Okay, that's more like it! A night after an almost win (loss) our Thunder pulled it off at Memphis! It was a great game which was overshadowed by the Bedlam game by those watching tv. They came from behind earlier in the game and gutted it out down the stretch. In this game, they were the team that executed at critical times and got the win. This doesn't make them playoff contenders by any stretch, but it does give them confidence that they can finish a game and get occasional wins. Hopefully they don't have any more losing streaks as long as this one.
And by the way. This year's bedlam game was exciting beyond belief. I didn't feel that the outcome was settled until the fumble recovery with a minute and a half left. Both teams gave everything, but the better team prevailed in the end. Hats off to the Sooners and the Cowboys!
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Nearly winning is still losing
Last night I watched the last half of the Thunder basketball game on tv. It was another game where the Thunder was tied or in the lead with less than a minute left, but ultimately lost because the other team was able to make a clutch play as time expired. I was so disappointed for our guys. They worked so hard and were so close. It looks like it is incredibly hard to actually gain a win in the NBA. It seems like when it comes down to crunch time it is always the other team who makes the critical play at the critical time. I know that losing at the last second is better than giving up in the third quarter like they did several times earlier in the season, but nearly winning is still losing.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Happy Thanksgiving
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! It is an incredible privilege to serve at Lakeside. As I see our unlimited future begin to be revealed I am blessed and humbly thankful for all that God has done to show His faithfulness to our church. I am seeing the fulfillment of things spoken over Lakeside several years ago. I am seeing the sprouts coming up from seeds that were planted in recent months. And I know that as we increase the number of laborers in the global harvest we will see the harvest increase.
Blessings to all of you.
Blessings to all of you.
Monday, November 24, 2008
Pressure of Anointing
In our partner appreciation weekend, Pastor Darren revealed to those in attendance the concept of Lakeside moving to the forefront of ministry training. The concept is to become very intentional in discipling believers to prepare them for service not just for Lakeside, but for the Kingdom of God at large.
I am so behind this concept it isn't funny. The 1st century church wasn't the domain of paid professional ministers. It was peopled by new converts whose lives had been radically transformed and they could do nothing else but share their experience with everyone else. I used the term "pressure of anointing" to describe what builds up in believers who are seeking what God wants to do their their lives. They have to minister to relieve that pressure. We have seen in recent years that ministry takes on so many more forms than just preaching, and every believer has a ministry within that needs to be developed and utilized for the Kingdom.
I can't wait to see how this develops.
I am so behind this concept it isn't funny. The 1st century church wasn't the domain of paid professional ministers. It was peopled by new converts whose lives had been radically transformed and they could do nothing else but share their experience with everyone else. I used the term "pressure of anointing" to describe what builds up in believers who are seeking what God wants to do their their lives. They have to minister to relieve that pressure. We have seen in recent years that ministry takes on so many more forms than just preaching, and every believer has a ministry within that needs to be developed and utilized for the Kingdom.
I can't wait to see how this develops.
Friday, November 21, 2008
Teen Challenge
I went to a banquet for Teen Challenge last night. 2009 is the 50th anniversary of the formation of Teen Challenge. It was 50 years ago when David Wilkerson felt moved to go to New York City to intervene in the lives of young people who were living a life of drugs, crime and violence. Now there are TC centers around the world who are staffed with ordinary people powered by an incredible call on their lives to change lives. A testimony from one of the graduates of TC said that Teen Challenge doesn't only change lives, it changes family trees. It breaks cycles of addiction, abuse and neglect. It restores children and spouses.
The national Teen Challenge office produced a DVD celebrating the 50 years of miracles. I saw it for the 4th time last night and it still brought tears to my eyes when I listened to the testimonies. I have a copy of it if you would like to see it.
Oklahoma has 4 TC centers: Sonrise Ranch for men, Freedom House for women, Brush Creek Ranch for adolescent boys, and New Life House for adolescent girls. All of them are doing a great work and are worthy of your support. If you would like to help, there are a lot of possibilities. Let me know. Lakeside's Womens Ministry has taken on a project at Freedom House. They are renovating one of the residence rooms. It is really great to see the excitement building in the women who are involved in this project. All of the centers can use help in many practical ways. Let me know if you want to do something.
