Letters to the Thirsty

2012-01-06T12:00:00.002-06:00

Are you a frog or a lizard? That's a funny and strange question, right? Let me explain.

I've been reading a book called Show and then Tell: Presenting the Gospel through Daily Encounters by Kent and Davidene Humphreys. In it I read about the difference between the eating habits of frogs and lizards.

A frog will simply sit and wait. If a bug happens to come near, the frog simply sticks his tongue out and gets his meal.

The lizard, however, has to hunt for his food. I'm told that if a lizard sits and waits like a frog, he would starve to death.

The book went on to explain that there are two types of ministers: the frogs and the lizards. The "frogs" are the pastors, associate pastors, youth ministers, etc. Like the insects coming to the frog, ministry opportunities come to them automatically by the nature of their job. The "lizards" are the so-called regular people. They are doctors, nurses, teachers, mechanics, grocers, bankers, clerks, lawyers, architects, homemakers, secretaries, managers, salesmen, etc. They have to be intentional in their pursuit of ministry opportunities. They have to hunt for the opportunities to share the love of Christ with others.

Frogs and lizards are both useful to God and His plan here on earth for salvation and for helping others.

So which one are you? When I ask myself this question, I must confess that I feel like some sort of bizarre creature who can transform from a frog to a lizard and vice versa. Since I am bi vocational, I spend time as a frog and as a lizard. However, whether I am a frog or a lizard, my aim everyday is to bring honor and glory to Jesus Christ. I hope that is your goal as well.

"Stick with me, friends. Keep track of those you see running this same course, headed for this same goal. There are many out there taking other paths, choosing other goals, and trying to get you to go along with them. I've warned you of them many times; sadly, I'm having to do it again. All they want is easy street. They hate Christ's Cross. But easy street is a dead-end street....Don't waver. Stay on track, steady in God" (Phil. 3:17-4:1, The Message).

The Red River Shootout

2007-10-06T11:22:00.000-05:00

That's right folks! It's that time again...time for the Red River Shootout, which features the OU Sooners versus the UT Longhorns. Now, I know that the NCAA would prefer me to call it the Red River Rivalry, but that's just dumb. They say "shootout" promotes violence, but after all, it's football (and not the powderpuff kind).

In honor of the big game, here are some jokes at the expense of UT's recent reputation for getting into trouble with the law. Enjoy!

What do you call a drug ring in Austin? A huddle.

Four UT Longhorns in a car , who's driving? The police.

The UT Longhorns have adopted a new "Honor System". Yes your Honor, no your Honor.

The UT Longhorns knew they had to do something for their defense, so theyhired a new defensive coordinator: F. Lee Bailey.

How do the UT Longhorns spend their first week at fall practice? Studying their Miranda rights.

What do you say to a Longhorn in a suit? Will the defendant please rise?

If you see Longhorn football player on a bike , why don't you swerve to hit him? It might be your bike!

The Longhorns employ scouts. But to look out for cops , not to scout high school kids.

I heard a rumor that the Texas Department of Corrections plans to build a new prison in Austin , Texas. It will allow players to walk to school.

What do you call it when a Longhorn goes on vacation? Time off for good behavior.

Why couldn't the Longhorn get into a huddle on the football field? It's a parole violation to associate with known felons.

Obviously Coach Mack Brown is not paying his players if they have to resort to robbing people.

Book 'em, Horns!

BOOMER SOONER!!!

September Reading

2007-09-30T23:16:00.000-05:00

Life Together: The Classic Exploration of Faith in Community - Dietrich Bonhoeffer. I recommend this to any committed Christian.
The Dangerous Book for Boys - Gonn & Hal Iggulden. This is for boys of all ages.
The Plague - Albert Camus. I don't recommend this to anyone. This is the worst book I've read this year.
John Newton: Author of "Amazing Grace" - Anne Sandberg. I recommend this wonderful little biography to anyone.
Confessions of a Reformission Rev.: Hard Lessons From An Emerging Missional Church - Mark Driscol. This is for the pastor or church planter.

August Reading

2007-09-01T09:18:00.000-05:00

The First Man - Albert Camus
The Abolition of Man - C. S. Lewis
Velvet Elvis - Rob Bell
When Hollywood Says Yes, How Can America Say No? - Gene Wolfenbarger
Destined For The Throne - Paul E. Billheimer
Gems For The Journey - Bob Cole

31/365

2007-08-11T23:15:00.000-05:00

Today is Nauru Awareness Day!

Nauru is a tiny island in the middle of the Pacific. Today let them know they're not completely forgotten by sending the President a friendly postcard at Office of the President, c/o Ministry of Works, Yaren Nauru.

Nauru became independent as a republic in 1968. It's six-time president is Bernard Dowiyogi.

Isn't It Ironic?

2007-08-04T09:36:00.000-05:00

I have been installing windows in XTO's fifteen-story Petrolium Building in downtown Fort Worth since June 11th. Yesterday when I entered the lobby to sign in through security, I noticed a flyer posted on the wall that was advertising a fundraiser for the American Heart Association that XTO is hosting. I casually glanced at it and quickly noticed something odd. The flyer listed the food and the prices. The prices were not the problem...after all, it is a fundraiser. What dumbfounded me was the food they are going to be serving: hotdogs, chili dogs, nachos, and frito pie--you know, foods like that which one doesn't usually put together with health in mind.

Perhaps through this fundraiser, the AHA is trying to further their research by getting people to eat more food that is bad for the heart. I don't know. Regardless of the reasoning, the security guard and I had a good laugh about it.

New Wife, New Life, and Summer Reading

2007-07-20T16:18:00.000-05:00

Greetings! I know it's been a while since my last post, but I've been busy. I was also taking a break from the blogging world. Some of you like my friend Tim have requested that I start posting again...so allow me to begin the matters of this post.

If you know me personally or if you have read my last post, you should know that I got married in May to the former Miss Amy Hunt (now Mrs. Amy Leverett). After the honeymoon, we found an apartment in Bedford, Texas (that's in the HEB area between Fort Worth and Dallas). Marriage is great, and I love my wife!

My new life began the day before I got married. On May 11th, I graduated from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary with a masters degree that took three and a half years (it's a 97 hour program). That day marked moving from the world of a student. Now don't get me wrong, I beleive you should always be a student learning as much as possible. No, what I mean is this: no longer will I enjoy those flexible schedules, no longer will I pay outrageous prices for text books, no longer will I be able to greet my professors and fellow students in the hallways, and no longer will I have to write fifteen page papers on subjects of little interest to me. As I search for the place where God will lead me to serve, I am installing windows for Pella (that's a window and door company).

It's also been a while since I've posted what I've been reading. The following are the books I have read since May.

A Brief History of Hawaii - George Armitage. I picked this little book up on the Big Island because I wanted to know a little bit of the history of our 50th state. This small reference book highlights the major historical events in Hawaii's history from the original settling of the islands by voyagers in Polynesia to Hawaii becoming a state in 1959.

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel - Juliette Cunliffe. I wanted to read this book to get the scoop on our two pooches, Obi and Jack. This book goes into topics such as training, heath care, puppy care (handy because Jack is a puppy), everyday care, facts about the breed, etc. It is a comprehensive guide to owning and caring for our CKCSs.

The Most Important Year in a Man's Life: What Every Groom Needs to Know - Robert Wolgemuth & Mark DeVries. This one was helpful because I am a new groom. I gave this book to my friends Shannon and Amber Lane as a wedding gift, and I saw a copy of it later in a bookstore, so I bought it. Incidently, Robert and Mark's wives wrote the other half of the book, The Most Important Year in a Woman's Life: What Every Bride Needs to Know. Amy can read that one. I recomment this book to newlyweds because it goes into hot topics like money, communication, sex, and conflict.

Bringing Your Faith to Work: Answers for Break-Room Skeptics - Norman L. Geisler & Randy Douglass. Excellent book! Part one is about being salt and light in the workplace. Part two discusses the hot topics around the watercooler such as "Did humans evolve?", "If there is a God, why is there suffering in the world?", and "Is there only one way to God?" This book is a great resource of apologetic material for the Christian faith. Don't be intimidated, there are good answers to the tough questions people ask.

Heretics, Orthodoxy, and The Blatchford Controversies - G. K. Chesterton. This three-in-one volume was given to me by one of my best friends and groomsman Ben Joiner. You may recognize Chesterton's name because he is often quoted my many writers and speakers. He was a true genius who wrote about the paradoxes of life and Christianity. This was my second time reading Orthodoxy, and it is found on my top 25 books of all time list.

The Master Plan of Discipleship - Robert E. Coleman. This book takes a look at Acts and gleans principles of church growth through evangelism and discipleship. This is Coleman's follow-up book to his The Master Plan of Evangelism, for which Dr. Roy Fish wrote a study guide.

The Rick & Bubba Code: The Two Sexiest Fat Men Alive Unlock the Mysteries of the Universe - Rick Burgess & Bill "Bubba" Bussey. Humerous, honest, and deeply Southern!

The Final Countdown

2007-05-05T11:02:00.000-05:00

Seven. That's the number of days I have left until I marry the most beautiful, caring, wonderful girl in the world. Words fail me. I'm so excited!

Amy and I will be wed next Saturday at 6:00 pm at the Parson's Table in Aledo, TX. From there we will spend a couple of nights in the Arbuckles in Oklahoma and seven nights in Maui.

Some People Are Dumb

2007-05-02T00:55:00.000-05:00

The following is an actual advertisement for a so-called church in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram printed on April 1, 2007.

One church.

Many beliefs.

At Pathways, we believe

there is more than one path to truth and

meaning. We find inspiration in the Bible,

world religions, nature, ethics, and

humanism, the life of Jesus, and more.

Pathways is for people who want to

decide for themselves what to believe.

Wow! That's an impressive mixture of contradictory ideas and worldviews. Is that even possible? I think not! This Unitarian Universalist group tries hard to make all these things all-inclusive. However, each religion, especially Christianity, is exclusive by nature. For example, Jesus said that He is "the way, the truth, and the life" and that no one can get to God except through Him (see John 14:6).

What kind of inspiration do they find in the Bible? Better yet, what inspiration do they find in the life of Christ? Their teachings make no sense whatsoever.

Jesus said he is the only way. The Bible agrees with this fact. Pathways, however, says that there are many ways. They claim inspiration in the life of Jesus, but they also claim that Jesus is a liar. Are they actually teaching people to be inspired by someone they believe to be a liar?

Somehow, I don't think the people who attend Pathways are really allowed to decide for themselves what to believe because they are not being presented with the whole truth about reality.

Unfortunately, Pathways isn't the only crazed so-called church in Fort Worth. Westside Unitarian Universalist Church advertises:

Different faiths.

Varied traditions.

One church.

A fellowship of justice, compassion, and respect.

The problem is most people do not do their own thinking. Many people don't even bother making an effort. As my good friend Todd says, "Some people are dumb!"

20/365

2007-05-02T00:45:00.000-05:00

Aside from it being Fire Day (Josh), today is Poetry Day.

Your task is to help me create the world's longest poem by submitting one line in iambic pentameter (ti-tum ti-tum ti-tum ti-tum), in which each of the ten syllables trip off the tongue effortlessly. William Shakespeare wrote mostly in iambic pentameter.

Here are the first two lines for you to go on:

Mercy, cried the popinjay to the pope,
Who threw him out of the second window...

Truth Museum

2007-04-27T17:34:00.000-05:00

"Here, we see the word 'evolution' evolving into its true meaning."

Accountability Questions

2007-04-26T18:04:00.000-05:00

Here are some accountability questions that my accountability partner and I are using in order to keep us living a godly life. Feel free to use them as well.

Have you spent daily time in Scripture and in prayer?
Have you had any flirtatious or lustful attitudes, tempting thoughts, or exposed yourself to any explicit materials that would not glorify God?
Have you been completely above reproach in your financial dealings?
Have you spent quality relationship time with family and friends?
Have you done your 100% best in your job, school, etc.?
Have you told any half truths or outright lies, putting yourself in a better light to those around you?
Have you shared the Gospel with an unbeliever this week?
Have you taken care of your body through daily physical exercise and proper eating and sleeping habits?
Have you allowed any person or circumstances to rob you of your joy?
Have you lied on any of your answers?

Ledbetter is Tacky

2007-04-11T11:54:00.000-05:00

In the March 19, 2007 issue of Southern Baptist Texan, Gary Ledbetter offered this tacky piece of journalism:

"Arlington pastor Dwight McKissic, who is black, issued an apology to board Chairman Van McClain of New York, who is white."

Mr. Editor, are these labels really necessary? Anyone familiar to any degree with the Southwestern Trustees/McKissic news are well aware of the said persons' skin colors.

Cha Cha Cha

2007-04-07T16:18:00.000-05:00

This past Tuesday, Amy and I (along with our friends Egbert and Dia) began ballroom dance lessons. Learning the Cha Cha isn't the easiest thing I've ever done, but it was fun and enjoyable. Besides, it gave me another opportunity to dance with my lovely fiance.

I know what you're thinking. "Baptists don't dance." We do, but for some reason we don't like to talk about it. I once asked a pastor friend of mine, "Why are [Baptists] so against dancing?" He never gave me a good answer.

Some say it's because dancing leads to other things. You know what? They're right! Dancing leads mostly to tired feet and blistered toes. Seriously, I had a blister on my left big toe.

Tomorrow is Easter, the day when we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. He is risen! He is risen indeed! Take time to thank Jesus for His love and for His death and resurrection.

9/365

2007-03-30T12:00:00.000-05:00

Today, my task was to do something before breakfast. As any peasant worth his salt will tell you, the early morning is the best part of the day, so set the alarm for 5 o'clock and rise and shine.

I chose to do my Greek homework before my Friday morning coffee. There's nothing exciting about it, but I accomplished my task.

Here's some suggestions for early morning activity:

Watch the sun rise.
Go for a five-mile run.
Call a friend and express surprise they're not up yet.
Find out what's on TV at this hour.
Lick morning dew off a leaf.
Milk a cow.
Spend time with God.

8/365

2007-03-29T00:22:00.000-05:00

Today is Addiction-Free Day.

The Bible has the following to say about the body:

1 Corinthians 3:16 - "Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you?"
1 Corinthians 6:19 - "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?"
2 Corinthians 6:16 - "What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God."

As a Christian, your body is God's temple. Cut out addictive substances for the day, week, year, the rest of your life, and see how much purer you feel.

I plan to have no Dr. Pepper all week...so far, so good!

6/365

2007-03-28T07:48:00.000-05:00

Today, I am writing the opening sentence to my debut novel entitled Make Ready: Tales from the Bottom, and here it is: "Did you cry?"

Just for fun, here are some famous first lines:

"It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of good fortune, must be in want of a wife." Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen
"Mother died today." The Stranger, Albert Camus
"Now, what I want is, facts." Hard Times, Charles Dickens
"You don't know about me, without you have read a book by the name of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, but that ain't no matter." Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain.
"...the first thing you'll probably want to know is where I was born, and what my lousy childhood was like, and how my parents were occupied and all before they had me, and all that David Copperfield kind of crap, but I don't feel like going into it." The Catcher in the Rye, J. D. Salinger
"Call me Ishmael." Moby Dick, Herman Melville
"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." Genesis, Moses.
"Gaius Julius Caesar lost his father at the age of fifteen." The Twelve Caesars, Suetonius

Feel free to:

Add your favorite famous first line.
Tell the plot for my debut novel.
Create your own first line for your debut novel.

5/365

2007-03-26T19:36:00.000-05:00

The phone's out.

So is this bathroom stall.

Yep, the TV is out too.

The Call

2007-03-23T00:21:00.000-05:00

The Call is all about having purpose in your life. Anyone who has been called has a purpose. Christian campus ministers must discover what their purpose on the college campus is, and how to use that purpose to influence a generation or more of students. Os Guiness writes, “Many a scientist has an encyclopedic knowledge of the world, many a philosopher can survey vast systems of thought, many a theologian can unpack the profundities of religion, and many a journalist can seemingly speak on any topic raised. But all that is theory and, without a sense of purpose, vanity” (3). A minister without a purpose is like a ship without a sail tossed here and there by the waves with no real direction. Guiness says, [The Call] is for all who long to find and fulfill the purpose of their lives” (4).

