Priorities - God (more specifically God the Father, God of Abraham, God of the Bible, God the Son, Jesus, the Helper, God the Holy Spirit, all one and the same God), Family, Fishing, Fishing, Fishing.....If it doesn't swim or float, I'm not interested. More specifically about "GOD": There can only be "ONE" and I am persuaded that "HE" "IS" the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Question for you...Whenever you hear or see the words "walking in the spirit", "living a spiritual life", or "eternal matters", does it sound like foolishness to you? "No doubt there are millions who have professed the name of Christ and continue to live in such a way which gives no evidence whatsoever that their profession is real." This is the very FIRST sentence in "Reign of The Servant Kings" by Joseph Dillow. Pretty strong stuff. 06-19-2008..this past weekend was invited to my son's bachelor party..instead of the usual his friends decided to go hog hunting...there were about 18 in the group..did not kill a hog but the experience was tremendous and wrote the following to each of them. to everyone at John's bachelor party weekend This weekend I received a blessing that, for a parent/father, has to be one of the sweetest ever and will never be forgotten. In the past I've been around a bunch of guys having a good time but what I witnessed this weekend was something I've never seen before or even imagined...a group of young men individually "in Christ", as a group "in Christ" and the absolute joy of just being in that environment...the behavior that I saw and words that I heard were always uplifting, encouraging, motivating with a total absence or even a hint of "self interest". Everyone was trying to help the other guy anyway he could at every opportunity and that's something you just don't see in this world today. Of course, the very highlight and most humbling part of the weekend, for me, was hearing your testimony about John. Only the power of the Holy Spirit kept me from crying like a baby. Darrell 01-22-2008..still can't get in habit of posting on a more regular basis, of well, so what...have written couple of letters that I'll post..one to Mark Cuban and the other is to Jim Williams, a local land developer. Dear Mark, You have the greatest opportunity that anyone can have in his entire lifetime and it’s right in the palm of your hand. It has nothing to do with billions of dollars or world championships. In fact all your money along with Bill Gates and Warren Buffett’s money combined don’t interest me in the least and can’t even begin to buy what I’m talking about. Somewhere along the path that you walk, and this is from trustworthy experience, you’re going to tell yourself, “I want to know God”. The problem’s you’re going to face with that in this world today, again from experience, is just lots of confusion, deception, false teaching, ignorance, misinformation, lies, and hypocrisy which will work like a virus in your OS and keep you from learning the truth. The “Voice of the Dallas Mavericks” at AA Center home games has a gift that I have tested for three years. It is true and genuine. It’s the gift of one called by God to edify the ones He has set apart. You’re invited to show up unannounced some Sunday 10AM at 508 W Lookout #24 in Richardson 75080 and check it out for yourself. I’ll just watch and see what “choice” you make. Sincerely, Darrell Lehmann Dear Jim, You’re very successful and, I’m certain, a very nice person but to say that you’re “blessed by chance” is, in my opinion, completely wrong since “chance” like “luck” don’t even exist!!! These are words used by those who live in spiritual darkness and are ignorant of the sources (there are only two) of “blessings”. I can’t even begin to try and explain what’s happened to me since I started trying to understand what scripture means by walking in the Spirit, being led by the Spirit etc. Understanding those things (blessings is just one part of it) has led to deeper understanding of everything that goes on in our flesh existence and it is absolutely exciting. Understanding the body, soul, spirit, relationship from scripture, is the total focus and study at the little church that I belong to here in Richardson. You’re invited to come visit any Sunday at 10 and see for yourself. We don’t even think about dress codes or taking up offerings so come as you are. God bless, Darrell Lehmann 07-11-07..haven't paid attention but 7 months since last post!!!..made an addition to my hero list, radio talk show host Mark Davis who is on WBAP in Dallas 9-10am CDT...you can listen live on internet..Click here ..just like Rush... sound reasoning, logic, common sense, truth...I just thank God for these guys. I am so blessed in so many ways it's really hard to