Occasionally even good teams will play to not lose rather than playing to win. The telltale signs are subtle. It may be noticed in the tenseness on the players’ faces, the tentativeness with which they play their positions or the slumping posture of key members. Confidence is reinforced with many successful repetitions but can be smashed with one bad pitch or failed catch.
Israel’s troops, King Saul and David’s brothers played hypothetical war games, asking each other, "What would happen to us if we took on Goliath?" They were approaching war with a "How do we not lose?" attitude. David boldly said, "Let’s see what God will do!"
The ten who spied out the Promise Land with Joshua and Caleb concluded that a thorough beating was inevitable should anyone dare to do battle with the people living there. Joshua and Caleb’s shoulders still were unbent, their gait was sure, and their eyes clear as they went into battles at Jericho, Ai and beyond.
Like numberless men and women before him, Daniel dared to defy the king who captured and held him as a prisoner of war. The hero of faith surely knew what the consequences would be if he lost weight or became sick while refusing the king’s smorgasbord. Those who play not to lose lose their competitive edge, and slouch their way toward the ordinary.
My friend and mentor, Owen Carr, once arrested me with a question. I had an opportunity before me and was beginning to amble about slouch shouldered and beaten. Brother Carr asked, "What keeps you from pursuing your dream?" I shrugged, "We can’t afford it." Brother Carr’s response was life changing. "If God wants it done, He can afford it!" Once I learned to ask the right question, the answers allowed me to play to win!
Saturday, October 27, 2012
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Why write?
Why do I write? Whom do I hope will read what I write? In short, by writing I hope to speak to issues I deem important from my grave. I write primarily for my children and grandchildren and am pleased when anyone else looks over my shoulder, or on my children’s iPad or computer monitor. Being an old Neanderthal who prefers paper and ink symbols bound into books, I too am learning from those who speak from their graves.
Most of the time I am merely hoping that others will consider issues and ideas I raise to be worthy of consideration and conversation. On occasion I have written items to put forward an outrageous idea, a gross overstatement, or a preposterous hypothesis just to stimulate thinking. I believe change always begins with an idea, a consideration of the possibility of a better way.
I remember reading about a pastor proudly reported to his church during the congregation’s annual business meeting, "This past year I knocked on over 500 doors welcoming the residents of the home to attend our church!" When the meeting chairman asked, "Are there any questions for the pastor about his report?" one person asked, "How many came to church?" "None," the pastor replied. The follow up question was, "What will you do this year to stimulate growth in the church?" "I’ll call on 1000 families!"
Huh? Dig a deeper rut? Flog away in ineffectiveness?
The writer of the Book of Hebrews cites an expectation of "better things," (chapter 6) for his (or her) readers. Later, the writer celebrates Jesus’ "superior ministry" and "better covenant" (Chapter 7) and "better sacrifice" (chapter 11). In light of the charges and counter charges of political candidates, I am doubly thrilled that I am a citizen of a "better country" (chapter 11).
I value your responses, reactions, agreement and uneasiness with my probing around the comforts of ordinary thinking. New ideas excite me and I fancy myself to be a pyromaniac who determines to light fires of redemptive change in as many followers of Jesus as possible.
Most of the time I am merely hoping that others will consider issues and ideas I raise to be worthy of consideration and conversation. On occasion I have written items to put forward an outrageous idea, a gross overstatement, or a preposterous hypothesis just to stimulate thinking. I believe change always begins with an idea, a consideration of the possibility of a better way.
I remember reading about a pastor proudly reported to his church during the congregation’s annual business meeting, "This past year I knocked on over 500 doors welcoming the residents of the home to attend our church!" When the meeting chairman asked, "Are there any questions for the pastor about his report?" one person asked, "How many came to church?" "None," the pastor replied. The follow up question was, "What will you do this year to stimulate growth in the church?" "I’ll call on 1000 families!"
Huh? Dig a deeper rut? Flog away in ineffectiveness?
The writer of the Book of Hebrews cites an expectation of "better things," (chapter 6) for his (or her) readers. Later, the writer celebrates Jesus’ "superior ministry" and "better covenant" (Chapter 7) and "better sacrifice" (chapter 11). In light of the charges and counter charges of political candidates, I am doubly thrilled that I am a citizen of a "better country" (chapter 11).
I value your responses, reactions, agreement and uneasiness with my probing around the comforts of ordinary thinking. New ideas excite me and I fancy myself to be a pyromaniac who determines to light fires of redemptive change in as many followers of Jesus as possible.
Reading, Writing and Arithmetic are Spiritual
From my daughter Candace’s pen I was reminded of the following.
"HOW IMPORTANT IS EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION? VERY!
"In 2008-09, just 48% of Philadelphia school children could read at grade level. 31% of those children are tested Below Basic, the lowest level. Philadelphia's high school graduation rate is 57%. (from PhilaCares.org)
"What can WE do?! We can provide quality early childhood education! Quality early education cuts the number of students placed in special education by 50%, and increases high school graduation rates by as much as 31%!!! (from americaspromise.org)"
Ten years ago Spring Garden Academy was established in part because of the alarming condition of the Philadelphia education system. Our discovery of functional illiteracy of high school graduates alarmed us as we considered the future of the church. It didn’t take long to realize that people coming to our altar and trusting Jesus to save them were waking up the next day unable to read the Bible given to them with strong encouragement to read. Applying for employment or a driver’s license is a huge hurdle for someone who doesn’t read. Checkbooks are written in indecipherable code for those lacking basic math skills. How does one negotiate a road trip when road signs are unclear gibberish?
While vacationing recently, I read a book by Cardinal Fulton J. Sheen who served as archbishop of New York decades ago. One of the many pungent lines that challenged me read, "For the church that does not reproduce, that is not missionary, is weaving its own shroud."1 A "one size fits all" theory of ministry leads to colossal failure if the failure proof plan assumes everyone is academically prepared to complete lessons and in places where common societal achievements are affirmed.
Saturday afternoon I will chair a meeting of the Spring Garden Academy board of directors. We will wrestle with the usual challenges of relating to finance, personnel and property. And we will pray and dream together as we refine our passion and consider the worthiness of the mission on which we have embarked. We will discuss the findings of "Begin to Read."
"The harsh reality that 2/3 of all students who cannot read proficiently by the end of the 4th grade will end up in jail or on welfare.
"85 percent of all juveniles who interface with the juvenile court system are functionally illiterate.
"More than 60 percent of all prison inmates are functionally illiterate.