This book helps the campus minister learn what a calling really is. Guiness puts it this way, “Calling is the truth that God calls us to himself so decisively that everything we are, everything we do, and everything we have is invested with special devotion and dynamism lived out in response to his summons and service” (4). This definition helps the aspiring college campus minister to realize his task, which it is going to take all that he is by the grace of God in order to be an effective minister and person of influence. If he cannot handle this reality, then he should find something else to do.

Guiness teaches throughout his book that in order to answer the call and find purpose for your life, you must listen to Jesus Christ and be obedient to Him. A minister apart from this is no minister at all. Guiness writes, “Our primary calling as followers of Christ is by Him, to Him, and for Him” (31). Without this proper perspective the minister will never arrive at his secondary calling or vocation, which is, “everyone, everywhere, and in everything should think, speak, live, and act entirely for Him” (31). Why is this important for the college minister to discover? Because he will be helping students to realize these same callings in their lives. It is the minister’s task to influence a young lawyer to be a good Christian lawyer with character. It is his job to help the young historian to have the proper biblical perspective on history.

Most college students are totally focused on themselves, but ministers must help them to realize the truth that God owns everything. Abraham Kuyper said, “There is not one square inch of the entire creation about which Jesus Christ does not cry out, ‘This is mine! This belongs to me!’” (35). The Call helps one to see the biblical worldview on vocations. Since college campus ministers are in such a unique sphere of influence, it behooves them to help students understand that worldview.

Many a minister has been greatly gifted only to use that for selfish gain. College ministers must not do this. Guiness makes this point, “God normally calls us along the line of our giftedness, but the purpose of giftedness is stewardship and service, not selfishness” (45). This must be lived out and modeled for students because they are watching and learning. Leadership is a lifestyle.

Being a minister means you are going to have to take a stand at one point or another. Challenges must be faced. Guiness’ challenge to his readers is “to behave as our Lord would wish us to behave” (58). That can be quite a difficult task in our present day and culture. Will we be found faithful?

Answering the call means “listening to [God], trusting Him, and obeying Him when He calls that we ‘let God be God’ in all of His awe and majesty” (64). The issue of sovereignty must be settled in the life of the minister. College students desperately need to see someone who is totally sold out to God in every aspect of his life. Guiness says, “The only way to follow is to leave everything and follow Him. Here is a call that makes short work of all our questions, objections, and evasions. Disciples are not so much those who follow as those who must follow” (65). This is what making disciples on the college campus is all about. Guiness also says, “A life lived listening to the decisive call of God is a life lived before one audience that trumps all others—the Audience of One” (70). The college minister must be about pleasing only one person, and that person is God. You have to get to the point where you do what you do for Jesus—you only want to please Him. It is not about pleasing the students or the college dean. It is, however, about following hard after God.

Burnout in ministry is pretty common these days. Of course, it can happen even on the college campus. Guiness offers a solution to this, “God’s calling is the key to igniting passion for the deepest growth and highest heroism in life” (78). Once you can grad hold of that, try your very best to get your students to grab hold of it. Be a fire starter! Fan the flames!

It is important for the minister, especially the college campus minister, to be able to work well with others, partnering to accomplish a common goal. Guiness writes, “The call of Jesus is personal but not purely individual; Jesus summons His followers not only to an individual calling but also to a corporate calling” (93). You can do this by partnering with other nearby campus ministries. Another way to do this is to have good relations with the local churches in the area of the school. Churches should support campus ministries, and campus ministries should support the churches.

Well, these are just some of the gleanings taken from The Call by Os Guiness. Much can be learned from this wonderful book dealing with the call of God. I recommend it to any college ministry for personal and group enrichment. It is especially helpful for clearing up the meaning of God’s call(s) on a person’s life. May God continue to bless Guiness’ teaching through his book!

Leadership As A Lifestyle

2007-03-21T21:55:00.000-05:00

This paper will focus on the book Leadership as a Lifestyle by John Hawkins, and it will investigate the chapters, stories, and themes in order to determine whether or not they are consistent with specific the teaching and examples given in the Bible. Each of the following paragraphs will consider a quote taken from each chapter of the book. Basically, I will see if Hawkins’ book squares with Scripture.

Let me begin by looking at the first chapter, which is called “One Reality.” In this chapter, Hawkins shares the popular notion of the separation of the private and public life, “What a leader does in private is no one else’s business” (10). Well, that is exactly what David thought. In 2 Samuel 11, we find King David committing adultery with Bathsheba. Bathsheba ends up pregnant and David has Uriah, Bathsheba’s husband, killed in battle. David thought that his private life did not affect anyone else, until Nathan the prophet finally confronted him. David’s private decision affected him, Bathsheba, Uriah, Joab, the baby that was born, Nathan, and the Israelite nation. Hawkins also writes, “Leadership is comprised of character, competence, and commitment” (19). These are the three attributes that David should have been exercising. He should have been leading the troops out in battle instead of looking at naked women from his roof.

In chapter two, “In Essence, Leadership Is a Lifestyle,” Hawkins writes, “Effective mentors, coaches, and sages lead from their wealth of experience, wisdom, and from who they are and what they have become; they lead by sharing, encouraging, and helping” (44). This kind of leader sounds a lot like Paul. Paul became Timothy’s mentor and taught him through his lifestyle. He instructed Timothy, “The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also” (2 Tim. 2:2).

Chapter three is called “The Core of Sustained Influence.” In it we find these words, “Those who understand leadership as a lifestyle believe their success is much more dependant upon their example and abilities than upon their control and manipulation of others” (61). This statement calls to mind the investment that Jesus made in the lives of the disciples. He never tried to manipulate them, but He did try to influence them through example and teaching.

In chapter four, “Influence With Integrity,” Hawkins shares a story about two friends and co-workers, Rob and Jim. Jim ends up saying, “Too many times I feel like a chameleon, trying to figure out what color I must become next in order to play things safe and prove my worth to others. As a leader, I’m constantly shifting, not firmly planted in my convictions” (79). If there is one thing the world needs today, it is leaders who are firmly planted in their convictions. Paul instructed Timothy, “Retain the standard of sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. Guard, through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, the treasure which has been entrusted to you” (2 Tim. 1:13-14). Paul also writes, “I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths. But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry” (2 Tim. 4:1-5). Paul warned Timothy about the chameleons out there. In Acts we see Peter and John refusing to compromise instead of pleasing the religious rulers of their day. “And when they had summoned them, they commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered and said to them, ‘Whether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to you rather than to God, you be the judge; for we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard’” (Acts 4:18-20). In addition to that, “They took [Gamaliel’s] advice; and after calling the apostles in, they flogged them and ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and then released them. So they went on their way from the presence of the Council, rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for His name. And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they kept right on teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ” (Acts 5:40-42). You see, they were firmly planted in their convictions, and they carried them out.

Chapter five is called “The Necessity of Transcendence.” Hawkins writes, “Leadership is a process of change that takes place in changing contexts and within changing people” (98). He also states, “Change and its uncertainties make us realize our need for a foundation upon which to build our life and leadership” (99). This reminds me of Moses. He started out as a prince of Egypt. He then fled and lived as a shepherd in the wilderness. After that, God called him to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. Not only did he lead them out, but he became their national leader until the day of his death. Moses underwent many changes in contexts, and he himself had to change as well. Through all the changes though, God remained his steadfast anchor.

Chapter six, “Adversity: The Path to Intimacy,” talks about marriage and each of its aspects. Adversity is something that must be dealt with in any relationship or assignment. Paul warned Timothy, “But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come” (2 Tim. 3:1). James teaches, “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing” (James 1:2-4). Who models this more clearly than Job? He trusted God through his trials and came out in a deeper relationship with his maker and sustainer. Hawkins writes, “Committed love empowered by God turns any adversity into a great adventure toward intimacy” (129). If only marriages could keep this perspective and not end in divorce.

Chapter seven is entitled “Family: The Seedbed for Leadership.” In it is this statement, “In families where parents model integrity, kindness, hard work, and respect for others, children grow up understanding character as a lifestyle” (139). This brings to mind a couple of the Proverbs. The first one says this, “Do not let kindness and truth leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. So you will find favor and good repute in the sight of God and man” (Prov. 3:3-4). The second one says, “Train up a child in the way he should go, and even when he is old he will not depart from it” (Prov. 22:6). A parent’s investment in a child is invaluable.

In chapter eight, “Building Great People,” Hawkins writes, “Fortunately, in every generation there are those leaders who decide to face the questions of meaning and message. These are the leaders who commit to the roles that destiny has prepared for them…These leaders determine not to use their followers or coddle them, but rather to help them to be better, more ethical people” (157-158). Any one of the prophets could be discussed here, but Jeremiah really sticks out. He was appointed before he was even born. He remained faithful to Gods message, even though at times he felt like giving up.

“As Iron Sharpens Iron” is the title of chapter nine. It gets its title from Proverbs 27:17, which says, “Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” Hawkins says, “A few good friends can be of inestimable value to those who seek to be lifestyle leaders” (175). Paul needed Barnabus. Peter needed John. Where would Timothy be without Paul, or David without Jonathan? Elisha would not have been the man he was had it not been for Elijah.

In chapter ten, the final chapter, entitled “A Harvest of Goodness,” Hawkins states, “Lifestyle leaders realize that death comes to all of us” (195). A good leader will not forget this fact. Paul knew he was going to die, “For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come” (2 Tim. 4:6). Paul did what he could to prepare Timothy. Moses prepared the people for his death, and Joshua followed after him. David knew he was about to die, so he had Solomon put on the throne in his place (see 1 Kings 2:1-4).

It is clear that John Hawkins has a book that is consistent with the teachings found in the Bible. The principles that he communicates in his book can be found within the bounds of Scripture. I recommend Leadership As a Lifestyle to any leader. May God help us all to be better examples and influences!

Not Funny...Really

2007-03-21T01:15:00.000-05:00

I snapped a picture of this truck at SWBTS today with my camera phone. I simply couldn't believe my eyes. How ridiculous! Seriously, an actual SWBTS student actually has these letters across the back of his or her truck. Honestly, do the Southern Baptists need their image darkened more than it already is to a world who only sees fighting and bigotry within a group of people who are supposed to be showing love? I don't think so either.

My friend jokingly said upon seeing it, "Does this guy plan on backsliding?" I'm not sure what the point of this tailgate is supposed to be, but maybe some of my readers can shed some light on this mystery machine.

4/365

2007-03-09T12:25:00.000-06:00

Here's something to do on a rainy day:

Get a map of the world (preferably one that has no color).
Get four color crayons or markers: green, blue, yellow, and red.
Color each country according to the following criterion:

Green - Been there done that
Blue - Intend to go there this year
Yellow - Intend to go there sometime before I die
Red - Happy never to step foot there in my whole life

4. Enjoy your World Coloring-In Day!

3/365

2007-03-07T20:25:00.000-06:00

Today, my task was to throw something away that I really liked. It took me a long time to decide on something, but I finally parted with my coffee maker. My coffee maker served me well, and I hate to see it go. However, I do have high hopes that Amy and I will receive one as a wedding gift!

1/365

2007-03-06T00:41:00.000-06:00

Eleven Ways I Changed My Life Today

I did one press-up.
I bookmarked a new website.
I discovered that my prettiest toe is the one next to my big toe on my right foot.
I triple-tied my shoelaces.
I said 'yo' instead of 'hello'.
I told someone my middle name.
I held the phone to my left ear instead of my right ear.
I tried a new sandwich.
I left work five minutes early.
I insulted an insect.
I went on a one minute hunger strike.

The Sorting Hat

2007-03-06T00:14:00.000-06:00

If you are at all familiar with the Harry Potter series, then you know about the Sorting Hat. The Sorting Hat places a student at Hogwarts into one of four houses within the school. Click the link above to find out which house you would be put in, and remember to answer honestly.

I would love to hear which house you were placed in, so post it in a comment.

February '07 Reading List

2007-02-28T11:02:00.000-06:00

The Armchair Economist - Steven E. Landsburg
Concentric Circles of Concern - W. Oscar Thompson, Jr.
Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince - J. K. Rowling
Socrates Meets Jesus - Peter Kreeft
Enjoying Where You Are On the Way to Where You Are Going - Joyce Meyer
A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Carnivorous Carnival - Lemony Snicket

Create a Caption

2007-02-23T11:20:00.000-06:00

Post your own caption for the photo above by adding a comment. Be creative and have fun!

Honestly...

2007-02-17T02:54:00.000-06:00

My friend Bryan, one of the Blue Shirt Saints, and I were discussing the subject of blogging yesterday morning. We are having a little trouble understanding why administrative leaders and chapel speakers come down so hard on bloggers.

My friend raised the point that Martin Luther, when writing his treatises and requesting discussion from the leaders of his day, was in fact doing the exact same thing as those whose pen and paper is a computer. In other words, if Luther were alive today, he would be a blogger. Bryan's Church History professor even confirmed that there was no difference from what Luther was doing and what bloggers are doing now.

Of course, Luther got into a lot of trouble for his writings, and he came under a lot of fire from Rome. Likewise, bloggers come under a lot of heat from the Hill. Why did Luther get into trouble? Why do bloggers come under fire today? I'll tell you why. It's because Luther and the bloggers present challenges that the elite aren't willing answer with honesty.

My question: whatever happened to open discussions? Indeed, what happened to truth and honesty?

Charismatic Chaos

2007-02-04T16:59:00.000-06:00

This is insane!

The Authorship of Luke

2007-02-02T11:46:00.000-06:00

Introduction
The Gospel of Luke is unique among the other gospels because it has a sequel. The church commonly knows this sequel as the Acts of the Apostles. Both Luke and Acts are addressed to the same person, Theophilus.[1] In addition, the end of Luke and the beginning of Acts have a clear connection, tying them to the same author. Although neither book specifically identifies Luke as the author, he was overwhelmingly accepted by the second century A.D.[2]

This paper aims to identify and discuss some of the issues surrounding the authorship of the Gospel of Luke. This writer assumes Lukan authorship, and he will argue accordingly. However, the position of those who do not accept Lukan authorship will be presented and analyzed.

Luke’s Identity
One of the first questions that must be answered is: Who is Luke? What does the church know about him? According to Scripture, Luke was a Gentile, a doctor, and a loyal friend of Paul.

First, how does one know that Luke was a Gentile? Well, honestly, no one can say with absolute certainty that he was a Gentile, but there are certain evidences that point in that direction. There is one, however, that argues “that Luke was a Hellenistic-Jewish Christian.”[3] In Colossians 4:7-11, Paul lists several people[4] in his closing remarks who he says are “the only fellow workers for the kingdom of God who are from the circumcision” (Col. 4:11 NASB). What Paul means by this is that they are Jews. Following those verses, Paul continues in verses 12-14 to list several who (assumedly) are not Jews, making them Gentiles.[5] Paul said that Luke sends his greetings to the Colossians as well. Luke is mentioned with the Gentiles, and not with those Paul listed as Jews.

Referencing the anti-Marcionite prologue, some (such as Eusebius) say that he was a native of Antioch, and that he wrote “in the regions of Achaea.”[6] In addition to this, many believe that Luke was the “man of Macedonia” in Acts 16:9, but this is perhaps nothing more than speculation.[7] George Eldon Ladd writes, “It is generally agreed that Luke was a Gentile, though one whose knowledge of Judaism, and especially of the Old Testament in the Septuagint version, was remarkable.”[8] Luke wrote in outstanding Greek, and his prologue is one of the best examples of the classical writing style. His introduction to his gospel is a clear example of the style the ancient Hellenistic writers used when forming a prologue.[9]

Second, Luke was a doctor. Paul gives us this information in his letter to the Colossians as well. He writes, “Luke, the beloved physician, sends you his greetings” (Col. 4:14 NASB). Not only is Luke a doctor, he is Paul’s “beloved” doctor. There are some passages in which Luke seems to have a medical interest.[10] One example of this can be seen in a comparison with his synoptic contemporaries. In Luke 4:38, he writes about a “high fever.” Matthew and Mark, however, both only say “fever” without the descriptive modifier (Matt.8:14; Mark 1:30).[11] The Muratorian Canon (c. 170-180) says, “The third book of the Gospel: According to Luke. This Luke was a physician.”[12]

Third, Luke was Paul’s close friend and associate. Paul calls Luke his “fellow worker” (Philem. 24 NASB). Not only was Luke an associate of Paul, he was also Paul’s loyal friend. In writing his second letter to Timothy, which is believed by many to be Paul’s final letter before his execution, Paul tells Timothy that everyone deserted him except for Luke (2 Tim. 4:11).