express it and wouldn't even know where to start. A biggie is the church that I belong to. I've never known "church" could be like this, actually what's it's supposed to be and I'm just excited, like I've never been, just being a part of it..I'll say it's the most exciting little, literally, church on the planet!!...will be making more comments on it soon..you're invited to just come visit..Grace Church, 581 W Campbell #125,Richardson, TX 75080..10am Sunday. We have a pastor that does, in fact, have the gift of preaching and a teacher that does, in fact, have the gift of teaching. This is huge problem in churchs today, people thinking they are called by God and have the gift, but they aren't and they don't. It creates FUD - fear, uncertainty, doubt...false teaching and confusion no matter how smooth it comes across. This is very dangerous. I'm not talking about salvation but Christian liberties and how to live RIGHT NOW IN THIS LIFE IN THE FLESH as God intended...living a life of victory instead of living a life of defeat...it's powerful stuff...life changing stuff. 12-09-06..still at a loss for words explaining what has happened..it's like my spirit is soaring except almost continually..strapped onto the nose of the space shuttle and launched into orbit..but, not an emotional type of good feeling which is what Nee warns against and is only temporary...almost hate to put it like this but it's like being plugged into or having a direct connection to God...How awesome is that!!!...I do have to be careful here so as not to sound "puffed up" (pride) so this isn't something you'll hear me talking about if we ever meet. 11-21-06..In a spiritual sense and my walk something incredible has happened and can't explain it except I feel that I've exploded through some sort of wall!!!..all because of getting into The Spiritual Man that I mentioned earlier..just something absolutely fantastic!!!..can't come up with any better words. 11-2-06...big to do about John Kerry's "botched joke"... I think that bubbled up from his spirit and now the whole world knows what's really in there...would like to know (not really) how many GD's, MF's, and HS's bounced off the walls from that one. 10-30-06..Just when I thought I was really into some meat of God's word, He puts another in my path..."The Spiritual Man" by Watchman Nee. I had to stop everything once I started reading this book. Nee presents and explains in easy to understand language the body, the soul, and the spirit of man..what each consists of, its functions, its purpose, how they relate to each other, and what God's word says about each one. Thank you Lord for this book. 9-13-06..nine months later..see how fast time flies!!..have so much stuff to say that don't know where to start..really, really excited about a new book I've been reading for several months now.."The Reign of the Servant Kings" by Joseph C. Dillow..this is heavy stuff..took me couple of hours just to get through the forward!!..this is one book that I will say that you must read, study, and do serious meditating on if you think/claim/profess that you're a Christian. Period. I'll rank it right behind the Bible itself. Perhaps "the" most amazing/unbelievable/nowhere anything close to comprehensible thing on this planet for me today is to still hear someone say that there is no God. WOW. Even the devil(the god of this world, the father of lies, the master of deception) believes in God. Do they not see the evil(evidence and proof of the workings of the devil) in this world? They may as well say that terrorists don't exist or the holocaust didn't happen or there are no enemies or there is no hate in the world. Actually I do understand it. God's Word has a lot to say about being blind. Equally as amazing and not comprehensible in our brain is God's incredible grace, love, and mercy and His plan of eternal security and ultimate significance for you, me, and everyone that's ever breathed air on this planet. What are His plans? He's laid them all out in His Word. How does one get started? As simple as this may sound it all starts with a choice. We are given a free choice in the most complete and absolute sense of the word. The choice we have is which (there are only two) path to follow. Have you decided yet or is it something that you'll do someday? Today is 1-2-2006. It's been 6 years since I started writing what you see below and I've been trying for at least a solid YEAR to do some updating. There's been so much that has happened that I don't know where to start and I've just been putting it off. I think that I'll start making some entries like a diary just to get something started and see how that goes. ###############################################################################################

