Mon, 11 Aug 2025 21:42:42 -0700WeeblyTue, 10 Apr 2012 00:59:23 GMThttp://www.lifewayministries.org/bread-from-heaven/heroes
When I was a child there was a movie that made the circuit called Hercules Unchained. It was weeks before the movie actually showed in our neighborhood that we kids were already reliving the legend. Everybody, at every possible instance, wanted to be Hercules. Hercules was a hero. I don’t think I knew much about the historical legend of Herc., but we majored in the outer appearance back then.
 
One legendary story about Hercules was when he was a child. He was the offspring of Zeus and a mortal woman. Zeus’s queen Hera was jealous of Hercules; after all, he was the son of the other woman. When Hercules was still a baby, Hera sent two snakes to kill him in his crib. When Hercules was discovered, he was prattling in his crib with baby talk and a strangled snake in each hand.
 
Hercules was strong. He put the enemy in his place. As far as his bodily appearance was concerned, in his mature state, he was ripped, buff, you know what I mean? In fact the way I remember him, he was even borderline wild. I can’t remember if he stood for anything principled, or if every battle was just another validation of self. But everybody, in their imaginary world wanted to be Hercules; even me.
 
Now everyone could look at me and see I was no Hercules. I have always been thin, and even a bit frail; actually downright skinny. People used to tell me to not turn sideways or I would disappear. I was also informed that I didn’t need an umbrella when it rained because I could walk between the drops. Even today, I am somewhat slender at 6 ft 4 inches tall and 197 (trying to get to 195, by the way). But can you imagine a skinny kid talking about, “I’m Hercules?” What a ridiculous picture.
 
Somewhere on life’s journey, my values changed and I realized that big and strong physically, did not necessarily make for hero material. If being a hero is being a champion, a conqueror, then what is conquered is what determines the validity of the hero. A man who steps on an ant is not a hero. A 150 lb boy who beats a 75 lb boy is not a hero. But let’s be sure of one thing; there is much about life that needs to be conquered and a hero then will emerge from the struggle as a champion.
 
In this life there are more than human enemies, there are circumstances and events, illnesses and handicaps that attack and buffet the human spirit. It takes a true champion, a hero if you please, to come out on top.
 
God has two basic opinions of mankind. 1) Is that we’re all sinners. Ro. 3:23 “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God…” Without God we lose the battle against sin. But then 2) He says that through Christ we’re conquerors (heroes). Ro. 8: 37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. Prior to that last verse, it gave a tremendous list of things that can take a person out. Things like: tribulation (pressure), distress (difficulties), persecution or peril (dangers). It takes a conqueror (hero), or like the Bible said, “…more than a conqueror” (more than a hero) through the power of God to maintain through the onslaught of life’s detractors.
 
There was a young man in my church named Teddy Porter. From what I know he was born with a condition known as spinal bifida. Spinal bifida includes incomplete development of the spinal cord. There are two types, one is mild the other more severe type causes an accumulation of fluid in and around the brain. Not only was Teddy born with this more sever type, he had multiple complications as he matured.
 
Teddy was a good-spirited kid, and very tender-hearted. Many times he would be seen crying during a church service. He loved to sing in church and led several choir songs; and all of this from a wheel chair. When I first met Teddy he had both legs, but both were in braces and very hard for him to move and get around on. But it never stopped him. I baptized Teddy and then watched him grow and lose first one leg and then the other; and it still didn’t stop him. One of the happiest days I remember was when he got his motorized wheel chair. This was something, especially since Teddy was a very huge young man. And often I would watch him rejoice in church. Many would have sulked and become embittered. Many would have had daily pity parties, but not Teddy. 

One day I saw Teddy crying in the back of the church. I went to him to see what was wrong. I though perhaps his situation had come down on him and that he was in need of some uplifting. He informed me that he was just praying for his daddy. That did it for me. He wasn’t even thinking of himself. So I proclaimed and told him personally and even said from the pulpit that he was my hero. Can you blame me? My hero conquered every attempt that was made to bring his spirit down. He was truly a champion.
 
Yesterday my 21 year-old hero went to be with God; eventually God takes all heroes. He never strangled a snake, never tore the gates off a city – Samson like, but he conquered the spirit of defeat daily. Though I wish I had Teddy back for one more of those big hugs I used to give him (I also called him Teddy Bear), I know that he’s having a big time on his new legs and it wouldn’t be fair to interrupt his new level of joy. But I, who am left down here in an attempt to conquer a few more things, will always remember my hero.

