Jason E. Fort's Blog

A Test of Faith - Don't Lose Sight of What We Ask For

*Image is AI generated

I was inspired by an old friend, and one of my son's mentors growing up, as he spoke to FCA for about fifteen minutes this morning. He talked about the story of Jesus and His disciples, when the disciples saw Jesus walking out on the stormy sea, and thought he was a ghost. He made special reference to Peter, and how he was the only disciple who dared to test Jesus. But what Peter really did was ask the Son of Man to test him. Observe from the book of Matthew:

"Lord, if it's you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water."

---- (Matthew 14:28, NIV)

It was a test of faith, whether Peter realized it or not.

"Come," He said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water, and came toward Jesus." ---- (Matthew 14:29, NIV)

Can you imagine what that was like? Have you ever asked God to guide you on your path in life, and decided for yourself to take conscientious steps forward on a certain path because you were doing it for God? When you felt like it was the right decision, did it not feel like you were doing what God wills for your life, because you devoted that action to Jesus?

But wait - do you think Peter felt pretty confident at first, when he trusted in Jesus' words, and found himself to begin to WALK ON WATER? Talk about a confidence booster... at first.

Sometimes, we think everything is hunky-dory when we start off on sure footing. But then we have misplaced confidence. We take our attention off the One that got us there, and we start to struggle. My friend's message made me think about that. He forced me to reflect back on my life.

I thought about when I was in college, and I knew what an impact both my grandmother and my mom made in the field of teaching. I thought God had put me in a position at Erskine College to put me on a similar path. When I first started teaching, I was focused more on glorifying God every day in some way, even if it just meant being a positive male role model to students. But I let things distract me from my work, both at work and at home. I let things creep into my sight, kind of like the crashing waves that took Peter's focus off Jesus. And slowly but surely, my education career began to sink. Once I was aware of the problem, I had to reach out a hand to Jesus, to get me back in the boat.

Then I started again for the YMCA, and just knew that one day I could make that positive impact on the community where I grew up one day, in the organization that helped raise me...the Young Men's Christian Association. Once again, I started out on fire for working for God through my work as a Wellness Director and Youth Sports Director. This time I even got to rely on my background in the church, and my slowly maturing Christian faith. I got to even share that faith publicly at times, not having to worry about separation of church and state. But as one major door on my career path was slammed in my face, I felt like I was drowning again. I stopped putting in the effort. I began to be quite disagreeable and even apathetic towards everything, including my family, and I knew something had to change. This time, it was like Jesus had to squat down and actually lay down on the water to reach under and grab my arm before I sank to the bottom. Back in the boat I went.

Then I prayed. I listened to other people and some of their advice on where I might make a good fit. I prayed for revelation. I remembered a childhood dream that I had blown off a long time before, thinking I would never be able to do something like law enforcement. Then I prayed some more for wisdom. I did research about law enforcement. I had people telling me I would make a great police officer, both at church and at the restaurant and bar where I worked security. I prayed with my wife. I told her about some of the things I needed to really consider before going into law enforcement; I wanted her to know what she would be getting into, being the spouse of a police officer. I wanted to also influence my young son at the time, who had young, innocent dreams of serving his country in uniform one day. My wife was so supportive, and she has been my rock ever since. Although it has not been an easy path, my faith has grown stronger and stronger during my career in law enforcement, and that has given me strength and hope in this career, despite certain failures along the way. In some sense, I think God rewarded some of my focus and perseverence by placing me in the perfect job, at the perfect school for my personality. Before that, I found myself in a unique training postition that also catered to all my strengths. And yet, even now, perhaps my focus on Jesus has still not been as sharp as it needs to be. My strong side hip has caused more and more pain; it has forced a permanent limp in my gait (though Wing Chun and hurrying after someone can still be done with smiling grunts), and I feel ten years older than my actual age from my lower back down. There are days when I feel like God reached out and touched my hip, just like He did Jacob before he crossed the river to catch up with his family and belongings on the way to see his brother Esau. The sinking feeling that Peter may have experienced before the Lord helped him up, has crept back into my life.

So what am I doing, as I think out loud in paragraphs typed on a screen?

I still strive to persevere in the place where God placed me. I have too much love for the kids and coworkers in my life to just give up - but I also pray fervently every morning in the patrol car. My focus has sharpened. What will it mean, when I finally take the plunge to answer a call that has slowly been churning through nine years of writing books, and exploring more and more knowledge of faith in Jesus? Become a chaplain, I answer - and why not? One of the first classes I have taken has stringently emphasized the importance of chaplains in our military. I am the grandson to a World War Two Veteran who came back from the Pacific and still pursued a dream to answer the call of ministry as a pastor. Why should I not try to honor his legacy? No, it won't be on the physical battlefield, but I will set out to help those who wear the badge. Especially the guys on the road; they face a different battle every day, mostly against unseen forces. But I want to be there in the 'darkest hours' for whoever needs me. Chaplaincy could be the one answer I've been looking for to keep my focus on Him.

