CHRISTIAN COGNITION

"THE DEVIL IN PEW NUMBER SEVEN", by Rebecca Nichols Alonzo (with Bob DeMoss)

2012-01-29T19:48:00.002-05:00

It was the early '70's, and Rebecca and Daniel Nichols' lives would be changed forever when their young parents, Robert and Ramona Nichols, would be terrorized and eventually murdered by a member of the church Robert pastored in North Carolina.

After being hired as the pastor of a small-town church, Rev. Robert Nichols soon began cleaning house. He removed certain people from influential positions, including one particular man who had a stranglehold not only on the church, but on the community. Mr. Harry Watts did not like the fact hat he was being removed from power. He was a wealthy man, and he wanted the Nichols family gone..."walking, crawling, dead, or alive."

Over the course of a handful of years, Watts terrorized the Nichols family with an endless barrage of anonymous threatening phone calls and letters, bombings (known as the "Sellerstown [NC] Bombings"), and gunfire. He hired henchmen to do the bulk of his dirty work, and planted lies of an adulterous affair one man's wife was having with Rev. Nichols.

Those lies led that man, Mr. Harris Williams, to enter the Nichols home on the Thursday before Easter in 1978 and open fire on Robert and Ramona Nichols. Ramona died at the scene of the attack, and Robert died seven years later from complications of physical and mental health struggles as a result of the terror.

In 282 action-packed pages, Nichols takes her readers back in time to that fateful decade of terror. One wonders how they survived. More astonishingly, however, one wonders how Rebecca and Daniel Nichols could possibly forgive their parents' killers. Rebecca Nichols tells a wonderful story of God-ordained grace and forgiveness for her enemies. She says, "forgiveness is the language of heaven."

Here are the questions that surface in the book: Was Rev. Nichols right for staying in Sellerstown, NC? Or should he have left, protecting his family from further harm? Should Rev. Nichols have defended his family from the onslaught of attacks? Or does "turn the other cheek" apply to physical attacks as well? Would Rev. Nichols have been biblically justified in defending his family with deadly force? His choice was to let God defend them. His choice was grace and forgiveness. Would that be mine?

The story was researched and verified by CNN.COM. And in 2011, Rebecca and Daniel were reunited with Harris Williams on the "Dr. Phil Show". Their story is remarkably inspiring. It reads like a Hollywood thriller. I couldn't put it down, and completed it in just two days. It is a story of true crime punctuated by real grace. Don't hesitate to pick up your copy!

I give "The Devil in Pew Number Seven" 5 stars out of 5.

Disclaimer: I received this book free of charge from Tyndale House Publishers in exchange for my unbiased review. I was not threatened, coerced, or promised compensation for providing a favorable review. All opinions are mine.

"ISLAM, THE CLOAK OF ANTICHRIST", by Jack Smith

2012-01-24T19:26:00.001-05:00

The following is my review of WinePress Publishing's new release, written by Jack Smith, "Islam: the Cloak of Antichrist".

First, I feel obligation to inform you that this book is a thick and slow read. Although a heavy read, it's not boring by any stretch of the imagination. Be warned: Do not think you will simply skim through it if you hope to take anything away from it. Instead, I would suggest having your Bible (and even a Qu'ran if you can get your hands on a free one) next to you for reference and cross-reference as you go. This book was thoroughly researched and referenced. Of it's 350 pages, 50 pages consist of Smith's bibliography.

THEME: The basic premise of the book is this: Satan hides himself in his deceptions, never showing his face. Instead of revealing his hand, he disguises himself as an angel of light. He's sneaky and he's witty, but he also knows he's defeated. That's why he must deceive and trick. Islam, says Smith, is his cloak of deception; it's his "religion of peace". Not true peace, but the kind of peace that only comes by submitting to Islam.

FORMAT: As far as the format goes, I absolutely appreciated the way Smith put the book together. He begins with the basics of Islam, so even if the reader knows absolutely nothing about Islam, s/he will by the end of the book. Smith then builds each chapter upon the preceding chapter(s). But he doesn't simply present facts and references just once, expecting his readers to remember it all at first glance. Instead, he repeats the foundations over and over again as those facts weave their way into the big-picture story.

MID-TRIB / PRE-WRATH: For those afraid to consider the possibility of any eschatological view other than a pre-trib rapture, you may as well ignore this book. But if you are looking into differing opinions on the matter, this book is a great start. Smith lays out his interpretation of biblical eschatology quite convincingly. I think many people are in the same boat in which I find myself: pieces of each theory sound plausible, but I just don't know how to piece them all together.

Smith's eschatological view is A "Mid-tribulation / Pre-Wrath" rapture of the saints. Smith presents his reasoning that saints will endure the first half (3 1/2 years) of the Great 7-Year Tribulation, the onslaught of the Beast. At the Tribulation's mid-point, the saints will be raptured away. After the saints are removed, the final half (another 3 1/2 years) of great distress will be reserved for the Beast and those who follow him and his religion: Islam.
I had one difficulty with the book. Near the latter quarter of the book, Smith explains how Islam ties in with the eschatological view he presents. There, he details the alliances of countries that make up "Gog" in the great, final battle. Due in part to my confusion, in part to my skepticism due to past teaching I've received, and in part to the sheer amount of information, he lost me. Not because I disagreed or thought he wrote something wrong/bad, but because it was just so much packed into a short space of the book that I found myself losing focus. I had to re-read several sections in the latter parts of the book. All that said, it's likely just a difficulty I had. But I appreciated the applications Smith presented.
Most interestingly, this book is more than a simple theory of what he believes the last days will look like. Smith reveals how Islamic prophecy is actually very much in line with Christian prophecy. (You may need to read the book in order to fully understand that statement.) He reveals how Satan has always had his hand on the scabbard throughout history, and how he is wielding his sword with more fervor in these final days approaching the end of days. He reveals many things that have been kept from our eyes, and much of it is not pleasant.

CONCLUSION: Whether or not one agrees with Smith's final eschatological assessment, we are none-the-less forced to answer one question, as stated in the forward by Timothy R. Furnish, PhD: "...what all Christians should keep in mind as they read this excellent and well-researched book is this: pre-, a-, or even post-millenialism isn't the key issue; rather, how Christians will respond to Islam is."

WEBSITE: A website for the book is available to read portions of the book and to listen to lectures via WMA files. There is also an interactive blog that connects prophecy with current events.

AUDIO CONTENT: Unfortunately, the audio content on the website is in WMA format, rather than MP3 or WAV. So it is not compatible with iTunes or MP3 players in that format. But this is my review of his book, not his website. This part is just added bonus material.

RATING: The Cloak of Antichrist will open your eyes to what is occurring in our current events. On a 5-star scale, I give "Islam, the Cloak of Antichrist" a well-deserved 5 stars! This one is a must-have for those interested in Islam, Eschatology, and/or Prophecy.

Disclaimer: I received this book free of charge from WinePress Publishing in exchange for my unbiased review. I was not threatened, coerced, or promised favors in exchange for a positive review. All opinions in this review are mine.

#1 - WE ARE YOUR WORST CRITICS

2012-01-24T09:41:00.000-05:00

#1 - We like to point fingers in judgment

If you don't agree with us, you better run for cover.
If you don't live the life we think you should, look out.

When I was a young Christian lad, I was one of those people who was self-righteous, "holier than thou", judgmental. Whatever it is we want to call it, I was that guy. I always looked down my nose at others who weren't living their lives as good as I was. This was especially true of other Christians. Rather than personally helping a weaker brother or sister in Christ, I made sure to point out to them how weak they were.

I was this way for much of my young-adult life, too. That is, until I started my career in 1998. When I was a young cop, I drifted away from Christ for about 3 years. I was a "player" and a drinker. I chased women like a kid in a candy store, and I drank to get drunk. Suddenly, the people who were once my cohorts in judgment, were now my judges. I had the fingers pointed at me, suggesting how terrible I was.

I always sensed the Spirit of God gently nudging/pulling me back to Himself, convicting me of my sin, but never condemning me. His saints took care of that part for Him. (I say that tongue-in-cheek). One night, I prayed kneeling beside my bed, saying, "God, if I'm going to come back to you, I don't want to be "that guy" any longer. I don't like the fingers pointed at me. I don't want to do the same to others who may be weaker.

Today, I find it difficult to judge another man/woman for their life choices. Sure, I may not agree with them, but you know what? I've done some pretty sickening things in my life. I have no room to talk, the way I see it. I have no right to point fingers. When I grow judgmental, I get punched in the face for breaking my vow. I quickly have to repent.

Sadly, too many of us Christians are "that guy". We love pointing fingers and making people feel worse about themselves and their situation than they already do. The topics are endless: Divorce, Abortion, Alcohol, Tobacco use, Porn, Fatness, Foul language, etc.

But guess what. I have a secret. Shhhhhhhhhh. Don't tell anybody. I know Christians who have done alllllllllll of those things, and then some.

We are hypocrites in the worst way. (Yeah, yeah, I know...the entire world is full of hypocrites in every walk of life. But WE ought to set the example.) Yes, we agree, the church is full of hypocrites. A good many of us recognize our hypocrisy and we are working on eliminating it. But far too many of us put on a mask that we grabbed out of the closet, speak out of both sides of our mouths, and then deride others for their bad choices.

May God have mercy on us.

#2 - WE PROSELYTIZE FOR WRONG REASONS

2012-01-23T09:23:00.000-05:00

#2 - We proselytize because it makes us feel good about ourselves

I'll probably take a bit of flak for this one, but that's ok. The idea behind this experiment is to get people thinking and talking about issues we may disagree upon and possibly re-think our positions. So, I'll just dive right in.

I don't fully agree with short-term missions trips. There, I said it.

When I say "fully", I mean that there are some aspects with which I agree. I agree with helping people and doing work they may not be able to do themselves, or getting them supplies to which they may not normally have access. We are in a wealthy nation and in a good position to help people in need.

But the bulk of my angst stems from wondering what the motive is behind short-term missions trips.

"It's our desire to take the gospel into all the world, as commanded by the Scriptures", many would say. But if that's the case, why aren't we making these trips life-missions? Why go to Africa for only 10 days? How much can we possibly accomplish in such a short time?

"We're part of a larger organization where teams accomplish specific tasks before the next team comes in to complete their task."

Would humanity be better rewarded for long-term commitment instead of short-? What kind of impact would it have on the missionaries and the locals to know Christians are committed to people for the long-haul instead of just the trip across town?

If we're serious about seeing people in Africa fed and clothed, then why not take a sabbatical from our careers for a year and really do business? Obviously, I wouldn't expect many of us to do this. It would be very difficult to pack up the family and go when there are obligations and bills to pay at home. But if we're serious, then it seems we'll make it happen. Why not go long enough to actually build relationships with people, rather than simply performing a drive-by?

It is my opinion that the primary reason Christians embark upon these short-term missions excursions is to learn something about ourselves, or to feel good about getting our hands dirty for Jesus. But we can only commit to one week! It is my secondary opinion that we do them because we want to see another part of the world, so we may as well do something "good" while we're at it. The trip is the vehicle; the mission is the third-wheel.

The point is this: We don't need to fly to the opposite side of the globe in order to help hurting people or to share the good news of Jesus Christ. We all know neighborhoods in our immediate communities that need help and who need Jesus. There are several area agencies that can help point us in the right direction. There are even agencies that already have the ball rolling and they're simply in need of our help.

