A Trip To The Pumpkin Farm - Video

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Connected To God And Experiencing Peace

Prayer connects us to God and being connected to God helps us to handle some of the difficulties and challenges of life that will come our way.  When we turn to Him, He gives us a sense of His presence and His peace, even in the midst of the troubles.  The Bible calls it a “peace that passes understanding”.  This is a very good, helpful and important form of help.

Why Is Trunk Or Treat So Much Fun? - Video

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God Treats Me Better Than I Deserve

The longer I live and the older I get the more I come to see that it would be a disaster for me if, in the end, I got what I “deserved”.  That would be a sad day for me.  I thank God for His wonderful mercy and grace.  The incredible truth is that because of Jesus, He treats me FAR, FAR, FAR better than I deserve.  Praise God!

Maybe I'm Pretty Smart, After All

Sometimes people come to me for “counsel” and they talk and talk and I never really say anything.  Then they leave telling me, “Thanks that was helpful.  I’m glad we were able to have this discussion.  I really have a fresh understanding of the matter, now.  God definitely worked through you, Dan!”  After they’re gone, I sit in my office thinking: Wow, I must be pretty smart, after all!

Is The Christian Faith Ridiculous?

A friend of mine on facebook recently asked me to respond to comments on one of her posts.  She had written a post about her Christian faith and a person replied to her post with remarks that seemed to indicate that the Christian faith is ridiculous.  Also, the comments touched on the issue of atheism and belief in the existence of God.

My response is not just a few paragraphs—when did I ever make a point with just a few paragraphs, huh?  But based on feedback that I’ve received, it appears that a few others may wish to read it.  So, what follows is my response (with a few edits from the original).  I hope you will take a minute or two to read it.

--Dan

To believe in Christianity is not ridiculous or foolish.  Many of the most brilliant thinkers in the history of the world, past and present are Christians, e.g., St. Augustine, Thomas Aquinas, Blaise Pascal, Isaac Newton, Francis Bacon, Rene Descartes, Soren Kierkegaard, Michael Faraday, C.S. Lewis, G.K. Chesterton, and many others.  Notice that some of the greatest scientific minds of all time are on that list.  And there are others, too. Francis Collins, who was the head of the Human Genome Project, is a committed Christian.

There are cases of skeptics who carefully studied the evidence in order to disprove Christianity once-and-for-all and, at the conclusion of their studies, were instead convinced of the truth of Christianity.  These were not foolish, dimwitted people, they were smart people who came to a belief in God through an intellectual search.

When it comes to the origin of our universe and a belief in God, it really boils down to 2 basic options.  These 2 issues can be broken down in various ways and have been written about in voluminous detail but at the end of the day, they are fairly simple.

Since the science of cosmology tells us that the universe did indeed have a beginning (it has not always existed).  Then…

1) Everything that exists has come from some type of cause. (God?) Or;

2) “Nothing” has produced “something” through random chance plus time.  (No God.)

At the end of the day, those are really the two options.

The argument for the first point, above is called the cosmological argument.  And it can be stated like this:

1 Whatever begins to exist has a cause

2 The universe began to exist

3 Therefore the universe has a cause

4 This cause must be transcendent, immaterial, uncaused, eternal, and omnipotent

And, of course, the transcendent, immaterial, uncaused, eternal, omnipotent cause referred to in point #4 sounds a heck of a lot like God to many of us.

The Cosmological Argument is a valid philosophical argument that has been debated by many brilliant people.  A person may find it unconvincing, but I promise you, it’s not dumb.

The vast majority of people who have ever lived, both smart and not-so-smart, believe that there must be a cause for all that exists.  Again, a person may not like the belief, and that’s fair, but it is not an unreasonable belief.  Furthermore, many people find the notion that “everything ultimately came from nothing” is the more difficult belief to justify.

I don’t write this to attempt to put anyone on the defensive or to try to win an argument.  I’m not interested in arguments, I’m interested in the truth.  A person who is interested enough to read an article like this is clearly indicating that these issues matter to him/her.  So, if you have read this post, I’m assuming you must be interested in the truth, too.  I commend you for that.  Please understand that I do not mean this in a condescending way, but I hope your search for truth leads you to the one who is the Truth.

Blessings to you!

Dan

If We Really Believe That God Loves Us....

If we really believe that God loves us, there is a confidence and a lack of fear that results in our lives that positively impacts everything we do and everyone we encounter.