Now I am a little different from Peter. I didn't necessarily come right out and request a test of my faith. But maybe it was an unwritten requirement as I've come along in this simple life I've made. For many years, I thought my faith was surely the one thing that is strong enough. My body might not have ever been as strong as I wanted, I said to myself, so I stayed in the weightroom all the time. But surely this faith, that has been engrounded into my very being, my heart and soul - surely it's strong enough? I honestly think I am truly about to find out. We saw what happened when Peter took his eyes off the Lord. I've experienced little metaphorical drowning moments myself, in this simple life. Maybe the Good Lord has been trying to tell me something all along.

What about you? Is our faith ever really strong enough? Have you ever asked for your own faith to be tested? If not, when or if you do, remember to stay focused on Christ. I know that is what I will continue to improve upon every day.

Food for thought on this 18th of April, 2024. God bless you all-

JEF

From student to Peacemaker, in More ways than One

"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God."

Matthew 5:9, NIV

I remember being in ninth grade Spanish class, I got upset and spoke up in the classroom when certain students wanted to argue with each other - and our teacher, Mrs. Rogers, couldn't even finish her thought to the class. I just wanted everyone to get along, and I was interested in learning more about the particular topic in Spanish for that day.

After class, Mrs. Rogers pulled me aside before I could get very far towards my next class.

"I want you to know, Mr. Fort, I appreciate you sticking up for me in there," she began (or words pretty close to that).

"You know you do pretty well in this class; I think even if you don't choose to master Spanish, you're going to be something like a diplomat one day."

I remember not really knowing what that meant, but I answered, "Thanks Mrs. Rogers. But I have to get to class."

"Okay, but I meant it, Jason. Thank you." She waved as I rushed off down the hall, toting my infamous trademark half-ton duffle bag full of books. Mrs. Rogers grinned, and I will always remember her tiny nose and pleasant grin. And I never forgot her words.

Diplomat - according to dictionary.com, one definition is, a person who can deal with people in a sensitive and effective way.

Years later, I became a school teacher. I definitely found ways of dealing with students in sensitive and effective ways, especially as it related to physical education. This career brought me great satisfaction for a time. But as things happened in my personal life, where it became harder for me to bring children at peace with themselves and difficult home situations, causing terrible discipline problems in my classes, I sought to become a 'peacemaker' elsewhere.

I chose to enter the fitness industry full-time, trying to help people seeking improvement in body image and health, and trying to help a variety of people in sensitive and effective ways. Perhaps I helped some people find peace within themselves; I will never forget a young man named Alex, who I helped light the spark inside him to commit to hard work in the gym, and he went from morbid obesity, to being able to walk and jog around the block, losing more than 200 pounds! That kid called to thank me personally years later when he reached his goal. I wish he was still with us today, but attention to his story got to be time consuming, and I don't think his heart could take the added stress of media hype. But the joy in his sincere words of thanks melted my heart. I will never forget Alex.

It turns out, I was also working to try to be the nicest bouncer in town on the side, while I worked in fitness. Late nights, on the weekends, the good people at a local bar and restaurant paid me cash to keep out the rifraff. People started telling me after fun pointless conversations, when they were both drunk and sober (and I was ALWAYS sober), "Jason, you ever thought of being a cop? You'd be a good one."

I took those words to heart, especially one day when certain doors of opportunity in fitness were slammed shut on one set of dreams. Thus through careful prayer, and discussion with my wife, my career in law enforcement was born. That was almost 15 years ago, and I can tell you, I've had to be pretty diplomatic wearing the badge. This is not to boast; this is to admit the difficulty for a big stubborn bear of a man like me at times; I have long time friends (and brothers) who can vouch for my old Fort temper. Restraint has not always been my 'forte'. But from learning to be sensitive and effective with helping suspects, victims, patients suffering from mental illness, training everyone from doctors to nurses to police to security officers in de-escalation, and being a mentor and role model for adolescents in a middle school while wearing a badge and gun - I've said it before and I will say it again; I found my dream job. I pray I can serve in such a way, in the same position and place for a few more years. But, the story isn't over.

All my life, because of my upbringing in church, I've always tried to serve the Lord in the world outside the church, using the talents I felt God gave to me for such purposes. Now, I've set out on an extended education, to answer one last calling, that I hope will last until my final years of life. I will strive to answer the call to be a chaplain.