 *This newsletter is a reprint from 2010.]]>Sat, 10 Mar 2012 05:58:08 GMThttp://www.lifewayministries.org/bread-from-heaven/hard-headed-inspirationI believe that God has graced some people with an inner inspiration and a hard head for special times and special things. I think that inner inspiration speaks for itself, that it’s a good thing. It’s a good thing to be inspired, motivated, or encouraged as long as it’s for a worthy cause. Some people do get inspired about wrong things; like terrorism. The biblical word for “inspiration” in the Greek is “theopneustos”. It means: “God-breathed.” So real inspiration is something God breathes into you.

There’s also no lack of finding those with hard heads today. But these inflexibly minded people are set like a thermometer on one temperature and refuse to try anything else. They think they’ve found the answer; like the violinist in the concert who kept playing one string the same way throughout the concert. When asked by his wife why he continued to do that, he said, “The others were looking for the right note, but I found it.”


Now there is a time in our life when we need inspiration and a hard head; hard-headed inspiration. Where would we be without it? Exploring new territory sometimes requires it. In fact, there ought to be a class in school that teaches us how and when to use this special disposition.

I read where an eloquent authority in the United States once declared that the introduction of the railroad would require the building of many insane asylums, since people would be driven mad with terror at the sight of locomotives rushing across the country.

In Germany it was proved by “experts” that if trains went at the frightful speed of 15 miles an hour, blood would spurt from the traveler’s noses and passengers would suffocate when going through tunnels.

In 1881, when the New York YWCA announced typing lessons for women, vigorous protests were made on the grounds that the female constitution would break down. When Henry Ford wanted to borrow money to develop the automobile, he was told the horse was here to stay; and men also insisted that iron ships would not float.

But hard-headed inspiration won the day; however not without a battle.

Consider these quotes:

“Everything that can be invented has been.” Charles H Duell, U.S. Patent Office Director 1899

“Who wants to hear actors talk?” H.M. Warner, Warner Bros. Pictures, C. 1927

“Sensible and responsible women do not want to vote.” Grover Cleveland, 1905

“Heavier-than-air flying machines are impossible” Lord Kelvin, President of the Royal Society, C. 1895

I like a quiet room when I’m writing, planning or just doing some serious thinking. Noise distracts me. Maybe you like noise, but are able to mentally tone it down to a whisper. But whenever you’re about to really accomplish something, it seems like that effort always attracts the buzzards of “Can’t Be Done” (unwanted noise). “Can’t Be Done,” that’s a place located somewhere near “Failure Land” which is right next door to “Regretville.”

And spiritually, many have written you off. Can you imagine what the talk might have been if Israel had drawn up their plans for leaving Egypt before actually leaving. It might have sounded something like this: “Okay, here’s what we’re going to do. We’re going to slay some lambs and put the blood on the posts of the doors so that when God sends His death angel, the blood will keep it away from us. Then we’re going to walk down, not to the clearly established escape route, but, to the Red Sea. We’ll be trapped there, cry out to God, and He’ll provide a wind that will roll the sea back. The Egyptians may follow us, but not to worry, God will provide a pillar of fire at night that will blind the Egyptians and keep them from being able to get to us. Then in the morning we’ll walk through the Red Sea. And if the Egyptian military attempts to follow us, we’ll have them right where we want them; the sea will drop down on them and we’ll be rid of our enemies.

The response to that is “Can’t be done.” No doubt, God was good to them by not letting them in on the plans. He just gave the a few simple instructions and they thought they were improvising from there. But God did have a plan. And, God has a plan for you.

There are, however, times when God points at what is to be accomplished and He expects us to proceed with hard-headed inspiration; like Israel’s commanded taking of the Promised Land (the first time). They looked at the giants, listened to the negative talk (noise) and laid their weapons down. No fight, no struggle, no victory, and no land. They thought, “Can’t be done.”

Nu. 13: 32 And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature. 33 And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.

Too bad it took them another 40 years before learning that it could be done. And if you hesitate, you may prolong your victory as well. With God all things are possible. Now, expect a battle with the inhabitants of Failure Land, but proceed anyhow, with hard-headed inspiration.

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