I can’t remember the last time I missed church because I was sick. I think it was about 12 years ago. I have missed church because of hunting, fishing, and bicycle riding, but not very often because I was sick. It wasn’t anything serious, just a stomach bug that kept me close to the bathroom. The worst part was I missed teaching my discipleship class on “Angels and Demons” and all three of my Leadership Classes.” The main reason I skipped this weekend is because I really wanted to go to our church retreat at Cannon Beach Monday through Wednesday with Patty, and I was afraid that if I pushed through and taught all my classes I would be to sick to go to the retreat with my wife. It is Sunday evening, and I am still feeling a bit puky, but way better than yesterday so I think I will make it tomorrow.

I have been feeling guilty for choosing to miss my teaching responsibilities for a trip to the coast with my wife, but I am thinking that all the guilty feelings will go away five minutes after I start walking on the beach holding Patty’s hand.

It is interesting that this choice of skipping teaching opportunities followed my two most recent blogs on “Wisdom” and making choices to do things that will be rewarded at the “Judgment Seat of Christ!” yikes!!

Oh well, as I already said I will probably have justified my decision shortly after we arrive at our room, after all, I certainly didn’t want to give everybody in all my classes the same bug that I had, all though it is probably floating around everywhere.

We all tend to do that throughout our life. Make choices that are motivated by pleasure rather than eternal fruit or results, or choosing to do the easy and fun thing rather than the hard thing, and then justify the choice with any number of personal arguments. I certainly have made my share of those choices over my lifetime.

As we maneuver our way through life making choices all day long, little choices and big ones, it is important to remember that every choice has results, and sometimes a seemingly small choice will end up changing the entire trajectory of our life for the Lord.

Psalms 31:3 For You are my rock and my fortress; For Your name’s sake You will lead me and guide me.

One of the things that happens as you get older is you get wiser based on the number of experiences more senior people have had compared with kids (those under 40). I listen to interviews given by hot sports stars in their 20s, and I hear a lot of effort to sound wise but not much wisdom. That isn’t a critical statement; it is just how it is. When you get older, you get wiser; at least, that is how it should work.

My Dad would regularly say, “Just because you get older doesn’t mean you necessarily get wiser; there are a lot of old fools running around.”

When young people talk foolishly, it is often funny, especially if they think they are talking wise. But when you hear older adults talking foolishness, it is sad because they have had enough years to have become wise if they had been learners instead of know-it-alls.

The book of Proverbs in the Bible uses the word “scoffer” for those who think they know it all. It says that scoffers never become wise because when you think you already are wise, you stop learning from others, from experience, and from books.

One of the regular warnings from my father was, “Don’t be a know-it-all.”

Some of the truths about being a “know-it-all” or a scoffer;

1. When you are a scoffer, everybody knows it but you.

2. When you are a scoffer your brain freezes, that is, it goes into a “no-learn mode.”

Proverbs 1:22: “How long, O naive ones, will you love being simple-minded? And scoffers delight themselves in scoffing, And fools hate knowledge?

3. Scoffers have way more problems and trials than most because they keep making the same stupid choices and decisions.

Proverbs 19:29 Judgments are prepared for scoffers, And blows for the back of fools.

4. Scoffers are almost always in debt up to their eyebrows because it takes wisdom and self-control to stay out of debt.

5. Scoffers often have anger problems, they can’t be taught or reasoned with so they just get angry.

6. Scoffers work hard to give the appearance of wisdom.

7. Scoffers can’t become wise.

Proverbs 14:6 A scoffer seeks wisdom and finds none, But knowledge is easy to one who has understanding.

8. Scoffers are impossible to correct or teach.

Proverbs 13:1 A wise son accepts his father’s discipline, But a scoffer does not listen to rebuke.

9. Scoffers cause a lot of conflict in relationships and in the groups they are part of.

Proverbs 22:10 Drive out the scoffer, and contention will go out, Even strife and dishonor will cease.

Patty and I had eight children and now we have 28 grandchildren and I am thinking that we will have 100 great grandchildren if we live long enough to see them all.

Each one of them grew steadily from birth. We have some differences in height and weight but still each one is pretty much “normal” as they have progressed through the various stages of life.

Being potty trained was a great milestone for each, talking was a sort of drug out milestone, especially for some who were a bit slower picking that up. The same with walking, some took off early and fast and others seemed to like crawling so they stayed there for a while.

The kids each progressed through the grades in school and then went to College, got married, started a career, had kids, our grandkids, of their own.

The greatest growth that they all had was in their character. Patty and I parented with a character-growth mindset. We wanted them to grow in kindness, diligence, patience, resourcefulness, humility, self-control, and others so we figured out how to stimulate character growth in each one as unique individuals.

The thing about our kids was that each one of them had a will of their own and as they got older their own choices, priorities, and values came into play in their character growth. We were blessed in that none of them was a major rebel or hard-hearted.

