Tuesday, April 27, 2010

I AM Is Committed to You

The electronics company, Toshiba, put a statement out recently on it's commitment to social responsibility.  It says
"We believe our Group slogan "Committed to People, Committed to the Future" is an integral part of our corporate ethos & we have designated corporate social responsibility as one of our company initiatives."

Truth be told, Toshiba can't really make a claim to be committed to people, because
1st) they have laid people off.  They aren't committed to their former employees.
2nd) they can't possibly be committed to ALL people ALL over the earth.  That's just impossible.

Now before I get too far, this is NOT a bash Toshiba segment on my blog.  In all honesty, I can only assume that Toshiba is a great company to work for... but their commitment to people can only fall short.

Such is all of our stories. 
The command is there to be committed.
To Christ.
To our spouse.
To our kids.
To our church.
...but we fall short...

In the last few days the following verses have been a comfort to me personally.

Romans 8:35-39
    "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, 'For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.'
    No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord."

And here lies the twist.  In all of the areas that we fall short - in our commitments... Christ stands committed.

He is committed to
Us.
Me.
You.

This is a promise that cannot be broken.  His Word is sure and true and right and it cannot be repealed. 

Dear friend, when your world seems to be falling apart, remember that Christ is committed to you.







you said
you'd never leave or forsake me
when you said,
this life is gonna shake me
you said
this world is gonna bring trouble on my soul
this i know

when everything falls apart
your arms hold me together
when everything falls apart
you're the only hope for this heart
when everything falls apart
and my strength is gone
i find you mighty and strong
you keep holding on
you keep holding on

when i see
the darkness all around me
when i see
that tragedy has found me
i still believe
your faithful arms will never let me go
and still i know

when everything falls apart
your arms hold me together
when everything falls apart
your the only hope for this heart
when everything falls apart
and my strength is gone
i find you mighty and strong
you keep holding on
you keep holding on

sorrow will last for the night
but hope is rising with the sun
(its rising with the sun)
there will be storms in this life
but i know you will overcome
but i know you will overcome

when everything falls apart
your arms hold me together
when everything falls apart
your the only hope for this heart
when everything falls apart
and my strength is gone
i find you mighty and strong
you keep holding on

when everything falls apart
your arms hold me together
when everything falls apart
your the only hope for this heart
when everything falls apart
and my strength is gone
i find you mighty and strong
you keep holding on
you keep holding on
-Steve Fee

Monday, April 26, 2010

Naked and Unashamed

Johnbut Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 2 Early in the morning He came again to the temple. All the people came to Him, and He sat down and taught them.  

The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do You say?” 

 This they said to test Him, that they might have some charge to bring against Him. Jesus bent down and wrote with His finger on the ground. And as they continued to ask Him, He stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” And once more He bent down and wrote on the ground. But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before Him.  

10 Jesus stood up and said to her,
“Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”  
11 She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said,  
“Neither 
do 

condemn 
you; 
go, 
and 
from 
now 
on 
sin 
no 
more.”

The tables were turned.
She was no longer the one naked.
All of her accusers were exposed.  Holding onto their sin.  The call was to repent and they refused.  The call was to bow before the One who fulfilled the law of sin and death. 

Saturday, April 24, 2010

Togetherness: Making It Work



If you're struggling with the challenges of togetherness, here's help.

If you find yourself struggling with the challenges of togetherness, here are some simple suggestions.
  • Remember who brought you together. God has united the two of you for a reason. It's no accident. He calls you to become one (Genesis 2:24), to honor one another (Ephesians 5:22-33), to love one another (I Corinthians 13), and to remain together until death separates you (Matthew 19:9).
  • Change the way you think. You're still an individual. But God has called you to leave your father and mother and unite with your spouse. That means making changes in your thinking (you belong to someone else now) as well as your behavior (you don't act like a single person anymore). Changing the way you think can change the way you feel. Start thinking like a married person, and you'll probably begin to feel like one.
  • Educate yourself about God's desire for unity in your marriage. Read Bible passages that emphasize the importance of oneness and unity (John 17; 1 Corinthians 7). Personalize them by inserting your name and the name of your spouse. Pray that God will show you any attitudes and actions that stand in the way of oneness. Stop focusing on your mate's mistakes, and start working on unity by changing yourself.
  • Learn from others. Ask couples you know who have strong marriages how they moved from independence to interdependence. What mindsets and habits did they adopt that worked for them?
If you asked that of Bill and Ruth, here's what they might tell you.

