Love Is Not "Given Away", It Is "Shared"

Love has the unusual quality of “growing” when it is given away.  This truth, however, reveals to us the fact that love is never, really, “given away”…actually, it is shared.  And when it is shared it is multiplied. Our world could use an exponential increase in love, so, we encourage followers of Christ to share love honestly, courageously and generously.

Audio Message: "Jesus Dies"

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Why Is "Secularism" A Problem? Read "Saving Leonardo" and Learn

“Saving Leonardo” has just become one of the most underlined and highlighted books I own!

Okay, I only own 5 books, but still…

My experience with Nancy Pearcey’s writing is primarily based on her previous book, “Total Truth”—which is outstanding.  I find her, once again, to be insightful, intellectually challenging, very interesting, and a brilliant analyst of culture—both historical culture and contemporary culture.

In “Saving Leonardo”, Pearcey describes, in compelling ways, why the increasing “secularism” in our world is a serious problem.  She makes the point that secularism is even a problem for those who do not consider themselves to be religious.  She writes, “Because the word ‘secular’ is the opposite of ‘religious’, many people assume that secularism is a problem for religious groups only.  Not so.  When politics loses its moral dimension, we all lose.  When political discourse is debased, the entire society suffers.  The reason Christians should be concerned is not to protect their own subculture, but to protect the democratic process for all people.”

Pearcey expands in helpful ways on the concept of the “fact/value split” about which she wrote in “Total Truth”.  She identifies the fact/value split as the “core of modern secularism”.  Read the book for her able defense of that contention. 

In Part 2 of “Saving Leonardo”, she addresses two paths to secularism—“originating in the clash between the Enlightenment and the Romantic movement”—in which she traces the “historical rise of secularism”. 

To demonstrate the effects of secularism on Western culture, Pearcey provides many examples of specific works of art ranging from literature, to painting, to music, to sculpture, to film, and more, explaining how they have contributed to secularism or how they display, knowingly or un-knowingly, the results of secularism’s steadily increasing influence. 

I found her thoughts on “Artists as Thinkers” to be interesting.  She writes, “The truth is that artists interact deeply with the thought of their day, translating worldviews into stories and images.”  Pearcey correctly identifies “art”—in its many manifestations—as a field of significant influence.  And perhaps it is more influential than many Christians realize or acknowledge.

Since I have not studied art in any serious, comprehensive way, there were a number of things I learned in Part 2 of the book.  Actually, now that I think of it, it would be more accurate to say that EVERYTHING in Part 2 of the book involved new learning for me…except the page numbering.  I was pretty familiar with that concept from the other 5 books I own.

I highly recommend “Saving Leonardo”.  Nancy Pearcey is brilliant.

Mary's Testimony Is A Blessing To Me

Check out Mary's testimony.

The Best Thing Is To KNOW Christ

The Apostle Paul said that he considered everything else “rubbish” compared to knowing Christ.  Above everything else in his life, he wanted to KNOW CHRIST. [See Phil.3:7-11]  Is a passionate and consuming desire to “know Christ” the truth for you? This is vitally important. Whatever else we do in this life, let’s make sure that FIRST OF ALL, we know the Lord Jesus Christ.

It's Liberating To Let God Be God

I’ve got some great news: you and I are not the center of the universe. Now, if we will be very honest with ourselves, sometimes this can be a hard truth for us to admit. Here’s why this is good news, though: since you and I are not the center of the universe, the vast, vast majority of what happens in the universe is not our responsibility. Isn’t that great? What a liberating thing it is to let God be God.

My Mini Epiphany At Anderson University

We dropped off Taylor at Anderson University this weekend—this is the university where I went to school, although it was called Anderson “College” then and instead of computers and cell phones, the students had quill pens and an elaborate system of tin cans and strings.  (Yep, our technology and sophistication had progressed far beyond smoke signals.)

While Taylor was setting up his room as a learning environment designed for maximum academic achievement [“cough”…“cough”] I went walking around the campus, taking in the sights and sounds; feeling waves of memory roll over me.  I was stunned to find that one of the buildings even “smelled” exactly the same as it did when I was a student.  (Or, maybe it was that barefoot guy, it’s hard to say.)

