The Ross Report

Several news items this morning keep swirling around in my head:

1. The release of the two women being held by North Korea. Former President Bill Clinton helped to secure their release. The North Korean government said they had received a letter of apology from President Obama. Spokespeople for the President said no apology was sent. Of course, the claims of an apology letter come from one of the strangest (and scariest) leaders on this planet, Kim Jong II. This is a guy who claimed, after playing his first round of golf, that he shot an 18! That's right. He actually claimed he had 18 holes in one -- and expected the free world to believe it!

2. The massacre in the Pittsburgh area. I cannot understand why a person who wants to kill himself feels he must take others with him. Of course, Beverly reminds me that rational people cannot understand irrational thinking. I guess that bodes well for me.

3. The woman who was driving drunk and high with her 5 children in the car. She drove down the wrong lane of a highway for 2 mile before having a head-on collision. Eight people died. It ought to make us very defensive in our driving to realize that there are MANY people on the road who are driving impaired by drugs, alcohol or texting. I saw a lady driving the other day with her blackberry on her steering wheel, reading a map, and eating.

4. A 101 year old man in Weatherford who still works full-time. He has been practicing law since the mid-30s. He will soon receive an award as the oldest full-time worker in America. He frankly admitted that if he didn't work, he would die within a year. Asked the secret to still being alive, he said, "I haven't died yet."

The Gift of Fatherhood

Thirty-one years ago today, August 3, 1978, we were living in Abilene, Texas. A tropical system came through, dumping FEET of rain. The town of Albany, north of Abilene, had nearly 30 inches that day.

During the early morning hours, Beverly, who was 9 months pregnant, began to feel very uncomfortable. So later that morning, we went to the doctor -- and then on to the hospital around lunchtime. Labor had set in.

But it was a slow process. And Beverly was SO uncomfortable. She only found relief by leaning against my back -- which I had to fold up like a lawn chair. (No, I'm not expecting any sympathy).

Finally early in the evening, the doctor found that things were not progressing -- and determined the reason why. He decided to take the baby by cesarian section. This was in the days when the dad had to bide his time out in the waiting room.

But I can remember it like it was yesterday. The nurse came out and informed me that Beverly was fine. And then those words that were music to my ears and forever changed my life: "It's a girl!" Talk about walking on air!

Today I am thanking THE Father for the gift of fatherhood. Happy birthday, Jennifer Laine Ross Bizaillion! Whether you like it or not, you will always be my little girl. But I could not be more proud of the woman you have become.

A Christian America?

As he so often has done, I came across some words from Philip Yancey (Finding God in Unexpected Places) that express feelings I have had over the last several years. People in Christian circles tend to assume that I am on the "religious right" bandwagon. For a while, I was. But my perspective has drastically changed. So let Yancey's words express for me better than I can myself:

I have often heard this verse quoted as a formula for national revival: "If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land" (2 Chronicles 7: 14). Yet that promise was given as part of God's covenant relationship with the ancient Hebrews . . . Have we any reason to assume God has a similar covenant arrangement with the USA?

The New Testament seems to introduce a major shift: God is now working not primarily through nations, but through an invisible kingdom that transcends nations. Jesus stressed "the kingdom of Heaven" as the central focus of God's activity on earth, a kingdom that permeates society so as to gradually affect the whole, like salt sprinkled on meat.

As I now reflect on Jesus' stories of the kingdom, I sense that much uneasiness among Christians today stems from a confusion of the two kingdoms, visible and invisible. Each time an election rolls around, Christians debate whether this or that candidate is "God's man" for the White House. Projecting myself back into Jesus' time, I have difficulty imagining him pondering whether Tiberius, Octavius, or Julius Caesar -- not to mention Nero or Caligula -- was "God's man" for the empire. What took place in Rome was on another plane entirely from the kingdom of God.

At various points in U. S. history (the 1850s, the time of Prohibition, and more recently during the Moral Majority movement of the 1980s), the Christian church has marked an ascendancy into politics. Now, it appears, the church and politics may be heading in different directions. The more I understand Jesus' message of the kingdom of God, the less alarm I feel over that trend. Our real challenge, the focus of our energy, should not be to Christianize the United States (always a losing battle) but rather to strive to be Christ's church in an increasingly hostile world. As Karl Barth said, "[The Church] exists . . . to set up in the world a new sign which is radically dissimilar to [the world's] own manner and which contradicts it in a way which is full of promise."

When we have attempted to tie Christianity to America, we have left the impression in the world that financial corruption, materialism and graphic sex are "Christian." Thus much of the reason for Islam's rejection of Jesus. This is sad.

Weather, Michael and Junkers

OK, a couple of days ago I wrote complaining about the lack of rain here in Decatur. Well, last night we were blessed with 2-1/2 inches! Nice. This weather pattern has been a welcomed break from the normal late-July weather. Highs in the upper 80s and low 90s!

I feel badly for the people in south Texas who are in a SEVERE drought. There is hope on the horizon, however. An El Nino has developed that should bring more than normal rainfall to Texas over the coming months. Let's hope (and pray) so.

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I have affirmed in an earlier blog that Michael Jackson was one of the most talented artists in my lifetime. However, it really is time to move on to something else, news people! GMA this morning was interviewing his chef! Come on!

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Just curious, because I'm not REAL sure how I feel about it myself. How do you feel as a tax payer to know that you are subsidizing someone's clunker trade-in to the tune of $4,500 so that they can buy a new car?

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I have changed the settings on my comment section of this blog. I had a filter in place to prevent spam, but as a result some people were having trouble posting a comment. So now, if you comment -- it will not appear until I can approve it. This way I can still prevent spammers from hitting my blog. But this should allow for anyone to comment.

Let me know if you try to comment, but can't.

Marriage and Culture

Years ago, J. D. Unwin wrote a book entitled Sex and Culture, in which he studied 86 different societies. His findings startled scholars. All 86 cultures demonstrated a direct tie between absolute monogamy and the "expansive energy" of civilization. In other words, sexual fidelity was the single most important predictor of a society's progress.

Unwin had no religious convictions and applied no moral judgments to his study. Here are his concluding words:

"I offer no opinion about rightness or wrongness. In human records there is no instance of a society retaining its energy after a complete new generation has inherited a tradition which does not insist on prenuptial and post-nuptial continence."

Will America be the exception? Or will we be wise enough to see where we are headed, and repent? Time will tell. But we Christians must be salt and light in living out a model designed by God. When we look and act and break covenant as regularly as the pagan, what hope does the world have?

Wii, Drought and Michael Vick

Previously I have mentioned that Beverly got me a Wii for Christmas. When Jed, Jocelyn and Malaya were here last week, Jed wanted to play Wii. I was at work at the time, so Jonathan got them fixed up to play bowling, and Beverly joined them. She has gotten so into it that now every evening, she and I head to the bowling alley (on the Wii in our bedroom). It really is fun.

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Here in Decatur we are in the strangest weather pattern! Since May, we have had about 1/2 inch of rain. If you drew a 15-mile circle around us, you would find that everyone has had multiple inches of rain in that same time span. Yesterday as many areas had flash floods, I recorded 2/10ths of an inch. Very strange. We are desperately in need of a gully washer here.

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So Michael Vick has been reinstated. Here's a shocker: PETA has threatened to boycott any team that signs him. I have a couple of thoughts about that:

1. I doubt members of PETA would be a huge fan base in any market.

2. Vick has paid his dues -- more severe than what many athletes have paid for crimes. I am certainly not defending what he did, but it seems that vehicular manslaughter or possibly being an accessory to a murder are not considered to be as serious of crimes as "dogfighting." Give the guy a 2nd chance.

What do you think?

Influencing the Nations

Chew on this observation from M. Scott Peck, author of A Road Less Traveled:

It is notable that two hundred years ago this new nation spent virtually no money and no energy attempting to control the behavior of the other nations of the world. Yet one by one, almost ten by ten, the peoples of these nations followed our spiritual and political example to seek the same freedoms for themselves. It is hard to escape the conclusion that in the years since, our political and spiritual leadership has declined in inverse proportion to the increasing amounts of money and effort we have expended to manipulate other countries . . . I wonder, if we in the United States were to concentrate -- as our overwhelmingly major priority -- on making ourselves the best possible society we can be, whether the nations of the world might once again, without any pressure except the influence of example, begin to emulate us.

Sounds like Jesus -- being salt and light.