"Penal institution records show that inmates have a 16% chance of returning to prison if they receive literacy help, as opposed to 70% who receive no help. This equates to taxpayer costs of $25,000 per year per inmate and nearly double that amount for juvenile offenders. Illiteracy and crime are closely related. The Department of Justice states, ‘The link between academic failure and delinquency, violence, and crime is welded to reading failure.’ Over 70% of inmates in America's prisons cannot read above a fourth grade level."2
Begin to Read’s website (http://www.begintoread.com/research/literacystatistics.html) adds the following sobering statistics.
Literacy is learned. Illiteracy is passed along by parents who cannot read or write.
One child in four grows up not knowing how to read.
43% of adults at Level 1 literacy skills live in poverty compared to only 4% of those at Level 5.
3 out of 4 food stamp recipients perform in the lowest 2 literacy levels
90% of welfare recipients are high school dropouts
16 to 19-year-old girls at the poverty level and below, with below average skills, are 6 times more likely to have out-of-wedlock children than their reading counterparts.
Low literary costs $73 million per year in terms of direct health care costs. A recent study by Pfizer put the cost much higher.
Highway Tabernacle leaders have established "The Next Generation" ministry, an intense discipleship program which acknowledges the unique challenges of making competent followers of Jesus from among those with deficits in reading, writing and basic math skills. The circumstances are spiritual and require spiritual people to act!
The initial apparent success of The Next Generation is indicated in a socially, emotionally, and academically "at risk" youth who participated the last two summers is thriving in Ground Zero Master’s Commission. Another is attending a fine Christian college. Two young ladies are scheduled to graduate from high school and are dreaming of a college education.
Why do I repeatedly address the issues mentioned? It is my passion! It is my personal conviction that until urban young people are prepared for life and ministry in the city, the urban church will continue to struggle. We must equip the next generation of Christians now, beginning at the earliest possible age. Those who have been blessed, as I have been, with a great education and familial support, must minister to those following us now and who lead others later. We must be people of an unwavering commitment, those who make sacrificial investments. The effectiveness of the urban church making disciples until Jesus returns is being determined in part by those addressing daunting educational challenges today.
"In 2008-09, just 48% of Philadelphia school children could read at grade level. 31% of those children are tested Below Basic, the lowest level. Philadelphia's high school graduation rate is 57%. (from PhilaCares.org)
"What can WE do?! We can provide quality early childhood education! Quality early education cuts the number of students placed in special education by 50%, and increases high school graduation rates by as much as 31%!!! (from americaspromise.org)"
Ten years ago Spring Garden Academy was established in part because of the alarming condition of the Philadelphia education system. Our discovery of functional illiteracy of high school graduates alarmed us as we considered the future of the church. It didn’t take long to realize that people coming to our altar and trusting Jesus to save them were waking up the next day unable to read the Bible given to them with strong encouragement to read. Applying for employment or a driver’s license is a huge hurdle for someone who doesn’t read. Checkbooks are written in indecipherable code for those lacking basic math skills. How does one negotiate a road trip when road signs are unclear gibberish?
While vacationing recently, I read a book by Cardinal Fulton J. Sheen who served as archbishop of New York decades ago. One of the many pungent lines that challenged me read, "For the church that does not reproduce, that is not missionary, is weaving its own shroud."1 A "one size fits all" theory of ministry leads to colossal failure if the failure proof plan assumes everyone is academically prepared to complete lessons and in places where common societal achievements are affirmed.
Saturday afternoon I will chair a meeting of the Spring Garden Academy board of directors. We will wrestle with the usual challenges of relating to finance, personnel and property. And we will pray and dream together as we refine our passion and consider the worthiness of the mission on which we have embarked. We will discuss the findings of "Begin to Read."
"85 percent of all juveniles who interface with the juvenile court system are functionally illiterate.
"More than 60 percent of all prison inmates are functionally illiterate.
"Penal institution records show that inmates have a 16% chance of returning to prison if they receive literacy help, as opposed to 70% who receive no help. This equates to taxpayer costs of $25,000 per year per inmate and nearly double that amount for juvenile offenders. Illiteracy and crime are closely related. The Department of Justice states, ‘The link between academic failure and delinquency, violence, and crime is welded to reading failure.’ Over 70% of inmates in America's prisons cannot read above a fourth grade level."2
Begin to Read’s website (http://www.begintoread.com/research/literacystatistics.html) adds the following sobering statistics.
One child in four grows up not knowing how to read.
43% of adults at Level 1 literacy skills live in poverty compared to only 4% of those at Level 5.
3 out of 4 food stamp recipients perform in the lowest 2 literacy levels
90% of welfare recipients are high school dropouts
16 to 19-year-old girls at the poverty level and below, with below average skills, are 6 times more likely to have out-of-wedlock children than their reading counterparts.
Low literary costs $73 million per year in terms of direct health care costs. A recent study by Pfizer put the cost much higher.
Highway Tabernacle leaders have established "The Next Generation" ministry, an intense discipleship program which acknowledges the unique challenges of making competent followers of Jesus from among those with deficits in reading, writing and basic math skills. The circumstances are spiritual and require spiritual people to act!
The initial apparent success of The Next Generation is indicated in a socially, emotionally, and academically "at risk" youth who participated the last two summers is thriving in Ground Zero Master’s Commission. Another is attending a fine Christian college. Two young ladies are scheduled to graduate from high school and are dreaming of a college education.
Why do I repeatedly address the issues mentioned? It is my passion! It is my personal conviction that until urban young people are prepared for life and ministry in the city, the urban church will continue to struggle. We must equip the next generation of Christians now, beginning at the earliest possible age. Those who have been blessed, as I have been, with a great education and familial support, must minister to those following us now and who lead others later. We must be people of an unwavering commitment, those who make sacrificial investments. The effectiveness of the urban church making disciples until Jesus returns is being determined in part by those addressing daunting educational challenges today.
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Opening Mail, the last pleasure of a road trip
Traveling is fun. Seeing new sights, revisiting favorite destinations and exploring another "historic downtown" with friends are pure delights. After a recent trip we opened the mail which had accumulated for ten days, a paper pyramid that squirmed in several disorganized directions between the post office counter, two sets of glass doors, thirty feet of side walk and into the car.
Opening the bundle of recycled paper simulated a mini-Christmas morning experience. The stack of paper and ink included several offers for credit cards with pre-approved amounts of $1000's. My favorite bookstore sent an offer of special discounts in exchange for using their card. Several insurance companies want us to consider their Medicare Supplement plans and at least three cable companies want us to know their company’s fiber optic is much faster than the industry standard. Term life insurance, we learned, has never been cheaper for people our age. A legitimate appeal for donating blood was nestled in the bundle, but was dwarfed by the renewal notice (two years early) for AARP and two magazine subscriptions. A school neither Pat nor I attended invited us to their annual homecoming and an invoice for something we never ordered, nor want, was waiting for our attention. Politicians running for municipal, county, state or national office helped build the heap destined for the recycle bin. From the 50 or more items four or five were sent first class.
