Standards

GUARDING THE WALLS

A fool has no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover itself. 
Proverbs 18:2

The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? Jeremiah 17:9

I stood their dripping profusely, sweat ran down the center of my back. I felt my stomach gyrate while my heart pounded as if it were trying to escape my chest. Head straight, body aligned, my feet at a perfect 45 degree angle, I counsel myself…

Private Saylor: "Don’t move, don’t move a muscle, just look straight into his eyes and pretend he doesn’t exist, answer him loudly if he comes near you and remember your last 4 and never be the first one in from a run because that only means you are closer to them!”

Foolishly I allow my eyes to override my common sense and as quickly as they rotated left and then right Drill Sergeant Grant caught me, Hurricane Grant is a name that he prided himself with.  He approached me and stood squarely at a distance of 2 inches from my nose.

Drill Sergeant: “Private do you know what attention is?”

Private Saylor: “Yes Drill Sergeant, I understand.”

Drill Sergeant: “Oh you understand? Well I’ll have you know I’m not concerned with what you understand. I ask again Private, do you KNOW what attention is!”  

I paused, exhaled, swallowed and shouted in the bravest of tones the actual military definition of standing at attention.

Private Saylor: "Chin up, chest out, shoulders back, stomach in, heels together, toes apart!”

I was on a roll but then I got cocky…

Private Saylor: “Head and eyes locked in a fixed forward posture, eyes unmoving fixated on a distant object Drill Sergeant!”

Their was seemingly a century of silence that passed as a few seconds as Drill Sergeant Grant rotated his head looking left and then right.

Drill Sergeant: “ Were you at attention Private, you wanna be somewhere else Private! You wanna tell me if you were at attention Private!”

I had no choice but to respond in the negative. This was the beginning of a horrible day.

____________________________________________________

Those were the days... I have to question how did I survive day after day of grievous physical exertion, and week after week of tumultuous mental fatigue! I resolved I survived by simply following the rules and taking allegiance in the Warriors ethos; the seven-army values: Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless Service, Honor, Integrity, and Personal Courage. 


The code requires so much selflessness, everything revolved around the code... we wore it around our neck often looking at the written code, never taking them off. The code became us and we became the code it was a soldiers character, a warrior credence.

We Christians have a code that can fortify our lives as well, giving us guidence and a firm foundation. Once we align ourselves with the word of God, it ‘s biblical standards will be inscribed in our hearts and worn daily, but because we have often failed to rely on His wisdom seeking refuge in our own discoveries and cognitions, the results are the weakening of the fort; an ominous fracture in the walls of faith. An existing weak point for all to notice and as for the enemy he stands nearby waiting for the crevice to widen before the ambush.

Fortify the walls of faith protect it even against our own selves. Why question the standards when the question originates from a selfish carnal heart that only causes further damage to your faith... remove the chisel and grab the Spackle.   

THE BLUEPRINT: Words

THE BLUEPRINT: Words: "WHAT GOD HAS JOINED, ONLYHe that covereth his sins shall not prosper, but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy. Prov..."

THE BLUEPRINT: Senses

THE BLUEPRINT: Senses: "HEAR NO EVIL, SEE NO EVIL, SPEAK, NO EVIL. Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Keep your mouth free of pe..."

Trust

EVIDENCE OF COMPROMISE

Trust in the LORD with all your heart 
and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, 
and he will make your paths straight.

Proverbs 3:5-7

Recently I had the opportunity to interview several friends for a particular project. The conversations were basically existential in nature, however; in discussing the issues of life, questions arose relating to the steady decline of God-fearing men. Was it ironic that they all had the same concerns and anxieties, which were centered on marriage and self-identity? Hmmm, I quietly expressed hesitation for I knew this was a very sensitive subject one that needs further investigation nevertheless I thought more on the matter and shuttered as I reclined into objectivity, “these are relevant and thought-provoking inquiries.” Although I’m a God fearing man I nonetheless shamefully gasped as each interviewee asked nearly identical questions relating to the issue.

Questions that seem to overflow like torrent rivers of frustration bursting from the depths of their beings. Deep within them I can sense a hurt, a loneliness, and discomfort as each explained their circumstance. Some would say that it’s a source of embarrassment, an emptiness, and feeling as if an unfair punitive citation has been leveled against them because of their choice to focus on their careers. Successfully accomplishing their education goals only to find the well bone dry afterwards. Some, even venturing outside of the church to find a suitable mate only to be left shattered and devastated.