It's LIke Christmas Eve

Tonight, my son Jonathan will be speaking at our church. He has been on staff at the Bammel Road Church of Christ in Houston for several years now. He is a worship leader, but also an excellent speaker. I am looking forward to seeing him and his family.

Do you remember the feeling you had as a kid on Christmas eve? Let me tell you who are not yet grandparents: That is the same feeling I have when my grandkids are coming. Last night, Jonathan and his family stayed in Keller with my daughter, Jenny and her family. We are fortunate to have them closer, as we get to see Malaya (grandchild #1) fairly regularly. But we still get excited about that, too!

So, Beverly and I have been on pins and needles! They should arrive here around noon today. I can't wait to see Jed and Jocelyn!

And we are really missing Truitt! His brother will be joining us in a month or so -- due at the end of August. Noah James will be his name. Again, it's like Christmas eve. The trip to Memphis when we get word is going to seem like forever.

Grisham's Latest

I love John Grisham's books. Maybe I should say I used to. I just finished his latest one -- The Associate. I cannot stand to read a book and become connected with a character, and then have too many loose ends left. Grisham leaves the reader to wonder what in the world happened to Kyle -- the lead character. Too many possibilities are available -- and many not good ones.

This falls after his last book, The Appeal. An excellent story. But it ended so disappointingly for me that I teasingly threw the book across the room and told Beverly, "I hate that book!"

Maybe I just want too much predictability to stories. I want them to end happy and completed. I wonder if there is a correlation between that and actual life. Because I like when life goes that way, too. I like when things go according to script: predictable and optimistic.

Oh, well. There's always a ton more Louis L'amour books to read.

"That's One Small Step for Man . . ."

Well, I had my heart ripped out again yesterday. After Tom Watson birdied 17 and took a one-shot lead and then hit a perfect drive on 18, my eyes were already tearing up as I considered what an incredible moment I was watching. And then, before you could blink an eye -- it seemed that the dream was over.

Something in me is wanting to say, "Oh, well. Maybe next time." But that is not reality. When is the last time a 59 year old led a major championship into the 72nd hole? My guess is never.

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For those of you over about 45, do you remember where you were 40 years ago today? I was 12 years old, living in Austin, Texas. I had stayed up late to watch the 1st step on the moon. The next morning, I played in a junior golf tournament.

In my growing up years, astronauts, along with athletes, were our heroes. I used to could name every Mercury, Gemini and Apollo crew. It was exciting times, as we Americans tried to beat the Russians in the space race. And on this day, 40 years ago, we won. As the Viet Nam War dragged one, this was something we could be proud of.

So, should we send a manned mission to Mars? I don't know. It seems like there are more pressing needs we have as a country. But if the decision was made -- I'd be watching.

Seeking HIS Kingdom

In the introduction to his book Finding God in Unexpected Places, Philip Yancey relates the following story:

Theologian John S. Dunne tells of a group of early Spanish sailors who reached the continent of South America after an arduous voyage. Their caravels sailed into the headwaters of the Amazon, an expanse of water so wide the sailors presumed it to be a continuation of the Atlantic Ocean. It never occurred to them to drink the water, since they expected it to be saline, and as a result some of these sailors died of thirst. That scene of men dying of thirst even as their ships floated on the world's largest source of freshwater has become for me a metaphor for our age. Some people starve to death spiritually while all around them manna rots.

People shake their heads in despair over the state of the world despite the fact that by many measures -- literacy, nutrition, clean water, housing -- things have decidedly improved in the past fifty years.

He goes on to mention the fall of the iron curtain, the ending of apartheid in South Africa, the great revival taking place in China (over 100 million Chinese now claim the name of Jesus).

We tend to get bogged down over a couple of issues in America -- and see nothing but gloom and doom. Please don't hear me saying those issues are not important. But let's not become so obsessed that we lose sight of the bigger picture. The Kingdom of God is advancing in this world. Let's look for His movement -- and join Him there.

T. B. Larimore

One of the books I read last week was Will The Cycle be Unbroken, by Douglas Foster. It deals with where we, Churches of Christ, are as a part of the American Restoration Movement. I was especially drawn to one of the Restoration leaders, T. B. Larimore (1843-1929). He lived in a time when there was great turbulence in the movement, and yet he refused to get involved in the "issues" of the day. He is one of my spiritual heros.

Larimore had a former student that tried to "guilt" him into taking sides on issues like instrumental music in worship, church conventions, located preachers, etc. These were, by the way, issues over which the Restoration Movement split about 100 years ago. I know it is fairly lengthy, but I want to share Larimore's response:

To which -- or what -- party do I belong in this unfortunate controversy? That's the question. Had I "spoken out" on "matters" mentioned in your "open letter," this question had never arisen; for all had known. Your letter is proof positive, then, that you and THOUSANDS of other friends before whom "my life is an open book" believe I have never "spoken out," have never expressed an opinion or a preference -- on ANY of these things. THAT IS TRUE. NEVER, publicly or privately, have I expressed opinion or preference relative to ANY of these "matters" . . . over which brethren are wrangling and disputing and dividing the church of Christ -- NEVER . . . I am sorry to disappoint any of my friends; but it is certainly clear my duty, to . . . leave the discussion of all such questions to wiser, better, abler men, and just simply "PREACH THE WORD," avoiding, always, all question that "do gender strifes" among the children of God. WIser and better men do otherwise, however, and some good brethren may deem it their duty to denounce, renounce, criticize, censure, condemn, boycott and abuse me, and refuse to recognize, fellowship or affiliate with me, because I am as I am, do as I do, and, especially, because I have written what I have written in answer to your "open letter." I shall certainly never retaliate. I shall simply do as I have ALWAYS done: "love the brethren"; be true to my convictions; endure as patiently as possible whatsoever may come upon me; go when and where I am wanted and called, if I can; carefully avoid all questions that "do gender strifes" among God's people; "PREACH THE WORD"; try to do MY WHOLE DUTY, and GLADLY leave ALL results with HIM from whom all blessings flow."

Oh, how I want to leave such a legacy! Larimore ended up as a man with no home -- as neither side accepted him. But he remained true to his convictions that sowing discord is one of the things God abhors.

I leave you with these words from Larimore: "If Christians thought they had to do something with the questions (meaning "issues"), it would be better to sit on them, and to stand on Christ and him crucified."

AMEN!

The Week in Florida

We are back in Texas after spending 8 days in Florida. It was a great week. The resort where Beverly's conference was held was beautiful. Our room faced a golf course (making this guy very happy).

Last Monday, my brother John and his wife and some friends came over from Bradenton (near Tampa). While Beverly was in conference, the ladies went to SeaWorld and the guys went to play golf. We then went out to dinner together. It was a great day.

On Tuesday, I rented a car and drove to Saint Augustine to the World Golf Hall of Fame. I really enjoyed my day there, and got back in time to hear Gary Chapman, a keynote speaker for the conference. I also got to hear the ministerial staff from the church that made the movie "Fireproof" at a Wednesday luncheon. What a story! And I went to a banquet on Thursday night and heard John Gray as well.

Each day I spent 6 hours or more with Philip Yancey (through his books), reading about American Restoration history, and finally a book on church history. It was great! Several evenings, I played golf.

Beverly was in conference from 8:30 AM to 7:30 PM most days. On Saturday, she got out at 5:30, and wanted to go with me as I played golf. We got to the 3rd hole and it began to rain. So I drove the cart under a building at the far end of the course. The rain kept getting worse and worse until it was flooding. We finally decided to make a dash to the clubhouse. Bad mistake! I could not tell how deep the water was, and we got flooded out. Stuck halfway back in a monsoon! The water was coming up over the floor of the cart. So I took off my shoes and socks and got out in the water and pushed the cart out. Beverly just knows she felt an alligator brush her leg.

I called the pro shop, and they sent someone out to rescue us. We were soaked by the time we got back -- but were cracking up at the whole thing.

It was a great week, but it's always good to be home.

Classified Ads

These are real, honest-to-goodness classified ads. I hope they show up clearly.

The cheapskate in me is considering a name change.

The knife, baseball bat and billy club didn't really get Mr. Davis' attention. But the deadly rolling pin? Sounds like his wife had broken him in on its dangers.

Hard for me to believe, how about you? How lucky can the Feds get?

Yes, we English-reading folks immediately picked up on that blatant error.

