I understand clearly that I am not a very traditional minister. I do some strange things from time to time. I tell our church not to believe me just because I said something, but to check it out for themselves. I tell our church you ought not to be tithing. I refrain from the church language you are so accustomed to from spiritual leaders that you believe them when they tell you that God saved them a parking spot right in the front of Wal-Mart’s parking lot. One strange thing I do is race dirt bikes. Now I’m no spring chicken but let me tell you I can put a whopping on a lot of youngsters with a dirt bike. This old dog can teach the kids a thing or two about racing through the woods. There’s the old adage that you can’t teach an “old dog new tricks.” Oh, how I wish you could. My heart breaks over the people I have tried to help learn the mystery and the simplicity there is in Christ. I’m told that when you hear a lie told enough times it becomes the truth. Actually, a lie never becomes the truth, but millions of Christians have heard church tradition taught to them as fact for so many years that they refuse to objectively listen to anything other than what they think they know. Another old adage is: “you don’t know what you don’t know” Let me tell you this, I teach things every Sunday that Christians of 50, 60, or more years have NEVER UNDERSTOOD. It’s not because I am smarter than them, or even studied more then them. I am willing to be corrected by scripture. I am willing to believe the WORDS over the preacher. This does not make me special, just rare. I am willing to be an old dog learning new tricks. We were so blinded by growing up in church that we don’t even know the right questions much less the answers. I just started a new series of lessons on the kingdom. Most preachers have no idea about the clear and obvious differences between the kingdom and heaven. In fact, most preachers read kingdom verses in the gospels and then relate these verses to heaven every Sunday. The “kingdom of heaven” as used by Matthew is God’s rule and reign coming from heaven to earth to reestablish dominion on earth. This is God’s purpose for Israel, not you. You are to reestablish dominion he heavenly places that was lost when Satan convinced angels to follow his rebellion. Why is it that I could get many experienced dirt bike riders to take a little advice from me but the same men would have no interest is discussing spiritual things? I’ll tell you why, we were conditioned by our environment of church tradition to NEVER LISTEN to anyone but our group. This eliminated the possibility of the Holy Spirit being able to teach us anything more from then on. Our “teacher” was our tradition, NOT scripture. I’m 55, so I guess I’m not that old, I’m still chasing and even beating a whole lot of young whipper snappers around the cross-country track. However, I am willing to be corrected by scripture written TO ME. This is a trait you should make a conscience effort to let the Holy Spirit know you have. I tell God regularly that I am willing to change any stance at any time if scripture directs me. You?