The national Teen Challenge office produced a DVD celebrating the 50 years of miracles. I saw it for the 4th time last night and it still brought tears to my eyes when I listened to the testimonies. I have a copy of it if you would like to see it.
Oklahoma has 4 TC centers: Sonrise Ranch for men, Freedom House for women, Brush Creek Ranch for adolescent boys, and New Life House for adolescent girls. All of them are doing a great work and are worthy of your support. If you would like to help, there are a lot of possibilities. Let me know. Lakeside's Womens Ministry has taken on a project at Freedom House. They are renovating one of the residence rooms. It is really great to see the excitement building in the women who are involved in this project. All of the centers can use help in many practical ways. Let me know if you want to do something.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
What is our responsibility? part 3
At the church office we have a simple procedure that we follow. Pastor Mike is the principle pastor in charge of benevolence and he knows about any help that is given. We have had people who have worked many different people in the congregation asking help for the same need and collecting from several people. Hopefully by Mike knowing about these situations, they can be kept to a minimum.
We have a simple form that the person fills out and signs. Any help given this person is tracked on that form and we make sure that the same person does not get an inordinate amount of help for the same problem over and over.
If the person says they need help with rent or utilities, we will only issue a check to the landlord or utility company. We don't keep cash in the office and we don't give cash to people. If they need help with food or gas, we give them a gift card from the grocery store across the street. The card can be use for gas or groceries.
We try, whenever possible, to refer people to ministries or agencies which specialize in the area of the person's situation. There are food banks, rescue missions, and credit counseling services who are resourced better to make a real impact in a person's situation than we are. We applaud all of the organizations who are involved in benevolence ministries.
If a person gets worked up when we tell them of our no cash policy or suggest one of these organizations, it gives us a glimpse into the real nature of their request. Someone who is really in need will be glad to accept help when it is offered in love and good faith. If they insist that the check be made out to them, personally, they get nothing. I suspect many times that the person is mistaking their request for their need. They are asking for money when they need training in money management or job interviewing, but that is another subject for another day.
Even when everything works smoothly, we seldom know if we have helped or if we have been taken. We do the best with the information we are able to gather and depend that God will honor our heart and desire to help those who are in need. If the person is scamming us into giving them some of God's money, he will have to answer to God for that.
I hope that this series has helped you a little. Don't lock up your generosity in fear of being taken. But don't be stupid, either. Case by case, there is an answer for every situation. Stay close to God so he can whisper the answer in your ear.
We have a simple form that the person fills out and signs. Any help given this person is tracked on that form and we make sure that the same person does not get an inordinate amount of help for the same problem over and over.
If the person says they need help with rent or utilities, we will only issue a check to the landlord or utility company. We don't keep cash in the office and we don't give cash to people. If they need help with food or gas, we give them a gift card from the grocery store across the street. The card can be use for gas or groceries.
We try, whenever possible, to refer people to ministries or agencies which specialize in the area of the person's situation. There are food banks, rescue missions, and credit counseling services who are resourced better to make a real impact in a person's situation than we are. We applaud all of the organizations who are involved in benevolence ministries.
If a person gets worked up when we tell them of our no cash policy or suggest one of these organizations, it gives us a glimpse into the real nature of their request. Someone who is really in need will be glad to accept help when it is offered in love and good faith. If they insist that the check be made out to them, personally, they get nothing. I suspect many times that the person is mistaking their request for their need. They are asking for money when they need training in money management or job interviewing, but that is another subject for another day.
Even when everything works smoothly, we seldom know if we have helped or if we have been taken. We do the best with the information we are able to gather and depend that God will honor our heart and desire to help those who are in need. If the person is scamming us into giving them some of God's money, he will have to answer to God for that.
I hope that this series has helped you a little. Don't lock up your generosity in fear of being taken. But don't be stupid, either. Case by case, there is an answer for every situation. Stay close to God so he can whisper the answer in your ear.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
What is our responsibility? part 2
There is much in the Bible about helping the poor. Matthew 25 tells us that when we help "the least of these" we are helping Christ. James 1 tells us that pure religion is to look after the widows and orphans. The story of the good samaritan was in answer to the question, "Who is my neighbor?" The answer was basically anyone who has a need we can help with.
