The clock said 3AM an hour earlier than my usual JOURNEY INVENTORY & REVIEW TIME! I recalled this morning how disappointed some “brothers & sisters in the Lord” have been in me when my humanity sprung a leak and they were still friendly to my face but held me at arms length because I did not meet their expectations. I thought, if they only knew about me what God knows about me, they really would “freak out”! 

My favorite of men in the OT was David the “SHEPHERD KING OF ISRAEL A MAN AFTER GOD’S OWN HEART”! Adultery, deciet, lying, betrayal, murder and finally repentance revealed his humanity and his capacity for sin. His poetry addresses my life daily as I embrace his words! His family also revealed brokenness and failure as do all our families. From incest to treason, his families humanity leaked! Finally his son Solomon, a man of great wisdom , the 3rd king of Israel revealed as he aged a major leak in his humanity! With 700 wives, 300 mistresses and excesses of every kind, God divided Israel! We are talking SOAP OPERA TIME! The hard reality is that GOD’S WONDERFUL GRACE DOES NOT REMOVE OUR MANIFEST HUMANITY IN THIS LIFE NOR DOES IT EXCUSE IT, BUT HE KEEP LOVING US WHILE HATING OUR SIN AND ALLOWING US TO PAY THE PRICE FOR OUR CHOICES! 

Thus those believers who chose to hold us at arms length because we do not meet their spiritual expectations only reveal their own insecurities, immaturity and lack of humility. Sooner or later our inability and our leaky sinful humanity will surface and we all will declare in our repentance, AMAZING GRACE HOW SWEET THE SOUND THAT SAVED A WRETCH LIKE ME! Each believer in Jesus Christ is on a personal journey with each person at a different place, with different issues, yet with like struggles. No agreement necessary! The fight over agreement often leads to a keep face, ego war! Argument and debate is not involved, but searching the scriptures to see if they are so, giving the Holy Spirit an opport-unity to do His work in God’s time without brain washing each other with a “cookie cutter” mentality. Who we believe is the issue more than what we believe. As the Who is established as the final authority, then what we believe grows out of that authority. Humility is the mark of a maturing believer. True intimacy develops in a one on one in your face relationship, as to allow each to face the other, making a connection with the person addressed. 

Time together is absolutely essential. Find time, make time and take time to share your hearts, mind and soul without fear of disclosure or intimidation. “Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” said JESUS! The believer’s spiritual growth and development demands intimacy, the very heart of nurture. As I look back over the years it appears too much time has been spent on real estate, buildings, monies and numbers. Each believer craves at some point intimacy, an opportunity to ask questions and question answers. Somehow we have often just taken for granted that it is the normal to just buy into a routine that offers very little space for “searching out the scriptures to see if they are so” in an enviroment of love without dogma and judgment. It is the Holy Spirit alone who came to “convict the world of sin, righteousness and judgment” and none of that has our signature on it. 

Thus as we believers grow in grace and knowledge, humility allows the manifestation of God’s grace, by “bearing one another’s burden and fulfilling the law of Christ”. Every believer is equal to the other and we each have different gifts to manifest in the body of Christ. We have created too often a caste system with “preachers on top” along with different religious orders next down the chain to just the regular “pew christian”. This is nonsense, we all are equal with different gifts but the same relation to God as His children, God Has No Pets! Each of us has the same challenge and authority, as called of God, imperfect, sinful, undeserving, but redeemed, forgiven and greatly blessed children of God. The scriptures are for each of us equally and they alone our teacher. Thus we must seek our intimacy with others who will abide by the need in each to be real and honest, sharing our hunger. Talking heads and faceless crowds will never produce intimacy. Sitting in pews back to back will never do more than allow us to be distracted by hair styles, clothes, ears and rears, head shapes, and bodies. Lectures and sermons can indeed evangelize with a clear message but growth and nurture demands “face to face” sharing.

THE HOLY SPIRIT IS OUR PRIMARY TEACHER WHEREAS WE BELIEVERS ARE GIFTED TO BRING FORWARD SCRIPTURE TO ONE ANOTHER SO THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT CAN AND WILL DO HIS PERFECT WORK IN GOD’S TIME.

JESUS NOT ME-SUS!

I took educational trips to cities such as Washington, D.C., Williamsburg, Va., Philadelphia and Boston to learn about America’s history. I trace my interest in politics and government back to those days, and I think of them often as I climb the steps and walk the halls of the Capitol.

Folks often ask me what has surprised me the most about serving in Congress. To be honest, there have been very few surprises. With 10 years of experience in Washington as a staff member on Capitol Hill and beyond, I generally understood what the job entailed and what the pressures were like. The decision not to seek re-election was an agonizing one for my wife and me, but we know it’s the right one. I’ve talked with several former members who made similar choices, and they all said the same thing: I will not regret having more time with my young family.

