OBAMA’s Education Speech

John Piper and Al Mohler give their evaluation of President Obama’s speech two weeks ago:

John Piper- “I’ve Read the President’s Speech: Amazing”

Al Mohler- “The Obama School Speech Controversy- What To Think?”

Remember

Prosperity and Abundance

James K. A. Smith, Associate Prof at Calvin College in Philosophy, writes about the difference between abundance and prosperity. A comment by a reader says that Walter Bruggeman was asked the same question and responded simply, “Us and me.” After listening to a Joel Osteen sermon critiqued by Pastor Mark Driscoll about how God has made us victorious, and how we should have the same prosperity in our family relationships, health and finances, I found Smith’s article a well rounded and reasoned underpinning to the crazy factions on all sides of the issue.

Smith speaks of the difference the prosperity gospel makes to a Nigerian making $2/day and a mega church member in Atlanta. He makes the connection to the eschatological nature of the God’s promise of an abundance in heaven to the preaching of it now. He contrasts God’s concern for the poor with the structural injustices that yield abundance for only a few.

I would die for it

Amazing story of faith. Three pastors beheaded this week. They would not recant their faith or give Allah glory. Zip, crack, headless. Swift and over. Not mega church pastors or famous authors, but poor, Nigerian Christians, doing their faith, obedient, sold out.

What are you willing to die for? Bill Hybels said, he’d die for his grandson, as he held him in his arms. His thoughts immediately went to the starving children around the world. He had a Jesus moment.

15,000,000 (fifteen million. 15 million, that’s Chicago, San Francisco, Denver, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Detroit, San Diego, Philadelphia and Houston combined) children will die of starvation this year! Could the financial world give up their millions of bonus dollars for them? Could I just give up $1,000.00? What could I do? (More world hunger stats)

Football season is almost here. Can you sponsor a football party to end world hunger? Can you invite the guys and their wives over raise money for World Vision, Bread for the World, your local food bank, etc.? Your obedience to Jesus the Lord and Christ will shine through!

How much can we do? How much do we need to spend on ourselves?

Check out this story on www.kiva.org. A naive 20 something woman started a micro-lending machine, not impersonal, but you get the story, the reality, the need and the joy of nearly a 0% default rate! Millions of dollars to change lives. Her commitment to Christ shines through.

Good African Coffee. 50% of proceeds go back to the Ugandan farmers. Farmers need trade not just aid. The founder’s faith in the Lord Jesus shines through!

Who are we to think we deserve so much? Because “…he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.”
2 Corinthians 8:8-10

Porn Again

Real guys have huge sex drives. Unfortunately, we Christians don’t like to talk about it, thus, no practical advice, and many, many frustrated men and women men have hurt. The church has become an institution for the effeminate (see the book, “Why Men Hate Going to Church“) denying the facts we all know are so true about men’s libido’s, which, by the way, are part of God’s creation, in his image (now there’s a thought to explore in Rob Bell’s book, “The Sex God“) So, thanks to Mark Driscoll, a free book is available. Men beware! It’s not soft on us, but there’s hope. We need practical advice. Download it! Pass it out. An army Chaplain friend has given it to forty of his men.

Leadership Pepper

Winston Churchill and his only bodyguard, Walter Thompson

You made ‘em giddy up, Joe. How you got thirty folks to follow you to Or-gun with only a horse, side arm and a rifle makes me think you was a great leader, Joe!

Naw, not really, Hoss. I just did my job to get them folks a new home in Or-gun.

Joe, not many of us followed you, but you got us all there safe and sound. We will be forever grateful to you for leading the wagon train. We did have a few scares, like that one over the Missou-rah River. Lost two wagons and six oxen, but you kept us goin’.

The way I remember it, Hoss, you doused me with some peppery words ‘‘bout keepin’’ on and ‘don’t let the folks down now by quittin’’. I don’t think I could have rode another mile without that pepper shakin’ you give me.

