IPOD Add For June

The latest add to my IPod is the song I Need You, by The Swift. The melody is simple and yet beautiful, however the words make the impact of this song. The lyrics of I Need You are written below:

My heart is restless in me
My wings are all worn out
I'm walking in the wilderness
And I cannot get outI need
You, Oh, I need
YouBlessed Savior come
I need You, Oh, I need
YouFill the every longing in my soul
-------------------------------------

Chorus

Oh, how I need You, Lord

I need Your perfect Word

With tearful eyes to see

The sin that I afford

I need to weep and prayer

For all the thousand ways

That I have failed

------------------------------------

You just today

My bed is soaked with sadness

My sadness has no end

A downward spiral of despair

That I keep falling in

I need You, Oh, I need You

To You my soul shall fly

I need You, Oh,

I need You

Yaweh, how I love

You more than life

--------------------

CHORUS

Your silence is like death to me

So won't You hear my desperate plea

--------------------

Today my soul is soaring

Way over mountains high

Though I can see the valleys

They're all just passing by

It's not that I am stronger

Look at my feeble wings

But I've been lifted higher

Yaweh's lifted me in

His own strength

--------------------

Oh, how I love You, LordI love

Your perfect Word

With tearful eyes to see

The God who always will endure

Now I will celebrate

For all the thousand ways

That You have shown me grace

And made my heart in grace to stay

You've made my heart in grace to stay

Lord, make my heart in grace to stay

--------------------

I need You, Oh, I need You

I think these words speak so deeply to me because they reflect the sorrowful status of us as man (or woman) living in a world affected by the original fall of man, first described in Genesis 3 Paul writes in Romans 7:15

I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.

It’s this recognition that we’re not worthy to approach God and our faith in Christ is the only thing that allows us to be acceptable to God. As the chorus of the songs says,

Oh, how I need You, LordI need Your perfect WordWith tearful eyes to see The sin that I affordI need to weep and prayerFor all the thousand waysThat I have failed You just today

If you want to hear the song I Need You, click the link http://www.purevolume.com/theswift and click the words I Need You which will start the song.

Pomp & Circumstance

This last weekend was an eventful one. My daughter has been studying at Calvary Chapel Bible College and has attained her Theology Degree. Although she’s spent the last two semesters in York, England, we traveled to the main campus in Murrieta, California, where she spent her first year, to attend the graduation ceremony. The other big event was my daughter turned twenty, no longer a teenager. Two more milestones that say she’s heading out on a life of her own. I told her that she was supposed to stay four years old and not grow up on me. She laughed, probably not realizing that I meant it.

Part of the anxiety of my little girl growing up is she’ll be striking out on her own soon. It’s hard to let go of her and put her completely in God’s hands. I’m one of those fathers that would sit up and wait for her, when she was out with her friends, until she got home, regardless of the time. Just for the record, I’m not any better regarding my son. A married man of 24, in my mind he’s all of five years old. It’s been difficult to let go knowing that he and his wife need to strike out on their own.

I’m really going to have to put I Peter 5:7 to the test. You know the passage:

Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

Solomon writes in I Psalm 127:3 that children are a reward from the Lord. I thank the Lord for rewarding me with such wonderful children. A reward that lives on regardless of age.

That's The Power of Prayer

Our pastor gave a very compelling sermon last Sunday. One of his points was that if prayer is important to a believer, then the believer will make time for prayer and prioritize higher in their lives. Just as we ensure we’re at work on time, cook our meals, & maintain other essential things in our lives, we should devote and prioritize prayer to be important in our lives.

But why should prayer be considered as important in our lives as other necessities of life?

Leaders of great nations have called out you God for help and comfort. King David wrote:

But I cry to you for help, O LORD; in the morning my prayer comes before you. Psalm 88:13

National leaders have also asked God for the direction their nation should take.

Pray that the LORD your God will tell us where we should go and what we should do.Jeremiah 42:3

Our Lord spent many, many hours in prayer. InLuke 6:11-13, Jesus asks for guidance in picking the men that would be carrying on his ministry after he has gone back to heaven.

One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles

He also gives his followers a warning:

Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him. On reaching the place, he said to them, "Pray that you will not fall into temptation." He withdrew about a stone's throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed,Luke 22:39-41

After he returned to heaven, his followers continued on with the practice of prayer, knowing the importance of it.

