Friar Tuck's Occasional Wisdom

Eventually, we will all submit to the Lord. While we may enjoy human autonomy for this short season called “life”, eventually we all fade away like mist in sunlight and end up at the judgment seat of Christ. There, every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord. The wise submit to God while the conscious choice is still available. Those brought to their knees after the breath of life has left them will not fare as well. Today would be a great day to repent and kneel at the foot of the cross. -- Friar Tuck’s Occasional Wisdom

Becoming and being a Christian is not just about having a “change of heart”. It’s about getting a whole new heart. Jesus didn’t die on the cross so we could take some spiritual medication to improve our old heart. He died so we could get a new heart via a heart transplant. And the heart we get is His. Christ died so we could live with His heart. When we are finally ready to accept that, Jesus will put His heart into us. Let Him do the surgery. -- Friar Tuck’s Occasional Wisdom   

The enemy that conquered King David didn’t have mighty strength or superior numbers. His greatest foe did not stand nine feet tall or wear heavy armor. Actually, she wore nothing at all as she bathed on a rooftop in David’s line of sight. On that fateful day, David’s eyes were bigger than his righteousness, and he crumbled to the ground like Goliath had done years before… slain by a single stone from the internal slingshot of Lust. Our greatest enemies almost always lie within. -- Friar Tuck’s Occasional Wisdom

Peter called Jesus “Lord”, but did not understand why the Lord had come. Suffering and death were not in Peter’s job description for the Messiah. So, when Jesus proclaimed that He had come to die and rise again, Peter took Him aside and foolishly tried to correct Him. The Lord was abrupt with Peter and promptly put him in his place. The outcome will be the same for us if we try to rewrite Christ’s job description to suit our own theological desires. The Lord is still perfectly capable of writing it Himself. -- Friar Tuck’s Occasional Wisdom

Now that the cooler is empty, the noise has subsided, and the smoke has cleared, perhaps it’s time to ask yourself in that heart of hearts, “Am I truly free?” And if you cannot answer in the affirmative with integrity, God has an offer for you: genuine freedom. This freedom cannot be gained through warfare, or elections, or vast wealth. It is a gift that can only be obtained by asking the Giver… and if He sets you free, you will be free indeed! – Friar Tuck’s Occasional Wisdom

Jesus invited Peter to step out of the boat and do the impossible. Peter had the guts to say yes. God the Inviter still invites us to step out of our boats and onto His waters. Anyone can walk on dry ground. Where’s the glory for God in that? The question today is, “Are you willing to attempt the impossible for God’s glory? -- Friar Tuck's Occasional Wisdom

God called Moses back to Egypt through a burning bush. All of us stand before some form of burning bush and receive our call. And when that call comes, we can either make excuses and stay where we are… or head for our Egypt and do what God sent us there to do. And our “Egypt” might be just across the street. Moses knew that he couldn’t stay where he was and still say he loved God. Neither can we! -- Friar Tuck’s Occasional Wisdom