++++++++++++++++++++++++

Ah, leadership. Some mysterious mix of qualities that can smack of arrogance and self adulation, but comes off as confidence and charisma. The good leaders just do a job and some folks come along to help. Great leaders need pepperin’ once in a while.
Winston Churchill’s body guard, Walter Thompson, guarded the British bulldog for 38 years. He knew more state secrets than anyone other than Churchill, but he also knew the depressions and insecurities of that great leader. He gave countless pepperings of encouragement to keep going, to get out of bed and even to get dressed. Who would have known that such a relationship was such a huge asset to such a great world leader?

And the amazing thing is that the great Winston Churchill listened to his “lowly” bodyguard!

Leaders never go the distance alone. Great leaders have great leaders around them. Great leaders help others to be great leaders. The best organizations have people willing to pepper their boss and keep on going themselves. What may look like confidence and charisma covers an anxious load of self doubt and insecurity. Ask anyone who has ever lead anything!

God Does Not Judge External Appearance

God does not judge by external appearance. Gal. 2:6

The marks of an apostle were obvious.

2 Corinthians12:12 The things that mark an apostle—signs, wonders and miracles—were done among you with great perseverance.

But Satan, also can masquerade as an angel of light and do counterfeit miracles.

2 Thessalonians 2:9 The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders.

When we who believe in God’s grace through the gospel (i.e. the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus and all that historic event means!) the question of “Who are you?” or implied “Are you legitimate?” rises in people. Why should someone listen? What makes us legitimate?

Jesus used the analogy of a shepherd in John 10. The hired hand runs away when trouble comes. The good shepherd lies down in front of the gate and gives up his life. To Jesus, legitimacy was serving, sacrifice and perseverance. (See the parable of the four soils in Luke 8:15)

The Corinthian church was dismissing Paul’s legitimacy. Paul uses evidence that puts many of us Christians to shame to show his legitimacy.

1 Cor. 1:17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel — not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power….23 but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles…

He told them the fact of gospel history over and over again.

1Cor. 2:1   When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God.  2 For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.  3 I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling.  4 My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power,  5 so that your faith might not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power.

He knows there is only one foundation to build on to promote legitimacy.

1 Cor. 3:11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.

Paul knew that the Corinthian church people were distancing themselves from him because he seemed so simple. He said that they were saying he was a fool (i.e. simpleton) and that his words were not wise (Gk: sophia from which we get the word sophisticated)

1 Cor. 4:10 We are fools for Christ, but you are so wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are honored, we are dishonored!

1 Cor. 1:25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength.

External appearances can be deceiving. What we consider successful or sophisticated includes large monuments, big buildings, beautiful steeples, respectful peers, large crowds and the spectacular “excellence” in worship. The external signs of a successful ministry can masquerade around for years and dupe people as Satan does. It can make people think they are making a difference in the world, but are really just “hired hands.”

Throughout his ministry, Paul was perplexed by what is a legitimate church. His final comments from his final letter in prison at the end of his life goes like this:

Phil. 1:15 It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill.  16 The latter do so in love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel.  17 The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains.  18 But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.

The goal wasn’t external success. If that was the case, he failed. Success is Christ and the gospel, plain and simple. Preach Christ. Tell the gospel (his death, burial and resurrection). Preach Jesus. Unpack the way, the truth and the life. Knowing the truth sets us free. His death proves his love and grace can be unharnessed in our lives. Knowing the truth, that is, a belief in the historical facts of Christ’s death and resurrection is the greatest mark of the church. Separate this from The Journey or any church and we are duped and de-legit!

Suspicious Clouds

Ever read Frank Perreti’s, This Present Darkness? This cloud formation looked like Commissioner Gordon’s bat signal, but morphed quickly as I took it’s picture. do-do d0-d0, do-d0 d0-d0

What does it look like to you? Rhonda says it looks like an Eagle. She's from Oakridge HS, "The Eagles!"

….

Iran Vote Whistle Blower Suspiciously Killed

Live updates here from twitter and other sources inside Iran

11am:
The man who leaked the real election results from the Interior Ministry – the ones showing Ahmadinejad coming third – was killed in a suspicious car accident, according to unconfirmed reports, writes Saeed Kamali Dehghan in Tehran.

Mohammad Asgari, who was responsible for the security of the IT network in Iran’s interior ministry, was killed yesterday in Tehran.