When I was elected in 2010, my daughter was 3 years old and my son was only a few months old. As I settled into the weekly routine of flying back and forth to Washington, I missed my wife and children, but my time away didn’t fully register with our kids. That’s changed as they’ve grown older — fast. Now, Mary Katherine, my daughter, knows when I’m not around to help with homework. She knows when I’m not there for tennis, and John, my son, knows when I’m not there for soccer. Thankfully, my wonderful wife, Elizabeth, continues to keep things together when I’m gone. Still, every time I walk out the door now, even if I’m just getting the newspaper, John asks me, “Dad, are you coming back?”

I will always have to travel, sometimes extensively. But right now, I need a little more say in which days I miss and which days I don’t. I’ve missed all three of John’s birthdays and it looks like I’ll miss his fourth, but I’m going to be there for No. 5.

Many members have children who are in high school or married, or who have moved out of the house; that’s a completely different situation. Other members who have young children may be able to handle their parenting duties differently. It’s a very personal decision each family must make on its own.

With my family in Arkansas, Washington was never going to be a home, so I chose to sleep in my office. It’s great, and as a bonus, I don’t have to worry about a car or a commute. I can work in my office until late at night, go to bed and when I wake up, I’m already at work. Hitting the congressional gym provides a great opportunity to build friendships. Even if I stayed in Congress for a decade, I would still sleep in my office every night.

From the beginning, I’ve tried to model my service after the Founding Fathers’ ideal of the citizen legislator in terms of accessibility and tenure: I routinely give my cellphone number to constituents, and I always knew that I would serve in the House for years, not decades. My decision to hit the pause button on my time in Congress is also consistent with my 2010 pledge to serve no more than six terms in the House.

Benjamin Franklin wrote in 1785 that members of Congress “are of the people, and return again to mix with the people, having no more durable preeminence than the different grains of sand in an hourglass.” George Mason, a Virginia delegate to the Constitutional Convention, agreed, saying in 1788: “Nothing is so essential to the preservation of a republican government as a periodical rotation. Nothing so strongly impels a man to regard the interest of his constituents as the certainty of returning to the general mass of the people, from whence he was taken, where he must participate their burdens.” I don’t presume to know how often this “periodical rotation” should take place for everyone serving in Congress; that is up to each member — and the voters — to decide for themselves. All other factors aside, if a representative believes he or she is the best candidate to serve the district, they should endeavor to serve. After all, it was the various “burdens” Mason referred to, and my worry about what kind of future my children faced, that motivated me to go to Washington in the first place.

Tim Griffin Attorney General of Arkansas

Tim Griffin, my son, was a member of the 212th Congress of the United States, a member of the House of Representatives. At present he is the ATTORNEY GENERAL OF ARKANSAS He was Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas and is a Colonel in the Army. Needless to say I am very proud of him, his family and their sacrifice. I am glad to be an American and am grateful for this land that has nurtured me and given me so many opportunities over the years. Many of my family have been military and served for our freedom.

It was in the early 70’s that I began a ministry we called “Tour America” with the intent of taking young students on the site of the American story and teach it’s meaning first hand, up close and personal. This all began when Tim was in elementary school and I was going to Boston for a wedding at the Harvard University Chapel. While there Tim and myself traveled to Plymouth, Lexington, Concord and the Boston area. Out of that exciting trip came the determination to return, adding Williamsburg, Jamestown, Yorktown, New York City, Philadelphia, and Washington DC. Thus the senior trip at Carolina Christian Day School became our first Tour America. Tim though still in elementary school went with me once again and his excitement about America and her history became a passion with him. The die was cast and his determination to be a part of the American vision and it’s government was growing in his heart. He has told me often how this impacted his young life.

When we moved to Arkansas in 1980, Tim and myself introduced the Tour America ministry to the youth of Magnolia, Arkansas. Their excitement was equally great, having never traveled to any of these places, but only read of them. The rest is history. We sold BBQ, washed cars and did many different chores earning the money to make the trip a reality. We outfitted a seventeen passenger Dodge van with a carry rack on its roof and then contacted churches at all the places we were to travel and secured permission to spend the night in their facilities. We were to carry all our luggage on the roof of the van and travel with seventeen youth and adult sponsors for a two week tour. The memories of those trips continued and we carried fifteen of our university students on the same trip the following year. My memories of those trips will never be forgotten: Williamsburg,Jamestown,Plymouth, Boston, Salem,NY City, Philadelphia, Washington DC! We discovered America and loved her dearly!

I remember the excitement of Tim when a high school student, and the youth as they discovered both the beauty and greatness of This Land / Our Land! I am reminded of this as I return from standing in the Capitol and Tim’s being sworn into Congress on my dad’s Bible, visiting his office and the plaque declaring. “Tim Griffin / House of Representatives”.