Many of the students are back on campus after summer break, so as I walked around I would nod a greeting and smile.  I think I only frightened 3 or 4 of them.  (I’m basing that on the amount of pepper spray.)

I saw joggers.  I saw a couple holding hands and walking through the valley.  I saw a few small groups of students sitting around talking.  I saw people wandering aimlessly staring like dorks at everyone else…oh, wait a minute, that was me.

At one point, a group of girls walked past me and I recognized them.  They were the same girls who were on the campus back when I was a student 30-something years ago.  Well, that’s not exactly true, they were different girls.  But in a way, they were the same girls.  And then, very suddenly, as I looked around, I realized that all of the same students were there on the campus.

Before you call the authorities to have me turned in—which has already been tried twice—let me explain.  What I mean is that, in a general sense, there are “types” of people.  I don’t mean that we’re not all original, one-of-a-kind creations of God.  Of course we are.  It’s not my intention to be demeaning to anyone.  But it is still true that there is a sense in which there are certain types of people, who tend to “look” a certain way and who tend to “do” certain types of things.  I’m suggesting that as I walked my old campus, I saw all of those “types” from my college days, once again, as I looked at the current students.  I really did.  It was an odd and faintly amusing feeling.

I found myself chuckling as I looked around and this reality was confirmed to me more and more.

So much has changed since my time on campus, but you know, in a way, it is very much the same.  And all of the same people—come on, you know what I mean, by now—in a way, all of the same people are still there.

My walking experience, along with my realization that all of the same people are still there on campus, was sort of like a mini-epiphany for me.  (Can a person have a “MINI” epiphany?  I don’t know, but I’m claiming to have had one, so there!)  In fact, I was so taken with my new insight that upon returning to the room, I immediately shared it with Taylor and I could tell that he found the whole concept fascinating because of the distinctive sound and tonal quality of his snoring while I rambled on and on with this extraordinary theory.

Anyhow…did I mention how the room is set up for maximum academic achievement?  Okay, just checking.

The Truth IS What It IS

If I determine that I really WANT something to be true, that doesn’t matter in the sense that it does not establish my desire as truth. The truth has this interesting quality of being WHAT IT IS regardless of my opinion on the matter. I believe Jesus was fully aware of that reality when he made this comment: “I am the way and the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except through me.”

Taking Taylor To Anderson University Today

We're taking Taylor to AU today to begin sophomore year.  [His, not mine.] I have a father’s bias, of course, but I see him becoming an outstanding young man and I’m proud of him. A time of preparation and learning is important and valuable.  I pray that God will guide him and help him to prepare wisely for a life in which he is used by God significantly wherever life takes him.

God's Holiness Is Unlike Anything Else We Know

“God’s holiness is not simply the best we know infinitely better. We know nothing like the divine holiness. It stands apart, unique, unapproachable, incomprehensible and unattainable.” A.W. Tozer.  It’s amazing that this incredible person, this being beyond our imagination, actually reaches out a hand of friendship to us.  Almighty God wants to relate with you and me!  Wow. Cool!

Being Renewed, Day By Day

In the midst of sadness at the recent loss of a friend, the Holy Spirit directed me to these verses:  “Therefore we do not lose heart.  Though outwardly we are wasting away, inwardly we are being renewed day by day.  For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” 2Cor.4:16&17.

Being Careful Not To Miss The Point

Jesus told some of the religious leaders of his day that they missed the point when they carefully and legalistically observed a religious ritual like tithing, but neglected—these are His words—“more important” things like justice and loving God.  Religious actions that are mechanically performed without a heart that truly loves God are empty of true significance and meaning and potency.

No Fear When He Is Walking With Me

There are things that scare me if I think about facing them alone.  On the other hand, when I really understand that Jesus is with me, it may not be that everything is easy or painless, but His presence makes me know that it will be alright.  When He is with me…it will be alright.  “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for thou art with me...” Ps.23:4

Fantasy Football Draft

What happens at a Fantasy Football draft?  That’s what I’ve always wondered.  Yep, it has puzzled and enticed me for decades.

(Oh, wait a minute, I just heard about Fantasy Football a couple of years ago.  Well, I’m sorry, I get confused about the passage of time when I’m stuffed full of pizza and chicken wings.  …..Does anybody have a Rolaids?)