Heroes - Charles Stanley , R.C. Sproul , Rush Limbaugh

Recommended books - The Case For Christ, The Case For Faith, and, The Case For The Creator by Lee Strobel - Answers to Tough Questions/What Skeptics Are Asking About the Christian Faith by Josh McDowell and Don Stewart

Confession of Faith - This has to do with my personal relationship with God and may not interest you but I feel that it's necessary for me to put it in writing. A lot of details will be necessarily left out so as not to make this into a book. In the eyes of the world and society I haven't been a "bad" person. My parents drilled the Christian faith into me at an early age by going to the Lutheran Church and Sunday school every single Sunday no matter what. By the time I got to college (physics major with lots of science, engineering and math) I'd heard enough and went into the rebellious years of my life. I actually forced myself to believe that there was no God and for a time was fairly convinced. As years passed, however, that belief slowly eroded and I came to the conclusion that there was "no way" that God didn't exist. I resolved that I just couldn't understand it all and it was, in fact, "beyond human comprehension". A statement that got my attention very early was: "Seek ye first the kingdom of God". To me that meant not second, not seventh, not eleventh, not twenty sixth or whatever. First means first and nothing else. Another thing that has always completely fascinated me and taken up a lot of free thought in my life is simply thinking about time, space, matter, and energy. I guess that comes from my interest in science and technology. Also, it seems that I've always wanted to know the "why" about everything. Mix all this together with my other characteristics and I hope you understand that I have always been full of questions that are difficult to answer. The last thing I want to briefly mention is that I'm just plain "old fashion". I believe in the work ethic, paying the bills, saving, being responsible and, in general,living my life as best as I can. That's why I said that by societal standards I think I'm ok. So, what's the problem? As far as I was concerned, I was a christian, believed that Christ died for my sins, believed in forgiveness, believed that I was "saved", had a good self image, etc. etc. Like Pink Floyd says, I was "comfortably numb" with my faith in God and my position in society. The problem was that the doubts, reservations, skepticism, would, at times, still overcome me. I could argue with myself that the whole thing was absolutely the silliest thing ever conceived by man. Now, I have been hearing all my life about people being "born again" and didn't really know what to make of it. I'd see bumper stickers and see people claiming it but, to be honest, when I looked closely I didn't see that anything really happened. I also didn't understand exactly what was supposed to have happened. Was it like a bolt of lightning or what??? As far as it applied to me, I finally assumed that it must have happened at an early age and that I was well beyond that stage of christian maturity. Was I ever wrong!

IT HAPPENED TO ME This is where it gets difficult...really difficult. The problem is "words" and my ability to use them. How in the world am I going to explain something that literally tore up my insides, left me in a state of shock, and changed my life forever? It's already been about 3 months ago and I'm still in some sort of daze and trying to sort things out. What I do know is that it started about Thanksgiving and went through Christmas of 1999 so it wasn't anything like a bolt of lightning or something instantaneous. Since then I see everything differently and I don't even think the way I used to. It's just that profound. Two images keep coming into mind in an attempt to describe the feelings that I went through. The first is where you reach into a plastic bag, grab the bottom, and pull the bag inside out. The inside is outside and the outside is inside. The other is more graphic. If you've ever gutted a large animal like a hog, steer, or deer, you'll understand. You hang the animal upside down, spread the hindquarters, and run the knife from top to bottom. Everything (guts, liver, lungs, blood) hits the ground with a very unique plop-splashing kind of sound. Well, that's the feeling that I had, "GUTTED". All my insides were exposed. I have to say here that this kind of experience is "not" what you would call "pleasant". For me it was a real emotional upheaval and at times even frightening. In fact, I even wondered if maybe, just maybe, this is what one goes through when you lose your mind. Well, it's been several weeks, maybe even two months, since writing the previous paragraph!!! I think about it daily so that should give you some idea what I'm up against. This has proven to be the most difficult challenge in my entire existence to put into words and I'm still trying to sort things out. This needs to be finished up as best as I can do so here goes. I don't want to get into every little detail, but one Sunday morning I was watching Stanley on one of his TV shows. I had been going through some real stress in my life and quite unexpectedly there he was talking directly and personally to me about it and what to do about it. This really got my attention. I'd heard of people receiving the word but nothing like this had ever happened to me before. It was the next Sunday, or the following, that some words just exploded inside my brain and left me in a pile of emotional mush. I'm talking a real emotional meltdown. These words were:

"IT'S ALL TRUE"

"I AM REAL" This literally left me in some state of shock for several weeks. I couldn't even think about it without falling apart and this is when I started to have concerns about my mental stability. In contrast to that troubling feeling I also had the feeling that I had been blessed which led me to commit to getting serious about the word of God by listening to as many teachers as I can and reading the Bible on a daily basis. So, what do I think actually took place? Quite simply it was the Holy Ghost entering into me and showing me how it really "is". The first thing that happened was that all of my pride and ego were completely stripped and I reached a degree of humility and unworthiness that I didn't know existed. I'm talking being reduced to a complete "nothing". As the scales started falling from my spiritual eyes, I began to see the ugly wickedness and evil in my heart and how powerless I am to sin. On the other hand, I also began to more fully understand the blessing and power of the Gospel. The realization of just how much God loves me by sending his son to atone for my sins overwhelms me with praise, love, adoration, repentance and thankfulness toward Him. What do I do now? At present I'm committed to being a "student" of the word of God. I want to know a whole lot more about His character and nature "before" I meet Him. Anything that I might accomplish or be successful at in this life will be to His Glory. And lastly, just to live my life "coram deo". Darrell Lehmann STARTING UPDATE Here it is January 2003!!! Talk about time flying. Everything above was written in the first few months of 2000 but it seems like just a short time ago. A lot has happened to say the least and it's been building up in me for quite some time to do some updating. So, the thing to do is to just start and let The Holy Spirit lead me.

New Heroes - Hugh Ross and other scientists at Reasons to Believe, Les Feldick The first thing I did was start reading the Bible. So far I've read it cover to cover in about four different versions besides all the other studies that focused on specific teachings. What I've learned from this and what I've always heard over and over is that you need to read the Bible for yourself. When I say "you" I mean "you" "me" "everyone". Nothing but nothing but nothing, did I say "NOTHING", can substitute. And, it needs to be on a daily basis. The biggest single mistake anyone can make is to depend on someone else to read and interpret it for them. For me, reading the Bible has gotten to be so exciting, interesting, and just plain fun that reading anything else has gotten to be boring. That even includes the fishing magazines, gasp! I still read them, enjoy them, and want to keep up with the latest, but it's just different. Everything's different. So different that, today, I don't even know who I was three years ago. I never fully understood being "reborn" or being "a new creature", now I do. Many people "hunger and thirst" for the word but for me it's gotten to be something closer to oxygen. I started out just reading and that was enjoyable. The more I get into the study of the Bible, however, the more incredible it becomes. All the prophesy, the consistent dove tailing of small details, more recent manuscripts and archeological discoveries, millions and millions of man-hours of effort over two thousand years trying to disprove it!!!, the fact that Israel and the Jew as a nation even exits today, and on and on. There's simply no way that man alone could have put a book like this together. Off Topic God bless all of them but I'm not interested in anything that Bill Clinton, Jimmy Carter or the liberals in Hollywood have to say about anything. I'm not a Republican but I'd just as soon that the Democratic party cease to exist. I'd rather choose between Republicans and somebody else. As far as Hollywood is concerned, during my lifetime it has, for the most part, always been on the cutting edge of moral desolation. At a time when this country is faced with the prospect of war, I pray for and thank God for the leaders we have in George Bush, Dick Cheney, Colin Powell, Don Rumsfeld, Condi Rice, and every person in our military. continuing

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