I recalled the memories of my trips to India and on my return staying with Tim, a student at Oxford in England, and then Tulane Law School, and our fun in New Orleans.

He served in the White House as Director of Political Affairs and personal Counsel to George Bush. I was impressed with his maturity and growth. He would join the military becoming a JAG, advancing in rank. His wedding, his beautiful wife and now his precious children. I watched him run his campaign in Little Rock and was impressed by his positive, straight forward approach, refusing to answer his critics and attack personalities. He stayed on course and defined the issues with conviction.

All these memories have walked through my mind this year as I have turned 87. I share them with you not out of arrogance or pride but with a great sense of blessing and humility. WE MUST PRAY FOR OURSELVES, EACH OTHER, OUR LEADERSHIP AND THIS NATION! God has always honored a remnant of people who would honor Him and allow His glory to stand above everything else. “I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the know-ledge of the truth. PRAY WITHOUT CEASING!

The following prayer was given at Carpenter’s Hall, Philadelphia, on September 7, 1774 is as follows:

Be Thou present O God of Wisdom and direct the counsel of this Honorable Assembly; enable them to settle all things on the best and surest foundations; that the scene of blood may be speedily closed; that Order, Harmony and Peace may be effectually restored, and the Truth and Justice, Religion and Piety, prevail and flourish among the people. Preserve the health of their bodies, and the vigor of their minds, shower down on them and the millions they here represent, such temporal Blessings as Thou seest expedient for them in this world, and crown them with everlasting Glory in the world to come. All this we ask in the name and through the merits of Jesus Christ, Thy Son and our Savior, Amen.

America is not a Christian nation but a nation of believers who have trusted in Jesus Christ the way, the truth and the life. It is this remnant God blesses and will continue to bless. John Burke said, “all evil has to do to triumph is for good men to do nothing” and an old sage declared “that it is better to light one candle than to curse the dark”. Solomon declared, “righteousness exalts a nation and sin is a reproach to any people.” The need is great and we must pray more, complain less, listen more and talk less, seizing the opportunity to declare God’s love and grace. I am convinced that it is necessary to TALK MORE TO GOD ABOUT MEN THAN TO MEN ABOUT GOD, BUT FOR GOD’S SAKE AND GLORY LET US DO BOTH UNDER THE SPIRIT’S GUIDANCE.

So-Be-It!

Listen to Tim Griffin’s speeches on YouTube! THE PICTURE IS THE MAGNOLIA TOUR AMERICA” GROUP IN PHILADELPHIA WHEN TIM WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL IN MAGNOLIA, ARKANSAS!

   

We humans are the only creatures on earth who spend hours viewing their behavior or reading about and contemplating it. For example TV, theater and books!  Viewing the behavior of others reveals our deep curiosity about the good, the bad and ugly of our lives. I have manifest all such behaviors over my lifetime.

 The gift of God’s righteousness according to Scripture is our salvation. I have no righteousness of my own for my nature is to serve my own self-interest! The “I” in the middle of the word sIn is at the core of my brokenness and rebellion. I desire to answer to no one, FRANKLY I DON’T GIVE A DAMN reflects my core. Thus I am entertained by reading and viewing human behavior of every variety.  Deep inside I hungered for that which would realign my life and values, I knew I was broken.  JESUS CHRIST was just a good man that was trying to help me be good, was my initial response. This I soon discovered would not work. Then into my moral and religious fog came the simple message of God’s Grace, that Jesus Christ, born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, died on the cross for my sin and rose from the dead was a reality, offering me a pardon from my sin debt.  My response was a reach in the dark but it introduced me to a peace and a joy I had never known. 

For the first time in my life I desired accountability and  discovered  a growing love and respect for others I had never known. Reading about and viewing human behavior causes me now to see the rift between God and man! The Bible became a different book and I saw for the first time the warts and brokenness of it’s characters and thought, THEY ARE JUST LIKE ME AND GOD LOVES THEM AND DESIRES THEM FULFILL THE PURPOSE OF LIFE! He also turns them over to themselves and their choices to face the penalty of their options.

Jesus didn’t come into the world to DAMN OR CONDEM IT BUT TO REDEEM IT!  Jesus did not come to rain on OUR parade but set US FREE TO BE A CONDUIT OF GOD’S LOVE AND FORGIVENESS WITH HOPE AND HELP!

Now what I read and what I view is always through the PRISM of GOD’S LOVE AND GRACE. Thus mankind with it’s ability to chose, lives self-condemned APART from GOD’S  FREE, BOUGHT AND PAID FOR GIFT OF HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS OR FREELY RECIEVES THAT GIFT!   BECOMING A HIGHLY FAVORED, IMPERFECT BUT FORGIVEN CHILD OF GOD!  IT’S NOT RELIGION BUT A RELATIONSHIP! 

So-Be-It