Don't Be A Pig

Hogs on the highway sometimes mean Harley riders blazing down the road. Then again, sometimes it means…hogs on the highway! According to the AR Democrat-Gazette, a tractor trailer carrying some 90 hogs overturned on I-430 between Little Rock & North Little Rock early Monday. Some remained on the trailer while others made a break for it! Some of the porkers weighed 800 pounds!

A few years back I was bringing a group home from a mission trip in North Padre Island TX. It had been a great week of ‘Beach Reach’ & VBS as we helped with a new church start. Somewhere late in the night in West Texas I was talking with one of the guys driving trying to stay awake & help him stay awake. Suddenly a huge grey blur went across the highway in front of our van. Thought my eyes were playing tricks until a few seconds later we slammed into something massive. Turns out a herd of ‘farrow hogs’ (domestic hogs gone wild) were crossing the highway in front of us & one became so much bacon! We ran over the hog (around a 1000 pounds worth of pork belly!) & it tore out the gooseneck & jack of the trailer.

While you may like chowing down on a good thick pork chop, BLT or sausage, Jewish people wouldn’t touch it with a proverbial ten foot pole. As a matter of fact, any time pigs are mentioned in the bible it’s not in a good light! Case in point, when a 1000 demons were cast from a man they begged to be released into a herd of swine & then ran headlong into the sea. You might have heard the adage (straight from scripture) ‘don’t cast your pearls before swine.”

“A beautiful woman who rejects good sense is like a gold ring in a pig's snout.” Proverbs 11:22 HCSB

Have you ever really watched a pig? My brother-in-law used to raise pigs on his farm. When visiting I watched the pigs. Pretty nasty animals. The smell? MAN! They spend the whole day wallowing around in filth & eating anything dropped near their snout. Yep, I can see why they have a less than stellar reputation. I won’t even get into ‘pork barrel politics.’

I guess, unless you’re a pig farmer, you get that pigs are nasty, stinky creatures with little dietary discretion or upward mobility! They just do what they do: wallow in filth without any embarrassment or ambition in life. Sadly, many around settle for the same lifestyle: wallowing in filth & no spiritual ambition or insight. The Psalmist gives insight on how we really can rise out of the ‘mire.’
“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow His instructions have good insight. His praise endures forever.” Psalms 111:10 HCSB

Dave Jackson-Campus Minister djackson@absc.org
Cell- 870-217-9376
http://www.myspace.com/davejacksonnewport
BCM Website: http://www.bcmasunewport.org
Dave Jackson on Facebook.

“Around the World-Across the Street”

Last week I was at a children’s camp on the campus of ASU in Jonesboro. That’s not particularly unusual in that I’ve been at around a 100 camps through the years.What caught my attention was that, while we adults were chaperoning some 400 3rd-6th graders, there were other camps, events, and students from ASU. Again, not so unusual except for the makeup of those students. As I looked around I saw students from the Far East, Mid-east, Central & South America & Africa.

Even my own small community is home to people from many places around the globe. We have people from China, Japan, Middle East, South Korea, and Mexico that I could name off the top of my head. I have a new friend on the ASUN campus that came from Colombia. I suppose you could say it’s a great big, little world out there.

While I was at the camp I met a missionary to the Middle East on medical leave. He shared that the most effective witnessing tool he has implored & observed is simply building relationships & sharing the heart of Christ with those around him. It’s not in pamphlets & literature or through particular events. It’s simply sharing the heart of Christ from his heart to others.

“Jesus came to them and said: I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth! Go to the people of all nations and make them my disciples. Baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teach them to do everything I have told you. I will be with you always, even until the end of the world.”
Matthew 28:18-20 CEV

I’ve had an opportunity to be involved in around 25 mission trips in both the U.S. & two foreign countries & helped start over a half dozen churches through the years. From my experience the missionary is right on the money. What God has called Christians to do is not simply have someone make a ‘decision’ & fill out a card, but rather to help make ‘disciples’ or followers of Christ.

You may never set foot on the soil of another country or visit another people group outside your hometown, but in this fast changing world, realize the world is all around you. Do you recognize other ‘people groups’ in your corner of the world.

