so be it. What matters is our relationship, our attitude, and our spirit.
Blessings!
Greg Morton
© November 4, 2009
I’ve always been in a quandary when it comes to praying for things. Praying for people comes easy to me; but for things...that always unsettles me. The Bible states “You do not have because you do not ask.” James 4:2 (NAS) That, in and of itself, tells me I may not have the wealth I want simply because I haven’t asked God to make me wealthy. That’s a tough hurdle for me since it sounds so arrogant and selfish. Read on, though, to the following verse of James 4 and it says “You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures.” Well, that pretty much puts it in perspective.
1 John 3 also states “…and whatever we ask we receive from Him,” with the all important follow-up “because we keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight.” Ooohhhh, so that’s how it plays out, huh?
Bottom line, God knows our heart. He knows why we ask and providing it is not an issue with God. The Creator of the universe can certainly throw wealth, fame, and any earthly pleasure your way in a wink of His holy eye. God really does want good things for His children but, more importantly, He wants us to be as close to Him as He was to us while suffering on the cross. That is His desire. If being wealthy and famous fits within His plan, so be it. What matters is our relationship, our attitude, and our spirit.
Blessings!
Greg Morton
© November 4, 2009
Monday, October 19, 2009
. . . And One For Good Measure
My wife—who I must say has very keen insight and wisdom—was explaining to me the other evening about people’s perspectives on God. She said until we really get down into the gut level of our relationship with God we view it as we do all other relationships. From academics, to sports, to dating, to jobs, to marriage…we are conditioned to “measure up” and meet other people’s expectations.
This is how we usually approach God as well. We feel like we must measure up: pray enough, fast enough, confess enough. What we often forget is God paid the ultimate price of suffering, dying, and rising from the dead because He knew we can’t measure up. He’s not expecting us to measure up. He’s expecting us to be real with ourselves so we can enjoy the true relationship we were meant to have with Him. All that other stuff: praying, fasting, confessing…that all comes with spiritual maturity and is a journey that continues our entire earthly lives. It does not happen because we condemn ourselves every time we screw things up.
It’s a tough mindset to overcome and I struggle with it all the time. I go through mind games of thinking “I have so blown it…I don’t even feel like praying. I’m embarrassed, ashamed and He’s probably not going to listen anyway because He’s so disappointed in me.” Listen up! This is a devil’s foothold that he loves to exploit. Human nature is flawed and satan will use that fact with wild exuberance any time he can. Any time we feel unworthy…bam! The devil has us right where he wants us.
Feeling unworthy in God’s presence is an unfortunate result of our “not measuring up” mentality. It’s at especially those times we need to reach out to our loving Father and tell him how we’re feeling. If you want to yell…yell. If you want to cry…cry. Just don’t wimp out and be taken in by feelings of unworthiness. God already know what you’re going through; He just wants you to come to Him and express it. We are His creation and—just like any good artist—wants to be intimate with what He’s made.
Pheewww…you got me on a roll here. Bottom line is, don’t try to measure up to God’s perfection…you won’t. Our humanness simply won’t let us. The wonderful truth, however, is that God’s love for you—and your love for Him—will transcend all that “measuring up” stuff and you’ll find that the more you approach God in complete honesty, the more you’ll realize that you’ve already measured up in His eyes. This world may suck and be a harsh critic, but by God’s grace we are perfect creations of our Heavenly Father and we can take this truth through eternity.
Blessings!
Greg Morton
© October 19, 2009
This is how we usually approach God as well. We feel like we must measure up: pray enough, fast enough, confess enough. What we often forget is God paid the ultimate price of suffering, dying, and rising from the dead because He knew we can’t measure up. He’s not expecting us to measure up. He’s expecting us to be real with ourselves so we can enjoy the true relationship we were meant to have with Him. All that other stuff: praying, fasting, confessing…that all comes with spiritual maturity and is a journey that continues our entire earthly lives. It does not happen because we condemn ourselves every time we screw things up.
It’s a tough mindset to overcome and I struggle with it all the time. I go through mind games of thinking “I have so blown it…I don’t even feel like praying. I’m embarrassed, ashamed and He’s probably not going to listen anyway because He’s so disappointed in me.” Listen up! This is a devil’s foothold that he loves to exploit. Human nature is flawed and satan will use that fact with wild exuberance any time he can. Any time we feel unworthy…bam! The devil has us right where he wants us.
Feeling unworthy in God’s presence is an unfortunate result of our “not measuring up” mentality. It’s at especially those times we need to reach out to our loving Father and tell him how we’re feeling. If you want to yell…yell. If you want to cry…cry. Just don’t wimp out and be taken in by feelings of unworthiness. God already know what you’re going through; He just wants you to come to Him and express it. We are His creation and—just like any good artist—wants to be intimate with what He’s made.
Pheewww…you got me on a roll here. Bottom line is, don’t try to measure up to God’s perfection…you won’t. Our humanness simply won’t let us. The wonderful truth, however, is that God’s love for you—and your love for Him—will transcend all that “measuring up” stuff and you’ll find that the more you approach God in complete honesty, the more you’ll realize that you’ve already measured up in His eyes. This world may suck and be a harsh critic, but by God’s grace we are perfect creations of our Heavenly Father and we can take this truth through eternity.
Blessings!
Greg Morton
© October 19, 2009
Friday, October 9, 2009
Tailor Made
Dedicated in loving memory to Jim Ovies - 10/09/1960-10/03/2009
Recently my wife and I lost a good friend. His 49 years was too short—certainly by our standards—and we are extremely saddened by the loss. My father-in-law, Bruno, called soon after he heard the news and told me, “You know, Greg, life is like a fine silk thread…so fragile.” I found great wisdom in that simple truth.
The death of someone—especially someone close—brings the reality of mortality to new heights. It sharpens our senses that the time we have on this earth is much more precious than we often give it credit for.
I’d like to go back to the statement for a moment that Bruno made to me: “Life is like a fine silk thread…so fragile.” How appropriate that he used an analogy in this way. God, our Creator, has truly made us out of human fabric and sewn together with the finest of thread…His love. God’s thread, however, is not fragile or weak; quite the contrary. David expresses it in Psalm 139:13, 14 like this:
For you created my inmost being;
… you knit me together in my mother's womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
… your works are wonderful, I know that full well. (NIV)
God has created us just as a fine tailor takes careful, loving delight in constructing the perfect piece of work. Unfortunately we often wear our best fitting clothes in places they ought not to go and they become soiled; frayed; sometimes ruined. Although God’s love—His thread—is stronger than anything we can imagine, we often live our lives testing that strength.
Life, on the other hand, is fragile and fleeting. I don’t understand the totality of creation, and certainly can’t see the bigger picture as God sees it. I do know that the time we spend as mortals here on earth is but a mere moment in time whether it be 20, 50 or even 100 years. Life is like a fine silk thread and it should make us appreciate our lives all the more.