They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.Acts 1:13-15

So they proposed two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias. Then they prayed, "Lord, you know everyone's heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen to take over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go where he belongs."Acts 1:23-25

Prayer builds our relationship with God. Cornelius the centurion’s prayers were considered a memorial offering to God & in Proverbs, we’re told the prayer of the upright pleases him.

At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment. He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly. One day at about three in the afternoon he had a vision. He distinctly saw an angel of God, who came to him and said, "Cornelius!"
Cornelius stared at him in fear. "What is it, Lord?" he asked.

The angel answered, "Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God.Acts 10:1-4

The LORD detests the sacrifice of the wicked, but the prayer of the upright pleases him.Proverbs 15:8

We are to be faithful in prayer (Romans 12:11-13) and the writer of Philippians encourages us by writing:

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Philippians 4:6

I Will Lift My Eyes

I Will Lift My Eyes by Bebo Norman, an inspiring video:

The Light In The Window

Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God
Povey stained glass windows First Presbyterian Church Astoria, Or

I don’t know what it is about stained glass windows that stir joyful emotions within me. I find the colors and imagery inspiring. The spiritual messages of the church windows tell a story that cannot be paralleled for me. I visited Astoria Oregon, last month and had an opportunity to view the windows of the First Presbyterian Church while I was there. The windows were created by the Povey Brothers who crafted windows during the early 1900. These windows are celebrated today as great works of art throughout the Northwest. The rich colors glorify the life and words of Christ. In the center of one of the windows is written, “Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God.” These words were first spoken by Christ when he was teaching a crowd on a mountainside, as recorded in
Matthew 5:1-12.

Have you seen stained glass windows at night? Without the light the windows are dull, dark, drab, and the images are hard to make out. But add the sunlight and the windows spring to life shining with messages and inspiration for all to see and believe.

Without Christ in our lives, we are like the drab dark windows void of light. Jesus is the light that makes us come to life, to shine with his message of hope and love for all who accept his gift of salvation. We know this because John 8:12 tells us:


When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

And 1 John 1:7 states:

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

This verse takes us back to the message in one of the Presbyterian Church windows, “Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God.” Can we purify ourselves and make ourselves worthy enough to see God and to one day live with him? According 1 John 1:7, the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

Nothing we can do makes us acceptable to God, other than accepting the gift of salvation Christ offers us. We have faith that Christ’s salvation purifies us and make us worthy to see God. We thank God for the salvation of his Son Jesus.

Early On The First Day Of The Week

Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don't know where they have put him!"
So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. Then Simon Peter, who was behind him, arrived and went into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, as well as the burial cloth that had been around Jesus' head. The cloth was folded up by itself, separate from the linen. Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.)

Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene Then the disciples went back to their homes, but Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus' body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.
They asked her, "Woman, why are you crying?" "They have taken my Lord away," she said, "and I don't know where they have put him." At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. "Woman," he said, "why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?" Thinking he was the gardener, she said, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him." Jesus said to her, "Mary." She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, "Rabboni!" (which means Teacher). Jesus said, "Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, 'I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.' " Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: "I have seen the Lord!" And she told them that he had said these things to her. John 20:1-18

Good Friday - The Crucifixion

Stations of the Cross St. Mary's Church Conwy, Wales

It was the third hour when they crucified him. The written notice of the charge against him read: THE KING OF THE JEWS. They crucified two robbers with him, one on his right and one on his left. Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, "So! You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, come down from the cross and save yourself!"
In the same way the chief priests and the teachers of the law mocked him among themselves. "He saved others," they said, "but he can't save himself! Let this Christ, this King of Israel, come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe." Those crucified with him also heaped insults on him.
The Death of Jesus At the sixth hour darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour. And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"—which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"
When some of those standing near heard this, they said, "Listen, he's calling Elijah."
One man ran, filled a sponge with wine vinegar, put it on a stick, and offered it to Jesus to drink. "Now leave him alone. Let's see if Elijah comes to take him down," he said.
With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last.
The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, heard his cry and saw how he died, he said, "Surely this man was the Son of God!" Mark 15:25-39

What's on my IPod

What’s on my IPod?