After reading the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles, it is clear that the author was not an eyewitness of most of what he wrote about, especially the things concerning Jesus Christ. While he himself was not an eyewitness, he got his information from the “eyewitnesses and servants of the word,” and he “investigated everything carefully from the beginning” (Luke 1:2-3 NASB). This fact gives strength to the conclusion that Luke was indeed the writer.[13] Some choose, however, to call Luke a “narrator.”[14]

The “We” Passages
Most biblical critics are in agreement over the fact that the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles are written by the same author. There is no doubt that Acts is the second volume of a two-part work, due to the Theophilus connection. Luke uses the first-person in both the prologue of the Gospel of Luke and the in the introduction of Acts. In addition to this, the style and vocabulary of the two books are so similar that no one can seriously dispute it.[15]

Since Luke and Acts are tied together, the book of Acts must be considered for any evidence of Luke’s authorship. In Acts 16:10-17, 20:5-16, 21:1-18, 27:1, and 28:16, the writer of Acts includes himself in the narrative. Given the evidence above concerning who Luke was, it makes sense that Luke was the one writing in the first person. On top of this, the “we” passages show that whoever wrote those passages was Paul’s companion at “significant points in his mission to the Gentiles.”[16] The best option available for this companion is Luke.[17] I. Howard Marshall comments, “The tradition in question may date back to the first half of the second century, and it is unequivocal in singling out Luke from among the ‘we’ sections in Acts.”[18]

Historical Attestation
There are quite a few testimonies from church history that claim Luke as the author of the Gospel of Luke. Marcion, the heretic from the second century, stated that Luke was indeed the author. However, one may not accept the testimony of a heretic. Two orthodox writers, Ireneus and Tertullian, had no doubt that Luke wrote his gospel. Perhaps the best evidence available is the oldest manuscript of Luke, which goes by the name Bodmer Papyrus XIV or simply p75. Transcribed sometime between A.D. 175 and A.D. 225, this ancient text attributes the book to Luke. It should be noted that no other individual is even considered in the ancient church tradition.[19]

There is a possibility of one text that has Luke naming himself:
Rendel Harris developed an argument that the original Western text of Acts 20:13 read, “But I Luke, and those who were with me, went on board,” and F. F. Bruce reasons that, if this can be accepted, we have testimony to the Lukan authorship c. A.D. 120, for this is “the probable date of the ‘Western’ recension.” He further points out that the Mechitarist Fathers published an Armenian translation of Ephrem’s commentary on Acts and that it contains these very words in Acts 20:13. If this can be accepted, it is very early evidence indeed of Lukan authorship.[20]

History gives no good reason why Luke should not be credited with writing the gospel bearing his name. The prominent New Testaments scholars D. A. Carson, Doug Moo, and Leon Morris all agree on this, and they state additional information regarding Luke’s name being attached to his gospel:
We should bear in mind the point made by M. Dibelius that a book bearing the name of the person to whom it was dedicated is unlikely to have lacked the author’s name (it would have been on an attached tag). It is not easy to see how some other name would have been completely suppressed, or why the name Luke should have been attached to the writings if he had not produced them. In patristic discussions apostolicity receives a good deal of emphasis as a criterion for acceptance of books, so if the author was not known, it would have been much more likely that an apostle or someone like Mark would have been credited with them. As far as we know, Luke was not such an eminent member of the early church as to have writings like these attributed to him without reason.[21]
Other references to Lukan authorship can be found in writings such as Justin’s Dialogues (c. 160) and the Muratorian Canon (c. 170-180).[22]

Theophilus
Luke addressed both his gospel and the Acts of the Apostles to someone who is known as Theophilus. Nothing is really known about this individual except his name, but certain conclusions can be drawn concerning his relationship with Luke.

In all likelihood, Theophilus was Luke’s patron, meaning that he paid for Luke’s production of Luke-Acts. According to Halvor Moxnes, “A patron has social, economic, and political resources that are needed by a client. In return, a client can give expressions of loyalty and honor that are useful for the patron.”[23] Some say that Theophilus was a person of rank because of the adjective preceding his name in Luke 1:3, where he is called “most excellent Theophilus.” However, Luke may only use this title to pay respect to Theophilus.[24]

Without a doubt, Theophilus was a real person in history who was Luke’s financial provider. However, there are those who seem to think that Theophilus, which means “lover of God,” is a token name representing believers everywhere. Given the evidence available, this is highly unlikely. It makes more sense that Theophilus was a real human being.[25]

Opposition
Of course, there are those who will argue that Luke did not in fact author the Gospel of Luke or the Acts of the Apostles. Those who choose to reject Lukan authorship do so because a debate has arisen on how well the author of the “we” sections in Acts knew Paul. The problem for these critics supposedly shows up when they compare Paul’s writings with Luke’s portrayal of Paul in Acts. Their argument is made up of two basic presuppositions in that the historical detail and the theological emphasis do not square with one another neatly. They further point out that Luke does not use the letters of Paul as a basis. Those who do hold to Lukan authorship argue that Luke has his own theological goals that he is trying to accomplish. This would account for why Luke and Paul do not always say the exact same things in the exact same ways.[26] Leon Morris writes, “Sometimes [Lukan] tradition is dismissed as no more than guesswork, but this is too cavalier.”[27]

Conclusion
Without a doubt, Luke indeed wrote the Gospel that bears his name today. Without this investigative Gentile Christian, the Church would definitely lack major details regarding the birth, ministry, and death of Jesus Christ, as well as the history of the early Church.

This brief summary dealing with the issues of authorship has only scratched the surface in Lukan studies. For further study, this writer suggests the reader study the books listed in the bibliography carefully for a fuller discussion.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Bock, Darrell L. Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament. Edited by Moises Silva. Luke 1:1-9:50. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2004.

Carson, D. A., Douglas J. Moo, and Leon Morris. An Introduction to the New Testament. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1992.

Dean, Robert J. Layman's Bible Book Commentary. Edited by Broadman Press. Luke. Nashville: Broadman Press, 1983.

George Eldon Ladd. A Theology of the New Testament. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1993.

Green, Joel B. The New International Commentary on the New Testament. Edited by Gordon D. Fee. The Gospel of Luke. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1997.

-----------------. The Theology of the Gospel of Luke. New Testament Theology, ed. James D. G. Dunn. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 1995.

-----------------, Scot McKnight, and I. Howard Marshall. Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels. Downers Grove, Illinois: InterVarsity Press, 1992.

Marshall, I. Howard. The New International Greek Testament Commentary. Edited by I. Howard Marshall and W. Ward Gasque. The Gospel of Luke. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1978.

Morris, Leon. The Tyndale New Testament Commentaries. Edited by Leon Morris. Luke. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1988.

Nolland, John. Word Biblical Commentary. Edited by Bruce M. Metzger. Luke 1-9:20. Dallas: Word, Incorporated, 1989.

Packer, James I., Merrill C. Tenney, and William White, Jr. Everyday Life in the Bible: The Old and New Testaments. New York: Bonanza Books, 1989.

Stein, Robert H. The New American Commentary. Edited by David S. Dockery. Luke. Nashville: Broadman Press, 1992.

END NOTES
[1] See Luke 1:4 and Acts 1:1.
[2] Robert J. Dean, Layman's Bible Book Commentary, ed. Broadman Press, Luke (Nashville: Broadman Press, 1983), 11.
[3] Joel B. Green, Scot McKnight, and I. Howard Marshall, Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels (Downers Grove, Illinois: InterVarsity Press, 1992), 496.
[4] They are Tychicus, Onesimus, Aristarchus, Barnabas’ cousin Mark, and Jesus who is called Justus.
[5] Among these are Epaphras, Luke, and Demas.
[6] D. A. Carson, Douglas J. Moo, and Leon Morris, An Introduction to the New Testament (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1992), 115.
[7] James I. Packer, Merrill C. Tenney, and William White, Jr, Everyday Life in the Bible: The Old and New Testaments (New York: Bonanza Books, 1989), 191.
[8] George Eldon Ladd, A Theology of the New Testament (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1993), 239.
[9] John Nolland, Word Biblical Commentary, ed. Bruce M. Metzger, Luke 1-9:20 (Dallas: Word, Incorporated, 1989), xxxi.
[10] “Alfred Wikenhauser agrees that the language does not prove a medical author, but then adds, ‘Nevertheless the tradition need not be abandoned, and it may still be sustained, for the author displays familiarity with medical terminology (cf. e.g. Lk. 4:38; 5:12; 8:44; Acts 5:5,10; 9:40), and he indisputably describes maladies and cures from the point of view of a medical man,’” as cited in Carson, Moo, and Morris, 114-115.
[11] Carson, Moo, and Morris, 114.
[12] Robert H. Stein, The New American Commentary, ed. David S. Dockery, Luke (Nashville: Broadman Press, 1992), 21.
[13] Green, McKnight, and Marshall, 497.
[14] Joel B. Green, The New International Commentary on the New Testament, ed. Gordon D. Fee, The Gospel of Luke (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1997), 21.
[15] Carson, Moo, and Morris, 113-114.
[16] Dean, 11.
[17] “The last ‘we’ passage locates the writer in Rome at the time of Paul’s imprisonment there, so the author is one of those mentioned as being with Paul at that time and is not mentioned in Acts. This leaves us with Titus, Demas, Crescens, Jesus Justus, Epaphras, Epaphroditus, and Luke. No good reason seems ever to have been adduced for ascribing the authorship of Luke-Acts to any of the others, so we come back to Luke,” as written in Carson, Moo, and Morris, 114.
[18] I. Howard Marshall, The New International Greek Testament Commentary, ed. I. Howard Marshall and W. Ward Gasque, The Gospel of Luke (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1978), 33.
[19] Carson, Moo, and Morris, 113.
[20] Ibid., 114.
[21] Ibid., 113.
[22] Green, McKnight, and Marshall, 496.
[23] As cited in Joel B. Green, The Theology of the Gospel of Luke, New Testament Theology, ed. James D. G. Dunn (Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 1995), 15.
[24] Carson, Moo, and Morris, 117.
[25] Ibid. It should also be noted that, although the Gospel of Luke is addressed to Theophilus, it is definitely intended to be read by many people.
[26] Darrell L. Bock, Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament, ed. Moises Silva, Luke 1:1-9:50 (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2004), 4-5.
[27] Leon Morris, The Tyndale New Testament Commentaries, ed. Leon Morris, Luke (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1988), 17.

January '07 Reading List

2007-01-31T15:44:00.000-06:00

A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Austere Academy - Lemony Snicket
A Harmony of the Gospels - A. T. Robertson
A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Ersatz Elevator - Lemony Snicket
A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Vile Village - Lemony Snicket
A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Hostile Hospital - Lemony Snicket
Eragon - Christopher Paolini
Martin Luther: The Great Reformer - Edwin P. Booth
It's Not About Me - Max Lucado
Letters to a Young Conservative - Dinesh D'Souza
Searching for God Knows What - Donald Miller

A Brief Comparison

2007-01-24T11:24:00.000-06:00

This brief composition will compare and contrast Psalm 110 and Psalm 2. Each Psalm will be examined in order to draw out the similarities and the differences that each contain. Above all, the messianic implications for each Psalm will be discussed.

Similarities
Both of these psalms are classified as Royal Psalms because of their shared theme of dealing with events in the life of a king. Psalm 110 speaks of ruling and judging, and so does Psalm 2. Both psalms have elements of destruction. Psalm 110 tells of shattering kings and chief men, and Psalm 2 tells of shattering the nations. Both psalms are typological in that both point to Jesus Christ. In fact, Psalm 110 is pure typology, and Psalm 2 has messianic implications as well. Typology is the glue that holds the two testaments together.

Differences
Psalm 2 has no superscription. Psalm 110, on the other hand, depends on the superscription (if ever a psalm did). Psalm 110’s superscription simply says, “A psalm of David.”

Psalm 110
This psalm is one of the most quoted psalms in the New Testament, and it really does not make a whole lot of sense without the New Testament. It is quoted in the New Testament for two main reasons: 1) The reference to the priesthood of Melchizedek and 2) David saying, “Yahweh says to my lord.”

Who is Melchizedek? He occurs twice in the Old Testament (Genesis and Psalms) and in the book of Hebrews in the New Testament. The book of Hebrews would collapse without Melchizedek. In Genesis 14, Lot got himself captured. Abraham had to go rescue him. Abraham defeated kings. The king of Sodom came to Abraham so he could have his people back because it is hard to be a king if you don’t have people to be king over. Abraham gave him his people back, as well as the spoils of war. Then Melchizedek, king of Salem, came out to Abraham. He blesses Abraham. Abraham tithes to Melchizedek. Hebrews 7 is about Melchizedek and Christ. His name means King of Righteousness. Salem means peace. Christ is the real king of righteousness and peace. The common interpretation is that Melchizedek is a preincarnate Christ. This probably is not the case, but Abraham did treat him as spiritually superior. In the Old Testament, for someone to become a priest, he had to prove his genealogy. Priests were introduced by their family lineage. That is what is unique here; Melchizedek is a priest without genealogy. Abraham saw Melchizedek as a spiritual brother. He is also a king and a priest, and so is Christ. Melchizedek was a real human being, and so is Christ.

Who is a greater king in Israel than David? No one. This psalm depends on the superscription, if ever a psalm did. The Hebrew text does not have capital letters. The capital L in Lord is interpretive. Christ was clearly claiming in the New Testament that He was David’s superior, therefore the Jews sought a way to snuff him out. Who, other than Christ, can this psalm refer to? No one. This makes this psalm Messianic. This may be the only psalm that can refer to Christ and Christ alone.

Psalm 2
This is one of the top five messianic psalms, and Psalm 2 emerges in the New Testament. However, is Psalm 2 like Psalm 110? No, Psalm 2 cannot only apply to Christ. It is in a different category. Psalm 2 makes sense without the New Testament. Many people say that “son” in this psalm can only refer to Christ, but “son” in the OT is a royal metaphor. It is the idea of kings being the sons of God. In other words, a "son" is a special representative for God.

David was God’s anointed king. Likewise, Christ is the Anointed One. David was God’s begotten son in the sense that God made him a king over Israel. Christ is the only begotten of the Father, and He is the King.

Seeking Peace

2007-01-18T17:07:00.000-06:00

Psalm 122:30-31 says, “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: ‘May they prosper who love you. May peace be within your walls, and prosperity within your palaces.’ For the sake of my brothers and my friends, I will now say, ‘May peace be within you.’ For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek your good.”

Our present time and location is often marked by adversity. Just as David said he would pray for the peace of Jerusalem, I earnestly pray for the peace of Fort Worth, of Texas, and of the United States. I pray that all of God’s people in our land will benefit from the peace, security, and prosperity that God has blessed America with so abundantly, and that we would all live in peace.

I pray for the peace between my friends and family. Fighting and bickering often arise, but I hope we can be people who are defined by peace.

I pray for and seek the good of the place where I worship on Sunday mornings. I pray for the Church. I will seek to serve the Church in more effective ways, always asking the Spirit to lead me.

