What a catchy name.  I thought about it after I was auto corrected typing a response to a question on the Bible app.  I have no idea what I was typing but it auto corrected to CDC.  Of course my mind first goes to Center for Disease Control and Prevention.  But I got to thinking, like I normally do, what if I could change this word around?  What would make it more palatable for someone that needs the CDC to mean something other than what the world says it does.  Christ… Developing.. Christians… Wow… That’s pretty good.  I like it.  I really like it.  I love it!  I love it so much you are free to use it wherever it suits your needs!

It only took me about 3 seconds to alter the meaning of it.  I’ve had a lot of practice with it though.  Practice born out of a necessity.  These days I can normally turn an acronym into something a little more palatable for a mind full of Jesus in under 10 seconds.   

While I was writing this article I thought about some other words I altered through the years.  In a county over there is a police unit with the acronym F.I.N.D.  They’re a unit you’ll see parked in the police turnaround or the emergency turnaround areas in the median strip. They never fail to be there with about 1 for every stretch of mile in this certain area of I-20.  Now full disclosure I wasn’t as mature in my Christ like thinking.  Anyway in about 5 seconds flat I mouth off Frequently Inspecting Negro Drivers.  How far is that from the truth?  You be the judge.

Now I can’t let that acronym stick around in my mind so I decided to give my 3-5 seconds a test.  I thought about it and came up with Forever I Need… and just at the 5 second mark, I’m sure of it, in that moment I had forgotten I was testing myself and loaded up ChatGPT to help me with a positive word for D.  And lo and behold ChatGPT spewed me about 10 words in less than the time it took for me to ask the question.  It sure beat my time.  Forever I Need Diligence is what I settled on by the way.

Wouldn’t that be great if God worked on ChatGPT time, when ChatGPT is reliable that is.  I suppose that’s the tradeoff when you work with a technology like that.  That was my first time using it for my writing to be honest.  I made a decision that I was going to do it the hard way.  But sometimes we need the tools of the day to help us out.  I’m not ashamed I used it.  And if I find out an article I loved that spoke all kinds of Truth about Jesus or is correct, why should I have a problem who posted the article?  After all, isn’t it a large language module, developed by humans, studying what humans have written and done?  Even when it’s not correct it reminds me of the flaws of man.  It shows us we aren’t perfect.  What a breath of fresh air.

What acronyms or phrases have you turned around for fun or out of necessity?  Have advice for my writing journey?  Please leave me a comment or message!  God bless.

Him and him.

Most parts of the Bible have the first letter capitalized for pronouns that refer to God.  

Question: 

In some areas, such as in John 3:16 of the New International Version, does the use of the uncapitalized pronouns that are often understood to be referring to the I AM actually referring to him in a more human sense?  Is it a mistake?  Is it actually referring to man?

I can’t help but notice when I study the Bible and truly feel guided by the Holy Spirit (as I specifically prayed for Him to guide my hand that day) that the usage of the uncapitalized pronouns are what really draws my attention to how it applies to not only Him but me personally.

The gears in my head start turning.  

Is this a mistake by the author or Author? In a clear separation sense – author being the translator, Author being God.

Does this support the claim that we are also gods? Which further supports the necessity of clarity with my distinction of author or Author. See John 10:34-35

Is it just meant for me to question? How so when it is a book written for all?

You can easily see how one seemingly simple verse can be overwhelming in multiple ways.  As a writer, I have the audience to think about as I’m guided by the Holy Spirit.  As an investigator, I’m compelled to search for the Truth.  As a father and head of the Church, I just need the right answer… please.

When I feel guided by the Holy Spirit I have this overwhelming sense that I am indeed with the One who has ALL the answers, and therefore I have ALL the questions.  And boy can they branch out like an unending Mind Map.  It is no wonder that any other work you think you should be doing in His presence is, at the very least, second to seeking Him.  It’s no surprise someone might turn away from such an impossible calling.  Time travel is more comfortable an area to explore in comparison.  At least there I’m mostly confined to the study of time and space.  But to imagine a dimension beyond time and space? What the… Kudos to any dimensional theorists!  And kudos to any Time traveling theorists as well for that matter.  In another life I’d settle for studying a distant earth like planet from a space station with other people.  Maybe one day I can with you God.. but please include other people!  I digress.

I feel like I want to point fingers and shout “See!? Do you see this?!  Can you not understand this??!?!”  But pointing to a particular thought in your own mind and asking someone to see it is like asking the mountain to move so others can see the paradise beyond.  A paradise it is becoming for me anyway.  An unending well of knowledge and an overwhelming desire to find out just what kind of craftsmen am I supposed to be.  Just what am I here for God?! Much like a child in a sandbox with all the necessary tools… and like a child having little to no idea how to properly and best use the tool just given to me in order to make my sand castle better.  Even when the waters come and destroy it, I have a never-ending canvas.

In clarity and understanding:  

The struggle is laid out clearly in the writing itself if you can spot it.  Very much child like you’ll see if you can successfully place yourself in the shoes of an infant.  I am, after all, a beginner to studying a discipline that I’m told right through the gate that I know nothing at all, with at times a reckless desire to learn.  It is quite a miracle just to stay focused.

I use to have life all figured out.  Or so I thought.  It has been one hell of a struggle for me to accept something so rooted in faith alone.  You see I’m the type of person that recognizes the Big Bang as a theory.  I recognize Darwin’s theory of evolution as what it is, a theory.  It doesn’t mean it’s true but I accept it as true enough to warrant further investigation in the hopes that someday we all will know the truth and can have comfort in that.  And move on collectively to another endeavor.  Much like Darwin and other great thinkers they were driven by a desire to better understand the world around them guided by their beliefs.  I credit them fully for that and I am ever so thankful for all pioneers.

I love quotes.  My absolute favorite is from Steve Jobs.

“Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They’re not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can’t do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.”

I loved that quote before the first beer I drank beside Christ.  I loved it when I was telling him how much I didn’t care about learning more about him.  Knowing he, without a doubt, is a prominent figure from a time passed that stood for love and all that good stuff was good and well enough for me.  I had my own path to follow.  He still stands for that today though, and from what I’ve read He always will.  Comforting.

I love the quote even more today.  I see Jesus all through it.  As if He was saying, “then you are going to LOVE this!”

And I absolutely do.  More than any font size or typeface will allow me to express. 

Maybe some quotes God allows others to be glorified when they glorify Christ.  Almost every quote I judge to be of some merit and inspiring is exactly what Christ represents.  I have found this to be true in my personal experience.  It only enhances how f-ing cool the quote is.  

The quotes I liked but dropped from my list of favorites over the years just simply didn’t resonate with me as much.  It just so happens they weren’t very Christ like either upon further examination.  I suppose it was inevitable that I would gravitate ( or be navigated to) Jesus.

And I hope you come to see just how cool He is as well.

Thank you for reading.  I pray that the God of Peace comfort you.

Me returning to my personal space, and often times struggle, with God:  

“What do you actually mean by the God of Peace??!! Didn’t Jesus say he didn’t come to bring… Jesus Christ!?! Will you just…. Fine I’ll calm down.”

Did I draw you in to a conversation you weren’t expecting?  Is the Holy Spirit as overwhelming to you and I as it is to me?  Do you have some suggestions on my writing or for me to write about?  Would you like another believer to be a helping hand in prayer?  I love meeting true believers.  Leave a comment below or message me please!