The word chaplain stems from the Latin, cappellani, from the 4th century, when a certain clergyman named St. Martin cut his 'cape' in two to help a poor man keep warm in the cold. The cape later became a religious relic saved for display in a small chapel, to later be venerated by Charlemagne, eventually leading to certain clergy who accompanied the Norman armies and to honor these cappellani who served at the monarchy's request, served in chapels, and advised the king.

After a long history of association with helping soldiers, chaplaincy spread to other fields. It is mainly a service of spiritual care outside the church, yet can certainly aid to strengthen and grow the church. One of the strongest draws for me in my pursuit thus far in this further education, comes from a professor at Liberty University, from a video on the history of chaplaincy. "For people in their darkest hour, their most frightening hours, there you will find the chaplains throughout history."

Now read Mrs. Rogers' words to me again. Obviously, the role of a diplomat in many settings, fits the role of peacemaker. If somehow, some way, God has blessed me with the opportunity and talents to help people in sensitive and effective ways, and also find peace in Christ, perhaps I've been following a self-fulfilling prophecy all along...

only, I wasn't the one steering the boat.

If the good Lord is willing, perhaps I can be there for people in their darkest hours, and still live up to those words one of my favorite teachers ever said to me - in her most sensitive and effective way.

Thanks, Mrs. Rogers.

Thank you for reading, and God bless,

-------JEF

A Lesson on Our Father, Moses, and Jesus

This coming Friday, I get to present the Gospel once again to Middle Schoolers, through a program called the Christian Learning Center. Since I have gotten to do this for four years in a row now, as an SRO in my middle school, I've decided to use one of my latest memoirs to give testimony and teach a short lesson at the same time. Typing it out beforehand will help me talk about it on Friday, so here it goes...

I wrote Dear America... Love, My Hero's Son for two reasons: 1) To celebrate my father's life in a way that he could still appreciate it, once he read it, and 2) To express to the nation, and perhaps the world, that the number one thing I wish we could all do is really love God the Father's Son, Jesus Christ. I want to tell the kids, my father grew up without a father, but because my grandmother (his mom) always pointed him to Jesus, Dad still figured out how to be a Godly man, and serve Jesus in this world through his hard work and unique gifts in business and finance - and raising a family. And because Dad found his wisdom through Christ, he raised me with certain commandments, if you will, so that it would go well with me.

The kids I will be speaking to have recently finished studying about Moses and the Exodus. It turns out that the people of Israel had fallen into not just slavery, but sin and idol worship. God not only showed the people, through Moses, that He would set them free - but He even presented them the Ten Commandments, SO THAT IT WOULD GO WELL WITH THEM.

Society has conditioned people to think of the Ten Commandments as just arbitrary rules that are meaningless and useless in the modern era, when nothing could be further from the truth. I've written entire blog posts before, focusing on just one commandment at a time. But think about it for a second.

We can avoid all idolatry if we put no other gods before God the Father. We can lump the carving graven images in here with this one as well. Think of all the idolatry we have in this world. Pop culture alone is rife with them. Think of all of the logos on clothing, and the brand names we identify certain celebrities with. Think of how the money and fame changes anyone and everyone we've ever known who made it 'to the top.' Self is a powerful temptation to place as an idol before God as well, especially by society's standards.

What if we could avoid using the Lord's name in vain; avoid misusing His Holy Name? Think about the language we hear from young people now. I am sure my parents thought something similar when I was growing up, but I swear language in general has grown much, much worse.

What if we could all keep one day per week, saved for the Lord? We could rest that day, because He said we could...but we could also plan on just worshiping our Heavenly Father. Regardless on which specific day you think it should be, or history states it should be, whatever - the point is, one day should be set aside... but look at weekly living for most of us these days. Are you making a special day for the Lord every week? Nowadays it seems like nothing is sacred anymore. What if we got back to that?

What if parents expected their children to honor them again? What if parents stepped up and set the example of discipline and taught their kids how to honor them again? What if young people stopped cursing teachers and their elders? What if we could do one better, and Mom and Dad could demonstrate how to be loyal to each other, and love each other, for their kids to see how the INSTITUTION of MARRIAGE is supposed to work? What if wholesome education could be taught by parents to help kids become responsible adults and not make poor judgment when it came to their sexuality as they got older? Think of how many of our problems would vanish, especially those that pertain to mental health.

What if we had a world without murder? Man, the world would be a much more peaceful and safer place, wouldn't it? DO you think God just made this one up as He went along, or is there maybe some practicality here, for I don't know...maybe the PRESERVATION OF THE HUMAN RACE? What if we stopped glorifying violence? What if we taught kids how to love each other as just fellow human beings; leave all things sexual out of it? Wouldn't that be something?

Stealing and cheating (adultery) and coveting...they all kind of go together, don't they? Wanting what isn't yours, taking what doesn't belong to you, and being disloyal and cheating on someone you are supposed to love - but yes, I am sure God just wanted to give us those 'rules' - just because.

