Yankees Win the Pennant!

Leadership Lessons from American History

My American history students asked me how in the world the British, who greatly outnumbered the Patriots, could have lost the American Revolution.

The reason was quite simple: the Patriots knew how to adapt their fighting strategy. When something did not work, they made necessary changes, recalibrated and moved ahead.

The British, however, were married to their style of fighting that required they march in a straight line, shoulder to shoulder. While their discipline and dedication were unquestioned, their marriage to tradition and inflexibility proved fatal.

Lesson: Sometimes, you have to change the way you fight to win the war you’re in.

God encourages a Christ-centered discipline but He is certainly not married to the methods we idolize in the pews and frontlines of the faith. Just because one group plants a church “this way” doesn’t mean I have to plant a church that way on this side of the kingdom of God.

Are you married to tradition? There are some spiritual battles we will find ourselves in that nothing outside of God’s Word and Spirit will be prepared for.

What change does the Holy Spirit want you to make in your daily life in order to overcome the enemy?

Christianity According to Shmuley Boteach

According to pop rabbi Shmuley Boteach in his latest book about the late Michael Jackson:

I talked to him about one of the things that most distinguishes Judaism from Christianity. It is not the belief in Jesus as God or deity. Rather it’s the belief in the perfection of Jesus. When Christians ask, “What would Jesus do?,” they are using a model of perfection to guide their actions. And I think that makes a lot of people feel that they can never attain that high station of perfect action. I think in America we don’t like ourselves. We harbor a high degree of self-loathing because we are not realistic about, and we dismiss, our humanity.

Later, he adds:

In Judaism there are no perfect figures in the Bible. They are all flawed. The greatest of prophets, Moses, can’t get into the Promised Land because of sin. We all struggle to do the right thing amid a prediliction to do otherwise. Christians define righteousness as perfection; Jews define righteousness as struggle. We wrestle with our nature; we try to do better always. We acknowledge from the very outset the tendencies within us that are altruistic, that are greedy, that are giving, that are self-absorbed, and that are selfless.

I would only say that there is a difference between celebrating the struggle of humanity and idolizing human effort. The Hebrew Scriptures certainly acknowledge the struggle of human beings to love God and their neighbors as they keep the covenant with Almighty God. That we struggle is no shock. Of course we do; we are sinners. There is no one who does good, not one (Psalm 14:3). The power is not in the struggle but rather in the recognition of our limitation and weakness. Did not the Apostle Paul remind us in 2 Corinthians 12:9-10: “But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

Christianity, on the other hand—biblical Christianity, does not revel in the reality of human frailty and depravity so much as it glories in the perfection of the Lamb of God. Remember: the sacrificial system was a shadow of Christ’s work on the Cross for humanity. Did anyone quibble about the requirements for sacrificial lambs and other offerings? I doubt it. In addition, the bedrock of Christian theology celebrates the uniqueness of Jesus as Lord, Savior and yes, Yeshua ha Maschiach.

We who are Christ-followers and lovers look to Jesus because He and He alone did what no human being could do in his or her own strength: fulfill the Law, something no “good Jew” or well-meaning Gentile could do—then or now.

Christ In You & The Kingdom of God

After reading and re-reading the parable of the sower (Matt. 13:3-23), I am convinced that Christians must sow not only the word of the gospel but also our own lives, which incarnate that very word. People must see Jesus working in and through us; otherwise, our faith is abstract and theoretical with no earthly use for people in the midst of the life’s struggles. This is the crux of “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Col. 1:27).

Who Am I…Theologically?