Bill was independent. So was Ruth. For the first three years of their marriage things were so rocky that both felt they'd made a mistake in getting married. They developed separate interests and friendships, spent little time with each other, grew apart, and even considered divorce. But because of their church background, they felt they had to stay together.

Things changed on their third anniversary. They made a commitment to each other: No matter what, they would learn how to connect and develop intimacy. They began studying the Bible and praying together, and attended every marriage conference they could find. They made spending time together a hobby; where you saw one, you'd see the other. They took up golf and skiing. For the next 20 years they would have at least one date a week.

Recently Bill and Ruth went to another marriage retreat — where they were voted Most Dedicated Couple. Their switch from aloneness to togetherness hadn't just happened. They'd intentionally drawn closer and stuck with that commitment.
They'd probably tell you that intentional intimacy is an investment that always pays off — and they'd be right.

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Battling Sin

What are you tempted by?  
Lust
     Anger
               Money
   Power
                    Jealousy
           Success
                              Resentment

Which of these do you bring into your marriage?  Which of these do you bring into your home?  Is your spouse safe?  Are your children safe?


Hebrews 13:4
Let marriage be held in honor among all,
and let the marriage bed be undefiled.

None of us are exempt from sin.  We all have sinned and have fallen short of the glory of God.  It's true.  We just need to look in a mirror and see it for ourselves.

The other side of that coin is just as true.  For those of us who are in Christ, we are new creation, the old has gone away, the new has come.  We have been justified by faith through Christ.  Just as if we never sinned.

So how do we go through this life as a sinner/saint?  How do we walk with Christ, dealing with sin?  Many books have been written on this subject alone.  Seminars, CDs, DVDs, you name it, it's out there.  Below are some steps that I have found to be good in battling sin.  Please when you read this, don't think that I don't struggle with sin. I certainly do struggle with it, but I am learning where the true battle lies.

Regardless, I hope these help.

I know you don't feel like this, but you are a good man.  God has created something in your heart that is good.  He is moving you in a new direction.  The battle is sure (Romans 7 reminds us of that), but the grace of God, through the Spirit, is shaping you to be more like Christ.  That is a promise.

