Things are happening so quickly, that I imagine by the time this is read much will have changed in Libya. I don't want to make light of a very serious situation, but have you seen the video of the Libyan news anchor waving a pistol while broadcasting the news?
We often see hard reporting, but . . .
This female journalist vowed that she was prepared to defind her nation and leader, and was willing to die doing so. The fact is, though, that journalists, politicians, preachers, and just plain folk regularly deal in that which is deadly. Not long after the gun-waving newscaster made her on-air threats the TV station was shut down. Did she make good on her bluster? If she did, the damage, though it might have been deadly, was limited. Her gun only had so many bullets. Her aim and ability to shoot quickly were likewise limited. The force I am speaking of is far more destructive.
" . . . the tongue is a fire, the very world of iniquity; the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell. . . . it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison." (James 3:6-8)
No need to wave a gun. We are already using a weapon far more powerful. Be careful with that thing. Somebody might get hurt.
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Monday, August 22, 2011
School Days:
My youngest grandchild just went off to her first day of school today. Have a great day, Kira.
It is an experience that has been, or will be going on all over the country. It is a significant day for parents and kids. Most of the home-schooling families I know haven't started their program for the year, yet, but when they do, though it will be more subtle, the reality will be the same. Our children are growing up.
And they should!
In one of the New Testament's most definitive passages on parenting, Ephesians 6:1-4, we read that parents,are to "bring them up," literally to nourish them. Like many of you, I've lately been enjoying some home-grown tomatoes. The luscious fruit is the result of plants having what they need to grow from tiny two-leaf seedlings to productive vines. Especially those of you who grow those dinner-plate-sized 'maters made sure that those plants had what they needed to grow and produce. Now the delicious result is dripping off your chin. I don't want to get carried away--children aren't garden-vegetables, but that word "ektrepho" describes both what good parents and successful farmers do--we "bring them up."
I enjoy my children, especially since at this stage in life they provide me with grandchildren, but God did not entrust them to me primarily for my pleasure. The Psalmist observed that they are a "heritage" from the Lord. I need to invest in them in such a way so that these children will be and become a blessing to the world. Today Kira stepped out into the world in a new way, At the end of this school year Christopher, my oldest grandchild, will take another step, when he graduates from high-school. It is part of bringing them up. I continue to pray that my sons will bring them up well.
For moms looking at the taillights of a school bus with tears in their eyes, and dads handing off a set of keys . . .
It's STTA.
It is an experience that has been, or will be going on all over the country. It is a significant day for parents and kids. Most of the home-schooling families I know haven't started their program for the year, yet, but when they do, though it will be more subtle, the reality will be the same. Our children are growing up.
And they should!
In one of the New Testament's most definitive passages on parenting, Ephesians 6:1-4, we read that parents,are to "bring them up," literally to nourish them. Like many of you, I've lately been enjoying some home-grown tomatoes. The luscious fruit is the result of plants having what they need to grow from tiny two-leaf seedlings to productive vines. Especially those of you who grow those dinner-plate-sized 'maters made sure that those plants had what they needed to grow and produce. Now the delicious result is dripping off your chin. I don't want to get carried away--children aren't garden-vegetables, but that word "ektrepho" describes both what good parents and successful farmers do--we "bring them up."
I enjoy my children, especially since at this stage in life they provide me with grandchildren, but God did not entrust them to me primarily for my pleasure. The Psalmist observed that they are a "heritage" from the Lord. I need to invest in them in such a way so that these children will be and become a blessing to the world. Today Kira stepped out into the world in a new way, At the end of this school year Christopher, my oldest grandchild, will take another step, when he graduates from high-school. It is part of bringing them up. I continue to pray that my sons will bring them up well.
For moms looking at the taillights of a school bus with tears in their eyes, and dads handing off a set of keys . . .
It's STTA.
Where Is My Retirement Fund Going?
My family is spread out. As the next generation gets older and moves out--something that will begin to happen shortly--it will, likely, be even more multi-sited. So, it was a great privilege to be with my two sons and their families and most of my wife's family over the past couple of weeks.
I am an incredibly blessed man. My sons and daughters-in-law are involved in significant ministry in churches that are making a difference in their communities and beyond. All of my siblings and my brothers, and sisters-in-law love the Lord. and are serving Him. I see great promise in the next generation.