According to this survey, I am…

(100%) 1: Pentecostal/Charismatic/Assemblies of God
(96%) 2: Baptist (non-Calvinistic)/Plymouth Brethren/Fundamentalist
(84%) 3: Anabaptist (Mennonite/Quaker etc.)
(79%) 4: Baptist (Reformed/Particular/Calvinistic)
(75%) 5: Eastern Orthodox
(75%) 6: Methodist/Wesleyan/Nazarene
(68%) 7: Presbyterian/Reformed
(68%) 8: Seventh-Day Adventist
(65%) 9: Anglican/Episcopal/Church of England
(64%) 10: Lutheran
(59%) 11: Congregational/United Church of Christ
(54%) 12: Roman Catholic
(45%) 13: Church of Christ/Campbellite

Note that I am both Calvinist and non-Calvinist Baptist, lol. I currently worship with a Reformed Congregation despite my continuationist leanings.

Could the Church Have Dealt With a Saved Michael Jackson?

The unexpected and untimely death of the King of Pop three weeks ago today literally rocked the world and completely altered the landscape of entertainment as the world said goodbye to the biggest star–however controversial he was–in the world.

But do not think for a minute that his death also silenced debates and arguments about the entertainer. Hardly, now Christians are literally fighting over whether or not Jackson was saved before he died.

I posted a link from legendary gospel singer Andrae Crouch’s Facebook page where people were telling of how the Crouches led Jackson to Christ 3 weeks before his death. Crouch denied this story later and the fight was and still is on.

On one side are those who believe that God was pursuing Jackson while knowing the end was coming. On the other side are those Christians who believe that Jackson’s alleged sins and his lack of a public profession of faith in Jesus Christ PROVE that he could not have possibly been saved before his death.

I’ll hold my own opinion on the matter until the end but I will say this: what if Jackson hadn’t died? What if he DID make a public profession of faith.

Would the Church today, especially in America, been able to deal with it?

In my opinion, NO.

Why?

Because the church in America is a fraud for the most part, masquerading in a loveless apologetic and theological bravado vigorously defined as Christ-centered, Spirit-driven discipleship. There would certainly be those wise, seasoned saints who would have walked with the singer through his faith journey without compromising the truth of God’s inerrant Word.

But I fear that the majority of Christians, especially those with any kind of media platform would have either attempted to exploit his newfound faith in Jesus OR hounded him about child molestation allegations and the trial (being tried and acquitted means nothing to Romans 13 Christians, I suppose), plastic surgery, his appearance, his sexuality, his marriages, his children, and on and on.

And ministry?

Forget it. By virtue of everything I just listed, he would have been deemed unqualified for any kind of ministry. The child molestation allegations alone would have done him in, even in the minds of some readers right now who have priests, pastors and bishops who wink at their indiscretions (AKA sin but don’t tell anyone).

The entire Jackson-salvation discussion has caused me to think long and hard about what salvation is and how the Spirit of God “does” it. I am deeply troubled by the legalistic and narrow view that anchors genuine, biblical faith to saying the “Sinner’s Prayer.”

What in the world is the sinner’s prayer? I never said one. I just remember lying on my bed at the age of 16 and saying “Jesus, I’m yours.” I stumbled along the way but I never looked back. One of my dearest friends doesn’t even have a date for her salvation “experience.” She just remembers it finally “clicked” in her heart that Jesus was exactly who He said He was and she started her journey.

Public professions of faith in Jesus are absolutely awesome—when they are real. Too many people have been duped by the false belief that if you say the right things, then everything is “cool” with you and King Jesus. But we all know people who walked the aisle, uttered the prayer but their hearts were never in it and they walked away from the faith.

So much for leaning on confession to prove you’re saved.

The last few weeks of Jackson’s life were marked with an accelerated spiritual search that culminated June 25th. God alone is absolutely certain Jackson is spending eternity.

But if some Christians can easily dismiss even the possibly of Jackson’s 11th hour salvation, then I can take the opposing view. I personally believe that at some point before his death, he DID surrender his life to Jesus.
And then Jesus took him and spared him the foolishness of having his faith ran over by both a world that made fun of him and a Church that would have constantly questioned his credibility.

No matter which side it “right” I think what is most troubling is the horrific, tabloid-saturated legalism that misguided saints (including me) get wrapped up in when judging. I just want the heart of Jesus to beat through me even if it makes my flesh uncomfortable.

