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Like Mysteries? Try This One

by Andy Wood on March 21, 2011

in Gamblers,LV Alter-egos

Do you like mysteries?  The kind that lead you through twists and turns, only to score with a surprise ending that makes you say, “Whoa!”?

I have one for you.  It’s all about a man named Ahithophel.

Ahitho-who?

Ahithophel.

If you’re like most people, you’ve probably never heard of him.  But he’s right there, in high-definition, during the reign of King David in the Bible.  In fact, the Bible says something about this man that I don’t recall ever having read about anyone else, except the Lord Jesus:

Now in those days the advice Ahithophel gave was like that of one who inquires of God. That was how both David and Absalom regarded all of Ahithophel’s advice (2 Samuel 16:23).

Get this.  Both David and Absalom assumed that if Ahithophel spoke it, it was as if God was doing the talking.  That’s pretty high praise and respect.  I don’t remember hearing that said of Moses,  Jeremiah, or Daniel – as wonderful as those men were.  Ahithophel must have been some kind of man of God.

Now… fast forward exactly one chapter, and you’ll read this: [click to continue…]

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Things Get a Little Easier – Once You Understand

by Andy Wood on January 17, 2011

in Turning Points

(A Turning Point Story)

On Highway 43 North in Jackson, Alabama, the  Joe C. McCorquodale, Jr. Bridge crosses the Tombigbee River and lands at the base of a mile-long bluff or hill that probably has some name I don’t know.  All I knew at the time was that Ed’s Drive-In (formerly Troy’s) was at the top of it, and that’s where we stopped for a couple of cokes for the road.  Next stop:  Mobile.  A hospital visit or two was surely on the agenda.  Most likely a stop by Bel Air Mall or the Baptist Bookstore as well.

We turned south and started down the monstrous hill.  Highway 43 is a nice, wide, divided highway, and the view south toward the river is really nice.

And long.

Which explains how ridiculous it was that just as I approached the Highway 69 intersection, a lady pulled out in the left lane, right in front of me.

Good.  Stinkin’.  Grief. [click to continue…]

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The War-Ravaged Soul

by Andy Wood on November 8, 2010

in Ability,Five LV Laws,Life Currency,LV Cycle,Principle of Freedom,Protecting Your Investment

Brad is a living legend… at the local bar.  At first his mostly-daily trips were his way of unwinding after a stressful workday.  But over the years, one painful situation after another brought Brad to the point where he lives pretty much continuously between buzz and stupor.  Offering the standard denials and predictable claims that he can quit anytime, Brad has long ago crossed the line between soothing his nerves and declaring war on his soul.

Sandy is a shell of the girl she once was.  The once-vivacious high school and college student now sits in her immaculate apartment, trying to stay busy enough to avoid the reminders of how alone she is.  Estranged from her family, deeply disappointed by marriage and even motherhood, Sandy has never let go of the bitterness that ultimately seeped into every corner of her life.  To a stranger, Sandy is a hard-working professional with impeccable taste in decorating and fashion.  But the excellent exterior hides a war-ravaged soul. [click to continue…]

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Formula 432

by Andy Wood on June 29, 2010

in Uncategorized

(Forgiveness Laboratories, Inc. – Part 2)

In our last episode, we were left in a place called Forgiveness Laboratories, Inc. where Joe Jacobson, the owner and founder, was explaining some of their findings.  And he was about to share something about forgiveness that I had never seen before.  If you haven’t read the previous post, I would encourage you to do that first…

Joe said, “Our greatest discovery happened when we combined what we call Formula 432 with Element 118.”

 “Sounds very chemical,” I said.

“Aw, just lab talk,” Joe said with a smile.  “One of our guys used to be a youth pastor.”

“Say no more,” I said.

“Formula 432 is actually Ephesians 4:32.  We learned it as kids in church:

Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.

“I noticed that on the wall in your lobby,” I said.

“Then you probably also noticed Element 118 on the other wall,” said Joe.  It’s from Isaiah 1:18:

“Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the LORD, “Though your sins are as scarlet, They will be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They will be like wool.”

“When our researchers combined these two truths, we made a breakthrough discovery about forgiveness.”

“What’s that?” I asked, intrigued. [click to continue…]

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Forgiveness Laboratories, Inc.

by Andy Wood on June 27, 2010

in Five LV Laws,Insight,Life Currency,Principle of Freedom

I have to admit, I thought Joseph Jacobson was joking when he handed me his business card.  “Forgiveness Laboratories,” it said boldly.  The card identified Joe as the Director of Research. 

“Okay, I gotta ask…” I started.

“You want to know what a forgiveness laboratory is,” Joe anticipated.

“I’ll bet you hear that a lot.”

“Sure do,” Joe said with a smile.  “Why don’t you come by the lab for a visit sometime?”

So here I was, introducing myself to Gracie, the receptionist (yeah, I caught the irony in her name).

“I’m here to see Joe,” I started.  “Sorry I’m a little late.”

“We forgive you,” Gracie replied with a wry smile.  “I know… bad joke, but it comes with the territory.  Actually Joe is finishing up a couple of interviews and asked me to show you around.”