Greg Morton
© October 9, 2009
Recently my wife and I lost a good friend. His 49 years was too short—certainly by our standards—and we are extremely saddened by the loss. My father-in-law, Bruno, called soon after he heard the news and told me, “You know, Greg, life is like a fine silk thread…so fragile.” I found great wisdom in that simple truth.
The death of someone—especially someone close—brings the reality of mortality to new heights. It sharpens our senses that the time we have on this earth is much more precious than we often give it credit for.
I’d like to go back to the statement for a moment that Bruno made to me: “Life is like a fine silk thread…so fragile.” How appropriate that he used an analogy in this way. God, our Creator, has truly made us out of human fabric and sewn together with the finest of thread…His love. God’s thread, however, is not fragile or weak; quite the contrary. David expresses it in Psalm 139:13, 14 like this:
For you created my inmost being;
… you knit me together in my mother's womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
… your works are wonderful, I know that full well. (NIV)
God has created us just as a fine tailor takes careful, loving delight in constructing the perfect piece of work. Unfortunately we often wear our best fitting clothes in places they ought not to go and they become soiled; frayed; sometimes ruined. Although God’s love—His thread—is stronger than anything we can imagine, we often live our lives testing that strength.
Life, on the other hand, is fragile and fleeting. I don’t understand the totality of creation, and certainly can’t see the bigger picture as God sees it. I do know that the time we spend as mortals here on earth is but a mere moment in time whether it be 20, 50 or even 100 years. Life is like a fine silk thread and it should make us appreciate our lives all the more.
Greg Morton
© October 9, 2009
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Today is the Day
Perhaps two of the devil’s favorite words to pound into us are: “yesterday” and “tomorrow”. Why?… “Yesterday” can keep us pining or regretting what we’ve done in the past; “Tomorrow” can keep us wanting what we don’t yet have or putting things off to the future. Anything to distract us from David’s wisdom: “This is the day the Lord has made. Rejoice and be glad in it.” (Psalm 118:24) will be fine with the devil.
Certainly there is nothing inherently wrong with either of these words or their applications. Reflecting on our past can be comforting at times; and learning from our past mistakes is without a doubt essential. And, of course, looking forward and setting goals for ourselves and our family is just as important. Like I said….the words aren’t inherently bad, but we should still be mindful that the devil loves to intervene in subtle ways. Using “yesterday” and “tomorrow” can be footholds if we aren’t attentive to where these thought processes take us.
I’ve written numerous times about the devil and on evil in general, but it never ceases to amaze me how God keeps me on my game about the gravity and seriousness of the devil’s role in my spiritual well being. The devil isn’t just an obstacle in life; his manipulations are more than just tests to either pass or fail; his affect on all of us—Christian or unsaved—is real and bears our full attention. Don’t get me wrong… I don’t believe we should give him undue attention. I’ve fallen into the trap of directing my focus more on him and his wily ways than on the blessings I’m receiving from God. Now that’s just plain wrong.
I wrote in my lyrics to “Welcome to the Real World”:
Welcome to the real world
, Where satan has the reign
A kingdom full of darkness
, His playground for our pain
If you haven’t heard the song, it really isn’t as dark as this chorus might imply; but it does reflect a reality that he’s been given dominion over the earth for a specified time within God’s plan. Again, I don’t like giving the devil a second’s worth of attention that doesn’t belong to him; but I do know his influence is real and he will do anything to distract me from my relationship with my Lord and Savior.
….Ok, I guess I kinda went off on a tangent from my opening statement so I’ll just wrap it up by saying, “This is the day the Lord has made; I will rejoice and be glad in it.”
Blessings –
Greg Morton
© October 1, 2009
Certainly there is nothing inherently wrong with either of these words or their applications. Reflecting on our past can be comforting at times; and learning from our past mistakes is without a doubt essential. And, of course, looking forward and setting goals for ourselves and our family is just as important. Like I said….the words aren’t inherently bad, but we should still be mindful that the devil loves to intervene in subtle ways. Using “yesterday” and “tomorrow” can be footholds if we aren’t attentive to where these thought processes take us.
I’ve written numerous times about the devil and on evil in general, but it never ceases to amaze me how God keeps me on my game about the gravity and seriousness of the devil’s role in my spiritual well being. The devil isn’t just an obstacle in life; his manipulations are more than just tests to either pass or fail; his affect on all of us—Christian or unsaved—is real and bears our full attention. Don’t get me wrong… I don’t believe we should give him undue attention. I’ve fallen into the trap of directing my focus more on him and his wily ways than on the blessings I’m receiving from God. Now that’s just plain wrong.
I wrote in my lyrics to “Welcome to the Real World”:
Welcome to the real world
, Where satan has the reign
A kingdom full of darkness
, His playground for our pain
If you haven’t heard the song, it really isn’t as dark as this chorus might imply; but it does reflect a reality that he’s been given dominion over the earth for a specified time within God’s plan. Again, I don’t like giving the devil a second’s worth of attention that doesn’t belong to him; but I do know his influence is real and he will do anything to distract me from my relationship with my Lord and Savior.
….Ok, I guess I kinda went off on a tangent from my opening statement so I’ll just wrap it up by saying, “This is the day the Lord has made; I will rejoice and be glad in it.”
Blessings –
Greg Morton
© October 1, 2009
Saturday, September 19, 2009
The Straight-Shooter
After my last commentary it really got me thinking about the “music of old”; specifically the words, music and life of Keith Green.
The man was probably one of the most gifted tools of the Lord for speaking the truth without any ambiguity or pretense. His Christian ministry began when he was 21 after years of searching and questioning. Why the Lord allowed him to be on this planet for a mere 28 years—and only seven of which were his ministry years—is beyond my understanding. The Lord had his reasons, and I am certainly grateful for what Keith Green accomplished… and is still accomplishing through his Last Days Ministries organization.
Among his fellow musicians he was known for his zealous, hyperactive quest to spread the gospel through music and prayer. He was truly a “straight-shooter” when it came to being real with God. Listen to some of his lyrics in “To Obey Is Better Than Sacrifice”:
To obey is better than sacrifice,
I want more than Sundays and Wednesday nights,
Cause if you can't come to Me every day
Then don't bother coming at all
Now if that isn’t straight-shooting…I don’t know what is. Every time I hear those lyrics it chills me to the bone. No pussy-footing around Christianity in those words.
What I’ve found to be both convicting and necessary for my own life is exactly that…conviction. I love the status quo as much as the next guy and I’m pretty much wired to not liking change. That said, I need to constantly pray for what I might be missing in my quest to feel good and continue with the same-‘ol same-‘ol. God is very gracious in letting me know when I’m missing the mark or screwing up.