How funny that Jesus loved the one lost sheep enough to risk everything for it while the 99 probably questioned the quality of that sheep. Spiritual amnesia—forgetting the hole from which one was rescued by the Lord Jesus—is dangerous and I believe dampens our passion for reaching the lost.

Just my opinion.

Conversion Confusion?

One of the reasons why so many “Christians” are falling away from the faith is because too many leaders have sought converts to their individual fellowships and denominations. As a result, we have people who are “in church” but not “in Christ” and have no roots to endure the harsh realities of the warfare of discipleship.

How can we fix this mess in the church?

Why Some Churches Don’t Grow

Would you ever stomp on your newborn?

I highly doubt it.

Yet I have found that a number of churches stomp on baby Christians in their own legalistic and systematic way. Why, then, should the Holy Spirit trust a loveless, legalistic church with a baby Christian, knowing that the church will stomp all over their new-found faith with extrabiblical rules and a list of rules for their culture.

Michael Jackson 1958-2009

I do not care what others thought of Michael Jackson. He was the greatest entertainer of my generation. I am stunned at the sudden loss of a legend, however broken he was. I have a few close family/friends who had the opportunity to share Christ with him. My thoughts and prayers to his three young children and his family.

ChurchSpeak That Needs to Die #3: “Shut the #2&@!*@ up!” and Cussing

I remember well sitting in my high school freshman AP English complaining about pastors who curse while preaching. “I will not listen to any pastor who does such a thing.”

I thought she was stiff. In my rebellious 15-year-old brain, cursing was edgy, cute and irreverent enough to annoy my parents.

Twenty-one years later, I’m siding with my “stiff” teacher. The Driscoll-Macarthur-Piper drama about cursing is not the beginning or the end of the matter.

Why this issue is not a no-brainer for Christians is beyond me. As a believer who occasionally (and wrongfully) drops an expletive, I cannot make excuses for my sins—yep, my sin. According to the apostle Paul, “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen” (TNIV, Ephesians 4:29).

I will not point a finger at Driscoll or anyone else. Instead, I face the woman in the mirror, challenging myself to glorify God with what I say and what I allow to meditate upon.

And may I also be so blunt as to suggest that much of the discussion about pastors cussing is misdirected because all believers are accountable to God for what we speak no matter what our spiritual gifting is.

For any of us to cuss simply to fit in is to make an idol out of culture and refuse Jesus His rightful place (the center) in our lives.

So stop cussing, missional girl—and every other Christian out there who has the same sin issue!

ChurchSpeak That Needs to Die #2: “Goin’ to Church?!”

2. “Goin’ to Church”
You’ve said it and so have I. We know what we mean but do we really? According to Scripture, the church is the body of Christ made up of His followers. The church is about being the “called out” together, meaning that we who have committed our hearts and lives to the Lord Jesus Christ are literally rowing in the same boat.

But somewhere along the way, ecclesia became a building instead of a living body. No big deal, right?

WRONG!

As we begin to see “church” as a place, a location, and a bullet on the spiritual to-do list, it became easier to walk away from the same.

But what happens when the called out ones properly recapture the essence of what the living body of Christ is, rowing in the same boat? People find it a lot harder to divorce themselves people than a “location.”

Thinking on these things forced me out of the habit of saying “I’m goin’ to church.” I am already a part of the body of Christ! As my bonds with those I row with in the faith grow stronger, my faith in Jesus Christ has grown stronger and iron has indeed sharpened iron.

So stop goin’ to church and be the church!

