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There is a level of happiness and joy that is considered supernatural. Not sure about you gentlemen, but I am ready to level up in that!
From what I’ve been taught and in my personal experience though, it’s kind of like hitting the gym for the first time in a long time, or switching routine to something more intense. It is very difficult at first. Then there comes new pains from muscles you simply haven’t been used to working. After that, new pockets of fat in your body begin to melt, and the poisons that are trapped in that fat begin to be released into your bloodstream along with higher levels of lactic acid. This leads to temporary soreness. Like that first two to three weeks of getting into a new, healthier rhythm, these difficulties that you have to overcome and press through often cause people to quit before taking hold of the new level of blessedness. This article is to encourage you to be steadfast, through the initial difficulty. It will be worth it.
The level of joy that I am talking about is called “Makarios” in the Greek language. It was something many of the great philosophers and thinkers attributed to the “gods”. Something unique to the divine sphere. Jesus, however, sort of commandeers this concept and applies it to groups of human beings that you would not expect. As a matter of fact, it would have been quite shocking to the ears of the people when He said things like this.
The first characteristic of people who attain this level of blessedness, according to Jesus, are people who are “poor in spirit”. He actually says that these are the people that are in the driver’s seat of God’s heavenly reign on earth. So, the question then becomes, “What does it mean and what does it look like, on a practical level, to be ‘poor in spirit’”? Then, “Why does God choose these types of people to bring His will on earth as in heaven?”.
From what I’ve experienced, as I have observed the Kingdom of Heaven and handled the Word, to be poor in spirit, is to have a rich and developed sense of humility. It is found amongst those whose circumstances have deeply embedded in their hearts an understanding of the sovereign, saving grace of God. Many have gone through extremely difficult situations where they had no control whatsoever over their circumstances and through those experiences, they have grown to thankfully depend more fully on God for direction, wisdom, understanding, strength, resources and help in leading people and the communities that God entrusts to them. Essentially, God trusts these people with stewarding His purposes because He can work in and through them more effectively. They are not trying to take the reigns in their own strength or their own best thinking. They are not fighting against God to get their way, they understand that His way is the best way for everyone involved, regardless of how things may seem sometimes in the immediate term.
All that being said, what are some of the situations and circumstances that you have experienced that have helped you obtain your present level of being “poor in spirit”? What have you learned from it and how has it helped you to become a better manager of God’s household in your sphere of influence? Meditate on these things. Learn more fully what they mean and take hold of this increased level of blessedness that you have been allotted.
If you’ve listened to the General Idea Podcast, you’ve heard this phrase before, “Built to Survive, Designed to Thrive”. Relationships seem to be coming at us from every direction these days. It is a buzzword with preachers and business moguls alike. The reality, however, seems to be more about staying top of mind with as many people as possible rather than building solid, fruitful relationships.
Real relationships require time, effort, a growing sense of vulnerability, and a holy intimacy with the ones you are in relationship with. That only really happens when there is a perceived mutual benefit, not only in the present, but when both parties have a vision of increased value in opening more fully to each other. It is an investment. People are simply willing to invest more where they see a potential “return on investment” or ROI.
Human beings naturally want to feel good, look good, be in control, remain undisturbed, achieve some agenda they may have, obtain a personal advantage, or simply to be seen as the person that is right.
We will go to great lengths to invest our time and resources in relationships that help us to progress in these things. When these things increase, we perceive that we as humans are progressing. However, the author of “Agape Road: Journey to Intimacy with the Father” sees these very things as giants that are opposing our progress towards being more truly human, to being more loving, compassionate, merciful, and kind.
So, should we intentionally be looking for ways to look bad in front of peers and onlookers? Should we place ourselves in situations that make us miserable, and unhappy so that we don’t feel good? Should we become aimless with no agenda, goals, or mission?
Should we throw capitalism out the window and cease seeking to outperform competitors in the marketplace? Should we embrace folly so that we are found to be wrong, ill-informed, or just ignorant lest we be found desiring to be walking in truth and actually be “right” as opposed to being “wrong”?
All of that seems strange and quite counter-productive, certainly not in alignment with Scriptures like, “Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” or “Beloved, my prayer for you is that you would prosper in all things, and be in good health, even as your soul prospers”, or “I will make you the head and not the tail”, “For the Lord your God will bless you, as He promised you, and you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow, and you shall rule over many nations, but they shall not rule over you.” I could continue, but I think the point is made.
Being intentional about slaying these giants, if that is what they are, must occur because God wants it to occur as it brings glory to His name and will in some way benefit us in the long run. Many times, our personal success is in alignment with God being glorified because it reveals His faithfulness to do good to His children and not harm. The truth is that ultimately, God will restore His children and cause them to flourish exceedingly, both in this age, and in the age to come.
Sometimes, however, as with Job, God allows the Adversary to make us look bad, feel bad, make a mess of our agendas, put us in positions of extreme disadvantage, make us appear to be in the wrong amongst our peers and other onlookers, to lose any sense of being in control of anything at all, and to be truly disturbed to our very core…
Is all that really necessary for us to become the people God wants us to be? Only God knows, but knowing His character, He would not ask us to endure whatever cross He calls us to as individuals, or as the whole Body of Christ, if there was any other way.
