Did I cheat on that last one?

Okay, so I copied and pasted some stuff I wrote a few years back. I felt I had to do something, my wife reminded me that it had been 6 weeks since I had updated my blog. hehhheeeee

Well, I "updated" it. :-)

Here is a more normal/updating, update for updating the blog as an updated bit of information to update those that are actually reading the updates in this particular blog:

Proverbs 11:30 (last half specifically):
30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, And he who is wise wins souls.

He that wins souls is wise. He that winneth souls is wise.

One of the interesting things that has struck me about this particular passage, is first that it is a "proverb" and so the context of the reference may or may not have direct correlation. In this case, I believe that there is a general correlation, that has to do with blessings (or not, as the case may be). the essential gist of what is going on here is that generosity will be blessed and stingyness is not going to be.

Is this blog about the Biblical concept of the Law of the Harvest? - nope. I just found it interesting that it is found in teh middle of scriptures that seem to be on that topic (in general).

So, the next thing that I find interesting and actually what I wanted to try to express is that I hear this scripture (last half anyway) allot fromteh pulpit: he that wins souls is wise. and they directly correlate that to their ministry or others bringing "winning" people into salvation. getting he unsaved, saved.

I find that interesting becasue the whole salvation issue (as we know and understand it in the New Testament, Christian church) is about the sacrifice that Christ paid, fulfilling teh law, and bringing atonement for our sin nature, and that if we accept this gift of grace, by faith, we are saved and can have a restored relationship with God through the intercessor, Christ Jesus.

In any case, the challenge is that in one message a minister will say that it is not "us" that does the saving, it is Christ, or it is God that does the saving. Then in another message they will talk about themselves "saving" people and use proverbs to tell people that by saving people, we are "wise".

I think that there is more here than meets the eye. I believe we are a trichotomistic being. Body, Soul and spirit. unfortunately many believe and are taught from the pulpit, (even if they don't believe it) that the spirit and soul are the same thing, and use the terms interchangeably. sometimes that is the easier way to reference them, however, I believe it can cause confusion.

I do not believe the soul and spirit to be the same. so in the case of this scripture reference, it is talking about the soul, as the heart of man, the emotions and thought processes. So by winning this "soul", it is a wise thing becuase then those that are "won" are then more able to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit's leading into repentance and therefor salvation.

witnessing and sharing the Gospel is a form and type of what is a process of trying to win those souls. So is living a lifestyle that is something that others see is Christiana nd something they want and desire. Many Christians live a certain lifestyle that is not very different, if at all from those they are trying to "win". so when they "hear" the winning-process being spoken to them, they are thinking in their soul, (conciously and subconciously) that they aren't living it, so what difference does it make what they say to me.

I am not syaing that I am perfect, or that I don't make mistakes, but I am saying that endeavoring to be and live obediently to Gods Word is part and parcel of presenting that information to the souls of others so that they are won into a place that they can make a decisian for Christ.

He that wins souls is wise.

We can win souls.
God does the saving of the spirit.
We are not the Holy Ghost.

a bit of creative writing from 2001...

I had a dream, actually a series of dreams,a nd continue to have like dreams -but I wrote a couple of them:

"Dream of flight" -

As I run to get enough speed for a take off, I notice the grass of the field, the green grass; not a dark, deep green, but a green that is typical of grass that has not been watered for a few weeks. It looks dry. I am starting to gain some lift, enough that I can maneuver myself so that I can be semi-parallel with the ground.

As I gain some altitude, it is possible to level myself out a bit so that I am not completely parallel to the ground, but just enough tilt so that looking forward is not uncomfortable. I have tried in the past to fly in a vertical position, and it works, but it is pretty uncomfortable with the wind blowing. I am not sure how far off the ground I am, since I have no electronic devices that will tell me that kind of detail, but it seems as though I may be 40 or 50 feet at what I will call my cruising level.

Flying around, doing some spins are becoming easier, but I still haven’t been able to get up enough nerve to do a loop. Maybe if I get more altitude, it would feel more comfortable. Looking around the ground, I can see the corn fields and some soybeans (obviously in the Midwest somewhere). I am not sure where I am, but I am not uncomfortable in this location and don’t feel lost.

I think my comfort level has something to do with being in the fields and wide open spaces. I believe I can fly and so I do. I am not sure why I have to run to take off, since there is nothing aerodynamic about my body and lift and thrust air pressures are not really involved. Probably, again, because I am comfortable with the concept of the running take off.

I have tried to fly in the city, but with little success. I can only guess as to why, but I have some trouble navigating the hazards. Phone poles, power wires, tall buildings and the like are all prevalent in the city and though I can usually take off, given enough “runway” (I still feel that I need to run to get going), but I haven’t been able to stay up for much longer than a few minutes or for a short trip, and I normally have felt pretty stressed (though not physically tired) at the end of these excursions.

I don’t know how fast I can normally go at this point, again, no electronics to measure speed. I don’t think I am going extremely fast, probably something less than about 50 miles per hour, tops. I don’t have much control of speed at this point. This is also why I don’t get around in the city too well.

Landing was a problem at first, the first few times, I had to slow down as much as I was able and lower my altitude to a level that would allow me to have a safe “crash-landing”. I didn’t dare wear dress clothes because I would end up rolling on the ground, crashing in a snow bank or if nothing else was available, making a tuck and roll on the concrete.

