Memo From the Mann

Have you seen the money people are spending on collectibles lately? An amazing amount of money has been, and is, being spent on all sorts of things that have been in the possession of the famous (often worth more when they’re no longer with us). I don’t personally adhere to this behavior, but then again I’ve never been an autograph hound either.
So I’m reading in Mark 11 about the arrival of Jesus in Jerusalem, and something jumps out at me. Something that screams ‘Ebay!’
Listen to this and see if you know where I’m going...
Mark 11:1–3 (NIV): As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and just as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 3 If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly.’ ”
Did you hear it?  Did you notice it? The colt, the unridden colt, the unridden, prophetic colt (or donkey as it’s sometimes referred)! Are you gonna tell me that the colt wouldn’t be a collectors item in today’s world, that it wouldn’t be worth way too much money, that it wouldn’t garner a hefty profit for someone on Ebay?
Now what does that tell us about the world we live in? There has to be a message loud and clear in that revelation.
See, I understand the value of the colt. It served the Son of God. It transported him ...and no one else had ever ridden it (a virgin of sorts). But there’s a difference between valuing something and using it for a prophet. It seems to me that our world has blurred the line between the two.
Then again we live in a world that is so far removed from that Palm Sunday event so many years ago. But I can’t help but wonder about such things ...and that recognizing the world’s values, the careless loss of innocence ... and the basic disrespect for human life aren’t signs of how we’re treading down a dark path.
Lord, help us to regain our vision, our voice, and our love for the life that was won for us.
Pray on...
Song: It's Cold War (Album: Trio)Scripture: When they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, he sat on it. ~ Mark 11:7

My wife adores the idea that I will watch out for her, that I will provide for her, and that I will always love her. That’s not to say that she isn’t an individual of intelligence, substance, and compassion, but one of her greatest gifts to me, was her relationship with the child that resides inside of her. It’s opened the door for me to re-introduce my grown self, to little Eddy.
My daughter, when she was very young, used to draw cityscapes. You know, streets with people and houses. One day she showed me her creation and it was what you might expect. The stick people were out of perspective, the streets went nowhere, and most peculiar, were the houses which leaned one way or another. My immediate adult response was to point out what couldn’t be. The homes would most certainly collapse standing on such angles and the ...and I caught myself, I caught myself removing a portion of her creativity, a portion of her childhood.
You see, children are wide-eyed and open to the world, all things are possible. They aren’t held down by the limitations, the boundaries of this world. They are free spirits. They truely grasp God when he says “all things are possible.” In verse fifteen of Mark 10 he says, “Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” Did you catch that, he said like a little child.
We cannot lose the innocence of our childhood and embrace the kingdom of God. The difficulty that a lot of people have is that they are limiting God with the boundaries of this world.  They can’t phantom an idea if it doesn’t seem possible within those worldly parameters.
Lord help us to reconnect with the child that’s deep down inside all of us, and help us to get back in touch with the innocence of our youth, and the ability to see and know a God who can make all things possible ...help us to be like little children.
Pray on...
Song: Little Dreaming (Album: Pray on...Scripture: ...like a little child ~ Mark 10:15

Have you ever found yourself correcting others under your breath? How about out loud?
Have you found yourself being an elitist ... feeling superior because of your standing in the community, or your education?
Well in the interest of being honest, I was brought up in Philadelphia, PA ...where when it comes to sports everybody seems to believe that they are better coaches, managers, GM’s and owners than anyone else. Okay, admittedly we can be a bit over-the-top at times.
Well here’s a snapshot of what Jesus says about that in Mark 7, “Some take pride in what they do, others (The Pharisees) take pride in finding out what others do wrong.”
We’ve all heard or known these people. (Maybe we’ve even been one of them at some time.) The world is full of such people who believe that they know better than us, then everyone else. Some even profess to knowing more than God!
The know-it-alls take pride (now there’s a scary word)...
For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. (John 2:16
When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom. (Proverbs 11:2)
...The know-it-alls take pride in knowing what others do wrong, not right, not right ...but what they do wrong.
Maybe today we can focus on Jesus’ response, where he quotes Isaiah 29:13,
13 And so the Lord says,
“These people say they are mine.
They honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me.
And their worship of me
is nothing but man-made rules learned by rote.*
 
Let’s get right with God!
Let’s get our worship right!
Let’s get our hearts right!
Pray on...
Song: Hallelujah (Album: Chapel Songs)

A lack of faith will diminish our vision, it will gum-up our thinking, and it will no doubt cost us our understanding. As the hymn writer wrote, “I once was blind, but now can see.” What shines there before the believer, is completely missing from the lost.
Darkness will overcome your human efforts to see. (The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. ~ John 1:5). Only the Light will overcome the darkness. Only by faith can we see the truth, see the answer, see and then embrace the saving.
Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town, among his relatives and in his own home.” ~ Mark 6:4. To many, including his family, he was just another tree wandering about in the forest.
Corrected vision is a blessing when we get diagnosed and put on those prescribed glasses. We would do well to contact our spiritual optometrist (The Creator), recieve His prayerful diagnoses, and then to put on those heavenly glasses.
Pray on...
Song: See (Album: The Twelve)Scripture: Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town, among his relatives and in his own home.” ~ Mark 6:4.

