Christian Character

2 Peter 1:5-7 ...make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love (NIV).

I. Why is the character of a Christian important?
Our character always defines us. As a Christian, our character should define us as Christians. They should prove who we are. How can we preach change to others if we haven’t changed ourselves? How can we preach love to others when we have none ourselves? Basically, how can the Spirit of God be in us if we have no characteristics of the Spirit? Jesus said it best in Luke 3:8, "Produce fruit in keeping with repentance." (NIV)

If you say you changed an apple into an orange, but it still looks like an apple, smells like an apple, tastes like an apple and has apple seeds in it, guess what? You didn't change it into an orange! It's still an apple. Same with a Christian, if you say you've changed and you still act like a sinner, talk like a sinner, hang out with sinners and still like to sin, guess what? You didn't change!

Why do people shy away from Christianity? Because too many people "talk the talk", but don't "walk the walk".

The proof is in the fruit!

Pablito

Shame on Billy Ray!

Celebrity news doesn't ever really do much for me. I fail to see what all the hub-bub is about these people. I don't understand why they ever get a platform to speak to the American public (and the world, thanks to CNN) on issues when the rest of us aren't afforded that same opportunity. More importantly, I REALLY fail to see why anyone with a hint of intelligence would listen to them.

This week, I did see on HNN a story that caught my attention. The story of Miley Cyrus and her photo shoot for Vanity Fair. I guess it caught my eye, because even being a 53 year old man, I have watched quite a few episodes of "Hannah Montana". Could be because they talk a lot like me, or because I used to cut a rug to "Achy Breaky Heart" or maybe it's because it is usually a show that is cute, funny and decent amid all the sewage that generally floods the cablewaves.

This last week, Miley sat for a photo shoot for Vanity Fair. What a 15 year old has to offer Vanity Fair is beyond me and most of the rest of the decent American public, but they did it. Dad (Billy Ray) and mom (Trish), were both right there. And what a great thing, they had the world acclaimed Annie Leibovitz as the photographer! That makes all OK! She only shoots art! I'm going to make this short here. I'll post the picture and just say this, "What reason could possibly make this OK?"

Mom and Dad Cyrus, what were you thinking? What is the need to take a photo of a 15 year old girl posing like this, to be put in a grown-up magazine? Then, top it off by saying that you are now upset because the photos are a little racy? What did you think they would be? You put a little girl, topless, wrapped in a satin sheet, with a bunch of make-up on her, some bright red lipstick, tussled-up hair, giving a pouty look and figured everyone would think, " That's just the way ALL 15 year olds look when they wake up"!

You people need a reality check. This should never be alright. At what age will it stop? 14, 13, 12? We allow this and wonder why we have teen pregnancies and high abortion rates.

You know, there is nothing wrong with a little bit of decency in the world.

Pablito

Discipline Your Doubts - 1

Some people nurture negative thoughts and doubts. This causes discouragement and failure. If we are led by the head, we are doomed to fail. Why? Because the head says, “It can’t be done”. Everything about God is about faith and everything about us as humans is about knowledge. It’s about what we can see, hear, taste, smell and feel. If it doesn’t fit into those five senses, we have a problem with it. Our knowledge is defeatist to start with. Most people will look at the negative of everything that they see. That stops us from trying and finishing. How many things have we never tried simply because we thought we would fail?

We doubt and therefore we don’t.

Pablito

Finally back on!

Well, we returned from Roatan last Saturday, but have been running non-stop ever since. There are always things that need catching up on. Most of which was (and still is) school work. As I come to the end of another semester, research papers, discussion boards, exams, etc. are all coming due. Intensive semesters (8 weeks instead of 16) are great if you have a short attention span like me, but they take their toll as everything moves at a much more rapid pace. Two and a half weeks left and it seems as though we just got started.

Anyway, one research paper down, one to go, four panel discussions down, one left and a few tests and as they say in Cayman, "Bob's your uncle!" I may explain that to you one day.

Pablo

On The Road Again

For all you avid readers out there (yes, both of you!) I will be on the road this week. Actually in the air, since we don't have cars. We are traveling to the island of Roatan. I will be preaching at a church there and Martita will be at a women's conference.

If we get to an internet connection I will try to post something.

Have fun this week!

Pablito

Tearing up the Streets - Pt. 2

I promised I would tell you why brought up the story yesterday, so here it is. The city we live in is a small place that was built out on a reef in the water. The town is pretty much houses and sidewalks. No cars, no roads, just sidewalks. These are not overly wide sidewalks either. So, in the process of putting in the new sewer/septic system for the island, where are they laying the pipe? Under the sidewalk. This makes it extremely difficult to get around.

Right now, they are working right in front of our outreach center. When I say right in front, I mean right in front! You have to step across three foot trenches and over frayed electrical wires and go through the muck to get in our gates. So, why is this so relevant right now? We picked this week to start our new outreach to the teens of the island, giving them a place to come study in the mornings before school. They have all been very excited about it so the poor turn out so far is in direct relation to the difficulty of getting into the building. The first day, they even had the street totally blocked off and we had to wind through someone elses yard to get to our place.

Well, we hope it gets better next week, but most importantly, we hope that when the project is complete, the toilets all flush and everything goes where it is supposed to. It reminds me of the old joke, "There's only two things you need to know to be a plumber, water runs downhill and payday's on Friday!" It is actually said with a little more color than that, but you get the point. (BTW, I know there is more to it, so please don't sic the plumber's union on me!) When you need a plumber, nobody else will quite do!

I'll try to post a picture tomorrow of the mess.

Tearing up the Streets

It's good and it's bad, depends on what day it is. The municipal here on the island started a project last year to put in a sewer system. For those of you who don't know, that means we don't have one now. Well, actually we do. It's called the sea. Everything drains right out into the sea. If you are fortunate enough to have a house over the water, plumbing is simple. Hole in the floor, toilet on top, BAM, done! We shudder to think of this in this age, but it's been that way for centuries, even onger

As a young boy, I had the opportunity once to go shrimping off the coast of Mississippi where I was born. My uncle took me and my brothers and we went with Dominick Gospadonavich (I'm sure that is spelled wrong!). It was a small bay style shrimp boat and it had a flat rear deck with about a six-inch lip all around.

We started out pretty early in the morning, before sunrise, and I just thought it was the neatest thing. I don't remember exactly how old I was, but would have to guess that I was probably around 10-12. We put the nets out and we were just dragging them along, enjoying the day. I remember that my uncle had bought some donuts and I got one from the wheelhouse and I walked out and headed to the back of the boat. As I got to the back deck, there to my shock and surprise was Mr. Gospadonavich, britches down around his ankles, hanging his backside off the rear of the boat. He looked at me, grinned and said something that would be in my mind forever, "The sea's the biggest toilet in the world. I been usin' her all my life and I don't fill her up yet!" (Naturally as an old seaman, his language was just a bit more colorful than mine!)

That was it, imprinted forever in my mind. This one's going to the grave with me!

Tomorrow I will actually tell you why I even brought any of this up, I promise.

Pablo