And people think dogs aren't smart! Apparently, they are all multi-lingual.

Steven Curtis Chapman

I would refer you to my son Josh's blog (www.preacherjosh.blogspot.com or click on the link on my blogsite) and watch the clip of Steven Curtis Chapman receiving a dove award for artist of the year. He is an incredible person of faith -- as is his entire family. Last year about this time, one of his sons accidentally backed over and killed one of his daughters in the family's driveway. Their journey of faith has been painful, but one they have shared publicly. I watched them on Larry King Live as they openly admitted to their pleas of "Why, God?" -- while still holding firmly to their trust in Him.

These kinds of people are not the ones who get the national media press. Imagine if a Hollywood celebrity's child was killed in a similar accident! But they are certainly the salt and light and quietly-working leaven of the world -- which each of us has also been called to be. THESE are the difference-makers.

God's blessing on the Chapman family!

Where is God When it Hurts?

Yesterday I began an older book by Philip Yancey, called Where is God When It Hurts? I am drawn more and more to the issue of human suffering, in part because of the wrong theology that has been promoted on the subject -- in which the blame is laid at GOD's feet.

I love what Yancey writes in the preface:

Another thing amazes me. Books on the problem of pain divide neatly into two groupings. The older ones, by people like Aquinas, Bunyan, Donne, Luther, Calvin and Augustine, ungrudgingly accept pain and suffering as God's useful agents. These authors do not question God's actions. They merely try to "justify the ways of God to man." The authors wrote with confidence, as if the sheer force of their reasoning could calm emotional responses to suffering.

Modern books on pain make a sharp contrast. Their authors assume that the amount of evil and suffering in the world cannot be matched with the traditional view of a good and loving God. God is thus bumped from a "friend of the court" position to the box reserved for the defendant. "How can you possibly justify yourself, God?" these angry moderns seem to say. Many of them adjust their notion of God, either by redefining his love or by questioning his power to control evil.

When you read the two categories of books side by side, the change in tone is quite striking. It's as if we in modern times think we have a corner on the suffering market. Do we forget that Luther and Calvin lived in a world without ether and penicillin, when life expectancy averaged thirty years, and that Bunyan and Donne wrote their greatest works, respectively, in a jail and a plague quarantine room? Ironically, the modern authors -- who live in princely comfort, toil in a climate-controlled office, and hoard elixirs in their medicine cabinets -- are the ones smoldering with rage.

I look forward to spending a lot of time with Yancey over the next couple of weeks.

What an End to a Good Week

We had a great time with the kids all here last week. We visited Fossil Rim Wildlife park, the Dallas Aquarium, and played some golf. On Friday night, the boys and I went to a Ranger game -- the only one that it seems like they have won lately. It was a good week.

The kids all left Saturday. Beverly and I spent the rest of the day cleaning house. And just in time! We both got sick during the night. My stomach felt like a roller coaster all night. I woke up unsure what to do on Sunday. I finally decided to get someone to combine my Bible class with theirs, and I went to church, preached, and went home. The best I felt all day was during that hour. Beverly stayed in bed all day.

When I first got up this morning, I thought everything was OK. I'm still much better than yesterday, but not ready to go running.

It's Staycation Time

Even though I will not be missing a Sunday in the next couple of weeks, my family begins our "staycation" this weekend. They begin arriving today, and more on Sunday. We are making our house "headquarters," and will take in a number of local fun things to do.

So I don't know if I will be blogging next week or not. I know, I know. Those of you who flood my blog with comments -- you may just have to save them for a week.

U.S. Open and PETA

Today Tiger Woods begins his defense of his U.S. Open title. Last year's Open was perhaps the most exciting I have ever seen. This year they are at Bethpage Black in New York state. This course is unbelievably hard. The fairways don't even begin on some holes until 265 yards off the tee. There are some pros who hit good drives -- and are still in the rough!

I know some golfers like to see the courses made so difficult that the pros look more like us at times. I personally don't. I don't mind a course being difficult. But it needs to be fair. It needs to punish the miss-hit shot, and reward the well-hit one. Traditional U.S. Open layouts, in my opinion, often cross the line. When a guy has to hit a drive 270 yards -- IN THE AIR -- the USGA has already eliminated many in the field from being able to compete.

The forecast is for rain, rain and more rain. Which makes it even MORE difficult for the guy who can't hit driver 300 in the air. So the conditions are made even more likely for Tiger to defend his title. I'm pulling for him, but I wouldn't mind seeing Phil (what a story THAT would be), Steve Stricker, Kenny Perry or Paul Casey win (all long hitters).

I would like to play a U.S. Open course when it is set up with Open conditions, just to see what I would score. Two years ago at Oakmont, Tiger said a 10 handicapper couldn't break 100. I would just be interested to see what it would be like.

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President Obama swats a fly, and PETA gets offended! Don't these radical movements realize they look buffoonish when they are so extreme? They lose all credibility.

Worship 24-7

What first attracted me to the writings of A. W. Tozer was a booklet on worship. Right now the topic of his daily devotionals is worship. Here is yesterday's:

But the Lord is in His holy temple. Let all the earth keep silence before Him.

--Habakkuk 2:20

So I've got to tell you that if you do not worship God seven days a week, you do not worship Him on one day a week. There is no such thing known in heaven as Sunday worship unless it is accompanied by Monday worship and Tuesday worship and so on....

We come into God's house and say, "The Lord is in His holy temple, let us all kneel before Him." Very nice. I think it's nice to start a service that way once in a while. But when any of you enter your office Monday morning at 9 o'clock, if you can't walk into that office and say, "The Lord is in my office, let all the world be silent before Him," then you are not worshiping the Lord on Sunday. If you can't worship Him on Monday you didn't worship Him on Sunday. If you don't worship Him on Saturday you are not in very good shape to worship Him on Sunday.

Journeying with God

Today I complete my journey through David Nasser's A Call to Die. Some of the days have been elementary, but there have been other days that have been very spiritually challenging and stimulating. It is amazing how many days I would be praying in the morning about something, and then get to my study and find it is right in line with that.

Example: Yesterday morning, I prayed this: "Lord, today let me taste every word before I say it. Let my lips honor You today." I got to my study, opened Nassar, and the lesson was entitled "Watch Your Words!"

The last couple of months have been really stimulating for me spiritually. And this is where pride comes in. Nassar challenged me a couple of days ago to examine a relationship problem. I felt convicted about it. I REALLY want to do the right thing and be pleasing to God. So yesterday I took the step to do that -- and it ended in disaster. I went into meltdown, and felt like my three steps forward over the last few weeks had resulted in four steps back.

Still, God is good and Satan is a liar. I refuse to listen to him -- regardless of who he is using to speak to me. Through Jesus Christ, I am victorious. Praise the Lord!

I know this probably makes no sense to you, but I still needed to journal it. Blessings.

Luke is Doing His Number on Me

Walking with God is the ultimate.  I love that, even if I live to be 110, I won't be finished.  Every day is a new challenge.  Just about the time I get to where I think I'm getting it together, God humbles me with a reminder of Jesus.

I am preaching through the Gospel of Luke on Sunday mornings.  I really intended for this to go for about a year.  Well, I started last September, and I am now in chapter 12.  And I'm just now really getting to the parables!

But each week is a humbling experience as I immerse myself into the words of Jesus afresh.  As He speaks of concern for the poor, the sin of materialism, trusting in God -- I come under conviction over and over again.  But I am enjoying the refiner's fire right now.  It is a good time in my life for this to be happening.

Oh, Abba.  I want with all my heart and more than I ever have wanted it before to be like Jesus. Do WHATEVER You have to do to bring out His image in me.    

The Ultimate Love Test

How can you know who loves you most?

A preacher told me the other night how you can determine this.  Put your wife and your dog in the trunk of a car and close it.  Come back in an hour -- and find out who is happy to see you.  

Have a wonderful weekend. 

Worship, 2

Sorry, but I just have to share Tozer again today, as a follow up to yesterday.  He wrote back in the 50s and 60s, but what he had to say seems prophetic to today.

The fool has said in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, 
they have done abominable works, there is none who does good. 
--Psalm 14:1

Now we were made to worship, but the Scriptures tell us something else again. They tell us that man fell and kept not his first estate; that he forfeited the original glory of God and failed to fulfill the creative purpose, so that he is not worshiping now in the way that God meant him to worship. All else fulfills its design; flowers are still fragrant and lilies are still beautiful and the bees still search for nectar amongst the flowers; the birds still sing with their thousand-voice choir on a summer's day, and the sun and the moon and the stars all move on their rounds doing the will of God.