Asgari had reportedly leaked results that showed the elections were rigged by government use of new software to alter the votes from the provinces.

Asgari was said to have leaked information that showed Mousavi had won almost 19 million votes, and should therefore be president.

We will try to get more details later.

Marriage Hypocrisy

The myth of Christian values permeates our culture or should I say, covers a multitude of sins. One example is marriage. We are marriage hypocrites here. We value the institution of marriage so highly, yet treat it so poorly. For example, if we hold that marriage is so important to create stable homes, why would Sweden’s unmarried, co-habitating couples have a greater chance of staying together and provide more security than a comparable American family? Why do we have a revolving door of significant relationships in America greater than any other country? Why are we in a raging debate about same-sex marriages that doesn’t seem to affect other western nations? Why do we hold marriage to be the right of “first-class-citizenship”?

BTW, I think marriage is a great institution! We’re going on 24 this August! And if you want to see Co-habitation statistics in our culture read about the dangers here! The chance of divorce or break up in the USA for cohabitating couples is monstrous.

You can read one sociologist’s study about why and join the debate about the value of marriage in

The Marriage-Go-Round

The State of Marriage and the Family in America Today

Written by Andrew J. Cherlin

No More Money

I read a blog by a man who lives without money. He’s lived without it for nine years. How? Dumpster diving. Living in a cave.

Dumpster diving in London

Eating roadkill. Getting free clothes. Eating insects, grass and leaves. Yum!

He’s a genius, and a philosopher. He’s not mentally crazy. He’s part of a contingency of people who say that money makes us all crazy and lawless. The moneyless man states that people share and love more when money is not involved. Native Americans before the Europeans didn’t worry about who’s bowl or who’s blanket they used, he says. He is unencumbered with cares of this world and can sit all day watching clouds go by. Wow! I want that life! NO WORRY

When I told Rhonda this great idea about living without money and all our money issues would be solved  she made it clear that she didn’t want to do the dumpster diving. She did mention that Ken White, our pastor friend in Ann Arbor, ate someone else’s leftover pizza once in college. She didn’t buy the great concept of freedom held out by our penniless friend.

In Summary: The guy’s crazy. He has no kids. It’s a selfish existence. He takes care of himself. He makes absolutely no case at all about taking care of the sick, the impaired, those who cannot care for themselves, like children. he doesn’t care. He can watch the clouds all day, all by himself, making up his religion and his purpose in life. I find it no surprise that in the fine print he’s an avid evolutionist. He’s as counter cultural as he can be, making a statement against traditions and cultural mores. Screaming loudly on the internet so that others will be jealous of his freedom. Ballyhooing anything of the cross, the Bible and of course, evil Christians!

He’s as right as the Beatles who said, “Can’t buy me love!” He’s right that, we think way too much that money solves our problems. Money does enslave us, but can you see his flawed argument? Freedom doesn’t come from having no worries or no binding contracts with anyone. Isolation is not freedom. Dumpster diving is not freedom.

Have you ever stayed up all night talking to a friend or a group of friends? That’s freedom! Have you ever stayed up reading a good book until you knew that the next day would be the zombiest day of the week? That’s freedom! Have you ever hiked or ran until you were exhausted, squeezed dry on the inside and your inside was on the outside? Jumping into a cool pond is where the feeling of freedom comes. We are unencumbered by things and money problems in the penniless man’s system, but is that freedom? What would he do in a Utah desert without any of the dumpsters or free clothes or wood to burn from building sites? He wouldn’t feel so free? Unencumbered, yes, but free?

Freedom comes from another source, through a relationship with one who sets us free and reminds us about our own self-delusions that enslave us. When will we ever be totally free here? Jesus said,  “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:32 The way to freedom he says is “to hold to my teachings.” What are his teachings? The way of the cross. The way of belief in the Father’s gifts. The way of the gospel: his death for our lives and the crazy world and universe we live in. Freedom comes when we “see” him and “visualize” his truth and “meditate on” these glories of God at work in life and thought. Freedom from self-delusion and from the cares of this world happens when we are staying up all night talking to a real God and contemplating his being and glory revealed in history (The Bible) and in His Son.