Eating The Word, Throwing Up Wisdom

2006-12-21T17:17:00.000-06:00

Psalm 37:30-31 says, “The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks justice. The law of his God is in his heart; his steps do not slip.” Here is the problem: my mouth often opens to speak words that are either spoken too soon or too sharp. Oftentimes I speak out of folly and not wisdom. I do a lot of complaining. My steps often slip in my speech life. For example, this summer I judged a person too quickly and spoke bad things about him. However, after getting to know him better, I now feel bad for the things I said. I wish I could take them back, but I can't.

Here is the solution to my problem: I must always be in God’s word. I must eat it as I eat food. Three times a day I will read from a passage of Scripture. My plan is to read the Old Testament in the morning with breakfast, a chapter of Proverbs with lunch, and the New Testament with supper. I have to replace all those negative words with positive words from God Almighty. My desire is to reach the point when people automatically come to me for wisdom and not simply joining me in complaining.

In addition to that, I make it my aim to memorize a verse of Scripture each day. Pretty soon I will have hidden a good bit of God’s Word in my heart. I pray that the Holy Spirit will cause me to remember the Scriptures that I have remembered in the exact moment that I need them.

Praise Him

2006-12-20T12:35:00.000-06:00

As I read Psalm 145, certain verses seemed to leap off the page and stirred my mind. Verse two says, “Every day I will bless You, and I will praise Your name forever and ever.” God has blessed me with so many gifts and things I do not deserve that my only response to Him is praise. However, I must confess that I do not praise Him enough. I mean really praising the Lord of all creation who is the King of the universe. The Psalmist said, “Every day I will bless You.” I, from this point on, desire to specifically and intentionally praise God everyday, and to bless His name. This can only be accomplished in my life by disciplining myself in this area. May I always be mindful of my Creator!

Verse four also got me to thinking about my future. It says, “One generation shall praise Your works to another, and shall declare Your mighty acts.” When I have children (Lord willing) I want to talk to them about the mighty things of God. I want to pass down the faith from my generation to the next. Just earlier this semester, I coached about twelve third and fourth graders, so I had ample opportunity to relate the things of God to the next generation. May God help me to do so!

I just want to include verse eight because it has been close to my heart for many years. Here the psalmist says, “The Lord is gracious and merciful; slow to anger and great in lovingkindness.” I have learned so much about who God is through the Psalms.

Questions in the Bible

2006-12-14T18:17:00.000-06:00

The Bible sets people thinking. In the 1,189 chapters there are 3,298 questions. Only 453 chapters are without a question. One chapter, Job 38, has as many as 40 questions; 2 Samuel 19 has 22 questions; while in the New Testament, 1 Corinthians 9 stands first with 20 questions, closely followed by John 7, with 19 questions.

Maybe I Can Hold It

2006-11-29T12:34:00.000-06:00

Crossing the Rubicon

2006-11-27T17:21:00.000-06:00

"The year was 49 B.C. The order came down to Julius Caesar to disband his army and give up the struggle. He stood on the banks of the Rubicon River and pondered his dilemma. If he continued his march by crossing the river there could be no turning back. He turned to his troops, tore up his orders, and led his dedicated legion across the Rubicon to march against Rome. This act of commitment to his cause brought about a declaration of war against the Senate and, for Caesar, it paved the way for his becoming ruler of the Roman world. Since that day the phrase, 'crossing the Rubicon', has been used to signify total commitment to a cause from which there can be no turning back."*

I never thought I would compare myself to Julius Caesar, but I've decided to cross the Rubicon in my own life. This past Saturday morning, I got engaged to Miss Amy Hunt. I'm engaged!!! Needless to say, I'm very excited. However, I don't take this decision lightly. This is my act of commitment to Amy. As far as I'm concerned, there is no turning back. You can bet your last dollar on this. I'm not just some smooth-talking windbag!

This is how I proposed. Saturday the 25th was our anniversary. When Amy went to bed Friday night, I went back to my dorm room at Fort Worth Hall. I took a shower, dressed in my finest suit, and headed back over to Amy's house. When I arrived there, I reminded myself that all in the house were asleep (Amy, her parents, and Obi), so I would have to set everything up quietly. Thankfully, Obi didn't notice that anyone had come into the house, so I didn't have to deal with him wanting to play or bark or any of that sort of hubbub.

Once I moved into the living room, I quickly set everything up. Using both tact and reason, I lit some candles and placed the ring (which was in a gift box) under the Christmas tree. When I was ready, I turned out the lights and crept down the hall to Amy's room.

I woke her up by turning on the light. She was confused about why I was there again, and on top of that, why I was wearing a suit. When she questioned me, I simply replied with, "You're dreaming. Come with me." After I made sure she really was awake, I led her by the hand down the hall into the living room. I made sure I shut the door behind me so her parents wouldn't hear us.

I think she was excited that I would come see her in the middle of the night, but little did she know what was about to take place. I told her that Santa Clause came a little bit early this year, and that he had left her a gift under the tree. We walked over to the tree. I picked up the box and opened it for her. I quickly got down on one knee, read her a poem, and asked her to marry me. Her response: "Yes! Of course!" I had to stifle a whole lot of whoopla. She said I was trembling with nervousness. I was in a tizzy.

It was such a joyful and romantic time that I didn't want it to end. It was beautiful! However, it was after 4:00 in the morning at this point, and I badly needed sleep after day full of anticipation and fulfillment (not to mention that I had gone shopping earlier that day as well). We celebrated our engagement and anniversary properly on Saturday evening.

What about Obi? He never woke up while I was there. Even after going into Amy's room where he was, he didn't budge. I guess he too was worn out from the day's events.

Amy and I are happily engaged now! Our joy is unbridled! Wedding plans must be arranged now. We will update when we have more to tell. We ask that you pray for us as we plot a course for spending the rest of our lives together.

*O. S. Hawkins, The Art of Connecting. (Dallas: Guidestone, 2004), 139.

Imaginary Letter

2006-11-21T12:51:00.000-06:00

Dear Children,

It has come to my attention that many of you are upset that folks are taking My name out of the season. Maybe you've forgotten that I wasn't actually born during this time of the year and that it was some of your predecessors who decided to celebrate My birthday on what was actually a time of pagan festival. Although, I do appreciate being remembered anytime.

How I personally feel about this celebration can probably be most easily understood by those of you who have been blessed with children of your own. I don't care what you call the day. If you want to celebrate My birth just, GET ALONG AND LOVE ONE ANOTHER.

Now, having said that let Me go on. If it bothers you that the town in which you live doesn't allow a scene depicting My birth, then just get rid of a couple of Santas and snowmen and put in a small Nativity scene on your own front lawn. If all My followers did that there wouldn't be any need for such a scene on the town square because there would be many of them all around town.

Stop worrying about the fact that people are calling the tree a holiday tree, instead of a Christmas tree. It was I who made all trees. You can remember Me anytime you see any tree. Decorate a grape vine if you wish: I actually spoke of that one in a teaching, explaining who I am in relation to you and what each of our tasks were. If you have forgotten that one, look up John 15: 1 - 8.

If you want to give Me a present in remembrance of My birth here is my wish list. Choose something from it:

1. Instead of writing protest letters objecting to the way My birthday is being celebrated, write letters of love and hope to soldiers away from home. They are terribly afraid and lonely this time of year. I know, they tell Me all the time.

2. Visit someone in a nursing home. You don't have to know them personally. They just need to know that someone cares about them.

3. Instead of writing George complaining about the wording on the cards his staff sent out this year, why don't you write and tell him that you'll be praying for him and his family this year. Then follow up. It will be nice hearing from you again.

4. Instead of giving your children a lot of gifts you can't afford and they don't need, spend time with them. Tell them the story of My birth, and why I came to live with you down here. Hold them in your arms and remind them that I love them.

5. Pick someone that has hurt you in the past and forgive him or her.

6. Did you know that someone in your town will attempt to take their own life this season because they feel so alone and hopeless? Since you don't know who that person is, try giving everyone you meet a warm smile it could make the difference.

7. Instead of nit picking about what the retailer in your town calls the holiday, be patient with the people who work there. Give them a warm smile and a kind word. Even if they aren't allowed to wish you a "Merry Christmas" that doesn't keep you from wishing them one. Then stop shopping there on Sunday. If the store didn't make so much money on that day they'd close and let their employees spend the day at home with their families.

8. If you really want to make a difference, support a missionary,especially one who takes My love and Good News to those who have never heard My name.

9. Here's a good one. There are individuals and whole families in your town who not only will have no "Christmas" tree, but neither will they have any presents to give or receive. If you don't know them, buy some food and a few gifts and give them to the Salvation Army or some other charity which believes in Me and they will make the delivery for you.

10. Finally, if you want to make a statement about your belief in and loyalty to Me, then behave like a Christian. Don't do things in secret that you wouldn't do in My presence. Let people know by your actions that you are one of mine.

Don't forget; I am God and can take care of Myself. Just love Me and do what I have told you to do. I'll take care of all the rest. Check out the list above and get to work; time is short. I'll help you, but the ball is now in your court. And do have a most blessed Christmas with all those whom you love and remember -

I LOVE YOU,

JESUS

Top 25 Most Influential Books (Updated)

2006-11-01T10:55:00.000-06:00

Here's the list for 2006. You can check the November archives for the 2004 and 2005 lists. Keep in mind that no book has influenced my life on the same level as the Bible. I recommend you read it first.

To Follow Him - Mark Bailey
Marriable - Hayley & Michael DiMarco
The Mind of Christ - T. W. Hunt
The Power of Love - David Jeremiah
Knowing God - J. I. Packer
Dangerous Wonder - Michael Yaconelli
Orthodoxy - G. K. Chesterton
The Case for Christ - Lee Strobel
The Case for Faith - Lee Strobel
Can Man Live Without God - Ravi Zacharias
Jesus Among Other Gods - Ravi Zacharias
Mere Christianity - C. S. Lewis
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of The Dawn Treader - C. S. Lewis
Why I Am a Christian - Norman Geisler & Paul Hoffman
Why I Believe - D. James Kennedy
The Ten Things You Can't Say In America - Larry Elder
Love Your God With All Your Mind - J. P. Moreland
Worship: Rediscovering the Missing Jewel - Ronald Allen & Gordon Borror
Blue Like Jazz - Donald Miller
Give Me a Break - John Stossel
Loving God - Charles Colson
Foxe's Book of Martyrs
Pilgrim's Progress - John Bunyan
A Guide to Spiritual Success - Tony Evans
The Cost of Discipleship - Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Palpatine & Amidala On Friendly Terms

2006-10-31T12:26:00.000-06:00

Weekend Update

2006-10-20T12:28:00.000-05:00

NEW HOBBY
I have a new hobby. I've become interested in writing on parchment by dipping a fountain pen in a bottle of ink, like in the old days. I have had so much fun with it so far, and I look forward to getting better at it. I have a couple different tips for my pen. Maybe one day I'll make some illuminated manuscripts.

SQUIRREL BITE
A couple of weeks ago, a SWBTS landscaper was bitten by a "sickly" squirrel. My co-workers (Bryan and Todd) and I were monitoring the radio when the SWBTS Physical Plant secretary made the call to security. We couldn't believe it. How do you get bitten by a squirrel?! Here's the deal, the guy thought that the squirrel was dead, so when he reached to pick it up, it surprised him by being alive. It bit him! My question is this: Why was this guy trying to pick up a dead animal with his hands in the first place? They ended up checking him out medically, and they were going to test the squirrel last I heard.

PLAGIARISM
Did you know that you can't quote yourself? What I mean is this: I can't write a paper and then use some of the same material, my own words, in another document. SWBTS considers this plagiarism. I consider it dumb.

STARS OVER BLACKHAWKS
Amy and I went to a Dallas Stars game tonight, where we sat in a Platinum Club Box. Our seats were at the center line. They were fantastic! The game was for the most part uneventful. There were no real fights. There were a couple of close calls, but the refs were always there to stop them. Also, for the majority of the game, the Stars were down. However, in the final minutes of the third period, the ice heated up with goals. The Stars were down 3-1. They scored two goals to tie. Chicago scored a pair to make it 5-3. Then all of a sudden, the Stars scored three goals in a row to win the game with about 40 seconds remaining. The American Airlines Center was roaring. Oh the excitement!

The White Preacher, The White Song Leader, and The Black Man

2006-10-14T10:59:00.000-05:00

One day a teacher of an adult Bible class got up and tested him with this question: "Doctor, what does one do to be saved?"

Jesus replied, "What does the Bible say? How do you interpret it?"

The teacher answered, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your physical strength and with all your mind; and love your neighbor as yourself."

"That is correct," answered Jesus. "Make a habit of this and you'll be saved."

But the Sunday school teacher, trying to save face, asked, "But...er...but...just who is my neighbor?"

Then Jesus laid into him and said, "A man was going from Atlanta to Albany and some gangsters held him up. When they had robbed him of his wallet and brand-new suit, they beat him up and drove off in his car, leaving him unconscious on the shoulder of the highway.

"Now it just so happened that a white preacher was going down that same highway. When he saw the fellow, he stepped on the gas and went scooting by.

"Shortly afterwards a white Gospel song leader came down the road, and when he saw what had happened, he too stepped on the gas.

"Then a black man traveling that way came upon the fellow, and what he saw moved him to tears. He stopped and bound up his wounds as best he could, drew some water from his water-jug to wipe away the blood and then laid him on the back seat. He drove on into Albany and took him to the hospital and said to the nurse, 'You all take good care of this white man I found on the highway. Here's the only two dollars I got, but you all keep account of what he owes, and if he can't pay it, I'll settle up with you when I make a pay-day.'

"Now if you had been the man held up by gangsters, which of these three--the white preacher, the white song leader, or the black man--would you consider to have been your neighbor?"

The teacher of the adult Bible class said, "Why, of course, the nig--I mean, er...well, er...the one who treated me kindly."

Jesus said, "Well, then you get going and start living like that!"

A Woman from the Inside Out

2006-10-12T18:41:00.000-05:00

This is a little something for you Flash fans out there. It's pretty cool...I wish I were an artist.

How Well Do You Know Your Hymns?

2006-10-08T15:19:00.000-05:00

Pilot's Hymm.......................I'll Fly Away
Dentist's Hymn.....................Crown Him With Many Crowns
Weatherman's Hymn............There Shall Be Showers Of Blessings
Contractor's Hymn...............The Church's One Foundation
The Tailor's Hymn.................Holy, Holy, Holy
The Golfer's Hymn................There Is A Green Hill Faraway
The Politician's Hymn............Standing On The Promises
The Optometrists Hymn........Open My Eyes That I Might See
The IRS Agent's Hymn..........I Surrender All
The Gossip's Hymn................Pass It On
The Electrician's Hymn...........Send The Light
The Shopper's Hymn............Sweet Bye And Bye
The Realtor's Hymn...............I've Got A Mansion Just Over The Hill
The Therapist's Hymn............He Touched Me
The Doctor's Hymn................The Great Physician
And for those who speed on the highway, a few hymns
45mph...........God Will Take Care Of You
65mph...........Nearer My God To Thee
85mph...........This World Is Not My Home
95mph...........Lord, I'm Coming Home
100mph.........Precious Memories

Peeling Off Skin

2006-10-02T12:36:00.000-05:00

"But the lion told me I must undress first. Mind you, I don't know if he said any words out loud or not.

"I was just going to say that I couldn't undress because I hadn't any clothes on when I suddenly thought that dragons are snaky sort of things and snakes can cast their skins. Oh, of course, thought I, that's what the lion means. So I started scratching myself and my scales began coming off all over the place. And then I scratched a little deeper and, instead of just scales coming off here and there, my whole skin started peeling off beautifully, like it does after an illness, or as if I was a banana. In a minute or two I just stepped out of it. I could see it lying there beside me, looking rather nasty. It was a most lovely feeling. So I started to go down into the well for my bathe.

"But just as I was going to put my feet into the water I looked down and saw that they were all hard and rough and wrinkled and scaly just as they had been before. Oh, that's all right, said I, it only means I had another smaller suit on underneath the first one, and I'll have to get out of it too. So I scratched and tore again and this underskin peeled off beautifully and out I stepped and left it lying beside the other one and went down to the well for my bathe.