A few things to ponder:
  • Recognize what temptation is and how it works.
    • The devil will not just tempt us not with sins to just bring us down, but also with sins to help us boast of our self righteousness.  
    • Remember not to give into the temptation to boast of your sinlessness.
    • We walk by the Spirit - in humbleness, both the good days and the bad days.
Galations 5:25
If we live by the Spirit,
let us also walk by the Spirit.
  • Remember not to listen to the devil.
    • he is a liar. 
    • he is a thief.  
    • he wants to destroy you.  
    • he would love for you to listen to him tell you how horrible you are.
James 4:7
Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
John 10:10
The thief comes only to steal
and kill and destoy
  • Remember your depravity. 
    • As long as we are on this earth, we will never know how deep our sin is.  How horrible our sin is.  How base our sin is.
    • Jack Miller used to say "Cheer up.  You are a whole lot worse than you are.  God's grace is a whole lot bigger than you can imagine."  We will never know the depth of our sin, nor the richness of God's mercy.  I praise God for the one and increased knowledge of the other.
Romans 7:24
Wretched man that I am!
Who will deliver me from this body of death?
Revelation 3:17
For you say, I am rich, I have prospered,
and I need nothing,
not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable,
poor, blind and naked.
  • Confess your sin.  Repent.
    • This is not a little thing.  Confession is good for the soul for a reason - it ushers in a promise, a response from a loving and forgiving Father.
    • Repenting from our sin sets us straight again.  It realigns our sanity.  
Psalm 32:5
I acknowledged my sin to You,
and I did not cover my iniquity;
I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,"
and You forgave the iniquity of my sin.
  • Serve Christ.
    • Nothing helps to get your mind of off sin like submitting yourself to the service of Christ.  Commit yourself to get out of your comfort zone.  
      • Spend time with someone who does know Christ.
      • Serve at a food pantry.
      • Give stuff away.
      • Give your time away.
    • Don't do this out of guilt, do these acts of service as true acts of worship.
2 Corinthians 5:20
Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ,
making His appeal through us.
  • Worship Christ alone.
    • Submit yourself to God and His glory.  Commit yourself to worshipping Him.
      • In song
      • In reading the Word
Psalm 95:6
Oh come, let us worship and bow down;
let us kneel before the LORD our Maker!
  • Find someone who will disciple you.
    • I have had the privilege of having many men speak into my life. 
    • Contact your pastor, elder, friend or me.
    • Walk with someone else in your journey.
 Hebrews 10:24-25
Let us consider how to stir up
one another to love and good works,
not neglecting to meet together,
as is the habit of some,
but encourage one another,
and all the more as you see
the Day drawing near.
  • Put on Christ today.
    • The Gospel calls us to war.  War with the devil and war with our sin.  When Paul instructs his followers to put on the armor of God, he is not merely suggesting it to them as a good idea.  This is a command, for we are at war.
Ephesians 6:13
Therefore take up the whole armor of God,
that you may be able to withstand in the evil day,
and having done all,
to stand firm.
  • Remember to rest in the active work of Christ.
Ephesians 1:7-8
In Him we have redemption through His blood,
the forgiveness of our trespasses,
according to the riches of His grace,
which He lavished upon us.

Colossians1:13-14
He has delivered us from the
domain of darkness and transferred us to
the Kingdom of His beloved Son,
in whom we have redemption,
the forgiveness of sins.

Forgiveness is found at the cross and empty tomb.
THAT IS GOOD NEWS!
 

Monday, April 19, 2010

Where Are You Living?

The story goes that...

A Japanese soldier by the name of Shoichi Yokoi lived in a cave on the island of Guam to which he fled in 1944 when the tides of war began to change. Fearing for his life, this man stayed hidden for twenty-eight years in the jungle cave, coming out only at night. During this long period of time, this self-imposed hermit lived on frogs, rats, snails, shrimp, nuts, and mangoes. He had carried a pair of trousers and a jacket from a burlaplike cloth made from tree bark.
Yokoi said that he knew the war was over because of leaflets that were scattered throughout the jungles of Guam. But he was afraid that if he came out of hiding, he would be executed.

Finally, two hunters came upon him and told him that he need not hide any longer. At last he was free, and with new clothes to wear and food to eat, he was taken by plane to his home.
—Carl C. Williams

So often I know that I am free, but fail to live like I am. How about you? Paul writes in Galations 5, "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery."

Paul declared that Christ was the great Liberator who set believers free from bondage. The apostle then appealed to the Galatians to stand firm in that liberty, for having been delivered from slavery to heathenism, they were in danger of becoming entangled in slavery to the Mosaic Law.

Do you feel tangled? Friend, you are free. Totally free!

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Men Want Spiritual Help With...