Our relationship with God can be a natural high when we’re fully connected with Him…but, unfortunately, life and all its woes can get in the way and distract us from that experience. It’s people like Keith Green who had it right and wasn’t afraid to say it. I thank God I was able to have ministers of music and truth during my impressionable years as an adolescent. I’ve sure had my share of rejecting that truth…but I know God is a loving and merciful God and is always waiting for me to return to His arms.
Blessings!
Greg Morton
© September 19, 2009
The man was probably one of the most gifted tools of the Lord for speaking the truth without any ambiguity or pretense. His Christian ministry began when he was 21 after years of searching and questioning. Why the Lord allowed him to be on this planet for a mere 28 years—and only seven of which were his ministry years—is beyond my understanding. The Lord had his reasons, and I am certainly grateful for what Keith Green accomplished… and is still accomplishing through his Last Days Ministries organization.
Among his fellow musicians he was known for his zealous, hyperactive quest to spread the gospel through music and prayer. He was truly a “straight-shooter” when it came to being real with God. Listen to some of his lyrics in “To Obey Is Better Than Sacrifice”:
To obey is better than sacrifice,
I want more than Sundays and Wednesday nights,
Cause if you can't come to Me every day
Then don't bother coming at all
Now if that isn’t straight-shooting…I don’t know what is. Every time I hear those lyrics it chills me to the bone. No pussy-footing around Christianity in those words.
What I’ve found to be both convicting and necessary for my own life is exactly that…conviction. I love the status quo as much as the next guy and I’m pretty much wired to not liking change. That said, I need to constantly pray for what I might be missing in my quest to feel good and continue with the same-‘ol same-‘ol. God is very gracious in letting me know when I’m missing the mark or screwing up.
Our relationship with God can be a natural high when we’re fully connected with Him…but, unfortunately, life and all its woes can get in the way and distract us from that experience. It’s people like Keith Green who had it right and wasn’t afraid to say it. I thank God I was able to have ministers of music and truth during my impressionable years as an adolescent. I’ve sure had my share of rejecting that truth…but I know God is a loving and merciful God and is always waiting for me to return to His arms.
Blessings!
Greg Morton
© September 19, 2009
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Talkin’ Bout My Generation
It’s not surprising that the most influential time of my life—as it relates to my relationship with God—came via the medium of music. For decades the whole Christian music industry was pretty much a collection of hymns and gospel music….until the wonderful ‘70s came along. In the early part of that decade there was a true Christian revival spawned in great part from the “hippie, peace, love, enlightenment” generation a few years earlier. Bands started forming and speaking out about their relationship with Jesus and their love of God….and, yes, they were doing it with the style of music they were accustomed: good ‘ol rock and roll. Granted, it had a much more “folksy” flavor to begin with, but boy was it music to my ears.
Bands were cropping up right and left and most of them were proliferating right here in Southern California. The fact that I could sing along with these groups and actually relate to what they were saying, all in the style of music that hit my very core…this is the stuff from which my relationship with God actually took hold.
Because so many of these bands were local, I was able to attend many free concerts. As it grew throughout the seventies venues like Disneyland and Knott’s Berry Farm were hosting entire nights dedicated to these bands and their ministries. I grew up with Love Song, 2nd Chapter of Acts, Keith Green, Daniel Amos, Randy Stonehill and Larry Norman…and I haven’t been the same since. Thank you Lord for this blessing in my life.
Of course now all you have to do is turn on Air1 radio and you’ll hear the love of Christ in Pop, Country, R&B, Hip-Hop, Hard Rock and every other music genre imaginable. Music is truly one of the most effective modes of spreading the gospel and one’s faith…and I, for one, am most grateful.
Thank you, Lord, for the gift of music!
Psalm 33
1 Sing joyfully to the Lord, you righteous;
it is fitting for the upright to praise him.
2 Praise the Lord with the harp;
make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre.
3 Sing to him a new song;
play skillfully, and shout for joy. (NIV)
Greg Morton
© September 12, 2009
Bands were cropping up right and left and most of them were proliferating right here in Southern California. The fact that I could sing along with these groups and actually relate to what they were saying, all in the style of music that hit my very core…this is the stuff from which my relationship with God actually took hold.
Because so many of these bands were local, I was able to attend many free concerts. As it grew throughout the seventies venues like Disneyland and Knott’s Berry Farm were hosting entire nights dedicated to these bands and their ministries. I grew up with Love Song, 2nd Chapter of Acts, Keith Green, Daniel Amos, Randy Stonehill and Larry Norman…and I haven’t been the same since. Thank you Lord for this blessing in my life.
Of course now all you have to do is turn on Air1 radio and you’ll hear the love of Christ in Pop, Country, R&B, Hip-Hop, Hard Rock and every other music genre imaginable. Music is truly one of the most effective modes of spreading the gospel and one’s faith…and I, for one, am most grateful.
Thank you, Lord, for the gift of music!
Psalm 33
1 Sing joyfully to the Lord, you righteous;
it is fitting for the upright to praise him.
2 Praise the Lord with the harp;
make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre.
3 Sing to him a new song;
play skillfully, and shout for joy. (NIV)
Greg Morton
© September 12, 2009
Thursday, August 20, 2009
The Art of War
Sun Tzu, back in the 6th century, created one of the most fascinating treatise ever compiled... “The Art of War”. A complete and comprehensive collection of strategies for war, however it’s relevance goes far beyond war tactics. It completely exposes the human condition and how best to manipulate it for your own successes. It combines philosophy, emotions, logic and reason and, in doing so, explains human nature in one of the most literary purest forms.
As you may have guessed already…I admire the work quite a bit. There are numerous quotations we use even today that date back to this historical work. One of my favorites: “Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer.” The basis for this wisdom is that you must keep tabs on those that want to do you harm, even more so than those you trust.
Ok, you knew it was coming sooner or later….the spiritual application. Of course Greg is going to use an analogy to get a point across….duh!
Actually this has more to do with a literal usage rather than something more abstract. Applying this concept to our daily lives means we must actually keep the enemy—the devil and his minions—closer to us than we may think. Now when I say “close”, I certainly don’t mean we should be entertaining evil in any way shape or form. But there really must be an awareness and sensitivity to the fact that evil is around us every day…and Christians are all the more likely to be affected. Paul stated two clear aspects of this:
Romans 7:22-24 (NIV)
For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?
2 Corinthians 10:3,4 (NIV)
For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.
We all, from the time of man’s original sin, have an inner bent towards sin and must battle it within ourselves as Paul states in Romans. There is also an outer battle we must deal with as stated in Corinthians. Both are real, both must be dealt with. I believe that we should keep our enemy close, in the sense that we must not be in denial that it’s there; nor should we be complacent about the effect it can have in our lives.