What if we actually encouraged others to tell the truth? What if that became like the in-thing to do? Can you imagine; a world without politicians, haha!

Now I might not get into each and every one of these examples, but I want kids to know that just like Moses presented a way to live life for God, and reach the Promised Land (but the Israelites didn't listen), Jesus Christ came so that we may know how to live life for God, and reach an eternal home with Him. My dad grew up without a father, yet he found Jesus, and that helped him pass on that great message to his three boys. Does that make him my hero, just like the heroes of the Bible, like Moses, and Jesus. Well, yeah, but that is kind of the point. The book itself is a play on words.

Dear America...Dear World....Love, God's Son Jesus.

A Wholesome American Sports Story

Don't fret; I will try to keep this movie review brief. But as a conservative Christian American male who has become quite disenfranchised with sports entertainment and much of Hollywood over the past 15 years, the movie The Boys in the Boat, based on a book by the same title, was a breath of fresh air.

This movie was inspiring, and had everything an excellent American sports movie should have! There was an excellent feel of competition. There was a resounding tone of overcoming adversity, and great suspense and tension-building.

There was a lesson of the importance of family, mixed with an individual perspective of growing up without one, yet overcoming that adversity nonetheless. Although I wished there were a touch of faith in the film, I realized it was lacking in that aspect because it just wasn't part of this story. But it really is a story of everything else that was once good about America.

The strongest lesson and theme from the whole movie, in my opinion, was actually a combination of ideas. Hard work and persistence, and unity; the film did such an awesome job at recognizing what once made this country great. Hard work and coming together to function as one unit, is what made the Greatest Generation stand out above all others to this day. Each rower on the 1936 Washington Husky crew team served their individual roles in the boat...but the team functioned as one whole unit, in perfect unison; in a perfect rhythm that led to victory. And that victory never came without cost. Each individual poured their souls into achieving the victories to come. There were no political agendas that brought about any of the success of the team. It was people putting aside differences, working their butts off, and having the common goal of victory in their sites. That was what made a great American crew team. That is what once made America great. The irony on who directed and produced the film might be lost on some viewers...but not this American patriot.

So Bravo, to all those behind this film. It really was well done. Here's to hoping (and praying) that this nation can somehow be a reflection of these great ideals again in the future.

Thanks for reading, and God bless.

No Excuses

The book of Isaiah is one of my favorite books in the entire Bible. Isaiah 40:31 has always inspired hope for me.

"For those that hope in the Lord, they shall soar on wings like eagles; they shall run and not grow weary; they shall walk and not be faint."

But as I've made my way through the Bible from cover to cover this past year, I recently came back across the beginning of Isaiah, in Chapter 6, where Isaiah the Prophet receives his calling. Take a look:

6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a live coal which he had taken with the tongs from the altar. 7 And he touched my mouth with it, and said:

"Behold, this has touched your lips; Your iniquity is taken away,

And your sin purged."

8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying:

"Whom shall I send,

And who will go for Us?"

Then I said, "Here am I! Send me."

This time when I read this passage, I asked myself, where did Isaiah get the boldness to answer the Lord, 'Here am I. Send me?'

But the answer is right before that. The angel touches his lips with the burning coal and states that his iniquity or sin, is purged. Isaiah is bold because the Lord considers him blameless; the angel told him so. So as a blameless man, now pure in the eyes of God, he tells God that he will go gladly and be the Lord's messenger.

So how does this help us?

It turns out, as God's Prophet, Isaiah goes on just one chapter later and promises something:

13 Then he said, "Hear now, O house of David! Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will you weary my God also?14 Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel."

Now if we know who Immanuel was - 'God with us' as it is commonly translated... we know the story of Jesus Christ. The identity of Christ, and WHAT He did for ALL who call on His name, has been made known to many.

Therefore, if we believers are also purged of our iniquity, shouldn't we all be so bold as Isaiah was back in his day? It is the opinion of this author, that if one truly believes, than the conviction from the Holy Spirit within us should feel as real in our hearts, as the burning coal to Isaiah's lips.

In other words, I think we believers are without excuse when it comes to being messengers of Christ's message, because Christ dying on the cross, and His resurrection, was like the burning coal that burned away all iniquity!

In the first chapter of Romans, Paul tells us that we are 'without excuse' for various reasons. Observe:

18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, 21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.

In conclusion, I simply ask my readers this?

What has held you back from telling others about what you believe? Do you really believe in Jesus Christ, dying for your sins, conquering death, and returning to claim His children over the powers of Satan?

Because according to Paul, and the many Christian brothers and sisters who gave their lives for faith in Yeshua, if you have been so blessed with God's Truth, shouldn't we all have the confidence to boldly reply,

'Here are we, Lord. Send Us!'