"Well, exactly the same thing happened again. And I thought to myself, oh dear, how ever many skins have I got to take off? For I was longing to bathe my leg. So I scratched away for the third time and got off a third skin, just like the others, and stepped out of it. But as soon as I looked at myself in the water I knew it had been no good.

"Then the lion said--but I don't know if it spoke--'You will have to let me undress you.' I was afraid of his claws, I can tell you, but I was pretty nearly desperate now. So I just lay flat down on my back to let him do it.

"The very first tear he made was so deep that I thought it had gone right into my heart. And when he began pulling the skin off, it hurt worse than anything I've ever felt. The only thing that made me able to bear it was just the pleasure of feeling the stuff peel off. You know--if you've ever picked the scab of a sore place. It hurts like a billy-oh but it is such fun to see it coming away."

"I know exactly what you mean," said Edmund.

"Well, he peeled the beastly stuff right off--just as I thought I'd done it myself the other three times, only they hadn't hurt--and there it was lying on the grass: only ever so much thicker, and darker, and more knobbly-looking than the others had been. And there was I as smooth and soft as a peeled switch and smaller than I had been."

The above passage is from pen of C. S. Lewis in his classic The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, which is book five in the Chronicles of Narnia series.

How many times have people tried to cure their own sinfulness? How many times have people attempted to peel off their old nature? There are scores upon scores of religions available that will tell you how you can do this, but they are all empty words.

All religion is is man's attempt to get to God. Christianity is different though. Christianity is God reaching down to man and saving him. Jesus himself said, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through me" (John 14:6). John also records those most famous words of Jesus, "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life" (3:16). I encourage you to read all of Jesus' words to Nicodemus.

So many people think that they will go to heaven simply because their good outweighs thier bad. They think that if they are good enough they will make it to heaven, as long as they aren't as bad as Hitler or Stalin or Osoma bin Ladin.

The fact of the matter is, no one is good enough to enter heaven. No one! We are all sinners. Paul said, "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). Man is totally depraved. There is nothing he can do about his situation.

Then, when the Spirit begins to work on a man, struggled often ensue. Finally, when all fighting is done, and that man gives up, then He is ready for Jesus to come in and save him. In other words, Jesus the Righteous is the only one who is mighty to save. He takes those filthy rags that we call our sins and, and He washes them in His precious blood, and we are made clean and pure. Jesus' righteousness is now imputed to our account. Now, instead of dirty sinner lost and going hell, there is a righteous child of God.

Think of it like this. Because of your sin, you are eternally in debt, and hell is the debtors prison. Well, what Jesus did was pay our debts and purchased our redemption. He redeemed us! Those of us who believe in Jesus as Lord and Savior are now going to spend eternity in the presence of God. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so! Paul writes, "Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:1).

Of course, allowing Christ to step into our lives can hurt; his wounds can hurt us, but He won't harm us. To quote C. S. Lewis again from The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, "Safe? Of course he isn't safe. But he is good, he's the king I tell you."

Blessing God

2006-09-22T11:28:00.000-05:00

Greetings! During my small group Bible study last night (which was made up of Josh, Dusty, Nate, Joel, and me), we had a pretty lengthy discussion on what it means to bless God.

Psalm 145:1 says, "I will extol You, my God, O King, And I will bless Your name forever and ever."

I would like to extend Nate's question to the general public: What does it really mean to bless God?

We came up with some pretty good answers, but I would like to hear from you. What do you think it means?

On a side note, I listened to Zao's Parade of Chaos this morning, and I was reminded of how mighty that cd is.

Vintage21 Jesus Video #4

2006-08-31T17:46:00.000-05:00


In the Spring of 2003, Vintage21 had a four week series on Jesus Christ, taking a deep look at what He said and did. It was difficult at times to get past our preconceived notions that had been developed by staunch, starched Sunday School classes of old. This is a satirical look at what some people think Jesus is like. Thank goodness He's not.

Vintage21 Jesus Video #3

2006-08-31T17:45:00.000-05:00


In the Spring of 2003, Vintage21 had a four week series on Jesus Christ, taking a deep look at what He said and did. It was difficult at times to get past our preconceived notions that had been developed by staunch, starched Sunday School classes of old. This is a satirical look at what some people think Jesus is like. Thank goodness He's not.

Vintage21 Jesus Video #2

2006-08-31T17:42:00.000-05:00


In the Spring of 2003, Vintage21 had a four week series on Jesus Christ, taking a deep look at what He said and did. It was difficult at times to get past our preconceived notions that had been developed by staunch, starched Sunday School classes of old. This is a satirical look at what some people think Jesus is like. Thank goodness He's not.

Vintage21 Jesus Video #1

2006-08-31T17:41:00.000-05:00


In the Spring of 2003, Vintage21 had a four week series on Jesus Christ, taking a deep look at what He said and did. It was difficult at times to get past our preconceived notions that had been developed by staunch, starched Sunday School classes of old. This is a satirical look at what some people think Jesus is like. Thank goodness He's not.

A Swinging Good Time

2006-08-30T12:15:00.000-05:00

My wonderful girlfriend and I went swing dancing last night. We, along with Dave, Kristi, and Chris, learned a dance called the Charleston. Since this was my first time I was a little tense and slow to learn the steps. However, I must say that I enjoyed dancing with Amy and making fun of myself along the way. I think Dave laughed a few times as well.

I've been wanting to take dance lessons for quite some time, and I'm glad I finally went last night. I highly recommend it to anyone (young and old). There were even a few old men out who still had the moves. I hope I'm still that active in my 80s.

The Charleston is a little complicated at first, but the instructors took us through it piece by piece. I could almost do the dance with my partner Amy in its entirety by the end of the session. My shoes just wouldn't slide like I wanted. I also learned some basic moves thanks to Dave. He taught me things like the triple step and the turn.

Bottom line: I had fun and I look forward to doing it again!

Unfriendly Times

2006-06-22T18:10:00.000-05:00

These are unfriendly times. I've noticed that people generally won't wave back at you if you wave at them.

A couple of weeks ago, my co-worker Wes and I drove around the seminary grounds waving at people. Most didn't wave back. We were like, "What is the deal?" We got a lot of blank stares as if what we were doing were a strange thing. Maybe it is strange here in the great state of Texas. Wes and I represent Arkansas and Georgia, where people still wave to one another and are generally friendly towards one another.

I've spent the last six months living with Josh and Dean in a house that Dean just sold. During that time I tried my very best to get to know our next door neighbor. Everytime I saw him outside, I would either wave or speak to him. I never once got a response from him. I never even got an acknowledgement. I might as well not have been there.

I remember riding around with my friend and ex-roommate, Jared Pickard, and he would get so mad when someone in his neighborhood wouldn't wave back at him.

Now I somewhat understand if people of the world refuse to wave, but when people in the church aren't friendly then there's a big problem. I'm telling you, it happens and it shouldn't. Unfriendliness in the church is akin to walking into a bakery and asking for a loaf of bread, only to hear the guy behind the counter ask, "What is this bread you speak of?" It just makes no sense.

Okay, there's my rant for today. Have you experienced this or am I the only one?

*It should be noted that I know a lot of friendly people. I'm just commenting on something I've noticed as of late.

This May...14 Things Remembered

2006-05-29T13:03:00.000-05:00

These are the things I've done this May...

1. Turned 25
2. Took three weeks of I-term classes
3. Saw the Yankees beat the Rangers in Arlington
4. Bought a baseball glove
5. Enjoyed a picnic with my church group
6. Went swimming twice
7. Played sand volleyball
8. Had a visit from Jason
9. Phone rang off the hook all month
10. Received cookies from Kat
11. Read five books
12. Worked on Saturdays
13. Saw X-Men 3
14. Visited Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship

CHIME

2006-05-17T19:21:00.000-05:00

I was sitting in class (College Ministry Director) yesterday, and I came up with an acronym to use in ministry. I call it CHIME. Feel free to use it!

Commitment
Honesty
Integrity
Moral Purity
Edification

Rest

2006-05-01T18:30:00.000-05:00

Isn’t it amazing how so few people can just sit down and remain silent for thirty minutes or more? How come so few people can stand their own company without having to have a crutch such as TV, games, telephone, music, computer, books, etc.? Now, there’s nothing wrong with doing these things, but we also need to take time to rest. Jesus said to his disciples, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and rest” (Mark 6:31 NIV). I readily admit that I don’t do this nearly enough, but I can definitely see the value in quietly resting alone--just the Lord and me. I cherish those times.

Saint Francis of Assisi

2006-04-27T15:21:00.000-05:00

There have been numerous books written about the life and times of John Bernardone (better known to the world as Saint Francis of Assisi), and most of them probably have done a great job at presenting his life and character. Among those biographies, Saint Francis of Assisi by Gilbert Keith Chesterton rises to the top level of biographies. Chesterton chose to go a different route with examining the famed Italian who is credited with starting three orders of Christian monkhood. Of course, he mentions in his book some of the famous stories attached to the name of Saint Francis, but Chesterton digs much deeper and gives the history and philosophy that surrounded the monk. However, the purpose of this essay is to describe, summarize, and critique Saint Francis’ life and effectiveness in ministry so that the reader may glean important characteristics that define a Christian leader, and employ them in his or her life. The writer of this essay has identified fourteen characteristics that are worth mentioning.

Saint Francis was a bold and brave man. Chesterton said that there is “a great deal to be said about the man who tried to end the Crusades by talking to the Saracen or who interceded with the Emperor for the birds” (2). He had “courage of heart” (32) because he willingly tried to be a soldier in his youth. Even though that did not work out for him, his brave heart remained nonetheless. Christian leaders have to have a brave heart as well in order to take a stand in this present world and time.

Saint Francis was a “lover of God and he was really and truly a lover of men” (7). Chesterton quipped, “As Saint Francis did not love humanity but men, so he did not love Christianity but Christ” (7). He adored and imitated Christ. Christ was the “pattern on which Saint Francis sought to fashion himself” (108). Chesterton also said that Saint Francis’ “religion was not a thing like a theory but a thing like a love-affair” (8). Some Christian leaders seem to have missed the point of it all. A love relationship with Christ should be sought above all others.

Saint Francis was “one of those people who are popular with everybody in any case” (30). He was a man with an excellent reputation—a man above reproach. Christian leaders should not drag their names, and especially the name of Christ, through the mud, and thus weakening or destroying their witness to a lost world and a confused body of believers.

Saint Francis was a generous giver because “he threw money about both in extravagance and benevolence” (31). He really strove to help out in any way he could by running on “errands of mercy” (34), especially to those “people who had been put hopelessly in the wrong” (31). Saint Francis likely “swore before God that he would never all his life refuse to help a poor man” (33). Chesterton said, “Saint Francis really meant what he said when he said he had found the secret of life in being the servant and the secondary figure” (62). Not only did he give to others, but also he always gave thanks to God for His blessings. He was the giver who gave thanks. Christian leaders should never forget where they came from, whom they belong to, and who provides for their every need.

Saint Francis was a polite, gentle, and kind man. In fact, “all agreed that politeness flowed from him” (32). Chesterton said, “If there was one thing of which so humble a man could be said to be proud, he was proud of his good manners” (32). Chesterton also said that “he seems to have liked everybody” (38), even those who might be viewed as his enemies. When people called him a coward, a thief, or a fool, Saint Francis never lost his cool. A little politeness can go a long way in dealing with people.

Saint Francis was a man strictly concerned with the details, even the smallest of particulars of form in action and conduct. It could be said that he was even punctilious about his punctiliousness. A good leader has to know the big picture and the individual pixels that make up that picture.

Saint Francis was a “man of action” and the “very reverse of a dreamer” (34). He did not sit around lazily like some leaders today. He had a strong work ethic that allowed him to take immediate action when a particular situation arose. When a something tough came along, he did not waver and look incompetent. A good Christian leader will be known as a man of action.

Saint Francis was a positive man. On one occasion, he and several others were thrown in prison during his soldiering days. He “moved among his captive companions…resolved to keep up their spirits and his own” (37). A good leader will inspire his followers and friends. People will not generally follow a negative person. They will grow tired of negativity in a hurry. A good leader realizes this and is careful not to be a glum, downtrodden, defeated person.

Saint Francis was a man of prayer and he was “in the habit of praying” (46). He occasionally sought refuge in solitude, where he attended to prayer and fasting. In those times, he did not even want his close friends around for fear that they would distract him. Where would a Christian leader be with prayer? Prayer is the power source on which leaders run. Without it, churches and Christian organizations would assuredly be in a world of trouble.

Saint Francis was dependant on God his Father. He knew who he was, and he did not rely on his merchant dad for help. On one dramatic occasion before a large crowd, Saint Francis declared, “Up to this time I have called Pietro Bernardone father, but now I am the servant of God” (48). Christian leaders must have this resolve, not to the point of not allowing others to help, but to really depend chiefly on God.

Saint Francis was a hard worker. When he was in charge of rebuilding a house for worship, he jumped in and helped out with his own hands. A good Christian leader will display this same willingness to jump in with both feet and work until Jesus comes back, despite any difficulty that may come along. A good leader will pour his energies into doing whatever it is the Lord has led him or her to do.

Saint Francis had a “passion for simplicity” (51). When he spoke, he desired that his message to be simple enough in so that “the village idiot could understand it” (142). A Christian leader must know his people to be able to effectively lead. There has to be a base level of understanding. Some of the smartest people on earth have the ability to present material in a way that even a child can understand it. That makes a good leader and communicator.

Saint Francis could work well with others. He was a team player. He partnered up with Saint Clare to form an order for women. On another occasion, he met with Saint Dominic, his Spanish opposite. They both sought to end the Crusades, one by conquest and the other by conversion—one by the sword and the other by the Gospel.

Saint Francis had a genuine concern for the lost. He lived by the idea that it was “better to create Christians than to destroy Moslems” (114). Imagine the difference in the world if the Christian church always had that focus in evangelism.

Those are the fourteen main characteristics learned from reading Saint Francis of Assisi. When one thinks of a good Christian leader, each of these will undoubtedly come to mind. Billy Graham, perhaps one of the greatest Christian leaders of our generation, lives out each of these characteristics. May God help leaders all over the world to exhibit and resemble the life that made Saint Francis a man of outstanding character for Christ!

The Sufficiency of Scripture

2006-04-09T01:11:00.000-05:00

This year’s theme for the regional Evangelical Theological Society meeting was The Sufficiency of Scripture. Al Mohler, this year’s Day-Higginbotham lecturer, said that the Sufficiency of Scripture is the major issue of this generation. One would be hard-pressed to argue against that point. As young theologians, learning from the wiser and older ones, students have been given a great opportunity to stand up and affirm this necessary doctrine of the faith.

When affirming this doctrine, one is in effect saying that the Scriptures are not lacking in any way. What exactly does that mean, though? Is Scripture sufficient for helping to decide which shirt to wear, which car to drive, or giving instructions on how to sew? No, that’s silly. What is meant by the Sufficiency of Scripture is this, the Bible is sufficient is everyway for salvation. Paul in Romans 10:17 sums this up, “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing from the Word of Christ.”

There is not a robust affirmation in Christianity today of this doctrine. The Roman Catholics, for example, will teach that Scripture is not sufficient. They have a whole system of tradition that holds to a works-based salvation. It seems way too often, even in Baptist circles (the people of the Book) that one will acknowledge it with his lips as a formality, but then in practice disregard God’s Word almost totally. As Mohler pointed out in his chapel address at Southwestern Seminary, there are too many books in Christian bookstores that are merely proclaiming the world’s wisdom with Bible verse tacked on. Christians today will try to “baptize” anything and deem it Christian.

The Bible itself teaches an absolute sufficiency. This means that Christians should be teaching both the New Testament and the Old Testament. Preach the Word! Do not preach any other garbage! Paul in 2 Timothy 3:16-17 writes, “All Scripture is inspired (God-breathed) by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.” Notice that Paul did not add anything to that. If the Bible is not preached, then what is? This is a scary question when considered in light of the urgency of preaching the Gospel. There are people sitting in pews today that are dying and on their way to Hell, and what is being preached but that which will tickle their ears or make them feel good about themselves?