~Compromise: the acceptance of standards that are lower than is desirable~

For some reason, this reminded me of the story of David who had a familiar compulsion to take matters into his own hands…taking the census. Satan rose up against Israel and incited David to take a census of Israel. 

            2 Samuel 24: 1-13 Again the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and he incited David against them, saying, “Go and take a census of Israel and Judah.”So the king said to Joab and the army commanders with him, “Go throughout the tribes of Israel from Dan to Beersheba and enroll the fighting men, so that I may know how many there are.”

            But Joab replied to the king, “May the LORD your God multiply the troops a hundred times over, and may the eyes of my lord the king see it. But why does my lord the king want to do such a thing?” The king’s word, however, overruled Joab and the army commanders; so they left the presence of the king to enroll the fighting men of Israel.

            After crossing the Jordan, they camped near Aroer, south of the town in the gorge, and then went through Gad and on to Jazer.  They went to Gilead and the region of Tahtim Hodshi, and on to Dan Jaan and around toward Sidon.  Then they went toward the fortress of Tyre and all the towns of the Hivites and Canaanites. Finally, they went on to Beersheba in the Negev of Judah. After they had gone through the entire land, they came back to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days. 

             Joab reported the number of the fighting men to the king: In Israel there were eight hundred thousand able-bodied men who could handle a sword, and in Judah five hundred thousand.

            David was conscience-stricken after he had counted the fighting men, and he said to the LORD, “I have sinned greatly in what I have done. Now, LORD, I beg you, take away the guilt of your servant. I have done a very foolish thing.”

            Before David got up the next morning, the word of the LORD had come to Gad the prophet, David’s seer:  “Go and tell David, ‘This is what the LORD says: I am giving you three options. Choose one of them for me to carry out against you.’” So Gad went to David and said to him, “Shall there come on you three^[b^] years of famine in your land? Or three months of fleeing from your enemies while they pursue you? Or three days of plague in your land? Now then, think it over and decide how I should answer the one who sent me.”

            Taking a census in and of itself isn’t necessarily wrong however, taking it because of impatience, not believing/trusting God, pride and or ambitious curiosity is. Taking any advice that suggest you do anything outside of your belief is ill advice let alone marrying a person who doesn’t share your beliefs is toxic and an un-rightly division www.therightdivide.wordpress.com of truthful realistic sound wisdom. The grass isn’t greener on the other side.

~Compromised: bring into disrepute or danger by indiscreet, foolish, or reckless behavior~

If you decide to take a census be certain to do a complete one, one that is inclusive of the devastation that follows in disobedience. The consequences from those who’ve taken matters into their own hands are catastrophic. Keep yourself from the dangers of compromise for this is not an area to do so.

Many who left the straight path have been stained with hurt…but here’s the good news friend…God restores and only he can erase the evidences of compromise that you may bear.

    

Words

WHAT GOD HAS JOINED, ONLY

He that covereth his sins shall not prosper, but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.  
Proverbs 28:13

    For nearly two hours they were at each other’s throat, back and forth, insult after insult. Finally, she rang out at the top of her lungs, “How dare you treat me with such inconsideration and disdain!” The words fell out of Brandi’s mouth with a shriek, as the tone of frustration and resentment hysterically crawled from her hoarse throat and tightened lips. “I don’t have time for this foolishness,” shouted Timothy. Then, just when Brandi thought the fight was on the decline, Timothy chimed in again adding, “ I wish I never met you…I regret marrying you!”

      Every boundary in their relationship had been completely wiped away and now the only rule that was governing the remnants of their dying relationship was ‘speak now and never hold your peace.’

     Brandi immediately exited deciding she has had enough. As she walked away leaving the apartment, Timothy exasperated and frustrated swung his fist and punched a hole in the dining room wall. He sat there alone for a while wondering what he could have done differently. Staring at the hole, staring at where something was but now nothing is, he stared at the hole and thinking about his loss.  He had only regrets and tears that seemed to wash away his reasoning.   