Change and Calamity, God and Kings

From Proverbs 24:

21 My son, fear the Lord and the king;

Do not associate with those given to change;

22 For their calamity will rise suddenly,

And who knows the ruin those two can bring?

Romans 13:1

Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.

John 16:33

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

On this Veterans' Day, I can't help but think of the verses I came across in Proverbs yesterday, in the 24th Proverb. The men and women that have served our nation during war time and peace time, all did so because powers that be, under the authority of God, told them to do so. Regardless of your political stance, the truth is that these men and women served us because an appointed authority deemed their service necessary, and they should be appreciated. But as I have also reminisced often of my grandfather who was a veteran in WWII, and my childhood memories of one of my best friends who served as a Marine in Iraq, where the war in the desert impacted his life permanently - I realized a lot of the reasons behind those vets' service was due to the very things mentioned in Proverbs 24; calamity and change.

When I first read the proverb, I thought perhaps "the ruin those two could bring" was calamity and change. At a quick glance at the words again, I realized "those two" are referring to the Lord and the king. I realized that due to the fact that every soul is subject to governing authorities, kings, emperors, presidents and the like can bring about ruin. And there is example after example found in both the Old Testament, and the promises in the New Testament of the upcoming ruin of the old world by the Wrath of God. At this brief epiphany, I found a certain sense of futility in it all, similar to what King Solomon described when he wrote about all the meaninglessness in Ecclesiastes.

But then I reminded myself of the wonderful words from Christ Himself. He tells us that despite the fact that we will definitely have trouble in this world, we should take comfort, for He has overcome the world. He came and died on the cross, to deliver the ultimate victory against the unseen forces of evil that have been in rebellion against God our Father since before the fall of mankind in the Garden of Eden. This promise from Christ is one of the many verses that have given me courage to work in law enforcement. This promise should make all the things that we all worry about from day to day, or all the things that cause fear about the future, or all the hardships brought about by certain governing authorities, take a back seat - because the same God who literally spoke our world into existence, came to Earth in the form of Yeshua, as the only perfect sacrifice to forgive us all of sin, allowing us to be in His holy presence.

Yes - I said that; me, the guy who has obsessed at times over who wins what elections, and who leans this way or that way in politics. My human nature to want to be right because I realized this, or I was aware of that, while others weren't, has unfortunately won out against my better judgement of perhaps remaining quiet about certain conspiratorial topics.

The truth of the matter is there is a certain futility in it all, if we know the outcome, and the ending of God's history that is promised in Revelation and various prophecy scattered throughout the scriptures. But the futility isn't in living out each day, 'praying for the end of time to hurry up and arrive' (yes, I threw in a MeatLoaf song reference for my fellow 'oldies' fans out there). The futility is in the worry and the fear. Some translations quote the verse from John 16:33 as "Take heart;" some say "take courage."

Here is the message I'd like to share that comes out through all of this overthinking of mine after reading these verses; Jesus Christ is our hope. He is our ONLY hope, but at the same time he is 100% assured to overcome, because He already has. The fact that He duped Satan by dying on the cross, and then came back to join God the Father at His right side is all we need to know. So if you're like me, and you've spent too much time lately worrying about fraudulent elections, or the constant push for the parts of the elite 'war machines' of the military industrial complex to keep moving, or the fact that authorities appointed by God may have been involved with a conspiracy to curse humanity with world-wide viruses... take heart!

It's all been happening for a reason, God is outside of Time and knows what He is doing and has done and will do. Christ has overcome the world; calamity and change will continue to happen, and will get a lot worse according to prophecy.

But in the end, God wins - and so do we, if we simply follow His instructions and continue to spread that good news to the ends of the earth, until He comes again.

No More Sea; No More Fear

Revelation 21:1

Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.

I remember years ago, deep in the files of my longterm memory banks; my dad carried me in his strong arms down to the seashore for my very first encounter with the ocean. I couldn't have been more than three years old. I don't even know how well I could speak yet. But I do remember when Dad set me down in front of that immense body of ocean, as far as my little eyes could see, and probably for the first time in my life - I was filled with dread. Never in my short life, up to that point, had I seen anything so vast. It was also like deep in my psyche, my subconscious knew there was unfettered mystery hidden in the deep. To hear my mother tell me my true reaction, apparently I moved faster than I ever had. I got up, turned away from the humongous body of dreadful water, and ran as fast as I could in the opposite direction!

I came across these words in Revelation today, and it took my mind back to that experience - one of the earliest memories I have. But I read the words written down by John the Apostle, and as usual, it stirred my thoughts. Have you ever had 'deep thoughts' about the sea? Have you tried to just grasp the impact of the ocean on humanity, and all the symbolism and parallels to God's Word, and his ultimate plans for us?

