13 Feb 07 House & Home

We got the call a couple of weeks ago. Our landlord needs to sell our house.  He wanted to sell it to us but the price is too high and it’s a bit too far from the church.  We do love that basketball court . . .

Real estate prices are dropping here in Stockton - a lot of people with unconventional loans are suffering.  We have a 1 one year lease and legal rights to the place.  And even though I’m skeptical and cynical (I know, what does that have to do with the house thing?) I’m going to give the benefit of the doubt. 

Basically it means, we’ve started looking for a house to purchase a few months earlier than we had planned. 

Since I tell others to see God in the moments of our life, I’m determined to follow my own advice and look for God in this moment.  Hopefully he will be carrying a suitcase full of cash.

12 Feb 07 Vague

He worked with the Nazarene church at the same time we were with ACOC.  Our daughters were friends first in School and that’s how we got to know each other.  As these things turn out, we didn’t get to spend enough time together. 

We enjoyed the time we had together.  Truly a time of fellowship and communion.  We shared meals together, prayers together. We worked together on some ministry projects and enjoyed sharing our praise band project. 

About the time we were praying for direction and guidance in our ministry they were praying for direction and guidance in their ministry.  We both left Arlington about the same time.  They headed to the mid-west for a training stopover and we headed a bit further west.  They completed their training and went overseas to be missionaries in a place where Christianity is discouraged and even illegal.  I realize that might sound a bit like California (or wherever else you live) but that’s beside the point.

For their safety and protection I’m only giving you these vague details.  Dad, Mom and five children living in a place hostile to Christ trying to teach others about Christ.  We were able to see and talk to them today through the wonders of Skype.  Even in this communication they asked us not to talk about what they were in this place to do.  One of those things that puts many other things in perspective.

God knows their hearts.  God knows their struggles.  God knows them by name.  So when you pray for them today God knows the details. 

09 Feb 07 Psalm 23 (The Message)

GOD, my shepherd! I don’t need a thing.

You have bedded me down in lush meadows,
you find me quiet pools to drink from.

True to your word, you let me catch my breath
and send me in the right direction.

Even when the way goes through Death Valley,
I’m not afraid when you walk at my side.
Your trusty shepherd’s crook makes me feel secure.

You serve me a six-course dinner right in front of my enemies.
You revive my drooping head; my cup brims with blessing.

Your beauty and love chase after me every day of my life.
I’m back home in the house of GOD for the rest of my life.

08 Feb 07 The Old Testament

Mention something from the Old Testament and invariably someone will say something like “that was part of the old covenant; we are under the new covenant.”  In essence it seems this position has been taken to guard against certain activities deemed inappropriate for the "Christian age".

Two observations that make me question this viewpoint:  

First, A person could come to faith in Jesus Christ with nothing but a copy of the Old Testament.  This is what the Apostle Paul thought about these sacred writings.  Writing to a young follower named Timothy, Paul said:

2 Timothy 3:14-17  (NCV) But you should continue following the teachings you learned. You know they are true, because you trust those who taught you.  Since you were a child you have known the Holy Scriptures which are able to make you wise. And that wisdom leads to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.  All Scripture is given by God and is useful for teaching, for showing
people what is wrong in their lives, for correcting faults, and for
teaching how to live right.  Using the Scriptures, the person who serves God will be capable, having all that is needed to do every good work.

The reference to the Holy Scriptures is a reference to the Old Testament as the New Testament was not yet in existence.  These Holy Scriptures, or Sacred Writings as some translations call them, are able to make a person wise.  This wisdom leads a person “to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

These same scriptures are, for us, a source of instruction and a source of hope.

Romans 15:4 (NCV) Everything that was written in the past was written to teach us.  The Scriptures give us patience and encouragement so that we can have hope. 

Second, the difference between Old Testament and the old covenant.  I realize that testament is another word for covenant.  There seems to me, however, to be a distinction between the Old Testament as a book of instruction, a collection of poetry and songs, a code of holiness, and a system of law to make a person right with God.

Surely we can learn from this collection of stories and wisdom? 

1 Corinthians 10:11 (NCV) The things that happened to those people are examples. They were written down to teach us, because we live in a time when all these things of the past have reached their goal. 

One of the main lessons we learn is that holiness and justification is impossible via human effort.  I see an important theme in Paul’s words to the Colossians regarding the things in the law that were against us:

Colossians 2:11-17 (NCV) Also in Christ you had a different kind of circumcision, a circumcision not done by hands. It was through Christ’s circumcision, that is, his death, that you were made free from the power of your sinful self.  When you were baptized, you were buried with Christ, and you were raised up with him through your faith in God’s power that was shown when he raised Christ from the dead.  When you were spiritually dead because of your sins and because you were not free from the power of your sinful self, God made you alive with Christ, and he forgave all our sins.  He canceled the debt, which listed all the rules we failed to follow. He took away that record with its rules and nailed it to the cross.  God stripped the spiritual rulers and powers of their authority. With the cross, he won the victory and showed the world that they were powerless.