God’s will and plan for each of our lives is that we would grow to the point of understanding the truth of the gospel, become born-again children of God and then for the rest of our lives to grow steadily in character until we become like Jesus.

Even though that is what God wants, and He does everything that He can do in our circumstances to move us toward maturity, there is still that issue of people making right choices, having right priorities, and holding godly values. Some do and many don’t.

The key, I believe, as I press on every day to become more and more like my Savior, is to be submissive to God. It is a battle because we want to run our own lives, make our own decisions and decide for ourselves what is right and wrong. Every morning I declare Jesus to be Lord of my life and I commit my life to following and obeying Him. I do it daily because I easily slip back to me steering the ship.

When I step into heaven I want to be just exactly like Jesus in character so that I can enjoy Him and He can enjoy me for all eternity.

Dear Lord,

Your Word says that You greatly esteem the person who fears You. I fear You, You are God Almighty, the one who created me, the one who saved me, the one who made the rules. You called me to be Your disciple, Your servant, and You said that someday I will stand before You and give an account of my life to You. You declared that all of my works will be tested by fire and if they stand the test of the fire I will receive rewards from You, but if what I have done with my life is burned up I will suffer loss, but I will be saved but enter heaven empty handed. Whooooeeee that makes me nervous.

Lord, I am going to be 75 years old in one week. I don’t have a lot of time left to work for You and to earn rewards from You. I have taken a lot of tests in my lifetime and I was nervous before all of them, especially my driving test to get my license, I remember that, but none of those tests, not even all of them put together, comes close to the fear I am feeling about the moment I stand before You and give an accounting of my life to you.

I dream of You saying to me “You did well, my son!” I can’t imagine how that is going to feel to hear those words, and to see Your smile. WOW, I hope that is what happens, but I don’t know, for sure. I think about slowing down and not working so much, I get so tired any more, but I can’t. If I new for sure that “ the day” was going to turn out well, I might, but I don’t have a clue, so I will keep plugging along, doing the best that I can, always.

I shouldn’t act like it is that hard to keep going hard, because it really isn’t. He gives me the strength, the wisdom, the desire, the opportunities, and the joy when I get up out of my chair and do something for Him that matters, it is a great way to live, and I love every minute of my life.

Dear Lord, How pleasing am I to You, really? What I wouldn’t give for some kind of daily score, evaluation on how I did living for You. Help me to know how I am doing. I want to sense your pleasure in me. I also want to be able to feel your displeasure when I do things that are wrong. Can I really do that, sense that, know that? Is it just a matter of my conscience? How calloused is my conscience? Oh Lord, I do not want to be surprised on the day I first see You at the “Judgment Seat of Christ.” Please help me to grow in holiness before You. Please help me to know who and what I am in character from Your perspective, not mine or the world’s. And please give me the power to grow and change.

What are my character flaws and deficiencies? What are the weak areas in my character?

I know that whatever the total count is to those two questions that I am really only aware of a small number of them, and that I am blind to the majority of them. That statement I wish with all my heart wasn’t true, but I know that it is. I have many blind spots, character flaws, deficiencies, and bad ways of acting and talking that I am totally unaware of.

That statement makes me very sad, and at the same time, it makes me very nervous about what I could do and the hurt that I could cause and not even know it.

The best solution to this blindness problem is to faithfully read God’s Word every day.

Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

When I read, memorize, and meditate on the Word of God I need to pray and ask God to show me what He would like to change in me, that He would use His Word as a mirror for me to see myself accurately.

Another key to seeing our own blind spots is that whenever I see or hear things in those around me that I am critical of in my mind, I need to examine my own life carefully in the same area. It is an interesting bit of human behavior that those things that we are weak in we tend to see most accurately in others.

Matthew 7:3-5 Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and behold, the log is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.

A third thing that is super important is that I must want to grow and discover what needs changing in me. Not a casual interest, but a consuming want that drives us to seek holiness with all diligence. Most are just interested in being accepted by people rather than being approved by God.

Wisdom is an elusive thing; there aren’t very many wise people in the world today, way less than many would think. Solomon, who wrote the book of Proverbs, said that in his search for wisdom and wise people, he only found one in a thousand. Wisdom must be sought with great diligence, as people would search for gold, silver, and precious treasure.

People who think they are wise don’t find it, naive people don’t find it, fearful and anxious people don’t find it, lazy people don’t find it, know-it-alls don’t find it, only those who know they need more, recognize how important it is to succeed in life, and who seek it as if their life depended on it find it.

Proverbs 2:1-6 My son, if you will receive my words and treasure my commandments within you, make your ear attentive to wisdom, incline your heart to understanding; For if you cry for discernment, lift your voice for understanding; If you seek her as silver and search for her as for hidden treasures; Then you will discern the fear of the Lord and discover the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge and understanding.