      They moved on, separated, and later dissolved their relationship leaving their past behind along with their mistakes. However, something was left undone in their apartment. Something was left that should have been removed, revealed, and rectified. It was behind a picture they left. The picture was a beautiful depiction of a man holding a little boy resting in his arms. It seemed to be in the perfect location, square and level strategically placed on the dining room wall. However, it was deceitfully placed there to hide Timothy’s indiscretion in an effort to evade additional apartment damage fees. But some how, some way, some one found reason to remove that perfect picture and stumble upon what was really behind the frame in the emptied apartment.

      We have a superior external and well chiseled appearance squarely displayed for all to see and marvel over. We say to ourselves no one will ever know, no one will ever turn the page, no one will ever remove the lid, and no one will ever look behind the picture on the wall.  Unless we let Christ into our hearts we will always default to our sinful nature, we will always leave evidences of moments of indiscretion. Our sinful desires will be found out, and the enemy will have accomplished his objective to destroy us and all that God has called us to do. We must show to Christ the hole that we have created and plead with Him to move the disguise and fix it for us. In the Bible we find a clear reference to this point. Proverbs 28:13, Solomon reminds us that, “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper, but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.” God can do more than just cover up the holes in our lives. Still, He can do more than fix them. God alone can make them as though they never were.

~Words to love ones are like the summer sunshine that beat upon the body spreading lasting sensations. The exchanging of words of passion is permanently absorbed within the heart, it stirs the depth of emotion leaving impressions that remain. Strangely, hateful words do the same.~  Eddie Saylor

Senses

HEAR NO EVIL, SEE NO EVIL, SPEAK, NO EVIL.

Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Keep your mouth free of perversity; keep corrupt talk far from your lips. Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you. Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways.

Proverbs 4:23-26

As much as I’d like to remain a vegetarian, I find myself indulging in persuasive video imagery of various foods. Yes, I confess, I do occasionally fail at my pathetic attempts to remain a vegetarian and when I do, the account is pretty miserable. Wait just a moment… before I’m escorted to the gallows; have you ever tasted lamb shanks with a side of mint jelly? Right, moving on. Just imagine the rivers of unrestrained tears flowing as I finish a bowl full of chicken or at least something that is probably less than 10% of a chicken (We will come back to that I promise).

Being persuaded to do something that you wouldn’t ordinarily do can fill the heart with anxiety, frustration, fear and a plethora of other complex emotive reactions. Some of the commercials and various other advertisements nearly strong-arm some into purchasing. It’s amazing how much influence an ad or other forms of visual information can have over you when it simply caters to the 5 senses.

Consider what you heard before… taste the rich smooth flavorful chocolate; touch the smooth rose colored blouse; see the beautiful colored furniture; smell the gentle lilac aroma filled room; or hear the gentle soft soothing sound of the ocean as it’s aura gently caresses and stimulates the hub of your being while awakening a deep longing within you, carrying you from a place of desolation to an area of pure elation and harmony. Ok, I got carried away, but you get the point, and yes temptation is today’s word my friends.

Let’s jump right in! Remember the story of Adam and Eve; we heard it many times in various creatively expressed ways, and frankly some are duly questionable. Therefore, I call to order a quick review of Genesis 1:1-6. “He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’”

  “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

  When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it.

Yes she did, she looked, listened, touched, smelled and tasted. By engaging in a conversation with the universal culprit her every sense was tantalized and infiltrated thus causing the fall. The five senses are, in a nutshell, the avenues to the soul, without them it would be considerably difficult to be affected.

He ‘the culprit’ has wonderful persuasive attributes consider Ezekiel 13-17

                                    13] You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone adorned you: ruby, topaz and emerald, chrysolite, onyx and jasper, sapphire, turquoise and beryl. Your settings and mountings were made of gold; on the day you were created they were prepared. [14] You were anointed as a guardian cherub, for so I ordained you. You were on the holy mount of God; you walked among the fiery stones. [15] You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created till wickedness was found in you. [16] Through your widespread trade you were filled with violence, and you sinned. So I drove you in disgrace from the mount of God, and I expelled you, O guardian cherub, from among the fiery stones. [17] Your heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor. So I threw you to the earth; I made a spectacle of you before kings. 