Here in Florida the fall season means cooler weather. The summer tourists head home as their kiddos start the new school year. Our annual influx of snowbirds begins and that means it’s time for Fall / Winter ocean sports like offshore sport fishing, flats fishing, and more. Florida has a very unique style and some clothing designers and labels that cater specifically to our culture.
Most of these styles are very utilitarian, functional, and highly durable. These aren’t your Versace slacks. We enjoy labels such as Columbia Sportswear, HUK, and AFTCO. This is apparel that can get into the thick of the fight with us and do what we bought them to do for us.
At Gentleman’s Purpose we highly recommend shopping at Bass Pro Shops. They are pretty much your one stop shop for all the most stylish and useful clothing for men on the market.
We all know it. “The borrower is slave to the lender”. The author of the wisdom literature is directing his hearers to a simple and straight forward reality. It is always better to be the bank that to be the borrower.
Due to the goodness of God and this economic reality, God has promised that, “He will make you successful in everything you do. You will have plenty of money to lend to other nations, but you won’t need to borrow any yourself.” In this, we see that it is through the providential activity of God that we, as those who are “in Christ”, part of His holy nation, are able to create, maintain, and grow wealth.
Recently, I have taken the initiative to begin the process of obtaining my national license in America to write mortgages to help people purchase real estate. This has included setting aside a long weekend to participate in a required 20 hour class, preparing for a national exam (which was unfortunately post-poned due to Hurricane Ian), and it will continue to require all sorts of resources not only to obtain the license, but also for continuing education, maintaining the license, and essentially operating a new business. This type of licensing and continuing education has been deemed necessary by the powers that be to ensure a fair, orderly financial structure that can be trusted by society.
While I am an advocate of paying cash for everything, in as much as it is possible with you. Your primary residence is an expense that I think one is justified in borrowing for. The reason I feel this way is because of the ability to build equity in an asset that has historically been an appreciating asset.
What I mean by that is that when you take a loan to buy, a new car for instance, when you come to the end of your loan term you will own a car that is worth significantly less that what it was when you purchased it. This is true in the vast majority of car buying scenarios. However, when you buy a piece of real estate, you will own a piece of land and a building that will be worth more than the price you paid for it in the vast majority of scenarios.
There are, of course, all sorts of variables. Not least, the interest rates you are paying on the loan, the length of the loan, and other terms and expenses related to purchasing, owning, and maintaining the real estate. However, there are very few other ways that a person can utilize the level of leverage that real estate offers to create wealth with such a low level of long-term risk.
The idea of getting back into banking and finance after such a long hiatus from the industry is exciting for me. As much as I enjoy investing in businesses through the stock and bond markets, if I look at my return-on-investment (ROI) related to all of the investment classes that I’ve owned in my life, real estate has been the most profitable.
Making a mental note of that and returning to the theme of this article, “it’s better to be the bank”, my long-term goal is to build my personal net worth to the point of being both debt free, and having enough excess to qualify for a warehouse line-of-credit with a commercial bank that will allow me to become not just a mortgage broker, but a mortgage lender.
The interesting thing is that when I first moved to South Florida for university, the family friend that helped me get my first mortgage introduced me to the gentleman that owned the lending institution that she worked for. He took us out on his sportfishing boat for a tour of the luxury homes along South Florida’s intracoastal waterway, and I remember thinking, “This is what I want”. I had forgotten about that moment until recently. God doesn’t forget those things though. Here we are many years later, and God still knows my heart, and I am learning more about His..
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Beautiful 4 Bedroom / 3 Bathroom home in Deltona Lakes. Suburban living at it’s best. Quick access to I4 for commuting to Orlando or Daytona Beach metro areas. This home sits on an oversized hilltop lot on a quiet cul de sac, but is close to shopping, movie theatre, and much more! Durable, rigid vinyl plank floor and ceramic tile make cleaning a breeze. Large covered and screened in patio with plenty of room to add a pool. HUGE! 24.5’ x 14’ great room with fireplace for tons of family fun and entertaining. Comfy living room with a second fireplace for enjoying coffee with guests. 4th Bedroom has all the amenities and can be utilized as an inlaw suite, rented as a small apartment, or AirBNB. All appliances stay EXCEPT the range/oven in the primary kitchen (there is a range/oven in the secondary kitchen that will remain), washing machine, freezer in the garage, and two free standing sheds in the back.
Call with questions or to schedule a private showing. 561-876-9728
One of the things I remember from early childhood is visiting with my mom at her beachside apartment in New Smyrna Beach, FL. It was in that apartment’s pool that I learned to swim and it was during that season when she taught me how to properly eat crab legs. Crab legs, especially Alaskan Crab Legs, are somewhat of a delicacy for many. They are a little more common place in seaside communities like New Smyrna Beach, Daytona Beach, and so forth though.