The first stage of wisdom is knowing what to do and what to say in any situation or circumstance that you find yourself in. The second stage is knowing what others ought to do and say in any situation or circumstance they find themselves in. You can become wise for yourself, then for your family, and then for your friends.

The key to becoming wise is reading, studying, and memorizing the Bible. The more you do, the more wisdom you will get; it is `as simple as that.

Psalms 119:98-100 Your commandments make me wiser than my enemies, For they are ever mine. I have more insight than all my teachers, For Your testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the aged, Because I have observed Your precepts.

The second discipline to practice regularly is reading good books written by wise people. One of the initial levels of wisdom as you seek it is knowing who to seek more wisdom from and then doing it, reading a lot.

Then listen to podcasts by wise people, listen a lot, listen while you drive, while you mow your lawn, and while you exercise. Many people listen to music while driving, but most aren’t worshipping with that music; they are just being entertained. Seek wisdom, so instead, listen to good sermons and teachings on how to live life successfully.

If you personally know wise people ask them questions, lots of questions, and listen well.

And then write down what you learn in your very own book of Proverbs, your book of wisdom. I call mine “Dee-Duke’s Axioms for Life.” I may publish it someday.

A lot of people think that because I am a Pastor that I have this whole prophecy thing all figured out and that I know fairly accurately what is going to happen next in and around and with Israel. I sorta, kind of know in a very general way, but there are a whole lot of details that I have no clue about.

There are a lot of self-proclaimed prophets running around making fairly bold predictions about the future on YouTube, Facebook, and on other internet sights that I am thinking are full of it.

The purpose of fulfilled prophecy is to show and prove that God is God, and that He is in control. Most of what is parading around today as prophecy is educated guesses and many of them are not even very educated. Many are aimed at the insecurities and anxieties of people.

Essential for me is God is in control; he is God. I belong to Him, and He will be with me, guide me, strengthen me, use me, give me joy and peace, and take me to heaven to live with Him forever. In the meantime, I want to influence as many people as possible to trust Jesus Christ as their savior so that they can live with God forever.

I know that Israel is God’s people and that He has a plan for them. I pray for Israel that they will come to know Jesus Christ as their Messiah.

And in the slack times I will fish as much as I can, play golf when the sun shines, work on my 1969 Mustang, watch football, and play poker with my friends.

I never played football in High School or College. The High School I went to only had about 40 kids so we didn’t have enough interest or money to have football and the College that I went to was too small for football as well. I played basketball in both High School and College and baseball in College. I never saw or watched a real live football game until I married Patty. Her Dad was a football star in High School and College and played on a local Sem-pro team for several years. So he couldn’t have a football-illiterate son-in-law, so when we went to visit if it was the season he would take me to a game. We went to several San Fransisco 49 games, and Oakland Raider games when the Raiders were in Oakland. That is one of the reasons that I am now a “49ers” fan. Now I enjoy watching football on television, both College and NFL, and occasionally make it to one of my grandson’s High School games. I rarely miss watching “Monday Night Football” with a bunch of friends at the church.

I listen to a number of sports commentators each week on “YouTube” as they explain about various teams and players, why they are good or bad, and why they lost or won. I enjoy it very much, and I am thinking about joining a “Fantasy Football League” next year.

I have said numerous times that most Biblical truth is illustrated by life. The Apostle Paul often uses various aspects of life to illustrate his teaching, and he regularly uses Sports to illustrate spiritual principles. In 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 he uses both track and boxing as illustrations of exercising self-control to accomplish a goal. In other passages he talks about wrestling and athletics in general to illustrate spiritual truths.

I am teaching a class each week on “Angels and Demons” and as I study I can’t help but to think about football. We are daily involved in what is termed “Spiritual Warfare”, the battle taking place between angels and demons over our heads for the control of people’s lives. Colossians 2:15 says that Christ defeated the devil and his demons when he died and rose again. I will let you study the context of this passage. “When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him.”

There is a lot happening today in the world, and the devil is diligently trying to win the football game, but he has already been defeated by Jesus, so I am going to live like and talk like a winner because I am on Jesus’s team and we will win, and in fact we have already won.

Revelation 12:12-13 For this reason, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them. Woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, knowing that he has only a short time.” And when the dragon saw that he was thrown down to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male child.

The “woman” in this passage is the nation of Israel. The devil hates the nation of Israel and he believes that if he is going to defeat God, he needs to destroy Israel, and he has great wrath and he is going to give it his best shot. Watch it play out, and guess who wins in the end.

Revelation 20:1-3 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; and he threw him into the abyss, and shut it and sealed it over him,

Reading or listening to the news today can produce a lot of irritation, anxiety, confusion, and frustration, but when you read the Bible regularly, like daily, especially prophecy, the result is a sense of security in the midst of chaos. The devil is trying hard to win, but he won’t, God is in charge, and His will is what happens, always. Enjoy the ride.