When I ask myself why I am so privileged, I am quickly driven to the reality of God's goodness. Knowing, though, that God often works through human instuments, I am reminded of faithful parents, my father-in-law who began a spiritual stream sixty-plus years ago when he turned to Jesus Christ, of my grandmother who faithfully raised three boys by herself during the depression, and countless others who have gone before me. I want to leave something behind that will be there long after I'm gone. I am the ancestor of someone great that I will never meet. I enjoy my family. I want to live so that even my family that will be born after I'm gone will appreciate me.
Family, it's STTA.
I am an incredibly blessed man. My sons and daughters-in-law are involved in significant ministry in churches that are making a difference in their communities and beyond. All of my siblings and my brothers, and sisters-in-law love the Lord. and are serving Him. I see great promise in the next generation.
When I ask myself why I am so privileged, I am quickly driven to the reality of God's goodness. Knowing, though, that God often works through human instuments, I am reminded of faithful parents, my father-in-law who began a spiritual stream sixty-plus years ago when he turned to Jesus Christ, of my grandmother who faithfully raised three boys by herself during the depression, and countless others who have gone before me. I want to leave something behind that will be there long after I'm gone. I am the ancestor of someone great that I will never meet. I enjoy my family. I want to live so that even my family that will be born after I'm gone will appreciate me.
Family, it's STTA.
FAMILY"
Family:
My family is spread out. As the next generation gets older and moves out--something that will begin to happen shortly--it will, likely, be even more multi-sited. So, it was a great privilege to be with my two sons and their families and most of my wife's family over the past couple of weeks.
I am an incredibly blessed man. My sons and daughters-in-law are involved in significant ministry in churches that are making a difference in their communities and beyond. All of my siblings and my brothers, and sisters-in-law love the Lord. and are serving Him. I see great promise in the next generation.
When I ask myself why I am so privileged, I am quickly driven to the reality of God's goodness. Knowing, though, that God often works through human instuments, I am reminded of faithful parents, my father-in-law who began a spiritual stream sixty-plus years ago when he turned to Jesus Christ, of my grandmother who faithfully raised three boys by herself during the depression, and countless others who have gone before me. I want to leave something behind that will be there long after I'm gone. I am the ancestor of someone great that I will never meet. I enjoy my family. I want to live so that even my family that will be born after I'm gone will appreciate me.
Family, it's STTA.
My family is spread out. As the next generation gets older and moves out--something that will begin to happen shortly--it will, likely, be even more multi-sited. So, it was a great privilege to be with my two sons and their families and most of my wife's family over the past couple of weeks.
I am an incredibly blessed man. My sons and daughters-in-law are involved in significant ministry in churches that are making a difference in their communities and beyond. All of my siblings and my brothers, and sisters-in-law love the Lord. and are serving Him. I see great promise in the next generation.
When I ask myself why I am so privileged, I am quickly driven to the reality of God's goodness. Knowing, though, that God often works through human instuments, I am reminded of faithful parents, my father-in-law who began a spiritual stream sixty-plus years ago when he turned to Jesus Christ, of my grandmother who faithfully raised three boys by herself during the depression, and countless others who have gone before me. I want to leave something behind that will be there long after I'm gone. I am the ancestor of someone great that I will never meet. I enjoy my family. I want to live so that even my family that will be born after I'm gone will appreciate me.
Family, it's STTA.
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
FAMILY"
Family:
My family is spread out. As the next generation gets older and moves out--something that will begin to happen shortly--it will, likely, be even more multi-sited. So, it was a great privilege to be with my two sons and their families and most of my wife's family over the past couple of weeks.
I am an incredibly blessed man. My sons and daughters-in-law are involved in significant ministry in churches that are making a difference in their communities and beyond. All of my siblings and my brothers, and sisters-in-law love the Lord. and are serving Him. I see great promise in the next generation.