Found this on the Family Builders Inc website:

Men Want Spiritual Help:
  1. With their marriages—the number one request on men’s surveys.
  2. Battling sexual temptation—the temptation men struggle with most.
  3. Getting control of their anger and becoming more patient.
  4. Managing their personal/spiritual lives, sticking to the right priorities and spiritual disciplines.
  5. Investing their lives, not just for success, but for significance.
  6. Being the spiritual leader in their homes and effectively training their kids.
  7. Seeing their job as a calling from God and finding encouragement and motivation for the daily grind.
  8. Knowing how to reach out effectively to their lost friends and work associates and take a stand for Biblical truth in the culture.
  9. Finding a brother for encouragement, strength, and accountability.
  10. Knowing how to satisfy their hearts more by delighting in God.
The Root Need:
True discipleship is not behavior modification; it is heart transformation. It is not piling more discipleship tasks on the tired backs of men; it is leading them to the feet of Christ, in whose presence the inner desires and motivations of his heart are changed. The root need of every man is the gospel of grace deeply taking root in his soul.

Many men today are tired of the constant demands upon them to perform. They can’t provide for their family as they want to without working long hours. Instead of his home being the place where he feels appreciated and refreshed—it is full of exhausting demands to perform more. In many ways he feels better suited to performing at work. He finds it very difficult to figure out what his wife wants and what his children need. He is supposed to tell his wife how he feels, but if he does, it often ends up hurting her or leading to a fight. He righteously fights to keep his sexual appetite directed towards his wife, but is often ridiculed about the way God has hard-wired him—“All you ever want is one thing.” He is challenged at church to work hard at meeting his wife’s needs but wonders why she is rarely challenged to love him the way he wants to be loved.
He is supposed to suck it up, rub it out, and keep performing. He carries a 100 lb pack on his back called his responsibilities. Some Christian men are so weary of the pressure to perform that they one day just chuck it all, and run off with another woman or resort back to their drug days. Others look for escape in the secret pleasure of viewing Internet porn, gambling, or having a secret affair.

The answer to the constant pressure to perform and the feeling of not being valued can only be fully met by the gospel of grace. Basking in God’s unconditional love, letting our failures drive us to our savior, is the only way the soul of a man can be refreshed, his strength renewed, and his heart re-energized to follow his calling. The bigger the demands upon us, the more we need to shun the myth that men should be self-reliant and let that pressure drive us to Christ for help. In his presence, we see that some of the pressure comes from our idols of success, respect, pleasure. In his presence we realize that God specializes in impossible situations and our faith is renewed. When we do fail, we remember that the greater our sin—the greater is the love of our savior in forgiving us.

Only the gospel of grace can transform the heart of a man—and that is the ultimate goal of discipleship.

RESOLVE|Resolutions for Singles

Sometimes we need a refresher...
Resolutions for Singlehood.
  1. I resolve to commit myself to the Triune God
  2. I resolve to commit myself to the written Word of God
  3. I resolve to subject myself to the authority of God’s Word
  4. I resolve to commit myself solely to the body of Christ, His church
  5. I resolve to commit myself to prayer
  6. I resolve to commit myself to worship
  7. I resolve to remember God’s faithfulness to Israel
  8. I resolve to remember God’s faithfulness to me
  9. I resolve to remember God’s faithfulness to the body of Christ

5 Things Never to Say to Your Spouse

I found this article on Christianity Today.com awhile ago. Although, I don't agree with everything Anne is stating here, I do agree that these five things should never be spoken by either spouse. I am guilty of saying these, but by the grace of God, I no longer want to. He keeps working on us.

John

5 Things Never to Say to Your Spouse
By Anne Russ


My six-year-old recently got in trouble for mouthing off to her teacher. Great. The teacher's concern wasn't so much about the behavior itself (although she certainly wasn't thrilled about it), but that the conduct was so out of character for my daughter, who generally has a sweet disposition.

When I talked to my little darling about it, her response was, "I just didn't know it would sound so bad until it came out."

Most adults are still learning that difficult lesson—particularly in regards to our spouses. Many of us (who generally have sweet dispositions) often say things that are hurtful to our partners and damaging to the relationship because we let the first thing that comes into our minds exit by way of our mouths.

Though there can be no exhaustive list of what not to say, here are five statements to bite back the next time they threaten to break the boundary of your lips and breach the ears of your beloved.