I certainly don't come close to having all of this figured out. It is easy when a widow, single mother, or child who is part of our church family presents a need. We know the person, we know some of the situation, and we can respond with confidence. It is the unknown person; that person who presents us with a need without any comfort of relationship that causes the difficulty. It would be nice to set a policy of not helping anyone who is not already in our community of believers, but Hebrews 13:2 tells us "Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it." So we have to take a chance sometimes. Sometimes we will be scammed. Sometimes we will entertain angels without knowing it. Most of the time we will not know which happened. The important thing is that we put ourselves out there. We took a chance.
Tomorrow I will give some practical tips that we have worked out here in the office.
I certainly don't come close to having all of this figured out. It is easy when a widow, single mother, or child who is part of our church family presents a need. We know the person, we know some of the situation, and we can respond with confidence. It is the unknown person; that person who presents us with a need without any comfort of relationship that causes the difficulty. It would be nice to set a policy of not helping anyone who is not already in our community of believers, but Hebrews 13:2 tells us "Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it." So we have to take a chance sometimes. Sometimes we will be scammed. Sometimes we will entertain angels without knowing it. Most of the time we will not know which happened. The important thing is that we put ourselves out there. We took a chance.
Tomorrow I will give some practical tips that we have worked out here in the office.
Monday, November 17, 2008
What is our responsibility?
What is our responsibility to those who ask us for help? All of us at one time or another have been approached in a parking lot or street corner and asked for help(translation: money). Nearly all of these approaches make us unconfortable. Will this person leave when I say no? Is this person just sizing me up to see if maybe he might rob me? Is this person really in need, or is he just scamming me?
At the church we get a lot of phone calls and visits at the office from people who are asking for money for gas, food, rent, utilities, etc. We have to make snap judgements many times as to whether we should give them something and if so, how much should we give them? It can get really difficult sometimes because on one hand we sincerely see helping those in need as a foundational purpose of the local church, but on the other hand we know that any money given has come from the tithes and offerings given by those who trust us to be good stewards of the resources entrusted to us, and we don't want to support the lifestyles of those who are just taking advantage of our good nature.
Sometimes the answer is clear; sometimes we get cussed out when we turn someone down, and sometimes we get a warm fuzzy when see that our gift has really helped someone. Most of the time, however, we give what we give and never hear back from the person who received the gift.
I know that I, personally, have been scammed at least two times. I have been in situations where I have helped someone who told me that they were in a situation and I gave them money only to read in the paper a few days later that the story I was told was the latest in scams to prey on the generous nature of good people.
It is easy to dismiss every request as a scam or panhandler. Everyone has a story of someone who acted crippled but wasn't and who claimed to be stranded on the road, but were just too lazy to work. But something nags at me. I think that we are the losers if we don't put ourselves out there and make ourselves vulnerable sometimes.
More tomorrow.
At the church we get a lot of phone calls and visits at the office from people who are asking for money for gas, food, rent, utilities, etc. We have to make snap judgements many times as to whether we should give them something and if so, how much should we give them? It can get really difficult sometimes because on one hand we sincerely see helping those in need as a foundational purpose of the local church, but on the other hand we know that any money given has come from the tithes and offerings given by those who trust us to be good stewards of the resources entrusted to us, and we don't want to support the lifestyles of those who are just taking advantage of our good nature.
Sometimes the answer is clear; sometimes we get cussed out when we turn someone down, and sometimes we get a warm fuzzy when see that our gift has really helped someone. Most of the time, however, we give what we give and never hear back from the person who received the gift.
I know that I, personally, have been scammed at least two times. I have been in situations where I have helped someone who told me that they were in a situation and I gave them money only to read in the paper a few days later that the story I was told was the latest in scams to prey on the generous nature of good people.
It is easy to dismiss every request as a scam or panhandler. Everyone has a story of someone who acted crippled but wasn't and who claimed to be stranded on the road, but were just too lazy to work. But something nags at me. I think that we are the losers if we don't put ourselves out there and make ourselves vulnerable sometimes.
More tomorrow.