And from what we can learn from the Scriptures we believe that the seraphim and cherubim and powers and dominions are still fulfilling their design--worshiping God who created them and breathed into them the breath of life. Man alone sulks in his cave.  Man alone, with all of his brilliant intelligence, with all of his amazing, indescribable and wonderful equipment, still sulks in his cave. He is either silent, or if he opens his mouth at all, it is to boast and threaten and curse; or it's nervous ill-considered laughter, or it's humor become big business, or it's songs without joy. Worship: The Missing Jewel, 6-7.

Worship

I haven't shared any Tozer for a while.  Here is today's devotional thought:

Give unto the Lord the glory due to His name; worship the Lord in the 
beauty of holiness. 
--Psalm 29:2

Yes, worship of the loving God is man's whole reason for existence. 
That is why we are born and that is why we are born again from above. 
That is why we were created and that is why we have been recreated. 
That is why there was a genesis at the beginning, and that is why 
there is a re-genesis, called regeneration.

That is also why there is a church. The Christian church exists to 
worship God first of all. Everything else must come second or third 
or fourth or fifth....

Sad, sad indeed, are the cries of so many today who have never 
discovered why they were born. It brings to mind the poet Milton's 
description of the pathetic lostness and loneliness of our first 
parents. Driven from the garden, he says, "they took hand in hand 
and through the valley made their solitary way." Whatever Happened 
to Worship?, 56-57.

The question, then, in some people's minds is, "So that is our purpose?  To gather on Sunday's and worship?"  This is where we have been taught an incomplete understanding of worship.  Worship is the outpouring of our lives.

Romans 12: 1 says "offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God -- this is your spiritual act of worship."  But don't miss v. 2:  "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is -- his good, pleasing and perfect will." 

Wake-up Call

We in the Western world are far past due for a wake-up call from God!  SO wrapped up in schedules and activities that don't have KINGDOM in the center of them.  However, I am humbled when I consider what God's wake-up call in Scripture looks like.  Usually, it involves bondage. 

I borrowed these excerpts from a friend's blog.  They come from Richard Stearns' book, A Hole in the Gospel.  May they serve as a "wake-up" for those who are in my world. 

 “On Sunday morning, safe in our church pews and surrounded by friends, it can be all too easy to leave the world’s violence, suffering, and turmoil outside — out of sight, out of mind.”

“. . . Being a follower of Jesus Christ requires much more than just a personal and transforming relationship with God. It also entails a public and transforming relationship with the world.”

“The whole gospel is a vision for ushering in God’s kingdom — now, not in some future time, and here, on earth, not in some distant heaven.”

“Those words from the Lord’s Prayer, ‘your kingdom come, your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven’ were and are a clarion call to Jesus’ followers not just to proclaim the good news but to be the good news, here and now (Matt. 6:10). This gospel — the whole gospel — means much more than the personal salvation of individuals. it means a societal revolution.”

Sports Tidbits

It was an interesting weekend for sports.  Three of the greatest ever in their individual sports were competing.  I personally went two for three in the outcomes I was hoping for.  

Obviously, Tiger Woods HAS TO be in anyone's discussion of the top two golfers in history.  He looked incredible yesterday as he came back from a 4-shot deficit to win.  He hit every fairway. That is scary.

Then, Andy Federer won the French Open to complete the Tennis Career Grand Slam.

Sports fans are fortunate to be living when we do to see these great careers.

The outcome I did not care for was the Lakers winning in overtime last night.  Kobe Bryant is no doubt one of the greatest basketball players of all times.  But he is not on my list of favorite athletes -- even if my list went to 10,000.  He ranks somewhere close to T. O., and any reader of my blog knows how I feel about that.  He, along with Guru Phil Jackson, cause me to root against the Lakers -- no matter who the opponent may be.

So, two for three on this weekend.

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I read this morning of more proof that Jerry Jones has totally lost it.  He is actually considering bringing back Pacman Jones!  Can you believe it?

My treasured Cowboys!  You have been kidnapped, and I no longer recognize you.  

At least Nolan Ryan is making SOMETHING positive happen in the DFW sports world.

I'm Goin' Back to Houston

Does anybody remember that song (the title of my blog)?  An old Dean Martin hit.

Today my presh (that's Beverly, short for "precious") and I are going to Houston.  My youngest son and his sweet wife's two children both have birthdays this week.  So Grammy and Grampy are going to celebrate with them.  We will be traveling with my daughter and granddaughter and my mother-in-law.

Can't wait to get there!

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So far, choosing from between the great composers (Bach, Beethoven, Mozart), I would rank them just as I wrote them.  I am only a notice, but for my own personal tastes, that is the way I rank them.  I will take Randy's advice and check out a couple of others, too.  I am finding that I love strings and definitely don't care for the harpsichord.  And I'm not crazy about the pipe organ, either.    

And opera?  That will have to wait for another life.

 

A Jessica Simpson Sighting?

My friend and fellow minister Tim Pyles tells a funny story that happened to him recently.  It seems that he went to Whataburger and ordered a Whatachicken sandwich.  

The girl running the register turned to the person next to her and asked, "Is the Whatachicken the fish?"  The other employee said, "No, that is the Whatacatch."

The girl then said, "Oh.  I always get those mixed up."

I wonder if that girl was Jessica Simpson? 

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I really wish President Obama the best as he travels to Egypt to address the Islamic world.  As I read this morning, I would hate to be in his place.  Islam does not want to compromise with any nation that is not Islam, because they consider that a "come-down."  If Obama brings up that his father was Moslem, then he is considered the worst of the worst because he left his Moslem faith to become a Christian.

How do you deal with the unreasonable?  This is definitely going to be VERY interesting in coming years.  And I am afraid that we in the Western World are clueless.

 

Forgive Us, O God!

I was saddened to hear about the murder of a doctor who was known to perform abortions.  He was in church at the time of his murder.

It breaks my heart to realize that while I have been critical of radical Islam, there are people who think they are doing the will of God and pleasing Jesus by murdering those who commit the immoral.  It really leaves me little ground to be too harsh toward those misguided people who commit other atrocities in the name of Allah.

As Pogo once said, "We have met the enemy, and it is us."  We Christians have been our own worst enemies when it comes to spreading the Gospel.  

We've done it through making abortion and homosexuality our two societal concerns -- rather than also being compassionate and responding like Jesus to the condition of those around us (yes, even when that condition is self-inflicted).  

We have done it by making people think that Jesus would vote a certain way.  

We have done it by majoring in minors -- and fighting among ourselves.  No army that fights itself is going to win the war.

I could go on and on.  But my prayer is that Jesus might pour cold water over us and wake us up!  That HE might be THE issue!  And that the perfect love of Jesus might be manifested in His people.  

O God, let this happen!

     

Colonial and Classical Music

The Colonial tournament was an exciting one this year.  Once again, Tim Clark finished 2nd.  I was kind of pulling for him because he seems like a good guy with a solid game.  But he has never won on the PGA tour.  Nearly 40 second place finishes!

However, Steve Stricker is one of my favorite guys on tour.  A believer -- who, along with Kenny Perry, is considered by their peers to be the nicest two guys on tour.

Beverly and I had a good time on Friday.

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I have made so many changes in my life through the years.  In high school, I was a HUGE rock-n-roll fan.  In the 80s, I became a big country music fan.  In the 90s, I switched to Contemporary Christian music.  

Now, my iTunes is filled with CLASSICAL!  Yes, from Bach to Beethoven to Mozart to Strauss.  Who would have ever believed it?  But it is the most soothing, relaxing music!  It plays all day as I read and study.  GREAT STUFF!   

More Servant Opportunities

My son asked me to report on my day of service yesterday.  The catfish was cut up into more like nuggets -- which I really like.  That way there is more batter.  So I don't know how many pieces I ate.  Of course, that was after the slavelike conditions of battering the catfish on a beautiful Wednesday -- temperature in the 60s with deep blue skies.  I think it would be easier to round off to the nearest pound how much I ate.

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Another ministry day is on tap for tomorrow.  A friend from church called me last night and asked if I would like tickets to the Colonial.  So Beverly and I will go there tomorrow for a day of tough ministry at the golf course.  Conditions will be brutal.  Deep blue skies with temperatures creeping up into the lower 80s.  Whew.  I just need to keep singing to myself, "Make me a servant . . ."