What you say: "We can't afford it"
What your spouse hears: I don't care about the things that are important to you.

Let's face it. Aside from a house in Barbados or our own Lear Jet, mostly we afford what we want to afford. When your spouse expresses a wish for a vacation, a different job, or even just a new something-or-other for the house, an attempt to kibosh the conversation with a "we can't afford it" can be deflating to your spouse's spirits.

Instead of being dismissive, take the time to discuss. Perhaps you think what your spouse wants to buy would be a poor investment or simply a bad idea. Explore the depth of the desire. Was the remark just idle "someday" dreaminess, as in, "I'd love a bigger kitchen" or "Wouldn't it be great to sail around the world?" If so, engage together in planning your dream kitchen for whenever someday comes. Get out the globe and map your route. The sky is the limit. Go for the double oven and be sure to stop by Tahiti. A few minutes or an afternoon of dreaming together is a much better marriage builder than an off-the-cuff dismissive remark.

The wish may be about a deeper desire such as, "I've always wanted to see if I could make it in the catering business" or "I'd like to go back to school." Do you want to be a dream-crusher in this partnership with an immediate response of "We can't afford it"? Or do you want to be one who helps your partner become the person he or she feels called to be?

If the issue truly is the lack of funds, take the time to create together a savings plan to work toward the purchase. Is a European vacation worth giving up dinners out for a year? Are you willing to downsize your home for the chance at a new career? Is it feasible to drive the old car another year in order to give money to a friend's call to be a missionary in Chile?

Marlene, a Michigan mother of four, and her husband recently put all travel plans on hold to increase their savings in case something happens to his job in this uncertain economy.

"When one of us thinks, We can't afford it," says Marlene, "it moves us into plan mode. It feels good to work out something together."

What you say: "You think your day was bad …"
What your spouse hears: Enough about you, let's talk about me.

We all have bad days. Even if my day (in my mind) was worse than yours, that doesn't diminish the badness of your day.

Perhaps you're in the healthcare profession, and you've lost a patient that day. That's about as bad as it gets. You go home to a spouse who's taken the day off work to stay home with a sick three-year-old who has written on the bedroom walls with permanent marker, flooded the bathroom by leaving the sink running, thrown up mashed sweet potatoes all over the kitchen table, and been screaming non-stop for the past two hours. You've both had a really bad day, and hearing that each other's day has been worse is not likely to improve your moods.

These are the days when we most need to heed the apostle Paul's charge in Ephesians 4:2: "Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love."

Be careful not to interrupt. Each person should have the opportunity fully to talk, cry, or even scream.
Listening with humility and gentleness will suppress the urge to try to trump your partner. When both of you have had a bad day, it should never boil down to a competition. When it does, you both lose.

What you say: "You're overreacting"
What your spouse hears: Your feelings aren't important to me

Is there anything more upsetting than being really upset and having someone tell you you shouldn't be so upset? Remember that the next time your spouse flips a lid.

Keep in mind that when your mate has a complete meltdown or an over-the-top rant about something you deem relatively unimportant, such as, let's say, spilled milk, one of two things is probably going on:
(1) You have woefully underestimated your spouse's concern for and/or attachment to the milk. Or …
(2) It's not about the milk.

Couples are, by definition, comprised of two individuals. So while you and your spouse have common interests, experiences, and priorities, you also have different interests, experiences, and priorities. This means that things that are a big deal to one of you may seem trivial to the other. Spilled milk or the state of the environment or what your daughter wears to school may not be an issue of great concern for you. However, you are married. And while you may not share your spouse's concerns, you do need to share in them.

Often when someone has an unusually strong reaction to a situation, it's not just about the situation. What may seem to be an overreaction is likely an indicator that something else is wrong.