The one piece of mail that caught my eye was a handwritten note of appreciation for being a loyal customer with a national bakery where we occasionally purchase a bear claw, pumpkin muffin or loaf of seeded rye bread. My key ring tag had broken and I had asked for a new one. I love the store’s program of giving a free cup of coffee, salad or sandwich because of my loyalty. I don’t know Sarah, but her note was a favorite in my after-travel mail. It was the only piece which was hand written! Sarah’s personal touch matters with me.
The Apostle Paul wrote a letter to the Corinthian church assuring the congregation, "You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everybody. You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts." (2 Corinthians 3:2-3) Now, that is personal! That is communication Spirit to spirit! Paul’s letter, God’s Word, is profoundly personal and powerful.
Opening the bundle of recycled paper simulated a mini-Christmas morning experience. The stack of paper and ink included several offers for credit cards with pre-approved amounts of $1000's. My favorite bookstore sent an offer of special discounts in exchange for using their card. Several insurance companies want us to consider their Medicare Supplement plans and at least three cable companies want us to know their company’s fiber optic is much faster than the industry standard. Term life insurance, we learned, has never been cheaper for people our age. A legitimate appeal for donating blood was nestled in the bundle, but was dwarfed by the renewal notice (two years early) for AARP and two magazine subscriptions. A school neither Pat nor I attended invited us to their annual homecoming and an invoice for something we never ordered, nor want, was waiting for our attention. Politicians running for municipal, county, state or national office helped build the heap destined for the recycle bin. From the 50 or more items four or five were sent first class.
The one piece of mail that caught my eye was a handwritten note of appreciation for being a loyal customer with a national bakery where we occasionally purchase a bear claw, pumpkin muffin or loaf of seeded rye bread. My key ring tag had broken and I had asked for a new one. I love the store’s program of giving a free cup of coffee, salad or sandwich because of my loyalty. I don’t know Sarah, but her note was a favorite in my after-travel mail. It was the only piece which was hand written! Sarah’s personal touch matters with me.
The Apostle Paul wrote a letter to the Corinthian church assuring the congregation, "You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everybody. You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts." (2 Corinthians 3:2-3) Now, that is personal! That is communication Spirit to spirit! Paul’s letter, God’s Word, is profoundly personal and powerful.
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Prayer Works!
Theologians
define nuances and spin eloquent explanations about prayer. Pastors spend time
encouraging and inspiring their congregations, urging them to pray. Authors
write books and study guides to promote more effective praying. Small groups
are scattered across the landscape sitting knee-to-knee, holding hands and
intoning deep, hopeful desires.
Pragmatists
wonder, “Does prayer work?” Is anything going to happen? Sometimes life throws
something akin to a Justin Verlander fastball, 100 miles per hour, high and
inside. (Verlander is the Detroit Tigers’ ace World Series pitcher. GO TIGERS!
About three years ago we woke up to the reality that Pat has Parkinson’s
Disease (PD) and we have enlisted everyone we know to pray for her healing, and
for both of us as we cope with a debilitating disease. Both Pat and I have been
Jesus’ followers since we were elementary school age. We learned to pray as
children and continue to grow in our prayer experience. Prayer sustains and the
Spirit warms our hearts, urges us to trust, and encourages us to try again when the
high inside fastball is followed by a slow breaking slider at which the best of
hitters swing and miss. But the best of hitters don’t
quit after strike two! Praying people don’t quit either!
I
made an investment at a garage sale where
I purchased Michael
J. Fox's memoir, Lucky Man for $1.00. The actor of TV and big
screen fame announced he has youthful onset Parkinson’s in the 1990's and has
become an advocate for PD research and understanding in the marketplace.
Explanation of symptoms and frustration from another voice made the memoire
helpful, but was a difficult read for a couple of reasons. First it is laced
with profanity and reveals a lifestyle hard for Jesus followers to admire.
Second Fox’s
experiences and ours are too painfully similar.
It
is safe to say that Michael J. Fox does not define prayer as we have learned
and experience prayer. But, he is a pragmatist! He answers emphatically,
“Prayer works!” As I cruised toward the conclusion of the book, I was startled
by the
following lengthy quote.
“At one time or another, during times of personal struggle or
loss, we’ve all heard people tell us they would ‘pray for us.’ Just an expression, I’d always
thought, until I felt the power of that sentiment when it was offered, and meant,
by tens of thousands of people. The feeling is overwhelming; I have no doubt
that being on the receiving end of so much spiritual energy has gone a long way
to sustain me over the last couple of years. I no longer underestimate the
power of prayer.
“Nor, it seems, do some scientists. I recently read about an
experiment in which researchers at Columbia University tested the power of
prayer to help women with fertility problems. A group of strangers . . . in
America, was asked to pray for a group of women in a Korean fertility clinic
who had no knowledge of the experiment. At the same time, a separate control
group at the clinic received no prayers. At the end of the study, fifty percent
of the women who’d been prayed for got pregnant, while only twenty-six percent
of the control group conceived. This is the exactly opposite of what the
researchers expected – their stated intention had been to disprove the efficacy
of prayer.”
Pat
and I pray daily for friends whose daughter suffers from cancer, some who are
unemployed, others whose children are unsaved, for our neighbors, and our
church. Pat’s health and other challenges we and others face remain as
difficult as a major league pitcher’s “cutter.” We have learned about prayer,
but we are also pragmatists. “Prayer works!” Thanks for your prayers!
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
"Good Riddance!"
Reading the Bible in different translations has the effect of slowing me down as I confront slightly different language and nuances of truth. I was startled in my present reading of Second Chronicles in the New Living Translation. Chapter 21 concludes with, "No one was sorry when he died (King Jehoram of Judah). He was buried in the City of David, but not in the royal cemetery."
Epitaphs can be amusing or sobering. On Effie Jean Robinson’s tombstone is etched sobering advice.
Good advice, but not funny at all. But someone added:
A grave marker in Boot Hill Cemetery in Tombstone, Arizona, adds local flavor and offers a bit of levity.
I suppose a fitting epitaph for Jehoram might be, "Good Riddance!" When David died, however, the nation grieved the death of their leader.
How we live determines how others feel about our passing and how Jesus will either celebrate or lament our entrance into eternity. In Matthew 25 Jesus used a very simple, but picturesque word picture to define the final judgment.
A high school English assignment included memorizing William Cullen Bryant’s "Thanatopsis." The last few lines are etched in my memory and serve as purifying influence in daily life.
