Spoo-Dads-Oh! Daddy-O

 Spoudazo (σπουδάζω) is an interesting New Testament verb that signifies "to hasten to do a thing, to exert oneself, to endeavour, and to give diligence”.  It signifies, “With speed”.  It refers to doing  something with effort and quickly. (Its pronounced Spoo-dadz-o)

Hastiness in our walk with Christ is usually not a good thing.  In fact in scripture we are told in various ways to “Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him:” 

And also not being self-willed and having restraint are qualities and qualifications of the pastor.  But sometimes your pastor may need to hasten to do something with speed.  The situation may ‘demand’ it.  God’s leading in the heart of the man may require it.  Pastor Roy Branson says that sometimes the only way to explain this behavior is that the man is called of God. And discernment, his knowledge of the Word, and the promptings of God move the man “with speed.”

The writer of Hebrews used this word when he said “Let us labour (Spoudazo) therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.” (Heb. 4:11) How were these Hebrew believers going to do this? By diligent study of the Word of God; by Studying “with speed” to enter into God’s rest.

“For the word of God is quick (living), and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”

Peter used the word when he said “Moreover I will endeavour (Spoudazo) that ye may be able after my decease to have these things always in remembrance.”  I will study and preach “with speed”, with due diligence, so that you can stand on your own two feet when I’m gone.

And when he said “Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence (Spoudazo) to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:”

And “Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent (Spoudazo) that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.”

Paul used it in Ephesians 4:3 “Endeavouring (Spoudazo) to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”  Sometimes to keep peace one may have to act quickly in response to persecution, oppression, or conflict.

It must be done with wisdom and sometimes it also must be done with Spoodadzo.

So what is the young pastor, or layman for that matter, supposed to do when he doesn’t know what to do? As Paul told young Timothy “Study (Spoudazo)  to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” 

When the situation is urgent, pray and study, then when the answer comes. “Endeavour to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”

Layman, don’t be too critical, or even better, don’t be critical of the man of God at all, when he seems to act rashly standing up for the sheep in response to a ‘bully’.  Sometimes the situation merits it.  If he is wrong and is indeed acting rashly don’t you know his Boss is aware of it.

Hastiness in our walk with Christ is usually not a good thing.  But Jesus also said, “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”

It’s likely your pastor is willing, following Jesus’ example, to lay down his tenure, his reputation, his very life if need be for the health of the sheep that he has been called to shepherd.  This is the pastor’s heart.

It is to face off with bear, and lion, and even to ‘take down Goliath’ for the life of the sheep.  If he is near to God then rest assured that God has given him an intuitive knowledge of what must be done in any given situation.

I am beginning a series of posts entitled “Give the Pastor Wiggle~Room” in response to a question that was asked of me several times by a great man of God with whom I had the privilege of serving under and beside for over twenty-two years.  

He asked me, “Why in all these years have you never given me any trouble?” I hope to break this answer down to bite-sized-bits for others so they can come alongside and help their pastors and so they will not be too critical of them.

When we do this,

as Barnabas did with Paul,

and later with John Mark,

(although I don't encourage conflict)

What you are endeavoring to keep remember

is unity in the Spirit

and peace.

When we do this Jesus will increase in the church,

And we will decrease in our sensitiveness and self-importance.

“He must increase, WE must decrease!”

Look for New Posts Labeled ~ “Wiggle-Room”; I will share my personal study on this topic as the Lord leads.

Frankenstein's Monster

What do you think of when you think of the church?  Do you think of a family? Do you think of a club? (I hope you don't think of a club.)  What comes to mind?  Have you ever wondered what the world thinks of when they see the church?

In Dr. David Jeremiahs book, "Fruit of the Spirit" He writes in the overview to lesson 11 entitled How to Be Filled with the Spirit, he wrote...

Several years ago, a religious painter painted two pictures of Jesus and hung them together in a gallery.  The first picture was of the Jewish Christ, the one we're accustomed to seeing when we see pictures of the Lord.  It was very beautifully done and would bring a sense of inspiration and worship to anyone who would look at it.