God is, always has, and always will be the victor in our battles if we call on His name. This does not mean, however, that we get a pass on having our battles and, in some cases, dealing directly with evil forces. We need to be close enough to the enemy to know when it is present; when it is affecting our choices or behavior; when it is subtly encroaching into our daily lives. This is how I believe being close to your enemy is applicable. Not that we buddy up to evil, but rather to have a strong sensibility about when and where it is trying to attack. Sometimes the devil is so subtle that we don’t even think about calling on God’s power in Jesus’ name to come to our defense. Oh, the devil loves it when that happens. Between our human instinct to “do it ourselves” and the wily ways in which the devil works, we can overlook the obvious sometimes.
Keep this in mind…the devil wants to mess with you. Keep this fact close to you at all times. Also keep this in mind…the Lord Jehovah is master and ruler over all creation and His Spirit is there to intervene in a prayer’s notice.
Greg Morton
© August 20, 2009
As you may have guessed already…I admire the work quite a bit. There are numerous quotations we use even today that date back to this historical work. One of my favorites: “Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer.” The basis for this wisdom is that you must keep tabs on those that want to do you harm, even more so than those you trust.
Ok, you knew it was coming sooner or later….the spiritual application. Of course Greg is going to use an analogy to get a point across….duh!
Actually this has more to do with a literal usage rather than something more abstract. Applying this concept to our daily lives means we must actually keep the enemy—the devil and his minions—closer to us than we may think. Now when I say “close”, I certainly don’t mean we should be entertaining evil in any way shape or form. But there really must be an awareness and sensitivity to the fact that evil is around us every day…and Christians are all the more likely to be affected. Paul stated two clear aspects of this:
Romans 7:22-24 (NIV)
For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?
2 Corinthians 10:3,4 (NIV)
For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.
We all, from the time of man’s original sin, have an inner bent towards sin and must battle it within ourselves as Paul states in Romans. There is also an outer battle we must deal with as stated in Corinthians. Both are real, both must be dealt with. I believe that we should keep our enemy close, in the sense that we must not be in denial that it’s there; nor should we be complacent about the effect it can have in our lives.
God is, always has, and always will be the victor in our battles if we call on His name. This does not mean, however, that we get a pass on having our battles and, in some cases, dealing directly with evil forces. We need to be close enough to the enemy to know when it is present; when it is affecting our choices or behavior; when it is subtly encroaching into our daily lives. This is how I believe being close to your enemy is applicable. Not that we buddy up to evil, but rather to have a strong sensibility about when and where it is trying to attack. Sometimes the devil is so subtle that we don’t even think about calling on God’s power in Jesus’ name to come to our defense. Oh, the devil loves it when that happens. Between our human instinct to “do it ourselves” and the wily ways in which the devil works, we can overlook the obvious sometimes.
Keep this in mind…the devil wants to mess with you. Keep this fact close to you at all times. Also keep this in mind…the Lord Jehovah is master and ruler over all creation and His Spirit is there to intervene in a prayer’s notice.
Greg Morton
© August 20, 2009
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Turnin' 50
Turning 50 this year has created some interesting thought processes inside my head. Some reflective…pondering on the things I’ve been through and what I have learned from my experiences; some a bit more forward thinking…considering all the goals I’ve set and musing about how they’ve altered or changed; and some contemplations are all about the here and now. I have to tell you, any one of those moments can be gratifying, scary, humbling, intimidating, humorous…but they all end in the same place: me knowing I am very blessed.
With fifty years under my belt (and a bit too much hanging over it…) along with 28 wonderful years of marriage—23 of which have been learning the fine art of parenting—there is one incontrovertible truth that is present…Jesus Christ is most certainly a personal God who has been undeniably with me every step of the way. When I say personal, I mean in a tangible way.
I am always very careful to give reverence and respect to God when I pray and praise however—as unworthy as I feel at times—I know He is also approachable on any level. I have yelled at Him, blamed Him…yes even cursed Him during dark times in my life and He is faithful to listen and respond appropriately. Always. Never failing. I have praised and worshipped Him and He is faithful to bless me in ways I can not even craft into words. Always. Never failing. I have questioned His existence, questioned my existence, questioned why in the world would I even question these things…and still He has interjected His divine will into my life and I am humbled beyond humility to understand why; but He does. Always. Never failing. This is the God I serve. This is the God everyone should serve.
He created us as free will thinkers to accept Him on His terms, but by our own choice. He wants to enjoy His creation as much as He wants to be involved with us on a daily basis. The Almighty King has every right to sit on His throne in the VIP box seat and simply watch as His game plan unfolds over time…but the simple truth is: the Heavenly Father, Lord of Lord, King of Kings, chooses to live within each of our lives on a personal level and allows us complete access to His wonder and grace. I can’t comprehend that kind of amazing love, but I still feel it is my commission, as His creation, to continually pursue understanding and personifying that love.
The last fifty years has shown me many things but, truly, the greatest blessing of all is knowing I serve a God who loves me…for who I am, for what I am, for having said, “Yes” to His call.
Greg Morton
© August 1, 2009
With fifty years under my belt (and a bit too much hanging over it…) along with 28 wonderful years of marriage—23 of which have been learning the fine art of parenting—there is one incontrovertible truth that is present…Jesus Christ is most certainly a personal God who has been undeniably with me every step of the way. When I say personal, I mean in a tangible way.
I am always very careful to give reverence and respect to God when I pray and praise however—as unworthy as I feel at times—I know He is also approachable on any level. I have yelled at Him, blamed Him…yes even cursed Him during dark times in my life and He is faithful to listen and respond appropriately. Always. Never failing. I have praised and worshipped Him and He is faithful to bless me in ways I can not even craft into words. Always. Never failing. I have questioned His existence, questioned my existence, questioned why in the world would I even question these things…and still He has interjected His divine will into my life and I am humbled beyond humility to understand why; but He does. Always. Never failing. This is the God I serve. This is the God everyone should serve.
He created us as free will thinkers to accept Him on His terms, but by our own choice. He wants to enjoy His creation as much as He wants to be involved with us on a daily basis. The Almighty King has every right to sit on His throne in the VIP box seat and simply watch as His game plan unfolds over time…but the simple truth is: the Heavenly Father, Lord of Lord, King of Kings, chooses to live within each of our lives on a personal level and allows us complete access to His wonder and grace. I can’t comprehend that kind of amazing love, but I still feel it is my commission, as His creation, to continually pursue understanding and personifying that love.
The last fifty years has shown me many things but, truly, the greatest blessing of all is knowing I serve a God who loves me…for who I am, for what I am, for having said, “Yes” to His call.
Greg Morton
© August 1, 2009
Monday, July 13, 2009
Sometimes I feel like Tommy...