"So live, that when thy summons comes to join
The innumerable caravan which moves
To that mysterious realm, where each shall take
His chamber in the silent halls of death,
Thou go not, like the quarry-slave at night,
Scourged to his dungeon, but, sustained and soothed
By an unfaltering trust, approach thy grave
Like one who wraps the drapery of his couch
About him, and lies down to pleasant dreams."
Am I feeling moribund this morning? No, I just don’t want folks brushing off my life with a "Good riddance!" And I really want to hear a hearty, "Well done!" Each day we contribute to the pool of evidence from which the verdict will be made. The Psalmist prayed, "Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom." (Psalm 90:12)
Epitaphs can be amusing or sobering. On Effie Jean Robinson’s tombstone is etched sobering advice.
Come blooming youths, as you pass by,
And on these lines do cast an eye.
As you are now, so once was I;
As I am now, so must you be;
Prepare for death and follow me
Good advice, but not funny at all. But someone added:
To follow you
I am not content,
How do I know
Which way you went?
A grave marker in Boot Hill Cemetery in Tombstone, Arizona, adds local flavor and offers a bit of levity.
Here lays Butch.
We planted him raw.
He was quick on the trigger
But slow on the draw.
I suppose a fitting epitaph for Jehoram might be, "Good Riddance!" When David died, however, the nation grieved the death of their leader.
How we live determines how others feel about our passing and how Jesus will either celebrate or lament our entrance into eternity. In Matthew 25 Jesus used a very simple, but picturesque word picture to define the final judgment.
A high school English assignment included memorizing William Cullen Bryant’s "Thanatopsis." The last few lines are etched in my memory and serve as purifying influence in daily life.
The innumerable caravan which moves
To that mysterious realm, where each shall take
His chamber in the silent halls of death,
Thou go not, like the quarry-slave at night,
Scourged to his dungeon, but, sustained and soothed
By an unfaltering trust, approach thy grave
Like one who wraps the drapery of his couch
About him, and lies down to pleasant dreams."
Am I feeling moribund this morning? No, I just don’t want folks brushing off my life with a "Good riddance!" And I really want to hear a hearty, "Well done!" Each day we contribute to the pool of evidence from which the verdict will be made. The Psalmist prayed, "Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom." (Psalm 90:12)
Friday, October 5, 2012
Parapet Wall #3 - The Church
My appreciation for God’s family, the Church, increases continually. The images of building, body and bride are a wonder . . . especially as the church lives out its calling and purpose. It has been an enduring wall of safety, a parapet wall of protection my entire life.
My siblings and I grew up in Christian Trinity Assembly of God, a church which looked as if it had been assembled by Rube Goldberg. (Reuben Goldberg was an American of many talents. He is most frequently remembered for a series of cartoon drawings of complex gadgets that do simple tasks convoluted ways.) To illustrate, Brother Kaiser, an older German immigrant and retired barber, played his clarinet on the front pew. The clarinet whistled, wheezed and squeaked. A high point of church life was the occasional spontaneous tune and cadence that called the congregation to sing one of Brother Kaiser’s favorite Gospel songs. No one knew it was coming! It just happened!
Another brother, a factory worker, sensed a call to preach. He did pursue the calling and later pastored, but he learned to preach at our expense! The grammar was painful! One of the "song leaders," (Doesn’t that sound quaint?) wiggled his fingers when he was blessed. Brother Nierhause, another German immigrant of passionate spiritual intensity would often weep and cry out in prayer, frequently wiping his face with a handkerchief. I’ll never forget bringing my high school friend, Grant, to a Sunday evening service when all of the above occurred! How could one forget an event like that?
But, Christian Trinity Assembly of God, was one of the instruments of grace that formed me, shaped my spirit, taught me how to belong, and propelled me into a world much larger than I had ever dreamed.
The Church, God’s family, has POWER as a community. Mingling, teaching, and life sharing disciples of Jesus build character and community. As my boyhood church shared life I was being formed in one of God’s great graces.
God’s family is an ideal, safe PLACE for explaining, for teachable moments. By nature I am a legalist, eager to align everything in proper sequence and can be rabid in validating truth. But, I have learned that God’s family is a powerful educator. The family of God diligently and wisely forms me in the virtue of patience, charity and compassion as Jesus assigns various members to urge me into His likeness! It never comes naturally! The local assembly where we presently worship continues the work. Jesus knows what needs to be done.
As God’s family meets it encourages growth to maximum POTENTIAL of receiving and giving. God used the wilderness to form the children who left Egypt into a mighty people. They became a mighty nation with the distinct assignment to bless all other nations. My older sister was the only "youth pastor" I ever had. She assigned me and others to preach our first sermons in front of our small group which met in the church basement. (Who could ever forget the knotty pine panels and musty odor?) We ministered to nursing home patients monthly. The caring community of Jesus followers had more to do in forming a generation than any degree granting institution.
I remain partial to mid-week church services. Sister Adiska, the wife of the deacon who wiggled his fingers while leading worship, was God’s trigger finger that set off a kind of spiritual experience of volcanic force of God’s grace in me. I was a student in Detroit’s elite high school. A world history teacher challenged the Genesis creation account with an airtight argument for which I had no answer. Sciences were worshiped by academia in the 50's and 60's. My mind swirled in confusion. I wrongly felt that if I confessed my struggles and doubts that I would disappoint those who loved me and that if I were really right with God, I would never have doubts. My prayers were stale. Nights were filled with restless spiritual conflict (No one was a specialist in spiritual warfare back then!) And I needed help!
On a Wednesday night in my most intense doubt the finger of God touched dear Sister Adiska and prompted her to ask the pastor, "May we sing number 282?" The church sang from "Melodies of Praise," as the Spirit of God washed waves of assuring grace over my struggling, fear-ridden, doubt-plagued soul. We sang that night, and I still sing –
I am coming to Jesus for rest,
Rest such as the purified know;
My soul is athirst to be blest,
To be washed and made whiter than snow.
Refrain:
I believe Jesus saves,
And His blood washes whiter than snow;
I believe Jesus saves,
And His blood washes whiter than snow.
In coming, my sin I deplore,
My weakness and poverty show;
I long to be saved evermore,
To be washed and made whiter than snow.
To Jesus I give up my all,
Every treasure and idol I know;
For His fullness of blessing I call,
Till His blood washes whiter than snow.
I am trusting in Jesus alone,
Trusting now His salvation to know;
And His blood doth so fully atone,
I am washed and made whiter than snow.
The annual budget for the community that shaped us wouldn’t be large enough for a one Sunday stage production in many churches today. The disorientation resulting from an audacious woman interrupting smooth segues and rehearsed key changes in church today is hard to imagine. But, the "Rube Goldberg" church in session on a Wednesday night in the early 1960's was the finger of God at work in a teen’s life.