This year the Colonial has drawn something like 95 of the top 100 golfers in the world.  Unfortunately, both numbers 1 and 2 are absent.  We will probably follow a group that includes Kenny Perry and Vijay Singh for a while, and then just find a place to sit and watch.  

"Make me a servant . . ."

  

Hail, Sports and Catfish

The happiest people in Wise County on this Wednesday morning?  Roofers.

We had a hail storm last night.  About golf ball size.  I just put on a new roof last year, so I'm not eager to have it checked again.

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So the Cleveland Cavaliers had been branded by many as the best team in the NBA.  Apparently Orlando didn't get the memo.  Wow, Dwight Howard is incredible!  

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The Texas Rangers are playing the Evil Empire at home right now.  They were given an old-fashioned whuppin' on Monday, but managed to win last night.  Hopefully they can pull out the rubber game tonight.

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I'm going out to the Long's this morning for the Ladies' Bible Class catfish fry.  Call it a "preacher perk" -- getting invited to their luncheon.  But I must say in all humility:  I go as a servant.  I actually help batter the fish and put it in the oil to fry.  

Thank you, Lord, for giving me a servant heart:) 

Greatest Hits

Over the Memorial Day weekend I spent some time, while in the car and while painting, listening to K-LUV's top 500 songs (voted on by listeners in the Metroplex).  I really enjoy those kind of things.  But I can't say that I agreed with the list.

The Beatles had 43 songs in the top 500.  Their top-rated song was "Twist and Shout" at number 4.  Others with numerous songs on the list were the Rolling Stones, Elton John, the Doobie Brothers, The Beach Boys and The Eagles.

But the top songs?  

1.  "Take it Easy"  The Eagles

2.  "Pretty Woman"  Roy Orbison 

3.  "Old Time Rock and Roll"  Bob Seger   

4.  "Twist and Shout"  The Beatles

5.  "Respect"  Aretha Franklin

As I look over the list of 500 songs, I can say for sure that none of these would make MY top-10.  I even used to perform "Take it Easy", and I like it -- but #1?  And John Lennon's raw vocals on "Twist and Shout" is rock and roll at its best.  But I would hardly consider that to be the Beatles' greatest hit.  

The other three in the top 5?  Come on!

Well, that's my opinion.  And that's what makes these kinds of things so fun.

Friday Frustration

OK, Rick.  It's Friday morning.  Time to be wrapping up your Sunday sermon prep.  Outline is due for the bulletin in two hours.

And I sit.

The subject is not a difficult one:  Prayer.  The disciples' prayer in Luke 11.  "Lord, teach us to pray."  I've preached the sermon many times.  And therein lies the problem.

How many sermons have we heard about prayer.  We come looking for some formula -- something that will make this spiritual discipline easy.  But the disciplines don't come easily.  And there is no formula to prayer -- other than DO IT.

But I don't know if that's what I should say Sunday.  So I am sitting here wondering what to say to people who have heard countless sermons about prayer -- and yet still struggle with praying.

    

David Slays Goliath!

I was shocked!  After the way the judges were slobbering over Adam and declaring him the winner, when Ryan announced Kris' name, Beverly and I both jumped up cheering.  I think the best song I have heard him sing this year was last night with Keith Urban.  It was great!

I must say that my opinion of Adam softened last night.  I don't think he could have been more gracious in his loss.  Perhaps he realizes that he hasn't lost.  He will no doubt be a superstar -- just not my style.

Interesting to hear the spin the media is already putting on this:  "America is not ready for the 1st gay idol."  How patronizing is that?  "Not ready."  "Not nearly as enlightened as we media people."

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I was saddened to hear that Phil Michelson has had to withdraw from the two local PGA stops because his wife has been diagnosed with breast cancer.  Phil has always put his family 1st.  I remember in 1999 when he was in the final group on Sunday in the U.S. Open.  His wife was expecting their 1st child, and he had a beeper with him.  He said before the round that if she beeped him to alert him that she had gone into labor -- he was withdrawing.

I pray that everything goes well for the Mickelsons, and that his wife is totally healed. 

 

American Idol and "The Missing Link"

Well, the American Idol judges all but delivered Kris' concession speech last night.  I don't remember a year in which the judges have been so prejudiced toward a contestant as this year.  They are determined to make sure Adam wins.  Last week, Simon even encouraged America to be sure and vote for him.  Yet he only won by 1 million votes.  I wonder who those who voted for Danny Gokey will vote for?  I guess we will see tonight if David has slain Goliath.

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Scientists have announced the discovery of "the missing link" in human evolution.  I don't claim to be an expert, but their conclusions seem desperate to me.  However, I will say this:  My faith in Scripture does not hinge on the rules established by the radical fundamentalists who say that Genesis 1 speaks of literal 24-hour days.  The Hebrew word translated "day" is not limited to such an interpretation.  And the section is written in a very poetic style.  Moses was not writing a geology book, but the drama of God's pursuit of humanity.

For those whom I have already seen commenting about us stupid Christians who believe in a book of fairy tales, I would say this:  How did Moses, writing in 1500 BC, know the order of creation?  No one in science proposed such things for another millennium or more.  His order is in agreement even with the order evolutionists say things evolved. 

I wish we could stop with this "science vs. God's Word" war.  It is a war that is being waged by the extremes of both systems.  Moderate scientists as well as moderate Christians can actually see the beautiful agreement between the two.  A good read on this subject is Lee Strobel's A Case for a Creator.

How does this recent discovery affect your faith?

Why Are the Spiritual Disciplines SO Hard?

Yesterday I completed moving my office.  The office next to mine became empty, and it is a bit more off the beaten track -- so I grabbed it.  Also (this may mean something to those of you who are over 50), it is closer to the bathroom.  

I have made it my goal with this new office to develop my spiritual disciplines better.  I am working through a 40-day journey in a book entitled A Call to Die, by David Nasser.  It has encouraged me to renew my pursuit of the disciplines.  I think the one I would most like to develop greater is that of meditating on the Word. 

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On a more spiritual note, the final 2 hours of "24" was last night, and we haven't gotten to watch it yet.  We are keeping Truitt (our 2 year old grandson), and for some reason his parents don't want him seeing that show.  I personally want to encourage my grandkids to grow up to be like Jack (just kidding).  Anyway, if you have seen it -- don't talk about it to me until after Wednesday.  That is probably the 1st chance we will have to see it.

Also "American Idol" is wrapping up another season tomorrow night.  I get bored with the Tuesday night show, so I just really key in on the last few minutes of the Wednesday night one.  I am rooting for Kris.  Adam gives me the heebie-jeebies.  However, I must confess:  I have never voted for AI.     

Dallas Sports and American Jihad

The Mavs are done for another year.  This team does not face a bright future right now.  I love Dirk, but I don't know that he is a centerpiece to build a team around.  Great shooter.  Great series against the Nuggets.  But something about the chemistry seems lacking.

This team needs to get some of the "thugs" from the Nuggets or somewhere.

This is not a good time to be a Dallas area sports fan, in my opinion.  The Cowboys haven't come close to living up to the billing of their snake-oil owner.  The Mavs will have to be rebuilding.  The Stars?  Oh, yeah.  There is a sport called hockey.

Surprisingly, the Rangers are looking good.  And it is because of pitching!  When have good pitching and Rangers ever been used in the same sentence?    

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I have been receiving a number of emails and have read articles about the coming American jihad.  The information cites an Islamic extremist manifesto that targets the world to be under Moslem rule in 100 years.  The plan is to be done covertly -- taking advantage of America's protection of freedom of religion and tolerance of multiculturalism.  According to the reports, our government has known this manifesto existed for some time.

I never know any more what to chalk up as alarmist sensationalism and a real threat.  The media's penchant for chasing a story has diminished my trust (see "Swine Flu").  

I do believe that if Islam continues to grow in this country, much of that is due to a void that America's "playing at Christianity" has left.  And I DO NOT believe that such a conflict is going to be won through military means or legislation.  It MUST BE won by Christians living the Christ life.  And any Christian who does not believe that may as well tell Jesus that He didn't know what He was talking about.  I'm not ready to do that.   