ChurchSpeak That Needs to Die #1: Clergy/Laity

Chinchecks for ChurchSpeak

There are certain titles and phrases in institutional church circles that need to die a quick and cruel death so that we can understand who we truly are in Jesus Christ and be fishers of men and women:

1. Clergy vs. Laity. Neither word is found in the Bible. Yet thanks to Constantine and later the scholasticism of the Middle Ages, a divide in the body of Christ was sealed. Clergy mania turns worship into a spectator’s event where the laity (or lazity) watch the “reverends” do all the kingdom work. Equally horrific, some “clergy” believe the hype and develop a greater awareness of their own presence than the Holy Spirit’s. After reading 1 Corinthians 12-14, the Pastoral Epistles (which I just began studying) as well as Ephesians 4, I see no biblical justification for the distinction.

Pray for Pay?

I was disgusted earlier today watching one of my dearest friends on the planet take the time to post a prayer request on this site.

Why?

Well, the site starts off pretty well:

Receive prayers from thousands of fellow Christians!

If you or a family member is need of prayer, the Lord shall hear your request through the prayers of the entire Christian Prayer Center. You are not walking a lonely course, but rather holding hands with those who care. Christ loves everyone and is filled with happiness when they are praying together online or in church.

Healing is a long process that begins with prayer and faith. The Bible tells us what we must do, and we must have the strength to come together in Holy worship. Submit a prayer and read the prayers of those who are in need of help and guidance. Jesus loves us all. It is our religion that binds us together as humans on this Earth. God Blesses.

But after you go to the trouble of posting the request, you are asked to judge the importance of your prayer request:

How important is your request?
Not important Somewhat important Very important Extremely important

WHAT?! Since when did God call us to rate the prayer requests of those around us? Granted, when your friend Pooky asks you to agree with her in prayer that she marries someone else’s husband, the answer is fairly clear on that one and you answer her from the Word.

Guess what pops up when you “rate” your prayer?

How much would you like to offer with your request?
Nothing $7 $15 $50

100% of your offering goes to support the Christian Prayer Center to further God’s work.
Credit Card #: (info)
Expiration: /
Are you sure you do not want to offer anything? God cannot have faith in you unless you have faith in Him!

He who gives of himself receives all which is asked.

“Give, and it will be given to you. For with the measure you give, it will be measured to you in God’s gifts.” (Luke 6:38)

The Bible tells us repeatedly that the most important way to have our prayers answered is to have faith, and give with overwhelming generosity.

Give when times are tough, give when it does not seem that giving is possible, and God will reward your faith with His generosity in answering your important prayers quickly.

Foolishness. First of all, I do not find anywhere in Scripture where God “has faith” in me. That is the talk of dangerous Word of Faith nonsense that is shipwrecking the faith and testimony of so many people. Secondly, I know of too many people who have given every dime they had to some ministry in hopes of having their prayers answers. Guessed what happened?

Nothing.

Liars.

Once I chose “Nothing”, their tenacity at getting money from me persists:

Step 2: Do you believe in what the Bible tells us?

Yes, I believe in the Bible.
No, I do not have faith.
God answers our prayers every day, and He doesn’t ask for much in return — just our faith. If you want God to answer your prayers, you must have faith in Him. God says over and over, “Making offerings is necessary to prove your faith.”

“Jesus looked at him and loved him. ‘One thing you lack,’ he said. ‘Go, sell everything you have and give it forth, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.’” – Mark 10:21

The Bible tells us we MUST make offerings to have our prayers answered. He knew what was best, and HE WANTS YOU to have your prayer answered. Jesus wants to restore our health, fill our relationships with love, and shower us with wealth and good fortune. BUT, Jesus says we must make offerings to open up the doors of heaven.

So that God may answer your prayer, what amount would you like to offer?

Nothing
$7 – Small Request
$15 – Special Request
$50 – Urgent Request
$77 – Supreme Request
$365 – Divine Request
Credit Card #:
Expiration: /

What they are telling me is that because I have no money, God will not hear me. Biblical?

Heck 2 the NO!

In fact, the very spirit and method of this “Christian” site violates the example of the Lord Jesus Himself since He intercedes for us (Heb. 7:25). He does this free of charge, by the way. And no do not tell me that God the Father “sowed” Jesus’s life into the ground so that He could reap a harvest of souls to justify the greedology behind this shady money-thieving scheme. You cannot compare the blood of the Savior to a bank account since that bank account can’t keep you out of hell.