It has been a long time since I heard a favorite "church song" sung by any congregation. Maybe it’s the lights, cameras, and on-stage action that mutes the simplicity and wonder of what God does in uncomplicated ways, protecting, providing for His people with the church. Have we become too content to observe, paying highly skilled professionals to perform the work of ministry? The church, common, ordinary, faulty people need permission and encouragement to influence uncertain youth with a well-timed song. When it happens, it is glorious! Maybe you will sing with me today?
Do you hear them coming, brother,
Thronging up the steeps of light,
Clad in glorious shining garments,
Blood washed, garments pure and white?
Refrain
’Tis a glorious church without spot or wrinkle,
Washed in the blood of the Lamb;
’Tis a glorious church without spot or wrinkle,
Washed in the blood of the Lamb.
Do you hear the stirring anthems,
Filling all the earth and sky,
’Tis a grand, victorious army,
Lift its banner up on high!
Refrain
Never fear the clouds of sorrow,
Never fear the storms of sin.
We shall triumph on the morrow,
Even now our joys begin.
Refrain
Wave the banner, shout His praises,
For our victory is nigh!
We shall join our conqu’ring Savior,
We shall reign with Him on high!
My siblings and I grew up in Christian Trinity Assembly of God, a church which looked as if it had been assembled by Rube Goldberg. (Reuben Goldberg was an American of many talents. He is most frequently remembered for a series of cartoon drawings of complex gadgets that do simple tasks convoluted ways.) To illustrate, Brother Kaiser, an older German immigrant and retired barber, played his clarinet on the front pew. The clarinet whistled, wheezed and squeaked. A high point of church life was the occasional spontaneous tune and cadence that called the congregation to sing one of Brother Kaiser’s favorite Gospel songs. No one knew it was coming! It just happened!
Another brother, a factory worker, sensed a call to preach. He did pursue the calling and later pastored, but he learned to preach at our expense! The grammar was painful! One of the "song leaders," (Doesn’t that sound quaint?) wiggled his fingers when he was blessed. Brother Nierhause, another German immigrant of passionate spiritual intensity would often weep and cry out in prayer, frequently wiping his face with a handkerchief. I’ll never forget bringing my high school friend, Grant, to a Sunday evening service when all of the above occurred! How could one forget an event like that?
But, Christian Trinity Assembly of God, was one of the instruments of grace that formed me, shaped my spirit, taught me how to belong, and propelled me into a world much larger than I had ever dreamed.
God’s family is an ideal, safe PLACE for explaining, for teachable moments. By nature I am a legalist, eager to align everything in proper sequence and can be rabid in validating truth. But, I have learned that God’s family is a powerful educator. The family of God diligently and wisely forms me in the virtue of patience, charity and compassion as Jesus assigns various members to urge me into His likeness! It never comes naturally! The local assembly where we presently worship continues the work. Jesus knows what needs to be done.
As God’s family meets it encourages growth to maximum POTENTIAL of receiving and giving. God used the wilderness to form the children who left Egypt into a mighty people. They became a mighty nation with the distinct assignment to bless all other nations. My older sister was the only "youth pastor" I ever had. She assigned me and others to preach our first sermons in front of our small group which met in the church basement. (Who could ever forget the knotty pine panels and musty odor?) We ministered to nursing home patients monthly. The caring community of Jesus followers had more to do in forming a generation than any degree granting institution.
I remain partial to mid-week church services. Sister Adiska, the wife of the deacon who wiggled his fingers while leading worship, was God’s trigger finger that set off a kind of spiritual experience of volcanic force of God’s grace in me. I was a student in Detroit’s elite high school. A world history teacher challenged the Genesis creation account with an airtight argument for which I had no answer. Sciences were worshiped by academia in the 50's and 60's. My mind swirled in confusion. I wrongly felt that if I confessed my struggles and doubts that I would disappoint those who loved me and that if I were really right with God, I would never have doubts. My prayers were stale. Nights were filled with restless spiritual conflict (No one was a specialist in spiritual warfare back then!) And I needed help!
On a Wednesday night in my most intense doubt the finger of God touched dear Sister Adiska and prompted her to ask the pastor, "May we sing number 282?" The church sang from "Melodies of Praise," as the Spirit of God washed waves of assuring grace over my struggling, fear-ridden, doubt-plagued soul. We sang that night, and I still sing –
Rest such as the purified know;
My soul is athirst to be blest,
To be washed and made whiter than snow.
I believe Jesus saves,
And His blood washes whiter than snow;
I believe Jesus saves,
And His blood washes whiter than snow.
In coming, my sin I deplore,
My weakness and poverty show;
I long to be saved evermore,
To be washed and made whiter than snow.
To Jesus I give up my all,
Every treasure and idol I know;
For His fullness of blessing I call,
Till His blood washes whiter than snow.
I am trusting in Jesus alone,
Trusting now His salvation to know;
And His blood doth so fully atone,
I am washed and made whiter than snow.
The annual budget for the community that shaped us wouldn’t be large enough for a one Sunday stage production in many churches today. The disorientation resulting from an audacious woman interrupting smooth segues and rehearsed key changes in church today is hard to imagine. But, the "Rube Goldberg" church in session on a Wednesday night in the early 1960's was the finger of God at work in a teen’s life.
It has been a long time since I heard a favorite "church song" sung by any congregation. Maybe it’s the lights, cameras, and on-stage action that mutes the simplicity and wonder of what God does in uncomplicated ways, protecting, providing for His people with the church. Have we become too content to observe, paying highly skilled professionals to perform the work of ministry? The church, common, ordinary, faulty people need permission and encouragement to influence uncertain youth with a well-timed song. When it happens, it is glorious! Maybe you will sing with me today?
Thronging up the steeps of light,
Clad in glorious shining garments,
Blood washed, garments pure and white?
Refrain
’Tis a glorious church without spot or wrinkle,
Washed in the blood of the Lamb;
’Tis a glorious church without spot or wrinkle,
Washed in the blood of the Lamb.
Do you hear the stirring anthems,
Filling all the earth and sky,
’Tis a grand, victorious army,
Lift its banner up on high!
Refrain
Never fear the clouds of sorrow,
Never fear the storms of sin.
We shall triumph on the morrow,
Even now our joys begin.
Refrain
Wave the banner, shout His praises,
For our victory is nigh!
We shall join our conqu’ring Savior,
We shall reign with Him on high!
Thursday, October 4, 2012
Parapet Wall #2: Prayer
PRAYER: GOD-MAN CONVERSATION
What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the LORD our God is near us whenever we pray to him? Deuteronomy 4:7
Moses left this bold insight for us to muse upon, consider thoroughly, and then act, actually pray. Prayer is conversation . . . listening and speaking.