It is very difficult for Christians to get dirty with people close to us at home.

I'll state it another way.

It's much too easy to do drive-by missions. After all, we can leave in a week without further commitment. Missions abroad requires little more than a plane ticket, while missions at home requires on-going commitment.

Is it time for us to stop being commitment-phobes?

Is it time we "put up, or shut up", so to speak?

Jesus didn't have it easy. He busied Himself with the work of the Kingdom.

Are we too busy with Wii and sports on TV and 4-wheeling and studying and reading and........?

Are we too busy to commit to people, especially when we believe eternity is on the line?

#3 - THE BIG AGENDA:

2012-01-22T05:22:00.001-05:00

#3 - We have a difficult time making friends without an agenda to proselytize them

So far, I think this will be my most challenging rant because I want to be understanding of unbelievers' gripes about Christians, yet I want to be faithful to God's word and the Christian's commission. It is difficult because I know I am violating the #1 crime I think Christians commit -- judging. Also, I don't have the time to delve into the deep theology of the sovereignty of God in mans' salvation here. I'm just going to address the surface issues.

I have a co-worker who turns every -- I mean EVERY -- conversation into Jesus. While I admire his tenacity, the "Jesus talk" gets tiring. Quickly. When we're talking football or trucks, we're not talking about Jesus throwing a touchdown or torquing a wrench. While typing a report on a Sunday afternoon, a song played on the computer. He walked in and, without saying hello, said, "You're listening to that? And on the Lord's day?" (And no, it wasn't a bad song. Just a secular one.) The guy doesn't come across as sharing the good news of salvation. Instead, it's more as if he simply wants people to know how great a Christian he is by adding Christian-ese jargon to every possible conversation on the planet.

Oh, there's no doubt about knowing he's a believer. The result, however, is that people dread talking to him. And I don't blame them one bit; I feel the same way! What good is your witness if people don't care to talk to you? The same is true for all types of conversation. If all I talked day-in and day-out, from sun-up to sun-down, was police stuff, people -- including my wife and friends -- would puke with excitement whenever another opportunity at conversation with me arose.

The same goes for the Christian-ese conversation pieces. I love Jesus with all of my being, and I enjoy turning bane conversations into spiritual conversations. But sometimes I want to talk baseball, or books, or exercise. And that's what my friends want to talk about also -- WITHOUT DREADING BEING PROSELYTIZED. My co-worker has very good intentions, but it comes across the wrong way. It gives others the perception that he's not really as interested in them as he is in cramming the gospel in their faces.

This is where it is absolutely paramount for us Christians to trust the Holy Spirit for the power of convincing, convicting, and conversion. In explaining the Kingdom of God, Jesus told a parable of the soils, where seed (the message of Jesus) is scattered on various types of soil (people). Inherent in the parable is the understanding that the farmer has two basic jobs: First, to prepare the ground by weeding, tilling, etc. Second, to scatter the seed, but only after the ground was prepared. If he scattered before the ground was prepared, the soil wouldn't receive it and his efforts would be a wasted. The remainder -- ie, the watering and the growing -- were left up to God through nature.

The parable applies to our witness to the world. I find it careless to throw out the "seed" (the gospel) if/when people are not prepared to receive it. Build trust; build rapport. Trust the Holy Spirit for two things: to prepare people to receive and prompt us to speak when the time is right. We have to understand that the Holy Spirit is doing and will do His job. Remember, It is His job to water and grow the seed in a person. Not ours.

"We must go make disciples of all nations", someone will say.
"But Rome wasn't built in a day", I would reply.
Growth takes time. Coming to Jesus is sometimes -- often times -- a difficult decision for a person to make. No doubt, it is the most crucial decision anyone can make. But it takes time, like slow-cook simmering food in a pan.

When we grow close with people simply because they are our friends, we will know/sense proper timing of opportunities to share the gospel. I think we need to be cautious about making friends simply so we have more people to proselytize -- or cram. When the time is right, we must share; but when it's wrong, we must wait patiently. We need to accept the fact that maybe we are not the one to share to the person. But we also must be ready to share when we are called upon to do so.

As Mr. Miyagi once said, "Patience, Danyoson." Don't be afraid to be a friend. If you've tried to share the gospel and it is rejected, give it some time. But if you push it, you may push the person further away. In the meantime, just be a friend.

#4 - WE ARE IN LOVE WITH OURSELVES

2012-01-21T04:59:00.000-05:00

#4 - WE ARE PRIDEFUL...

...and we like it.
We love it, actually.
Because it proves to us we are better than everybody else.
You see, at the center of this thing we call ChristIanity is "I"...big fat I.
Don't you see it in there?
And "I" spells "ME" all day long!
While there may be no "I" in "team", there sure is in Christianity.

And that philosophy carries over to the gospel.
I am at the center of the gospel.
The gospel is all about what Jesus did for ME...
...and how He pursues ME to be in relationship with Him.
We have turned the message of the gospel into all that Jesus wants to do for US,
and how we wants to do nothing less than bless US.

But, ironically, we forget that Jesus died for people just like us, and that He is right now calling "them" -- US -- to Him.
Oh how quickly we forgot that we were ugly people when that happened.

After all, He died on the cross for ME, right?
We have gotten so much in the way that we have forgetten that Jesus died on the cross for HIM.
We forget that it glorified God to offer Jesus on the Cross for our sin, and that it was all about HIM.
It was -- and still is -- about HIS glory.
Not ours.

If it was about US, then we wouldn't need Him...
...but what He wants
is for US
to need HIM.

But our pride gets in the way of needing Him.
And if our foolish pride gets in the way of God, then you can be sure it gets in the way of other people who are watching us.

#5 - WE ARE BIBLICALLY ILLITERATE

2012-01-20T05:07:00.000-05:00

Maybe someone's joining us half-way through this experiment. If that's the case, maybe you're wondering what I'm up to. I took a challenge from a friend to be "anti-religion" from a Christian perspective for one week. I began with a "Top 10 list of senseless things Christians do" and chose to use those items as springboards for each of these "rants". We may not like it much, but sometimes it's not a bad idea to look critically at who we are or what we do (religious, political, racial, etc) from a different point of view. That is this series.

#5 - We are biblically illiterate

Sad, but true. Painfully true. I have unbelieving friends who know the big-picture story of the Bible better than many Christians I know. It seems like people who call themselves by Jesus' name should know the Book that is inseparable from His name. But rather than blather on, I will cite others who have written entire articles on the topic.

Here are just a few of the statistics:
Many professing Christians cannot identify more than two or three of the disciples.
Seven out of ten born again Christians said they do not believe in moral absolutes.
Only one out of ten Christians base their moral decision-making on the principles taught in the Bible.

Why can't we name them? Because we're not in God's word. No just "not enough", but hardly at all.
How can we possibly have moral absolutes when we lack a basis for understanding?

Why does this happen? One author has opined on that very question. "There are, no doubt, many reasons for the current predicament. In general we spend far less time reading anything at all in this culture, much less dense and demanding books like the Bible."

My beef is not with unbelievers, but with professing, faithful Christians. One article cited the following: "Eikenberry asked churches and youth pastors in West Michigan to administer a simple biblical literacy survey to parishioners. "The scores were just atrocious," he said. "I don't expect those outside Christianity to know the Christian book, but shouldn't people of the Book be familiar with it?"

I cannot help but to agree with the Associates for Biblical Research: "The Church Has Been “Dumbed Down” by the Culture". Culture tells us, "If it feels good, it must be right." Culture has demanded we read short blips of information (ie, Facebook, Twitter, etc) rather than full tomes. How can a Christian today possibly understand the whole of scripture when we read a sparse verse here or there?

From the Barna Group:
"Adults who attend small churches - i.e., those averaging fewer than 100 adults on a typical weekend - were more likely than people attending larger congregations to admit to struggling with Bible knowledge and consistently practicing their faith principles."

For those who think their large churches are immune from the problem, here's one for you: "Those who attend mainline Protestant churches were more likely than people who attend other Protestant congregations to rate themselves below average in worship, sharing their faith, and Bible knowledge."

C'mon, brothers and sisters. This is truly disappointing and heart-breaking. Utterly painful. I think this issue lies at the center of all my rants, for it is probably THE major causal factor of the issues I've been addressing in this series.

Once again, the closing disclaimer: I know not ALL Christians are Biblical idiots. A good many are literate, but even more are NOT. The only way we can truly know God is by being in His word. The Psalmist wrote that it was the only means to living in accordance with God's ways -- by hiding His word in our hearts, by seeking to understand it. Sadly, this is far too uncommon.

#6 - WE WANT YOU HERE

2012-01-19T10:21:00.000-05:00

#6 - We care more about you coming to "our church" rather than coming to our Jesus...

I've heard from several pastors over the years that I need to invite people to church. Of course, they need to get saved. Where else could they possibly do it except church? (Yes, I say that a bit tongue-in-cheek.) I understand the push, because there are a lot of Christians who can't really explain the message of salvation all that well. They fully believe it in their hearts, but just cannot explain it convincingly. So, it may very well be easier for that person to invite the friend to church instead, saving himself the embarrassment.

I'm not standing in judgment of that person who cannot explain it well, because some people can't even explain our structure of government (ME) very well. It would be of better service for me to direct an inquisitive foreigner to someone who understands it better than I do. But I still have a general working knowledge of it. That said, the responsibility lies with me in my ability to explain.

Back to the Church, though. I hold more judgment for our church leaders and mature Christians not explaining the big-picture story of the Bible to younger/newer Christians for them to better understand. Again, this does not apply to all Christians in every church, but it does apply to a great many of them. But, as is the case in my example of me learning the governmental system to explain it, shame on Christians for not taking education in God's word upon themselves. (I'll stop there and save that rant for #5.)

I've long lived by the rule that when I share the gospel with someone, I try to put them in touch with decent churches in their relative area (if I know of any) where s/he can plug in. Because I commuted 65 miles to work for a decade, most of my acquaintances, run-in's, and co-workers didn't live anywhere near me. I didn't care to invite them to "my church" because I knew it was not practical for them to do so. Instead, I wanted them to know Jesus and to be discipled in the gospel with a body of believers with whom they can fit in and grow accountable. I wanted them to plug in with a church near them, not me.

Sadly, however, most proselytizing today comes in this form:
Guy 1: "Man, my church is really lame. Can you believe what they did this time?"
Guy 2: "Dude, that is such a bummer, because my church is rockin'. You should come check it out sometime."
And that, my friends, is the extent of "witnessing" many Christians today ever do.

"In his book entitled 'Exit Interviews,' William D. Hendricks writes something astonishing: 'Almost all growth reported by North American churches today is the result of CHURCH SWITCHING and birthrate within the churches rather than conversion growth.'"

If we really cared about the lost coming to Jesus, we would bury our faces in our Bibles so we could better understand God;
We would bury our faces in good books to help us better explain the gospel;
We would pray for our unsaved loved ones, friends, and acquaintances a LOT more fervently than we do, and our hearts would be broken for them.
But we just want them to come to our church. It's a whole lot easier. I wonder if this phenomenon has anything to do with our craving to simply have our churches more populated on Sundays, i.e, higher attendance numbers. Because a more populated church is a successful church, right? I wonder if we're too hung up on numbers as indicators of success, rather than individual growth.