When I ask myself why I am so privileged, I am quickly driven to the reality of God's goodness. Knowing, though, that God often works through human instuments, I am reminded of faithful parents, my father-in-law who began a spiritual stream sixty-plus years ago when he turned to Jesus Christ, of my grandmother who faithfully raised three boys by herself during the depression, and countless others who have gone before me. I want to leave something behind that will be there long after I'm gone. I am the ancestor of someone great that I will never meet. I enjoy my family. I want to live so that even my family that will be born after I'm gone will appreciate me.
Family, it's STTA.
My family is spread out. As the next generation gets older and moves out--something that will begin to happen shortly--it will, likely, be even more multi-sited. So, it was a great privilege to be with my two sons and their families and most of my wife's family over the past couple of weeks.
I am an incredibly blessed man. My sons and daughters-in-law are involved in significant ministry in churches that are making a difference in their communities and beyond. All of my siblings and my brothers, and sisters-in-law love the Lord. and are serving Him. I see great promise in the next generation.
When I ask myself why I am so privileged, I am quickly driven to the reality of God's goodness. Knowing, though, that God often works through human instuments, I am reminded of faithful parents, my father-in-law who began a spiritual stream sixty-plus years ago when he turned to Jesus Christ, of my grandmother who faithfully raised three boys by herself during the depression, and countless others who have gone before me. I want to leave something behind that will be there long after I'm gone. I am the ancestor of someone great that I will never meet. I enjoy my family. I want to live so that even my family that will be born after I'm gone will appreciate me.
Family, it's STTA.
Monday, August 15, 2011
Hard Preachin'
I've been a preacher for nearly forty years, so I've heard--and told--a lot of jokes about preaching. "You stand up to be seen. Speak up to be heard. And, shut up to be appreciated."
I can tell you about the preacher who used to time his messages by placing a lozenge in his mouth. When it melted he knew it was time to quit. By mistake he put a button in his mouth one Sunday morning--preached himself to death.
A friend of mine is fond of commenting--often correctly--that a preacher passed up several good opportunities to quit.
I don't recall that anyone has ever told me, but I figure folk have surely thought that I'd "done quit preachin' and gone to meddlin'."
A number of comments and stories about preaching have to do with "hard preaching." Putting those two words in your web-browser will produce a number of hits.
I never considered myself a hard preacher. I want folk in the front row to be safe from slobber-showers, and I've found that pounding the pulpit tends to make my fist sore. Yesterday, though, I preached so hard that one of my fillings came out. Truth be told, it was already loose. I had already made an appointment with the dentist to get it cared for.
All humor aside, Biblical preaching is often hard. I don't mean loud or bombastic. Rather I refer to the fact that some of the truths that the Bible contains are hard to proclaim. Things like the universality of sin, Romans 3:23, or Romans 6:23, which speaks of the consequences of that sin. The Bible frequently instructs us to do hard things, Matthew 5:10-11, for example. Those are hard truths, They are hard to proclaim. But, they must be told. It is not hard, for example, to tell people to love the nice and lovely, but to proclaim Jesus message that we are to love even our enemies, that is hard preaching.
Lord, I'd like to keep my fillings, but let me be a hard preacher. Amen
It's STTA.
I can tell you about the preacher who used to time his messages by placing a lozenge in his mouth. When it melted he knew it was time to quit. By mistake he put a button in his mouth one Sunday morning--preached himself to death.
A friend of mine is fond of commenting--often correctly--that a preacher passed up several good opportunities to quit.
I don't recall that anyone has ever told me, but I figure folk have surely thought that I'd "done quit preachin' and gone to meddlin'."
A number of comments and stories about preaching have to do with "hard preaching." Putting those two words in your web-browser will produce a number of hits.
I never considered myself a hard preacher. I want folk in the front row to be safe from slobber-showers, and I've found that pounding the pulpit tends to make my fist sore. Yesterday, though, I preached so hard that one of my fillings came out. Truth be told, it was already loose. I had already made an appointment with the dentist to get it cared for.
All humor aside, Biblical preaching is often hard. I don't mean loud or bombastic. Rather I refer to the fact that some of the truths that the Bible contains are hard to proclaim. Things like the universality of sin, Romans 3:23, or Romans 6:23, which speaks of the consequences of that sin. The Bible frequently instructs us to do hard things, Matthew 5:10-11, for example. Those are hard truths, They are hard to proclaim. But, they must be told. It is not hard, for example, to tell people to love the nice and lovely, but to proclaim Jesus message that we are to love even our enemies, that is hard preaching.
