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I don't know if you are aware of this, but the new money making fad that has hundreds of people scrambling to the banks for loans is the business of flipping houses. If you are not familiar with the term, it is quite simple. You buy a house, fix it up and then hopefully sell it for a profit. Cha Ching!

The awareness and popularity has grown tremendously due to people like me and my wife who watch the house flipping television shows. Now, we have never flipped a house nor are we taking notes and trying to learn how. That would be a 3 Stooges episode without one of the stooges. That ain't happenin'! But we do like to watch other people take the risk with their money.

So, last night we were watching this NEW house flipping show on the BRAVO channel. It is called "Flipping Out" with Jeff Lewis. For starters let me give you some insight into the life of this Jeff Lewis guy. He has 3 dogs and 3 cats, no big deal right? But he has hired help who watch his animals 24-7. I am talking two ordinary wannabe actors who do whatever Jeff asks them to do in regards to his animals. On top of these two guys, Jeff has 4 other employees who help him with the business. Did I mention that Jeff has been medically diagnosed with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder? You can only imagine what these people who work with Jeff have to go through.

But here is where it really gets interesting in regards to what it appeared that the BRAVO channel and this new show were trying to do.

Between flipping houses and this Jeff guy flipping out on anything and everyone, last night we got to meet Tori. Tori, just happens to be one of Jeff's 5 personal psychics. Yes, that is what is said!

So, in the middle of this show about flipping houses, the creators of this show decide to create awareness and even education on spiritists and mediums. They actually showed them go through
a ceremony which was somehow giving Tori the ability to see what was going to happen with Jeff's life.

Now just for humor sake, Missy and I did not change the channel because I was taking notes and learning about these so called medium people. She started off by telling Jeff to close his eyes and breath. HAHAHAHAHHA. Man, I can do that for FREE! But then she says, "I am going to bring the energy into the room as well as your spiritual leaders." Remember, his eyes are closed." Then she actually says, "I see them, here they come!" HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA I personally busted out laughing because she is speaking in this whispery voice and she is looking at spiritual leaders. HAAHHHAHAHAHAHAHA

Talk about living in LA LA land. This chic was on another planet.

What is sad in all of this is you have someone who has mental problems who is lost, seeking help from another person with mental problems who too is lost.

Jeff in the show goes on to then meet his spiritual healer David and several other interesting people who play around with one's inner self and live in other dimensions I guess???

But Jeff buys the lies they tell them. What then happens if something works out for the better the next day, Jeff builds faith in these people and they gain more credibility with Jeff.

Isaiah 8:19 /When men tell you to consult mediums and spiritists, who whisper and mutter, should not a people inquire of their God?

Have you ever or would you ever seek Truth from anyone else other than God? Are you searching today for answers about life?

The top 3 questions that get asked more than any other by lost people like Jeff are:

1. Who am I?
2. How did I get here?
3. Where am I going?

Are you asking these questions today?

You see the people that are trying to help Jeff are really worse off than Jeff is. They believe in the lies they teach. Jeff is just trying to reach out to anyone and figure these 3 questions out.

Again, maybe you have not been diagnosed with a mental problem like Jeff but can you still relate to where he is in life?

Do you need answers?

THE RED TRIANGLE “First of all what are you talking about today, the Red Triangle, what is that Blake?” 

“Here is the 411!” Each year, in the late summer, a region known as the Red Triangle bustles with marine mammal activity. Lying between San Francisco and Monterey, the Red Triangle includes beaches where elephant seals go to molt, and offshore sites where great whites feed on unwary prey. 

You see the camp I just got back from speaking at was in Monterey. What an amazing time and as always the Holy Spirit showed up and did some amazing things. But let’s talk about Jaws and his buddies out in the water just off the camp site.  

It was Thursday morning about 4 hours before I headed for the airport to fly home. I woke up early so I could walk on the beach, grab some cool shells, and just have some quiet time with God.  

What was amazing about this morning was the reality that I was not alone. Oh, yeah, there were couple of people walking along the beach but I am referring to what was hanging out about 40 yards off the beach in the water.  