Let's face it; as peaceful as the small photo I found to represent the token beautiful sunrise over sea is, the ocean is full of things that cause fear. Hello? Does the movie title Jaws ring a bell of familiarity with you? What about venomous sea snakes? Jellyfish whose tentacles can kill you with their toxins? What about huge storms like hurricanes? What about tsunamis, or tidal waves? What about all the different kinds of fish and sharks, that can hurt you? What about all the many things we don't even know about, because so much of the ocean is still unexplored?

Think about the reputation of the ocean throughout history. Think of all the myths and legends of sea monsters. Think of the traumatic events in history for sailors, and sea peoples. Think of some of the grandest beasts mentioned in legend; sea serpents... the leviathan... the Kracken! While we terrestrial people have always known and been aware of everything we can see above the surface of the water, the expanse of the ocean has always held a mysterious unseen world to the naked eye, and we don't have enough instruments on the planet to see the whole undersea world, or begin to unravel many of its greatest mysteries.

After coming across the words in Revelation 21:1, I couldn't help but think of how God has promised us a new heaven and a new earth, and tells us that there will be no sea. I couldn't help but wonder if all of these historical fears drummed up by the mere thoughts of the oceans of the world could be why He plans to have no sea.

But then I thought a little 'deeper.' It stands to reason that if one believes in God, and everything He tells us in His Word, then you absolutely have to have faith in the unseen; an unseen realm, if you will. The ocean represents an entire unseen realm, and a place that consists of many things of both beauty, and terror. I couldn't help but think about God's promises, where He tells us that there will be no more trembling; no more fears; the very things we are instructed to use to work out our salvation before the Day of the Lord... when He comes again and brings together the realms of the seen and the unseen!

Isn't it funny, how the depths of the ocean, of all things, can remind us of both Heaven and Hell, because we can see neither thing with the naked eye. We have to break the surface of the water to enter that realm, like Jesus broke the Veil between the seen and the unseen worlds of our reality. And He tells us He will break it again. Perhaps the fact that He promises that there will be no sea, lets us know that there will be no more mystery, and therefore no more reason to fear. No more unseen realm, for the entire creation will be seen, and the only reasons for fears will have all been swept away by the Lord and His armies!

Can't you just picture it?

And yet, I think how the world works right now, and I think of how He has not yet come. How did I ever face my fears of the unseen world we call the ocean? How do we venture or wade or pass into the unseen realm, outside of this real world?

To finish my story of my early memory, I remember my dad rushing after me, scooping me up, comforting me, and carrying me into the water, waves crashing into him, yet he walked through the water effortlessly. I slowly gained confidence as I realized I was safe from the things I couldn't see - as long as I was in my father's arms.

What if that is how we view life and death, before the prophecied Day of the Lord? What if you at first start down a wrong path to the water, but through fear and trembling, you turn away from the dark and terrible things of this world... and because you turned away from evil, you are scooped up into the arms of the Holy Father when it is time for you to enter that unseen world?

Yeah, I think I can have faith in something like that. Man, the things that can come to mind, when you dive into God's Word.

God's Children ...

Today I saw the movie, Sound of Freedom, and the main quote from the movie stirred my emotions.

"God's children are not for sale," Jim Caviezel's character told an ex-cartel member, who changed course in his life after serving time, and bought victims of human trafficking to set them free. All the various emotions evoked from the story being told in the movie inflamed me inside; anger building towards the truth in the real world, that I know just from conversations with friends in law enforcement, even while on the job.

That truth is something that mainstream news has lately tried to convince the public is just 'conspiracy theory,' which makes me even angrier. And the public will fall for that nonsense, just because talking heads remind them of things like 'Q' and 2020 and elections and Evergreen...the list goes on. I thought I'd cool my jets just a bit, forgive some of the brainwashed ignorance out there (because after all, most won't know they're brainwashed, and that's the idea by the Evil One, isn't it?), and maybe help connect some dots for people, in a calmer manner than jacking some human trafficker up against the wall of an interrogation room.

First of all, let's look at the pornography industry statistics mentioned in the film. I don't remember the numbers, but they really don't matter. I've been fortunate enough to not have to look directly at the worst kind of those images, but have still been forced to see what I never wanted to see because of my job. I can tell you that young people make dumb mistakes with cell phones and selfies that go out there in internet-land, and I know for a fact the images from those mistakes are already high in number. I know there is a whole other set of images and even videos in the dark web that I've never seen, but know investigators that have. Most of these kids in these pictures and videos were taken from their normal lives, and thrust into these situations. These children weren't just ready-made victims because criminals all of the sudden started having children. The bad guys couldn't just grow these children in the fields, and use other slaves to work the field or produce children in a lab. THESE CHILDREN BELONGED TO FOLKS LIKE YOU AND ME, AND THEY WERE KIDNAPPED!