Lord, I'd like to keep my fillings, but let me be a hard preacher. Amen
It's STTA.
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
OK, You Can Straighten Up, Now.
I'm looking forward to not hearing about the "debt crisis," or the "debt ceiling" for a while. At least I'm hopeful.
Some of my smarter, better informed friends can correct me if I'm wrong, but I understand what just happened/is happening like this:
Everyday we spend more money than we take in. In order to finance this deficit we sell savings bonds to grandparents as birthday gifts for their grandkids, and treasury certificates to the Chinese because they have our best interest at heart..
Somewhere along the line somebody got the idea that this might not be the best way of doing things, so some law was passed that set a limit on just how much red-ink we could use.
That law, regulation, scout's-honor promise--whatever it is--has proven to be no real impediment to our continued, and increasing indebtedness, however, because whenever we feel the ceiling brushing our fiscal spike-hairdo we simply raise the limit. I read that we have done so 74 times since March of 1962. I have no doubt, though, that Congress felt really bad every time they did.
As this current debt ceiling approached somebody got the bright idea--who let this guy in?--that maybe this continually spending more money than we have coming in wasn't such a good idea. I mean, what if the Chinese show up and offer to break our thumbs? So, totally ignoring the long-standing rules this gang of thugs--he recruited some like-minded friends-- said we won't raise the ceiling unless we slow the flow of red-ink--turning it off completely would cause National D. T.s. so that was never seriously considered.
Thus the horse-trading, arm-twisting, back-scratching, and log-rolling began. We now have a piece of legislation that no one likes--giving it the GOLD-STANDARD BIPARTISAN Compromise Seal of Approval--but which will get enough nose-holding "Ayes." to stave off Debt-a-geddon one more time.
Whew!
OK, here is an undeniable debt crisis, and a totally real solution we should all--and I mean "all"--really--and I, likewise mean "really"--get excited about:
" . . . where sin increased [that brings about an indebtedness that will cost us out lives Romans 6:23*], grace [resulting in forgiveness of that debt] abounded all the more," (Romans 5:20
It's STTA.
To find out how you can infinitely raise your debt-ceiling look here.
(Romans 6:23, "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.")
Some of my smarter, better informed friends can correct me if I'm wrong, but I understand what just happened/is happening like this:
Everyday we spend more money than we take in. In order to finance this deficit we sell savings bonds to grandparents as birthday gifts for their grandkids, and treasury certificates to the Chinese because they have our best interest at heart..
Somewhere along the line somebody got the idea that this might not be the best way of doing things, so some law was passed that set a limit on just how much red-ink we could use.
That law, regulation, scout's-honor promise--whatever it is--has proven to be no real impediment to our continued, and increasing indebtedness, however, because whenever we feel the ceiling brushing our fiscal spike-hairdo we simply raise the limit. I read that we have done so 74 times since March of 1962. I have no doubt, though, that Congress felt really bad every time they did.
As this current debt ceiling approached somebody got the bright idea--who let this guy in?--that maybe this continually spending more money than we have coming in wasn't such a good idea. I mean, what if the Chinese show up and offer to break our thumbs? So, totally ignoring the long-standing rules this gang of thugs--he recruited some like-minded friends-- said we won't raise the ceiling unless we slow the flow of red-ink--turning it off completely would cause National D. T.s. so that was never seriously considered.
Thus the horse-trading, arm-twisting, back-scratching, and log-rolling began. We now have a piece of legislation that no one likes--giving it the GOLD-STANDARD BIPARTISAN Compromise Seal of Approval--but which will get enough nose-holding "Ayes." to stave off Debt-a-geddon one more time.
Whew!
OK, here is an undeniable debt crisis, and a totally real solution we should all--and I mean "all"--really--and I, likewise mean "really"--get excited about:
" . . . where sin increased [that brings about an indebtedness that will cost us out lives Romans 6:23*], grace [resulting in forgiveness of that debt] abounded all the more," (Romans 5:20
It's STTA.
To find out how you can infinitely raise your debt-ceiling look here.
(Romans 6:23, "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.")
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