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Work Morning
If things look brighter in the fellowship hall and in the Life Cafe, you can thank Gregg Yeilding and Mark Wiebe. They changed all of the burned out bulbs in both rooms at our work morning.
Ronald Fister installed another paper towel holder and the toilet paper dispensers in the newly remodeled men's bathroom.
Mel Franklin washed dishes and cleaned up the fellowship hall and got it ready for Sunday morning.
Nelson Alfaro got our flagpole lights working again. Sadly, it was just way too windy to get up in a lift and change the parking lot lights. That will have to wait until another day.
Richard and Jake Fister checked out several issues with our furnaces.
They were through by 11:00.
Guys like we have here at Lakeside are priceless.
Ronald Fister installed another paper towel holder and the toilet paper dispensers in the newly remodeled men's bathroom.
Mel Franklin washed dishes and cleaned up the fellowship hall and got it ready for Sunday morning.
Nelson Alfaro got our flagpole lights working again. Sadly, it was just way too windy to get up in a lift and change the parking lot lights. That will have to wait until another day.
Richard and Jake Fister checked out several issues with our furnaces.
They were through by 11:00.
Guys like we have here at Lakeside are priceless.
Friday, November 14, 2008
Men's Breakfast and Work Morning
We are having a men's breakfast and a brief work day Saturday morning. We are renting a bucket lift so we can replace the light bulbs in the parking lot. Also there are a few miscellaneous items that need to be taken care of. Our goal is to be finished by noon. Since OU isn't playing, there aren't any important games to watch, anyway, so you might as well come and enjoy some good food and hang out with some of the best guys on the planet!
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
What's happening in College and Career class?
Tonight we (the college and career class) took a road trip to one of the most interesting parts of the city. We went to the Asian district and over to the Paseo district. As you go down Classen Boulevard, you find a part of town that has been rescued by the Asian community. Once a high-end part of OKC, this area fell into disrepair in the 80's and 90's. When the Vietnamese moved in, they remodeled many of the buildings and added a large measure of their culture. There are delicious cafes and interesting markets. Oklahoma City is fortunate to have this district. As you go west from Classen, you find many ethnicities and economic levels. There are some historic neighborhoods which have kept their value. There are run-down neighborhoods with everything that comes with poverty. A little farther west is Oklahoma City University.
As you go east from Classen, you encounter the Paseo district; an arts district with many cafes and galleries. It is dominated by artists, musicians, and eclectic personalities. There are also neighborhoods of historic homes which sell for astronomical prices relative to the OKC real estate market.
There is much to be found in these neighborhoods. Asians, African-Americans, Latinos, artists, musicians, and upscale young families reside in this part of town. There is good food in abundance, entertainment, and good shopping. What I have not found is any evidence that anyone is really reaching out in an effective way with the Gospel message. This has been a burden on my heart for 5 or 6 years, now.
Our class went there on Wednesday evening and stopped at the Pho Cuong cafe for some soup and coffee. We drove through the Paseo district and saw the neighborhoods. We prayed while driving through the area that we would know how God might want to use us to reach people in an effective way. God has been stirring me for some time about being a resource for people who are uniquely qualified to reach out to distinct groups of people. I told the students something that has become a mantra for me: The question is never "Can we afford it?". The question is always, "Is this what God is calling us to do?" If we have that answer, we will have all of the other answers.
As you go east from Classen, you encounter the Paseo district; an arts district with many cafes and galleries. It is dominated by artists, musicians, and eclectic personalities. There are also neighborhoods of historic homes which sell for astronomical prices relative to the OKC real estate market.
There is much to be found in these neighborhoods. Asians, African-Americans, Latinos, artists, musicians, and upscale young families reside in this part of town. There is good food in abundance, entertainment, and good shopping. What I have not found is any evidence that anyone is really reaching out in an effective way with the Gospel message. This has been a burden on my heart for 5 or 6 years, now.