Needless to say, I stopped posting because I simply refuse to waste a prayer on this site. The Scripture twisting on this site was so blatant. The context of Luke 6:38 is not about how to get more money but about judging and offering forgiveness. Over and over, the pastor of site tells us that God has demands we give money to get prayers answered but offers NO biblical proof. This kind of lying and covetous spirit continues to rot local churches from the inside out and bring undeserved shame on other believers who are pursuing Christ no matter what their material circumstances.

Shame on Christianprayercenter.

P.S. I’m not the only one who has a gripe.

kl

Why I Hated Preaching Class in Seminary

Of all the courses I took, the “class” I despised the most was Preaching. That sounds weird coming from an aspiring pastor but the truth is that too often I found the divine calling and unction of preaching reduced to an “art form.”

Preaching is not an art but a calling. When we view the proclamation of the Gospel as the former, we run the risk of celebrating the method and deifying the messenger.

Does Seminary Hurt the Mission of the Church?

I wonder. Too many seminaries have produced a log-jam of great scholars but not pastors and church leaders equipped for ministry in the real world.

Perhaps the best approach for the 21st century model is to make the local church the streets the “classroom” while tailoring the ministry training to gifts and not to expectations of professional ivory tower seminary officials who put more faith in their ability to read the Biblical languages than in the power of the Holy Spirit working through the surrendered hearts of His people.

Toodles!

Worship From the Gridiron

Check out Cincinatti Bengals’ Ben Utecht’s CD. Awesome!

More Ridiculously Themed Study Bibles

Just when I thought the Green Bible would drive me over the edge (in a hybrid car, of course), along comes Thomas Nelson Publishers with The American Patriot’s Bible.

A hot mess.

I am concerned not because I believe that God did not have intentions for our nation or because our early history was not shaped by biblical principles but because we have twisted the American flag around the Word of God.

Who do we really worship here? God or America?

The Frustration of Dreaming Ahead of Schedule

I can tell you with all sincerity that I am frustrated.

Why?

Because the dream in my heart is bigger than the context I find myself in.

So what’s a girl to do?

Use my gifts and talents for the context God has me in now.

5 Summer Jobs You DON’T Want

5 Summer Jobs You DON’T Want

Posted using ShareThis

A great clip from a kid who needs money for college, lol!

Clearing Out My Reading List

I’ve been so busy with the school year that I have had little time to read the book I bought months ago. My goal is to have finished the following books by the end the summer:

Simple Church (Thom Rainer)
Gifted to Lead (Nancy Beach)
Axiom (Bill Hybels)
the book of Acts (The Holy Spirit)

Books/Literature I Will Be Teaching In the Fall
Macbeth (Shakespeare)
Beowulf (Anonymous)
This Present Darkness (Peretti)
Up From Slavery (Washington)
Paradise Lost (John Milton)
the poetry of Emily Dickinson
the poetry of Gwendolyn Brooks

ARC All Access

Check out the ARC All Access feed for all you church planters and church planters to be

http://www.allaccessconference.com/

7 Questions: Women Church Planters

I was surprised and pleased a couple of days ago when I received an email about an old blog post regarding women church planters. Linda Wurzbacher, lead pastor of Blessed Hope Community Church, responded and was kind enough to answer seven questions I posed to her about her experience as both a pastor and church planter. Pastor Wurzbacher is also started a group to nurture and encourage women church planters (Christ Driven Women). Look for their first conference September 24th & 25th, 2010!