Dude and Dudettes, you could see fins of the great white shark swimming around. Man, I was only 40 some yards from having a really bad day…. The thing was, the Whities were out looking for some grindage but there were also a couple of pretty good swells breaking out in the water too. The good news is, the water was cold, I did not have a surfboard and if I did it would have just hung out with me on the sand in safety.  

But get this. Just as I was thinking about surfing, these two young guys show up with rental boards and a full length wetsuits. They plopped down right next to me.  They were totally stoked about getting to surf; I believe that they really had no idea what they were doing, because they were asking each other questions that made it quite obvious.  

So, here I was, knowing what was lurking just 40 to 60 yards out. Do I tell them?Hmmmmmmmm!!! 

Just kidding! I wasn’t going to let them go in the water….So; I struck up a conversation with them.

We talked for a little bit as I watched one of them put his wetsuit on backwards. I kindly told the kid that the zipper was supposed to be behind and not in front. His buddy and I laughed in good fun.  

But then I gave them the bad news! I told them what I had witnessed just 10 minutes earlier. I explained to them that this time of year in those waters was not the place to surf. Not just because it is cold if they are not used to the temperature but that Jaws and his buddies were hungry and they were looking for food.  

I pointed out to where I saw the fins and just as I pointed just a little South and further out we all saw a couple of more fins. The whities had not bailed out from the area.  

Now, the one kid Josh was terrified when he saw the fins. He just plopped back down in the sand and said, and I quote, “I don’t feel like being breakfast this morning Joel.” 

You would think that Joel was going to have the same reaction. Right? NOT!!!! 

Joel begins to try and convince his best friend that the sharks won’t bother them, that they are too far out there, anything he can say to get Josh in the water with him.  

I just listened to a determined kid do everything in his power to put his friend in a position to be tragically injured or even breakfast for a great white.  

Why? Probably because Joel wanted to brag to his friends back home that he went surfing! 

It is funny how so often when we get together with friends, one of us is the voice of reason and the other has a little rebel spirit in them. Right? 

But if you ever want to just be flat out foolish. Then hang around a fool or a bunch of them. There are millions of Joel’s out there and not enough Josh’s. 

Which one are you to your friends? 

Let this verse sink into your psyche….. 

Proverbs 13:20/ He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm. 

Don’t let this verse leave you today! 

In the book of Acts in Chapter 3 we find Peter and John and they have just recently healed a cripple beggar.  

Here is what Peter says to the witnesses:I am going to start in vs. 17/ "Now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did your leaders. 18 But this is how God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, saying that his Christ would suffer. 

Now jump down to Chapter 4 vs. 1/ 1The priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to Peter and John while they were speaking to the people. 2They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. 3They seized Peter and John, and because it was evening, they put them in jail until the next day. 4But many who heard the message believed, and the number of men grew to about five thousand.

Check this out.

Keep in mind that Peter and John were thrown in Jail but that was not before over 5,000 people believed the gospel message they were teaching. And that message was the truth that Jesus Christ was raised from the dead.

5The next day the rulers, elders and teachers of the law met in Jerusalem. 6Annas the high priest was there, and so were Caiaphas, John, Alexander and the other men of the high priest's family. 7They had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them: "By what power or what name did you do this?"“Peter goes on to say it is by the name of Jesus that this man walks.”

(my translation – “Hey dudes remember the guy that you crucified and tortured and spit on and laughed at? Remember him?” Yeah, because of that guy this man is able to walk!)

Now look at vs 12 / Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." (Peter gets up in their face with this statement!)

OK here is the pinnacle of the story. Let’s unpack verse 13,When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.

They called Peter and John Ordinary Men!

Did you catch that? Here is where it gets good. In the Greek, the word for ordinary is (ilithios) greek spelling: ηλίθιος, βλάκας Translate that to English, you get the word IDIOT!!!! 

Peter and John are unschooled IDIOTS. But they were astonished with their knowledge and confidence. Why?

Because they had been with Jesus! I love this story because this is me man!!!

I am an IDIOT, Unschooled and ordinary! But I am with Jesus 24-7.

Are you?   Are you a risk taker? Do you profess the gospel no matter what anyone says? Are you willing to step out on a limb to share your faith? Do you share Jesus with others no matter the circumstance?

 If so, then you are like Peter and John! So, that makes you an IDIOT!!!! Man, doesn’t it feel great to admit you’re an IDIOT….Why should we be so happy about this?