I first heard the song “How To Save A Life” by “The Fray” on my favorite radio station, Air 1. The melody and voices immediately caught my attention and pulled me from my thoughts of work and the bumper to bumper commute that is Eagle Road. In subsequent days, I would make sure the radio was on and the sound was up in hopes that “How To Save A Life” would be played. I began to hear this song in other places as well. The song is played on both secular and Christian radio stations. Of course the next step was to get it onto my IPod and a quick stop at the ITunes store made it a reality. The song spoke to me in two ways.

The first was Isaac Slade’s inspiration for writing the words of the song. Isaac worked as a counselor for a camp catering to troubled teens. On the song’s web site and in USA Today, Isaac expresses his feelings of inadequacy at trying to counsel kids who were younger than he was in years and yet had experienced so much more, most of which was not positive. A little investigation revealed that the song speaks to teens, and really people of all ages and in various walks of life. From this song has sprung the Save A Life Campaign, focusing on working with kids to make the right moral choices. Click here to read some of the most heart tugging stories you’ll ever read from posters on their info-board.

The second way this song spoke to me was more on a spiritual level. In fact when I first heard the song, without knowing the story behind it, I envisioned it referring to a believer sharing his/her faith with an unbeliever. If you think about it, there are many parallels to saving a physical life and saving a spiritual life. I likened it to the pain one feels when he or she bares his/her soul, sharing the faith that equates to saving a life and yet the person with whom they are sharing their faith closes his or her mind, puts up a wall, and with glazed over eyes changes the subject.

Paul puts it best in Romans 9:

I speak the truth in Christ—I am not lying, my conscience confirms it in the Holy Spirit— I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, those of my own race, the people of Israel.

We as believers need to take action. I would humbly encourage you to look for an opportunity to make a difference in the life of our nation’s youth. There are many opportunities to help out, but two that are close to my heart are Royal Family Kids’ Camp and Southern Cross Kids’ Camp. These camps work with foster children and I’ve been told time and time again by foster parents that this one week of camp makes a big difference in these kids’ lives for years to come. Are you interested in learning more, click on these links, RFKC, SCKC or email webmaster@rfkcboise.org.

If you are not yet a believer in Christ, I would plead with you to actively seek him with an open mind, resisting the urge to fall back on preconceived biases and stereotypes.

Do you want to see the music video for "How To Save A Life"?

Diverse And Yet The Same

One of my friends gave me a book to read over the Christmas break. This book chronicles the life of a fellow believer. The one of the thing that really struck me was we were so different in so many ways. His approach to and views of life are so different from mine that we could best be described as polar opposites. And yet, he and I had that common thread, our belief in Christ and the salvation Christ offers. The book tells about how he was able to share Christ’s love with students at a local Liberal Arts College. This was in large part due to his ability to relate to these students & understand where they were coming from, something I would not likely be able to do.

Soon there after, the pastor of our church discussed the diverse backgrounds of Christ’s first apostles. The topic intrigued me and I decided to do a study of the lives of some of Christ’s followers. The profiles below list some of the results of my research:

Profiles of the 12 Apostles of Christ

- Simon also called Peter: Home town Bethsaida, married, occupation fisherman working with his brother Andrew & father John. tapped by Jesus to witness the transfiguration of Jesus. Christ tells Peter that he will use Peter to build his church. During Christ’s arrest, Peter cut the ear off of one of the High Priest’s servants in defense of Christ. Later on, Peter denies Christ 3 times first at the gate of & later in the courtyard of the High Priest while waiting to hear of Christ’s outcome. Peter was the first to reach the tomb when told that the body of Christ was gone. After Christ’s death, Peter returned to what he knew best, fishing. Christ, after his resurrection, met with Peter and reinstated him. In Acts 2, Peter began his role as the leader of the small Christian Church. God spoke to Peter in a vision and told him that it is not a sin to associate with the Gentiles. Peter is part of the leadership for the Christian Church in Jerusalem and spoke at the Jerusalem council working with the rest of the leaders to determine what the Gentiles should follow in terms of Christian religious practices.

- Andrew: Brother of Peter home town Bethsaida, he was a disciple of John the Baptist. He sought out Jesus after John the Baptist proclaimed Christ as the Lamb of God, introduced his brother Peter to Christ. During the feeding of the 5000, Andrew found the fish & bread Jesus used to feed the crowd

- James: Father Zebedee, Brother John, known as a son of thunder, worked as fishermen on the Sea of Galilee with his father, brother, & their employees, chosen by Jesus to witness the transfiguration of Jesus.