Jesus told people, "Follow me", and He led them to God. He didn't say, "Come check out my church." I think we need to get back to Jesus' example and lead people to God by our own example, beckoning them, "Follow me."

#7 - WE MAJOR IN THE MINORS AND MINOR IN THE MAJORS

2012-01-18T09:47:00.000-05:00

#7 - We major in the minors and minor in the majors.

We Christians like to bicker over relatively minor things, but seem to ignore much larger life-issues. Once again, I recognize this is largely a human nature issue, but we Christians need to set a better example if we want the world to follow. Therefore, this particular rant has more to do with how Christians behave WITHIN the church, but it impacts the way the world perceives us.

General examples include arguing over interior design and decoration of our churches, what kind of music will be played, whether or not drums and guitars are of the devil, and whether the King James is the only version authorized for use. Seriously? One particular Baptist church split over a piano bench dispute. A PIANO BENCH! Another split because a senior member didn't like a particular tempo and chord of one of her favorite hymns. C'mon, people. I'm sure there's more going on behind the scenes, but that's pretty fickle.

On a little weightier issue, one local church is currently splitting over a 5-point Calvinism dispute, and whether or not it should be preached. I'm just about as Calvinistic as they come, but I actually understand the position of the "other side". Rather than embracing differences on non-core issues (like eschatology or eternal security vs. free will), we drive wedges between ourselves and exclude those who are not like us in their beliefs. On top of that, we make these debatable topics membership qualifications/disqualifications. I think healthy debates within the church among Christians who believe differently from one another are very good things, for they inspire us to consider or re-consider our positions. I've been on the "other side" of a couple issues, and I almost lost a dear friend over one of them. Was it worth it? I think you know the answer. Sadly, however, churches today are demonstrating that disagreement is unacceptable behavior.

When our behavior is disagreeable, we split. Instead, we prefer to focus on how the world ought to behave instead of working out our own personal holiness. Sad, but true. We're comfortable justifying our own sins while at the same time pointing out the sins of others. Quite honestly, I think we like discussing and debating the hot-topic moral issues du-jour only because it takes the spotlight of God's eyes off our own ugliness.

On the other side of the aisle are majors that we miss. We want a bigger, nicer church, with up-to-date sound systems, and a glowing sign out front. Don't get me wrong, I like those things too. But when was the last time we thought of using all those THOUSANDS (if not millions) of dollars that are increasingly allocated toward our building program for feeding and clothing the poor in our communities? I have a hunch poor people like and depend upon food and clothing more than we do our church upgrades (etc). It's much too easy to give a bag of groceries or a couple hundred bucks here and there, but thousands? That cuts too deep; It requires much sacrifice.

One church agreed to cut funding to a previously-sponsored missionary because, God forbid, that missionary doesn't teach the doctrine of the eternal security of believers. Heretic alert, heretic alert!!! Get him out of the mission field, now!!! But I truly wonder if that will matter to God in the long run. Ahhhh, what am I thinking? No I don't. While this particular missionary is praying for money to fix the bicycle he rides from village to village in the sweltering heat, we can be found reclining in our comfortable chairs, sipping lemonade, and cooling off inside the newly-renovated air conditioned building. And we think cutting his funding over a debatable issue is prudent.

Hmmmmmm. God help us.
Disclaimer: see #8, #9, and #10 disclaimer. I think you get the idea...

#8 - WE ARE ESCAPIST

2012-01-17T04:57:00.000-05:00

#8 - We have an escapist mentality

This one is a mild pet peeve of mine, but I think it is mportant enough to make it into the top 10.

We Christians are so caught up in our future hope God will give us in Glory that we forget about what He gave us today. God made the heavens AND the earth...to inhabit it, to possess it, to work it, and to enjoy it. We forget that He declared His creation good! Yes, sin indeed corrupted the good, but that doesn't mean all was flushed down the sewer from there.

It seems that we want out of all we have today, in exchange for everything future:
Rather than working through our difficult marriages, we want out;
Rather than excelling in what we do, we want new jobs, better jobs, higher paying jobs;
Rather than reconcile with the jerk in the next cubicle, we want to be moved;
Rather than care for the bodies we've been given, we want our glorified ones now.

I fully recognize this is a human nature thing, and not just a Christian thing. But of all people, Christians ought to set the example in contentment.

We want everything except what God has already given us.
We want to escape this life -- AND QUICKLY -- in exchange for the next.

Sadly, we resign ourselves that things will only be better in Heaven, and that our only joy will be found there. But Jesus said He came so that we could have abundant life with full joy! I doubt He ONLY meant life and joy that awaits us in Heaven.

Again, the disclaimer: I know the escapist mentality does not apply to ALL believers. Just many of them.

#9 - WE'LL BOYCOTT YOU

2012-01-16T08:10:00.000-05:00

#9 - We boycott with the best of 'em when organizations' immoral behavior disagrees with our standars...

Remember back in 2008-ish when Christians called for a McDonalds boycott because McD's supported same sex marriages? Same for Walmart in '06. We've most recently launched a boycott against the Girl Scouts. Bummer, because I really like the cookies. Believe it or not, someone even boycotted Amazon.com. Seriously, you can't make this stuff up, people.

Here's a test for you. Stop reading this page for a moment (but be sure you return) and open another webpage. In the search field type in "Christians boycott ______" and name your blank. Chances are pretty good...no, wait...REALLY good there will be a boycott for whatever you enter there. Go ahead, give it a try. I'll wait for you, I promise.

Was I right? I confess, I was shocked when I did not find a boycott of Autozone. Thank God, cuz I love the good deals they offer every month! I probably just didn't search hard enough. Anyway, here's the point: We boycott companies and organizations just because they don't agree with what WE believe THEIR moral standards should be. Let me get this straight: We're going to profess faith and trust in the person, way, and life of Jesus Christ in a world that largely rejects Him. But at the same time, we expect others who do NOT profess this way of life to follow OUR rules of engagement? Really?

The last time I checked, the commandments of God were for the people of God who were in relationship with God! They weren't for the pagan peoples who worshiped false deities. They were specifically appointed for Yahweh's people. But once others came into this God-walk profession of faith, the rules of engagement then applied to them...but not until then.

Are we really to think that right behavior makes one right with God? Christians are really good at claiming salvation is by grace alone through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone, and that we are saved not BY our good works, but FOR good works. I'll venture a guess that many of us say it not only becuase we believe it is true, but because we very recently got done sinning and lightly whisk it away as though God winks at our sin. Yet, out of the other side of our mouths, we tell Target, and Walmart, and McDonalds THEY have to behave appropriately in order to be on par with OUR moral sensibilities. That is preposterous!!!

A very close friend of mine (who is an atheist) made an astute point: Christians actually don't boycott far enough. His point is this (I think): We boycott McDonalds when it suits us, but we fail to boycott organizations or products in similar positions when doing so would be detrimental to our personal tastes. For example, boycott McD's, but, "man, do I love triple whoppers, so I think I'll just brush that other issue aside as insignificant and just eat here instead."

C'mon, people! Really? Is that what the gospel of Jesus Christ is about? Did Jesus organize a boycott against King Herod for having John the Baptist -- Jesus's own cousin -- beheaded? Did He boycott the Emperor, or even "Ibn Shabat's Kosher Fish and Chips" when they served a meal to a local prostitute? Never!

Instead, we see a Jesus in the gospels as One who invited people into His life. And as He walked with them, and they with Him, He inspired them to change and grow. Gradually. He never demanded anyone change first and then come to Him for eternal life. It always was and always will be the other way around.

So why on earth do we expect unbelievers to live and behave as though they are believers? I think it would be a great idea for us instead to model right behavior and demonstrate to a dark, lost, broken, and hurting world that Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the life. I wonder if we should start boycotting ourselves for a change.

Once again, the disclaimer: I know and recognize not ALL Christians behave this way or participate in these activities. It is, however, a general rule that far too many of my brothers and sisters in Christ do.

#10 - THE BANDWAGON:

2012-01-15T20:11:00.000-05:00

This rant is the first in my week-long "anti-religion" series. Beginning with #10: We rally amateurishly around the latest "Christian" fad -- from cheesy movies to public figures...

A few months ago, a Christian friend and co-worker asked me if I had seen the movie "Courageous" yet. This is the movie produced by the same church who produced "Fireproof" a few years ago. When I told him I hadn't, he said, "Awww, Mikey, you need to go see it." A month passed and the same guy asked me the same question again. When I replied no -- again -- his reply contained a little more angst: " What! Dude, you have to watch it. Why haven't you yet?" as though I was obligated as a Christian to ride the bandwagon.

I told him I wasn't that interested in watching the movie because I had seen Fireproof and wasn't all that impressed. Don't get me wrong, the movie contained some great truth and lessons, but it was just kind of, well, mediocre as far as movies go. It wasn't a smash in my opinion. And if that's the case, why would I pay top dollar to watch a sequel that I suspected would be just as mediocre?

In defense of the church, I also watched the muppets movie a couple weeks ago and thought it, too, was lame. I won't go rushing out to watch the sequel if it ever comes out, since I wasn't impressed by the first one. So I'm not just being extra harsh on Christian producers.

But Courageous was a "Christian" movie (if there really is such a thing), and I owed it to the industry to give them my money for their effort. We needed to unite to send the message that Hollywood needs more Christian movie producers, right? No. And as a matter of fact, I felt just the opposite.

I have watched several secular movies that were well written and produced that contained excellent messages of courage, bravery, integrity, etc. A few that come to mind are "Bucket List", where the character played by Morgan Freeman displayed great integrity in his marriage; "300", where men fought valiantly in the face of death for the sake of their children; and "Braveheart", where life isn't worth living if it's not a life of freedom. The list of good secular movies doesn't end there. My point is that I will support good movies that have good messages, regardless who produces them.
It is my opinion that supporting good themes in movies sends the same message to Hollywood that the Christian community hopes to send (but only much louder) because it sends the message to Christian producers that if they want the world to watch their movies, they better not be cheap about it. Do I need to mention the movie, "Left Behind"? Ugh.

That brings me to another issue I will call the "Tebow Effect".

The Christian community places young performers and athletes on pedestals on which they probably shouldn't be placed, all for the sake of appearing more relevant in today's culture. I admire Tim Tebow and I will never ever tell him to tone it down. I'm happy and thankful Tebow is publicly living out his convictions. I think the media is partially to blame for giving so much attention to a man who publicly displays his conviction of faith, and it is my guess that I think they secretly want him to fail. But I pray that he remains faithful and true to his convictions and is a true success story in a ruthlessly demanding profession.

On to my point, though: I've never met so many Broncos fans in all of my adult life as I have this season, and most are Christians! Who in Michigan, or anywhere else outside the mountain time zone, ever thought of cheering for the Broncos last season? I want Tebow to succeed, just like I want Matthew Stafford to succeed. But when the Lions play the Broncos, I will be cheering the Lions to victory.

Another performer who was recently born-again and thrust into the Christian spotlight is Brian "Head" Welch, one of the founding members of "Korn". Within a year or two of his conversion, Christian churches are already parading him in front of the world as an example. He's speaking at a church in Battle Creek next weekend, telling his conversion story. The Bible warns of placing young believers in positions of leadership due to a lack of spiritual maturity. While the spotlight is not a "leadership" position, it is an awfully dangerous place for a new believer. It sets people like Welch up for a hard crash because there are likely still many of his temptations lurking around dark corners. I hope he survives the craze, but Christians seem so in need of heroes and role models that we latch onto anything that looks promising to advance our story.