You know….The Who….1969…rock opera. Ok, so I’m probably giving away my age a bit, but the story revolves around a “deaf, dumb and blind kid”. What, pray tell, is the correlation between this character and me? God’s will. Often times I feel just like a “deaf, dumb and blind kid” when it comes to knowing God’s will for me.
I tend to intellectualize things when I ought to be listening to my heart. I tend to act on pure emotions when I ought to be more thoughtful. I use ‘what I want’ as motivation when I should be praying in patient faith and waiting for God’s guidance; sadly I end up feeling like a “deaf, dumb and blind kid” all over again.
Does this sound like a familiar dilemma for anyone? We all go through it and, for some us, go through it a lot. The good news is…this doesn’t mean we’ve fallen from grace. This doesn’t mean we’re completely selfish. This doesn’t mean we bring shame to God. What it does mean, though, is communicating with God is a learned process.
To continue with the “Tommy” analogy: He ends up excelling at pinball where his handicaps become the very foundation of his learned skill. The things which hindered his abilities forced him to utilize a deeper, more instinctual approach to succeeding. Now if that isn’t an analogy we can take straight to our prayer life, I don’t know what is.
In the opera he ends up victorious…able to hear, speak and see because of his achievement. Now I’m not saying our prayer life or relationship with God will have a story-book ending...but it certainly does give some perspective on how we all struggle with our communication skills, our goals and our relationships.
I’m hoping the next time I feel like that “deaf, dumb and blind kid” I’ll keep in mind that the ultimate composer of life is patient, understanding, and unconditionally loving. I will continue to seek God’s will; and I’m certain I won’t find it because of my skills per se, but rather my openness to hearing and listening and not limiting myself to my own abilities.
Greg Morton
© July 13, 2009
I tend to intellectualize things when I ought to be listening to my heart. I tend to act on pure emotions when I ought to be more thoughtful. I use ‘what I want’ as motivation when I should be praying in patient faith and waiting for God’s guidance; sadly I end up feeling like a “deaf, dumb and blind kid” all over again.
Does this sound like a familiar dilemma for anyone? We all go through it and, for some us, go through it a lot. The good news is…this doesn’t mean we’ve fallen from grace. This doesn’t mean we’re completely selfish. This doesn’t mean we bring shame to God. What it does mean, though, is communicating with God is a learned process.
To continue with the “Tommy” analogy: He ends up excelling at pinball where his handicaps become the very foundation of his learned skill. The things which hindered his abilities forced him to utilize a deeper, more instinctual approach to succeeding. Now if that isn’t an analogy we can take straight to our prayer life, I don’t know what is.
In the opera he ends up victorious…able to hear, speak and see because of his achievement. Now I’m not saying our prayer life or relationship with God will have a story-book ending...but it certainly does give some perspective on how we all struggle with our communication skills, our goals and our relationships.
I’m hoping the next time I feel like that “deaf, dumb and blind kid” I’ll keep in mind that the ultimate composer of life is patient, understanding, and unconditionally loving. I will continue to seek God’s will; and I’m certain I won’t find it because of my skills per se, but rather my openness to hearing and listening and not limiting myself to my own abilities.
Greg Morton
© July 13, 2009
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Trials Aren't Just For O.J.
I recently heard a very interesting message from one of my favorite pastors, Jentezen Franklin, and he made a statement that literally made my thought processes stop in their tracks:
“God is more interested in developing your character than fixing your problems.”
Wow. That’s a pretty healthy smack in the face, especially when you may be going through some tough times right now.
He was trying to drive home the reality that the intervention God provides in our daily lives has more to do with how we handle situations than the situations themselves. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again… we aren’t just puppets in this world and God doesn’t just control all the world’s circumstances like some holy Wii-playing deity.
Is He in complete control…absolutely. Does He allow the turn of events—good and bad—to happen every day…absolutely. To understand the “why’s” and the “what-for’s” is completely beyond our comprehension and this is where our faith needs to kick into high gear. Good things happen to bad people; bad things happen to good people. There’s a divine omnipotence at play and we’ll just have to wait until we’re face to face with the Almighty to ask Him about it.
Back to the message, though. The tests and trials we all go through are inevitable. We need to realize these are opportunities to become stronger, better and wiser; not become down-trodden and feel like a victim. With God’s grace and faithfulness we need to take whatever is going on in our lives and ask God to bless it. That doesn’t mean it will go away; it may not even get better. But God can, and does, bless the situation even if we can’t understand it at the time. This is “developing your character rather than fixing your problems.”
When we go through tough times we learn more about ourselves and more about God than if we had never gone through them. We just don’t realize the fullness of God’s attributes until we experience certain trials. When we get sick, we begin to see God as the Healer; when we lose a job, we begin to see God as the Provider; and on and on it goes. Our eyes become open to a greater, more nurturing, more awesome God as we endure life and all it throws at us. When we build up our personal relationship with Him, He smiles and is pleased.
”Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.” James 1:12 NIV
Blessings on you all.
Greg Morton
© June 25, 2009
“God is more interested in developing your character than fixing your problems.”
Wow. That’s a pretty healthy smack in the face, especially when you may be going through some tough times right now.
He was trying to drive home the reality that the intervention God provides in our daily lives has more to do with how we handle situations than the situations themselves. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again… we aren’t just puppets in this world and God doesn’t just control all the world’s circumstances like some holy Wii-playing deity.
Is He in complete control…absolutely. Does He allow the turn of events—good and bad—to happen every day…absolutely. To understand the “why’s” and the “what-for’s” is completely beyond our comprehension and this is where our faith needs to kick into high gear. Good things happen to bad people; bad things happen to good people. There’s a divine omnipotence at play and we’ll just have to wait until we’re face to face with the Almighty to ask Him about it.
Back to the message, though. The tests and trials we all go through are inevitable. We need to realize these are opportunities to become stronger, better and wiser; not become down-trodden and feel like a victim. With God’s grace and faithfulness we need to take whatever is going on in our lives and ask God to bless it. That doesn’t mean it will go away; it may not even get better. But God can, and does, bless the situation even if we can’t understand it at the time. This is “developing your character rather than fixing your problems.”
When we go through tough times we learn more about ourselves and more about God than if we had never gone through them. We just don’t realize the fullness of God’s attributes until we experience certain trials. When we get sick, we begin to see God as the Healer; when we lose a job, we begin to see God as the Provider; and on and on it goes. Our eyes become open to a greater, more nurturing, more awesome God as we endure life and all it throws at us. When we build up our personal relationship with Him, He smiles and is pleased.
”Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.” James 1:12 NIV
Blessings on you all.