Next to that traditional picture of Christ, the artist hung a picture he'd painted of the Lord Jesus Christ disfigured and ugly.  It was a misrepresentation of the genuineness of the Lord.  The artist was asked why he had painted these two pictures.

He said, "The first picture is Christ as He really is.  The second is the christ the world sees when they look at His church.  Those who are His body, who represent Him in the world."  Now I'm not sure what kind of churches this artist was used to, but I have met some very beautiful Christian men and women who represent the Lord in beauty and true holiness.  Someday they will hear Him say, "Well done! Well done!"

Dr. Jeremiah says, "The world does not see Christ physically as the first disciples saw Him.  They see Christ through His body, which is the church made up of true believers."

So it begs the question.  When the world looks at me and the world looks at you if you are a believer, what do they see?  Do they see the beauty, holiness, graciousness, and greatness of our Jesus?  Or do they see something akin to Frankenstein's Moster?  Frankenstein, as he is called, was made up of parts from several parts of several bodies, he was disfigured, and full of puss I think.

We have the wonderful ointment of the Holy Spirit to smooth over rough spots in relationships.  Let's face it "where two or more are gathered in His name"... there’s bound to be conflict.  The fruit of God's Spirit enables us to be supernaturally relating to one another.  It's a beautiful thing.  So what kind of picture do we paint?  The true Christ.  OR a misrepresentation?

It's very important that we walk with God in humility. Loving Him. Obeying Him.

If we do this He will increase and we will decrease.

“He MUST increase, We MUST decrease!”

When His glory is evident through us… the world stares in awe at the wonder of Christ’s body, the church.

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He Must Have Preeminence

There was a man by the name of Diotrephes whose name meant ‘nourished by Zeus’ or foster-child of Zeus.  He professed to be a believer but he also loved the praise of men.  The Apostle John said “I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not.” (3 John 1:9)

What was Diotrephes reason for not receiving the Apostle and those with him?  John through the Spirit said that he “loveth to have the preeminence.” It was not that John was guilty of some offense, some sin against the Body. 

No doubt if it were John would repent and gladly go before the church and admit his fault.  It wasn’t because of some misunderstanding surrounding John’s actions.  No doubt if it were John would stand before the church and explain the reasoning behind such actions.  

It wasn't any of these things though,

John had a message for the church.

A word of exhortation and comfort.

But the Apostle was not permitted to have a voice in the church. 

Why? 

It was simply that Diotrephes loved to have the preeminence. 

Even if John had made some mistake in the process of parting company he, in the interest of parting amicably, would have gone back to make things right. 

We all have to be careful in our zeal that we

do not take a stance like Diotrephes. 

Notice too that John wrote unto the church.  He wrote, and then they delivered the mail, but the pony express was sent packing.  He said, “Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not.”

The word for preeminence that John used here is not actually just 'preeminence', it encompasses the phrase 'loves to have preeminence', it is  philoprōteuōn (φιλοπρωτεύων), and it is a combining of two Greek words ‘philo - to love’ and ‘protos – first or chief’. The word preeminence as used in John’s text means fond of being first, and striving after first place.  The tendency of Diotrephes to strive after first place was the only reason John gave for their poor reception.

In the King James Bible the word preeminence has two other uses, one in the Old Testament in Ecclesiastes where God says that man and beast are both subject to the curse of death brought on because of sin.  Regarding the death of man and beast He says “that a man hath no preeminence above a beast.”

The other use of the word is in Colossians and its Greek meaning is similar to that of the word used in 3^rd John but it’s not the same use of the word. 

Paul in writing to the church there said by the Spirit that he wanted them filled with the knowledge of God’s will in wisdom and all spiritual understanding. (Col. 1:9)  Sometimes others actions and even the things the Lord asks of us do not make much sense without this “knowledge of God’s will in wisdom and all spiritual understanding.”