And that is my schtip. I will conclude this -- and each -- rant with this disclaimer: this gripe does not apply to ALL Christians across the board. I know some who disagree are not on the bandwagon to which I refer here. But it applies to a great many of my brothers and sisters, if not most.

TOP 10 SENSELESS THINGS CHRISTIANS DO:

2012-01-14T22:08:00.002-05:00

The first post in my anti-religion series will in the form of a "Top 10" list. I had a difficult time placing them in what I thought was proper order, but #1 was without a doubt the easiest. I will give attention to each of the listed "gripes" in longer posts, explaining why I have the complaints with Christians that I have.

For anyone who is new to my blog, I AM A CHRISTIAN. I am not bitter. I have no axe to grind. I am not ashamed of Jesus. I love Jesus. I pledge allegiance to Him. But I AM ashamed of what I and some of my brothers and sisters are doing. I find myself agreeing more often with Gandhi, who said, "I like your Christ; I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ."

Yeah, ouch! So, here are my top 10 gripes. Please feel free to comment.

10. We rally amateurishly around the latest "Christian" fad -- from cheesy movies to public figures...

9. We boycott with the best of 'em when organizations' immoral behavior disagrees with our standards...

8. We have an escapist mentality...

7. We major in the minors and minor in the majors...

6. We care more about you coming to "our church" rather than coming to Jesus...

5. We are biblically illiterate...

4. We are prideful...

3. We have a difficult time making friends without an agenda to proselytize them...

2. We proselytize our "friends" because it makes us feel good about ourselves...

1. We are your worst critics...

A WEEK OF ANTI-RELIGION:

2012-01-13T20:48:00.001-05:00

It's easy to point fingers at the "other side" and say their position is the wrong one.
You name the issue and the divide is present.
Whether racial, political, or religious, the other side is ALWAYS wrong.
We always wish "they" could look honestly at their position, evaluate it's stupidity, and jump the fence to the "right" side of the issue.

Good thing you're right, eh?

I'm going to jump into an endeavor this week to see religion from an outsider's perspective.
I'm going to criticize "religion".
Not God, but religion.
And, boy, do I have some criticisms.

A friend of mine, Bret, is an atheist. Has been for quite some time after de-converting from Christianity. We've had some thought-provoking conversations and I appreciate his candor. He recently posted thoughts on his blog about religion, and I asked him why so many atheists put so much effort into disproving somthing they believe doesn't exist in the first place.

Based partly on my question, Bret jumped into a week of being anti-atheist. I liked that he was honest about the stupidity of some of his brothers' and sisters' (certainly none of his own, though) views. I thought it was an intesting idea, so I'm going to do the same.

I'm going to be anti-religious for one week. I will start with a "Top 10 Senseless things Christians Do". I will approach "religion" from a "Christian" perspective, since that's what I am and it's what I know best. I think I have a good inside track on what we do that is so insanely stupid.

I hope you'll join me.
I hope you'll consider things you've seen or done...or do.
Maybe in the end we'll stop being so religious and start resembling Jesus more.

ANOTHER HONEST LETTER:

2011-12-24T11:08:00.000-05:00

God, thank you for answering my first letter. You never cease to amaze me at how much You care for and tend to Your children.

The day I wrote the first letter, You sent me Your faithful servant, Gregg. Not only did he email me, be he asked to have a phone conversation. We've never met, him being way out in Colorado, and me being here in Michigan. Yet, the technology You've inspired men to invent served Your purpose of drawing me close to You again. We talked on the phone, and in just a short 20-minute conversation, Your servant -- my brother -- encouraged me.

His first question was whether or not I had been in the Word. Although I honestly was, Gregg showed me that the system I was using was not very worthwhile, thus robbing my joy. Instead, bible reading felt more like a chore.

And he prayed with me...one of the most God-honoring prayers that I've heard prayed over me. So, that said, God, thank you for Brother Gregg.

Second, and in the same week, another of Your servants, Jeff Manion of Ada Bible Church in Ada, Mi, spoke Your words into my life, and he doesn't likely know he did it. Thanks for me being able to listen to his words of encouragement via podcasting...another of Your wonderful inspirations. Ironically, the week I wrote You my first letter, I listened to a podcast of Brother Manion speaking around Easter, 2011. He was expounding on the mock trial of Your Son, where Pilate released Barrabas instead of Jesus. Jeff's words dug deep into my soul: "Isn't the story of Barabbas a summarization of the Gospel? You and I, like Barabbas, are released, and Jesus is punished."

Finally, an MSP chaplain, another of Your People, Pastor Bakker, inspired me with words I will continue to hold dear: "...take heart and lift up your head. Sin, death, and the devil were not overcome by magnificent power or show of might; they were overcome when a sinless man suffered and died. The resurrection is the victory lap, but the battle was already finished. Sin could not overcome him; death could not contain him; the devil utterly lost."

What else can I say, God? Thank You so much for putting very good people in my life. As a good friend of mine once prayed, "God, Your people are everywhere!". Thank You again for sparking my joy to return to me. Please bless these men who do Your work.

I'm dedicated to You,
Mike

"Alienation", by Jon S. Lewis

2011-12-23T05:18:00.000-05:00

This book has just about everything a young reader would enjoy: alien invasions and infiltrations, aliens transforming to look like humans, jet packs, action, fighting, you-name-it! If you missed it, this book is for teens and tweens, not adults. I must have missed the memo on that part when I requested a review copy :-)

This is book #2 of the CHAOS (Central Headquarters Against the Occult and Supernatural) trilogy. Not having read book #1 in the trilogy, I was concerned that I would be lost early in the story. However, Lewis presented a comic book at the beginning recap-ing the important details of that first book. I was able to jump right in without a problem.

The action and adventure take off right away with the 3 main characters operating their jet packs in an obstacle course training session prior to entering the CHAOS Academy. Colt, the main character in the series, is the Christ-type -- the only one who can save the world from the alien invasion of the Thule species. It is his destiny, but he didn't always know it.

"Alienation" wraps up a portion of the story, but leaves enough room for adventure in a final book in the trilogy. I honestly found myself wishing I had book #3, wondering what would happen next.

This one is an easy read, and is short on depth and detail. So it won't bog down a young reader's mind, but keep him/her excited about reading. I highly recommend it, giving it 4 out of 5 stars.

DISCLAIMER: I received this book from Thomas Nelson / Booksneeze free of charge in exchange for my unbiased review of it. I was not threatened or coerced in any way to provide a positive review.

FIT MINDS, FAT BODIES:

2011-12-22T12:40:00.000-05:00

What if the bodily "temple" you've been given to tend here on earth is the one that your glorified temple in heaven will look like? Many Christians hope for that day when we will be transformed, when our broken, sin-sickened bodies will be miraculously and mysteriously changed into something more Herculean, more angelic.

But what are you doing about the transformation today? Great sermons are preached about our need to eschew sins in life, from over-consumption of alcohol to pornography, from gossip to adultery, etc. Our minds are stretching with information, and our intelligence is growing. Unfortunately, so too are our bodies. Our minds are fit, but our bodies are fat!

Every Sunday morning, people are showing up in churches to hear messages designed to transform their souls, hearts, and minds. Yet, many of those same people are cramming donuts and cookies into their already-too-chubby faces, and thus dishonoring the temple God gave them to care for. Seems like sexual sin is not the only one that affects the body; Gluttony and lack of self-discipline have ugly results as well, and it shows.

• 58 Million (18.6%) Americans are overweight; 40 Million (12.8%) are obese; 3 Million (1%) are morbidly obese. America's population is right around 311.6 million.
• Eight out of 10 over the age of 25 are overweight

Consider the medical definitions of "obese" and "overweight". Obesity is defined as being 20% or higher over one's ideal healthy weight, and to be "morbidly obese" is to be 50% over one's ideal healthy weight.

So, what if that temple you've been given is the same one you will always have? What if only the pain and sickness is taken away, but the shape remains? Are you honoring God in your body as well as in your speech and conduct? Will you start the transformation today?

COURAGEOUS:

2011-12-17T20:51:00.001-05:00

By now, you've likely heard "Courageous" by the Christian band, "Casting Crowns". If not, well, that's ok. The song serves as the theme song for the movie by the same title. Well, I've grown tired of the song. Not only because I've never been much of a Casting Crowns fan, but primarily for its message. (I'll spare you the details on why I dislike the musicality of the song.)

Message: The notion Casting Crowns presents on what courage is and where it comes from is bothersome to me. The lyrics say this: "We were made to be courageous...Lord, make us courageous."

Here's my first question: If we were already MADE to be courageous by God, then why do we need to ask Him to MAKE us courageous all over again? Didn't CC just tell us God already did that? It's like asking God to make you closer to Him; It just doesn't come without sacrifice and effort. It's why Joshua was told to "be strong and very courageous." Are we to think that was the first time Joshua ever faced his fears with courage? Likewise, Paul tells us to stand guard over our lives, to stand firm in faith. The imperative was never to ask God to MAKE us firm, but to BE firm.

I think Christians waste too many breaths asking God for things rather than practicing what He has already made possible in us. How many people do we know (because we all know it's not US we're talking about here) who ask God for more patience in dealing with a certain situation, or more you-fill-in-the-blank? Why ask? Control your head; Take charge of your emotions; Exercise patience! Initiate honesty...generosity...whatever!

Courage doesn't come by simply ASKING God to make us courageous. It doesn't come by singing louder with a trendy tune. Instead, courage only shows up through hard growth, just like everything else in life that is worthwhile. In his book, "Why Courage Matters", Sen. John McCain said "we become courageous by doing courageous things." No great warrior ever woke up as a newborn and said, "Today I will conquer the world!" No, he fought small battles on the playground for his girlfriend-of-the-week, she trained, he practiced, she stood up to a bully, he confronted a dishonest employee, she exercised, he bled, she sweated. The warrior built up his courage to the point where it became his nature to rush into enemy fire when the odds were heavily stacked against him; to rescue his fallen comrades as he dragged his own leg behind him.

Stop simply praying for God to help you lose weight; to help you regain control of your finances; to help you speak up and share the gospel. Just do it! Exercise what you know is the right thing to do. Seek wise instruction on how to get you moving in the right direction. Build up your courage today, and tomorrow you'll have a little bit more courage (or patience, or self-control, or...) to face the bigger battle that faces you on Tuesday.

Be strong.
Be courageous!

AN HONEST LETTER:

2011-12-13T20:23:00.000-05:00

This post his difficult to write. Because it's raw. It's painful. So, I'm writing it to God, and allowing you to peer into my world for just a moment, because writing is how I best process my thoughts.

God, I'm going to be honest here.
With every keystroke.
I'm just not that into You right now.
I know You don't need me to say it, because You already know it by my behaviors.
I know it must hurt to read this.
It hurts to even write these words, knowing You're reading them.
I'd be crushed if my wife or one of my sons said the same to me.
So, I know You must be crushed, too.

I don't know why I feel this way.
Maybe it's the lack of use of a gift You've given me.
It has been sitting like a rusty tool on the bottom of a tool cabinet.
It hasn't been picked up and dusted off.
It's decaying.
Maybe that's why.

