First off let me start by saying that this is not a super spiritual blog.  I lay out that disclaimer, just to lower any expectations right out of the gate.  This past week I was driving my wife's Kia Sorento, and I noticed that the check engine light was on.  Not only did I find that it was a check engine light, but it was a "Major Engine Indicator Light for Emissions."  Immediately when I saw the word "Major" in the owners manual, I freaked out.  I don't know about you, but I don't like the unexpected.  I was not a Boy Scout, but I have tried to adopt their motto in life "Expect the Unexpected."    With that being said, I don't know how many of us enjoy or like unexpected monetary charges.  Like when you find out that you are audited by the IRS and owe back taxes, or when your furnace goes out, etc.  Life is like the Nationwide Insurance commercial: "Life comes at you fast!"  I think we all understand it is a matter of how to handle these unexpected circumstances that seem to be lost on us from time to time.

Well I digress...allow me to get back to the story.  So I take my wife's Kia to an auto parts store, and ask them to hook up their little fancy dancy hand held computer to see what is going on.  I had already booked an appointment at the dealer for the next day, but I was hoping to avoid taking a 3rd mortgage out on the house, or selling my kids plasma, in order to pay for the "Diagnostic Fee" that I was sure that the dealership would charge.  You guessed it, the guy behind the counter said he couldn't come outside to "my" car because of COVID restrictions.  So he handed me the fancy dancy, and said "just plug it in."  When I got out to the car, I realized I didn't have my reading glasses with me, and couldn't see anything up close.  So what does any good red-blooded American male do in that situation?  Yep, I started yanking wires out under the dash hoping that I would open up a port for the thingy magigy  to fit into.  Are you figuring out that I am not an auto mechanic by trade, and don't like to ask for directions?  After I had unplugged a good amount of wires, it hit me that there was a little door in front of my face with the fuse box.  When I pulled it down ever so gently, there was a port staring me between the eyes.  Upon plugging the fancy dancy thing magigy into the port, it quickly found an error code for emissions, so I took a picture of the code, and reset it.  I then went inside and took the advice of the guy behind the counter (and a mechanic my brother had talked to about the same problem on his car), and I bought a bottle of "Seafoam" to put in the gas tank.

When I got back to my house, I Google searched that error code, and do you know what the majority of the entries came back with?  The experts (mechanics) said that the majority of the time (like 99%) it is because you either didn't tighten your gas cap, or you have a leaky gas cap.  Immediately I through my hands up in the air (that is after cancelling my appointment for the next morning at the dealership) and started laughing.  I couldn't believe that I had allowed myself to go down that rabbit hole of anxiety and fear.  Before I knew the truth, I was all bent and twisted out of shape as the "What If's" started to smother me.  I was so sick to my stomach and distraught that the engine was going to blow up, and we had just bought this used car 3 months ago.  I had immediately allowed myself to go to "That Place."  Yes, you know what I am talking about.  That place in which you slide very quickly into Doubt, Despair, Fear, Anxiety, and a lack of trust.  

Once I knew the truth of the cause of the error message, I felt as free as a lark.  I was not weighed down with the burden of fear and anxiety.  Now before you think that I am trying to tie in some parallel to a gas cap, an error code, and salvation...I AM NOT!  I am however, trying to show you what the Bible says, that I should have taken note of prior to allowing Fear & Anxiety to grip me.  Allow me to share 2 scripture passages that normally keep me grounded:

"Be still, and know that I am God."
          Psalm 46:10 ESV

"Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."
          Isaiah 41:10 ESV

For the most part I subscribe to the KISS theory in life: Keep It Simple Stupid!  You can see that the afore mentioned Bible verses are very simple and straight forward.  The hard part is surrendering to God's almighty power in our lives.  For the most part, this was a funny situation I felt like writing about.  On the other hand, it is a simple illustration of how I veered away for a couple of hours in allowing satan to wreak havoc with my senses.  Sometimes you just need to tighten the gas cap!

DISCLAIMER: No gas caps or engine wires were hurt in the writing of this blog.  For any auto mechanics out there that feel I made the wrong decision, I appreciate you keeping that to yourself.  In case South Korea is reading this blog, I love your Kia vehicles.  For those inquiring minds that absolutely want to know because they are a tid bit OCD like me, yes the engine light has remained off after putting a couple hundred miles on the car.  

Election Day 2020 is here tomorrow, or is it?  This is the first year that we have seen the early voting, and the mass of absentee ballots mailed in.  Before you think that I am getting all political on my blog, I will lay out a disclaimer.  I have had this on my heart for months now, and woke up this morning to type it out.  I was prompted by a sermon I heard yesterday that has prompted my heart this election.  

In 2016 I wrote a blog explaining why I couldn't vote for President Trump.  I have since changed my stance on this blog, but that is not the reason that I am publishing this.  I feel it absolutely important during this time of division in our country to remind people that there is nothing new under the sun.  You can see these same divisions in I Samuel.  Before we dig into that passage, allow me to say that there are some divisions that aren't wrong.  For example, I choose not to take part in the carnal things of this world (Drunkenness, Adultery, Murder, Theft, Lawlessness, etc), therefore I am divided from the carnal world, and this world in which I live (of which I am just a pilgrim passing through).  In Luke 12:51 NASB, Jesus asks "Do you think that I cam to provide peace on earth?  No, I tell you, but rather division."  I would encourage you to look this up in its entirety (vs. 49-59).  