Our class went there on Wednesday evening and stopped at the Pho Cuong cafe for some soup and coffee. We drove through the Paseo district and saw the neighborhoods. We prayed while driving through the area that we would know how God might want to use us to reach people in an effective way. God has been stirring me for some time about being a resource for people who are uniquely qualified to reach out to distinct groups of people. I told the students something that has become a mantra for me: The question is never "Can we afford it?". The question is always, "Is this what God is calling us to do?" If we have that answer, we will have all of the other answers.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Bible Streaker- part 3
Yesterday I talked about a life of reverence. Today I will talk of being prepared. Obviously this young man was not prepared for anything but going to bed. He was in an inappropriate place for what he was wearing, and it cost him his dignity. I would imagine that he was scared to death when the swords were drawn and the guards arrested Jesus. It was not at all what he expected. Just like the commercials say, "Life comes at you fast". We must be prepared for the unexpected. How do we do this?
In Ephesians 6, Paul didn't tell us to put on the pajamas of God. He exhorts us to put on the full armour of God, because the Christian life is a spiritual battle. Verse 13 says, "Use every piece of God's armor to resist the enemy in the time of evil, so that after the battle you will still be standing firm." When we are dressed appropriately, spiritually speaking, we won't run when the battle starts. We will be able to stay on the battlefield, and when the battle is over, we will still be standing. Still wearing our armour. Without appropriate spiritual dress, we will run away, naked and ashamed, just like the young man in the story.
Don't forget to stop and think about the little parenthetical anecdotes when you're reading the Bible. Stop and think about them and ask yourself why they are there. Every story has a purpose.
In Ephesians 6, Paul didn't tell us to put on the pajamas of God. He exhorts us to put on the full armour of God, because the Christian life is a spiritual battle. Verse 13 says, "Use every piece of God's armor to resist the enemy in the time of evil, so that after the battle you will still be standing firm." When we are dressed appropriately, spiritually speaking, we won't run when the battle starts. We will be able to stay on the battlefield, and when the battle is over, we will still be standing. Still wearing our armour. Without appropriate spiritual dress, we will run away, naked and ashamed, just like the young man in the story.
Don't forget to stop and think about the little parenthetical anecdotes when you're reading the Bible. Stop and think about them and ask yourself why they are there. Every story has a purpose.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Bible Streaker- part 2
As I pondered this cute little story, I wondered why this guy was in the garden with Jesus and his disciples wearing only pajamas? It seems as though what he was wearing was totally inappropriate for the setting, not to mention inappropriate to wear around the Messiah at such a crucial time. Now, I know that very few realized that Jesus was the messiah at this time, but everyone understood that there was something special about Jesus. He had been healing people, treating people with a graciousness that they were not expecting, and stirring up the religious establishment in ways energized the crowds. So, why would this young man appear in his jammys?
It is easy to forget sometimes that this kind, compassionate, friendly Jesus is the holy Son of God. While it is true that Jesus accepts us just as we are, we should always have a reverence for Jesus' holiness. Maybe this young man was present to see Jesus in his street ministry being so kind to people who weren't used to being treated kindly by church leaders. He saw Jesus healing people and feeding hungry crowds. It could be that he felt so comfortable around Jesus, he forgot to respect Jesus. I can imagine him hearing that Jesus was at the garden and he thought that he would go and hang out around Jesus. And Jesus was such a nice guy, and, by the way, Jesus said that he looked on the inside of a person, not at the outward appearance, so I don't need to change into proper clothes to go out. I'll just go and hang out awhile; see if he is healing or feeding anybody and then I'll be ready for bed when I get home. But as we see, the young man was not at all dressed for an arrest and the chaos which followed. He went home naked and ashamed.
I know that this is pure conjecture. But there are those today who make Jesus such a nice guy to hang out with, we forget who Jesus is. We make Jesus our best friend, which he is. But he is also the holy Son of God. Anytime we read in the Bible of someone being in the presence of God, we don't see a casual attitude. Moses removed his sandals as a sign of respect for standing on holy ground. Isaiah realized his unholiness when he saw the Lord, high and lifted up. His response was that he realized that he was unclean. But so many times we treat the presence of God casually and without reverence. But without a proper reverence for the presence of God we are unprepared for the chaos which ensues in our life and we are likely to be rendered naked and ashamed by the trials of life.
I am not talking about wearing ties or dresses to church. I am talking about living a life of reverence for the holy Son of God .
More tomorrow.