Or, maybe it's because of some skepticism I'm experiencing.
Maybe doubts are sowing seeds that are taking root, growing into weeds that clutter my mind and rob me of joy.
Maybe that's why.
I don't know.

Or, maybe it's because I need to be wooed all over again.
I trust what You've said is true, and that you've done a ton to woo me already.
You've won me, but I'm drifting.
Maybe I need something more.
Not a gigantic miracle, but something real.
Something that tells me, "I'm here. I'm with you. I still believe in you."

Please don't give up on me.
Please don't abandon me.
I'm sorry for hurting you.
Pursue me.
Catch me.
Now!

"HEROES AND VILLAINS OF THE BIBLE", produced by Thomas Nelson

2011-12-08T14:50:00.002-05:00

I had high hopes for this one. Instead, I was greatly disappointed.

Here's the synopsis of "Heroes and Villains of the Bible". It's a bible...a very condensed bible, but a bible none-the-less. Leviticus is absent, so that was a relief since it's marketed as a children's book. It's not much of a story book, since one lonely picture prefaces each bible passage, and a brief children's lesson closes out the narrative. The problem is that the bible passages are anywhere from 2 to 5 or 6 pages long...with no additional pictures! If they want to market this to children -- especially boys -- then there better be more pictures, especially pictures of fire, and bows & arrows, chariots, horses, and war. But there's none of that, except for that one lousy picture at the beginning of each "chapter".

My youngster had absolutely NO interest in this one. He was more interested in turning the digital pages on my iPad than he was in the story itself. He wants pictures and story-telling, not a repackaged bible. That said, it would have been nice to have some fictionalized additions to the biblical narratives to keep childrens' attention. Not only that, but shorter would also help to maintain their interest.

"But the bible is pure and perfect", someone may suggest. Yeah, yeah, yeah, but let's be realistic: we want boys to engage the bible with great interest, and this one doesn't do it. I've read many great authors who could render the accounts contained in "Heroes and Villains of the Bible" much more alive in a youngster's mind.

Needless to say, I was extremely disappointed with this "book". I give it one star out of five stars for lack of creativity and imagination. This title lacked any real effort.

I received this book free from BookSneeze in exchange for my unbiased review. I was not compensated, threatened, coerced, or promised favors in return for a positive review. All opinions are mine.

I COULD SING...FOREVER?

2011-12-04T10:04:00.000-05:00

The bowling alley was quiet. Quiet for a bowling alley, anyway, until the one loud guy rolled a strike, and exuberantly yelled, "C'mon, get up! What are we in, church?" Guys laughed and the mood gradually grew to it's norm. Now, I've heard similar statements, but they usually compare the quietness to a funeral instead of a church.

No matter, the point was clear: people (saints and sinners alike) equate church with boredom. And I can't say I blame them. Who wants to be part of something where it's adherents look like they have a foot in the grave and are drinking from a glass of lemon pulp?

I had to laugh one Sunday morning when our church music director chose to sing one rather peculiar song. I say peculiar because this particular church is largely behaviorally conservative; far from charismatic, that is. Great group, friendly, loving group, but not a very lively group. Leadership wants to be contemporary, but it just doesn't work there for some reason. Anyway, I smiled as I played the drums and watched the congregation worship...err, sing...err, stand during this particular tune:

The name of the song is, "I Could Sing of Your Love Forever", and a portion of the lyrics go like this: "Oh I feel like dancing. It's foolishness, I know.....we will dance with joy like we're dancing now. I could sing of your love forever...."

Let's break it down.....

First, quite honestly, lots of people in this place barely move their lips during the praise and worship, let alone sing;

Second, many of them don't feel like singing for 5 minutes, let alone for 5 million years, which looks a lot more like forever than does 5 minutes;

Third, statues come to mind;

Fourth, I've never seen a statue dance.

Fifth, "dishonesty" also came to mind. So maybe it was actually a good thing people weren't singing along.

....and those piercing words of the bowling alley loudmouth rang in my ears: "C'mon, get up! What are we in, church?"

SUCH GLORIOUS GRACE:

2011-12-02T23:27:00.000-05:00

Yesterday while instructing a class, I was briefly interrupted by a supervisor who quietly called a student out of class. I thought this student had to answer a phone call from home, so I immaturely gestured, "oooooohhhhhhh", like a school kid does to his buddy called down to the principal's office. We are pretty jovial and laid back in this atmosphere so students will learn better. What I didn't realize, however, was the reason she was being removed: for not meeting required minimums. She was dismissed.

When class finished, I asked my supervisor where she was. And that's when I was absolutely mortified. I blew it, and I added to her embarrassment, to be sure. When I asked where she was so I could apologize, I was told she had already left. I was crushed for her.

Not knowing how else to settle the matter, I sent her an email, profusely apologizing for the embarrassment she certainly endured. I provided my cell phone number in the email and told her I'd like to at least tell her I was sorry in a more personal way than email. My apologies were deep and sincere, not merely because I felt bad for putting my foot in my mouth, but because of what I had done to her.

She called the following day, but I was not near the phone. She left the most glorious message of forgiveness on my voicemail. Here's what she said:

"Mike, I completely and fully forgive you, and you are completely absolved from all wrong. You are forgiven."

Her words were music to my ears. I didn't deserve her grace, but she gave it...not reservedly, but fully. See, we had spoken earlier in the day about our commitment to Christ. She not only spoke it, but demonstrated it.

While my apology was true, her forgiveness was most impressive.
I was humbled.
I was grateful.
Deeply grateful.
She was a model of Christ-likeness.

And that's precisely the grace God extends to those who place the care of their souls in His hands. Ahhhhh, friend, if only you'll repent and receive full, unquestioned pardon, then your soul would finally be at ease. Jesus Christ bore your shame, embarrassment, and burden. Receive His glorious grace.

"TO BE PERFECTLY HONEST", by Phil Callaway

2011-11-30T19:28:00.002-05:00

Could you be honest for one year? Now be honest in answering that question. Could you be COMPLETELY honest for just 365 days? How about 182 days? 30? Phil Callaway, a humorist, embarked on such a year-long endeavor. Any question. Any situation. Nothing was off limits. His answers and interactions with his wife, friends, neighbors, and church were intended to be completely honest whenever confronted with a situation where he -- or any other red-blooded person -- would normally be less than honest.

"To Be Perfectly Honest" was written like a documentary for the ADHD-afflicted. It was like a journal with typically brief entries where each and every day contained at least one entry. Some were longer han others, but each entry wasn't merely about truth-telling. Callaway documented the several facets of his life, including the death of his mother.

What I liked: Callaway is funny. He's entertaining. The idea was great. He's a fantastic writer and he speaks very bluntly and truthfully. What I didn't like: the scattered thoughts within the plot-less book. It wasn't boring, but I just had a difficult time mustering up the energy to read it. It's simply the case that I wasn't all that interested in the format. However, I completely understand why it was written the way it was...which is why, I presume, the editor chose Callaway for this project rather someone who is more of a bore.

Sidenote: Just two days after finishing this book, I was inspired to be more honest...even in the little mundane things. But it didn't last long. I shop at a particular grocery store on a regular basis, and in the evenings whenever this one older gal is working, I buy her her favorite candy. One evening, I wasn't much in the friendly mood. I wanted to get my stuff and get out. I saw her at her register when I entered, but I just kindof made my way by without us making eye-contact with each other. When I finished shopping, she approached me in the line I occupied and issued a freindly hello. I said, "Oh, Hi Patty, I didn't see you." YES I DID! Why did I do that? Similar instances are documented in "To Be Perfectly Honest".

The epilogue to the book wrapped all the funny bits neatly together. There, Callaway answers what he learned most during this trial. First, he briefly mentions how exhausting it was. I think we become so comfortable with simple lies that we must fight for truth...and that is a real battle. Interestingly, Callaway notes that in his efforts to be completely honest with PEOPLE, he grew in complete honesty with GOD. How does one lie to, or try to impress, the very Creator of the cosmos? Callaway also mentions how, due to his honesty, he grew to care less about others' thoughts of him. When one grows more aware of his own flaws and weaknesses, then what does it really matter what others think anyway?

Overall, I give "To Be Perfectly Honest" 3 1/2 stars out of 5. It was a great concept, and the humor was clean and inviting. It could make for a good leisure or bathroom reader for the jokester in your family. There are also some potent lessons to be taught/learned.

I received this book free of charge from Waterbrook Multnomah publishers (Book Review Bloggers) in exchange for my unbiased review. I was not promised reward, coerced, or threatened in any way to provide a positive review. All opinions are mine.

WHAT HAPPENED?

2011-11-24T20:19:00.000-05:00

I wonder how that conversation went. You know, the one found in Genesis between Jacob and Rachel; the one we're never told about.

Here's the deal: Jacob, who was quite the fraud himself, got tricked by his father-in-law into marrying his fat, ugly, eldest daugter Leah before being allowed to marry the hottie, Rachel. In exchange for the women, Jacob works the father-in-law's sheep pasture and mates them so that the father-in-law would inherit all the weaklings while Jacob inherited all the strong. (By the way, it is often said in Christian circles that this was simply a testament to Jacob's intelligence in breeding animals. I say it's bad business practice. But I digress.)

When the time was complete, Jacob took his wives and children and left secretly. Jacob didn't know it, but Rachel stole her father's household idols. Why? Don't know. Maybe out of spite; maybe because she cherished them. Never-the-less, she stole them.

So, dad pursues them for two reasons: (1)why did you leave so soon without me being able to say goodbye? and, more importantly on his mind, I think, was (2)where are my idols?

Jacob answers Rachel's dad, saying, "I didn't take your stuff! We are innocent!"

So dad searches, but when he gets to his own daughter's tent, he finds her sitting down (hiding the idols under her dress), lying about menstruating at the time. Soon thereafter, dad aborts his search and Jacob unleashes a profound speech: "How dare you come in here blaming us for taking your stuff. May the Lord judge between you and me!"

That's where the story ends, but I'm curious about what happened 15 minutes later when Jacob ACTUALLY discovered his wife lied and really had stolen her dad's idols? What lofty speech did he have for her? I guess we'll never know.

Did he do the honorable thing and return to his father-in-law with the idols, profusely apologizing for his wife?

Did he at least tell Rachel he would take her back to her father and give her the opportunity to set the record straight?

I honestly wonder why we're never told about that scenario.

Now, lest you think you're better than them, consider your own life. Be honest.
We have liars, murderers, adulterers, theives, con-artists, swindlers, idolaters in our churches. Not only the world, but our CHURCHES! The places are filled with them. I wonder what we'd think of each other if we all carried bubble signs over our heads that told the truth of who we really are.

What would this bible story say about YOU in the end?

"BABYLON'S FALLING", by William G. Collins

2011-11-22T19:47:00.005-05:00

"Babylon's Falling" is a fictionalized novel based on the biblical account and history of the life of Daniel. Its pace is extremely rapid, and covers several years, beginning with the capture of Israel by Babylon, to the overthrow of Babylon by Persia, to Daniel's return to Jerusalem. Based on believed time lines, the story ranges from approximately 598 BC to 520.