Let’s talk about faith, or our lack of it today. Let’s step back and look at how we’ve been dealing with the latest stumbling blocks along our journey. One thing’s for sure, we’re always handling a problem, just getting over one, or on the cusp of a new one ...that’s life.
So before jumping into our response to the current, or next problem, let me share a nugget of wisdom from my father. It goes like this, ask yourself, in light of my past mistakes, and in expectation of my future situations, what’s the best way to face my present problem?
I love this because it helps us to see how God has worked in the past, and brings to mind his promises for the future, which then helps us to lean on him, instead of relying on our own imperfect solutions.
There are so many opportunities to just have faith. Think about it,  every single day, there are so many situations where just having faith would resolve conflict and unwarranted stress. We continually miss moments of joy because we’re busily fretting needlessly. Jesus said, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.” (Mark 5:36) ...here’s an idea, let’s just do it, let  just have faith!
Pray on...
Song: Holding On To You (Album: Endurance)Scripture: “Don’t be afraid; just believe.” ~ Mark 5:36

Though the mirror reveals an honest reflection of what it sees, our eyes are not always capable of capturing the image clearly. There could be a myriad of obstacles getting in the way of us seeing the truth, but we need to somehow reconcile that.
We often need some kind of help in stepping back and getting a better or more honest perspective on ourselves and our life. Distance, both physically and over time, seems to be a good mechanism in which to make that happen. So regardless of the method we use, we need to pursue that authentic view.
Jesus, with his parables, was remarkably good at revealing the truth. The woman at the well, the Pharisees, stone throwers, glass houses, on and on.
In Mark 4:1, we get to see how unaware we can be, how our lack of oversight can cause us to slip away, and how unconsciously the conditions of our heart can be affected.
Listen! We read...
Let’s all take a step back, let’s be mindful and use whatever opens our eyes, and get some perspective on our blindness, and then attack them in the hopes of getting closer to our God, going deeper in his Word, and growing in our faith.
Pray on...
Song: A Hardened Heart (Album: Trio)Scripture: "Listen..." ~ Mark 1

Following in someone’s footsteps requires some intention, and  it also requires commitment. Our following is an apprenticeship of sorts. Committing to becoming an apprentice means a time of work and study; a time of developing and refining one’s skills; a time now (of work) that is set aside for a future endeavor (rewards).
Mark 1:16–18 (NIV): Jesus Calls His First Disciples
16 As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 17 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” 18 At once they left their nets and followed him.
We endeavor to be many things in this world, carpenters, architects, lawyers, doctors, artists, and yes ...followers of Jesus. To be a Christian, requires following Jesus, it requires intention and commitment, it requires work and study, and it requires prayer.
Prayer equipped Jesus for his ministry, and it will also equip you along your journey. So make a commitment today to follow Jesus. Act now and reap your future rewards.
Pray on...
Song: Come Follow Me (Album: Pray On)Scripture: As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 17 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” 18 At once they left their nets and followed him. ~ Mark1:16-18

I have two daughters, two very different daughters. Sure they share some family traits, (and certainly our family culture), but they also have personalities that can sometimes be surprisingly dissimilar... but regardless of their differing personas, I love them both the same.
Through their lives they have both found their own distinct ways of challenging my patience, my faith... and my fatherhood. I’ve had to witness their rebellion, their suffering, and thankfully, gratefully... their blessing.
In much the same way Isaiah 63:7 reflects Israel’s past, dare I say our own past... and how God (our Heavenly Father) has repeatedly shown his unfailing love to us his children. In fact, our whole life demonstrates his compassion, his provision, and his protection of, and for us.
(Listen) The love I have for my children is demonstrated by my compassion, my protection and my provision for them... I get it... I’ve lived it... and I am, and we are, amazingly, blessed to be under such an unconditional, unimaginable and unmatched love.
Speaking of the Lord Isaiah writes...I will tell of the kindnesses of the Lord,the deeds for which he is to be praised,according to all the Lord has done for us—~ Isaiah 63:7
And he’s still doing it today...And he will be again tomorrow,It’s a promise...
Pray on...
Song: Where the Gates Never Close (Chapel Songs)Scripture: I will tell of the kindnesses of the Lord, ~ Isaiah 63:7

More than twenty-six hundred years ago, the prophet wrote of the countries leaders as being ignorant to the peoples needs and led by their own personal gain. When I read that I can’t help but feel that we haven’t grown much, that we haven’t learned much, that we haven’t made a dent in correcting the plans of darkness.
Regardless of how you want to politically spin this, we are living in a world that is still driven by selfish worldly gain and not selfless spiritual compassion. With no godly standards, and no godly guidelines, we are surely following an ungodly, undisciplined, uncaring path.
Lord, wake us to your faithful calling, wake us to a loving lifestyle, (and) wake us to a boldly compassionate mindset.
Pray on...
Song: The Consequence (Album: The Consequence)Scripture:They are dogs with mighty appetites; they never have enough. ~ Isaiah 56:11a

Recently we arrived at our southern dwelling only to find that the bulwark protecting our driveway had been damaged. Someone had driven into it, done significant damage, and then driven away without so much as a note left behind. I found myself upset and disappointed that someone would not care enough to own up to their actions. It wasn’t the carelessness that caused the accident that upset me, because we all have our less than perfect moments, but the disrespect that comes from fleeing quietly away. It took a few hours before I found myself through prayer, comforted by the fact that I could afford to have everything repaired. Some uneducated detective work did reveal a particular white van and its driver as the culprit, but instead of continuing down a long unassured and confrontational highway, I decided to forgive him and prayerfully pray that he might find Jesus and discover his character as a way forward.
Isaiah 56:1 is a reminder that true godliness comes only through having character that is shaped by the character of God, and that this can only happen by consistently applying his word. In a world where character is so lacking, it would probably do us well to demonstrate a different reaction than what is expected when challenged by disrespectful behavior.
If nothing else I found it to be wonderfully successful stress reliver ...and maybe, just maybe, the prayer that leads someone to a much needed change of life.
Pray on...
Song: Deal With It (Album: Stars Under My Feet)Scriture: This is what the Lord says:“Maintain justice and do what is right,” ~ Isaiah 56:1a