Prayer as heart-to-heart, mind-to-mind, Holy Spirit-to-human spirit, and will-to-will is learned as surely as a second language. The altar, both at home and in the church building, are sites where my life has been anchored.
Parents must know they have been with Jesus, are filled with the Spirit, are conversant with the pleasure of the Lord in their family context. All God-loving parents will hear, "Mom, can I go to . . . ?" "Dad, what’s wrong with . . . ?" "How can you be sure that all that stuff about Jesus is real?" "My friends and I want to go to . . . !" At those times God gives answers born in the place of prayer.
My brother Dennis tested the whole ethos of our family one Sunday morning. Dennis was at least 17 years-old and eager to test parental boundaries. On Sunday mornings our family ate breakfast together before attending church. We dressed for church before breakfast. The Sunday morning routine had been in place since before my brother and I were born. On the morning so memorable, my brother came to the breakfast table dressed in his pajamas! The exchange between Dad and Dennis was short and effective!
My father looked at Dennis and asked, "Why aren’t you dressed for church?"
The reply was straightforward and bold, "I don’t plan on attending church today!"
"What is your name?" Dad asked.
The reply, "Dennis."
"Dennis, what is your surname?"
"Wegner."
Dad’s Holy Spirit answer was as prophetic as Daniel before the king and Amos before a disorderly populace, and as powerful as John the Baptist in the wilderness. My father simply said, "Dennis, the Wegners go to church. Go get dressed and then come and eat your breakfast!"
Dennis and I have talked about the memory etched in each of us. He has said more than once, "If Dad had let me stay home that one Sunday, I may have never have attended again."
Because of their prayers and rock-solid examples, our parent’s prayer wall, the second parapet wall of protection, kept my siblings and me from being destroyed. Others are dependent on us. Many have never witnessed an example of "protective custody" akin to what I have known. It is our responsibility to build the parapets for those most vulnerable to harm.
What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the LORD our God is near us whenever we pray to him? Deuteronomy 4:7
Moses left this bold insight for us to muse upon, consider thoroughly, and then act, actually pray. Prayer is conversation . . . listening and speaking.
Prayer as heart-to-heart, mind-to-mind, Holy Spirit-to-human spirit, and will-to-will is learned as surely as a second language. The altar, both at home and in the church building, are sites where my life has been anchored.
- Prayer is learned. Mom and Dad prayed and I learned their language. I can still feel my pastor’s hand on my shoulder while I knelt at the church altar. Sunday School teachers were overheard praying. The altars of my life are places of Presence and power. I recently reread the account of Solomon’s dedication of the Temple. Have you considered who taught Solomon to pray? Listen! You may hear his father David in the background. "O LORD, God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven or on earth—you who keep your covenant of love with your servants who continue wholeheartedly in your way.
You have kept your promise to your servant David my father; with your mouth you have promised and with your hand you have fulfilled it—as it is today.
"Now LORD, God of Israel, keep for your servant David my father the promises you made to him when you said, ‘You shall never fail to have a man to sit before me on the throne of Israel, if only your sons are careful in all they do to walk before me according to my law, as you have done.’
And now, O LORD, God of Israel, let your word that you promised your servant David come true." 2 Chronicles 6
- Prayer is the place where the created are changed by the Creator. In prayer it is important to remember that God knows, has never learned anything, and is unchangeable. As we wait in His presence we ought to be transformed, have a change of heart and mind. Subsequently, we acquire different behavior. The Lord’s possibilities crowd out the worrisome time wasters of life, and confidence is imparted.
- Prayer is best when a meeting time and place, an appointment man keeps with the Lord. Calling out in desperation can be effective, but ought not be the only way we pray. When we keep an appointment with Him, He teaches us what to become, what and how to do, where to go, how to think, and define motives for actions.
- The conversations between God and Moses are instructive! At least eighteen times Moses said in Deuteronomy, The Lord said to me . . . One million or more souls were dependent on what Moses heard. Parents, the future of your children, grandchildren, and as many generations as follow, is dependent on how well you and I hear from the living God. Our disciples must learn how to hear the Lord’s voice.
Parents must know they have been with Jesus, are filled with the Spirit, are conversant with the pleasure of the Lord in their family context. All God-loving parents will hear, "Mom, can I go to . . . ?" "Dad, what’s wrong with . . . ?" "How can you be sure that all that stuff about Jesus is real?" "My friends and I want to go to . . . !" At those times God gives answers born in the place of prayer.
My brother Dennis tested the whole ethos of our family one Sunday morning. Dennis was at least 17 years-old and eager to test parental boundaries. On Sunday mornings our family ate breakfast together before attending church. We dressed for church before breakfast. The Sunday morning routine had been in place since before my brother and I were born. On the morning so memorable, my brother came to the breakfast table dressed in his pajamas! The exchange between Dad and Dennis was short and effective!
My father looked at Dennis and asked, "Why aren’t you dressed for church?"
The reply was straightforward and bold, "I don’t plan on attending church today!"
"What is your name?" Dad asked.
The reply, "Dennis."
"Dennis, what is your surname?"
"Wegner."
Dad’s Holy Spirit answer was as prophetic as Daniel before the king and Amos before a disorderly populace, and as powerful as John the Baptist in the wilderness. My father simply said, "Dennis, the Wegners go to church. Go get dressed and then come and eat your breakfast!"
Dennis and I have talked about the memory etched in each of us. He has said more than once, "If Dad had let me stay home that one Sunday, I may have never have attended again."
Because of their prayers and rock-solid examples, our parent’s prayer wall, the second parapet wall of protection, kept my siblings and me from being destroyed. Others are dependent on us. Many have never witnessed an example of "protective custody" akin to what I have known. It is our responsibility to build the parapets for those most vulnerable to harm.
Build a parapet! Protect your family!
More than a decade ago, my father-in-law and I attended a national event convened by our church. Nearly all the between 400-450 participants were retirement age and seemed well grounded in the faith. The evening presenter spoke about the importance of leading our own children into faith in the Lord Jesus. When he asked for those who had an unsaved child, all but a dozen or 15 people stood. My father-in-law and I were among the tiny minority.
The preacher called on the conventioneers to meet for prayer for unsaved children 30 minutes before breakfast the following morning. I attended the morning prayer time. My father-in-law, all of whose descendants serve the Lord, was present with less than 20 others. I cannot forget the experience. It is one contributing factor to my growing sense of urgency. Nothing is more important.
Today I am introducing an outline of my thoughts. It is a condensation of a sermon. I will enlarge in the themes in next few posts. I will value your feedback!