Gracie got up from her desk and shook my hand.  It was then that I first noticed that this charming, poised single mom was wearing a white lab coat. [click to continue…]

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Choosing Your Mistakes: Something I Need to Say Before I Die

by Andy Wood on April 22, 2010

in Five LV Laws,Hoarders,Life Currency,Love,LV Alter-egos,Pleasers,Principle of Legacy,Tense Truths,Time

In the course of this short year so far, I have been reminded suddenly, and sometimes rudely, how short life can be, and how there are no guarantees of the things or people we tend to take for granted in this world.

I have also been reminded that life is filled with the potential to make mistakes.  Sometimes those mistakes arise out of misguided values.  Sometimes out of boneheaded stubbornness.  Sometimes mistakes arise out of good things taken too far in self-serving directions.  Often those mistakes come when we lose our sense of balance.

I’ve thought a lot lately about how short life is, and frankly, sometimes how much shorter that I wish it could be.  Hillsong United’s “Soon” sure sounds appealing: [click to continue…]

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From Shame to Grace

by Andy Wood on April 16, 2010

in Esteem,Five LV Laws,Life Currency,LV Alter-egos,Pleasers,Principle of Freedom

And you will be called priests of the Lord, you will be named ministers of our God.

You will feed on the wealth of nations, and in their riches you will boast.

Instead of their shame my people will receive a double portion,

and instead of disgrace they will rejoice in their inheritance;

and so they will inherit a double portion in their land,

and everlasting joy will be theirs (Isaiah 61:6-7, NIV).

It’s a scary journey, the move from shame to grace.  But it’s a journey every growing believer in Christ, every recovering addict, every healing soul must take.  The paths are often unfamiliar.  Lessons must be un-learned and relearned.  You will be forced to face down familiar, but largely unchallenged beliefs.

People who live in the realm of shame live in a world the Brennan Manning describes as “huffing and puffing to impress God.”

It’s a realm of performance.  Brownie points or self-condemnation.  Self-fixing mixed with wallowing in guilt.  Comparing ourselves to others in order to feel superior… or to prove what an absolute joke we are.  “You’re nothing,” shame whispers.  “And if people really knew you, they would agree.”

As much of a liar as shame is, sometimes it’s more comfortable to return to old patterns of thinking and feeling.  It’s embarrassing and uncomfortable to confront the truths of the scandalous grace of God.

“I am a creation of infinite worth?” Ridiculous.

“I am totally forgiven?” What do you mean, “totally?”

“I am completely loved, fully pleasing?” In what universe?  What absurd fantasy?

Challenge that!  Confess the truth, whether it lines up with your feelings or the twisted logic of shame or not.  And most of all, learn to accept the grace of God as it is expressed through the graciousness of others.

The secret is gratitude.  When a friend encourages you, when someone offers a gift, when another praises you, receive it with the same graciousness in which it was offered.

Try this for practice: [click to continue…]

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From Robes to Rags

by Andy Wood on April 9, 2009

in Five LV Laws,Principle of Eternity

ragsRag.  Now there’s an every-day word.

Unsophisticated, earthy, almost guttural – rags are blue-collar, made-for-dirt, hidden-from-company kind of stuff.

We all have them, but some people go to considerable lengths to deny it.

“It’s not a wash rag, dear.  It’s a wash cloth.”

“Oh.  Yew not from around heah, are ya’?”

That t-shirt or those shorts you’re wearing?  Rags in the making.

I grew up with wash rags, shop rags, shoeshine rags, snot rags (my dad’s term), and dust rags.  “Dust cloths” were the property of Yankees and people from other parts of town. [click to continue…]

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Felling by Yelling

by Andy Wood on March 13, 2009

in Hoarders,Life Currency,LV Alter-egos,Turning Points,Words

yelling-2Interested in getting a head start on your firewood for next winter?  I once heard of a unique way to drop a tree.  It seems some villagers in the Solomon Islands in the South Pacific have learned how to conquer the really big ones.  If a tree is too large to be felled with an ax, the natives cut it down by yelling at it.  (I’m not making this up.  I read it in a book, so it must be true.)  Just at dawn these woodsmen with special powers sneak up on a tree and suddenly scream at it at the top of their lungs.  They do this every day for 30 days, and the tree dies and falls over.  The theory is that yelling kills the spirit of the tree.  According to the villagers, it always works.

Felling by yelling.  Sounds crazy, doesn’t it?  Crazy enough to be true.

I’ll have to admit, though, I’ve never seen it happen.  I’ve never yelled at a tree (and I wouldn’t tell you if I had).  Not for thirty days.  Not for one day.  Furthermore, I’ve never seen anyone else yell at a tree.  So I can’t say by experience that hollering works on trees.

But it does work on kids.  I have seen that happen.

Works on spouses, too.

Some people yell at their cars or their washing machine, and it doesn’t seem to do much good.  But I’ve seen it drop a few pastors.  And I’ve seen it kill the spirit of a friend or two as well. [click to continue…]

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Could I Have Some Outrage, Please, With Extra Salt?

by Andy Wood on February 7, 2009

in Life Currency,Love,Tense Truths

salt-and-light-2(Note:  This is out of sequence, but I couldn’t pass this by.  I’d like to know your thoughts.)

First, read this:

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.  If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another.  (Galatians 5:22-26, NASU)

Then read this:  A Botched Abortion in Mother’s Own Words

Then read this again:

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.  If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another.  (Galatians 5:22-26, NASU)

Please tell me you feel at least a little outrage.

Please tell me that you haven’t lived so long in a culture of death that this leaves you untouched.

But while you’re at it, please give me something better than violence or political rhetoric. [click to continue…]

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