As I was scrolling through social media, I kept noticing this ad for a seafood special at a local place that I had not dined at before. Beachside Johnny’s Bar & Grill located at 330 S. Atlantic Ave., Ormond Beach, FL is likely the cleanest seafood joint I’ve been to in a while. I arrived for an early supper and a local musician was just setting up for her set. I took my seat at the bar and told the barmaid that I’d like a Beach Hippie IPA and the special of 3 lbs. of crab legs that I saw on Facebook. She was very pleasant and took my order immediately.
It wasn’t long before I was enjoying piping hot crab legs, redskin potatoes, and corn-on-the-cob. As I enjoyed my meal, watching football, and reminiscing about learning to get all that meat out as efficiently as possible, it was truly a nostalgic moment. Check out Beachside Johnny’s, not sure how long they are going to be running that crab leg special...
Click Here to Visit Website of Beachside Johnny’s
Short stories can be exciting, fast paced and have the ability to confront serious issues with wit, accuracy, and wisdom. George Saunders book, “Liberation Day”, explores a host of themes and causes the reader to wrestle with strange and interesting scenarios. He opens our eyes to America’s national character and in confronting these subjects invites us to be transformed by truth.
If moving beyond the superficial nature of social media friendships and “single serving friends” is on your to do list, you must be prepared to grow together with some crazy people. Vincent J Gardner in his book, “Crazy People: 13 Tales of Highly Dubious Social Value”, explores a host of awkward scenarios that challenge the imagination and shock the intellect.
Margaret Thatcher has been a female figure that I often refers women to when they speak of “strong women” and yet seem to have a very warped understanding of what that actually looks like. In this book of short stories, Hilary Mantel explores marriage, sex, family, and class with a keen, sharp writing style that keeps your attention and challenges your thinking and presumptions.
You may be wondering how a book of short stories written by Jewish women found its way into an Irish American gentleman’s personal library. Well, through the years, I have learned extensively from the lives and stories of Jewish women. From how to bake a fresh loaf of Challah to overcoming the trauma of extreme religious legalism. In “Shaking Eve’s Tree” a gentleman has an opportunity to learn much about a woman’s heart.
It has become sort of a defining characteristic of Southern women. Most of whom heard the term from their mothers growing up. “Don’t you sass me young lady, I will take a switch to your ass!”...or something of that nature.
Sass is an attitude that seems to fit well with the classic rock and punk genres of music and so it is a fitting name for this fiery redhead and her crew of misfits.
I stumbled across this band while visiting with some family that I haden’t seen in a while. We decided to check out a local spot in Ocala, FL that has been building a pretty solid reputation with locals and my Aunt Cindy thought I would enjoy their White Russians. I certainly did. I was also pretty
fond of the southern comfort offered via a sweet conversation with Rachel Stump, the lead singer of SASS. She was very interactive during the show and in between sets. She had an impressive range and covered some beloved classic rock and southern soul.
You can find SASS travelling the Central Florida circuit, and when you do, you should make it a point to rock with them.
The scene from the cult classic “Point Break” starring Keanu Reeves and Gary Busey has the young FBI agent being sent by a senior agent to grab an early lunch of meatball subs. Yes, subs...plural... “Utah, get me two!”
As we begin to think about what our 2023 is going to look like, we of course want to plan our annual ski trip. In 2022, it was Montana and Colorado. For 2023, we are looking at Utah to begin with, but we’d really like to get two trips in this year as well. Under better, non-COVID related circumstances preferably.
This will be our first trip to Utah and it’s rather exciting, but a little strange in that, for a long time, the only thing I thought of when I thought of the state of Utah was polygamy and Mitt Romney. However, it turns out that there’s a lot more to it than that.
The Alta Ski Area can be found just outside of Salt Lake City and it is world renowned for having some of the “deepest powder snow and challenging terrain in the West.” The only issue with Alta is that they are also renowned, or infamous rather, for their ban on snowboards. Their longstanding policy and slogan is, “Alta is for skiers!”. So, if snowboarding is your preference, you will have to seek adventure elsewhere.
It looks like Park City and Canyons have recently combined to make an absolutely amazing ski, and snowboard, destination.
Established in the late 1800’s, Park City offers a lot to entice the zealous traveler. More than 1200 miles of tunnels from the days of Park City being a mining town are in tact, there is an amazing Mainstreet, and that’s not even mentioning the slopes.
If we move fast, Spirit Airlines currently has round-trip tickets for late February priced at less than $250 each! With rates like that anyone can afford to fly to Utah...
Once we arrive, we will want to check into a cozy room, get unpacked and perhaps take a nap in front of the fireplace before we grab our skiis and snowboards and head towards one of the many slopes. Some designed for the beginner, some for the far more experienced athlete.
To get started exploring Alta, Park City, or some of the oth er ski areas to start planning your ski / snowboard vacation, Gentleman’s Purpose recommends you begin by visiting SKI.com and checking out their “Utah Ski and Snowboard Packages”...