That said, there are many details absent from several scenes. One of the opening scenes presents the assassination of a soldier, and Daniel arrives at the conclusion that HE was the assassin's intended target; Battle scenes were not very thrilling and the ransacking of Babylon was not at all heart-pounding. While more detail would have made the read a less predictable and easier to suspend disbelief, they also would have rendered it much, much longer. So, I guess I would have liked to see this novel in a couple installments: "Jerusalem's Falling", and "Babylon's Falling".

In this novel, Daniel is the all-wise and main character of the 4 main characters: himself, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Daniel is the highly favored one, having served as a nobleman in the Babylonian court, as well as in the Persian. The overthrows of Jerusalem and Babylon, and the treatment of the war prisoners seemed friendlier in the novel than I ever imagined them to be. You will not finish the book and think, "Wow, that was really Braveheart-esque!" or feel encouraged to be a brave warrior circa "300". It won't thrill you, but sections will intrigue and inspire you.

There are some good bits of knowledge to file into the "that's interesting" category, such as the significance of the Babylonian names given to Daniel and his 3 comrades, and the meaning of Nebuchadnezzar's name. Another area of special interest is that Collins fills the gaps in the biblical account with very plausible possibilities. For example, why wasn't Daniel thrown into the furnace with his three friends? Collins suggests in the plot that Daniel was sent on assignment to Persia to learn from their wise men and sages, which is where Daniel grew in favor with King Cyrus of Persia. According to the plot Daniel was invited into Cyrus's royal court once Persia overthrew Babylon...and then he was set up by jealous noblemen of Cyrus's royal court and was thrown into the den of lions.

There were only a few spelling/grammatical errors, and that was due to spell checker not catching correct word usage. While the words in question were technically spelled correctly, their use was incorrect. These errors didn't interfere much with readability.

Here's what I took from the book: I honestly found myself a bit (ok, a LOT) envious of Daniel. I look at his resolve to remain steadfast in his devotion to God and wonder if I could be that strong in devotion. He made up his mind to remain holy -- at all costs! I look at my life in disappointment when compared to the great holiness of this main character and his friends. I am forced to ask myself, "Do I live the kind of life that causes God to smile on me?" "Is God pleased with my behavior and responses to adversity?"

While I doubt this one will hit the best seller list, I don't consider it a waste of my time for having read it. It is quite suitable for a teen or adult. I give "Babylon's Falling" 3 1/2 stars.

I received this book free of charge through Internet download from WestBow Press, a division of Thomas Nelson Publishers, and made available through Booksneeze, in exchange for my unbiased review. I was not promised rewards or threatened to provide a positive review. All opinions are mine.

ECONOMICS AND THE BIBLE:

2011-11-19T20:58:00.000-05:00

Last week I posted the following on my facebook page:

"I love what the Gideons do. But, hey guys, can you PLEASE put some bibles that are more recent than the 1969 King James in our Academy? Even the cover looks like the paneling on my parents' old '79 van."

A conversation among three of us boiled down to the issue of financial stewardship and distribution of bibles. One of the commenters (who is a Gideon) said he'd rather spend $0.05 for a KJV and be able to distribute it to 100 people, than spend $0.25 for another translation and only distribute it to 50 people.

The argument from the other side was this: What good is a cheap, unattractive bible that goes unread? Do we have an obligation to use our money effecitvely so more people will read a bible, rather than just economically? An attractive cover with appeal is just as important as distribution, some would suggest.

Which led to another issue: Good financial stewardship not only means being economics-minded, but also effectiveness-minded.

One side said, "I would rather feed day old white bread to 50 needy than fresh whole grain to 25."

The rebuttal was, "Why settle for day old white bread, when we have the fresh whole grain?"

What's your take:

Economics, or Effectiveness?

WOULDN'T IT BE EASIER TO QUIT?

2011-11-12T21:51:00.001-05:00

How many times do you think the Marines in this photo got it wrong before they finally got it right?

Lose weight.
Attempt (again) to lose weight.
Read the Bible through in a year.
Attempt (again) to read it through this time.
Find a new job.
Re-commit to my spouse.
Commit to the job I already have.
Quit smoking.
Quit smoking...again.
Quit smoking...again again.
Quit drinking...for real this time.

On Veteran's Day, I completed a 30-day pull-up challenge given to me by a friend. The goal was to do 50 pull-ups (any variation) for each of 10 days straight, then 75 pull-ups for the next 10 straight days, and then 100 pull-ups for the final 10 straight days.
NO REST DAYS!
None.
If accomplished, the total pull-ups completed would be 2,250.

I completed it, but I wanted to quit at about day 18.
My elbows were sore with minor tendonitis.
My hands were calloused and tender.
My biceps were screaming at me.
Everything told me to quit.
I was enduring pain.
Not the kind of pain that the voice of reason says, "C'mon, stop what you're doing before this really gets worse", but the kind of pain that suggests, "Wouldn't it be easier to just quit?"

It's ALWAYS easy to quit.
Quitters quit;
not warriors.

My father is in his mid 60's and was a smoking since he was a young teen-ager. He's a VietNam veteran. A warrior. He must have quit smoking two thousand times. But on his two thousand and first try, it stuck. He's been smoke free for almost three years now! I'm so proud of him. He's a true quitter! Way to go, Pops!

May I suggest a simple solution before you make that New Year's resolution in about a month and a half. Pick a realistic goal. Maybe you're 100 pounds over weight. Don't approach 100 pounds of weight loss head-on.
Instead, commit to losing just 25 pounds...and KEEPING it off.
Maybe you'll commit to that for the first quarter of the year.
Maybe it will be 6 months.
Never-the-less, make it an attainable goal.
Once you reach your goal, set another small goal in the direction of the big goal.
Lose another 25, and then another...

Otherwise, you'll have to go face-to-face with the daunting task of losing 100 pounds. And when you have a minor setback and regain about 3 of those lost pounds, you run the risk of quitting.
Again.
Imagine if you had kept with it 4 years ago when you tried.
Where would you be today?
But don't let that stop you.
TRY AGAIN.

AND AGAIN, if necessary.

Whatever it is, try again.
DON'T EVER GIVE UP!

ENJOY YOUR ETERNAL REWARD, JOEL:

2011-11-06T13:00:00.000-05:00

This morning at 6:30, our good friend Joel passed away due to complications of pneumonia and cancer. Just about 2 years ago, Joel complained of lump on his tongue. The horrible disease spread rapidly toward its finsl goal of stealing away Joel's life.

Joel was a pitcher on our Cornerstone Community Church softball team. Here, Joel is seen throwing out the "first pitch" of our title game. It was a great memory having the men of the other team supporting our friend and surrounding us as we all prayed together.

Joel was always upbeat, comical, and positive during his battle. I visited him in the hospital just 2 days before he would die. As I entered his room in my uniform, Joel, unable to talk, mustered up the strength to slowly raise his right hand and salute me, then raised both hands and bumped his wrists together, as if being handcuffed. That was his personality until he drew his final breath. He was truly an inspiration.

The picture above was taken this summer at the Relay for Life in Jackson, MI. We invited Joel to walk with our team, and he did a phenomenal job. I read from one of his daughters on facebook that Joel hadn't walked any considerable distance in quite some time....until walking about 1/2 mile that day.

Enjoy your eternal reward, Joel, as you dance and sing in complete health in the presence of your Savior! I'll see you soon, my friend! We love you.

"WHY MEN HATE GOING TO CHURCH", by David Murrow

2011-11-05T15:31:00.000-05:00

It seems men are trending further away from church these days; not so much from God, but from the organized institution called "church". Who makes up the Church is an entirely different issue, and not the issue addressed in this book. David Murrow, in "Why Men Hate Going to Church" does not address a theological issue here, but a statistical one. While it appears more and more men are absent from church, women are staying.

What factors are driving this trend? Here are some of Murrow's ideas:
- Feminization of our churches: Pretty curtains, knitted doilies on the quilt-topped communion table, etc;
- Jesus-as-Lion replaced by Jesus-as-Lamb;
- Awkward man-love wording in our music: "Jesus I am so in love with you", etc. What man has ever said that to another man?
- An overly sensitive environment: hugging, holding hands with complete strangers (read, "other men");
- The lack of manly service needs within churches;
- The propensity of men to be less studious and academic than women, yet being harangued into bible studies and talking-head events.

The list goes on, but you get the idea. You may not fit any one of these scenarios, but a large (and growing) number of men do. And many of them fit into several! Murrow uses the bible as his foundation for the book, but does not cite it for simple proof texts to support his argument. Instead, his position and reasoning are backed by research, studies, and statistics...and they are many!

The book is divided into three parts: (1)"Where are the Men?" (2)"Church Culture vs. man Culture" and (3)"Calling the Church Back to Men". I found myself in agreement from the beginning, and somewhere in the midst of part two I began asking, "So how do we fix this problem?" While Murrow doesn't give the magic genie-in-a-bottle solution, he does provide some tips and techniques churches may consider in reaching out to men. No doubt, many readers will disagree with Murrow's strong support of mega-church approaches, but convincing churches to mimic their style is not his goal. His point is simply this: Mega-churches are doing something right in attracting men. Maybe mainline churches may want to consider some of their ideas.

I laughed a lot -- a LOT -- throughout this book. I found myself encouraged by Murrow's words that manly Christianity does not have to be sissified. So my only dislike is that I wondered, "Would I be considered a wuss because I am studious, because I enjoy dancing and raising my hands in worship of my Savior? Because I share my thoughts and feelings?" The point of the book is not to say who is manly and who isn't, but I think some men may walk away from it with wrong impressions.

Overall, I give "Why Men Hate Going to Church" 4 stars. I enjoyed the book; I was inspired by the book; I was encouraged by the book. I rarely wanted to stop reading. Most chapters are relatively brief, simple, and straightforward. I would recommend this book for church leaders who may be afraid to tip over those much-cherished "sacred cows".

I received this book free of charge from Booksneeze in exchange for my unbiased review. I was not threatened or offered reward to provide a positive review. All opinions are mine.

IMPERIAL HISTORY OF THE MIDDLE EAST - INTERACTIVE MAP:

2011-10-27T19:44:00.000-05:00

This is an interesting interactive map that may be useful in your bible study/reading.
Source: mapsofwar.com

REFLECTIONS ON JUDGMENT:

2011-10-26T05:33:00.000-05:00

Texts: Nahum, Revelation 1-3

It is easy to read Nahum and feel a sense of pride, that God will judge the wickedness of His enemies. It is easy to identify with captive Israel. But turn the pages to Revelation, and it suddenly becomes difficult to identify with the ones being judged -- the Church.

We say to ourselves, "Islam will be judged. The Atheist will bow his knee. Al Qaeda will be brought down. Murderers and rapists will pay." It indeed may be so, but the Bible strongly conveys a message that judgment starts with His own people first! It starts in His Church; with his Bride.

Have I abandoned my First Love for another?
Have I been failful? Am I faithful?
Is there something from which I need to repent? Do I need to turn and run from my sin?
If God were to search my heart, would He find hidden in it wickedness?
Is my faith dead or dying? Do I need to strengthen what remains?
If I were tried and tested today, would I emerge faithful? Would I place my trust in Jesus Christ?
What in my life needs to be refined by the fire of God's glory? What lukewarmness to be addressed?

