Alone

There are great days, good days, not-so-great-days, and bad days.

There are misunderstandings, fights, debates, losses, and gains.

It's called life.

And as we are in the midst of what some call "Holy Week," or Passion Week, or whatever...this is the day the Lord has made, and we choose to rejoice in Him.

Him alone.

Regardless of what is going on in our lives...whether we have failed miserably or, by His grace, succeeded in pleasing Him...whether we please others or not...we move on.

Sometimes we move on gritting our teeth, trying to suppress anger against others, or disappointments. But we move on...

Although I like many different kinds of music, if I had to list my "favorite" song, this would be it...

I Don't Get It

Had limited time to access the 'net the last few days; so today getting caught up...and see a lot of screaming about Starbucks...if you don't know the story I'll not "educate" you...

But...let me see if I got this straight...

"They" boycott and talk bad about Chick-Fil-A = "bad"

"We" boycott and talk bad about Starbucks = "good"

Huh?

I am a black-coffee drinker and rarely go to Starbucks simply because I don't like spending that kind of money...but I won't jump on the "boycott Starbucks" bandwagon...

If you feel you should, knock yourself out...but don't question my commitment to Christ and the gospel if I don't join you...

Will "we" ever learn that when Jesus' said "Put away your sword" He was indicating that we can't fight spiritual warfare with man's weapons?

Yell at me if you must, "defriend' me if necessary, but, wow...think about it....please

Exodus on Tax Rates?

Well, probably the Holy Spirit wasn't referring to the United States tax code in Exodus 30.13-15, but....

Here's the passage (ESV):


"Each one who is numbered in the census shall give this: half a shekel according to the shekel of the sanctuary...everyone who is numbered in the census, from twenty years old and upward, shall give the Lord's offering. The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less, than the half shekel, when you give the Lord's offering to make atonement for your lives."

Sanctified Superiority Complext

If memory serves, I first head that Christian's should have a "sanctified superiorty complex" from Dave Breese.

After all, "great is He who is in you than he that is in the world."

And here is a verse for the times...

Psalm 118.6  "The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?"

Willing to Think About Conversion?

I am rereading Spiritual Birthline aby Stephen E. Smallman. First read in 2006, it confirmed a lot of my thinking, and with each rereading I am refreshed.

Why?

Because the evangelical community celebrates and promotes conversion as an event, rather than a process. Though our personal experience must not define the exact paramaters for every conversion, the Spirit of God captured me over a period of time...I was 26, totally ignorant of the gospel, in jail, read a pretty-whacked book that led me to the Book...and in reading the Book I was convinced of the reality of the gospel and turned from sin and turned to the Savior.

Gasp...I didn't even pray "the prayer." I simply believed, trusted, clung to (and cling to) the gospel and the Lord Jesus.

Here's a snippet from early in the book:

"...spiritual birth, just like physical birth, is fundamentally a process. The delivery of the baby is an important event, but it is clearly understood to be the result of something that took place earlier followed by a season of gestation (pregnancy). Furthermore, the event of the delivery is not the end of the process but is just the beginning of a new chapter in life begun nine months earlier."

Jerry Bridges writes, "'Born again' is a common expression that few people understand. In a compelling way Stephen Smallman helps us understand that it is the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit. This book will prove profitable to all who read it."

I'm a confessing bookaholic. There are few books I reread.

This is one.

I urge you to read it.

And, if you order it from Amazon off the link below, your purchase will put a few pesos in the account of a home missionary...me!

What I KNOW About Eschatology

Notice the title again...What I KNOW About Eschatology...as opposed to what I "think"...

1. The Lord Jesus Christ is coming back
2. He is not going to be early
3. He is not going to be late
4. He is coming for me

SPLAT!

It's been 3 1/2 years or so since a three-person slingshotted waterballoon made a lasting impact in and on my left eye. (read about it HERE)

Since the eye is permanently dilated, and because of muscle damage doesn't "track" with the other eye, I have to wear glasses that are called prisms...that "sort of" balance things out. It doesn't work real well, though; so now and then I think about wearing a patch.

Perhaps that is why I found this more funny than you will:

Tough Questions

It remains generally true that "there is no such thing as a stupid question," but...this causes me to think about questions I've asked, and been asked, that probably could be defined as "quibbling"...

Prayer for Those Entangled by Pornography

     Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? . . . Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. Rom. 7:21-24, 8:1-2

Dear Lord Jesus, we come before you today on behalf of our friends—men and women under enslaving and destructive influence of pornography. The gospel is the only power which is mighty and merciful enough to bring freedom and healing. This is why we come boldly to your throne of grace today, with great concern, but also with a great hope.

O Lord of resurrection and redemption, bring your kindness and strength to bear in clear and remarkable fashion. Things impossible for us are more than possible for you. You have come to set captives free and to heal the brokenhearted. Pornography is creating an overabundance of both. Sin has corrupted our godly desire for rich relationship and the beauty of intimacy, and we have become easy prey for destructive counterfeits.

Lord Jesus, for friends somewhere in the pornography continuum of titillation to addiction, we ask you to reveal yourself as a pursuing and redeeming Lord. We ask for the holy gift of godly sorrow, not the short-lived remorse of worldly sorrow. For your non-condemning love has great power to deliver those who cry, “Who will rescue me…?” (Rom. 7:24)

Lead them to that cry, Jesus. Where pornography has desensitized our friends, re-sensitize them by the life-giving and transforming power of your love. Your love humbles us without humiliating us; it delivers us without demonizing us; it gives us new life, and no mere second chance. How we praise you for your heart-compelling, fear-expelling, repentance-producing love.

For our friends who are married to someone in the talons of pornography, dear Jesus, theirs may be the greater pain and struggle. No one but you can help them with the anger and disgust, the shame and the broken trust that does with their heartache. Help us love our friends well. Show us how to validate their feelings without confirming hurt-driven conclusions. Grant them patience and perspective, forbearance and faith.

Only you can rebuild the trust. Only you, Jesus, can bring a willingness to hope again. Only you can heal the places in our hearts which have suffered the greatest violation and harm. Absolutely no one understands all this like you, Jesus, and absolutely no one redeem these messes but you. So very Amen we pray, in your great and glorious name.

Scotty Smith

Heavy Hearted

Earlier this week got word that a long-time friend, 31 years of age, had been murdered by her ex "boyfriend" who then killed himself.

Shocking.

But not shocking enough.

I hurt for her, for her family, for her friends.

But I think a couple decades ago...maybe just a few years...I would have been much more severely stunned.

Today I swapped emails with a mutual friend who has been in ministry as long as I. He feels the same way.

Not that we are "used" to it...but that it is so prevalent...so, well, "common."

Obviously in most cases it wraps itself in an unknown name...or names.

When it blasts into our minds with the name...and face...of a friend it clobbers...but not with the baffled amazement of years past.

What is "it"?

Evil.

Psalm 7.9, "Oh, let the evil of the wicked come to an end, and may You establish the righteous"

Maranatha.