7 Questions for Women Church Planters and Leaders

1. When did you discover God’s calling to pastor and plant a church?
I never made a decision that I wanted to be a pastor, I just came to the realization (revelation) that I was a pastor! I was leading a blossoming Mom’s group at my church at the time and we had an interim pastor. I couldn’t figure out why all these people were coming to me, calling me and standing in line on Sundays to talk to me! I thought it was so very odd. And then it hit me one day, people were coming to me as their pastor. That was sincerely a shocking revelation to me. I was just so in love with Jesus but I never saw myself as a pastor at all. That was the beginning. The story is long so for this venue I’ll simply tell you that I was later ordained at a local church and I had prayed about starting a church for about 8 years before God said: “NOW!”

2. Who were the people who most encouraged and challenged you in your calling?
I’d say my husband and son have always been my biggest encouragers for sure, especially as far as planting a church. As far as being in the role of a pastor, I felt very supported, and encouraged when I was on staff at a church as “Pastor of Women’s Ministries.” God seemed to anoint and bless so much of the ministry I did there, it really did knock my socks off to see so much fruit. The people there encouraged me in huge ways as did my former senior pastor in the beginning. Without that, I’m not sure I would have had the courage to do it. As far as who most challenged me in my calling, I’d say the list is too long to mention–ha! I think some of the other local male pastors were the toughest actually. When I’d attend local pastor gatherings, I felt excluded and treated as a definite un-equal. That was tough to take. As I said, I was so insecure anyway! There was a few that really went out of their way to make me feel welcomed though. Those pastors I will never forget.

3. What are some of the challenges that any church planter (male or female) encounter as they do God’s will?
Honestly, one of the hardest things for me to overcome has been my insecurity. It wasn’t that I doubted God’s calling on my life as much as I just doubted me. I felt insecure, unworthy and just afraid of messing up! The problem with all of that is I made it about me instead of keeping my focus on the fact that God was going to build His church His way. I think insecurity is often the biggest challenge for any church planter, regardless of gender. Sometimes it comes across as arrogance, but it’s still insecurity. Other than that, some of the classic church planter mistakes are always about putting people in positions too quickly. We get worn out and desparate in the beginning and we often don’t wait upon the Lord’s leading and direction. I’ve made such a mistake that almost destroyed our church.

4. What are some unique challenges women pastors/planters face and how do you deal with them?
Our church is located in a very highly populated Catholic area. We also have a lot of Calvary Chapel churches that are very vocal about how they feel about women in ministry. I’ve had people call me and email me and tell me all the reasons I should not be a pastor. Many of the people at our church have felt harrassed by family members and friends for having a female pastor. It also feels pretty lonely at times. There’s a lot less peers to connect with and as a non-denominational woman church planter, it’s really impossible.

5. How has serving the body of Christ as a pastor and planter impacted your marriage and family life?
I have an amazing husband so I am very blessed there! He has always been by my side through it all. It’s been tougher on him really. I didn’t start our church until the year my son went away to college and now that he’s graduated, he’s a pastor at our church so overall, I’d say that part has been very wonderful. We do ministry TOGETHER!

6. What is your life verse that strengthens you as you pursue God’s will?
“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philipians 4:13

7. What advice would you give women who feel called to plant and lead churches? What advice would you give to men in how to relate to them?
Just Do it! Well, there is sooo much advice I would give. If they felt called to plant a church, I would tell them to go work / help a church plant in their area if they never have. They will learn sooo much from that experience. It’s the best training ground there is! I would tell them to count the cost because the cost is huge. It is twice as hard to be a woman church planter and it’s plenty hard for a man! I would tell them they need to make sure their husband is in it 100%! They may have to lead him to that point, but they can do all things through Christ who strengthens them. There’s so much more of course…but that’s my short answer.

As far as advice to other men, I’d tell them that they need to do everything they can to support a female pastor in ministry. Of course, there are healthy boundaries, yes. But they need to pray for women pastors and encourage & support them just as they would any sister in Christ!

The Hypocrisy of the Gay Community

I will pull no punches with this brief post. I watched as gossip whore Perez Hilton asked “the” question about whether gay marriage should be allowed. Miss California, Carrie Prejean said that marriage should be recognized as that between one man and one woman.