Most people will settle for dumpster diving.

Christians and the Rwandan Massacre

Click on photo to view more. Why were people so enraged???

I was just reading through Psalms 23-37. The Psalmist states so often how the righteous will be protected. God is on the side of those who fear him. God is faithful to bring about good things to those who delight in the Lord. I kept getting hints of Rwanda, the Hutus slashing Tutsi’s mercilessly, knowing that both “tribes” were strongly Christian, mostly evangelical. Where was the power of the gospel in this ethnic strife, and where was it for the previous slaughters and since then? Where is God? So, I found stuff on the web, of course.

Does a conversion to following Christ change the murderous flesh we carry? This is the question posed by J. J. (Dons) Kritzinger, who writes in the Journal Missionalia. How could mobs of Hutus murder people they knew, loved, worshipped with, lived next to and ate with? Rwanda was the most Christian nation of Africa with estimates as high as 85% professing to be Christians. Where were the Christians during the massacre? 800,000 or more Tutsi’s were massacred in just a few days. Why? Why? Why? Are we really sold out to the faithfulness of God and the demands of the gospel to “Rejoice always!”? What would I have done? Would I have fought back, escaped, been hacked to death, preached in the middle? Many Christians stood against the killing, hid victims, stopped bullets for neighbors and preached publicly in those few days against the murderous evil.

Read a thorough, introspective and historical account of the atrocity if you dare, or if you care!

Read about Christian reconciliation stories here!!!! God can bring amazing healing!

Love These Stats (and the Bailout)

I love statistics, maps, encyclopedias. I cried one Christmas when Rhonda gave me an unabridged dictionary! So, finding these stats that compare China to the USA was a gold mine. You can get the full wad and compare, compare, compare to your heart’s delight by clicking on this link to mint.com. Now, isn’t this so much more informative and useful than watching old reruns of “Britains Greatest Talent”?

If you want another mint.com fantastic visual of what happened to GM click here.

For a visual of the financial bailout to simplify what all has happened click here.

I’m wondering why Obama doesn’t give the next $35 billion to build some oil production facilities out west where 1.5 Trillion barrels of oil are locked in shale.

or set up three new nuclear power plants.

or give the money to ten steel production companies.

or help the hard working guy who came to our house today because his wife is in pain and they have no money for meds.

or pay for the 25% increase in property taxes those of us in Washington County will experience next year!

Newsless in JC

Look on the left: A little warped but another way to "stay in touch."

Since February 3rd, 2009, I have not watched the news, tracked my favorite news websites or listened to the radio. I don’t own a TV. I have a My Yahoo top news story tracker, but that’s it. I’m free to listen to books on CD’s in my car, having finished fascintating novels and non-fiction. I’m wondering when Steven James’ novels will be put on CD?? The thought process is less cluttered. My imagination is more free. I’m not so worried or depressed.

But watching the weather? That’s another story. My family thinks I’m the weatherman. Every morning Ellen or Nathan asks: “What’s the weather going to be dad?” And I always know…

Inaugural Heat: Remember Mogadishu!

(This Blog was written on January 20, 2009)

The inauguration was very cold. People were hot on Obama. Wonderful and disturbing. Four years ago, most people were wondering how this young upstart from Illinois became Senator. Obama who? A blip on the political radar. About eight people thought he was Presidential material. And now? Gloating and messianic fervor.

Just like in Jesus’ day people want a human savior. The herd is looking for a quick fix, money to buy the American dream and a continuation of power and comfort. The herd is running hard from the Bush years. I’m not quite sure what the crowd knows about their destination. The speech today was pure platitude, more like Clinton**, promising happy thoughts and brave hearts, and of course, change! Unlike Bush, who put his cards on the table, and tried to outline some definite agenda items, and bored me in the process, Obama sounds like he’s giving us hope, sounds so confident in the future, so sure of a positive outcome. He’s building my faith and at least a million shivering people in DC today. And he might be able to deliver, but first…

• I am praying that Obama unlike Bush gets a lot right in the first few months and no “9-11″ crisis disturbs the progress!
• I will pray that three massive hurricane seasons in a row will not derail his agenda.
• I will pray that the greed and avarice of trillions of trickle-down-economic dollars will not suck him into the power machine of Wall Street.
• I will pray that he understands leadership as the listening ear with a nerve to stand up to the whimpering and pandering of the power hungry, those who use money to oppress others and those who do not understand evil.
• I pray that his agenda includes the protection of the unborn and the dignity and honor of parenting and marriage.
• I pray that his inaugural plea for God’s grace means that he really plans to help ordinary, undeserving people with more than a token amount of the several trillion dollars needed over the next two years of government stimulus.