It is easy to forget sometimes that this kind, compassionate, friendly Jesus is the holy Son of God. While it is true that Jesus accepts us just as we are, we should always have a reverence for Jesus' holiness. Maybe this young man was present to see Jesus in his street ministry being so kind to people who weren't used to being treated kindly by church leaders. He saw Jesus healing people and feeding hungry crowds. It could be that he felt so comfortable around Jesus, he forgot to respect Jesus. I can imagine him hearing that Jesus was at the garden and he thought that he would go and hang out around Jesus. And Jesus was such a nice guy, and, by the way, Jesus said that he looked on the inside of a person, not at the outward appearance, so I don't need to change into proper clothes to go out. I'll just go and hang out awhile; see if he is healing or feeding anybody and then I'll be ready for bed when I get home. But as we see, the young man was not at all dressed for an arrest and the chaos which followed. He went home naked and ashamed.
I know that this is pure conjecture. But there are those today who make Jesus such a nice guy to hang out with, we forget who Jesus is. We make Jesus our best friend, which he is. But he is also the holy Son of God. Anytime we read in the Bible of someone being in the presence of God, we don't see a casual attitude. Moses removed his sandals as a sign of respect for standing on holy ground. Isaiah realized his unholiness when he saw the Lord, high and lifted up. His response was that he realized that he was unclean. But so many times we treat the presence of God casually and without reverence. But without a proper reverence for the presence of God we are unprepared for the chaos which ensues in our life and we are likely to be rendered naked and ashamed by the trials of life.
I am not talking about wearing ties or dresses to church. I am talking about living a life of reverence for the holy Son of God .
More tomorrow.
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Bible Streaker- part 1
We find many little anecdotes as we read the Bible. They show up in the middle of a bigger story and we are tempted to breeze past them. This morning I was reading in the gospel of Mark. In chapter 14 the main story is the arrest of Jesus and Peter's denial of Jesus. But tucked away in vs. 50-52 there is a strange little mini-story:
"Meanwile, all his disciples deserted him and ran away. There was a young man following along behind, clothed only in a linen nightshirt. When the mob tried to grab him, they tore off his clothes, but he escaped and ran away naked." (NLT)
As I read this I began to wonder why this story was included. Was it just for comic relief because the story was going to get really heavy in the next chapter? Or is there a deeper meaning? If we really believe that the Bible is the inspired word of God given to man, then we can't honestly believe that there are any throwaway verses. There has to be a purpose for every word in the Word. I confess, as I dwelled on this passage, I didn't receive any life-changing revelations concerning this passage, but I did have two life-affirming thoughts. I will share them over the next two days' posts.
Another thought. I'll bet this guy's mother told him never to leave the house without wearing clean underwear. Now he understands why.
"Meanwile, all his disciples deserted him and ran away. There was a young man following along behind, clothed only in a linen nightshirt. When the mob tried to grab him, they tore off his clothes, but he escaped and ran away naked." (NLT)
As I read this I began to wonder why this story was included. Was it just for comic relief because the story was going to get really heavy in the next chapter? Or is there a deeper meaning? If we really believe that the Bible is the inspired word of God given to man, then we can't honestly believe that there are any throwaway verses. There has to be a purpose for every word in the Word. I confess, as I dwelled on this passage, I didn't receive any life-changing revelations concerning this passage, but I did have two life-affirming thoughts. I will share them over the next two days' posts.
Another thought. I'll bet this guy's mother told him never to leave the house without wearing clean underwear. Now he understands why.
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Waxing Poetic
Ode to a Hardboiled Egg
*
Have a hardboiled egg.
Raise it high into the sky.
When you're sad and wistful,
Won't you try a fistful
of hardboiled eggs.
-author unknown
Friday, November 7, 2008
No Surprise Here
I am currently reading a book by Eugene Peterson called The Jesus Way. Although I am only about a third of the way through it I have already noted many thought provoking ideas in it. Peterson spends a great time of the early part of the book in the account of Abraham's commitment to sacrifice Isaac and the subsequent God-ordered supply of a substitutionary sacrifice. Even though I have read this story dozens of times and heard countless sermons about this story, I continue to find fresh meaning as I read and re-read this account.
