Beware of Ghost

Camping at one of history’s most famous places, Gettysburg PA, I was delighted to visit the National Cemetery and see the spot that President Abraham Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address. I also enjoyed walking the streets of Gettysburg and visiting the unique little shops. It was there that I noticed how many places were offering “Ghost Walks”.


After asking Sister Pat, I found out that a “Ghost Walk” was where you paid someone to walk you around town and point out all places supposedly ghosts have appeared. On some of these walks people actually believe they see a ghost! I may be young and naïve but even a bear knows better. What troubles me is how people can actually believe they see a ghost.

After questioning Pastor Jim about this, he explained it like this: People want to see a ghost so they see a ghost. It’s an old mind trick that magicians, fortune-tellers and sorcerers have used for years to trick people out of their money. Pastor Jim said, “Such stuff can be dangerous since it boarders on edge of area being demonic and allows the ‘spirits of darkness’ a foothold into our minds. That’s the reason God instructed Israel to avoid such things. I don’t think we’ll be going on any ‘Ghost Walks’ Bear.”

Later that day, we stood on fields where as many as 10,000 soldiers had died in battle. It was a little eerie and extremely sad. I could see why it would be so easy for people to dream up ghost stories and maybe a ghost or two.

Bear is going to walk in truth and beware of “Ghost Walks” and anything that drives the imagination to demonic activity! And that is the Bear Truth. Share 

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For His Glory: A Kaleidoscope of Wisdom is a collection of meaningful and powerful reflections from real life experiences coupled with practical biblical wisdom. Going beyond the normal inspirational book, For His Glory unveils a kaleidoscope of commonsense precepts that challenges the reader to discover the wonders of living for God's glory. Eye-opening, life changing and easy to understand, For His Glory will enrich your life.

Road Trip

I was excited when Pastor Jim told me that I was going on vacation with Him and Sister Pat. He told me that the first day of vacation would be a “road trip” and that we would travel about 550 miles. Most the day would be spent riding in the SUV; and Sister Pat insisted that I ride in the back seat.


Things didn’t go as expected. Pastor Jim remembered that he had not put the license plate on the trailer after we had driven 30 miles in an extremely nasty storm. The frown on Sister Pat’s face expressed the deep disgust in Pastor’s Jim’s voice as they reluctantly turned around to head home for the license plate that had been stored in Pastor Jim’s “important stuff” draw since February. It was evident that my two hosts were not very happy about the delay; but to my surprise, both took it in stride and refused to let the error and delay encroach on their vacation spirits.

That day, after reaching our base camp and setting everything up, I approached Pastor Jim about the events earlier that day.

“Bear” he said, “I could have spit nails this morning when I remembered I hadn’t put this year’s tags on the camping trailer. (I knew that the phase “spit nails” was an expression Pastor Jim uses meaning he was really, really, really upset!) “But then I said to myself, what good is it going to do to get all upset? Being upset wasn’t going to change anything and I’ll just get everyone else upset.”

I didn’t say a word because I have seen Pastor Jim “spit nails”; and when Pastor Jim “spits nails”, everyone within two counties knew he was not happy.

Probably the look on my face caused Pastor Jim to explain. “I made a choice, Bear. Right then and there I made a good choice – a right choice. I chose to be happy and not to let that mistake or any other keep me from enjoying “our” vacation.

“So you can choose to be happy?” I asked.

“Yes Bear, you can choose to be happy or you can let the problems and mistakes that happen in life make you miserable. I don’t always make the “happy choice” but wouldn’t life and the world be much better if we all did?”

I thought on that for a moment and agreed with Pastor Jim – and that is the Bear Truth.

Bear Truth Meets Smoky

Pastor Jim took me with them on a recent retreat where I got to meet the world famous Smoky the Bear. I was a little intimidated by Mr. Smoky because of his fame and size. Smoky has been warning people for years that it is much easier to prevent forest fires than it is to put them out and restore the damage they cause.

I was a little confused when Pastor Jim said that he does the same thing only about sin. He said he especially wants to tell young people about the advantages of avoiding sin and anything that might lead to sin. He said avoiding sin is much better than trying to pick up the pieces of a broken life as the result of sin.

Pastor Jim pointed to a picture on a magazine where a young girl had little or no "fur" covering her body. He said young girls will follow that style not realizing the “foot hold” it gives the devil. He said that girls dress so because they think it’s cool and because they want to draw attention to their bodies. What they don’t realize is the kind of attention it draws. And, he added, it also sends the wrong signal to others.

Pastor Jim says the rules that all people should follow are discreetness and modesty. He said the characteristic that makes people the most attractive is a pure heart that desires to let people see the Holy Spirit living in them.

And that is the Bear Truth…

...and do not give the devil a foothold. (Eph 4:27 NIV)

I also want women to dress modestly... (1Ti 2:9 NIV)

Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight. For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful. They were submissive to their own husbands, (1Pe 3:3-5 NIV)

See more on this subject by Clicking Here and Here.

The Peacemaker

You would have thought that Pastor Jim was a kid turned loose on a free shopping spree in a toy store. That’s how excited he was about visiting the Wight Patterson Air Museum in Dayton Ohio. On the three-hour trip home, all he talked about was the aircraft, bombs, and missiles he saw at the museum.

One missile really caught my attention because of its name, Peacekeeper. A four-stage missile that could travel six thousand miles at fifteen thousand miles per hour and deliver ten nuclear bombs didn't sound like a peacemaker.