When you build a new house, make a parapet around your roof so that you may not bring the guilt of bloodshed on your house if someone falls from the roof.
– Deuteronomy 22:8
Parapets are protective structures, substantive, strong, fences, barricades, strategically placed.
Wall Two - PRAYER: GOD-MAN CONVERSATION
What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the LORD our God is near us whenever we pray to him?
Deuteronomy 4:7 Moses left this bold insight for us to muse upon, consider thoroughly, and then act upon, actually pray. Prayer is conversation . . . listening and speaking.
Wall Three - PEOPLE: GOD’S FAMILY
My appreciation for God’s family, the Church, increases continually.
The preacher called on the conventioneers to meet for prayer for unsaved children 30 minutes before breakfast the following morning. I attended the morning prayer time. My father-in-law, all of whose descendants serve the Lord, was present with less than 20 others. I cannot forget the experience. It is one contributing factor to my growing sense of urgency. Nothing is more important.
Today I am introducing an outline of my thoughts. It is a condensation of a sermon. I will enlarge in the themes in next few posts. I will value your feedback!
When you build a new house, make a parapet around your roof so that you may not bring the guilt of bloodshed on your house if someone falls from the roof.
– Deuteronomy 22:8
Parapets are protective structures, substantive, strong, fences, barricades, strategically placed.
- Deliberate physical protection. Homeowners, especially loving, responsible parents, are aware how attractive a roof can be to innocent children and careless youth.
- Determined spiritual security is of greater, eternal importance and consequence than physical safety.
- Designed for emotional wellbeing. The worlds of bullying, evil predators, and subtle media messages all require a Holy Spirit enabled vigilance.
- Develop intellectual competence equipping children on how to think, what to value and whom to trust.
- God’s Word: dynamic foundational truth. God’s Word is clearly defined instructional PURPOSE, divine expectation delivered in a dynamic, historical setting.
- God’s Word: formation in familial setting. The PURPOSES of God are given in a dynamic familial context – Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the LORD your God disciplines you . . .
- God’s Word: an abundance orientation. The command is dictated in an atmosphere of dynamic, energetic, living promise and blessing, For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land . . . God’s Word is not a handbook for religious consumerism, but it is an eternal assurance of God’s loving provision culminating in Jesus!
Wall Two - PRAYER: GOD-MAN CONVERSATION
What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the LORD our God is near us whenever we pray to him?
Deuteronomy 4:7 Moses left this bold insight for us to muse upon, consider thoroughly, and then act upon, actually pray. Prayer is conversation . . . listening and speaking.
- Prayer as conversation, heart-to-heart, mind-to-mind, Holy Spirit-to-human spirit, and Divine will-to- human will is learned as surely as a second language.
- Prayer is the place where the created are changed by the Creator. It is important to remember that God knows, has never learned anything, and is immutable, and unchangeable. As we wait in His presence we are transformed, have a change of heart and mind and develop new patterns in behavior.
- Prayer is an appointment man keeps with the Lord. He teaches us what to do, where to go, how to think, and why one ought to proceed.
Wall Three - PEOPLE: GOD’S FAMILY
My appreciation for God’s family, the Church, increases continually.
- God’s family is important to my faith have been instrumental in developing POWER within community.
- God’s family is the ideal PLACE for explaining, for teachable moments.
- God’s family meeting encourages growth to POTENTIAL in receiving and giving, genuine sharing.
- Story telling – The legacy of faith is repeated in testimony, storytelling.
- Song singing - Affirmations of faith, statements of truth, expressions of hope, testimonies of God’s faithfulness, affection, and interventions. Read Deuteronomy 31:19-22 and Miriam’s song in Exodus 15.
- Social gathering - Through laughter and weeping, celebrating and struggling, success and failure, birth and death, health and sickness, and hope and despair the possibilities of God’s deliverance are kept alive!
God's Word: Parapet Wall #1
In previous posts I have celebrated the efforts my parents exerted to teach us God’s Word. The Word of God is the revelation of His person and purpose. One of the most profound moments in my spiritual development included the Holy Spirit’s revelation of John 1:14, "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." Is it too simplistic to believe, "Know the Word and you will know Jesus?" In my experience, the more I learn God’s Word, the more I fellowship with Jesus.
The first or primary parapet wall of revelation and understanding is God’s Word. Some master the text academically, can quote freely from memory, but lack passion, ownership which transforms and dictates direction.
God’s Word is to be experienced as living, enthusiastic, vibrant, applicable in real life events and challenges. When reading Deuteronomy 8:1-9 one discovers God’s intentions! God announced!
Animated conversation, laughter, tears, celebration and lament, all simple forms of life sharing among Christians, are indicators of healthy faith and that the Word is dwelling among us! For more than ten years our family frequently visited a diner following the Sunday evening services at the church we were pastoring. "Matthew’s Colonial Diner" became more commonly known as "Saint Matthews" by those who extended the Lord’s Day of lessons, songs, prayers and preaching with fellowship born in heaven. The Word "became flesh" among us and His presence was as real while we ate bagels and French toast as when we knelt at an altar.
The Word learned in real-life settings is ideal. The purposes of God are given in a dynamic familial context – Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the LORD your God disciplines you . . . As I reflect, my father and mother were deft in offsetting some of the pulpit excesses of our home church. Our preacher once railed on the evils of playing baseball. Shortly afterward, my Dad asked us, "How would you like to go see the Tigers play the Red Sox?" (Not all discipline, training for life, is the correction of sins the sons have done!) I just finished reading a book by a seminary theology professor who was so committed to "real-life" learning that he took students across the street from his classroom to play basketball with urban kids growing up in financially and emotionally poor environments. The basketball court class sessions were concluded in the student union where the professor treated with sodas and led conversations about the meaning of the Gospel in "real-life."
Finally, God’s Word, if it is to be an effective parapet safeguarding the faithful, must have an abundance orientation. The commandments are dictated in an atmosphere of dynamic, energetic, living promise and blessing, For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land . . . The Word defines a proper world view, lengthens lists of possibilities, turns our eyes upward. We ought to allow little time for dour, doubt, or room for defeat. God’s Word is not a handbook for religious consumerism, but it is eternal assurance of God’s loving provision culminating in Jesus!
Yesterday Pat tuned our TV to a "Christian" channel. The lead interviewee was a person of intense political passion, outspoken master of divisive rhetoric, and member of a cult. But, people meeting in a supposed Christian assembly applauded, worshiped and affirmed both rhetoric and massive theological error. I became nearly irate, "vexed in my spirit" is a better term, because of the universal lack of Spiritual discernment. The lead celebrity whom I described said, "We invited Jesus, but He was busy and couldn’t make it!" God’s Word assures us otherwise. Hymns sung to affirm His character state the contrary!