    

My Sin of Anxiety

Yesterday's "aha" moments with Scot McKnight from his book The Jesus Creed:  

A disciple of Jesus holds aloft the white flag of surrender.  The white flag is actually a prayer.  Here's the simple, white-flag payer a disciple carries each day:  "May your will be done."

Surrendering ourselves to love God is not giving up things FOR God so much as giving ourselves TO God. 

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The Lord is REALLY using this recession to run my "trust in Him" through the fire.  I am at the age where planning for my golden years is forefront in my thinking.  Well, my 401K is in tatters.  And now, Social Security is headed for bankruptcy years before they had previously predicted.  This is not a good time to be a baby boomer.

Lord, let me TRUST.  Take away my anxiety.  I WANT to know you, Jehovah-Jireh.

Radical Discipleship

As I study the Gospel of Luke, I am again blown away by Jesus' radical call to discipleship.  To die to self.  To follow Him in the way of the cross.  To carry our own crosses.  Crosses are the way to death -- not pretty jewelry.

So when I read this quote, it was so where I have been in my thinking lately.

 

"As heretical as it sounds today, it is probably worth telling Americans that you don't need Jesus to have better families, finances, health or even morality. Coming to the cross means repentance -- not adding Jesus as a supporting character for an otherwise decent script, but throwing away the script in order to be written into God's drama. It is death and resurrection, not coaching and makeovers.... When we are pulled out of our own drama and cast as characters in his unfolding plot, we become part of the greatest story ever told." -- Michael Horton, Christless Christianity: The Alternative Gospel of the American Church 

Sports Stuff

The Mavs look like they are toast.  In the Spurs' series, they were obviously playing a team that was running on fumes.  Now they look like the ones who are out of gas.  The Nuggets just kick it into another gear in the 2nd half.  This is looking like a sweep, but the Mavs are a better team at home, so we will see.

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I am always intrigued when discussions in sports turn to who is the best in history.  Dan Jenkins, one of the greatest sports writers ever, has just come out with a book covering the Majors in golf.  He has not missed one in about 45 years.

I found his comparisons (I've only read excerpts from the book) to be very interesting.  I have lived through the Jack Nicklaus era, as well as the Tiger Woods era.  I would probably favor Tiger over the Golden Bear -- but only by a whisker (get it).  But who knows, with the equipment improvements, etc.

Jenkins says that Tiger is so dominant because there is no one else who can stand up to him.  He reminds us that when Nicklaus was winning his majors, he was battling Palmer (7 majors), Player (9 majors), Watson (8 majors) and Trevino (6 majors).  In fact, Jack came in SECOND in 19 majors.  Who does Tiger have?  Mickelson (3), Els (2), Singh (2), Harrington (2).  The fields are deeper today, but the legitimate challengers are just not there.

Asked to pick one player who would win on a given day, Jenkins chose Ben Hogan.

Such statistics are fun to discuss, but impossible to measure for sure.  I do think it would be safe to say that you could pick the best handful of players in history:  Bobby Jones, Sam Snead, Byron Nelson, Ben Hogan, Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods (OK, more than a  handful).  Not many could argue with that. 

   

Pick Your Crisis

It is so predicatable.  Every Monday night at 8:55, my wife will say, "I HATE this show."  Of course, I'm talking about "24" -- which never comes to resolution.  

But really, isn't that more like life than a 30 minute show that has everything settled before the end.  Life is a constant stream of "issues."  Just about the time we get one of them hogtied -- another one comes along.  Sometimes the issues come in clumps -- which REALLY complicates life.  

But God made us amazingly resilient, didn't He?

Right now, Americans have been "clumped."  We have a lot of issues on our plates.  But I am convinced of the truth to the Chinese word for "crisis."  Translated, it means "opportunity."  And certainly, crisis brings opportunity -- especially to those of faith.  

What opportunities we have to BE Jesus!  

Believing is a Relationship

Excerpts from The Jesus Creed by Scot McKnight:

He quotes M. Robert Mulholland, from his book Shaped by the Word, who says "in reading the Bible for knowledge, we can (and often do) miss the mission:  for Abba to love us and for us to love Abba . . . from "information to formation," from learning about love to learning to love." 

"Faith is an ongoing relationship and therefore like a marathon.  Christians are called believers not believeders."

He then quotes Mark Allan Powell (I really like this):

We cannot have a relationship with our christology -- we can have a relationship with Jesus Christ.

Our soteriology cannot save us from our sins -- our Savior can.

Our ecclesiology does not make us one -- the Lord of the Church does.

Our eschatology will not transform this flawed universe -- Jesus the King of kings and Prince of Peace will do that. 

And, no matter how much we love theology -- it will never love us back. 

Only God in Christ loves us, and that is why believing is a relationship.

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Brag time:  My oldest son Josh is keynoting at Pepperdine Lectures this Friday.  If I understood right, he is the youngest keynoter they have ever had.  His wife Kayci is also speaking there.  

Jonathan (youngest son) is also going.  Poor guy is going to be staying in a beach house on Malibu.  Tough assignment.

Swine Flu

Swine flu.  Is this a media-generated panic during a slow news week?  I am not wanting to diminish a legitimate threat to public health, but this just seems like overkill right now.  The travel industry is already taking a beating, and our VP came out saying to stay off of planes and subways.  The administration had to immediately go into damage control over that comment.  (Being Biden's press secretary would have to be one of the most interesting jobs in the country).

But all of this just muddies the water.  Isolated cases.  Few deaths (although any is certainly cause for concern).  Worldwide -- 331 confirmed cases, 10 deaths.  Is it REALLY a pandemic, as the media says?  Or is it like any other flu that has hit internationally through the years?  Remember bird flu from a few years ago?  The media overstated it, too -- though not nearly THIS much.

I mean, really!  Schools are shutting down.  UIL is canceling all spring sporting events.  The question is being posed as to whether to delay the NBA playoffs.

I just want to know the facts.  People have enough things in their lives that are unsettling right now.  Newspapers are struggling to survive, so are they going to become more sensationalistic in order to sell a few more copies -- even if that means creating unnecessary public reactions?

What do you think?     

Preaching is a Dangerous Thing

The ministry of preaching is ever-challenging.  There are weeks that I sit down with a text, and the ideas just come flying.  Then there are weeks like this one.  I am preaching through Luke -- not verse by verse, but selected passages.  I am now to Luke 9.

This chapter has a number of separate, yet interconnected, stories.  I am only going to overview "the sending of the 12," "the feeding of the 5,000," and "the confession of the disciples."  The theme of this chapter seems to be "Who is Jesus?"

The text I have settled on for this week is "the transfiguration."  It is one of my very favorite passages of Scripture -- especially as one connects it with John's words in John 1: 14:  "We have seen his glory   . . ."  But I am sitting here on Thursday -- still not sure of what to do with the passage.  It is definitely one of those that one must be careful not to get in the way of.  And that is my concern.

Can you even imagine what it must have been like to see that?  Peter, James and John got to see Jesus the way He now appears in heaven -- in all the splendor of His glory!  And we will get to see Him that way some day, too.

But I'm still wondering:  What needs to be communicated to my church on Sunday morning?  I LOVE the challenge!  But texts like this also make me aware of the danger.    

   

A Day of Reflection

Beverly and I are going this morning to sign our wills.  We had one made years ago that I have never felt comfortable about because it was kind of a "do-it-yourself" will.  Interesting how things like that remind us of our mortality.

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A year ago today, my father-in-law passed away.  I have really missed him.  He had a great impact on my life.  I learned so much from him.  And I hope I can leave such a legacy of memories as he did.  I can still hear his laugh, and the way he cleared his throat.  My guess is that he has convinced a lot of people in heaven to become Democrats.  

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I think we can officially say that the Spurs' dynasty is done.  I hope the Mavs don't get the big head after easily doing away with a team that is too old to finish -- and missing one of their key players.  It does seem that the Mavs are peaking at the right time, but Denver is going to be a different test all together.

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I'm not a huge "Idol" fan these days.  I guess I've gotten a little tired of it.  But I do have my favorites -- Danny and Kris.  I don't know what it is about Adam, but Beverly and I both feel there is a dark, evil presence around him.  And the high-pitched squeal is really getting old (actually, I guess I never did like it).  I have a feeling he might win, though.  However, a lot of people really DON'T like him.  So once it gets down to only 2 or 3 contestants, that could work against him.     