I'm a chronic misplacer—keys, badges, pens, gym card, glasses. On any given day, you can find me searching for something. One day, my husband found me sitting on the kitchen floor sobbing because I couldn't find the identification badge that allows me access to my daughter's school. It didn't take him long to realize that it wasn't about the badge. We had recently relocated to a foreign country, and my struggle with the language, the culture, and even the grocery store had left me without the reserves to cope with one more thing.

What you say: "Why can't you be more like so-and-so's spouse?"
What your spouse hears: My friend's spouse is better than you.

Everyone has "spouse envy" from time to time. There's the husband who is the gourmet cook. The wife who loves to go fishing with her husband. The dad who coaches the Little League team every year. The mom who's also president of the local Chamber of Commerce.

We all have things we'd like to change about our mates. Though most days find our prayers filled with long lists of why we're thankful for our better-half, there are those times when every less-than-perfect characteristic of our partner seems to be magnified and multiplied. You took your partner for better or worse, but who wouldn't prefer more of the "better" and less of the "worse"?

When the "worse" seems to take center stage, it's easy to idealize someone else's spouse. After all, you don't have to live with them. Chances are if you did, you'd find out that the gourmet cook never cleans up the kitchen and the president of the Chamber hasn't made it home for dinner in more than a week. So comparing your spouse unfavorably to another is not only hurtful, it's often unfair.

At those times when your spouse isn't quite measuring up to your expectations, remember that he or she was created in God's image—not your image. The late Trappist monk Thomas Merton reminds us that "the beginning of love is to let those we love be perfectly themselves, and not to twist them to fit our own image. Otherwise we love only the reflection of ourselves we find in them."

What you say: "I'm sorry, but …"
What your spouse hears: I'm not really sorry.

If your actions merit an apology, then apologize. Period. If you're not sorry, don't say so. If you are, don't follow it with excuses or shift the blame. An unqualified apology can be a balm for a wounded relationship. A qualifying follow-up can rub salt into the wound.

"I'm sorry. Please forgive me" can open the door to reconciliation. "But" following an apology may slam that door.

My daughter lost her shot at the Friday "treasure box" because she didn't realize how her words would sound until they were already out of her mouth. For a six-year-old, losing the chance to pick out a 25-cent trinket is enough to make her think more carefully about her words in the weeks to come. I hope and pray it will be a lesson that stays with her. Fortunately, she has an understanding teacher, so her words didn't have lasting consequences.

Unfortunately, it's sometimes more difficult for spouses to forgive and forget. A few thoughtless words can leave scars that are slow to heal. Marriage is infinitely more valuable than anything that comes in a box. It's certainly worth our time to measure our words in order to protect a treasured relationship.

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Remembering Easter

So it's been over a week since Easter.  Is it still fresh in your head or are you already thinking about the next holiday?
When Jesus cried out with a loud voice "It is finished," one thing he was saying was that the task that he and the Father had agreed upon in eternity, before the world began, was in this sense completed. Nothing more was required for the salvation of believing mankind. The requirement of perfect obedience in order for man to inhabit heaven had been met. The covenant of life broken by the first Adam was "mended"—met—by Christ, the last Adam.
The above is from a fantastic article written by Paul S. MacDonald and it's published in New Horizons Magazine.  Read the entire article found here on the OPC website.

(The author, an elder at Penobscot Bay OPC in Bucksport, Maine, is a member of the Committee on Christian Education. He quotes the ESV. Reprinted from New Horizons, April 2010.)
 

What Does Grace Look Like to You?


Monday, April 12, 2010

The Little Tiny Bug

The other day, after I was working in my garden, I was sitting by our dinning room table enjoying time with our family.  After sitting there for a while, I felt something crawling up my leg.  Now living here in the South, the possibility of getting a "carry-on" from outside is pretty common.  Regardless of what it was, I am glad that it was on my leg as opposed to being on my head or some place worse.

As I looked at the little fella, I became a little curious by him.  He, I am sure it was a he, was quite small.  Round-ish, with some sort of black "armor" type of exoskeleton thing.  He was not biting me, just sitting there in the hair of my leg.