"Life Application Study Bible Devotional: Daily Wisdom from the Life of Jesus"

2011-10-24T19:23:00.001-05:00

I must admit, I've never been a big fan of the typical "devotional". I find them too simplistic, enabling the problem of our already-busy lives. Rather than really slowing down and excavating deep into God's word, devotionals dig more like spades.

That said, I still volunteered to review this study/devotional bible to give it a chance. The basic format of this particular study bible is this: each daily devotional is one page long. Along the outer margin of each page is the passage being considered, and each passage is typically only a verse or two. Since this bible is only a "gospels" devotional, longer passages aren't a necessity. It's definitely not bogged down in heavy bible reading. The main section of each page consists of a review and setting of the passage in consideration. The last paragraph of that main section typically asks a couple questions for life application. Finally, in the same outer margin mentioned earlier is a prayer recommendation that relates to the topic under consideration.

Given my reservation for devotionals, I found that I actually like this devotional bible. This one has caused me to pause and rethink my position on devotionals. God has a marvelous way of speaking to people through His word, regardless of depth of study. If He chooses to speak, He will and send the needed messages at the right times.

In the early weeks of review, I was literally enduring a week of strong physical temptation. For two consecutive days, the passage spoke to my struggle as though God sent me a personal message on those particular days. The words were precisely what I needed to read/hear. It's difficult to dismiss those occurrences as mere coincidence.

So, do devotionals "work"? I guess I'd say they do. Do they provide all the sustenance we need in our spirit? I still say no. But even body builders don't eat full meals every time they eat. Sometimes they snack.

All-in-all, I give this devotional bible 4 stars. It doesn't blow my mind, but it certainly changed it.

I received this bible from Tyndale Publishers free of charge in exchange for my unbiased review of it. I was not promised rewards or threatened to provide a positive review. All opinions are mine.

"The Book of Man", by William Bennett

2011-10-17T19:11:00.000-05:00

"The Book of Man" is no mere book, but a volume. Want a good workout? Carry this one around a while! It's thick with short stories about various great feats of great people throughout history, specifically men.

The stories in this volume don't display courageous men solely in battle. Although one section of stories does just that, these stories also reveal the character of men in the way we compete in sports, how we work, the way we worship, our leadership in the home, etc. One quote that I really like is borrowed from Lt. Cmdr Eric Greitens, author of "The Heart and the Fist", and is found in the short "Profile: A Navy SEAL". He writes, "...we live in an America that offers its young men very few tests, very few cultural markers through which they can, to which on the other end they can say, 'You know what, I've become a better person, I've become a man'" (p. 263).

The Book of Man is a neat book, one in which the reader can freely skip around. Its not a book one would read cover-to-cover in a week. Instead, it makes for a good "bathroom reader", for the coffee table, or even a gift for a pastor to supplement his sermon illustrations. I imagine it could be used by men's groups to facilitate discussion in issues that run far deeper than politics, war, and sports. It's deeper intent is in dealing with courage, faith, honesty, honor, etc - the things that truly matter in life.

Something I would have liked to see is a few pictures of the men described in their stories. Not because the book is so big and in need of visual relief, but because it's always nice to put a name with a face. Unfortunately, however, there are none. But that's the only gripe I have with this book, and it's not even a major one.

That said, I give "The Book of Man" 4 stars out of 5.

I received this book free of charge from Booksneeze in exchange for my unbiased review. I have not been threatened, coerced, or promised reward in any way to provide a positive review. All opinions are mine.

SUNSET STOP SIGN:

2011-10-08T21:14:00.000-05:00

This is one of my favorite pictures I've ever captured...and it was Entirely by accident. The sunset in Michigan this past Thursday evening was glorious and I hoped to capture its magnificence. The first picture i attempted with one of our "Blue Gooses" just didn't do much. Then I thought to encapsulate the golden sun in the center of the "O" of the "stop sign". What you see is the result.

By the way, the stop sign is an old tradition in the Michigan State Police, dating back to The time we began driving cars on patrol. It used to be used as a tool to stop cars from the side rather than from behind. Now it's there primarily for looks, but can also be used at night to reveal who we are when we pull into an unsuspecting citizen's driveway at night.

REMINDERS OF YOU:

2011-10-06T18:44:00.000-05:00

I absolutely love when God sends reminders of Himself. Just as I love it when my wife secretly stashes a love note in my lunch bag for me to find later during my work day, I also love when God does the same. He seems to do it often if only we pay close attention.

Shortly after a co-worker passed away, I received an email from his former wife. She posed some heavy questions, and we talked our way through them. She recounted for me a story of God sending reminders of Him. One of her favorite insects as a young child were the little yellow butterflies we see about this time of the year. When standing at her loved-one's gravesite, she said a little yellow butterfly flittered into the scene, flew around her sons, and then flew away. Not to be ignored, a few days later, another little yellowbutterfly floated into her world and away again as she entered a laundromat.

She couldn't easily dismiss the two occurrances and coincidence. She was hurting and in need of God's peaceful presence. "Could it be that God was using one of His creatures -- those little yellow butterflies that you like so much -- to remind you that He hears your prayers and is always near? He knows you like those butterflies, so He sent a couple just to whisper, 'I love you'."

She needed our conversation for closure; I needed it for encouragement. And that conversation served as the door-opener for God's reminders to me.

A heavy temptation had been in-and-out of my radar for quite some time. Since I am currently reviewing a daily-devotional study bible, I picked up where I had left off the previous day in my readings. Somehow, in some strange way, the passage of study weaved its way into my world...as though it was divinely inspired for that moment in time. I still remember the lesson: "In what area of your life is the Holy Spirit leading you to be holy?"

Ouch! I knew the rightness and wrongness of the decisions that lay ahead, and God was sending a message my way.

Fast forward another day or two. Still struggling under the weight of this heavy temptation, I picked up the same study bible...resolved to behave wrongly. I picked it up as I said to myself, "Ok, God, I'm going to give You another chance to answer before it's too late."

The lesson from the passage: "What decisions do you know the Holy Spirit is leading you to make in following God?"

Ok, God, you have my full attention. I cried. "I know You care. I know You love me. I know You're involved. But now I need to You to intercede for me. I'm in trouble here, and I need Your help."

Like the Faithful Father He is, He answered. Faster than ever.

Thank You, God, for sending reminders of You.

IN ISLAM, RAPE VICTIMS DIE:

2011-10-01T06:30:00.000-05:00

KARACHI, PAKISTAN -- Kainat Soomro is a 17-year-old Pakistani girl who has become a local celebrity of sorts in her battle for justice in the Pakistani courts, a daring move for a woman of any age in this country, let alone a teenager. She is fighting to get justice for a gang rape that she insists happened four years [2007] ago in Mehar, a small town in Pakistan. (Here in America, we fight as best as we can on bahalf of the victim to bring scumbags to justice.)

"I was walking home from my school and I went to the store to buy a toy for my niece," she said, staring at the floor of the office. "While I was looking at things a guy pressed a handkerchief on my nose. I fainted and was kidnapped. Then four men gang raped me."

As she shared details of her days in captivity and multiple rapes, she kept repeating, "I want justice, I will not stop until I get justice." After three days, she was finally able to escape she said. As she spoke, her father gently tapped her head. He said he tried to get Kainat's alleged rapists arrested, but instead he was rebuffed by the police.

According to the Kainat family's account, the tribal elders declared her kari, (which literally means black female), for losing her virginity outside marriage. (Kinda' difficult to call this a simple "loss of virginity". It's not like she woke up one morning and said, "Hey, I think I'd like to get raped today so that my family will be pressured to kill me.)

In Pakistan, women and men who have illicit relationships or women who lose their virginity before marriage are at risk of paying with their lives.

"These are matters of honor and the leaders call a jirga and they declare that the woman or the couple should be killed," said Abdul Hai, a veteran field officer for the Human Rights Commission in Pakistan. These acts of violence are most commonly labeled as "honor killings."

The most recent report from the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan noted that in 2009 roughly 46 percent of all female murders in Pakistan that year were in the name of "honor." The report noted that a total of 647 incidences of "honor killings" were reported by the Pakistani press. However, experts say that actual incidences of "honor killings" in Pakistan are much higher and never get reported to the police because they are passed off by the families as suicides.

Kainat said that despite the pressures her family refused to kill her. (I'm proud they are standing against all odds on behalf of their daughter, even if it brings danger upon themselves. Pray for them!) And that defiance has left the family fearing for their lives. The family's new home in Karachi has been attacked a number of times.

But, according to Abdul Hai, Kainat is lucky: "The woman or the girl usually gets killed and the man gets away," he said. "Over 70 percent of the murdered victims are women and only 30 percent of victims of honor killings are male."

In Karachi, Kainat and her family are now sharing one room in a run-down apartment block, and they have to rely on charities to help them pay for food.

"We go hungry many nights," said Kainat's older sister.

But their fight might never pay off. A local judge has already ruled against Kainat in the case. "There is no corroborative evidence available on record. The sole testimony of the alleged rape survivor is not sufficient," the judge said in a written decision. (Sadly, this reminds me of the ancient Jewish custom of not trusting the testimony of women. It's one of the horrible truths set forth in the bible that I cannot stand. Ironically, God would use the testimony of a woman to declare the risen Messiah!)

Another problem is that material evidence is usually not collected in rape cases in Pakistan since the police rarely believe rape victims and therefore don't order rape kits in a timely manner.

Without medical tests to corroborate her story, it remains Kainat's word against the alleged rapists. But even having lost her case at the local court, Kainat insists, "I am not giving up, I will take this all the way to the Supreme Court of Pakistan." (Yeah, good luck with that one. I'm almost certain the Islamist society in which you live has one court in bed with the other, and they're both clutching the "satanic verses". Come to Jesus, Kainat family.)

This story was reported with a grant from the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting, an Atlantic partner site.

THE CHICKEN CHOP:

2011-09-26T11:30:00.000-05:00

Part of owning chickens is coming to terms with thinning the flock. We have a lot of hens we love having for their egg production. Unfortunately, we had too many roosters. They mounted the hens allllll day long. So, it was time to prep the roosters for the crock pot. (I spared you from the pic where the rooster looks into the camera just before ni-night time.

One of our good friends, Fred, from the church who hunts and eats anything that moves offered to help us. Little Benjamin was a trooper. This was our first time butchering our own birds because we've always paid to have it done. This is where we "skinned" the bird, rather than plucking it.

Here's the almost-done final product once skinned. Not really all that bad of a process. Here's my Conan the Barbarian pose! Do I looked mean or just grossed out?

Here we are in one of the final cleaning stages. My wife used the loping shears from her gardening to help Fred cut the neck off the bird. We cleaned; she packaged for the freezer.

Now all the hens are happy they can walk around the yard without being mauled by the horny roosters all day long. Watching a rooster mate a hen is like watching a crime in progress. The hens can thank us by giving us more eggs!

A PEBBLE IN HIS SHOE:

2011-09-22T12:46:00.001-05:00

The following post will be pretty expletive-laden (I typed it in the speaker's vernacular, though)...but that's the real world I live and work in. The expletives actually made it a funny interaction, though. I hope you enjoy.

I'm approached by a big Marine named Justin this afternoon after we had each finished lunch at the same restaurant. Justin talks with a heavy Boston-Italian-esqe accent, and he's a thick dude (aka, muscular). He approaches and we have the following conversation:

Justin: "Did you serve?"
Me: "No."
Justin: "I was a foakin' Marine, and I'm all about the militawy and foakin' police and shet."
Me: "Have you considered a career as an officer?"
Justin: "Nah, I foakin' like what I do, but you guys are the foakin' shet."