Because that is who God uses, he uses, unschooled, uneducated, ordinary – just like you and me kind of people to get his work done. God uses IDIOTS….to that I say AMEN and HEEHAW

 Webster's dictionary defines Savior as

1 : one that saves from danger or destruction

 

 

 

Savior was also a popular term in Greek and Roman cultures way back in the day.

 

Have you ever thought about it this way? With pop culture today many plots in movies have a savior. From Spiderman to Evan Almighty.

 

 

What about the music world?  The Red Hot Chili Peppers recorded a song called Savior

 

 

What about comic books? There is a super hero called Savior.

 

 

Are we starting to see a pattern here? There is something in us that just feeds off of this concept of a Savior.

 

 

How about TV? Ever watch the show 24? Kiefer Sutherland's character Jack Bauer is what some might call a functional savior in the show. He is like MacGyver meets Jason Bourne from the movie Bourne Identity. Jack Bauer can take down nations with a handgun and a cell phone that gets reception on every square inch of this planet.

 

 

Even the trailer from this past season used the word sacrifice in it. It was Jack Bauer's job to save the world.

 

 

How about video games? If you play War Craft you might have acquired the robe of a savior. Also my wife shared with me that there is a brand of jeans for women call Savior.

 

 

What about the upcoming election – people are calling the candidates potential saviors. Not only that they are calling themselves saviors. "Don't vote for that guy because he will eat you or run over your dog or kick your cat. Not me, I am your savior!"

 

 

Have you realized that you can take a pill for anything now? It's all extra strength. Its like, "I would like a dosage that will kill me, and then back it off just a little!" You take the pill, feel better and that becomes a functional savior.

 

 

For me personally I can get rid of nasal drip hell as long as I continue to take my Allegra. Without it, living in Texas, I would be a snotty mess and I would sneeze all over you.

 

 

How about religion?  You get to be your own savior. If you are a Muslim, you save yourself by living a life of good deeds…. (I guess Muslims need to help us understand what they consider good deeds!)

 

 

If you are a New Ager, you save yourself by understanding that you are apart of the oneness of all things being the same God. "Hey Blake, can you explain that?" "ummm, No, No I can't! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA."

 

 

If you like cults and you are a Scientologist you are saved because you are your own God. So, who is Lord Xenu? Anyway!

 

 

What is interesting to me and maybe I am wrong here, but it seems that the world relies on a savior. Again from media to religion!

 

 

Let me go back to the question I started with. What is a savior? I think Webster's helped us out there. So, then if we know what a savior is, than who is THE savior? Not pop culture savior or personal religion savior, but the REAL SAVIOR?

 

 

Let's camp out in the book of Isaiah for a second.

 

 

Isaiah 43:11/I Am the Lord and apart from me there is NO savior

 

Isaiah 45:21/Declare what is to be, present it—  let them take counsel together. Who foretold this long ago, who declared it from the distant past? Was it not I, the LORD ? And there is no God apart from me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is none but me.

 

 

Isaiah 60:16/ I, the Lord am your savior

 

 

Isaiah 62:11/ 'See, your Savior comes!

 

 

700 years before the coming of Jesus. This Truth is spoken over and over. So for hundreds of years people were waiting for their savior.

 

 

Jesus then walks in on the scene from Nazarene!

 

 

So looking at Jesus and his death, burial and resurrection we see savior intertwined throughout his life. Savior is connected to every aspect of who Jesus is.

 

 

The New Testament speaks of the Savior 24 times. 16 of those times are speaking in direct regards to Jesus.

 

 

But let's back up a little bit and take a look at what the angel said in Luke 2:11 / Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Christ the Lord.

 

 

Do you like so many others when Christmas comes around celebrate the birth of Jesus but forget that the baby in the manger is the Savior of the world?

 

 

Friends, from Isaiah saying the savior is coming to the angel saying the savior is here and the rest of the never-ending evidence that Jesus is the Savior – why then did and does the world want a savior but the world won't accept the ONE TRUE SAVIOR?

 

 

In closing lets look at the second definition that absolutely shocked me, but yes, it is found in the Webster's dictionary.

 

 

Savior:

2 : one who brings salvation; specifically capitalized : JESUS