- John: Father Zebedee Brother of James, known as a son of thunder, worked as fishermen on the Sea of Galilee with his father, brother, & their employees. Chosen by Jesus to witness the transfiguration of Jesus.

- Philip: Home town Bethesda, he was a disciple of John the Baptist, sought out Jesus after John the Baptist proclaimed Christ as the Lamb of God. During the feeding of the 5000 Jesus asked Philip how he should feed them all & Philip responded 8 months wages wouldn’t feed this crowd.

- Bartholomew: He was an apostle that doesn’t have much written about him beyond Acts 1. As with most of the believers in this world, much of his work is not recorded, yet God knows & recognizes what he has accomplished.

- Thomas: When Jesus decided to go back to Judea, Thomas said, “Let us go that we may die with him”, when Jesus said he was returning to Heaven, Thomas said, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?" Of course Thomas is most known for doubting that Jesus was who he said he was after Christ’s resurrection. But Thomas’ response, after he understood that Christ had been resurrected was, "My Lord and my God!"

- Matthew (Levi): Son of Alphaeus, Matthew was a tax collector. Tax collectors had the reputation of being dishonest & usually amassed a lot of wealth through ill gotten gains. Later he recorded Christ’s linage & life in the book of Matthew.

- James Alphaeus’ son: James is another apostle that doesn’t have much written about him in the Bible. James is listed as being a part of the 12 apostles who saw Christ ascend into heaven. He continued with on Christ’s work.

- Thaddaeus (Judas): Thaddaeus also known as Judas James’ son. He asked the Lord why the Lord showed who he truly is to his disciples but not the rest of the world. Jesus replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.

- Simon the Zealot: Zealots were opposed to Roman rule, certain factions would carry daggers and murdered those who collaborated with the Romans. For a short period of time the Zealots were able to push the Romans out, but later they were defeated.

- Judas Iscariot: Son of Simon, Judas was the treasurer for Christ and the apostles. It was later noted that he took advantage of this role by skimming money off of the top. Judas betrayed Christ for thirty pieces of silver, paid by the chief priests. Judas later regreted his decision to betray Jesus and commited suicide.

-Matthias: Peter and the rest of the young church determined, based on scripture, that Judas’ position as an apostle should be filled with another person. The requirements were that the replacement should be someone who had been with them the whole time the Lord Jesus was with them, beginning from the time when John baptized Christ to the time Christ was resurrected. Matthias was chosen to replace Judas.

Other followers of Christ

- Nathanael: From Cana in Galilee, upon seeing Nathanael, Jesus declares here is a true Israelite in whom there is nothing false. After Jesus told Nathanael what Nathanael had done prior to their meeting, Nathanael declares Rabbi you are the Son of God

- Paul (Saul): Paul was a Roman citizen, from the tribe Benjamin, born in the city of Tarsus in Cilicia. He was a son of a Pharisee, studied Jewish law under the teacher Gamaliel. At first Paul was a strong persecutor of the Christian Church. Later he converted to Christianity after having a miraculous encounter with Jesus Christ while on his way to Damascus. Paul spent the rest of his life traveling throughout the ancient world telling others of Christ’s gift of salvation. He did this in the face of great adversity. He was whipped several times, beaten with rods, stoned, shipwrecked, nearly drowned in rivers, confronted by bandits, received death threats by his own people, & people of other countries.

As we scan through the backgrounds of the Apostles, we find men representing all walks of life. They were fishermen, anarchists, government officials & highly educated religious leaders. The bond that cemented this diverse group together was Christ.

Today's body of believers in Jesus Christ is no less diverse than that of the first church, and yet so many times we have a narrow image in our minds of how a Christian should act, speak or look. I think sometimes we doubt the authenticity of someone who clams to be a believer and yet doesn’t fit our image of a Christian. I will admit that from time to time, I am guilty of this mistake.

As believers, I would encourage all of us to lean on the Holy Spirit and that bond of Christ to knit us together and keep us from being judgmental. If you are a believer in Christ who has felt like you don’t fit in with the Christian norm, take heart, God has created you exactly as you are and given you the things you’ve experience to prepare you to share your life and Christ’s salvation with that one person, or group of people that only you can reach.



