One More For JC

Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God!  It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.  (Mark 10:24-25) For those with great aspirations to be wealthy, this is a tough verse to read.  We all know it is a physical impossibility for a camel to fit through the eye of a needle.  Hence, is it equally or more impossible for someone that is wealthy to make it to heaven?  I’ll answer that question with a personal testimony. Throughout my life, I’ve been blessed.  I have great family and friends.  I live in a nice home, have a good job, and drive a nice car (granted it’s getting pretty old).  Frankly, if there’s anything I want or desire, I simply go out and buy it. But the picture I paint about my life isn’t as rosy as it sounds.  For so many years, my main concern was me.  I had to be the best and have the best.  If I didn’t score the most points, bat 4 th in the line-up, wear the best clothes, or have th

Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.  But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. (1 Peter 3:15-16) My goals in life have changed drastically over the years.  As a teenager, I dreamed about playing 3 rd base for the NY Mets.  I batted clean-up, I drove in 100 runs and hit 50 home runs per season, played an error-free 3 rd base, and led my team to a World Championship every season I played.  I was simply the best 3 rd baseman who never came to be.  In college, I scrapped that fantasy for something much more realistic.  I was going to be the next superstar singer.  I produced nothing but #1 hits and albums and graced every magazine cover known to man. But as I grew older, I came to realize that a meaningful life for me would not entail being an all-star baseball player or a ro

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.  Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.   And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light.  God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness.  God called the light "day," and the darkness he called "night." (Genesis 1:1-5) For those of you who speak with me frequently, you know my 4 weeks in Canada have worn me down.  I was sick for 2 of the 4 weeks, I had endless trouble getting across the border, the weather was wintery, the Mets were collapsing, there was no ESPN, etc etc.  But the Monday morning of 9/27 was different.  I decided to give my body a chance to regroup and flew in Monday morning as opposed to late Sunday night.  Unlike the week before when it was cold, wet, and rainy the entire week, Monday was a warm, sunny, and beautiful day.  As I got in the rental