This morning I’ll sing Isaac Watts’ poem:
I sing the mighty power of God, that made the mountains rise,
That spread the flowing seas abroad, and built the lofty skies.
I sing the wisdom that ordained the sun to rule the day;
The moon shines full at God’s command, and all the stars obey.
I sing the goodness of the Lord, who filled the earth with food,
Who formed the creatures through the Word, and then pronounced them good.
Lord, how Thy wonders are displayed, where’er I turn my eye,
If I survey the ground I tread, or gaze upon the sky.
There’s not a plant or flower below, but makes Thy glories known,
And clouds arise, and tempests blow, by order from Thy throne;
While all that borrows life from Thee is ever in Thy care;
And everywhere that we can be, Thou, God art present there.
God’s Word established His purposes and intentions to be experienced as living, enthusiastic, vibrant, and applicable. Parents, grandparents, pastors, elders, and the whole church ought to be immersed in the all-important task of building a strong parapet wall whose material is God’s Word. The wall of protection will keep another generation from falling into the silliness of things that feel good but in fact are sub-Christian.
The first or primary parapet wall of revelation and understanding is God’s Word. Some master the text academically, can quote freely from memory, but lack passion, ownership which transforms and dictates direction.
God’s Word is to be experienced as living, enthusiastic, vibrant, applicable in real life events and challenges. When reading Deuteronomy 8:1-9 one discovers God’s intentions! God announced!
- If you hear me and obey me, you will experience the promise, my intentions toward you.
- The Lord is intent on persuading us that His ways are best. The dependence on Him resulting from humbling ourselves before His counsel is essential.
- God’s promises and provisions are more than we can anticipate.
Animated conversation, laughter, tears, celebration and lament, all simple forms of life sharing among Christians, are indicators of healthy faith and that the Word is dwelling among us! For more than ten years our family frequently visited a diner following the Sunday evening services at the church we were pastoring. "Matthew’s Colonial Diner" became more commonly known as "Saint Matthews" by those who extended the Lord’s Day of lessons, songs, prayers and preaching with fellowship born in heaven. The Word "became flesh" among us and His presence was as real while we ate bagels and French toast as when we knelt at an altar.
The Word learned in real-life settings is ideal. The purposes of God are given in a dynamic familial context – Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the LORD your God disciplines you . . . As I reflect, my father and mother were deft in offsetting some of the pulpit excesses of our home church. Our preacher once railed on the evils of playing baseball. Shortly afterward, my Dad asked us, "How would you like to go see the Tigers play the Red Sox?" (Not all discipline, training for life, is the correction of sins the sons have done!) I just finished reading a book by a seminary theology professor who was so committed to "real-life" learning that he took students across the street from his classroom to play basketball with urban kids growing up in financially and emotionally poor environments. The basketball court class sessions were concluded in the student union where the professor treated with sodas and led conversations about the meaning of the Gospel in "real-life."
Finally, God’s Word, if it is to be an effective parapet safeguarding the faithful, must have an abundance orientation. The commandments are dictated in an atmosphere of dynamic, energetic, living promise and blessing, For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land . . . The Word defines a proper world view, lengthens lists of possibilities, turns our eyes upward. We ought to allow little time for dour, doubt, or room for defeat. God’s Word is not a handbook for religious consumerism, but it is eternal assurance of God’s loving provision culminating in Jesus!
Yesterday Pat tuned our TV to a "Christian" channel. The lead interviewee was a person of intense political passion, outspoken master of divisive rhetoric, and member of a cult. But, people meeting in a supposed Christian assembly applauded, worshiped and affirmed both rhetoric and massive theological error. I became nearly irate, "vexed in my spirit" is a better term, because of the universal lack of Spiritual discernment. The lead celebrity whom I described said, "We invited Jesus, but He was busy and couldn’t make it!" God’s Word assures us otherwise. Hymns sung to affirm His character state the contrary!
This morning I’ll sing Isaac Watts’ poem:
I sing the mighty power of God, that made the mountains rise,
That spread the flowing seas abroad, and built the lofty skies.
I sing the wisdom that ordained the sun to rule the day;
The moon shines full at God’s command, and all the stars obey.
I sing the goodness of the Lord, who filled the earth with food,
Who formed the creatures through the Word, and then pronounced them good.
Lord, how Thy wonders are displayed, where’er I turn my eye,
If I survey the ground I tread, or gaze upon the sky.
There’s not a plant or flower below, but makes Thy glories known,
And clouds arise, and tempests blow, by order from Thy throne;
While all that borrows life from Thee is ever in Thy care;
And everywhere that we can be, Thou, God art present there.
God’s Word established His purposes and intentions to be experienced as living, enthusiastic, vibrant, and applicable. Parents, grandparents, pastors, elders, and the whole church ought to be immersed in the all-important task of building a strong parapet wall whose material is God’s Word. The wall of protection will keep another generation from falling into the silliness of things that feel good but in fact are sub-Christian.
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
"Summer Cold: A Different Animal"
Nestles’ Chocolate, Faygo Pop, and Tootsie Rolls are iconic brands for those of us who lived through the 60's. In the 50's and 60's friends and family members drove DeSotos, Plymouths, and Henry J’s. Does anyone remember the Nash Metropolitan?
While Summer is officially ended, one cannot easily be convinced if you are in Southern Delaware today. The humid, heavy, 80+ degree air is smothering. The conditions are compounded because I have a "Summer cold." I rewind memory’s tape to the radio jingles of the 60's. An ad promoting cold and flu remedy, "Contac," said,
"A summer cold
Is a different animal
An ugly animal, too
It hits you in the summer
When you've got lots to do
Sniffles -- sneezes -- stuffy nose
Don't let it
Get you down
GET CONTAC!
Tally ho, Contac..."
I am not appealing for sympathy, but I can attest to the fact, Contac’s jingle looks pretty good to me! I’ll get back on track writing as soon as I get the "different animal" out of the room!
While Summer is officially ended, one cannot easily be convinced if you are in Southern Delaware today. The humid, heavy, 80+ degree air is smothering. The conditions are compounded because I have a "Summer cold." I rewind memory’s tape to the radio jingles of the 60's. An ad promoting cold and flu remedy, "Contac," said,
Is a different animal
An ugly animal, too
It hits you in the summer
When you've got lots to do
Sniffles -- sneezes -- stuffy nose
Don't let it
Get you down
GET CONTAC!
Tally ho, Contac..."
I am not appealing for sympathy, but I can attest to the fact, Contac’s jingle looks pretty good to me! I’ll get back on track writing as soon as I get the "different animal" out of the room!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)