Not everything found in the Old Testament was against us.  In fact, quite the opposite.  There are things in the Old Testament that are good for us.  It is good for us to praise the Lord with every breath and with every available means.  When an object can be used to glorify self or something else is set apart to glorify God that is a good thing. 

When I discipline myself to return at least 10% I learn to live on less and that is a good thing.  In regards to tithing we’ve always said "in the Christian age we are free to give more than 10%" and while true this freedom has freed us to not give regularly.

The passage that really catches my attention is:

Hebrews 8:8 (NCV) But God found something wrong with his people. He says: "Look, the time is coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new agreement with the people of Israel and the people of Judah.

The problem doesn’t seem to be the covenant – the problem seems to be the people under the covenant.  No surprise.  We’ve lived long enough to know that we’ve always been the problem.

07 Feb 07 Softball Star

The Arlington Girls Softball Association is using an action shot of someone we know as the backdrop for their website.  Click here to view the AGSA website and check out a great action shot.

06 Feb 07 Money Game

As a family that strives to be functional we divide up chores in our house.  Trash, recycling, dusting, vacuuming and dishes are chores the kids are able to help with on their own.  To say they look forward to helping would be an outright lie.

The weather has improved so we’ve been playing some serious basketball on our home court - which is a thing of beauty that I will miss most about the rental house.  You may think that with 2 on 1 I would have an advantage over the youngsters.  I could tell you beating them is a piece of cake but that also would be an outright lie.

They are wiry, they hustle and they are quite competitive.  I would say they get that from Beth but you’d know that is also an outright lie. 

They have figured out two things:  1)  The more they pass and the quicker they pass the more I get tired and can’t keep up.  2)  If they can keep me on the perimeter and force me to shoot from three point land the odds are in their favor.  Currently the hoop is lowered to 8 foot 6 inches and well, I think even Greg could dunk at that height.  Implement 1 and 2 in the game and it makes for a fun game.

After a warm up game I suggested we play a game for dishes.  The loser would have to do dishes.  They balked at this, smart kids, sensing a trap.  After I explained to them they were doing dishes anyway so they might as well take a chance to get out of dishes they agreed.  We played five days in a row for dishes and I ended up doing dishes 3 out of the 5.

Now they are asking to play basketball for their other chores.  Smart kids.  They definitely get that from Beth and that is no lie.
 

05 Feb 07 Am I Speaking Chinese?

For some reason I’m having trouble finishing sentences.  The last few conversations I’ve had today have ended with my mouth moving, words coming out of my mouth that mean who knows what.

Me - Ok, we appreciate your work in this ministry area.

Them - Glad to help, see you later.

Me - Cude.

What?  Cude?  What does that mean?  Where did that come from?  A solitary event perhaps had it not been for the tail end of this conversation.

Me - Did I send you something?

Them - No, I guess not, I think we just talked in generalities.

Me - Ok, I can put something on paper and send it to you.  It will take me a couple of days.

Them - No problem.

Me - sas got em.

What?  sas got em?  I’m laughing right this very minute because I have no idea why I said what I said or any idea what I said.  It’s as if the spirit of Robert Tilton has invaded the tail end of my conversations.  If anyone has a clue please let me know because right now I’ll I can say is Cude, sas got em.

02 Feb 07 It Seems Size Does Matter

According to the NFL at least.

Fall Creek Baptist Church was planning to have a big Super Bowl bash and show the game.

The NFL said no.

You would think the NFL was looking out for all those good church people, with all the beer and ED commercials.

Once again, no.

Sure, the church in question was planning on charging admission (dumb idea) but they dropped that idea after the well worded letter from NFL attorneys.

Still, they wanted to show the game and have a big party for their congregants and their community.

The NFL said no.

The NFL said the law forbids watching the Super Bowl on more than one televison AND on a television larger than 55 inches.

Did you catch that last part?

According to the NFL it is against the law to watch the Super Bowl on more than one television.

AND

According to the NFL it is against the law to watch the Super Bowl on a television larger than 55 inches.

Uh oh.

01 Feb 07 Ghost Town

I was out last night in the back yard cooking a tri-tip on the barbie.  It was around 7PM.  The night sky was clear.  The moon was shining bright.  You could almost hear the twinkle, twinkle of the stars.  It was certainly quiet enough.

From my vantage point, I looked up and down the rows of houses in our neighborhood (a term that doesn’t mean what it used to mean).  No one was home.  2 out 20 on a Wednesday night @ 7PM.  Were they all at church?  Possibly, but probably not.

As I reflected on the significance of this revelation I remembered that we hardly ever see anybody.  The time doesn’t matter.  The day doesn’t matter.  The weather doesn’t matter.  Our housing subdivision is a Ghost Town (without the period actors dueling it out in mock gunfights).

We were meant to be in community, to build and maintain healthy relationships.  Impossible when people rarely see each other.