If Obama can lead this nation, he will have done it with nerve and a non-anxious presence, not with a Messiah’s zeal. Change comes with a price, lots of it, and time, lots of it.  All the answers are yet unkown. His bag of tricks, whatever they are, will be good for about six months, then a reckoning. Be careful what you undo. It may be your undoing, Mr. Obama! I believe you will lead well, you seem sincere and one whose aloofness comes across as a leader with a non-anxious presence. It just might work, but I still believe there is only one true Messiah!

**

Bill Clinton was a young, brilliant politician in ‘92. He had amazing energy and ideas. Do you remember them? NAFTA, welfare reform, health care reform, and a balanced budget?  Yet, what do you remember about the Clinton era? An English lesson on the word “is” and a young female intern. Within a few years, Clinton and many former anti-Reaganites reversed their appraisal of Ronald Reagan to the point where he was seen as a new hero of the 20th century. I was one of them. Within months, Clinton’s ideas lost steam. Having won only  43% and 49% of the popular vote, and never having a friendly congress or senate, Clinton’s claim to fame is going to be his reputation as a womanizer and possibly his $500,000,000.00 (yes, 1/2 Billion!) presidential library containing happy thoughts and platitudes borrowed from a previous President.

Clinton built many bridges to Reagan and laissez faire economics and world politics. Yet, unlike Reagan, he entirely missed the threat of an evil world power, Al Quaeda, and the stubborn refusal of and evil Iraqi dictator to comply with EIGHTEEN U.N. resolutions against it. He defended himself by saying he boldly sent cruise missiles from the South China Sea into Afghanistan, but forgets that he  gave the Army Rangers a new rallying cry, “Remember Mogadishu!” (See another article here on Clinton’s ties to Reagan)

Obama and Clinton continue to praise Reagan even in 2008. Ronald Reagan is seen as a hero on many fronts. I don’t think Bush will deserve that glamorous position, but he will certainly receive much more praise as time wears on.

Funeral

Honored to perform a funeral service for a friend’s ex-wife today. What do I say when I barely knew her?

The family gathered with me at the funeral home. I typed in our conversation about her. Took this morning to put it together. Honored her. Gave the gospel. and Voila… here it is.

Gena, Eugenia Bashor  (49) Funeral: April 8, 2009
Prayer
Father, you are the giver of Life, Creator, You sent your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, to be the Savior of the world to all who believe. You have given your Holy Spirit to remind us of your love and grace. Today, as we gather to honor Gena and to hear the good news again of your love to us, send your peace that passes understanding to all who request it. Send a renewed love for life and the freedom that you give. Shower your grace on Shirley, Nelson, Tory, Chase, Dirk, Donna and other dear friends and family. Be their strong fortress in sadness and a light of salvation to guide them safely to you, In Jesus Name, AMEN>
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Gena had a Short life…relatively speaking…30 years shy of the national average. Yet, Gena Embraced life. She was tenderhearted, a freebird, loved her family and a non materialistic person who looked great in second hand clothes! Shirley tells about an event when Gena was little. A little dog ran away, got hit by a car and then lying in a field of grass by the road. She would look at it when they drove by and after quite a few days she told her mother sadly, “Mom, it’s OK. that dog’s going to heaven one bit at a time.”
Gena had a tender streak. She would look at disadvantaged people and would often cry. She Would look under the bridges and try to see where the homeless people. Near the medical center, where a bunch live under the bridges. She and Dirk would eat at Zaxby’s and then see some of the guys under the bridges. Gena wished she could do something. Very aware. Had a big heart.
To most people she Gave them the benefit of the doubt. If someone needed it, she’d give them her last dollar. Helper, servant attitude. When I would go in the store with a problem, she always made it clear we were not a bother and did all she could to make sure we understood we would be taken care of.
A good bargain shopper. Didn’t care about all the fancy, top dollar. Happy with what she had and could stretch five dollars. Wasn’t materialist. Kept herself looking really good and dressed well.
Let’s back up a bit. You’ve seen how beautiful she was in her sweet sixteen photos. Graduated from Hendersonville, TN. A woman named Sarah said she had a flair for doing that interior design, so did it for a summer. Then, Went to Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, KY for a year, close to Nashville  and Hendersonville, and began her degree in interior design.
Gena Lived in Florida for a while on her own for a year or two after College, adventurous spirit. Free spirit… Maybe this is why her two favorite songs are:
Free Bird, by Lynard Skynard
If I leave here tomorrow
Would you still remember me?
For I must be travelling on, now,
‘Cause there’s too many places I’ve got to see.
But, if I stayed here with you, girl,
Things just couldn’t be the same.
‘Cause I’m as free as a bird now,
And this bird you can not change.
Lord knows, I can’t change.