Reference:

zealot

Matthew 9:9, Matthew 10:2, Matthew 17:1-3, Mark 2:14, Mark 3:17-18, Luke 6:13, John 1:29-51, John 6:5-8,John 11:15-17, John 13, John 14:21-24,John 21,Acts 1,Acts 10,Acts 15,Acts 16,Acts 22,Acts 23,Romans 11,2 Corinthians 11:24-26

A Westie Valentine Greeting

Westie and family wish you a very Happy Valentine’s Day




One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question:
"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."
Matthew 22:35-40

WOW- What a Question

I mentioned in a prior post that I attend a Bible Study group named BSF. A question in last weeks lesson really stopped me in my tracks.

We’ve been studying a letter Saint Paul wrote to the Romans. In a segment of the letter, Paul is distraught over the systematic rejection by his fellow countrymen of his message of Christ as the Messiah. Specifically Paul wrote:

I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, those of my own race, the people of Israel Romans 9:1-4

A paraphrase of the question I was asked to contemplate was, if Christ was truly not a part of my life, what would be my loss?

I had a good friend who battled cancer for a number of years. We’d go to lunch when she was strong enough. She used to tell me that she was going to fight this disease with everything she had and if it was not enough, she would go to a place of great rest to be with her Lord. She would say to me, “Doug, I just don’t know how someone can get through something like this without God.” She did lose that battle with cancer, but was freed to go away to a time of peace and rest with her Lord, free of chemotherapy, blood platelet transfusions, radiation, pain & fatigue. Her comment was a restatement of the question, what if Christ was not a part of her life.

This BSF question really caused me to think about what it would like to be without Christ in my life. I’ve been so blessed to really not know what that would be like. Christ, in his mercy introduced his salvation and his love to me at a very early age. I had the blessing of a Christian mother, who prayed earnestly for me and taught me of His love and His salvation (Her lunch time stories complete with flannel graph and cutout Biblical characters will have to come at a later time).

My multi-part answer to this question seemed to flood form the tip of my pen once I got past the inconceivable idea of His not being in my life. While writing this answer, I had a sick feeling in my stomach that I must admit really surprised me. Although the words came directly from my heart, I’ve subsequently scanned the Bible and included supporting verses with a desire to further explain my thoughts.

Part one: I would have no hope

I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, Ephesians 1:18

Part two: I would not have a future, a promise of eternal life

And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. I John 5: 11-12

Part three: I would not have an advocate on my behalf in heaven

For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant. Hebrews 9:15

These thoughts and feelings gave me insight into how the people around me, who have not built that relationship with Christ and have the hope, future, eternal life and advocacy in heaven must feel day after day year after year. As my late friend asked, how do they do it?

Christ’s offer is open to everyone. Jesus said himself:

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16

And later, Paul writes:

That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:9

If you have not taken advantage of Christ’s gift, I would greatly encourage you to earnestly investigate and seek out what it means to be a part of his plan for eternal life. For those who have accepted this eternal gift, Paul offers these additional comforts:

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39

Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. 2 Corinthians 1:21-22

If you are interested in doing an in-depth study of the Bible, I would strongly recommend Bible Study Fellowship (BSF). Whether you’ve been studying the Bible for decades, or have not cracked the cover open, BSF offers a level playing field for everyone to join in and discuss the words the Holy Spirit has put on their heart. It’s likely there’s a BSF study group in your city or a city near you. Click (here) to see.

The Oils of Nature

Last weekend, my wife and I spent some time at a gallery showing, which had a display of the artwork of one of my wife’s closest friends. It was interesting to see how her art has progressed over the years. We have a pencil sketch she did of my wife and her, during their senior year and we have a watercolor she gave us as a wedding present. Her medium now is oils, or at least for this gallery showing, the works were all in oils. Although based in Seattle, Washington, her paintings are reflective of the most beautiful natural scenes throughout Idaho and Washington. I thought it might be interesting to do a brief scan of how artwork was used through the historical record of the Bible.

The first mention of any type of artistic endeavors was in 6th generation of Cain’s family line(more on Cain). 1 Genesis 4:21 & 22 states, Jubal; he was the father of all who play the harp and flute & Tubal-Cain, … forged all kinds of tools out of bronze and iron.