Peterson says, "Still, even after many years of reading this story I am surprised to find myself surprised. I am surprised that Abraham, Isaac bound and knife raised, is not surprised to hear the voice tell him that there is a ram in the thicket. And Isaac is not surprised to end up not sacrificed. Not a word in the narrative indicates anything like surprise. Not a word of surprise, not a single emotion of surprise in the story as written. Why am I surprised and Abraham and Isaac are not?"
The answer is at the same time obvious and incredibly complicated, and beyond my ability to explain within the confines of this post. But it makes me increasingly hungry for a relationship with God that expects His involvement instead of being surprised when I see evidence of His involvement.
Peterson says, "Still, even after many years of reading this story I am surprised to find myself surprised. I am surprised that Abraham, Isaac bound and knife raised, is not surprised to hear the voice tell him that there is a ram in the thicket. And Isaac is not surprised to end up not sacrificed. Not a word in the narrative indicates anything like surprise. Not a word of surprise, not a single emotion of surprise in the story as written. Why am I surprised and Abraham and Isaac are not?"
The answer is at the same time obvious and incredibly complicated, and beyond my ability to explain within the confines of this post. But it makes me increasingly hungry for a relationship with God that expects His involvement instead of being surprised when I see evidence of His involvement.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
OKC Thunder
Okay, with all of that other craziness behind us, let us look now to our own Oklahoma City Thunder basketball team. They've played three games, now, and stand at 1 win and 2 losses. That is about where we were told they would be. They are not going to surprise us and be playoff contenders, but hopefully they will be youthful and energetic and will continue to play competitively for the entire game throughout the entire season, giving us promise for greater days ahead.
Here is the question for today. Do you think that the Thunder will win more than 25 games this season? Let me know what you think.
Monday, November 3, 2008
Election Day
Back in February, when this whole election campaign was just getting into full swing I committed to support and pray for whoever was elected for president. At that time we didn't know who the democratic or republican nominees would be. I just want to reconfirm my stance. Whoever the president is needs the support of all christians. We are in perilous times as a nation, and we can't take the luxury of being petty. Even though the election percentages may be nearly evenly divided, we must support our leaders with our prayers for wisdom, discernment and protection.
Who is God's candidate? Both of them. God loves both of them equally and Christ died for the sins of both. As much as we would like to see any election as a clear-cut choice between good and evil, we will never have that choice. Both candidates are men of intelligence and ambition. Both shine in some areas and are lacking in others.
These may be perilous times for the US, but not for the church. The Church is still the Church regardless of who is president. God is not up for election. Our first allegiance is to seek the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. If every elected official in the US was a tongue speaking pentecostal and every law passed aligned perfectly with the Word of God, the heart of mankind would still be desperately wicked and we would need a Savior. We saw that Israel was governed by laws written by the actual hand of God and still they acted badly. It took a savior; that perfect sacrifice for sin to restore them. We still need that savior today.
If the US government is friendly or hostile to the church, it really doesn't matter. God is still in charge. We are still called to go into all the world and make disciples of all nations. God will still supply all our needs according to His riches in Christ Jesus.
Go and vote. Then give your unflinching prayer support to whoever is elected. He's gonna need it.
Who is God's candidate? Both of them. God loves both of them equally and Christ died for the sins of both. As much as we would like to see any election as a clear-cut choice between good and evil, we will never have that choice. Both candidates are men of intelligence and ambition. Both shine in some areas and are lacking in others.
These may be perilous times for the US, but not for the church. The Church is still the Church regardless of who is president. God is not up for election. Our first allegiance is to seek the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. If every elected official in the US was a tongue speaking pentecostal and every law passed aligned perfectly with the Word of God, the heart of mankind would still be desperately wicked and we would need a Savior. We saw that Israel was governed by laws written by the actual hand of God and still they acted badly. It took a savior; that perfect sacrifice for sin to restore them. We still need that savior today.
If the US government is friendly or hostile to the church, it really doesn't matter. God is still in charge. We are still called to go into all the world and make disciples of all nations. God will still supply all our needs according to His riches in Christ Jesus.
Go and vote. Then give your unflinching prayer support to whoever is elected. He's gonna need it.
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