Bye, bye, its been a sweet love.
Though this feeling I can’t change.
But please don’t take it badly,
‘Cause Lord knows I’m to blame.
But, if I stayed here with you girl,
Things just couldn’t be the same.
Cause I’m as free as a bird now,
And this bird you’ll never change.
And this bird you can not change.
Lord knows, I can’t change.
Lord help me, I can’t change.

She started settling down in the 80’s. She got married. she gave birth to Tory, then, eight years later gave birth to Chase. And married again.
Gena had many best friends. Many, many friends. Once she made a friend she meant it and they took it like she meant it, and real friends from then on. Very loyal wherever she met them. Made friends easily cause she was outgoing. Liked to argue just to argue, not to be mean, but to give a hard time.
Tory, chase and she would do this kind of bickering without being mean, and laugh, (and sounded like they would kill each other: Dirk), and then come back after five minutes and it was over. Didn’t hold a grudge, but she was blunt.
You all know that Gena wasn’t a church going person. She went to a Pentecostal Church. And liked it. Probably a little of the free spirit in her resonated with the free spirit in the Pentacostals.
She had some pain in her life. She wondered, as we all do, if this life was all there is. Sometimes, we deal with pain in healthy ways and other times in not so healthy ways.
Wish You Were Here, by Pink Floyd
So, so you think you can tell
Heaven from Hell,
Blue skies from pain.
Can you tell a green field
From a cold steel rail?
A smile from a veil?
Do you think you can tell?

Did they get you to trade
Your heroes for ghosts?
Hot ashes for trees?
Hot air for a cool breeze?
Cold comfort for change?
Did you exchange
A walk on part in the war,
For a lead role in a cage?

How I wish, how I wish you were here.
We’re just two lost souls
Swimming in a fish bowl,
Year after year,
Running over the same old ground.
What have we found
The same old fears.
Wish you were here.

