Duck Tape and Baling Wire

Posted on by jactucke


Growing up on the farm, we had a TON of quick fix remedies. None of these were ever intended to be long term, but we could make it work if we had to. 

We learned at an early age how to cut cardboard just right to fit a broken window (which was recently kicked out while wrestling or knocked out with a baseball). Or how to tarp a leaky roof while in the rain. But probably the greatest of all remedies were Duck Tape and baling wire. 

Baling wire could cinch up a busted fence or serve as a quick hose clamp on a tractor. Duck Tape could patch up dang near any rubber material and make it waterproof for a short amount of time (sometimes indefinite, depending on the amount used).

The Wildman would swear by this philosophy. He always had a roll or two of each in the truck because, “You never know when something would come up.” I recall seeing numerous swather teeth held on by a few strategically placed wires instead of the traditional nut and bolt assembly. Tractor seats and shades were patched here and there with the silver savior. 

Looking back on the last few blogs, I could tell a pattern. Unmasked and Broken dealt with our flaws. The Lord put it on my heart to write about mending the brokenness that was unmasked to tie the “series” together. 

You see, just like on the farm, we try to mend our lives with temporary fixes. For example, you might be dealing with anxiety or depression. You know you have these issues and something has to be done to fix it. So you busy out the Duck Tape and baling wire to mend your life. This works, for a time. A week goes by with no incident or problems and you’re “cured.” But the Deciever is not so easily swayed. 

By the Deciever, I mean the devil. He’s the little god of this world. All he wants to do is to ruin your life. That’s evident from John 10:10 (“The thief cometh not, but that he may steal, and kill, and destroy”) and 1 Peter 5:9 (“The Devil is poised to pounce, and would like nothing better than to catch you napping.”). He’s got you thinking that your quick fix is the solution to all of your problems. But really, you’ve only prolonged your suffering. 

The only way to actually mend your life is to follow the second portion of those verses that previously served as warnings. John 10:10 follows up it’s warning with “but I’ve come to give you life, and life in abundance.” Life is offered to us by Jesus. LIFE! A whole, complete life! Without spot or blemish! No depression, anxiety, fear or anger. Just a complete life in Him!

But the devil has you fooled into thinking the Duck Tape and baling wire are enough, when truly…only God is enough. The devil even has you fooled into thinking that you’re the only one. The absolute, 100 percent, only person who has ever dealt with any type of negative feeling. But the verses following 1 Peter 5:9 deals with that too! 

“Keep your guard up. You’re not the only ones plunged into these hard times. It’s the same with Christians all over the world. So keep a firm grip on the faith. The suffering won’t last forever. It won’t be long before this generous God who has great plans for us in Christ—eternal and glorious plans they are!—will have you put together and on your feet for good. He gets the last word; yes, he does.”

‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭5:10-11‬ ‭MSG

WE get the final say in our life through Christ! WE get to be mended and fixed through His grace and His blood that was shed on the cross. Why settle for a temporary fix, when a forever fix is right there? 

Now is it going to be all puppies and rainbows from there on out? Heck no it’s not! You have to keep working and striving to be a better Christian than you were the day before. You have to remember that God’s mercies are new every day (Lam. 3:22-23) and being His kid, you get access to those!

I want you to be mended and encouraged not merely taped and cinched up for a time. But the time for mending is now!

Y’all be safe out there. 

Broken

Posted on by jactucke

Broken pieces actin’ like we ain’t cracked; But we all messed up and can’t no one escape that

    -Lecrae “Broken“

Where to begin? If that guy would have just cooperated. If that dude hadn’t pulled the trigger. Black lives matter. White lives matter. Blue lives matter. All lives matter.

We live in a world where corruption reigns. There is no Cinderella story for the little guy, because the little guy is screaming injustice and waiting for their handout. And the big guy, what are they doing? They are just complaining about the little guy. 

Our world is broken. Society is broken. What was once a strong nation is now hanging on by a thread. That thread is the hope that we can be better.

The only way we can become better is noticing that there is a problem. Unfortunately, the problem always diverted by pointing fingers. 

When I was a kid, I was told never to point and blame because you always had three fingers pointing right back at you. If only people would use this childish rationale, things would get a whole lot better. 

We are all broken people with flaws. The biggest problem lies within each and every one of us. We think that our opinion is right and there is never anything wrong with us. The problem is always elsewhere. 

The Word says in Romans 2:1, “Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things.”  We aren’t supposed to cast judgement on others, it just condemns ourselves.  

Grace must be given to others because it was first given to us by God. Should we have the opportunity to even be forgiven for the crap that we do? No, but God does it anyway because of grace. 

So what should we do? We should model ourselves after the One who gives grace to us. 

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

2 Corintians 12:9 ESV

We are broken people, living in a broken world, searching for someone to put us back together again. And the only way for that to happen is to experience the fullness of grace through Abba God. 

Today, right now, in this moment, get on your knees and pray. Thank God for the air you breathe, for rolling out of bed, and for guidance in understanding how to exhibit HIS grace in our life. Lecrae said it pretty well:  Ain’t a soul on the planet; That’s better than another; And we all need grace in the face of each other

Thanks for reading. Y’all be safe out there. 

Unmasked

Posted on by jactucke


Whilst searching the interwebs the other day, I realized something: It must be tough getting up every morning and putting a mask on. 

What I mean is that people get up every single day and just put on a face so that they can skate through the day. They say all the right things on social media, “look the part” in public settings and they doll the family up just right to mask their true self. However, what lies beneath is truly terrifying. They hide lies, deceit, infidelity, insecurity, and just all out nastiness. 

Your reply to this is, “So what? We all have flaws and things that we don’t want people to see.” That’s not what this post is about. This post is about realizing that the façade is more damning than the truth. 

A façade is only another lie that just masks the other junk underneath. What generally happens is the lie that you have told to cover up the initial junk is exposed and then another is built. Then another. Then another. Then another. Until finally you have become this shell of what you formerly were. You can’t deal with the person in the mirror because the façade has become greater than what you believe lies beneath. 

But, as always, there’s hope! There’s a way to remove that façade brick by brick, exposing all that is underneath for cleansing. The only way is to fall at the feet of the Creator and be honest with Him and yourself. 

“If we claim that we’re free of sin, we’re only fooling ourselves. A claim like that is errant nonsense. On the other hand, if we admit our sins—make a clean breast of them—he won’t let us down; he’ll be true to himself. He’ll forgive our sins and purge us of all wrongdoing.”

‭‭1 John‬ ‭1:8-9 MSG‬‬

Who are you fooling? It’s certainly not God. “But it’s hard to do that. What will people think?” Do their opinions matter? Last I checked, I report to one person and He’s not clicking ‘like’ on my profile. He’s wondering why I haven’t come and crawled into Abba’s lap to talk about my troubles. 

The Word says in Psalm 55:22 to “Cast your burden upon the LORD and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.”

Instead of the front, how bout you use all of that energy talking to Abba God? It will be one of the most freeing feelings in the world. I guarantee it. 

Y’all be safe out there.