C. S. Lewis' Journey to Joy

C.S. Lewis spent much of his early adult years as an unbeliever.  He longed for joy in his life, and found moments of it through reading and writing stories and myths.

Late on the night of September 19, 1931, Lewis was in the midst of a discussion with several fellow intellectuals.  One of them was J. R. R. Tolkien, the author of The Lord of the Rings and a believer.  One of them asked Lewis, "Why are you mysteriously moved by the notion of sacrifice when you read it in pagan stories, but not also moved when you read of it in the story of Jesus?"  Lewis would write that on that night "the penny dropped" -- and he began to ask himself if maybe the story of Jesus was the joy he was chasing.

He would say that he could trace back to that night as the point in which he found his "Joy."  He discovered that it was not joy that he was yearning for, after all.  It was the Person to whom this joy was pointing.  He explained his quest:  "But what, in conclusion, of Joy?    . . . To tell you the truth, the subject has lost nearly all interest for me since I became a Christian."  

He concluded with this:  "Joy is a person, and his name is Jesus."   

 

The End of Christian America? (6)

Final thoughts from Greg Boyd's article -- reasons why Kingdom people should not weep over the demise of American Christianity:

3.  If Evangelicals lose all their political clout, we may be less tempted to lust after political power, which means we may have one less distraction from actually doing what God called us to do -- namely, manifesting God's reign by how we humbly live, love and serve.

4.  The Kingdom has always thrived -- and really, has only thrived -- when it was on the margins of society.  The Kingdom is, by its very nature, a "contrast society."  If Christians lose all their power and position in society and become marginalized, this can't help but be good for the Kingdom.  If Christians become persecuted, it likely will be even better.  We'd be turning back the clock from the disaster of Constantinian truimphalist Christianity in the direction of apostolic, servant Christianity.

5.  The "Christian" element of American culture was never deeper than the thin veneer of a shared civic religion.  Many think that being "Christian" is focused on preserving the civic religion (e.g. fighting for prayer before sports events, keeping the ten commandments on government buildings, holding onto a "Christian" definition of marriage within our government, etc.).  Not only this, but this veneer of Christianity causes Jesus followers not to notice the many ways foundational assumptions that permeate American culture are diametrically opposed to the values of the Kingdom.  If the civic religion of Christianity were to die, Kingdom people would be less tempted to associate Christianity with symbolic civic functions and would become more aware of how the Kingdom sharply contrasts with foundational aspects of American culture.

6.  Finally, if Jesus followers lose all their position and power and become a minority . . . this will expose the idol of American individualism we have bought into for far too long and perhaps help us realize that we need to cling to each other and that the Kingdom is inherently communal.  We are called to manifest God's uniquely beautiful love and bear witness to the reality of Jesus Christ by how we share our lives and serve one another.  But it is very difficult for many of us to embrace radical Kingdom community when we can get along very well (by American standards of "well") without it.

The God-given mandate to Kingdom people is not to keep the broader culture from falling apart, but to offer all who are hungry a radically different, far more beautiful, way of doing life.  And often people will not take this offer seriously until everything else is crumbing around them.

Let the civic religion die.  Our task is to live in a way that gives people hope.       

Miss USA and Cloning

OK, I know.  I was going to wrap up my series today on the demise of Christianity in America, but there is something in the news that is REALLY irking me.  I am not a fan of the Miss USA pageant, but something happened during it on Sunday night that is receiving a lot of national news attention -- more so even than the winner, Miss North Carolina Kristen Dalton.

During the contest, Miss California Carrie Prejean was asked a question by openly gay pageant judge and "celebrity" (I've never heard of him) Perez Hilton.  His question was whether every state should follow Vermont in legalizing same-sex marriage.  Now, is that a political question?  If not, what is it?  I ask that because of his comments below.

Prejean responded, "I think it's great that Americans are able to choose one or the other.  But in my country, and in my family, I think that I believe that marriage should be between a man and a woman.  No offense to anybody out there, but that's how I was raised."  Her wording was a little clumsy, but certainly not offensive.  She stated her opinion.

Hilton has referred to her as ignorant.  Tuesday on the Today show, he said that his question was relevant (of course it was to him and his agenda).  He added that Prejean should have "left her politics and her religion out because Miss USA represents all Americans."  Huh?

Question for the totally unbiased Mr. Hilton:  How could she have answered that political question without letting her politics enter into it?  It was a political question.  Now, if she had happened to agree with you, suddenly she would not have been political in her answer.  Right?  

Mr. Hilton, your political bias is showing.  Not only that, but you are showing a total lack of class and reason.  To disagree with you does not make a person ignorant.  And yes, many of us do make decisions in this life based upon our religious (or nonreligious, in your case) beliefs.  Prejean did not try to force her opinion on anybody, nor did she get "preachy."  YOU, Mr. Hilton, are the one showing intolerance here.

This is totally ridiculous.  Mr. Hilton is the one who should be taken to task here by the media.  Not Ms. Prejean. 

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On another moral subject, I read yesterday that an American doctor who is now in hiding claims that he will clone a human within two years.  I have concerns about this, but I am not sure why our culture is drawing a moral line here.  I admit to ignorance on this subject, but how different would cloning a human be from invitro fertilization (I am not saying invitro is wrong)?  I really am hoping someone can enlighten me here.

And interesting:  As a culture, we are saying abortion is not immoral.  Euthanasia is becoming more accepted.  Stem cell research is OK.  But we are going to draw a line in the sand on this one:  No human cloning.  Again, the idea is unsettling for me, too.  But what is the rationale?     

The End of Christian America (5)

Here's more excerpts from Greg Boyd's article "Don't Weep . . .":

For those who are heavily invested in the Christian religion, at least as it's usually been understood in America, the news that America is entering into a 'post-Christian' epoch is understandably alarming.

But here are six reasons why I do not think Kingdom people should weep over the demise of American Christianity.

1.  America has never been, and will never be, a "Christian" nation in any significance sense.  Among other things, America, like every other fallen, demonically-oppressed nation, is incapable of loving its enemies, doing good to those who mistreat it or blessing those who persecute it.  By applying the term 'Christian' to America, we've massively watered down its meaning -- which undoubtedly helps explain why the vast majority of American Christians assume being 'Christian' is perfectly compatible with hating and killing your national enemies . . .The sooner the label 'Christian' gets divorced from this country, the better.  It provides hope that someday the word 'Christian' might actually mean 'Christ-like' once again.

2.  There's a good bit of research demonstrating that the majority of American's identify themselves as 'Christian' when asked by a pollster, but when asked what this label actually means in terms of core values and lifestyle choices, it becomes apparent that for the majority of them the meaning of 'Christian' is basically 'American.'  I submit that the main problem Kingdom people confront in spreading the Kingdom in America is that a majority of people assume they are already in the Kingdom -- they are 'Christian' -- simply by virtue of being American . . . If fewer people are identifying themselves as 'Christian,' this is good, for it means there's one less major illusion that Kingdom people have to confront and work through as they invite these folks into the Kingdom.

I will finish these thoughts tomorrow.         

The End of Christian America? (4)

Somewhat as a response to Jon Meacham's article in Newsweek, "The End of Christian America," Greg Boyd wrote a piece entitled "Don't Weep for the Demise of American Christianity."  He puts forward some very good thoughts for consideration.  Today let us consider his assessment as to what has brought about this decline:

1.  American churches have been, to a large degree, gutted by good old fashioned American pragmatism.  We've become preoccupied with being "relevant" and "efficient" at the expense of holding fast to the theological depth of our biblically based traditions.  Megachurches in particular are guilty of this -- which in part explains why they become megachurches, for relevance and efficiency sell well to baby boomers.

2.  Evangelicals "have identified their movement with the culture war and with political conservatism."  Spencer notes that "we fell for the trap of believing in a cause more than a faith."

Manifesting typical Constantinian triumphalism, many conservative American Christians naively thought we could transform American society in a "Christian" direction by acquiring political power to enforce our (self-proclaimed) superior views on selected topics (especially abortion, gay marriage, creationism in schools and stem cell research) on the broader culture.  It has not gone well, to say the least.

After 40 years of intense political involvement, Evangelicals have little positive to show for their efforts.  To the contrary, we've arguably only succeeded in getting multitudes of non-Christian (or simply non-Evangelicals) to disdain us and the "Good News" message we're supposed to bring.  Now that the political parties and positions Evangelicals largely identified with have fallen on hard times, Evangelicals have, to a significant extend, fallen with them.