In 1 Genesis 24:53 Rebekah is given gold and silver jewelry as engagement presents when she agrees to marry Isaac. We see artisans using their skills to glorify God in Exodus 25:10-30. God gives instructions for the artisans to create:

- A chest, known as the Ark, that is overlaid with gold, gold rings installed to carry it by & gold cherubim located on the cover.

- A table of wood overlaid with gold and gold plates, dishes bowls, & pitchers to hold the bread of the Presence.

- A lamp stand of pure gold with flowerlike cups buds and blossoms along with seven gold lamps.


Peter tells us, “Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms.” 1 Peter 4:10

What possible conclusions might we draw from this brief scan. First, God never gives up on anyone and he can use them to bring about great things. Cain failed giving into his anger, and yet from his family came the beginnings of music and working with metals. Art can be used to represent the tokens of love we have for each other, as it did between Isaac & Rebekah, sometimes representing the emotions we feel. Art can be used to glorify and worship God as it did in the Tent of Meeting (the first Tabernacle). And last but not least we should use our talents, skills, & gifts to serve others with an eye toward demonstrating with those gifts, the grace God has shown and given us.

Fantastic Football Fiesta

It’s been a week now and the Boise Metro-area is still buzzing with the big win; Boise State University (BSU) Broncos win the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl. For those of you who were not familiar with BSU Football, or didn’t see the game, BSU won it, 43-42 in an overtime victory. Suddenly, everyone is a BSU Bronco. Businesses offer their congratulations via their road signs, many cars are flying Broncos flags from their doors, and the talk around the office water cooler is still about that last play that gave us the lead. Everywhere you look, people are sporting BSU sweatshirts or tee-shirts. Retailers say they can’t keep Bronco’s paraphernalia on the shelves. Yes everyone loves a winner and people who were never fans before are now ardent followers. I can remember a few years back where BSU wasn’t winning their games and their following was much smaller. There was nary a BSU sweatshirt to be seen. At that time the Broncos didn’t fit that image of being “Winners”.

Early in Christ’s ministry, people flocked to him. In John 6:1-13 Jesus feeds 5000 + people and this miracle proclaims his greatness to them. People considered Christ a winner.

John 6:15 states, “Jesus knowing that they were going to make him king by force, withdrew again to the mountains by himself.”

Certainly if Christ had given in to the temptation of power, and glory, the iron hand of the Romans would have crush the movement.

However the people are persistent. John 6:24 Once the crowd realized that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and went to Capernaum in search of Jesus.

The people wanted to put Jesus in the role of there choosing and did not understand what God had planned for him. Jesus tried to explain God’s plan for him in John 6:40 when he stated,

“For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day."

God’s plan was for Christ to be savior of the world, but this did not meet with the people’s expectations.

John 6:41-42 At this the Jews began to grumble about him because he said, "I am the bread that came down from heaven." They said, "Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, 'I came down from heaven'?"
John 6:60-65 On hearing it, many of his disciples said, "This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?" Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, "Does this offend you? What if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before! The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life. Yet there are some of you who do not believe." For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him. He went on to say, "This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled him."

The people had their own idea of how eternal life was to be gained. While they were willing to make him their king, they were not willing to make him their Messiah (savior).

From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him. John 6:66

I have spoken to many friends and family members who have found Christ’s teachings hard and have ignored God’s plan of salvation through Christ. They have derived their own free form ideas of how they will attain eternal life. The most popular seems to be the idea of great scales in the sky that weigh their deeds and if the good ones out way the bad ones, they make it into heaven. A close second is the idea that as long as you’re trying to commune with God, whether he is Allah, Buddha, or another religious deity, you’ll gain eternal life. But scripture tells us that for those who had similar ideas during Christ's time:

To this, Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6

If you are a person who has preconceived ideas about who Christ is, I would encourage you to search the scriptures, ignoring your bias and read his words with an open mind.

A Bright 2007

Winter Garden Aglow
Idaho Botanical Garden

We had the opportunity to tour the Idaho Botanical Garden’s Winter Aglow display. 250,000 lights cover the plants, arbors, and walls of the garden. I couldn’t help but think that it must take months to put the lights up and then take them down after the season & I pitied the poor person(s) who has to carry out this work. New Year's Day is the time we typically begin pulling down our Christmas lights, both indoor & out, ornaments, & decorations and box them up for storage. I must admit that this is not one of my most favorite things to do. I’m glad when it‘s complete and we’re back to our normal routine, although I do miss the cheeriness & colors the lights provide.