The draft is probably a very noisy, very exciting event, I figured.  Somehow, I pictured it being sort of like the floor of a stock exchange with people shouting and making hand signals and phones ringing and several screens displaying video footage of key players while other screens listed the most recent picks.  I pictured cigar smoke and secret whispered alliances happening in the corner of the room.

Well, the Men’s Fantasy Football League draft at our church happened today and it was actually very calm and orderly.  No shouting or hand signals.  No video screens or cigar smoke.  In fact, at one point, I think one of the fellas was laying on a pew in the sanctuary taking a nap.  (Either that, or, someone slipped him a “micky”.)

(In all my years of writing, that’s the first time I’ve been able to work the phrase “slipped him a micky” into a story.  I’m pretty excited about that.  By the way, I have no idea what  a “micky” is, but I know from movies and TV shows that it knocks people out.)

What I discovered, however, as a neutral observer, is that the primary tactics at the draft are actually mental and psychological.  The draft may have been laid back, sure, but there were whispered deals and strategic negotiations already taking place.  I saw an intricate mental game of suggestions, verbal feints, subtle hints, misdirection, and carefully calculated off-hand remarks, as the men smiled and joked and slyly selected the roster of players that they hope will mercilessly destroy all opponents, leaving them in a tangled mess of pathetic carnage lying on the floor.

The sheer cunning, the intellectual sleight of hand was a thing to behold.  It was clear, even to a novice like me, that I was watching masters at work.  I was in the presence of an incredibly high level of strategic genius.

I’m not a betting man, but if I was, I’d put my money on the guy who was taking a nap.

We Can Miss The Point, Just Like "Those Guys" Back Then

Sometimes when I’m reminded that Jesus’ most overt and intense criticism was directed toward religious leaders, I will try to reassure myself that that was “those guys back then”. But in my heart, I believe it’s more honest and more helpful for me to realize that us guys today can easily be self-righteous and ungracious and miss the point, just like those guys back then…unless we stay centered on Him.

How Do We Resolve Disagreements?

When we really love someone we’re willing to work through disagreements with humility and patience and graciousness. The question is not: How can we avoid disagreements?  Humans will have disagreements—even those who love each other. (We might even say, “especially” those who love each other.) The question is: Can we resolve our disagreements in a healthy, mature, loving way?

Still Serving Others, Even On The Cross

Click here for an audio message by Dan Marler from 8/15/10

We Are Unique Creations of God

We have a fairly natural instinct to compare ourselves to others, even those of us who consider ourselves to be rebels or iconoclasts or outsiders tend to make these comparisons.  But God made each of us distinctive and unique on purpose.  We are each, intentionally, a one-of-a-kind creation of God.  “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made…” Psalm139:14

Jasper Goes For A Stroll

A couple of mornings ago, I was sitting at my computer jotting down some thoughts and I heard my daughter, Rachel, crying, “Daaaaaadd!!!”  The tone of her voice communicated to me that this was not a call to “come-here-I-want-to-show-you-something-neat”, rather this was a call to “come-here-something-is-wrong”.

I got up and went outside and Rachel, looking very distressed, told me, “Jasper got out of the yard, he’s gone.”

Sure enough, the gate was open and the yard contained no dog.  Well, actually, that’s not true.  Jake, Jasper’s overnight buddy, was there.  Jake doesn’t run off, even if the gate is open, he is content to stay in the yard and do Pilates like a normal doggy.  So, as I stood outside looking to and fro for Jasper, Jake sat staring up at me with a look on his face that said, “I don’t know why he does this, I try to tell him but he won’t listen to me.”  And then Jake adjusted his work-out tights and assumed another pose.

Rachel and I jumped in the van and began driving around the neighborhood looking for Jasper or for signs of Jasper’s presence, like frightened angry squirrels.  But we couldn’t find him.  (I spent 15 minutes looking for him in Dunkin Donuts.  He wasn’t in there, either, but a chocolate donut always takes the edge off of any crisis situation.)

Suddenly, I saw Nadia driving our other car.  She pulled along side me and said, “Is your phone on?”

I checked and said, “Oh, it’s on mute.  Sorry.”  So, I turned it on and drove away.

When Nadia called me, she said, “I got a call from someone.”  Nadia gave me the address of the caller.  Fortunately, Jasper’s tags have our phone number.  “The woman who has Jasper called and said to come and pick him up,” Nadia added.