Then Paul by the Spirit gives them a list. 

I love these lists.

He says I want you…

1)        walking worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing.

2)    being fruitful in every good work.

3)    increasing in the knowledge of God.

4)    Being strengthened with all might.

Not strengthened to strive mind you but “unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; according to His glorious power, in the power of the Spirit.

Then he adds one more thing to the list…

5)    Giving thanks unto the Father.

Paul immediately starts another list explaining the why of the what. Because…

v  God hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light.

v  And God hath delivered us from the power of darkness,

v  And translated [us] into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, [even] the forgiveness of sins:

His dear Son is, that is to say that Jesus is…

1)    the image of the invisible God.

2)    And the ‘firstborn' of every creature.

“For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether [they be] thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:”

3)    He is before all things.

4)    and by Him all things consist.

5)    He is the head of the body, the church.

6)    He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all [things] he might have the preeminence.

And here Paul brings us to that word again. Preeminence. 

A word that I said was not exactly the same as John’s word but close. 

John used a word that describes striving for or desiring preeminence, loving preeminence. 

The word used here in Colossians is simply

‘protos – first or chief’

without the prefixed ‘philo – to love’. 

What it says is that Jesus Christ alone is First, He holds first place.  

Consider this too: The object of God’s love is us, not His preeminence, not the fact that He is First or Preeminent.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

Brethren, listen to me.  Jesus Christ has to be Preeminent in our lives, in our minds, our thought lives, and in our churches.  Don’t allow anyone or anything else to rent space in your head that is for God and God alone.  Diotrephes was trespassing in a place that belonged to God alone.

“that in all [things] he might have the preeminence.” He Must have the Preeminence.  If we do not love God fully and obey Him completely we cannot be Spirit filled and we cannot please God.

“So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.” (Romans 8:8)

If we are careful to let Him have His rightful place in our thought life,

if we are mindful to love God

and obey Him being Spirit filled.

He will increase and we will decrease.

“He must increase, WE must decrease!”

Be a Berean - B.Y.O.B. (Bring your own Bible)

      A friend from long ago once told me when I first started frequenting our church that I shouldn't just accept everything that I heard as The Gospel Truth.  I should be as the Berean Christians of whom the scriptures says "These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so."


1] They were more noble than the believers in Thessalonica. (Aparently Thessalonians didn't study much).

2] They received the Word with all readiness of mind.
(They were attentive to the preacher)

3] Then they searched the scriptures daily, to see if what they heard was the truth. (Obviously cults do not encourage this)


       It's a good idea to bring a pen and paper to church with you. And use them!!! Write. Write everything the preacher says. Or just write verse references. Or just write questions you have and word studies you may want to do. But by all means write, and then search the scriptures daily to see if what you heard was the truth.

The best policy is always B.Y.O.B. Bring your own Bible!


I personally rest on the good'ole KJV.
There's nothing quite like it!


"In the beginning was the Word,
And the Word was with God,
And the Word was God,"
Get to know the Word!


"He (The Word) must increase, WE must decrease!"

Be a Berean! B.Y.O.B. ~ and take notes!

A Black Man is my Brother

You mean, “A Christian black man is your Christian brother, Don’t you?” No. I mean a black man is my brother. And an Asian man is my brother, and a French man is my brother, and an Italian man is my brother too.  The Apostle Paul, while standing on Mars Hill and speaking to the men of Athens, said that God “made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth,” (Acts 17:26 KJV).  We are all descendants of Adam, and we are all descendants of Noah, we are all of one blood.  You can ask a geneticist why we have different races in the human race.  I am sure he/she can give you an acceptable answer.