There is another light that is with me at all times, and I depend on it to guide me through my life. It is written:

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life ." John 8:12

I thank God for providing his Son to be the light of life and Christ’s willingness to make the sacrifice to become that light.

Prince Of Peace

Christmas 2006























Baby's First Chrismas 1982
Baby's First Chrismas 1987

























Our family Christmas tree has become a diary of the special events in our lives. My wife and I started a tradition of buying a dated ornament each year starting with the first year we were married. We have ornaments that celebrate “Our First Christmas together” as well as our major anniversaries. We’ve also tried to pick up ornaments on our major vacations and other highlights of our life together. Two ornaments that commemorate two of the most important events in our lives are “Baby’s First Christmas”. These two ornaments represent God’s greatest blessings to me, my children. My son and my daughter have brought me such great joy to my life, which words can’t describe. My son’s bright smile and sense of humor, along with my daughter’s sparkling eyes and bubbly laugh bring warmth, joy and light into a room with them. When either of them leaves, the room seems a little darker and emptier.

The birth of another child is foretold in Isaiah 9:6,

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

This child is Jesus Christ, whose birth we celebrate at this time. One can only image the love & joy Mary must have felt for this baby, much as we feel for our own children. There must have been a special sense of excitement and of purpose. Just a few month’s earlier, Mary had been visited by an angel who had told her:

You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end."Luke 1:31-33,

This child brought love, light, joy, and the gift of salvation, the most important blessing God’s bestowed on me. This gift of salvation has the added blessing of peace, the peace that comes from knowing that your eternal life is secure with God. The Prince of Peace offers you a special Christmas gift:

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:8-9

That faith is a faith in Jesus Christ, that he is the risen Son of God and he has the power to give us eternal life. Christ has a Christmas gift for you, and you only need to accept it from him to have the gift of salvation and in turn the blessing of peace.

Merry Christmas to you and to those you love.

Are You My Mission?

From as far back as I can remember, missionaries would come to the churches to which we belonged, and give reports on the work that had been done, in the name of Christ, in other lands. I can remember being a small child, fascinated with the stories of distant people and places, often times hanging on the missionary’s every word. If you're like me, when you hear the word missionary, missions, or missions work, images of selfless workers treading through jungles, fighting thirst and malaria come to mind. I remember a time when I was in High School and a visiting missionary was giving a sermon. The missionary ask, would you be willing to go and tell someone about the saving grace of Jesus, (or at least words to that effect) if so, please stand up. God's Holy Spirit spoke to my heart and ask that same question, and I felt compelled to say yes, in my heart and to stand up signifying that I would do so.

I was a little surprised when after dinner, my mother approached me and said that her friend caught her after church and told her how exciting it was that I have committed to being a missionary. My reply was, "When did I do that?" Sometimes I can be quite literal, when the missionary asked would someone be willing to tell others about Christ, I was thinking, I'm willing to do so, but I had the students in my school and the people I worked with after schools in mind rather than hopping a plane for the missions field. It appeared to at least some of the members of the church, standing up meant I was leaving.

I think that sometimes it is easy for us to say, we don't have a calling to be a missionary and instead throw some money in the collection plate as it goes by to feel a part of the whole missions process. Please don't misunderstand me; I think it is very important to monetarily support missions. But I think there's more to the story than that. Christ says in John 4:35-36:

Do you not say, 'Four months more and then the harvest'? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. Even now the reaper draws his wages, even now he harvests the crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together.


I think he is telling us, you don't have to go any where to be a missionary, look around you, the workplace, your family, friends, people you golf with, the PTA, the list goes on, and these people are your and my mission fields. Some are asked of God to leave their homes and their families and travel far away. Two good friends of ours, Sue Carpenter & Carolyn Boyd, of Carpenter's Cross Ministries have made this great sacrifice and God has used them to make a difference in other parts of the world. But for those of us who have not felt that gentle nudge into foreign missions, I would say look around you the fields are ripe. I pray that our Lord would both encourage and empower me in this area.