I drove to the address and found the woman standing by her door, smiling, and I saw Jasper on her porch enjoying a cup of coffee and a crumpet. 

(Okay, the truth is, I don’t even know what a “crumpet” is, but it just seemed like the right thing for Jasper to be eating out on the lady’s porch.)

I said, “I’m terribly sorry for inconveniencing you.  I apologize for this trouble.”

She graciously said, “Oh, for goodness, it’s no trouble at all.  I just wanted to make sure he didn’t get hit by a car.”

I said, “Well, thank you very much for watching out for him and for calling us.”

Jasper and I got in the van and drove home.  On the way, I said to him, “What’s wrong with you?  Why do you go running around the neighborhood when the gate is open?  That’s not a nice thing to do.”

He just looked out the window and pretended not to hear me.

When we got home, I tried again, “Are you going to stay in the yard from now on?  Don’t you realize that you can get hurt?  Don’t you see that it upsets us?”

He continued drinking from the toilet and giving me the silent treatment.

I don’t know what to tell you.  It seems that Jasper has a rebellious wandering streak.

But later that night, I found a card on my pillow.  When I opened it, I saw some very rudimentary writing that said, “Sorry.  I didn’t mean to scare you guys.”  And it was signed with a paw print.

It warmed my heart.  And I feel good about it.  So, I hate to bring this up.  Really.  I don’t like to come across as such a cynical person, I want to think the best of others and I want to be trusting, but…well…you see…the thing is…I think it might have been Jake’s paw print.

Oh sure, he looks very innocent and very

sincere in this picture.

No Other God Has Wounds

Christian writer Os Guinness expresses an interesting thought regarding Jesus.  He says, “No other God has wounds.”  This is truly extraordinary and unique.  It is something profound to think about:  God—the God of the universe—has wounds!  And He has those wounds because He loves you and me.  That’s amazing!

Becoming More And More Like Christ

God wants to change us.  It’s not that He doesn’t like us the way we are.  He loves us.  Absolutely.  Unconditionally.  But because He genuinely loves us, He wants what is best for us and what is best for us is that we change and become more and more like Christ.  “And we, who…reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory.” 2Cor.3:18

God's Love Is Extraordinary

If God’s love seems to you like it’s a bit extreme then you’re probably understanding it properly. The Bible describes the nature of love with these kinds of phrases: ALWAYS trusts, ALWAYS hopes, ALWAYS perseveres, love NEVER fails. (See 1Corinth.13)  This use of superlatives reminds us that true love, Godly love, is something extraordinary.

Using Knowledge Wisely

Wisdom involves knowledge, but wisdom is MORE than just knowledge.  Wisdom has to do with using knowledge in effective, just, loving, helpful, God-honoring ways.  We happen to live in a time where it is very possible that our progress in knowledge—especially technological knowledge—may have surpassed our ability to use that knowledge wisely.

God Exists In Perfect Loving Relationship

One of the ways we understand that God is love (1 John 4:8) is through the truth of the Trinity. God knew love and experienced love before He ever created any persons.  The Father, Son and Holy Spirit have existed in perfect, loving relationship for all eternity. If God never created humans He would still have known and experienced loving community. So, love is an essential aspect of the nature & person of God.

Do People See God's Influence In Us?

It is not fair to expect a Christian to be perfect, but it is fair to expect to see the genuine influence of God in the life of a follower of Christ.  As God’s Holy Spirit empowers and guides and influences the life of a believer, that reality will manifest in noticeable, tangible, potent ways.  Hmm, do people see God’s influence in you and me?

Our Youth Group Is Leading The Music Worship Time, This Sunday

I’ve been watching our church Youth Group rehearsing tonight.  They will be leading the music worship time at the services, this Sunday, Aug. 15^th, 9am & 11am.  What a blast!  Everyone who was present agreed that it is going to be great!  I’ve decided that I’m officially a member of their fan club.  Yep, you read that correctly, I’ve switched my allegiance from the Jonas Brothers.  Our group is cooler…and funnier.  But it’s pretty even on who has the better hair.

They’ve been working hard and they take this time of leading the worship seriously, but I think they’re really having fun, too.  It’s serious fun.  (That’s the best kind.)