Look at the sheer number of children who are reported missing every year! Where does everyone think these missing children are going? Many are killed, yes; and that's horrible. But there are many that end up being used over and over again, and shipped around the world from port to port, city to city, in all kinds of living conditions. Parents everywhere should take the story from this movie to heart. Take watching your children seriously, boys and girls of all ages. Know where they are, what they're doing, who is with them. Teach them about evil in this world, and THAT IT ACTUALLY EXISTS!

But there was something else they talked about in this movie. The main actor, Jim Caviezel, made a good point to the audience after the film. We are not powerless or hopeless in this fight for the children. First, talk about the subject matter with everyone you know who's a parent or teacher. Take the situation of human trafficking seriously. Teach kids about the danger, even good old-fashioned 'stranger danger.' But go beyond that.

Here's the real dot to connect, because the talking heads from big networks that pay their salaries, avoid the subject altogether, or throw around the term 'conspiracy theory,' because hey, that's original. But running a dark business like this, that makes more than 150 billion dollars a year? It COSTS money. Where do you think the money to keep these deep secret operations going comes from? You think only cartels fund this mess?

People, here's the kicker. Look to the politicians and the lobbyists. Look at where they cast their votes, and whether they actually care about children or not. Look at the sexually deviant behavior promoted or supported by some! How far will we let votes of evil people go, until full-blown pedophilia is legal?

If you want to help children who fall victim to this industry, start by looking at the people in power. Where do they throw their support? If their votes go anywhere to the Left, especially over the past 20 years or more, you might just be looking at one of these evil people who keep this crap going. Yeah - I said it. And I will say it again.

You want to hit the elitists behind this evil in the pocketbook and bank account? Start at the voting booth, and don't ever vote for the immoral scum who refuse to stick up for children.

And whatever you do, never give up hope. Most of these kids who end up in these situations, will feel like there is no hope. It's up to us, especially believers, to pray, and keep the spark of hope alive... for all of God's children.

Pollen and Spiders

Boo!

Who says God doesn't have a sense of humor? There I was, backing my patrol car up to turn it around in our driveway and head out to work, and this tiny spider dropped down from the ceiling of the car, right in front of my eye ball! Naturally, it appeared much larger that close to my eye, so I swatted it aside in kung-fu fashion, sharply yelling out loud to nobody in particular, "Dang spider!" Only in yelling that exclamation out in an explosive utterance, did I force myself into a pollen-induced coughing spell that I barely recovered from before calling in to our Dispatcher on the radio, to tell him I was in service for the day. After I made my call on the car radio, I yelled out to the interior of my patrol car, "Dang pollen!"

Then as usual, while driving down the road towards my school, I got to thinking. Before leaving for work, I had just talked to my wife about getting frustrated with some of the bigger changes in life over the years. I'd just finished complaining about having the most annoying year regarding my health, in my entire life of forty-six years. And yet I know these things I sometimes complain about are only temporary. Somehow, some way, I have made it through those 46 years and counting, with the good Lord watching over me because the Bible tells me that he has this entire time.

I'm reminded of the verse about trouble in this world...

John 16:33 says "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

I find humor in the fact that I have fought criminals to the point where I had to use a Taser, I have gone through career and job transitions where I worried about the next paycheck, and I've worried and prayed over sick and suffering family members, yet some of life's little annoyances can occur, and I can have a bigger reaction to that than I do with the big stuff! Does anyone else find it funny, that we have much bigger things going on in this great big world of ours, and yet all of us can still be distracted by the smallest of pet peaves or annoyances? Maybe it's just me.

But then I remember what Christ also said about the birds in the air, and the fact that they don't have to ever worry about storing away food, or reaping a harvest - and God feeds them anyway.

In Matthew 6:26: 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?

Are you not much more valuable...that's the key, isn't it?

You see, I have hit a valley in my life, where sometimes the harsh realities of this fallen world make me worry; let alone the dang pollen and spiders! I am faced with the reality that I can't do many of the things I used to do. I forget my own teachings to my wife, all those times I have told her not to worry, because God has a plan. But when all of the sudden the worry creeps into your own thoughts, it is easy to forget just how valuable you are, to the Heavenly Father. Maybe I should remember my value to that great Creator, and appreciate the little bit of value something like the pollen provides to our plant kingdom...or the (dare I say it? Argh!) eight-legged arthropods that keep our food chain going every day, from the bugs they eat, to the animals that eat them. Maybe I need to just keep things in perspective, and stay a little more positive, because like Jesus said - He has overcome the world. This stuff is all temporary. Guess I need to make the best of it while I'm here.