Blessings of Art

We had the opportunity to attend a gallery showing for an artist named Akiane, a child prodigy. Akiane heard from God at an early age (4). From that point on, Akiane began drawing and later painting the inspirations from her prayers and worship of God. The paintings are so detailed and intricate that it’s hard to believe that it is a child who has painted them. For me, one of the most intriguing components of Akiane’s painting is how she paints the eyes of her subject. They emanate both light and love. At times it was hard to tear myself away from some of he paintings, but I did out of respect for the other art enthusiast who wanted to get a better look

Many of the aspects of Akaine’s calling are similar to Samuel’s calling. In
1 Samuel 3, we read:

7 Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD: The word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him.

8 The LORD called Samuel a third time, and Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, "Here I am; you called me."
Then Eli realized that the LORD was calling the boy. 9 So Eli told Samuel, "Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, 'Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.' " So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

10 The LORD came and stood there, calling as at the other times, "Samuel! Samuel!"
Then Samuel said, "Speak, for your servant is listening."

If you’re in the Boise Metro area and want to view her work, the show continues until December 18th or some of her work can be view on her web site. http://www.artakiane.com/ .

Turkey, Westie, & Pie - Oh My

We had a new family member at the Thanksgiving table this year. We bought a little West Highland Terrier. Our little Westie is quite a handful but has already brought us a lot of joy. We had a small group of family members in attendance in addition to our Westie.







Thanksgiving is a reminder that God is the source of the multitude of blessings we enjoy and to him we are thankful. Giving thanks to God is recorded throughout the Bible.

In
Ephesians 1:15-18, Paul writes that he is continually giving thanks for the believers in Christ.

The writer of Colossians tells us, “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” Colossians 3:17.

In my blog entry A Knight’s Tale, I write of Daniel’s commitment to prayer, and that prayer came at a great price. One thing that was not immediately clear to me at that time was that Daniel in fact giving thanks to God during his prayer. Daniel continued to give thanks even after the king made his decree that no one shall offer prayers to any other god other than prayers to himself. If you would like to refresh your memory regarding Daniel’s story, you can find it in Daniel 6.

I am reminded once again that dedication to prayer is fundamental to growing a relationship with God.

Election 2006

George W. Bush called me the other day. Ok really it was a recording of George W. Bush and some type of auto-dialer, which called me and urged me to vote Republican. He wasn’t the only one; there were recorded voices of teachers and local politicians, all encouraging me to see their way. Throw in a ton of TV commercials and I’ll admit that I'm fairly burned out on the whole thing. So did Election 2006 turn out to your liking?

I certainly got an earful post election from friends and family, who were beside themselves about the election results. The funny thing is, they supported different parties and yet for one reason or another, all were unhappy. There’s been a lot of talk over the last couple of years regarding the polarizing affects of the political battles that have taken place in our country.

The Bible offers us guidance in how we should respond to government and its officials. Peter writes:

Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every authority instituted among men:
whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent
by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right.
1 Peter 2:12-14

And Titus 3:1-3 states:

Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities,
to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be
peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility toward all men.

Titus 3:1-3

As Christians, we do have unity regardless of the political party we support. Colossians 1:15-17 reminds us that above all else, God is in control of all things in this world including governments and rulers. We can unite together and pray for our leaders, our country, and for God’s working our country.

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. Colossians 1:15-17

Goin' to The Chapel & We're Goin' Ta Get Married

First Methodist Church Boise, Idaho

(Cathedral of the Rockies)

My niece, or really my wife's niece got married last Saturday. She’s a beautiful young girl, both inside and out, and her new husband is one of those genuinely nice guys who cherishes his new bride. I referred to my wife’s niece as my niece because over our 27 year span of marriage, the family lines tend to blend. I remember when the bride was born, and before my eyes, turning from a darling little curly haired girl to a young woman of grace and charm.
There’s something about a wedding that brings joy into one’s heart. Attending weddings always reminds me of my own. That was one if the happiest days of my life. We spend so much time planning for the wedding (ok my wife planned and I showed up wherever I was suppose to show up) not realizing that it’s a brief moment, a few hours, in a journey taken together for a life time. Once the wedding becomes a cherished memory, we’re left with each other and learning how to live and grow together. One of the greatest blessings God can grant a man is a wife that reflects the words of Solomon in his Epilogue: The Wife of Noble Character

Proverbs 31: 9-31. The Epilogue begins with:

A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies.
In verse 30 he writes, “…but a woman who fears the LORD is to be
praised.”

I can truly say that God has granted me such a wife. I’m thankful for this blessing, and the life we share together.