I picked him up.
He fell on the floor.

I picked him up again.
Again, he fell on the floor.

Almost like he was playing dead.  Or playing with me.  Not like a dog plays with his owner, but like a cat plays with a mouse, and I was the mouse.

I think to some extent this was his defense mechanism.  Almost a "if-I-fall-to-the-ground-no-one-will-notice-me" attitude.
"Just forget about me."
"Don't think about me anymore."
"I am nothing."
"See, just a speck on the ground."
"Don't worry.  It's almost like I am not even here anymore."

Hmmmm.  Doesn't that remind you of someone?

Here is the truth.  The devil doesn't want us to believe in him anymore.  He wants us to just forget about him.  To not worry about the little stuff.  Because if we forget about him, then we won't be surprised by the fact that he has taken over so many areas of our lives.

Remember, satan is a beautiful creature, and he can disguise himself incredibly well.
What are you being tempted by right now?
Is it beautiful?
Is it valuable?
Does it sound good?
Can it make you feel good?

Let me remind you of something.  Satan has no power over you.  If you are in Christ, you are free.  Keep in mind that "our adversary, the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8).  We have to keep our eyes open to really see him.  So the call on our lives is to "put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil (Eph 6:11).  The choice here is will you give into the temptation or not. 

So what happened to the bug?  He is gone.  Forever.  After the fourth time falling from my finger, I brought him to the porcelain bowl.  Flushed down the drain.

Saturday, April 10, 2010

Taking Care of Your Own Lawn

A fulfilling marriage does not drop from heaven into your lap. It becomes fulfilling when it's tended like a beautiful garden.

If you take really good care of the lawn where you live, the odds go down that you'll have to deal with being attracted to alternatives. Most people are less aware of alternatives when they're happy at home. It's note enough to have a fence around your lawn that protects it from the outside. You have to work within the fence to make the lawn green and lush.

To fully protect your commitment to your marriage, you need to consistently nurture your lawn. Water it, fertilize it, rake it, trim it carefully; pull some weeds. Most lawns — though not all, I admit — respond well to tender love and care. There's often a lot of life left in even the deadest-looking lawns. But you have to bring it out. And that takes making choices and following priorities. By sanctifying time for fun, friendship, spiritual connection, physical intimacy, and all the other things that bond you and your spouse, you'll be taking care of your lawn as well as you can.

A fulfilling marriage does not drop from heaven into your lap. It becomes fulfilling when it's tended like a beautiful garden. It won't be perfect, no matter what you do. We live in a difficult and fallen world, and we all have challenges. Because of that, the things that matter most require attention. Keeping your marriage strong and growing takes time and attention — it takes making your marriage a priority.

Friday, April 9, 2010

New Music Friday - Josh Garrels

Blog posting from TheBlahBlah

I’m not even sure what I can possibly say about Josh Garrels, other than the fact that he brings some of the most authentic and unique music to the Christian indie scene.  He writes songs that would be considered overtly Christian, but most likely so Christian that you would never hear them on any contemporary Christian station or like avenues.

The music is a mixture of classic beats with a modern folk twist. I saw him for the first time when I was at a conference in California, and I honestly think people didn’t know what to do with him.  He was using some old school beats, like from the 40’s and 50’s, mixed with his masterful guitar playing and amazing voice.  I left that night at that coffeehouse greatly encouraged, and very surprised that someone this good has been under the radar for so long.
Blog posting from StereoSubversion

Josh Garrels’ new Lost Animals represents for the Indiana native another move towards the prolific—a collection of 10 tracks that cover a wide range of styles. This is Garrels’ second record in two years, his last being 2008’s Jacaranda, which received plenty of critical acclaim. Folks who know Josh Garrels understand that he is equal parts music, ministry, and poetry—and that the artistic result of such a combination is nothing if not an honest representation of a truly energized soul.