Wow what implications this has towards who we allow ourselves to be in company with. I’m most certain you know those few who seem to have the ability to drip gallons of honey from their lips; such soothing gently composed sentiments, flowing in such desirable musical cords that are simultaneously drafted with dreadful intent and contempt having the potency of the most deadly venomous snakes. Pray for ‘em church!

            So am I suggesting that we do away with our senses? God forbid! Not at all friends, they are a God given necessity essential for survival and an extreme blessing. What do you do in a society that works at a constant strenuous pace to gain your attention? You avert your eyes, ears, and steps, as the wise man says in proverbs, let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you. This can only be achieved through relationship with Him. I say again with a mathematical precision... if and only if you have a relationship with God then will you find the ability to avert your eyes achievable. Here’s the proven Theorem:

                                     Relationship with God = R,  

                        Successful Avoidance =A,

                                     Successful achievement through the aid and mercy of God=B

AB if and only if RA=RB Conclusion we need God more than we think!

            I leave you with this friends…Philippians chapter 4:8 says, “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” 1 Cor. 10:31 - Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. Oh yeah about that less than 10% chicken, three 'significant' letters for ya, K…F…C! They can’t sue, they’re only letters! 

      

Friend

FLOWERS OF FRIENDSHIP

And Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself.  Jonathan took off the robe he was wearing and gave it to David, along with his tunic, and even his sword, his bow and his belt. 

1 Samuel 18:3,4

The bus reverberated with the excitement and clamor of nearly 30, kindergarteners. I remember each face stained with sweet sticky farewell treats awarded from the ‘soon to be’ relieved teachers. As we impatiently awaited our release from the 4-wheeled dungeon to wreak havoc on the neighborhood something vexed me severely. It’s 3:20 in the afternoon the sun is nowhere near it’s decent and just as it is scorching, I too am set ablaze with anger against Robert Sernage, my mischievous some timing childhood friend.

I ignore the fact that this is the last day of school and there are many things to contemplate, but there’s just nothing more predominant than to tighten my hand and punch Robert square in the face.  As the bus exits Harvey Kindergarten school grounds I feel my heart pounding, matching that to a rhythmical percussion of war drums.

As the bus turns the corner of Aims and Barataria Blvd the rear wheels brush slightly off the road spraying a mist of sand and tiny rocks into the air. Not too much to visually impair the other trailing buses but just enough to create a thin cloud of soot to layer the windshield of other drivers. For a moment I feared that this time Mr. Ford was definitely going to put this yellow boat into a ditch. At that thought I momentarily forgot the plans I had for Robert immediately following the school years final bus exodus.

As I thought about some of the childhood memories, I realized how delicate and fragile friendships can be. As I read about the fraternal bond between David and Jonathan there is a quiet revelation as to how we should treat the one we call friend. Their should exist a mutual affection. In sympathy did Jonathan bore David’s burden, Galatians 6:2,3 states, bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.

I remember a poem my Mother had on her wall that I  love to read  although it’s committed to memory I nonetheless enjoy seeing  the written words on the plaque: The flowers of friendship are rooted in sweet memories nurtured through joy and through sorrow…they grow in shared love and laughter and bloom in the bright hope of tomorrow.  

A greater friend is a good thing to have but their in no greater friend than Christ…Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. John 15:13 

 John 10:11
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 
 1 John 3:16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.
1 John 3:15-17

Robert was a great friend, I loved going to his house during summer break sand watching his dad   repair old fishing nets. Although I often wondered why he wouldn’t just get new ones, they were only nets. My inquisitive perplexity was ordered as such: “Why spend hours and hours repairing these fishy smelling, algae soiled, disgusting tangled things?”  I guess he was just that type of guy, frugal and resourceful, this is good. Besides, what did I really know about fishing anyway, maybe the fish like that sort of thing, foolishly hopping right on in sacrificing themselves in such nets of repugnance.  His father, Mr. Sernage was a tall and robust man who never smelled like anything but fish, brewed beverages, and cigars; a repulsive combination I thought, but nevertheless I looked forward to visiting Robert and his Dad all summer long enjoying our friendship that often experienced it’s teeter totter moments. 

The bus finally stops and most of the kids knew that Robert and I had a love/hate relationship so the expectations weren’t very high. Usually our altercations ended well, truth is that we were friends more than enemies and that seemed to disappoint the guys on my block who anticipated a good fight, but as usual we dashed their hopes.