Now she is under attack from certain peeps for her decision to offer a biblical answer and not a politically correct one. I find it very interesting that some (certainly not all) pro-gay groups and self-appointed activists are ready to call Prejean an intolerant bigot when in fact THEY are the ones who cannot stand still while someone calmly and politely answer a question that called for her view.

If you ask Prejean her opinion, do not whine about her response. But we know that is not the real issue. Prejean would have been lauded as “courageous” if she had just caved in and ignore the consistent biblical witness against homosexuality.

But in my opinion, Prejean is courageous.

“The way I answered may have been offensive. With that question specifically, it’s not about being politically correct. For me it was being biblically correct.”

Enough said.

Old School Gospel

Saturday was certainly and cold and numbing day for all who followed Jesus’s ministry. He was dead. But I can’t help but celebrate the divine turnaround a day early. The following Youtube clip is of a song I remember singing when I was 8 years old!

Good Friday & JWs

Just came off of a friendly and impromptu “discussion” about Jesus with some Jehovah’s Witnesses. Their contentions about Him (e.g. He’s created and not divine) did not depress me but rather encouraged me on this Good Friday to not only contend for the biblical faith but also to rejoice in the work of Jesus Christ on the cross. In a culture that in certain circles celebrates sound systems over sound doctrine, it is easy for the noise of clamoring self-important agendas and cries for recognition to obscure the Cross.

Friday–for the horror and shame He endured on Calvary–is only good because Jesus died and in doing so did for us what we could not do for ourselves (but strangely and ironically, die trying to do for ourselves).

God’s Memory Is Better Than Mine

There are times when I question whether or not God remembers one promise He has made to me personally (assuming that the promise actually IS from God). I have been reminded in the last few days that contrary to my own suspicions, Jesus has a much better memory than I do.

The redemptive reality of such only helps me as I pray over issues that have not changed in days, months, and years. Time is like a set of clanging cymbals, smothering out the calm and assured voice of God who speaks about a matter. But after the noise has dissipated to a hush, the promise of God is still there.

“For great is his love toward us, and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever” (Psalm 117:2, TNIV)

Enough Is Enough!

The recent wave of alleged Conflicker virus issues did not do anything to change my mind about the decision I made a month ago to go BACK to Mac.

For the record, let me state that while there are plenty of things I like about Microsoft Office, there are even more things that I HATE about Vista.

One of the major issues I have had with Vista is that the operating system conflicts with the antivirus software I used at the time. So Vista would turn my program OFF and then have the nerve to not allow me to turn it ON even after they provided the option to do so.

Enough already.

My old youth pastor gave me a Mac back in the mid-nineties and now its time for this prodigal to return home: Mac.

Mac is not perfect, contrary to the macolatry out there but at this points, I’ve had it with Windows.

Enough!

Twain on Expectation

“A thing long expected takes the form of the unexpected when at last it comes.”

A Dramatic Twist on an Old Issue

From Strive to Enter

This is especially for those who’ve always imagined what Paul would say if he were visiting a Driscollized church (yes, I said Driscollized).

Joshua 5.1-12: Destiny Is an Inside Job

This short but powerful passage illustrates the faithfulness of God to a new generation of Israelites whose parents were circumcised but didn’t live to experience the destiny they were promised because of unbelief. Ironically, on the other hand, the next generation of Israelites—the children of the Unbelieving Generation—are on the cusp of destiny but have not been circumcised.

Circumcision was the physical sign of covenant with God and the fact that this ironic twist peppers the pages of salvific history illustrate one big idea for me to grasp: Destiny is an inside job. You can have the outward appearance of covenant relationship with God but the Old School generation lacked the faith–the faith that endures the unseen hard cracks of real time experience.

They lost out.

But this generation, however, the Joshua and Caleb generation, did not.

Part of taking hold of the new and going places where your parents and g-parents never went is letting go of the things that had a hold on them.

Only then, by God’s grace, can we enter enter in to the destiny God has for us.