They even had Teresa P. on hand to provide coaching.  (I’m not sure why she kept having them run wind sprints but, oh well, that’s Teresa.  She’s like a Marine drill sergeant.  She even made me do 20 push-ups while she stacked Bibles on my back, and I was just there as an observer.)

At one point, during the final run-through, the Youth were singing and lifting their hands in praise and it was a powerful moment even for those of us who were present simply watching the rehearsal.  I looked at the people around me and said, “This is going to be awesome on Sunday.”  Everyone smiled and nodded their heads.

I’ll say it again, I think this will be one for the record books.  And you can’t say, “No one told me about it.”  Because I’m telling you right now.

You can’t say, “But I was tired and I slept in, this Sunday.”

Because you’ve still got time, right now, to make plans to go to bed early on Saturday.

You can’t say, “But I’m planning to wash my hair for several hours on Sunday morning.”

Because I happen to know your hair can be washed in under 8 minutes.  (Especially you guys with the shaved heads.)

In fact, I’m hoping that we’ll all try to invite a friend this Sunday.  It seems like people frequently report being encouraged and blessed when they accept an invitation and come to a service.

Alright, I’ve got to sign off.  Teresa just called and ordered me to sprint 8 laps around the block.  Gotta’ run…

Why Eliminate The Saving Work of Jesus? That Seems Like The Point of It All

There are Christian theologians who are seeking to substantively redefine the Christian faith.  They come from different perspectives and could be categorized in a number of different ways but they tend to be united in this sense: they minimize, or completely eliminate, the saving work of Jesus Christ on the cross. This is odd to me because I understand this to be part of the essence of true Christianity.

God's Love Makes A Difference

If we REALLY loved others in a selfless and sacrificial way—like Jesus—how would that change things?  How would that impact our families, our work, our neighborhoods, our friendships?  Can real love—God’s love—actually make any significant difference?  Does it really change things? I’m convinced that it can and that it does. The example of Jesus’ life and His worldwide historic influence proclaims to us that IT DOES!

God, Christopher Hitchens & Cancer

Christopher Hitchens, is one of the world’s most well known and outspoken atheists.  It would probably be fair to say that Hitchens is not just a person who does not believe in the existence of God, but that he is “anti-God”.  I heard him say, one time, that it’s not just that he doesn’t believe that God exists, but that he hopes God doesn’t exist.  He does not want the existence of God to be true. 

Hitchens has recently revealed that he has cancer.  It is a form of cancer that does not have a high survival rate.

Hitchens was interviewed by Anderson Cooper on CNN and in the interview he makes it clear that this stark and sobering confrontation with his mortality has not changed his stance regarding God.  He and Cooper talked about the fact that many people are praying for his physical healing and his spiritual well-being.  Hitchens says that he is fine with people praying for him if that makes them feel good.  But he added that he will not be participating in any prayers.  At that point, Cooper smiled, nodded his head, and closed the interview with a prayer.

(Not really.  But it would have been great if he did, huh?)

Hitchens is well-known for the sharp aggressiveness of his anti-theism and in true Hitchens fashion, at one point in the interview, he referred to prayers as “incantations”.  He didn’t really smile when he said it, but considering the famous Hitchens wit, I took that choice of words to be a mildly humorous jab, on his part, at the whole silly idea of prayer.

As I watched the video of the discussion between Hitchens and Cooper, I kept thinking, “I wish he would acknowledge that he feels some sense of softening in his stance toward God.”  That did not come across at any point in the interview.   

I thought about something written by St. Augustine, “Thou hast made us for thyself O God, and the heart of man is restless until it finds its rest in Thee.”  I wonder, is there a part of Christopher Hitchens’ heart that is restless for God?  Oh, I know that he would probably say I’m deluded for even asking such a ridiculous question.  But is there a tiny kernel of belief down deep in his heart that, perhaps, has just been rejected and denied so frequently that he doesn’t even recognize it anymore?

Obviously, I don’t know and Hitchens would be likely to say that the only “tiny kernel” he is aware of is the one I refer to as my brain.  (See how good Hitchens is?  He’s even got me hurling insults at myself.)

At one point in the interview, Hitchens assured Cooper that if word spreads at some later date that Hitchens has made some kind of religious conversion it will only be at a point in the illness where he has lost his rational capacities and become delusional.