I used to get more than slightly offended (in my days of Pharisee-ism) when someone at work or elsewhere, who named the name of Christ, but didn’t walk as He walked, would call me brother.  I would think, “You’re not my brother!” but the truth of the matter is that he is.  So are the in-your-face homosexuals I used to work with, and the man who while under the influence of alcohol smashed up my car, and the lawyers who helped OJ Simpson, and OJ, and the IRS agent downtown who seems to lack compassion. They are all my brothers and sisters. That is to say, as part of the Human ‘family’ they are of one blood with me.  Perhaps you don’t like this but it is nevertheless true.

Now, that is not to say that they are my Christian brothers and sisters. The bible says “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.” (Gal 3:26 KJV) and Jesus said “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.  That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.  Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.” (John 3:5-7 KJV)

As I looked into the eyes of my friend McKinley at church this morning and talked to him and his wife Belinda I did not see a black couple.  The color of their skin did not but come as an afterthought.  I saw my Christian brother and my Christian sister, and I saw two people who were also part of the 'universal brotherhood' of mankind.  In your dealings with people; both good people and not so nice people do you see them, and treat them, as brothers and sisters.  Jesus said you should.  In fact not only did He say we should do this, he also walked His talk, He demonstrated His love for all mankind when He laid down His life for all their , all our sins.

Rom 5:6-8 says “For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.  For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.  But God ‘demonstrated’ his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

The Bible says we are supposed to do good unto ALL men, then it says especially those who are of the household of faith.  So I ask again, In your dealings with people; both good people and not so nice people, and people of all ethnic origins, do you see them, and treat them, as brothers and sisters.  Jesus said you should. 

"And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;"  Nations is the Greek 'ethnos' from which we get the English 'ethnic'.  All who are born again are born of one Spirit.  We are brothers.

“He must increase, WE must decrease!” and we must honor Him by loving ALL others indiscriminately and without exception.  Obviously, if they are unbelievers, if they are in any danger, eternal or otherwise, we would not be loving them if we didn't find a way to warn them. 

Are they in any danger? See my post "WHO IN HELL CARES?!?!" To Share This or Any of these stories simply click on any of the links below. Stay Humble... Stay Free!

There'sabigANT in the toilet

While a very dear friend of ours was out of state for a while her 4 year old daughter, Autumn, was spending the week at our home.  One hot mid-afternoon we were all out in the pool cooling off and having some fun when Autumn decided she had to go 'pee' so I instructed her to go inside and use the toilet.

I completely forgot about her and after some time went by (maybe 10 minutes) I had a strange feeling that something wasn't right.  Then it occurred to me.  Autumn, Oh my dear, I forgot Autumn.  I got out of the pool and ran into the house dripping wet. I could hear Autumn crying, and it kind of echoed through the house. "Autumn, Autumn, where are you!" I was really worried.  Her voice led me into the bathroom where she was sitting on the pot.

"Autumn,  what is it?" I said. Through her sobbing she said what sounded like, "There'sabigANT in the toilet!, Waaaaaa, Sob, Sob." She looked terrified. I didn't do anything right away. I was ready with a lecture. "Its just a bug, it wont hurt you, quit crying it will be okay, etc.,etc." Then I repeated what I thought she said, "There's a big ant in the toilet??"

She said, "Nooooooo, I'm slipping in the toilet!".... then I realized.  She thought she was going down the drain, no wonder she looked terrified... I quickly pulled her up off the seat and placed her on the floor. " I'm so sorry Autumn. Are you alright?" , "Get dressed, lets go outside where it's warm."  The air conditioning was running and she was shaking.

I was ready to give her a four point sermon when all she wanted was help out of her trouble.  I am learning to be "swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to wrath" as the Word says but we are so prone to jump to conclusions, speak on first impulse, or assume we understand without qualifying the situation.

"God help me to be swift to hear, help me to have compassion; to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with You. I want You to increase in my life, I want self to decrease."

The following day, 

when it was time for Autumn to do her business again,

I said "Don't fall in." 

She replied, "No, Uncie Carl, It's only when I'm slippery." 

Made me think, we need to make sure we're not 'slippery',

and when we are we need to be willing to accept the 4 point sermon.

"He Must increase, WE must decrease!"