For starters: Lost Animals opens with a classic Garrels take on the famous hymn “All Creatures of Our God and King,” which was adapted from St. Francis’ Canticle of the Sun by William H. Draper around the turn of the 17th century. As is usually the case, Garrels’ version of the song goes much further than any contemporary reprise, focusing on the original chorus and infusing it with his own poetic verses—the first of which opens with an awed contemplation of the centipede. “All Creatures” is as excellent a track as any from Garrels to date, as it reels in the idea of “sacred music” and recasts it with superb vocals, instrumentation (guitar, mandolin, horns, organs, accordion, etc.), and beats. It is more than obvious how much attention Garrels is paying to detail these days.

Moving on, Garrels pulls a refrain from “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” for his own piece, “Rainbow,” which describes a wonderful place for “weary travelers” to rest. “107” is an expansive soundtrack that melds rambling guitars, Asian strings, and a host of other sounds in a “psalmic” homage. “The Pig Farm” is a simple melody that brings Nick Drake to mind—very pastoral. And the country motif continues with “Indiana Sky.”
“Just Doin’ Your Thing” has been expertly placed at the halfway point. It has the simple, bluesy smokiness of a timeless southern spiritual. Immediately following is the beautiful “Be Set Free,” which develops like a summer storm on the open prairie—you can hear it coming from miles away. Once the beat and vocals chime in, you’ve already been (willingly) drenched. “Patterns” explores a more electronic vein, with interesting synth pads, strings, noisemakers, and reverb that sound like an Amon Tobin remix. “Children of the Earth” and “And What Remains” round out the album, with even more unique sound.

Lost Animals is one of Garrels’ best and most meaningful releases to date. The very title of the record expresses some of Garrels’ favorite lyrical themes—hope for the lost, human brokenness, and the beauty/complexity of creation. Garrels’ Christian faith comes through unashamedly, but not at the expense of the music, which in this writer’s opinion breaks down religious stereotypes rather than reinforces them. If this record is more a collection of “lost animals” from Garrels’ past work, he has positioned them with astonishing clarity.

Josh Garrels is an artist who seems to know exactly where he’s going, and he’s not bypassing one single leg of the journey to get there. Not surprisingly, the music he’s making along the way greatly benefits from his focus.



The Impending Doom From the Jellyfish

This past week, my family was vacationing on the Gulf Coast. Periodically, while we were in the water, we would see some jellyfish floating by. I believe that they were dead, but they were still in the water floating by – ominously. On occasion I wouldn’t see them until they were right next to me. Not a problem, I never touched them. All of us were safe – whether they were dead or not. We let them float on by.

Of course while we were on the beach, there were others that were there as well. Other parents with their kids. Other adults. Just normal people. What was wild to me was that a couple of times a jellyfish would float a little close to us and the others would point out the potential “danger” to us. Now, don’t get me wrong, I am all for fellow human beings helping each other out. I don’t want a dead jellyfish rubbing up against my leg. Who knows if those things are still poisonous…

This is what made me think. Here is this guy, whom I have never met before, telling me of potential “danger.” [I put “danger” in parenthesis because I am really not sure if we were really in “danger.” Know what I mean?] Nevertheless, I was thankful for what he was doing.  So here is the rub. Are you and I comfortable doing the same thing? Why is it that many times in the church men are offended when instructed on impending danger (sin)?

I took the advice from this kind stranger and moved away from the dead jellyfish. Like I said before, those things look a little weird and I don’t really want to touch one. The question is though; what if he would have told me that sin was crouching at my door and ready to pounce? How would I have reacted? How would you react to someone saying something like that to you?

What are your thoughts? Do you feel comfortable telling a complete stranger about sin being close by? Do you feel comfortable telling someone in your small group that sin is close by? Would you like it if someone confronted you? 

I am praying for a bold heart. With that in mind, I encourage you to approach me when you see sin near me, because my friend, I will do the same for you.

2 Timothy 1:7, “for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.”