An Act of Worshiping God

The first line of the Lord’s prayer says: “hallowed be thy name.”  What does it mean if we say that something should be hallowed? That’s talking about deep respect & devotion.  It’s a way of saying, “Lord your name should be honored & revered.”  So, to say “Lord, may your name be hallowed” is an act of worshiping God.

Approach God With Reverence And Respect - Podcast

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Skeptical of Internet Quotes

“I am skeptical of many quotes that I encounter on the Internet.  They sometimes appear to be inaccurate and the source of the quotes seems suspicious.” – Aristotle.

*NOTE:  I wish I could say I wrote this joke.  I didn't.  I heard someone say a variation of it recently.  It's clever, huh?

A Visit To Anderson University Homecoming

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Growing Older vs. Growing Up

“Growing older is mandatory. Growing up is optional.” – Anonymous.  It is helpful and important for us to walk closely with God; think; pay attention; relate with others authentically; and, in general, learn the lessons that life offers.  This will help us gain wisdom as our years accumulate.

Up And At 'Em

Sunday, 7:52 a.m. 

Shhhh, listen.  Do you hear that?  ...Yep, that’s the sound of people rising and getting ready for church.  It’s fantastic!  ..…Okay.  Hold on.  ....That other sound was someone getting back into bed.  I guess we’re going to have to crank the volume on the sound system a little bit louder during the worship team run-thru to get that person up and out of bed.

Real Love Is Not For Wimps

Part of the fun of true love is really getting to know a person. And, of course, part of the genuine challenge of true love is really getting to know a person. It’s not as easy as it sounds. Real love is not for wimps.

Leaving For Homecoming At AU

We'll be leaving for Anderson Univ. (Indiana) soon for homecoming weekend, then back home tomorrow evening. Yes, it’s true, the state of Illinois has had some troubles over the past few years but I’m hoping all of that will be cleared up and things will be perfect here in our fine state when I return. .….That’s a pretty reasonable expectation, isn’t it?

P.S.  If you're a bad guy, you should know that there are people staying at our house.  Oh... and several of these folks are dangerous Shaolin Priest Kung Fu experts.  So, don't get any wise ideas!

We Need A Power Beyond Our Selves

In order to consistently live the way that Jesus calls us to live, there is a power far beyond our selves that is required.  This is one of the significant ways that the Holy Spirit works in the life of the follower of Christ.  It is the Holy Spirit who gives us power to do the things that we cannot do on our own.

With Author Stephen Mansfield

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Reason And Faith Work Together

Reason and Faith are not mutually exclusive or inherently at odds with each other.  The one can enhance the other. “Faith is ultimately the gift of the Holy Spirit. But in showing that there are excellent reasons for Christian belief, we can lead unbelievers to a place where they may be more open to the Spirit’s work.” –Garry DeWeese.

It's A Good Thing To Have Friends - Audio Podcast

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I'm Surprised By The Many Blessings

When I take time to honestly think about the many good things in my life, I hate to say it, but I’m usually surprised.  I, sort of, forget how blessed I am.  I have much to be thankful for.  I hope that’s true for you, too! 

We Love Because He First Loved Us

Sometimes people are cranky and not very lovable. Love them anyhow. Some people will resist our genuine attempts to love them. Love them anyhow. Sometimes people won’t appreciate our love for them. Love them anyhow. We don’t love based on “who” people are or “how” they respond. “We love because He first loved us.” 1John 4:19

Trunk Or Treat Is Coming

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The video states that Trunk or Treat goes from 1pm - 2:30pm. Actually, the children will collect candy from 1 till 2:30pm, however, the entire event will last from 1pm until 4pm.  So...this is awesome!  This means that there's even more fun to be had.  How cool!

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Jesus Is Lord

“So I want you to know that no one speaking by the Spirit of God will curse Jesus, and no one can say Jesus is Lord, except by the Holy Spirit.” 1 Cor. 12:3.   If you say “Jesus is Lord” and you really mean it, that is a reflection of the Holy Spirit at work in you.

We Can Always Engage With God In Complete Honesty

God never asks us to pretend that something is true with Him when it really isn’t true. He knows the whole truth anyhow, so we can always engage in every encounter with Him in complete honesty.

Real Beliefs Are Reflected In Actions

“A great way to find out if you really believe something is whether you are ready to act as if [the belief] were true or real in everyday life.” McDowell & Morrow.  We can talk about our beliefs but what we really believe tends to be reflected pretty accurately in our actions.