Jesus teaches the doctrine of the Sufficiency of Scripture in the parable of the rich man and Lazarus found in Luke 16:19-31. When the rich man asked Abraham to send Lazarus to warn his brothers, Abraham responded, “They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them” (v. 29). The rich man then begged, “No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent!” (v. 30). Abraham, in the parable, then says these words, “If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets (The Word of God), they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead” (v. 31). Jesus, the very person, who spoke the words of this parable, indeed rose from the dead. The very ones who rejected His message also rejected his Resurrection. Their hearts were hardened. A person either will or will not trust the Word of God. All too often, many follow the logic of the rich man in Jesus’ parable.

Mohler asked those in attendance in Chapel, “Do you think you can reach someone where the Word of God cannot reach them?” The rich man’s logic is not sufficient, the Bible is. Abraham’s logic must be followed. The Word (working with the Spirit of God) must be trusted to accomplish the changing of hearts. When Martin Luther addressed his zealous students concerning private altars in the homes of certain people where mass was being observed, he told them that they (poor sinners) could not change the people. He said, “The Word of God must accomplish this thing.”

Mohler, in his second address, said that Evangelicalism must be committed to some theological method, and that method is the Sufficiency of Scripture. He asked, “Does it really matter in the 21st Century about sola scriptura?" It absolutely matters. Every major issue that the church faces today is tied in with this doctrine. One example of this is the roles of men and women. Others include the sanctity of human life and evolution.

The Bible also sets forth an absolute and enduring morality. The Bible is not only sufficient for leading one to salvation, but it is also sufficient for moral and ethical teaching. Aristotle taught that a person could become virtuous in two ways: watching others that are virtuous and listening to stories that teach virtues. The Word of God must be preached in the Church today!

All too often in Christians’ lives, textbooks supersede the Bible in their practice. One will even say, “I know the Bible says this, but….” That is the problem; there are too many buts in Christianity today. By affirming the Bible’s sufficiency, one must also affirm its authority. Likewise, the Bible’s authority cannot be affirmed without the Bible being sufficient. One is dependant on the other. When Luther’s authority was challenged, he replied that he had to be convicted by Scripture and plain reason. He had to stand on the Word of God for his authority. As Mohler put it, all other norms must be normed by the Holy Scripture. Scripture is the norm of norms that cannot be normed.

The Church is always accountable to the Word of God. As alluded to earlier, Luther said that the Word and the Spirit would reform the Church. The reformers staked their lives and liberties on the affirmation of the doctrine of the Sufficiency of Scripture. They chose to defy the authority of Rome and stick with Scripture’s plain teachings. Mohler said that the Word of God norms Rome, Princeton, Dallas, and Louisville. All will be held accountable.

The Sufficiency of Scripture must be affirmed in order for one to remain evangelical. However, there are those today within evangelicalism who are trying their best to deny it. Mohler stated that human sexuality would be the test case of this generation. Was Paul right concerning sexuality in Romans 1, or was he mistaken? People are doing all sorts of things with the Bible dealing with homosexuality. Some will ignore it altogether. Others try to discredit the passages that speak against it. Still others do not allow the Bible to have the final word. They merely see it as one voice in a room of competing voices. The Bible’s words on homosexuality are clear; it condemns it. However, some say that those words are no longer living; they are dead to the present world.

Overall, the Day-Higginbotham lectures by Al Mohler were both interesting and informative. The Sufficiency of Scripture is crucial in evangelical theology. It always has been, and it always will be. It must be taught and affirmed continually. One would do well to believe Moses and the Prophets!

Words From The French Weasel

2006-04-06T00:32:00.000-05:00

I recently finished reading The Words, an autobiography by Jean-Paul Sartre, the French Existentialist philosopher. I would like to point out that Mr. Sartre admitted that he did not believe in God, at least at the time of the writing of this book in 1964. There is no real evidence in his autobiography that he ever believed. The following are some quotes that I have selected for your education and enjoyment. I have even added some personal commentary on a few of them.

"Dying isn't everything: one must die in time."

"Truth flows from the mouth of babes and sucklings."

"I have no rights, since love heaps blessings upon me; I have no duties, since I give out of love."

"Whatever their poverty, they will never suffer as much as my grandfather did: when he was little, he would get up before dawn and dress in the dark; in winter, he had to break the ice in the water jug in order to wash." (Sartre's grandfather was Charles Schweitzer, the brother of the famed liberal theologian, Albert Schweitzer.)

"I never tilled the soil or hunted for nests. I did not gather herbs or throw stones at birds. But books were my birds and my nests, my household pets, my barn and my countryside. The library was the world caught in a mirror. It had the world's infinite thickness, its variety." (As a kid, his whole world was books. He began early by just looking at the words. It wasn't long before he was reading, much sooner than his friends. By age 8, he was already filling notebooks with his own novels. I do respect his love for books though. Libraries are great. I seem to be amassing my own.)

"In our bustling societies, delays sometimes give a head start." (We could all benefit from slowing down. I mean seriously, everything has to be instant these days. In the old days, letters were written and there was plenty of time for thinking in order to give a response. Now, with email and instant messaging, responses are expected right away. People want answers now, and not a second later.)

"The tribulations of my friends convinced me that I was their equal." (We all suffer. We call have troubles. Jesus said that in this world we would have troubles, but we should cheer up because He has overcome this world.)

"All children are inspired; they have nothing to envy poets, who are just children."

"Even now I still have that minor vice, familiarity."

"God would have managed things for me. I would have been signed a masterpiece. Assured of playing my part in the universal concert, I would have patiently waited for Him to reveal His purposes and my necessity. I reached out for religion, I longed for it, it was remedy. Had it been denied me, I would have invented it myself. It was not denied me. Raised in the Catholic faith, I learned that the Almighty had made me for His glory. That was more than I dared dream. But later, I did not recognize in the fashionable God in whom I was taught to believe the one whom my soul was awaiting. I needed a Creator; I was given a Big Boss. The two were one and the same, but I did not realize it. I was serving, without zeal, the Idol of the Pharisees, and the official doctrine put me off seeking my own faith. What luck! Confidence and sorrow made my soul a choice soil for sowing the seeds of heaven. Were it not for that mistake, I would now be a monk. But my family had been affected by the slow movement of dechristianization that started among the Voltairian upper bourgeoisie and took a century to spread to all levels of society. Without that general weakening of faith, Louise Guillemin, a Catholic young lady from the provinces, would have made a show of greater reluctance to marry a Lutheran. Of course, our whole family believed in God, as a matter of discretion. Seven or eight years after the Combes cabinet, declared disbelief had the violence and raucousness of passion. An atheist was a 'character,' a wildman whom one did not invite to dinner lest he 'lash out,' a fanatic encumbered with taboos who refused the right to kneel in church, to weep sweetly there, to give his daughters a religious wedding, who took it upon himself to prove the truth of his doctrine by the purity of his morals, who hounded himself and his happiness to the point of depriving himself of the means of dying comforted, a God-obsessed crank who saw His absence everywhere and who could not open his mouth without uttering His name; in short, a gentleman who had religious convictions. The believer had none." (Legalists, let this be a warning to you! Christians, how are you going to fair against the raging storm of our culture? I also find Sartre's ironies of the atheist to be quite humorous.)

"Another me, my grim brother, would languidly challenge all the articles of faith. I was a Catholic and a Protestant; I united the critical spirit and the spirit of submission. At bottom, the whole business bored me. I was led to disbelief not by the conflict of dogmas, but by my grandparents' indifference." ("Now, we must all fear evil men. But there is another kind of evil...which we must fear most, and that is the indifference...of good men!")

"Whenever anyone speaks to me about God today, I say, with the easy amusement of an old beau who meets a former belle: 'Fifty years ago, had it not been for that misunderstanding, that mistake, the accident that separated us, there might have been something between us.'" (That's really sad...what a pity!)

"Suddenly there was an opportunity to shine: 'What is your fondest wish?' I replied without hesitation: 'To be a soldier and avenge the dead.'" (Jean-Paul was so bad that the French army kicked him out in a time of war. Not that's pathetic!)

"I was seven and knew how to read; it was twelve and did not know how to talk." (Here he is referring to movies, which were still silent in those days.)

"One speaks in one's own language, one writes in a foreign language."

"Wanting to be a hero is not enough. Neither courage nor the gift suffices; there must be hydras and dragons." (There must be a testing to see what you are made of.)

"As a rhetorician, I cared only for words: I would set up cathedrals of words beneath the blue eyes of the word sky."

"My grandfather thought I was tiny, and he was upset about it. 'He'll be short, like the Sartres,' my grandmother would say, just to annoy him. He would pretend not to hear, he would stand in front of me and look me up and down: 'He's growing!' he would say, without much conviction. I shared neither his anxieties nor his hopes: weeds also grow, which was proof that one could become tall and still be bad." (I found Sartre's comment to be funny!)

"I was often told that the past drives us forward, but I was convinced that I was being drawn by the future."

"As for me, I don't hold grudges and I obligingly admit everything; I'm always ready to criticize myself, provided I'm not forced to." (I don't like to be forced to do things either. I prefer to do things out of love and commitment. I love to read, but when school forces me to read something, it just isn't enjoyable.)

Evil Empire?

2006-04-03T22:46:00.000-05:00

N.Y. Yankees aid burglarized SBC church
Published March 16, 2006
The Christian Index

NEW YORK (BP) — The New York Yankees, though just in spring training, stepped up to the plate to assist a Bronx church and its soup kitchen after a break-in.

The Yankees, whose stadium also is in the Bronx, presented a check for $20,000 to Daniel Dupree and Greater Universal Baptist Church on Feb. 23 to cover losses the church sustained during the Feb. 7 burglary.

The Yankees “are truly a blessing,” said Dupree, who has served as Greater Universal’s pastor for 10 of the Southern Baptist church’s 52 years. “We believe God placed it on their hearts to come through for us.”

When Dupree arrived at the church on the morning of Feb. 8, the building had been ransacked; the church’s safe, a television camera and various office supplies were missing. Dupree estimates less than $5,000 was stolen from the safe, but the total loss to the church was around $20,000. There was no sign of a break-in and a police investigation continues.

The team was made aware of Greater Universal’s situation through Bronx Councilwoman Maria del Carmen Arroyo.

“When we heard what had happened to our neighbor, we wanted to reach out and enable them to continue their much-needed community service,” said Lonn Trost, the Yankees’ chief operating officer, in a press release issued by the team.

Beauty School Drop-outs 2

2006-03-30T16:25:00.000-06:00

Beauty School Drop-outs

2006-03-29T22:42:00.000-06:00

Rock Star & Razr

The Shan

Caught Red-Handed

"We've never done this before."

From Brown to Cherry Red

San Antonio Pics 3

2006-03-26T23:00:00.000-06:00

Angles

What is it?

Shadows

In the Frame

Down the Ailse

San Antonio Pics 2

2006-03-26T22:52:00.000-06:00

Remember the Alamo!

Guarding the Alamo

San Antonio Pics

2006-03-25T15:56:00.000-06:00

San Antonio (Saint Anthony)

Me and Jason @ The Westin

Jason

Jason and his sister Elizabeth

Dear R.C.

2006-03-23T17:46:00.000-06:00

I flew home this past Monday because of the death of my friend and former youth, R. C. Allison. The funeral was on Tuesday, and Sparta Baptist Church was packed with people in the sanctuary, hallways, fellowship hall, foyers, and nursery. I've never seen so many people there for anything. That was the impact that R. C. had on people. He loved all, and all love him. So I've decided to write him a letter. As my friend Betsy says, writing is therapeutic.

Dear R. C.,

I'll never forget you, my friend. You will be missed for now. We had many good times together. I think of all the times we shared laughs and more serious conversations.

I remember when I first met you at Camp Crawfordville. My first memory of you is playing volleyball. I even think I have you on video. You were so young then. Speaking of video. I remember that video scavenger hunt we did at the Pierce Memorial UMC VBS. That was hilarious.

Oh, what about the time you, me, Kyle, Wesley, Ben, and Jesse went camping at the quarry! Haha. We almost burned all of our stuff when a can exploded from the fire and coals went everywhere. It was quite a sight! What about the time we were in the woods and you decided to start a fire. That one almost got out of control. We went to church that night smelling like smoke.

I remember going to Six Flags with you, Kyle, Kevin, and their mom. There was a girl that Kyle was checking out, and you told him not to stare. You two together always had a way to make me laugh. I was usually left shaking my head and smiling.

I really enjoyed being your youth minister. Sometimes I couldn't keep you quiet, and at other times you were the biggest help in keeping others quiet. No matter what you did, no one could really get mad at you. That just the kind of person you were. It was great getting to teach you from the Bible, taking you to camp and retreat, riding with you to eat in Sandersville, and just hanging out with you for the fun of it.

Do you remember the time Ben and I came over and we spent about an hour and a half discussing the theory of time travel. Man we were getting deep!

I remember four years ago when Jamie and Amanda got married. We were there together. You came up to me, and I guess you read my face like a book. You knew what I was thinking. 'Will I ever get married?' You encouraged me so well. You were a good friend.

The sheer number of people that showed up at the funeral home and the funeral showed proved that you were a good friend to a great many. You had quite an impact on people. Bro. Jerry and I were talking about you. You were like one of our own (a son to him and a brother to me). To tell you the truth, I've never seen Bro. Jerry more upset than at your funeral. He loved you, and so did me and Jamie. Shoot, a lot of people loved you. Bro. Jerry and Bro. Allen did a good job at your funeral. You would be very proud of them. I don't know if you were able to watch or not (I don't know how that works), but it went well. I hurt with your family for their loss. As I told your granny, 'we grieve, but not like those who have no hope.'

You, however, I'm happy for. You have gone home to be with Jesus Christ. It must be something absolutely wonderful!

Man, I could go on and on, but I'll stop for now. I look forward to seeing you again and talking with you about so many things. We never were able to get together to eat before I left for Texas, but we shall feast together in heaven.

I don't know how long I have left on this crazy world (only the Lord does), but to you it will seem only be a few minutes before I join you in heaven. Until then, I bid you farewell.

Your friend,
Bob

Adventures in San Antonio: Days 6, 7, & 8

2006-03-20T23:26:00.000-06:00

Here's a recap of my last three days with Jason in San Antonio.

On Friday, St. Patrick's Day, we met up with his friends (and mine now) to see V for Vendetta. Great movie! The message, however, is very clear. If you've seen the movie, you know what I'm talking about. If you are planning on seeing it soon (don't worry, I won't ruin it for you), you won't be disappointed. After the movie, we met back at Jason's house to hang out for a while. After most had left, a few of us watched Boondock Saints to celebrate the holiday. Oh yeah, for the first part of the day, Jason and I worked on our book idea.

On Saturday, we worked on the book some more. We imagined what it must have been for writers such as Tolkien and Lewis to sit down together and work on material. That evening, we went over to Kimberly's house for dinner. Johnny, Elizabeth's boyfriend, joined us and we had a grand old time. The weather was perfect. The wind and temperature provided a great backdrop for backporch grilling and chatting. The dinner itself was fantastic (grilled chicken, salad, rice, grilled vegetables, etc...mmmm)! After we ate, we watched The Count of Monte Christo. Excellent movie! "GOD WILL GIVE ME JUSTICE." Amen!

Sunday was a sad day because I had to leave. Jason and I went to UUMC that morning, and I said goodbye to the gang. Elizabeth treated us to Papasitto's for lunch. When we got back to the house, I gathered my belongings and said my goodbyes to Johnny, Elizabeth, and Jason. The trip back was horrible. A four hour drive turned into six hours! It was a combination of the weather and the Spring Break traffic.

I want to thank Jason, his family, and his friends for their gracious hospitality! I really enjoyed my Spring Break in San Antonio! 'Till next time...