There’s a part of me that likes to think that if I could talk with Christopher Hitchens, perhaps, I could say something to him about God that could be persuasive.  But, of course, I immediately snap back to reality and realize that is an arrogant and presumptuous thought (my second one this week).  Hitchens is highly educated and extremely well read and he has, no doubt, encountered excellent arguments for God in his many years of reading and study.  Also, Hitchens has debated some outstanding Christian apologists in which he encountered sound arguments for God from brilliant thinkers.  And none of this has changed his mind.

It’s a sad thought, but some people really do come to the end of their lives rejecting God.

But I can pray.  Hitchens even said that if it makes people feel good to pray for him, we should go ahead and do so.  Well, you know what?  It does make me feel good.  I am inclined to pray for his physical health and for his spiritual well-being.  

And, you never know.  Sometimes God can bring about events and circumstances that no one on earth could have ever planned or imagined.  There are events or circumstances that can happen which completely revolutionize a person’s thinking and worldview.  It seems like that’s the kind of extraordinary occurrence that would be required to change Christopher Hitchens’ mind.  Boy, it sounds impossible, doesn’t it?  But for those of us who believe in God, Jesus said this, one time, “with God all things are possible!”

P.S. Christopher Hitchens’ brother, Peter Hitchens, wrote a book that was released earlier this year about his (Peter’s) transformation from atheism to Christianity.  It is an excellent book entitled:  Rage Against God.  I recommend it.  I wonder if, perhaps, Christopher is reading it.  Hey, with God, all things are possible.

Feeling Uncertain

There is a tremendous uncertainty for many people today in areas of life where we used to feel some sense of confidence and stability.  This is due, in part, to rapid change, information overload and economic turmoil.  This reminds me more than ever of the foundational importance of knowing God and genuinely placing our trust in Him.

It Is Not Foolish To Follow Christ

It’s possible to be in a situation where we are tempted to feel some embarrassment because of following Christ.  The context of the situation might make being a Christian seem to be weak or unsophisticated or intellectually foolish.  Remember this:  It is NOT FOOLISH to follow Christ.  And remember this:  Someday, “EVERY knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.”

My Dental Visit Reveals Something Strange

“Oh, I’ll have to show you something really unusual that the x-rays have revealed,” my dental hygienist, Krista, happily announced, today, as she was taking x-rays of my teeth.

I thought, “What could be unusual about my teeth?”  And I wanted to turn around and look at the x-ray images on the computer screen behind me, but I had several devices hanging from my mouth at the time so I couldn’t turn around to look.

Krista said, “As soon as we finish up with the x-rays you can take a look.”

After a few minutes she said, “Here, look at this.  This is really interesting.  You have a wisdom tooth that is growing sideways.”  I turned around in the chair and saw the image on the screen.  Sure enough a tooth, embedded beneath the surface of the gum, was positioned sideways, rather than up and down.

Krista said, “Typically, this only tends to happen in those who suffer from serious genetic maladies or occasionally, in strange, aberrant, single-celled life forms.  Or…” she added, “in very rare instances, it’s been known to occur in werewolves.”

She was kidding…of course, and we both laughed.  Although, seconds later, she did dash from the room crying and loudly screaming: “Run for your lives!  There’s a bizarre FREAK in examination room #2!!!”

Now, I’m the one who’s kidding.  She didn’t make fun of me or run from the room.  (Not during today’s exam.)

I asked, “Is this something that could potentially be a problem?  Or become extremely painful?”

She said, “Does it hurt?”

I said, “No.”

She said, “Then it’s probably not a problem.”

When my dentist, Dr. Bob, came in the room we got started talking about other things—important stuff like the scientific correlation between grey hair and wisdom—and I forgot to ask him about my “sideways wisdom tooth”.

But I have a feeling that everything is fine.  Yep, I just have a feeling that things couldn’t be better.

….Although, I’ve noticed some unusual twitching, lately, accompanied by a patch of hair growing on my forehead.  And I feel a strong urge to bark at the moon.  But these things happen to EVERYONE, at one time or another.  Right?

Well, I’ve got to go.  I just saw a cat walking by outside and I can’t help myself, I have to go chase it….

This is one of the nice

 staff persons at

Dr. Bob's office.  