This fall I will be helping to launch some ‘life-groups’ to help in your discipleship. I strongly encourage you to dive into God’s word to truly know more about God & His plan for you.

There was a song several years ago titled, “The Mission.” There is a phrase in the song that says, “Across the street or around the world the mission’s still the same; proclaim and live the truth in Jesus’ name.” If you follow Jesus, then share Him. If you are seeking to know who this man really is or perhaps you’re ready to make a life commitment, please call on me. We’ll head off in the journey together!

Dave Jackson-Campus Minister djackson@absc.org
Cell- 870-217-9376
http://www.myspace.com/davejacksonnewport
BCM Website: http://www.bcmasunewport.org
Dave Jackson on Facebook.

Restored

I’m just willing to bet that three words you never want to hear are: “You’ve got termites!” I didn’t so much hear them, I SAW them! After calling our pest control, they confirmed what I already knew: we have termites. If you’ve read these ramblings very often you inevitably heard me bemoan the pains of remodeling. Seems we’re in perpetual remodel around here. You own a home you keep it up. It’s amazing all of the things that tear at your home from the outside & inside!

Not only do we have to have repairs for the termites, we are also dealing with the havoc brought on by wood ants. You’d think that something sooo small couldn’t do that much damage… but you’d be wrong. If not dealt with these pests will eat your house down to the very foundation, & if you don’t have a rock solid foundation, they’ll destroy that too!

The good news for us is that we have a contract with Terminex. As I’ve shared, I was already in process of restoring said home when I came upon the damage. The inspector said it was a good thing I was already working on things or I might not have seen the damage until it was far worse. So there’s good news in all this?! Well, I guess. Again, we have a contract that ensures complete restoration (and I don’t even have to do the work!). The contractor told my wife, “Ma’am, we’ll make it just like new.”

Of course I was none to happy about all the destruction & headache caused by these evil little critters. In prayer I asked, “Lord, what am I supposed to learn from all this mess?” Didn’t take the Lord real long to hit me between my spiritual eyes with this tidbit: we try to keep little sins, pet & private, that will eat away at our very lives. If we don’t deal with these evil thoughts & deeds, they’ll eat at our own lives till they’re destroyed.

Wood ants, termites, silverfish, roaches; all unwanted & destructive. Anger, jealousy, lust, hate, gossip, lies…the list goes on and on. Get gut level honest. What do you struggle with? I don’t care how ‘super spiritual’ you are, you will have to deal with sin as long as you live. I suppose the trick is not letting it infest your heart, life & mind.

I’ve got to be honest with you. If you have never given your life over to God’s saving control it’s an absolute lost battle. No protection, no hope of restoration in sight. I don’t mean a ‘dose of church’ to ease the conscience. I mean serious salvation. Getting gut level honest with God, calling out for forgiveness & cleansing.

‘It wasn't so long ago that we ourselves were stupid and stubborn, dupes of sin, ordered every which way by our glands, going around with a chip on our shoulder, hated and hating back. But when God, our kind and loving Savior God, stepped in, he saved us from all that. It was all his doing; we had nothing to do with it. He gave us a good bath, and we came out of it new people, washed inside and out by the Holy Spirit. Our Savior Jesus poured out new life so generously. God's gift has restored our relationship with him and given us back our lives. And there's more life to come—an eternity of life! You can count on this.” Titus 3:2-4 The Message


You know, in the scheme of life, a little pest problem is not really anything to whine about. There are real issues & concerns facing those around us that something so trivial. But in the soul arena, sin-infested lives are a whole other matter. Is your ‘house’ cleaned up or do you need to get rid of some pests that are eating away at your life? I appreciate the promise in these verses of God’s restoring power. He doesn’t just paint over our damage, He restores the damage. I’m no pest control but glad to pray with and for you. As always, please return the favor.

You’ll find all the contact info below you need. Feel free to call on me anytime.

Dave Jackson-Campus Minister djackson@absc.org
Cell- 870-217-9376
http://www.myspace.com/davejacksonnewport
BCM Website: http://www.bcmasunewport.org
Dave Jackson on Facebook.