Adventures in San Antonio: Day Five

2006-03-17T01:02:00.000-06:00

Another great day! Sleep and reading made up the first part of the day. Then Jason's friend, Christine, came over and the three of us had a good time discussing life. After a while we went to Border's and Barnes and Noble to spend some more time in the book stores. Book stores are wonderful by the way. We also made a trip to Old Navy for Jason to get a St. Patrick's Day shirt and to Target for me to get mine. Christine also bought some stuff and both places, but I can't remember what they were.

Tonight was Bible Study night for the college group at UUMC, so that's where we went next. We had an awesome time singing, studying the Word, and praying together. They are such a great group...Jason has some great friends, and it was fun meeting them.

Afterwards, we (me, Jason, Lauren, Kara, Brian, and Christine) headed over to Double Daves Pizza for some supper. This is also Adam's workplace, and since he was working, we got a 20% discount. Hooray for Adam! The pizza rolls were fantastic...definitely the best I've ever had! The fellowship of friends was good too. I really enjoyed chatting with Brian about the NCAA tournament and Da Spurs.

Ice Age was next on the agenda. We met back at Jason's to watch the movie. It was my first time seeing it, as well as Kara's, and I have to say it was very funny.

Don't forget, "It's St. Patty's Day, everyone's Irish today."

Adventures in San Antonio: Day Four

2006-03-16T03:08:00.000-06:00

Today, we slept in. It was very nice. For lunch we ordered a pizza from Pizza Hut, and watched TV for a while. Then it was off to the local book stores to do some research for our book.

When we got to Borders, we realized that neither of us brought anything to write with or on. However, Borders sells journals and such. We'll just buy a pen and a journal...so we thought. The journal wouldn't have been a problem. The pen, however, was. I can't believe they don't sell pens. There were no stores nearby either so we took ourselves to Target to get some cheap notebooks and pens.

In the same shopping center stood Barnes and Noble. We went in, found some books to check out, and found a table. As time passed, our table acquired more and more books. We found some good ones, and we found some not so good ones for our research. I wish I could tell you more about it, but I'll keep it between me and Jason for now.

After spending three or four hours in the bookstores, we headed back to the house for dinner. We watched Tarzan with Elizabeth, and then headed out to go flip some cards with the boys (some of Jason's friends). The game (which lasted several hours) was Texas Hold 'Em (tournament style), and I ended up in second place! I had a good time hanging out with those guys.

As for moving to San Antonio, Jason is up to reason #5,005 (we skipped around a bit). Well, I'm really tired now, so I'm signing off. Chill to the next episode!

Adventures in San Antonio: Day Three

2006-03-15T00:48:00.000-06:00

Hello all! Thank you for joining me again for this edition of my ventures in San Antonio. I think Jason and I are on Reason #3122 for me moving down here. Things have been great, and I'm loving it.

This morning, Jason made some excellent pancakes for brunch and we were off to see the Alamo. Before we go there though, we stopped in to see Kimberly, Jason's sister who provided us with the Spurs tickets. We also ended up going to visit Elizabeth again at the Westin.

When we arrived at the Alamo, I was impressed. I've read and studied about it (I mean, I did major in history), but to actually see it in person was quite an honor. Since it is spring break, there were so many people there...people everywhere. You're supposed to be quiet and respectful when visiting the old Spanish mission, but anything but quiet and respectful was happening today. After checking it out and snapping a few photographs, we left to head towards the Quarry area of San Antonio.

Jason had applied for a youth position at a church over there, so we stopped in so he could check up on it. While he was inside talking to the youth pastor, I was outside doing some photography. There was some beautiful architecture. I found my way into a garden chapel, it was a great opportunity to pause and reflect on God's greatness. After a bit, I went back outside to take some more pictures. That's when an old couple (obviously German and from out of town) decided to flag me down and ask me for directions. I really wanted to help them, but I myself wasn't from around here...so I pointed the way to the church office.

I eventually made my way inside to find Jason. He and the youth pastor were talking and they invited me in to join them. After a bit more of chatting, we were able to tour the church. They have fantastic facilities with a lot of room for growth. The sanctuary was beautifully built in the old gothic style in the shape of a cross (cruciform), like so many sanctuaries and cathedrals. It's designed to aid in worship. Unfortunately, most of our churches have to operate on a very tight budget and can't build sanctuaries that cause you to stand in awe of God's majesty.

After that, we headed back to Jason's house to eat. That was the plan anyway. We ended up just watching TV and falling asleep for a little while. This was not a bad thing, however, because we needed to rest before we went to the game.

Ah yes, the game! Go Spurs Go! I had a blast at the SBC Center, home of the San Antonio Spurs, NBA Champions 1999, 2003, and 2005. The New Orleans Hornets kept it a pretty close game with the Spurs only getting ahead by ten points at any given time. It was a great game! I loved getting to see Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Brent Barry, Michael Finley, Manu Ginobili, Robert Horry, and Nick Van Exel. What a great team! The Spurs defeated the Hornets 96-81.

After the game we came back home, laughing all the way. Tomorrow, we turn our attention to our book idea. Tune in tomorrow for more updates on the adventures in San Antonio.

Adventures in San Antonio: Day Two

2006-03-14T01:20:00.000-06:00

Sleep, sleep, and more sleep...finally, I was able to sleep. I love spring break. Today has been a good one. Jason and I had quesadillas for lunch. For dinner, we went to the Westin downtown and met his sister, Elizabeth, for a fabulous meal together right on the San Antonio River. Even the conversations were great, most of them being about relationships, and it's encouraging to hear that there are actually ladies out there looking for good men. It was an absolutely gorgeous evening. The temperature was just right. Of course, Jason asked me throughout the night about moving down here.

San Antonio is a beautiful city! Jason and I did the whole River Walk thing and took the boat tour. I learned some interesting things regarding the city and its history. Oh, downtown actually has trees. I think it's a city ordinance for businesses to have a certain amount of trees. Downtown San Antonio, with its trees and river, is absolutely beautiful...quite a sight for sore eyes. I mean, what does Fort Worth have? The Water Gardens...yeah, that was a big disappointment when I went to see that.

I also have eyes for the romantic. I am a romantic. Jason and I walked around discussing various locations that would make great dates. For example, the mall area on the river would make a great date. You have the river, the lights, and the music. Since there's music, you could do some dancing on the bridge. On top of those things, there are the stores at the mall to look around in, and lots of great restaraunts to eat at.

After getting back from downtown, we watched a movie about doing away with evil and injustice. It was a good one. Now, it's time for bed because Jason and I have another exciting and fun-filled day planned for tomorrow. In the morning, we're going to see the Alamo and some stuff downtown. I hope to do some photography while I'm there. Tomorrow night, it's off to see the San Antonio Spurs take on the New Orleans Hornets. Jason's other sister, Kimberly, was able to get us free tickets to the game. Sweet! It's always good to get to see one of your favorite sports teams play at home. Last year, I was able to see the Yankees play in Yankee Stadium, and now the Spurs at home!

This was also a cool day because I learned that my cousin William and his wife, Amy, brought a baby boy into the world. I send them my congratulations and my prayers. I can't wait to see him!

Adventures in San Antonio: Day One

2006-03-13T00:24:00.000-06:00

Well, I'm on spring break; and let me tell you, I'm so happy. For one thing, I'm away from classes, work, and Fort Worth for a whole week! Second, I'm able to spend the whole week in San Antonio with one of my best and most loyal friends in all of the world, Jason Weaver.

It's been great so far! Jason has asked me at least a dozen times already about when I'm going to move to San Antonio. Who am I to say that I won't one day? Only the Lord knows that, but it would be fun. Come to think of it, San Antonio does have an extention center for Southwestern...

The drive down from Fort Worth only took about four hours, and that was with heavy traffic, especially in Austin. By the way, I've discovered that Texas needs something else to interest its people other than a car pulled over by a cop. Traffic came to a hault. It was stop and go for a long ways. I was thinking, something really bad has happened ahead of me. No! It was just some guy stopped for speeding or something (I really don't know), and I guess the others drivers had nothing better to do than stop and look intently.

After arriving at Jason's, we played pool, played Halo (I'm terrible now...I miss the Halo nights at Northside), went to Chili's for supper, and hung out with his friend Adam (an awesome guy by the way...very knowledgeable) until about midnight. Jason and I caught up with one another, laughed a lot, and he even filled me in on some information that I didn't know (man, that's just psycho). We're home now...I'm looking forward to a wonderful week with my friend.

"The Bridge"

2006-03-09T13:31:00.000-06:00

My friend, Mike Nelson, wrote this poem about the atonement of Jesus Christ. I'd like to share it with you.

There is a place I want to go,
but an obstacle I have encountered.
It is my sins that are blocking my path,
and preventing me from going any farther.
I can see the light of heaven,
but how can I possibly span this great divide?
So I wandered hopelessly through the darkness,
looking for anything that might provide,
a means of somehow traversing my sins,
so that I could get to the other side.
I tried everything that man could think of,
but these all failed to get me across.
Then I came upon a narrow bridge,
its shape in the form of a cross.
At its entrance hung a very large sign,
addressed simply to "The Lost."

So I approached the sign with caution,
and slowly began to read.
It said, "Although His holiness demands judgment,
His love desires to set all sinners free.
So be careful not to slip or stumble,
on the blood that you will see.
For it is the price that had to be paid,
to make atonement for you and me.
Forgiveness awaits all those who enter,
but to enter you must first believe,
in the one who shed this righteous blood,
so that divine satisfaction could be achieved.
For this bridge stands as the Holy testament,
to what God has so graciously done.

For He has reconciled a world of sin,
through the sacrifice of His Son.
His holiness and love collided,
at this bridge called Calvary.
There is no greater act of kindness,
that mankind will ever see.
So please step forward and put your faith,
in the one who gives us the victory.
For the blood that purchased this bridge to heaven,
came from Jesus of Galilee.“

So I opened my heart and invited Him in,
and off across the bridge I went,
with the blood He shed cleansing my sin,
and to me His righteousness being sent.
Now I serve as His disciple,
helping others to know what it meant,
for God the Son to come to earth,
in the form of a humble servant.
His sinless body they did slay,
but not without His consent,
and not because He deserved to suffer,
for innocence need not to repent.
But in our place He willingly died,
so the Father is now content,
to forgive all those who believe,
of the sins that they commit.

© 2006 Michael T. Nelson

Suns 115, Mavs 107...Scorched!

2006-03-05T16:52:00.000-06:00

Wisdom from the Fool

2006-03-05T14:57:00.000-06:00

I recently read The Praise of Folly by Desiderius Erasmus, and I have to say that I found a lot of it to be quite humorous. Not much has changed from his day to ours. Anyway, as I was reading through, I came across a line and said to myself, "That would be great for the quote page." Well, I started seeing a lot of those great lines, so I decided to put compile them together, instead of putting a lot of quotes by Erasmus on the quote page. Erasmus wrote this book from the perspective of folly or foolishness personified, so keep that in mind as you read these.

"The flatterer adorns a crow with other birds' feathers, washes the Ethiopian white, and, in sum, makes an elephant out of a gnat."

"To know nothing affords the happiest life." -Sophocles

"What is it in children, that we should kiss them the way we do, and cuddle them, and fondle them--so that even an enemy would give aid to one of that age--except this enchantment of folly, which prudent nature carefully bestows on the newly born; so that by this pleasure, as a sort of prepayment, they win the favor of their nurses and parents and make these forget the pains of bringing them up."

"Men who really are among the most foolish have thought that by nights without sleep, and by their sweat, they could purchase fame--I know not what sort of fame, but certainly nothing could be more empty."

"Indeed, we distinguish a wise man from a fool by this, that reason governs the one, and passion the other."

"Men everywhere teem with so many forms of folly and daily devise so many new ones that a thousand Democrituses would not suffice for laughing at them--and there would be work, then, for one more Democritus to laugh at the laughers."

"Here is a fellow dying for love of a sweet young thing, and the less he is loved in return, the more helplessly he is in love."

"Let me turn to those who maintain among mortals an appearance of wisdom and, as the saying is, seek for the golden bough. Among these the grammarians hold first place."

"A prince is in such a position that if he lapses ever so slightly from honesty, straightway a dangerous and vital infection spreads to many people."

"Fortune loves those who are less than discreet, she loves the rasher sort, and the ones who are fond of that saying, 'The die is cast.' But wisdom makes men meticulous, which is why you commonly see that the traffic of wise men is with poverty, hunger, and smoke; you see them living neglected, inglorious, and disliked."

"If you don't have a thing, simulate it."

"To pretend to be a fool is sometimes the highest wisdom."

"It is sweet to play the fool in season." -Epicurus

"Be giddy and taken for a dolt, than be wise and fret." -Epicurus

"Everything is full of fools." -Cicero

"Human life is nothing but a sport of folly."

"Solomon, Chapter 15: 'A fool,' he says, 'delights in his folly,' that is, he clearly acknowledges that without folly nothing in life is sweet."

"No fools seem to act more foolishly than do the people whom zeal for Christian piety has got possession of; for they pour out their wealth, they overlook wrongs, allow themselves to be cheated, make no distinction between friends and enemies, shun pleasure, glut themselves with hunger, wakefulness, tears, toils, and reproaches; they disdain life and dearly prefer death; in short, they seem to have grown utterly numb to ordinary sensations, quite as if their souls lived elsewhere and not in their bodies."

"Plato defined philosophy as 'a study of death,' because it leads the mind away from visible and bodily things, and certainly death does the same."

"Even a foolish man will often speak a word in season." -Greek proverb

Back on the Board

2006-03-04T14:35:00.000-06:00

Since the weather has been absolutely fabulous, I decided to get out the skateboard (a gift from Ben Joiner) and get some exercise and fresh air. Although it's been a while since I skated, my feet felt natural being back on the board. My ollies aren't what they used to be though...gotta work on that. I pretty much skated all over my neighborhood in Fort Worth, but after a while my left foot started hurting because it was not used to being planted on a piece of wood on wheels. That will go away with a little more time on the board, though.

I'd also like to comment on Kristen's cousin's knowledge of skateboarding...I'm impressed.

Spurs 98, Mavs 89...Oh Yeah!

2006-03-02T23:47:00.000-06:00

Psalm 23

2006-03-02T11:53:00.000-06:00

The Ten Commandments

2006-03-02T11:50:00.000-06:00

I Love the Ryals

2006-02-28T21:08:00.000-06:00

Wesley

His wife, Leslie

And his brother, Jacob

Dodgeball Pictures

2006-02-28T20:55:00.000-06:00

Memories

2006-02-28T20:38:00.000-06:00

If you read this, if your eyes are passing over this right now, even if we don't speak often, please post a comment with a memory of you and me. It can be anything you want, either good or bad.

C3 Series Cup Goes to College...Again

2006-02-27T19:53:00.000-06:00

For the third straight time, the Graduates and Careers group at Wedgwood has managed to lose to the College group in the C3 Cup Series. The very first competition was sand volleyball, which took place at TCU last year. The College put up quite a fight for a while, but lost miserably to the G & C, who took home the cup. However, the two following competitions, C3 Bowling and C3 Softball, went to the College group. Friday night, the G & C went down again to the College in kickball and dodgeball, allowing the College* to keep the cup yet again. The sad part of it all is that the G & C chose the games this time, and still lost. One College student is reported as saying, "Next time you guys pick a game, pick one you can win at." Well, that is their hope as they continue to chase down the C3 Cup.

*It should be noted that half of the College Team was made up of G & C members. Next time, College should show up!

Mafia is Taboo

2006-02-04T22:42:00.000-06:00

I have to give props to the wonderful people over at the Wonder House: Kristen, Dana, and Kristi. For the past two Sunday nights, a group has gotten together for food, fun, and fellowship. This past Friday night, an official game night was planned, a crowd showed up, and we had a blast. A few games were going on simultaneously for a while like Sequence and Nerts (Super Dave said that Nerts was "dumb" and Russell said, "What'n the world?"). Then we all played Mafia, and Egbert did an excellent job at keeping the story line going. 'Twas hilarious! I was killed in both rounds as a citizen. Dean was in the Mafia in the second round, along with Dusty. Dean killed off his two roommates, me and Josh; and Dusty killed off his roommate, Super Dave. Then came the wonderful world of Taboo! This game is so much fun. We weren't that good at it, but we laughed a lot. So if you ever get a chance to visit to Wonder House, go! As Russell would say, "That's right!"