Greg Morton
© June 25, 2009
Monday, June 15, 2009
Three Simple Words
Three simple words. Some of the greatest godly men have said them: Abraham (Genesis 22), Jacob (Genesis 31 and 46), Moses (Exodus 3), Samuel (1 Samuel 3)—all responded when God called on them and they simply said, “Here I am.”
Clearly this response has a much deeper meaning than the mere obviousness of the words themselves. It behooves us to understand just what these men were saying when they responded to God’s call.
Certainly these weren’t situations where God was actually searching for them, calling out for them, and they responded by saying, “Over here, God; here I am…over here.” God knew where they were, and they knew that God knew where they were. Take the “searching” aspect out of the mix and this leaves us with a much deeper and personal response. These men were really saying, “I’m here for You. What is it I can do for You?” Now that is a whole different proposition altogether.
Many times in my life I’ve played the same game Adam and Eve played in the garden; when God inquired as to their whereabouts, they hid…or so they thought. Yeah, right…like hiding from God is possible. Still, we often try to do just that. We’re ashamed, embarrassed, hurt, pissed off…so many reasons to shy away from our Heavenly Father.
The model we have been given from great men of God throughout history is that they all shared one notable attribute: when God called, they said , “Here I am.”
I pray that each person on this planet can bring themselves to say these three words. Say them when asked if they wish to accept His free gift of salvation. Say them when we’re all asked to do something outside our comfort zone. Say them when we find ourselves in the darkest places, and listen to God call our name. It’s tough to say, “Here I am” to our Creator. It’s tough to step out of our need to be in control and listen to Him when we don’t know what He’s going to be saying or asking of us. But, by golly, I do know that when I’ve said these words, blessings come and growth happens.
Three simple words; perhaps not so simple. But three of the most important words we can add to our daily vocabulary.
Greg Morton
© June 15, 2009
Clearly this response has a much deeper meaning than the mere obviousness of the words themselves. It behooves us to understand just what these men were saying when they responded to God’s call.
Certainly these weren’t situations where God was actually searching for them, calling out for them, and they responded by saying, “Over here, God; here I am…over here.” God knew where they were, and they knew that God knew where they were. Take the “searching” aspect out of the mix and this leaves us with a much deeper and personal response. These men were really saying, “I’m here for You. What is it I can do for You?” Now that is a whole different proposition altogether.
Many times in my life I’ve played the same game Adam and Eve played in the garden; when God inquired as to their whereabouts, they hid…or so they thought. Yeah, right…like hiding from God is possible. Still, we often try to do just that. We’re ashamed, embarrassed, hurt, pissed off…so many reasons to shy away from our Heavenly Father.
The model we have been given from great men of God throughout history is that they all shared one notable attribute: when God called, they said , “Here I am.”
I pray that each person on this planet can bring themselves to say these three words. Say them when asked if they wish to accept His free gift of salvation. Say them when we’re all asked to do something outside our comfort zone. Say them when we find ourselves in the darkest places, and listen to God call our name. It’s tough to say, “Here I am” to our Creator. It’s tough to step out of our need to be in control and listen to Him when we don’t know what He’s going to be saying or asking of us. But, by golly, I do know that when I’ve said these words, blessings come and growth happens.
Three simple words; perhaps not so simple. But three of the most important words we can add to our daily vocabulary.
Greg Morton
© June 15, 2009
Friday, May 22, 2009
Insanity? I Think Not!
It has long been defined that insanity is “doing the same thing over and over yet expecting different results.” Well, I contend there are aspects of life where we need to challenge this definition (or accept being labeled ‘insane’…whichever is easier for you).
Slot machines are certainly one example of my personal developing insanities. Of course I keep doing the same thing over and over expecting different results. Then again, it seems pretty sane when you finally hit that |double-diamond | 7 | 7| and you can float all the way home on some materialistic high.
Kids are certainly another fine example. “Don’t track dirt in the house!” next day “Don’t track dirt in the house!” next day “Don’t track dirt in the house!” You get the idea.
Petitioning prayer, however, is a much more serious expression of doing the same thing over and over. It really has more to do with tenacity in this case than delusions of grandeur. To an even greater degree, it was modeled for us in the Scriptures.
One interesting aspect to keep in mind about the Scriptures: the relationship between God and man in the Old Testament had a different dynamic from the New Testament since it was prior to Jesus Christ dying for our sins. The manifestation, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ changed how we are able to relate to our God in some very powerful ways. That said, we should never discount using all the Scriptures to benefit our understanding of how our relationship with God is exampled for us.
Petitioning prayer is found in both the Old and New Testaments, giving credence to the fact that this is absolutely a model we should be following, no matter how you look at it. From Daniel (Daniel 9) to Paul (Philippians 4) we find we are to plead with God in prayer and petition for the desires of our hearts and the needs of others. Over and over. In this case, you have permission to pray like you’re insane. The only real difference is that we trust in the Lord to provide the outcome, whatever it may be. It may be a direct answer with the results we asked for; it may be completely different results known only to God what the best plan is. In either case, we can proceed with our petitions knowing God is fair, sovereign, and just.
So let’s all continue to pray without ceasing each and every day. Now then; maybe we all have a bit more sanity than we give ourselves credit for.
Greg Morton
© May 22, 2009
Slot machines are certainly one example of my personal developing insanities. Of course I keep doing the same thing over and over expecting different results. Then again, it seems pretty sane when you finally hit that |double-diamond | 7 | 7| and you can float all the way home on some materialistic high.
Kids are certainly another fine example. “Don’t track dirt in the house!” next day “Don’t track dirt in the house!” next day “Don’t track dirt in the house!” You get the idea.
Petitioning prayer, however, is a much more serious expression of doing the same thing over and over. It really has more to do with tenacity in this case than delusions of grandeur. To an even greater degree, it was modeled for us in the Scriptures.
One interesting aspect to keep in mind about the Scriptures: the relationship between God and man in the Old Testament had a different dynamic from the New Testament since it was prior to Jesus Christ dying for our sins. The manifestation, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ changed how we are able to relate to our God in some very powerful ways. That said, we should never discount using all the Scriptures to benefit our understanding of how our relationship with God is exampled for us.
Petitioning prayer is found in both the Old and New Testaments, giving credence to the fact that this is absolutely a model we should be following, no matter how you look at it. From Daniel (Daniel 9) to Paul (Philippians 4) we find we are to plead with God in prayer and petition for the desires of our hearts and the needs of others. Over and over. In this case, you have permission to pray like you’re insane. The only real difference is that we trust in the Lord to provide the outcome, whatever it may be. It may be a direct answer with the results we asked for; it may be completely different results known only to God what the best plan is. In either case, we can proceed with our petitions knowing God is fair, sovereign, and just.
So let’s all continue to pray without ceasing each and every day. Now then; maybe we all have a bit more sanity than we give ourselves credit for.