I can now land with extreme precisian. My ability to slow and land on my feet has taken a lot of practice and it doesn’t even require that I continue to run and slow down. I can slow to an almost hover before I land. However I must land when I start the process there are no "touch and go's". It is difficult to explain, but I think it is the hover process. In my mind, when I start hovering, I start losing altitude. I know that this shouldn’t have to be, but that’s what I have to deal with right now.

I know that with practice I will be able to have more control of my speed and altitude. And that’s where my question comes in: If I get too much altitude, this physical body will need oxygen. If I go too fast, this body will feel the friction and start to burn.

I don’t like being limited by the sky (“the sky’s the limit”?!?!). I think that God is gracious in allowing me to experience flight, I know that God doesn’t break His own Laws, but I also know that we may not have full understanding of those laws.

Why do I feel that my physical body needs oxygen? Why do I feel that an increase in speed will cause heat? Why do I feel that I must lose altitude when hovering? I believe all these answers can be found in an increased understanding of Gods Laws and a closer relationship with Him.

It all has to do with the beginning. What does God have for us, his children, and mankind? I don’t think that in the early days, God would have even allowed us to dream of flight if He didn’t intend that we could do it. Why would He “frustrate” us like that? I believe that I am in a similar situation as I was then. I know I can do it, but must wait on God. When I couldn’t fly, I didn’t “know” I could fly. Right now, I can’t do loops, control speed, or maneuver well, because I don’t “know” that I can.

I know I should have full control of my molecular structure, but I also feel limited that if I had full control, it would take too much effort to remain in a solid state. I thank God that there is much that is automatic and doesn’t require effort of thought to continue or so that it works.

Dreamed the night before it was written on August 14, 2001.

Dream of flight II -

I begin walking. There is nothing unusual or strange going on. I am just walking down the street, on a sidewalk. I don’t have a clue where I am, but I am comfortable that I am not lost. I seem to be going somewhere, but I don’t know where. Off to the left, I see some people gathering around a tree in a back yard, near the next house.

I quickened my pace to see what was up as the crowd seemed to be anxious. The anxiety seemed to be of a negative nature and I wanted to see if there was anything I could do. I am nobody special, I remember thinking that I could pray or help somehow.

There was a little boy up in the tree. He had climbed out the window of his house and somehow ended up high up in that branch. He was holding on, but as a young child of maybe 4, his grip was loosening and he was obviously getting tired. I thought to myself, “Why has no one gone to get a ladder or something to help?”

I don’t remember ever flying, or at least taking off where there were people around. I had always required a running start for some reason. But something had broken in me and I knew that if I didn’t do what I knew I could do, the boy would fall, and at least be seriously injured.

It seemed like I thought about what to do for an hour, when in fact it was probably only seconds. The boy had started to loosen his grip at almost the moment I walked up. I was behind almost everyone, so nobody saw me approach. As he started to lean, like he was going to fall, I did a vertical lift, with no "runway".

I don’t know how fast I shot up there, it seemed to be in slow motion for me, but I weaved between the larger branches and ignored the twigs that broke as I slid upward past them. I would say that it was about 30-40 feet. The window he got out of was on a third story attic walk out.

I was there very quickly, and when he saw me coming up, he seemed to get more strength. I think he was afraid, but whatever it was, he grabbed tighter around the branch he was holding and just stopped from toppling. His countenance told me that he was extremely afraid.

Ignoring the crowd below, I got a little closer and spoke. I told him to not be afraid, that I wasn’t a monster or anything. I told him that I was just a man and that I was there to help him get out of the tree. I smiled and he seemed to be somewhat less nervous. I reached out with my hand and after only a slight hesitation, he grabbed my arm and I pulled him in and held him to myself with a hug.

Instead of taking the same route back down through the branches, I flew backwards a bit to get out of the tree and away from the branches so that they wouldn’t scrape him when I descended. I slowly descended and when I came to the ground, I set him down. The little boy ran to his house and ran inside, not saying a word.

I wondered where all the people went. There was nobody around. I thought for sure I would be inundated with questions, at least. I was not. I felt a peace come over me, and realized that there never really was a crowd. I “saw” a crowd to get me over to the emergency in order that I could help the boy. No wonder they hadn’t done anything to try to save him before I came, there was nobody there and no one knew he was in trouble.

Several things come to mind, now. Several extraordinary things, and I had to give God the praise and I knelt right there in that yard, raised my hands and praised Him.

Besides the obvious of saving that little boy, I had achieved VTOL (vertical take off and landing). I had never thought I could do VTOL, and then it struck me – I also hovered. I had hovered in that tree waiting for the boy to allow me to grab him and take him back down. Maybe for only a second or a few seconds, but it was hovering non the less.

Previous to this encounter, I had never been able to hover. I had tried, but whenever I did, I started losing altitude and began to slowly descend. This time was different. Not only did I hover, I also did a fully vertical landing with the boy (payload). And it was all done with little effort on my part, it all seemed to be a reaction and an unconscious effort, though I do recall “steering” to avoid branches on the ascent.

After a couple minutes, I got up and went back to the sidewalk that seemed extremely familiar, and started back down the walk. I don’t know where I was going, but I know I had a destination.

dreamed the night before it was written on September 10, 2001.