Tribute to Josh Slocum

2006-01-19T16:04:00.000-06:00

Rodman Arrested at His Restaurant
By The Associated Press
January 7, 2002, 1:52 PM EST
NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. -- Dennis Rodman has been arrested again, this time for allegedly obstructing police officers who were looking into a possible code violation at a restaurant he co-owns. Police took the 40-year-old former NBA star into custody early Saturday after he refused to let them enter Josh Slocum's on Pacific Coast Highway. Sgt. Neal Harvey said Rodman violated a Business and Profession Code, which bans alcoholic beverage service after 2 a.m. Harvey said Rodman, who has a seaside home nearby, stayed inside Josh Slocum's past that hour. But restaurant customers said they break no laws. "We were all hanging out, sobering up to come out (to Rodman's home)," said his friend, Joey Hinojoza, 27. "Dennis is serious about people sobering up before they drive. He's offered his limo or will pay for a cab." Officers saw cars in the restaurant parking lot at 2:40 a.m. and tried to enter. Rodman was at the door, but reportedly refused to open it and allow them inside. About 30 minutes later, patrons were let out and Rodman was arrested and taken to the city jail. He was booked at the Orange County jail in Santa Ana, and later released. His case will be submitted to the county prosecutor for review. The Los Angeles Lakers waived Rodman in April 1999 for tardiness and other problems. He wanted to play, but no team signed him. Since then, police have responded to his beachfront home more than 70 times because of complaints about loud parties. He's also been convicted of misdemeanor drunken driving and faced allegations of sexual harassment and assault.

And He's Off...

2006-01-12T13:22:00.000-06:00

A lot has happened in these first twelve days of 2006, so I will update you on a few of the high points.

We grilled out at the Leverett residence (we meaning me, my family, and some of my friends), and then enjoyed a time of playing with fireworks. Ashley, Jesse, my dad, and I kept the yard pretty well lit up for a while with pyrotechnic displays.
I left on that Sunday night.
The very next day, Tuesday, I started a one week I-term class called The Christian Ministry. It was a great way to get three credit hours done. Too bad we can't do every class one week at a time like that.
On the following Monday, I got a job at the school with the Physical Plant. I am on the Housing Make Ready crew, which means I get to make sure student housing is clean and ready for move-in. It's great to be working again.
Tuesday, I got moved into my new house. I am living with the noble Dean Pickard. I met Dean on my very first day at Southwestern. We had orientation together and we were given the same advisor (not to mention that we've had quite a few classes together). Josh Slocum will also be joining us in the house soon. Good times! The house is amazing, and I'm kind of glad to be out of the dorm (hehe).
That brings me to today. Today marks the beggining of yet another semester of school. I arranged my schedule so all my classes will be on Tuesdays and Thursdays, freeing me up to work on the other days. This semester I'm taking Leadership for Christian Ministry, Systematic Theology II, Old Testament II, and Applied Ministry.

Well those are just a few points of interest. I have enjoyed seeing my friends again and look forward to catching up with some others (and maybe even make some new friends). I also want to thank the Russells for considering me as if I were their own son.

That's about it for now. Stay up and may the Lord bless you. Much love!

I Didn't Know That

2006-01-12T10:27:00.000-06:00

Here's a few facts about Chuck Norris that I didn't know until recently. I'd like to thank Ben and Josh for bringing these facts to my attention. These are just a few of my favorites...the list is much longer. I left out the ones that I thought were in bad taste.

Chuck Norris' tears cure cancer. But he is so tough, he has never cried. Ever.
Chuck Norris does not sleep. He waits.
Chuck Norris is currently suing NBC, claiming Law and Order are trademarked names for his left and right legs.
The chief export of Chuck Norris is pain.
Chuck Norris has counted to infinity. Twice.
Chuck Norris does not hunt because the word hunting infers the probability of failure. Chuck Norris goes killing.
In fine print on the last page of the Guinness Book of World Records it notes that all world records are held by Chuck Norris, and those listed in the book are simply the closest anyone else has ever gotten.
Crop circles are Chuck Norris' way of telling the world that sometimes corn needs to lie the heck down.
The Great Wall of China was originally created to keep Chuck Norris out. It failed miserably.
If you ask Chuck Norris what time it is, he always says, Two seconds til. After you ask, "Two seconds til what?" he roundhouse kicks you in the face.
There is no theory of evolution, just a list of creatures Chuck Norris allows to live.
Chuck Norris is the only man to ever defeat a brick wall in a game of tennis.
Chuck Norris doesnt churn butter. He roundhouse kicks the cows and butter comes straight out.
When Chuck Norris sends in his taxes, he sends blank forms and includes only a picture of himself, crouched and ready to attack. Chuck Norris has not had to pay taxes ever.
The quickest way to a mans heart is with Chuck Norris' fist.
A Handicap parking sign does not signify that this spot is for handicapped people. It is actually in fact a warning, that the spot belongs to Chuck Norris and that you will be handicapped if you park there.
Nagasaki never had a bomb dropped on it. Chuck Norris jumped out of a plane and punched the ground.
Chuck Norris originally appeared in the Street Fighter II video game, but was removed by Beta Testers because every button caused him to do a roundhouse kick. When asked bout this glitch, Norris replied, "Thats no glitch."
The opening scene of the movie Saving Private Ryan is loosely based on games of dodgeball Chuck Norris played in second grade.
Chuck Norris once shot down a German fighter plane with his finger, by yelling, Bang!
Chuck Norris has two speeds: Walk and Kill.
Someone once tried to tell Chuck Norris that roundhouse kicks aren't the best way to kick someone. This has been recorded by historians as the worst mistake anyone has ever made.
Contrary to popular belief, America is not a democracy, it is a Chucktatorship.
Chuck Norris can drink an entire gallon of milk in forty-seven seconds.
Rather than being birthed like a normal child, Chuck Norris instead decided to punch his way out of his mothers womb.
If you say Chuck Norris' name in Mongolia, the people there will roundhouse kick you in his honor. Their kick will be followed by the REAL roundhouse delivered by none other than Norris himself.
Time waits for no man. Unless that man is Chuck Norris.
The Chuck Norris military unit was not used in the game Civilization 4, because a single Chuck Norris could defeat the entire combined nations of the world in one turn.
In an average living room there are 1,242 objects Chuck Norris could use to kill you, including the room itself.
Chuck Norris can touch MC Hammer.
Chuck Norris doesnt read books. He stares them down until he gets the information he wants.
Cars were invented to have a faster way of fleeing from Chuck Norris. Not to be outdone, Chuck Norris invented the car accident.
As a teen Chuck Norris impregnated every nun in a convent tucked away in the hills of Tuscany. Nine months later the nuns gave birth to the 1972 Miami Dolphins, the only undefeated and untied team in professional football history.

I'm Dreaming of a Stormy Christmas?

2005-12-25T00:19:00.000-06:00

At this posting, a storm is raging here in Milledgeville. Rain is pouring like water through a sift, and the thunder is rolling in and shaking the house. Actually, it's kinda good to hear that sound again. Are there any other thunderstorm fans out there?

Happy Holidays!

2005-12-24T22:57:00.000-06:00

Merry Christmas everyone!!! I love you all, and may God bless you as we near the start of 2006. Remember that Jesus is the reason for the season. In fact, He is the reason for our existence in the first place. I proclaim on this day (the celebration of the birth of the child and the giving of the Son) that Jesus Christ is Lord of all, and He is worthy of all of our worship, honor, and praise!

"For unto us a child is born and unto us a son is given..." Isaiah 9:6

The Micah Mandate

2005-12-21T00:56:00.000-06:00

"He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." Micah 6:8

Have you ever wanted to know what God's will is for your life? Well, Micah lays it out for you very clearly. Reflect on what it means to act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. Today, commit the Micah Mandate to memory.

Suggestions for Prayer: 1. Ask God to show you ways to put the Micah Mandate into practice. 2. Ask God to help you to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with Him.

What I've Been Up To

2005-12-15T14:37:00.000-06:00

This is a list of the things I've been doing since I got home yesterday.

Played with Marcus.
Went out to eat with my family.
Worked on a sermon.
Read some of Evidence That Demand's a Verdict.
Went to work for my dad.
Went grocery shopping with my mom.
Laughed with my sisters.
Helped my mom cook poppy seed chicken.
Saw Taylor and Teddy at church last night.
Spoke with Lance, Ben, Austin, Cameron, and Tonia on the phone (not all at once).
Ate at Zaxby's (was told that Zaxby's should be in Texas next year).
Played my piano.
Read blogs.
Updated my blog.

Well, that's enough for now. I've done even more than that, but it will take too long to list everything. Plus, I'm being called back into the kitchen to help my mom. Peace out!

Do You Have A Healthy Diet?

2005-12-15T14:04:00.000-06:00

"Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to Him and said, 'If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.' Jesus answered, 'It is written: "Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God."'" Matthew 4:1-4 (NIV)

In this life we are going to face trials and temptations of many kinds, but we must endure until the end. Jesus was led to the desert to be tested. Do you sometimes feel like your life is in a "desert" without any water to soothe your thirst? Then perhaps you should heed the wisdom of Jesus, "Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God." If Jesus put so much emphasis on the Word of God, then we should do the same. Get involved in a Bible study. Attend Sunday School. Memorize Scripture. Read the Bible! I am constantly amazed at people who claim to be Christians and don't read the Word. There was even a girl in my seminary class this semester that admitted that she had never read the whole Bible. Astounding indeed! Many of the sermons I hear these days are lacking in Scriptural content, and people wonder why the Body of Christ appears to be sick in our present culture. Ephesians 6:17 tells us that the Word of God is the sword of the Spirit. We can do the kingdom of God no good unless we put God's Word into our hearts and put it into action. James tells us to be doers of the Word.

Suggestions for Prayer: 1. Pray that God will give you the desire to study His Word. 2. Pray that God will give you wisdom and understanding when you read His Word. 3. Pray that God will help you deal with temptations and resist Satan. 4. Pray for our pastors and those who preach the Word.

Children of God

2005-12-12T11:30:00.000-06:00

"Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God." John 1:12

Did you know that when you trust Jesus as Lord and Savior, you rightfully become children of God? That means that God becomes your Father, and there is no better father than God. He takes care of His children. He loves His children. 1 John 3:1 says, "How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!" Are you a child of God? Have you trusted your life to Christ?

Suggestions for Prayer: 1. Ask God to help you be an obedient child to His will. 2. Pray that God will help you to get along with your brothers and sisters in Christ. 3. Ask God to help you in understanding what true love is.

No Condemnation

2005-12-11T14:15:00.000-06:00

"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." Romans 8:1 (NIV)

Read that verse again. It says that now, for us that are in Christ, there is no condemnation. Jesus paid our price. He suffered the penalty. He died for our sins (for the Glory of God). What that means for us now is that when God looks at us, He doesn't see ugly sinner. What He sees is the precious blood of Jesus covering you, making you clean. This verse brings so much joy and peace. If you are in Christ, then you are eternally secure in His hands.

Suggestions for Prayer: 1. Thank Jesus for dying for you and your sins (for the Glory of God). 2. Thank God for His love.

For Narnia and For Aslan!

2005-12-10T00:05:00.000-06:00

If you haven't seen The Chornicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe yet, go! What are you waiting for? Go right now! Okay, maybe you can't get to it right now, but do try to go soon. I saw it earlier, and it was absolutely fabulous. Wonderful movie! The film contained a little bit of everything: drama, action, adventure, love, humor, joy, sadness, etc. There were even a couple times during the movie that I almost wept. When they were talking about Edmund being a traitor, I realized that I was once a traitor; but praise be to God, Jesus Christ redeemed me from my condemnation. Just as Aslan took Edmund's place, Jesus took my place. He paid the penalty required by the Deep Magic and the Stone Table (the Law), and He died taking on the sins of the world. Just as Aslan came back to life because of the Deeper Magic, Jesus rose again by the power of God Almighty. Thank You, Jesus, my Lord and Savior, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah!

Texas Country Church

2005-12-09T17:42:00.000-06:00

You might be in a Texas country church if …

1. The doors are never locked.
2. The Call to Worship is “Y’all come on in!”
3. People grumble about Noah letting coyotes on the Ark.
4. The Preacher says, “I’d like to ask Bubba to help take up the offering” and five guys stand up.
5. The restrooms are outside.
6. Opening day of deer hunting season is recognized as an official church holiday.
7. A member requests to be buried in his four-wheel drive truck because, “I ain’t ever been in a hole it couldn’t get me out of.”
8. In the annual stewardship drive there is at least one pledge of “two calves.”
9. Never in its entire 100-year history has one of its pastors had to buy any meat or vegetables.
10. When it rains, everybody’s smiling.
11. Prayers regarding the weather are a standard part of every worship service.
12. A singing group is known as the “OK Chorale.”
13. The church directory doesn’t have last names.
14. The pastor wears boots.
15. Four generations of one family sit together in worship every Sunday.
16. The only time people lock their cars in the parking lot is during the summer and then only so their neighbors can’t leave them a bag of squash.
17. There is no such thing as a “secret” sin.
18. Baptism is referred to as “branding.”
19. There is a special fund-raiser for a new septic tank.
20. Finding and returning lost sheep is not just a parable.
21. You miss worship one Sunday morning and by 2 O’clock that afternoon you have had a dozen calls inquiring about your health.
22. High notes on the organ sets dogs in the parking lot to howling.
23. People wonder when Jesus fed the 5,000 whether the two fish were bass or catfish.
24. People think “Rapture” is what happens when you lift something too heavy.
25. The cemetery is in such barren ground that people are buriedwith a sack of fertilizer to help them rise on Judgment Day.
26. It’s not heaven, but you can see heaven from there.
27. The final words of the benediction are, “Y’all come on back now, ya hear.”

Author Unknown

A Parable in the Key of ‘F’

2005-12-09T17:38:00.000-06:00

Feeling footloose and frisky, a foolish fellow forced his father to fork over his fourth of the family farthings and flew far to a foreign field where he fast frittered his fathers fortune feasting foolishly with faithless friends. Fleeced by his fellows and folly, and facing famine he found himself a feed flinger in a filthy farm. Flushed and fairly famished he fain would have filled his frame with foraged food from farm fodder.

“My father’s flunkies fair far finer.” The frazzled fugitive forlornly fumbled. Frustrated and filled with forboding, he fled forthwith to his father. Falling to his father’s feet he forlornly fumbled, “Father, I have flunked and frugalessly forfeited family favor.” The fugitive’s, faultfinding brother frowned on fickle forgiveness, but the faithful father figure filled with fidelity, cried, “The fugitive is found. What forbids further festivities. Let the flags unfurl and the fanfares flare.” Father flagged a flunky who fetched a fatling from the flock and fixed a feast.

The moral of the story is: The father’s forgiveness formed a foundation for the fugitive’s future fortitude.

Author Unknown

I'll Be Home For Christmas

2005-12-09T15:56:00.000-06:00

Well, finals are over (praise God!), the dorm is quiet, and I'm packing up to go home for three weeks. For those of you who don't know yet, I'm from Milledgeville, Georgia. I'll be driving for about 15 hours so please pray for traveling mercies. I think I'm going to go see The Chronicles of Narnia tonight, so my last night in Fort Worth for a while will be a fun one.

I'm looking forward to catching up with family and friends during my three week break. It's only a three week break (instead of four) because I'm taking an I-term class that starts on January 3rd. To all of my friends who are staying in the DFW area (or who already live here anyway), have a great time without me. Don't do anything I wouldn't do. Behave! And if you can't behave, be careful! Hahaha!!!

Punny

2005-12-08T23:23:00.000-06:00

I was reading my friend Jacob's blog and came across a very humerous joke that he posted today. It's called Something Humorous on the Night Before my Last Final of the Semester to Keep Me Sane, and I think you should check it out.