Just another one of my random two cents for the day. God bless-

JEF

Why I Wrote The Decapolis Man

Every author eventually writes a story that suddenly occurred to him as a great idea, and eventually holds a special place in that author's heart. For me, this book is The Decapolis Man. For anyone that hasn't read a little bit of the summary, the idea for this book hit me like a frying pan to the head one morning, as I was doing my daily scripture reading. I read about the demon-possessed man readers find in the fifth chapter of the Book of Mark in the New Testament. In the scriptures, this demon-possessed man comes out to meet Jesus and His disciples on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, right after He calmed a storm. The Bible does not include a name for this individual, but it gives some descriptive background information of what has happened to him in the past, such as cutting himself, and being able to resist the strength of any man; to the point of breaking irons!

Suddenly it occurred to me that not only did we not learn his name, but the only clue we get as to his origin is 'the Decapolis.' After Jesus casts out the demons that call themselves "Legion, for we are many," the reader is told that He wouldn't let the nameless, formerly demon-possessed man follow Him as a disciple, but instead tells him to go back to his homeland and tell everyone about the mercy God had shown him. The scriptures go on to say that he did just that, and all who heard marveled at his story. I knew that I suddenly had a story to write; I gave the man a name; Lucius - and after a little research about the Decapolis, I decided to come up with a tale of where this Lucius came from, how he got to the point where he met Jesus, and a story of his newly assigned ministry.

There are other interesting aspects to the story. I have the main character Lucius, come across some slaves in his wanderings as a possessed man, and he befriends a couple of these slaves as traveling companions, and they are tasked with helping young Lucius attempt to find a cure to his demons. Now sure, the traveling companions play a significant role in the story. One man, Levi, a young Jewish slave who is only a few years older than Lucius, represents the Jewish people themselves; one might even say, a specific remnant of the Jewish people as the story comes close to its conclusion. The other companion is a retired gladiator, Darian, who was rewarded his role as a trainer in the gladiator games for his fighting prowess. Many people who might know me personally may think that because of my interests in martial arts, and my former role as a weight lifter, personal trainer, and defensive tactics trainer/ instructor, I would relate most closely to Darian. While I do have a few things in common with the big man, I don't think people realize that I have more in common with the main character, Lucius.

You see, that is why I wrote the book in the first place. Most of the first half of the book follows Lucius, battling his 'demons.' My entire young adolescent and young adult life, I actually felt like I had to battle my own demons. I had a very bad temper growing up. And it wasn't like I had a short fuse; it was that when the fuse ran out, it was like an explosion of emotion. I confess to anyone who reads this now, this has been something I've struggled with off and on my whole life. But I have always noticed, I struggled with it the most, during those times I spent the least amount of time seeking Christ. When I came across that story in the fifth chapter of Mark, I knew exactly how I could relate to the character I would write for my story. And any writer can tell you, the more one can relate to a character, the easier it is to write them into the story.

I wanted the journey Lucius took to find Jesus, to be full of up's and downs, just like my journey to not only find Jesus in my life, but also realize how much I need Him. The twist was in what Lucius had to experience to get there. Obviously, in his predicament, there were actual demons. But doesn't Lucius's situation sound similar to any one of our own lives? If we are not following God, but choosing sin instead, is that any different from following Satan himself - the ultimate demon! Anyone who has even heard of angels, demons, God, and Satan, at least knows that Satan would want whatever God has. If Christ has your faith and loyalty, there is no room for Satan, or any other demon for that matter.

While I had various encounters with my own anger issues (my demons), I also made decisions that helped me learn to counter the attacks of those demons. Could I ever find the same blessing as Lucius, and have Jesus cast out my 'demons' altogether? Perhaps... if I seek Jesus often enough, and show as much faith and devotion, especially as much as Lucius ends up showing after his encounter with Christ. The more often we seek His face, and demonstrate our faith, the more sanctified we can become.

Apply this concept to any sin or 'demons' you may struggle with. I challenge anyone who reads this blog post, to also read The Decapolis Man. See how Lucius, due to his diligence and relentless pursuit, finds exactly what he seeks. This is how all of our lives should work. This is the kind of pursuit the Apostle Paul yearns so much for all believers to take. This is the 'race' he says we all run, and we should all pursue the prize. If you read the story of Lucius, I hope you can at least understand, the ultimate prize for us all, is to hear the words, see the face, and know the love of Jesus Christ.

Ah, but then, as long as we are still here in this life, what do we do with such experience and wisdom?

We are to go about our towns, our homes, our cities - and tell everyone how God showed us mercy. And then, if our hearts are genuine, people will be amazed.

Behold, for it's been around for eons: the power of story. If nothing else, I want people to read the story of this Decapolis Man named Lucius, of his encounter with God - and be just bold enough to share with someone else, their own.