What does this mean?  Are you saying Greg that division is a good thing?  I am saying that we ourselves are not to be divisive, but the Word of God is divisive!  It separates the wheat from the chaff, the sheep from the goats, the marrow from the bone.  THE TRUTH STANDS ON IT'S OWN TWO FEET, AND IT DOES NOT NEED US TO PROP IT UP!  So yes, I am saying that living a life completely surrendered to the Holy Spirit's guidance, will divide you from the rest of the world.  

The division I speak of in our country however, is not the division I speak of while addressing Holiness (Being set apart for God's word).  I speak of a spirit of the age that is blowing.  A spirit of anarchy that is moving across the globe.  A spirit of lawlessness and a generation that is lacking respect and love for their fellow man.  I would like to point you to I Samuel chapter 8:

"Now it came about, when Samuel was old, that he appointed his sons as judges over Israel. 2 The name of his firstborn was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judging in Beersheba. 3 His sons, however, did not walk in his ways but turned aside after dishonest gain, and they took bribes and perverted justice. 4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah; 5 and they said to him, “Behold, you have grown old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint us a king to judge us like all the nations.” 6 But the matter was displeasing in the sight of Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” And Samuel prayed to the Lord. 7 And the Lord said to Samuel, “Listen to the voice of the people regarding all that they say to you, because they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me from being King over them. 8 Like all the deeds which they have done since the day that I brought them up from Egypt even to this day—in that they have abandoned Me and served other gods—so they are doing to you as well. 9 Now then, listen to their voice; however, you shall warn them strongly and tell them of the practice of the king who will reign over them.”
          I Samuel 8:1-9 NASB

Now before you start trying to argue that this was the Old Testament, and that these were the Hebrew people, remember what I said about nothing new under the sun.  True, in that I am a gentile saved by grace under the new covenant, but in order to understand the new covenant and grace, I have to understand the old.  This was the start of the "kingdoms" for the Hebrews.  It however was not the start of kings on this earth.  Verse 5 states that they wanted a king to rule over them like all the other nations had.  Granted, I am sure that the excuse they made in their heads was justified, in that Samuel was getting old, and his two sons (who were appointed as Judges over Israel) Joel and Abijah were corrupt.  They were like many politicians today where they turned aside for dishonest gain, bribes, and perverted justice.  However, God's divine plan was for He himself only to rule over his people as King, and to establish judges on the earth to help make earthly decisions. 

Knowing the truth about Samuel's age and his two corrupt sons, did that justify the rejection of Yahweh?  Absolutely NOT!  Truth be told, this was the start of the people asking for a king like the other nations, but not the start of their rejection against Yahweh.  God even tells Samuel in verse 7 & 8 that the people have not rejected Samuel, but rather Him, and that it started when He brought them out of Egypt. 

"But the whole congregation of the sons of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness.  3The sons of Israel said to them, "If only we had died by the Lord's hand in the land of Egypt, where we sat by the pots of meat, when we ate bread until we were full; for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this entire assembly with hunger!"
          Exodus 16:1-3 NASB

We can see that not only did the Israelites grumble and complain against Moses & Aaron, but they were accusing their deliverer Yahweh of bringing them into the wilderness to kill them.  They were so warped and twisted to believe that at least they had leeks and garlics in Egypt (even if they were slaves).  Their deliverer was not Moses, it was God!  Once again, they had their eyes on man, and not on the Awesomeness of God, who just split the Red Sea in two for them to pass, and swallow up their enemy who followed.  Their beef was not with Moses and Aaron, it was with God!

Life Application:  What does this mean to me today, and how do I apply this to 2020?  Remember, there is nothing new under the sun.  Just like the early Israelites took their eyes off of Yahweh in their Exodus from Egypt, and just like the Hebrews wanted a king to rule over them and not Samuel, today people are looking for a King.  The way that we hang on every pundits word or opinion on Fox News or CNN, sways us in our thinking.  The way that we look for an existing or new Commander in Chief to save us from our ills, demonstrates that desire to have a king solve all of our ills and right society.  The desire to have to be prideful and right all the time, leads us away from humility.  My friends, I understand that we are one day closer to Christ' return today, then yesterday.  I also know that he demands faithfulness to Him as the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.  Please do not look at the outcome of tomorrow's election as the king that will stand in the place of Christ.  Yes, I encourage everybody to Vote.  No, I am not telling you how to vote.  I do hold very strongly to my own personal convictions and who might be a better candidate, but I am not in any way shape or form, expecting the person who sits in the White House, in Congress, or on the Supreme Court bench, to ever usurp the King of Kings.  I am personally hoping that the election goes a certain way, and am a firm believer against abortion and socialism.  However, no matter the outcome, I will put my trust in Jesus and look to Him for my solutions and guidance!

I will continue to keep my eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of my faith.   I will continue to reject passivity and complacency from my life.  I will continue to strive for being more Christ-like, by surrendering and yielding to the Holy Spirit daily.  More than anything, I will continue to reject horses and chariots, and remember the name of the Lord my God.  Jesus Christ is the only one that can save you.  He is the only one who can rule you in Truth & Righteousness, and not in darkness.  He is the only one that will stand the test of time when everything else has burned up like wood, hay, and stubble.  Will you partner with me in keeping your eyes on Jesus Christ as our King of Kings and Lord of Lords?