Pastor Jim explained how the then Soviet Union and the USA were in what historians called the “Cold War.” Each side had extremely powerful and deadly weapons that could virtually wipe out most of the world. The Peacemaker was developed as deterrence – to make the other side think before entering into war.

“Shouldn’t people think before the go to war” I asked?

“Yes, Bear they should; but often wars and fighting are reactions to emotions and fear. That’s the reason why Christians need to pray and seek God’s leadership before they get angry and start fighting with someone. The Bible says, ‘Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.’ The real ‘Peacemakers’ of the world are Christians that are willing to let God live through them.”

“Do you think Christianity is a more power force for peace than nuclear missiles” I asked.

“Yes Bear I do” replied Pastor Jim. “And that is the Bear Truth.”

Post Falls and Poor Pastor Jim

Pastor Jim went to Post Falls, Idaho, without me! He said he was going to take me but he might have to pay for an extra seat for me on the airplane (He is still mumbling about what cheapskates the airlines are now and how all that he got to eat was a bag of peanuts!).

Still, I would have liked to have went. They, Mr. Musgrave and Pastor Jim, went to help build a church building for a new church that started there. I guess it was an exciting time; but when Pastor Jim returned eight days later, he didn't look all that excited. He looked pooped. For over a week, he complained about “every muscle in this body” aching. I asked him why he went if he knew the work was hard?

“Bear,” replied Pastor Jim, “there can be great joy – inter-joy, when you are working very hard for the Lord.” Pastor Jim paused for a moment and continued, “The people that make up this new church and their missionary-pastor found encouragement and hope when their Brother and Sisters in Christ are will to work hard for the Lord. The Bible teaches that '...whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men.” (Col 3:23)

After our talk, Pastor Jim said he wasn't going to complain anymore because he had worked for the Lord and should be happy. God had given him a healthy body and a the chance to do a good work – and that is the Bear Truth.

Talking to Mr. Mower

I never knew that lawnmowers could talk. Well, I never really heard the lawnmower talk but I did hear Pastor Jim talking to his “Red Machine”. Maybe lawnmowers can only hear? Anyway, Pastor Jim wasn’t happy with Mr. Mower. It seems Mr. Mower was broken and wasn’t cooperating with Pastor Jim. One of Mr. Mower’s bolts wouldn’t come out and Pastor Jim was not very happy. He warned Mr. Mower that he was about to end up in the junkyard but Mr. Mower wasn’t buying it.

After several one-sided conversations, Pastor Jim put the tools away and took me into the house. He cleaned up and poured himself a large glass of ice tea and plopped down in the easy chair. We both sat there for thirty minutes, not saying a thing. Finally I broke the silence. “We’re not mowing the lawn today?” I asked.

“No Bear,” Pastor Jim answered softly. “Not today.”

“Did you fix Mr. Mower?”

“No Bear. Mr. Mower is still broke,” replied Pastor Jim.

“You couldn’t fix him?” I meekly asked.

“No Bear, I couldn’t fix him. You see sometimes you run across things you cannot fix or you cannot fix at that time. It’s sometimes better to quit trying because you’re so frustrated that you end up breaking it more.” Pastor Jim paused for a moment and then continued; “You should never try to solve a problem when you’re anger. Anger is a powerful emotion that if not held in check can cause a lot of problems. We will try fixing the lawnmower tomorrow.”

That night after Pastor Jim had went to bed; I gave a lot of thought to what Pastor Jim said. I thought about all the people that are broken whose life has been messed up because of sin. They, like Mr. Mower, often fight the Lord who is trying to fix them. That must be why the Bible says that God is longsuffering and patient.

Thankfully the Lord does give up on them just like Pastor Jim didn’t give up on his “Red Machine.” You see the next day Pastor Jim was back with some help from the church and Mr. Lawnmower was fixed. So if you have someone that you love who is fighting against the Lord, don’t worry. The Lord won’t give up and that is the Bear Truth.

Knock His Block Off!

I am more of a lover than a fighter. You should be able to tell by the “hug me” tattooed on my feet. Pastor Jim doesn’t care much for conflict, neither does Sister Pat. So you must understand my surprise when I saw Pastor Jim delivering karate chops at the air and punching an invisible object with all his might.

In a timid and peace loving manner, I asked him what he was doing. It was clear he was aggravated. He said he was “fighting the devil!”

“Really,” I replied in meekest tone possible.

“No! Not really. It’s just that I get so irritated with the devil always laying temptation in my way that I would like to punch him out.”

This was one of those awkward moments when I didn’t know what to say. Then Pastor Jim began to explain.

“The devil never lets up. He is always trying to cause Christians to slip up and to diminish their testimony. Sometimes he succeeds. Sometimes he succeeds with me. It is always a battle and occasionally I get so frustrated that I’d like to knock his block off.” I didn’t know the devil had a block but it was clear that Pastor Jim was upset with the devil. It was also clear that he was upset with himself.

“Does boxing at the wind help?” I asked.

“Yes and no. No, it doesn’t stop the devil and it doesn’t hurt the devil; but it does make me feel a little better,” answered Pastor Jim

I was a little bewildered with Pastor Jim’s answer; but I could tell he felt much better. I guess if you’re going fight anyone it should be the devil – and that’s the Bear Truth!