Life threw some curves at Gena. Satan himself was out to get her. “Two lost souls swimming in a fishbowl, year after year, running over the same old ground. Same old fears. Wish you were here.”
There were times when Gena wouldn’t know what to say. You’d ask a question, or say something about current events. She would automatically, sometimes painfully say, “You think?” To those close to her they knew she wasn’t ready to answer or couldn’t. Though, at times irritating, it’s one of things they’re going to miss about Gena.
What will you miss the most?
Miss her smile…Mom
Her eyes…Chase
Protective
Fun
She could be sneaky too, Tori. She snuck off all the time to the Thrift store or out the back ‘til the next day.
God’s given us a way to deal with pain. More than anything else, we all get to a point in our lives when we can’t figure it all out or when we can’t handle the circumstances or stress. So, God’s plan is to let someone else deal with it. It’s called “GRACE” and it’s really good news.
The good news is that the pain doesn’t have to cause more pain. There’s been only one perfect person who ever walked this earth. His name is Jesus. He went to the cross to take our pain, our sin and shame. Too often people feel shame and don’t know what to do with it. He felt pain. His whole life people tried to kill or hurt him, but his eyes were only on one thing: to die on the cross to pay the price for our sin and shame because we can’t do it ourselves.
Col. 2:13   When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins,  14 having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross.  15 And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.
Jesus knew that we’d try to self-medicate, sow too many wild oats and get ourselves into jams that can break our momma’s hearts. So, he set it all straight, if we want it. Jesus knew that we’d face economic disaster, relationships that go sour and health problems that break us into tiny pieces.
Hebrews 12:2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
This is good news. Too often in churches people are beat up for being imperfect. That’s not good news. That’s bad news. The good news is that God knows there is only one perfect person who ever walked on earth, and his own people crucified him in a horrible, violent, blood bath.
So what’s the point?
Most of you know it’s Easter week. The good news doesn’t stop with us being forgiven. The physical and spiritual life of Jesus was raised from the dead. God proved Jesus was His Son. God did all the work and all we have to do is believe. This is love and grace.
1John 4:9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.  10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
We can’t do anything but believe, and by believing we are saved. He doesn’t promise the perfect life, but he does promise that those who believe will have other forces at work in their lives.
Titus 2:11   For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.  12 It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age,  13 while we wait for the blessed hope — the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ,  14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.
For many people, belief comes too late. This grace is offered freely today. It’s not a message of shame or telling us how bad we are, or how we’ve screwed up over and over again. God loves us so much that he has taken care of all that. His grace means we are free to be with him forever, and because of belief in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus we can be sure that nothing can ever separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus. How many people are needlessly and painfully taught the bad news that because they didn’t act like a Christian or go to church or do all the right things God doesn’t love them? Once we put our faith in what God has done in Christ, he instantly seals us to himself forever. Now, that’s good news at a time like this!
Eccl. 3:1   There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:  2 a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot,  3 a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build,  4 a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance,  5 a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain,  6 a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away,  7 a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak,  8 a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.
I think it’s a good time to honor the good memories God has given to us in Gena, and to put our faith in what he has done in Christ. I would hope that today you would do both.

Cartoons: Have Faith in the Right Place

Put your faith where it belongs! Be wise, and present all your requests to God for peace that passes understanding!

Cartoon Wind Detectors

Cartoonists lick a finger, stick it into the wind and draft a current attitude summary in cartoon format. Here’s what I mean…

Yes, Someone Saw It Coming

“At a minimum, the mergers are creating a class of ‘too big to fail’ institutions – banks that must be bailed out, various presidents will inevitably tell us, to prevent a ‘domino’ economic effect.”

– Ralph Nader, The New York Times, November 12, 1995

–

“The real concern that we have is that we have got and developed, in this country, a very serious ‘too big to fail’ problem, and that problem, we’ve just recognized now in the current situation, how severe it is.”

- Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, NYT, October 16, 2008

Full article here by University of Florida’s Travis Pillow

Obama, on Finding a New Church

Great article on the Obama’s hunt for a community of Christians in D.C.

http://blogs.abcnews.com/george/2009/01/obamas-to-searc.html

So. You Think You Have it Bad?

Try these shoes on for size. We haven’t had hot water for three days. I’m frustrated the part is not in stock here in Johnson City. Then, I came across this obscure website through the Langham Foundation website. I think another day without hot water is doable.

Imagine walking 100 miles for safety, food, shelter. The media doesn’t care! Only our needs are covered by the selfish US news media. Have you heard of the massacre of 50,000 civililians by the Rwandan Army? Check out these pictures and more HERE.

A video news report from Reuters HERE.

This picture really gets to me! What a courageous, frustrated father, determined and persevering for his family (what’s left of it)

What this father wouldn’t do for his sons!

Is this the USA in 2009? Imagine yourself in their shoes?

Extreme violence perpetrated by the Rwandan army, more than 50,000 civilians in two camps of displaced refugees massacred.