Greg Morton
© May 22, 2009
Thursday, May 14, 2009
AA – A Time To Deal With It
Although there was a time in my life I truly needed AA (and only by my wife’s guts and God’s grace is it no longer an issue), this commentary is not about the ubiquitous Alcoholics Anonymous program. My personal AA is: Annoyance, Anger.
Perhaps my memory has skewed over the years, but I seem to recall that when I was younger, being annoyed—although commonplace—had no detrimental effect on me. It was, as the name implies, simply an annoyance. Now at almost 50 I find where there once was a wide berth between annoyance and anger…it has now become a thin line. A very thin line.
My commute to work each morning is chock full of annoyances but my anger seems to be the immediate follow up. It’s almost a call-and-response situation. Annoyance pops up…anger. Annoyance pops up…anger. It’s a cycle that is not only disturbing but feels like it’s becoming a virtual habit.
When I do get angry I usually just say a quick, “Sorry, Lord” and get on with things. I’m not even sure if that counts in God’s book, but I say it often nonetheless. What I really need is to get to the source of this. My spirit feels restless all the time. I feel like I’m communing with God just as much as I always have…but something certainly seems different.
That’s it. Most of my commentaries leave you with a positive note of encouragement or assurance. Today I guess I need to simply request prayer from anyone who reads this and say, “Hey…we’re all in this life together. If you happen to feel the same as I do, don’t feel alone. Just pray and keep praying. God is gracious and good.” What else is there to say?
Blessings –
Greg Morton
© May 14, 2009
Perhaps my memory has skewed over the years, but I seem to recall that when I was younger, being annoyed—although commonplace—had no detrimental effect on me. It was, as the name implies, simply an annoyance. Now at almost 50 I find where there once was a wide berth between annoyance and anger…it has now become a thin line. A very thin line.
My commute to work each morning is chock full of annoyances but my anger seems to be the immediate follow up. It’s almost a call-and-response situation. Annoyance pops up…anger. Annoyance pops up…anger. It’s a cycle that is not only disturbing but feels like it’s becoming a virtual habit.
When I do get angry I usually just say a quick, “Sorry, Lord” and get on with things. I’m not even sure if that counts in God’s book, but I say it often nonetheless. What I really need is to get to the source of this. My spirit feels restless all the time. I feel like I’m communing with God just as much as I always have…but something certainly seems different.
That’s it. Most of my commentaries leave you with a positive note of encouragement or assurance. Today I guess I need to simply request prayer from anyone who reads this and say, “Hey…we’re all in this life together. If you happen to feel the same as I do, don’t feel alone. Just pray and keep praying. God is gracious and good.” What else is there to say?
Blessings –
Greg Morton
© May 14, 2009
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
It's The Season for Seasoning
Watch the Food Network enough and you’ll hear many colorful catch-phrases on how to season up a dish. Many herbs and spices are utilized to obtain a desired effect: sweet, spicy, hot, sour, tangy, earthy…whatever it takes to get the desired result. Emeril puts it in very simple terms.. “Bam!”
God’s Word puts it quite simply as well: “Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” Col 4:6 NIV
Beautiful and simple as that is, there is also a deeper Christian tenet running through what God is telling us. "You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.” Matt 5:13 NIV
Now that’s really getting to the heart of what we—as Christians—are all about. We’re here on this planet to be noticed. Our obligation is to share and express God’s Word in a manner that makes an impact. Matthew is pretty clear about it: If you end up bland with no effect on people, what good are you?
That’s a pretty tough reality to digest (no pun intended). But, truly, when you think about it…why are we really on this planet? God wants relationships with His creation—pure and simple. He can’t have a relationship if His creation denies Him or is oblivious to Him. This is our job. Spread the gospel and do it in a way that makes them notice.
The next time you prepare a meal or throw something on the grill, pick up that salt…that seasoning…and remember that this simple act of livening up your food is exactly what you and I should be doing in this world.
Greg Morton
© April 22, 2009
God’s Word puts it quite simply as well: “Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” Col 4:6 NIV
Beautiful and simple as that is, there is also a deeper Christian tenet running through what God is telling us. "You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.” Matt 5:13 NIV
Now that’s really getting to the heart of what we—as Christians—are all about. We’re here on this planet to be noticed. Our obligation is to share and express God’s Word in a manner that makes an impact. Matthew is pretty clear about it: If you end up bland with no effect on people, what good are you?
That’s a pretty tough reality to digest (no pun intended). But, truly, when you think about it…why are we really on this planet? God wants relationships with His creation—pure and simple. He can’t have a relationship if His creation denies Him or is oblivious to Him. This is our job. Spread the gospel and do it in a way that makes them notice.
The next time you prepare a meal or throw something on the grill, pick up that salt…that seasoning…and remember that this simple act of livening up your food is exactly what you and I should be doing in this world.
Greg Morton
© April 22, 2009
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Wisdom
There’s an old adage in the world of aviation that says, “The superior pilot uses his superior judgment to keep him out of situations that require the use of his superior piloting skills.” In other words…making good choices from the get-go keeps us from having to squirm our way out of a bad or uncomfortable situation in the first place.
I know I’ve relied on my faith—and my belief that God does, indeed, intervene on our behalf—waaay too many times. I’m sure God has shaken his head many a time thinking, “Greg…dude…get it right the first time and you wouldn’t have to go through this.”
The reality for all of us is that we won’t always make the right decisions or choices the first go-round. But that shouldn’t keep up us from striving for the knowledge and the discipline to make better choices.
The Bible uses the word “wisdom” 215 times (in the New International Version), and for good reason. It all starts, as Psalm 111:10 puts it, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding.” With that wisdom comes understanding. With that understanding you can then build your faith and deepen your relationship with Jesus Christ.
Screw-ups happen. Mistakes happen. Bad things happen. Life happens. We have thousands of choices to make and thousands of opportunities to make sound judgments.
Just like the superior pilot will have all the knowledge available to him to know his skills, his aircraft, physics, the weather and all the “what ifs”…so too should we attain all that is available to us to deepen our understanding and wisdom of the God we love and serve.
Greg Morton
© April 4, 2009
I know I’ve relied on my faith—and my belief that God does, indeed, intervene on our behalf—waaay too many times. I’m sure God has shaken his head many a time thinking, “Greg…dude…get it right the first time and you wouldn’t have to go through this.”
The reality for all of us is that we won’t always make the right decisions or choices the first go-round. But that shouldn’t keep up us from striving for the knowledge and the discipline to make better choices.
The Bible uses the word “wisdom” 215 times (in the New International Version), and for good reason. It all starts, as Psalm 111:10 puts it, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding.” With that wisdom comes understanding. With that understanding you can then build your faith and deepen your relationship with Jesus Christ.
Screw-ups happen. Mistakes happen. Bad things happen. Life happens. We have thousands of choices to make and thousands of opportunities to make sound judgments.