E-Flash From Dan, October 14, 2011

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Wonder And Awe For The World Around Us

There is something good about having a basic sense of awe and wonder at the world around us.  “When we separate ourselves from truth, goodness, and beauty, we lose wonder and become cynical…. The closer we are to God, to divine attributes—such as absolute truth, goodness, and beauty—the more we wonder.” –Philosopher Peter Kreeft.

When We View Things From An Eternal Perspective

I think it’s quite possible that some of the things that we consider to be big, will actually be revealed to be fairly small in the light of eternity.  Whereas, some of the things that we consider to be small will, perhaps, be bigger than we thought from an eternal perspective.

Responding With Patience, Grace, Gentleness & Love

When people are hurting, they often communicate in hurtful, aggressive, mean-spirited ways. When people communicate in these ways, our natural inclination is to want to give it right back to them. But that won’t really accomplish much. A more helpful response from those who love God is patience, dignified grace, and gentleness. “A gentle answer turns away wrath…” Prov.15:1

There Is A Time For Everything - Audio Podcast

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It's Good To Be "Justified"

The theological concept of justification means that from God’s standpoint our sins are completely forgiven. But there’s something else. It’s extraordinary, really. When we are justified God considers Christ’s righteousness to belong to us. In other words, when we are justified God looks at us and what does He see? He sees the righteousness of Christ. That’s pretty good, huh?

It's Okay To Express Our Feelings To God

Our understanding of things is limited.  So we can become frustrated, puzzled, and even angry at certain events in our world.  It is okay to experience those feelings and to express those feelings to God.  And while we’re expressing our feelings it would be reasonable to ask Him to give comfort and assistance to those who have been devastated.

Taping The Celebrity Rehab Conversation

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Just Taped An Interview For A TV Show Called "Celebrity Rehab"

I just taped an interview with a man named Bob Forrest for a Reality TV show titled “Celebrity Rehab”.  A man in our church is on the show and the producers of the program wanted to talk with me about him (with his knowledge and permission, of course).  I don’t know if my portion will make it into the final episode, or not.  But I’ll keep everyone updated.  I was told that it should air the third week of December.

Standing outside the church
with Bob Forrest.

Who Is My Neighbor?

No doubt, looking for a way to avoid loving everyone, the expert in religious law asks Jesus for a little more specific feedback on this “love thy neighbor” business. He asks, “Who is my neighbor?” That’s when Jesus tells the story of the Good Samaritan. The gist of the story seems to be: anyone who needs love and mercy is a neighbor whom we should love.

Being A Disciple

Sometimes we want Jesus, but we want Him on our terms. That’s not how a discipleship relationship works.  When you are a disciple to a teacher, you come to that teacher acknowledging your submission to him & you agree to come to him on His terms. He’s the Master, you’re the student. You agree to accept His teachings. You agree to be faithful to His teachings. That’s being a disciple.

E-Flash From Dan -- Oktoberfest Edition

Dear E-Flash Friends;

Many years ago, I was walking around the village in my lederhosen, doing my daily 2-hours of yodeling, when suddenly I stopped and thought, “Hey! This is so fun that I should be sharing the experience with others.”

And thus was born our all church Oktoberfest!

Actually, my memory is a little foggy.  The origin of the Oktoberfest may be slightly different than that.  Anyhow… the good news is that we’re having our all church Oktoberfest this Sunday, October 9^th, and you’re invited.

We will provide the hamburgers and hotdogs.  We ask you to bring a side dish or a dessert.

You say, “Hold on Dan, I’m only coming if I can participate in a great time of worship first.”

Excellent.  That’s exactly what will be happening.  We will have our regular worship services at 9am and 11am.  The services will be a terrific time of praising God.  You’ll be blessed if you come. 

And then immediately following the 11 o’clock service, we will head outside for the Oktoberfest.  Weather forecast for the day?  Sunny, blue skies and 77 degrees.  In other words, PERFECT.

Why not invite someone and join in on a great experience with God and with God’s people, this Sunday?

Hope you can make it!

Blessings,

Dan

Visionaries Like Steve Spice Up Our World

I was sad to hear that Steve Jobs passed away.  I’m a pastor of a church and I don’t normally write about business leaders.  In fact, come to think of it, I’ve never written about the death of a business leader.  But here I go, anyhow.  Obviously, I did not know Steve but there were several things about him that impressed me.