More tomorrow.       

 

Post-Christian America (3)

Final thoughts from Jon Meacham's Newsweek article, "The End of Christian America."

"Religious authorities can themselves be corrupted by proximity to political power (haven't we seen evidence of that!).  

"The Psalmist . . . said, 'Put not thy trust in princes,' and there is much New Testament evidence to support a vision of faith and politics in which the church is truest to its core mission when it is the farthest from the entanglements of power.  The Jesus of the Gospels resolutely refuses to use the means of this world -- either the clash of arms or the passions of politics -- to further his ends.  The preponderance of lessons from the Gospels and from the rest of the New Testament suggest that earthly power is transitory and corrupting, and that the followers of Jesus should be more attentive to matters spiritual than political.   

[A] central message of the Gospels is the duty of the Christian to transform, as best one can, reality through works of love.  'Being in the world and not of it remains our charge . . . the church is an eternal presence in a fallen, temporal world -- but we are to have influence.  The Sermon on the Mount is about what we are to do -- but it does not come with a political handbook.' 

Tomorrow I will share from another article, entitled, "Don't Weep for the Demise of American Christianity."

"Post-Christian" America? Part 2

I continue today with excerpts from Jon Meacham's Newsweek article on post-Christian America.  He observes that "the power of the republican system engineered by James Madison at the end of the 18th century, that America would survive in direct relation to its ability to check extremism and preserve maximum personal liberty.  Religious believers should welcome this; freedom from one sect means freedom to all sects."  

He continues:  "Anglican observance was compulsory at Jamestown, and the Puritans of New England were explicitly hoping to found a New Jerusalem.  But coerced belief is no belief at all; it is tyranny."

Meacham reminds us that the Founders "let the religious take their stand in the arena of politics and ideas on their own, and fight for their views on equal footing with all other interests.  American public life is neither wholly secular nor wholly religious but an ever-fluid mix of the two.  History suggests that trouble tends to come when one of these forces grows too powerful in proportion to the other." 

He observes that "Prohibition was initially seen as a great moral victory, but its failure and ultimate repeal show that a movement should always be careful what it wishes for."  

He cites columnist Cal Thomas, who was an early proponent of the Moral Majority:  "No country can be truly 'Christian.'  Only people can.  God is above all nations, and, in fact, Isaiah says that 'All nations are to  him a drop in the bucket and less than nothing.'  Thinking back across the decades, Thomas recalls the hope -- and the failure.  'We are going through organizing like-minded people to 'return' America to a time of greater morality.  Of course, this was to be done through politicians who had a difficult time imposing morality on themselves!'"

"Post-Christian" America? (Part 1)

I have been following with interest the reports of America being a "post-Christian" nation.  Time magazine recently reported that the number of Americans who claim no religious affiliation has nearly doubled since 1980, rising from 8 to 15 percent.  The percentage of self-identified Christians has fallen from 86 to 76 percent.  The only growth has been in the number of people willing to describe themselves as atheists or agnostics, increasing fourfold from 1990 to 2009 (from 1 million to about 3.6).

Over the next couple of days, I want to share excerpts from a couple of articles I have read.  One is by Jon Meacham of Newsweek.  He says, "Let's be clear:  while the percentage of Christians may be shrinking, rumors of the death of Christianity are greatly exaggerated . . . there is no doubt that the nation remains vibrantly religious -- far more, for instance, than Europe."

Then he clarifies something that all of us need to realize and accept.  He says, "What, then, does it mean to talk of "Christian America"?  Evangelical Christians have long believed that the United States should be a nation whose political life is based upon and governed by their interpretation of biblical and theological principles.  If the church believes drinking to be a sin, for instance, then the laws of the state should ban the consumption of alcohol.  If the church believes the theory of evolution conflicts with a literal reading of the Book of Genesis, then the public schools should tailor their lessons accordingly.  If the church believes abortion should be outlawed, then the legislatures and courts of the land should follow suit."

I would submit (and I am just coming to an understanding of this) that Christianity does not thrive when it is controlling the political agenda.  How is this really so different from Islamic states, which we have SO criticized?  No, Christianity has always thrived when it was the "counterculture" that Jesus came to model.  But more from Meacham's article tomorrow.           

Improving Marriage

I have heard Beverly speak many times on the greatest concerns of men and women. For men, it is the fear of shame. For women, it is the fear of isolation. Steven Stosny, who has done extensive research in this area, has come up with a list that I found interesting and beneficial: 

25 ways to make a woman anxious

Ignore her
Tell her what to do
Be short with your answers
Tune out her feelings
Stonewall or give her the cold shoulder
Take her for granted
Limit or criticize her spending
Tell her to stop worrying
Tell her she's making too much of it
Tell her to get over it
Tell her she talks too much
Complain about her weight
Criticize her family
Withdraw or shut down
Yell or get angry
Pout or sulk
Threaten to quit your job
Flirt with other women
Don't know her dreams
Tell her she's just like her mother
Complain about her girlfriends
Give her the cold shoulder
Dismiss her ideas
Sound like you're trapped in the marriage
Buy a sports car

25 ways to stimulate shame in a man

Exclude him from important decisions
Correct what he says
Question his judgment
Give unsolicited advice
Dismiss his opinion
Imply inadequacy
Make unrealistic demands of his time and energy
Overreact
Ignore his desires
Focus on what you didn't get, rather than what you got
Withhold praise
Use a harsh tone
Be abrupt - spring things on him
Undermine his wishes
Condescend
Criticize his personality
Disrespect his work
Show little or no interest in his interests
Criticize his family
Interpret, psychoanalyze, or diagnose him
Make comparisons to other men
Focus on your unhappiness
Put friends before him
Value others' needs over his
Rob him of the opportunity to help

Great Night

I read this morning that the Obama's new dog is from Boyd.  Imagine that!  A Wise County dog in the White House.

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Beverly had her fund raiser last night for Wise County Christian Counseling, and it was a WONDERFUL night.  I am so proud of her.  She is carrying a double case load right now, but never complains.  She wakes up nearly every morning saying, "I love my job."  And as a result, the Lord is being faithful in blessing it.  We feel incredibly blessed to have the kinds of friends we do.  As I listened to different ones speak last night about Beverly, it gave me goosebumps.  My son-in-law was there, and afterwards I said, "Isn't it great hearing people from the Decatur community talk about Beverly like that?"  He said, "Yeah, it sounds like they really know her."  How cool.

And just think:  I'm married to her!  

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"24" took an unexpected twist last night.  Beverly and I are still trying to figure out what happened!  Sorry, can't tell you.

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I heard a saying last week that I keep thinking about.  It goes:  "Every generation thinks it is smarter than the one that came before, but wiser than the one that follows." 

Random Thoughts

Well, it went from an incredible Masters to a train wreck in a matter of minutes.  I started off thinking Tiger would win it again.  After Friday, I was pulling for Kenny Perry.  After Saturday, I'm still thinking Perry.  Halfway through Sunday, I'm thinking Tiger or Phil might take it.  Then they faded, so I was back to pulling for Perry.

Two holes left.  Two shot lead.  I'm thinking, "This is great.  The 'old man' is going to win a major.  Fellow Church of Christ guy.  Considered the kindest, nicest guy on tour.  Good for him."  But then he choked.

So, a three-man playoff.  In my mind, I'm thinking, "OK, I'm pulling for Perry.  But it would be OK if Campbell wins.  Just please, not Cabrera."

Winner?  Cabrera.

This guy is from Argentina, and does a lot of good things in his country.  He is a happy-go-lucky kind of guy.  But I just have a problem with a guy who never wins anything else -- yet now has two majors.  It just seems flukey to me.  But obviously, it involves more than that.

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I am thankful today for the safe rescue of the ship captain who was taken hostage by pirates.  What an ordeal that must have been!

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And did you see the story about the woman who jumped into the polar bear exhibit at a zoo in Germany because she wanted to go swimming?  She was mauled and bitten, but was lucky to escape with her life.  Jack Hanna said apparently the bears were just toying with her, because they could have ripped her apart in seconds.

Of course in our "victim-mentality" age, the zoo is being called into question.  ENOUGH!  The lady had to climb two tall barriers to get into that enclosure!  The zoo had taken all the precautions necessary.  At some point, individuals must be held responsible for their actions!  She needs to spend some serious jail time.