A crowd of refugees gathers at the entrance to a USAID center

All Worldy Possessions are Visible

Novel Part 2: National Novel Writing Month

As crazy as it sounds, I would love for my super abilities to get into some other folks. Around eight years old, I tried to give one of my mom’s friends a boost. She needed a hearing aid. I tried to explain the way to transpond. You don’t transpond through your eardrums. I sent her a few low frequency waves. She walked down the street and tried to hear the frequency. She just about died laughing at how silly it must have looked to the neighbors. She was yelling. I was yelling back. She closed her eyes and pushed on the spot behind her ears. We’ll never forget it, but she never got it.

Novel Part 1: National Novel Writing Month

They prodded and poked me until I leaked air. I let them take tests no other super human would ever allow. I wasn’t your normal super hero. I didn’t stay in a closet. I let people know what I did. Everyone knew my identity. The suspense around a secret identity seemed calloused so I started telling people about the age of six that I could do some pretty cool things. Scientists have wanted to investigate my powers my whole life. It has its advantages. I don’t have to work for a living. I charge for my services.

Last week I made about $25,000.00. That was a slow week.

Why I am for McCain

First, and, yes, I know some think this is simplistic, I cannot vote for any person who voted yes, or present or anything but “NO!” to late term abortion. Anyone who votes for pro-abortion legislation will not get my vote. See quotes, citations and news items regarding Obama’s position.

Second, I must vote experience, courage and vision. I love the two latest articles on these subjects this morning by Charles Krauthammer (“McCain for President”) and Pat Buchannan (“What if ‘SNL’ mocked Michelle Obama?”). McCain has 40 years of experience to demonstrate his resolve, courage, integrity (Even coming clean through repentance on the Keating scandal) in economic and foreign affairs.

Third, the moral slant of the democratic party astounds me. The greed of both parties astounds me. The religious naivety of the liberal, left and democratic party astounds me. Only McCain has walked the talk. He’s open and friendly with reporters. He and his wife have given over 10% of their income away (Obama and Biden gave less than 1/4 of 1% in most of the past ten years). Obama spent 20 years under a pastor who was at the least a mirror image of the Nation of Islam founder, Louis Farrakhan, but in Christian, religious garb. The blathering of Garrison Keillor about how bad our current leader is, yet he religiously uses references to church and the religious sounding phrases of Christianity in spite of Jesus and Paul’s insistence that we submit to our leaders, pray for them and honor what God has instituted. Debate over policy is not outlawed by the Word of God. Public or private name calling and reputation bashing is!
Fourth, no magic bullet exists for this world’s problems, tyrants or crisis. Anyone says, “We need a change at the top to bring America to good standing in the world again,” is trying to find a silver bullet. When people allow the label of “Messiah” to be attached to Sen. Obama without shock or media dissent, they want the magic, mystical cure for their anxiety. When former Bush cabinet members override obvious fundamental logic to swing across the chasm of conservative or republican to the most liberal leaning person in the Senate, they are acting out of something other than principle, i.e. revenge, race, self-preservation. It’s ok to change our feeble minds on issues. Swinging across the grand canyon to find your savior is just plain dangerous.

The funny thing about elections is that no one person will solve our anxiety. That solution is in a daily walk with the God who loves us. He brings the peace that passes understanding. In the meantime, we’re fellow travelers and pilgrims here on earth. I promise to get along and submit to whoever is elected, yet dissent and discuss where needed. I hope you would, too.

Religilous: a Threat or a Good Critique?

Dr. Greg Boyd’s blog contains a reasonable analysis of the latest movie, Religilous, and its bipolar attempt to explain away the gospels and Christianity. Religilous, according to Dr. Boyd, correctly critiques some of the insanity of religion. If you have any desire for reasonable analysis and are open to a few hundred words more than a normal blog, you will see a scholar/pastor/teacher/author at work analyzing rationally. Dr. Boyd needs more publicity than the fluffy, a-biblical, sermonizing that usually happens in mega-church Christianity.

http://www.gregboyd.org/blog/religulous-and-the-alleged-horus-christ-parallels/

What Is the Truth? Debates Debated

The Second Debate, 10-07-08

Follow this link to some fact checks that will surprise you about both candidates.

Raising taxes, support for attacking Pakistan, tax breaks for health insurance, support for Bush’s policies.

Dear Mr. Obama