First of all, he was one of those rare people who truly was instrumental in helping to bring a technological concept and product to the world that could honestly be considered revolutionary.  I am thinking of the personal computer (although I know that he had a hand in some other innovative technological products, as well).  We may have forgotten or may not know that when Jobs and Steve Wozniak were tinkering with primitive little PCs in someone’s garage back in the late 70’s, the concept was considered laughable.  Somehow, Steve could see that there was great potential in what was then thought to be a silly idea.  I think this is the kind of thing that the many people who call Steve a “visionary” are talking about.

I was also impressed and intrigued by the fact that Steve had a respect for and commitment to intangible and unquantifiable qualities in the business world, for example a quality like beauty.  In the business world there is a very understandable desire to measure and quantify the things that relate to the bottom line.  This makes perfect sense.  As a result of this desire, those things that cannot be measured and quantified are considered soft and, perhaps, even inconsequential.  Steve, however, believed that the elegant and beautiful design of a product was as important as its functionality.  That isn’t always an easy idea to sell in the dollars and cents corporate world.  (On the other hand, it is an easier idea to sell if you run the company.)  I believe Steve’s respect for and commitment to intangible and unquantifiable qualities is part of what made Apple distinctive.  And it seemed to work out fairly well for their bottom line, too!

And I was impressed with certain aspects of Steve’s way of thinking that I have read about and heard him talk about over the years.  Again, I certainly didn’t know him, but from what I do know Steve seemed to think in innovative and unique ways about life and business and the important pursuits of his life.  I listened to a speech that Steve gave in which he described the thinking behind the printing fonts that Apple made available, from early on, in its word processing programs.  His thinking was interesting and original and unique.

It’s true that from things I’ve heard Steve say, I suspect I would not have always agreed with his thinking on some subjects, but that’s beside the point.  The point that impresses me is the original and innovative quality of his thinking.

Steve is a legendary figure in the world of technology and business and, actually, pop culture, too. I pray for his family, close friends and the folks who work for his companies who will surely miss him greatly.  The rest of us will miss him, too, because visionaries like Steve spice up our world.  He was interesting, exciting, rare, and fun.

Is Jesus Alive In You?

If you find that there are times when you have a strong sense of assurance that Jesus is real and your experience of Him is real and you know that someday you will experience His glory and live with Him forever, understand this: that assurance is a work of the Holy Spirit in your heart that is based, at least in part, on the fact that Jesus is alive in you!

Taking The Kids Out Of The Will

This is a brief story about a phone call from an exasperated mom.

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Becoming Like Christ Means Becoming More Authentically Myself

As we are increasingly transformed into the likeness of Christ, the result is not that we are less our selves but that we are more authentically our true selves. “Christ is the refiner’s fire, the relentless trainer, who removes what is not of Him and therefore is not truly part of me, and thus by changing me, makes me more fully myself.” – Holly Ordway

Work Will Not Bring Complete Fulfillment -- Audio Podcast

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Can We Know God?

We can’t know God in a complete and total way because God is beyond our total knowledge.  God is infinite and we are finite.  It is not possible for finite beings to completely comprehend the infinite.  However, we can have a real, personal experience of God and a genuine knowledge of God.  In fact, He wants us to know Him.

Surrender Your Life, In Order To Find Your Life

This is my explanation of Matthew 16:25.  Jesus is saying, “You think the wisest course of action would be for you to hang on to your life, direct the course of your life, and make all the choices regarding your life but, actually, that’s the road to squandering your life.  Believe it or not, if you will surrender your life to me, that’s how your life will find its optimal expression.”

What A Blessing To Be Able To Worship Freely

I read again, this morning, about the Iranian pastor Yousef Nadarkhani who is facing execution because he refuses to renounce Jesus Christ.  And I was reminded that I am extraordinarily blessed to live in a place where we can gather together and worship God freely.  We’ll be gathering in just a few hours and my heart is joyful as I anticipate being with these people whom I love.

I'm Starting The Water & Cucumber Thing... Tomorrow - Video

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Set Apart For God's Use

This is the attitude that Jesus calls His disciples to embrace: “My life is no longer my own.  I don’t consider it to be my life to be used for my purposes.  I consider my life to be dedicated to Jesus.  My life is totally available for Him to use for His purposes.”  In fact, this is an important aspect of what it means to be Holy—to be completely set apart for God, for His exclusive use.