She is holding up

my file in a state of 

fear and terror.

Focusing On Christ

There is a focusing of our minds and our attention on Christ that is important to growing in the Christian faith and enduring in the Christian faith.  This focus is intentionally cultivated, it does not happen by accident.  It requires conscious effort on our part.  “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith…” Hebrews 12:2

We Want To Obey God...When His Spirit Is At Work

If you are a follower of Jesus Christ, there is something in you that really wants to be obedient to God and when you aren’t obedient you feel uncomfortable. That’s a work of God’s Holy Spirit, but it is also a reflection of your love for God. “If you love me you will obey what I command.” John 14:15 [Jesus]  “Obedience” to God is the natural, loving impulse of the Christ follower.

This New Sign Can Do It All....Probably

The church has a fancy new sign out on the front of the property.  It has a screen that can display graphics and moving images and messages that roll, fade, and cascade in a multitude of different type fonts.  It’s very cool.  And everyone who has seen it is excited.  Several people even jumped up and down…(although that might have been due to ants in the building).

The only problem is that we haven’t had a chance to speak with a company rep, yet, about how to control the screen or direct new messages to the screen.  So for now, it’s basically an incredibly expensive thermometer.  (It provides the temperature.  The high temp today at the front of the church lawn was 86 degrees, in case you were wondering.  You weren’t?  Oh…)

Nadia has an antenna and a computer disk, which was provided to her by the men who installed the sign.  (Well, these items were handed to her by some men at the front door of the church, we’re hoping they were the guys who installed the sign.)  So far, the antenna doesn’t seem to work and the computer disk provided screen after screen of very complicated instructions.  It appears, at this point, that changing the message on the sign is just slightly more difficult than solving advanced nuclear physics formulae.  (In fact, we e-mailed a copy of the disk program to Stephen Hawking and he called back saying, “I give up.  It’s too complicated for me.”  And then he broke down crying.  I was able to calm him down significantly by providing minute-by-minute temperature updates.  Geniuses love to know the temperature.)

So, for now, the sign looks great, but we’re still waiting to be able to utilize it to its full potential.  When we do.....WATCH OUT, 111^th Street!  Things will never be the same again.

By the way, it’s currently 78 degrees.

This Incredible World Reveals God

The more I discover about this complex, fascinating, incredible world in which we live, the more I see the reality of God.  This verse is becoming increasingly true for me: “For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.” Romans 1:20

Part Of Exercising Faith Means: Don't Give Up

Experiencing God and connecting with Him is an act of faith.  Sometimes God will feel very real and tangible and close.  Other times, He may not.  Part of the point of faith is:  whether He “feels” close, or not, don’t give up.

Love Someone Today...And FEEL Good

“Love…changes the inner chemistry of our bodies. It raises our oxytocin and progesterone levels, biological responses linked with lifelong bonds, trust, and intimacy.” [Fredrickson]  We are created in the image of a God who “IS LOVE”, therefore, it isn’t surprising to find that loving and being loved is actually HEALTHY for us. So, here’s a thought: Love others today and feel good!

When The Opportunity To Be A Hero Arises

Every now and then life presents an ordinary person with the somewhat unique opportunity to do something heroic.  It is when the ordinary person acts in a selfless manner—looking out for the good of others ahead of himself/herself—that something heroic has the possibility of actually happening.

Watch Out For "Legalism"

I’ve noticed that the really strict, unyielding, legalistic people that I know, often, have areas of life where they do not apply their own demanding standards to themselves.  It’s irritating and unfair when people oppress others with rules that they do not intend to observe.  Jesus criticizes this kind of legalistic hypocrisy (see Matthew 23).  Be careful when presuming to apply rules to others.

Loving People With God's Love

When we love people with God’s love, it is not based on what they do or say, or whether they live to some acceptable standard that warrants our love. It is based on God and “who” He is. “God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. In this way, love is made complete among us…” 1 John 4:16-17

The Power of A Genuine Apology

It’s amazing how powerful a genuine apology can be when we’ve made a mistake.  There’s a strong impulse to want to diminish an apology by adding qualifiers, e.g., “I apologize…BUT...”  It’s usually better to avoid this impulse.  Here’s an example of a real apology:  “I’m sorry.  It was MY fault.  I was wrong.  Please forgive me.”