Just like the superior pilot will have all the knowledge available to him to know his skills, his aircraft, physics, the weather and all the “what ifs”…so too should we attain all that is available to us to deepen our understanding and wisdom of the God we love and serve.
Greg Morton
© April 4, 2009
Monday, February 16, 2009
The Kingdom of God belongs to such as these. . .
So I was sitting in Denny’s the other morning enjoying a leisurely breakfast. One of my favorite pastimes is observing people. Not the “creepy” kind of observing (at least I hope it doesn’t come across that way…), but simply a time to study human nature and see where the thought processes lead me.
On this particular morning I was aware of several tables with adults conversing and seeing a noticeable stress on their faces. There was no yelling or swells of emotions…but a perceivable angst in the air. Then walks in a couple with a four year old girl and luckily she sat facing me just a few tables away.
There was such a wide-eyed wonder and innocence in her actions and mannerisms; it was all too obvious that everyone else in the restaurant had left that kind of unfettered purity far behind…including myself. I watched with admiration and a bit of envy, and wondered if somehow—in the pursuit of “maturing” and “growing up and being responsible”—we have all over-compensated the growing up process to completely shun, or have forgotten, those uncorrupted beginnings.
Then one of the stories I remembered reading in the gospels struck me. Jesus told a crowd of people that unless they receive the kingdom of God like a little child, they will never enter it. Of course I realize we can’t stay young and innocent forever…nor should we. But I do believe Jesus was trying to drive home a very significant point. We ought to be looking beyond our jobs, our status, our possessions. Is the weight of our worries over bills, entertainment, relationships…stuff, balanced proportionally to that which really matters?
I think we would all be well served to approach our salvation with a wide-eyed wonder and innocence that comes so natural to children. I would like to think that when I stand before God and heaven’s gates that I stand there like a little four-year old with arms outstretched knowing my Father can pick me up and hug me without being weighed down by all the junk I once worried about.
Greg Morton
© February 16, 2009
On this particular morning I was aware of several tables with adults conversing and seeing a noticeable stress on their faces. There was no yelling or swells of emotions…but a perceivable angst in the air. Then walks in a couple with a four year old girl and luckily she sat facing me just a few tables away.
There was such a wide-eyed wonder and innocence in her actions and mannerisms; it was all too obvious that everyone else in the restaurant had left that kind of unfettered purity far behind…including myself. I watched with admiration and a bit of envy, and wondered if somehow—in the pursuit of “maturing” and “growing up and being responsible”—we have all over-compensated the growing up process to completely shun, or have forgotten, those uncorrupted beginnings.
Then one of the stories I remembered reading in the gospels struck me. Jesus told a crowd of people that unless they receive the kingdom of God like a little child, they will never enter it. Of course I realize we can’t stay young and innocent forever…nor should we. But I do believe Jesus was trying to drive home a very significant point. We ought to be looking beyond our jobs, our status, our possessions. Is the weight of our worries over bills, entertainment, relationships…stuff, balanced proportionally to that which really matters?
I think we would all be well served to approach our salvation with a wide-eyed wonder and innocence that comes so natural to children. I would like to think that when I stand before God and heaven’s gates that I stand there like a little four-year old with arms outstretched knowing my Father can pick me up and hug me without being weighed down by all the junk I once worried about.
Greg Morton
© February 16, 2009
Friday, January 23, 2009
A Tax on Sin…or Attacks on Sin?
In the financial world “sin tax” has been around for generations. This is basically a state tax applied to what are generally accepted as vices: alcohol, tobacco, gambling, etc. Due to the current financial state of California there has been a fair amount of talk to legislate a sin tax on prostitution. Before you can tax something, however, you must first make it legal.
Disturbing as it may be, this is a financial remedy rather than a moral dilemma for most people. As I’ve stated numerous times before, I seldom get into a political debate in my commentaries…so, once again, I’ll simply approach this on a more spiritual level.
First, let’s address some interesting facts. The legislature has already admitted—by using the “sin tax” label—that most vices such as drinking, smoking and gambling are sins. On the surface it seems that a tax on prostitution—what they also consider to be a “sin”—seems appropriate. After all, aren’t we supposed to be paying a penalty when we sin?
The questions which keep tugging at my soul, though, are: “If something is already accepted as a sin, why make it legal just so you can capitalize on its actions?”; “Does thinking that you’re “paying for it” simply make it a justified endeavor?”; “Is giving someone a choice to do something somehow better than demanding they refrains from it?” …I could go on with a thousand questions, but you get my drift.
Instead of trying to find answers to all this, there is one thing I know I can do…trust in what I do know. What I know to be true is God wants us to be holy and free of sin. Obviously we can’t reach that standard on our own and He knows it. Christ died…..excuse me, excruciatingly suffered and died…to free us of the penalty of sin. He didn’t say every time you sin you need to pay up. Own up, yes….but not pay up. God doesn’t believe in the “sin tax” in the sense that it’s OK to do it, as long as you pay for it. He says quite clearly “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Rom 6:23 NIV
Those who believe they can sin as long as there is a payment or consequence attached to it are simply deluded. No amount of “paying” will nullify the outcome. Hell it is. Spread the word.
Greg Morton
© January 23, 2009
Disturbing as it may be, this is a financial remedy rather than a moral dilemma for most people. As I’ve stated numerous times before, I seldom get into a political debate in my commentaries…so, once again, I’ll simply approach this on a more spiritual level.
First, let’s address some interesting facts. The legislature has already admitted—by using the “sin tax” label—that most vices such as drinking, smoking and gambling are sins. On the surface it seems that a tax on prostitution—what they also consider to be a “sin”—seems appropriate. After all, aren’t we supposed to be paying a penalty when we sin?
The questions which keep tugging at my soul, though, are: “If something is already accepted as a sin, why make it legal just so you can capitalize on its actions?”; “Does thinking that you’re “paying for it” simply make it a justified endeavor?”; “Is giving someone a choice to do something somehow better than demanding they refrains from it?” …I could go on with a thousand questions, but you get my drift.
Instead of trying to find answers to all this, there is one thing I know I can do…trust in what I do know. What I know to be true is God wants us to be holy and free of sin. Obviously we can’t reach that standard on our own and He knows it. Christ died…..excuse me, excruciatingly suffered and died…to free us of the penalty of sin. He didn’t say every time you sin you need to pay up. Own up, yes….but not pay up. God doesn’t believe in the “sin tax” in the sense that it’s OK to do it, as long as you pay for it. He says quite clearly “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Rom 6:23 NIV
Those who believe they can sin as long as there is a payment or consequence attached to it are simply deluded. No amount of “paying” will nullify the outcome. Hell it is. Spread the word.
Greg Morton
© January 23, 2009
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