Justin continues...

J: "I've got a buddy who foakin' complained to me that he got a foakin' ticket from the foakin' caps (that's cops in Boston-Italian). So I told him, 'yeah, so foakin' what! It's probably because that foakin' cop just got done lookin' at a foakin' dead guy and shet.' I mean hey, troopah, you goys got it foakin' tough cuz you never know what some foakin' asehole might do. I got foakin' buddies who are caps and they do the foakin' death stare and are all cynical and shet."
Me: "I hear ya, some guys can get that way. But I'll tell you what Justin, if I didn't have Jesus Christ in my life, I can't imagine where I'd be."

As I'm saying this, big Justin is sucking the pop through the straw poking out of what looks like a tiny cup in his big hands, his gigantic arms are protruding to the sides, and he simultaneously gave me the thumbs-up coupled with a head nod.

Justin finished drinking, swallowed, nodded again and toned his voice down a half notch,
J: "Yeah, man. If I didn't have God, I'd be totally dead right now. I'd probably be a mercenawy or somethin'."

At this point, Justin rolls up his sleeve and shows me a Jerusalem Cross (pictured above) on his monstrous shoulder. We finished our polite conversation, each retreating to our respective vehicles. I closed the door and literally laughed out loud.

I thought to myself, "Well, at least I left him with a pebble in his shoe."

IF YOU'RE NOT MOVING...

2011-09-21T12:34:00.002-05:00

I never thought I’d be saying this, but for once I agree with Al Sharpton.

Mr. Sharpton was talking about the Troy Davis case, the man due to be executed in Georgia for killing a police officer. Questionable doubt has surfaced relating to Davis’s guilt, and activists are simply asking for another trial to get to the truth before the execution continues. I’m not here to debate the Davis case or Mr. Sharpton’s opinion of it. I simply agree with statements he made that I think absolutely apply to the Church.

One listener called his program and was boisterously voicing his opinion about the Davis case and other civil rights cases. When the caller finished, Sharpton remarked, “Now I know you’re not going to call in here hollerin’ and not be there (the rally)! If you’re going to call here hollerin’, then you better show up to the rally and make your voice heard!”

He proceeded to field another call. A lady told about all the people she and her organization were supporting and so forth. Mr. Sharpton continued his earlier diatribe, saying, “You’re not part of a movement if you’re not moving! Don’t call in here saying what you believe and what you’re going do if you aren’t going to do anything about it! You’re judged by what you do, because what you say means nothing unless you do something about it!”

I imagine you’re already guessing where I’m going with this.

How many Christians sit every Sunday in pretty pews and soft chairs, sing a few songs, give a couple dollars, “amen” the preacher’s sermon…..and then do nothing about it once outside the church doors? How many people call themselves Christians but aren’t doing anything about what they profess to possess? How many Christians are stuck in park with the engine not even running? I’ll concur with Mr. Sharpton’s words, “You’re not part of a movement if you’re not moving!”

How can we call ourselves disciples of Christ and not simultaneously feel the burden
-to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with the lost?
-to pray (sometimes boldly and publicly) for hurting people?
-to give to the needy?
-to feed to poor?
-to be involved in the community?
-to visit the sick, elderly, and shut-ins?

I’m reminded of the Apostle James’ words: “Faith without action is dead faith and is useless.”

ETHICS IN POLICING:

2011-09-19T18:51:00.001-05:00

Ok, so here's the situation posed to me.

A stand-up brother in Jesus Christ, a true disciple, recently received a promotion to be an undercover narcotics officer. As we all know, the world is a dark place, and accompanying that darkness is profanity, vulgarity, crassness, etc.

The question is this: Is the Christian officer justified to use profanity in order to fit the part of a street criminal? His attempt is to gain street credibility to earn trust and catch the bigger fish...all while going undetected or being held in suspicion. Is it sin to violate that which he holds to be a moral truth -- that his speech ought to reflect that new life God has given him -- in order to perform an ethically good act?

What is your opinion???

"Ascent from Darkness", by Michael Leehan

2011-09-15T12:38:00.000-05:00

In my experience there are three broad categories of books. The first category is the crummy book – the one you wish you hadn’t wasted time on. The second is the good book – one that stirs the mind and conversation. But then there’s a third, one I consider the phenomenal book. It’s the book one doesn’t merely read, but consumes and devours. It’s one I can’t stop reading or put down easily.

“Ascent from Darkness” falls in that category of phenomenal books. It’s a book that I wish was longer, and one that I will never regret reading. I read it cover-to-cover in four days, and loved every page of it.

The author, Michael Leehan, was a full-fledged Satanist for twenty years of his life after making a deal with the devil when he was in his early twenties. Leehan describes his descent into evil darkness, channeling, blood/animal sacrifice, possession, etc. throughout the majority of the book. The experience of just reading his testimony was mind-blowing and eye-opening!

One of the most painful statements in the entire book came when Leehan was mere hours away from his self-appointed time to commit suicide. While still in bondage, he included this scathing opinion of the Church in his one last plea to God for help: “I can tell You another thing if You are there; Your followers suck! They lie and they are hypocrites. In a moment they quote Scripture and fornicate. They speak Your words, and then they lie to each other. They come to church hours after they lust for their neighbor and commit sin. They say they serve You but are inwardly evil. They profess You, but their eyes and hearts are consumed by this world” (p.209).

The last quarter of the book details the process – a long, painful, difficult one – Leehan endured while seeking deliverance. We Americans have seen Hollywood’s rendition of exorcisms performed by sweaty priests as they fling holy water on the afflicted. But that wasn’t Leehan’s case. He agonized several years on the road to freedom.

God skillfully directed godly men and women in Leehan’s life-path, Christ-followers who prayed with/for him and relentlessly loved him to Christ. Today, Leehan is a free man in Christ, and he shares his radical testimony with the world how his life was miraculously changed by the power of God!

RATING: There are not enough stars in the 5-star system for this book. If so, I’d give it more! It’s a must-read and a must-share!

DISCLAIMER: I received this book free of charge from Thomas Nelson Publishers (Booksneeze) in exchange for my unbiased review. I was not promised reward, nor was I threatened or coerced in any way in order to solicit a positive review. All opinions are mine.

Excerpt: "The Gospel at Ground Zero"

2011-09-09T11:25:00.001-05:00

The cover story "The Gospel at Ground Zero" in this month's Christianity Today magazine was thoughtful, gospel-centered, and well-written. I've provided a sampling of that article, which I thought was its pinnacle section...

Spiritual Terrorism

"The ugly reality of crucifixion looms over the lives of Christ's followers today, as it did Peter's life. In the gospel, we are confronted with the unvarnished horror of ourselves—damned and cursed and exiled. We find ourselves ensnared in the curse itself—in Jesus, writhing in torture on a stake (John 3:14).

Gathering each week, we reenact the horror of Jesus' sacrificial death. In baptism, we see the flood of God's judgment against sin (1 Pet. 3:20-21). At the Lord's Table, we swallow and digest the sign of our Lord's torn skin and spattered blood.

The preaching of sin and judgment is traumatic, to be sure. There's some danger of presenting the gospel as mere condemnation—exactly what Jesus says it's not (John 3:17). And an overwhelming emphasis on sin can breed a morbid obsession with one's own wickedness. This, of course, leads not to repentance but to despair, which is exactly where the satanic powers want us.

At the same time, censoring the gospel's painful realities doesn't lead to tranquility. Like our children with the wild things out there, we know intuitively that a Day of Judgment is coming, even as we try to keep the fear submerged. The Scriptures tell of an unholy spirit who accuses our consciences, and whose accusations resonate with us because they are accurate (Rev. 12:10). The Devil holds us in captivity through our innate fear of death and judgment (Heb. 2:14-15). That pretty well sums up the classic definition of "terrorism." And the only thing that can free us from our enslavement to Satan, and to our sin, is blood (Rev. 12:11).

In the word of the Cross, God tells us he knows all our traumas, our insurgencies, our secrets—and that he has already executed them at Golgotha. We need not fear hell, then, not because there isn't one, but because—if we are found in Christ—we have already been through all of that. We are free. And whenever our consciences accuse, the gospel takes us away from denial or preoccupation and right back to Ground Zero—to the Cross."

The Gospel at Ground Zero, September 2011, Vol. 55, No. 9, Page 24

"Our Last Great Hope", by Ronnie Floyd

2011-09-05T19:10:00.000-05:00

SYNOPSIS: You know it when you read it. You know, that book that is absolutely timely in getting into your hands. That was “Our Last Great Hope” for me. So, maybe I liked it with a little extra measure because I as ready for it. That said, I really liked this book, and I think Ronnie Floyd did an outstanding job in writing this one.

The premise of “Our Last Great Hope” is that the world is running on empty and has lost hope. But “the fulfillment of the great commission is our last great hope.” (p. xxvii) What would our world, our society, or cities – heck, our churches – look like if Evangelical Christians took the command of Jesus to “go and make disciples” seriously?

What would happen if you prayed daily for God to put people in your life who need to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ? What if you prepared yourself daily in reading/study of God’s word? What if you talked Jesus every day with your children? It’s likely we would see a far different place than we see before us today.

Ronnie Floyd inspires readers not just to THINK missionally, but to ACT missionally. He suggests several practical, simple – yet sometimes bold – ways we can take the hope of Jesus Christ to a dark, lost world. And it all starts with you and me. “…don’t sit around and wait until we feel supernatural leading…The Great Commission is always God’s will” (p.113).

DISLIKES: The one and only disagreement (and I am truly reluctant to call it a “dislike” in my heading) I have with Floyd is one aspect he suggests. “I believe that perhaps the most strategic solution to the challenge of the Great Commission lies in churches that do not yet exist…In a typical American city, we need many thousands of new churches” (p.67). With the abundance of churches in America – sometimes even multiple churches on one street alone, depending on the city – one of the LAST things I think we need is MORE churches.

Instead, what I think we need more of – and this is one other point Floyd stresses throughout the book – is missions-minded Evangelicals whose aim it is to take the gospel into their own world, if not further. I simply don’t think more churches is what we need, especially when we see more and more close each day because Americans like to “church hop”; and the ones that remain in existence do so primarily through “births among existing members” without “plans to go out and make disciples” (p.134).

CONCLUDING ‘HAT TIP’: The most powerful statement comes near the end of the book, when Floyd says, “Today’s churches are easy to criticize, easy to ridicule, because too many of them are fruitless and fearful. They have meetings, members, programs, and fancy websites. But if there is no Spirit-driven boldness, no dynamic growth, no weekly pattern of people coming to Christ, then the world has no respect for them” (p. 209)

RATING: What else can I say? 5 stars and 2 thumbs up for Ronnie Floyd’s, “Our Last Great Hope”. Well done, brother! Pick one up today and be inspired to share the gospel with your world.

DISCLAIMER: I was given this book free of charge by Thomas Nelson Publishers in exchange for my unbiased review of it. All opinions in this review are mine. I have not been threatened, coerced, or promised kickbacks in return for providing a positive review.

WHAT ON EARTH ARE THE 770 OF US DOING?

2011-09-04T12:56:00.001-05:00

As I passed a fully-packed large church this morning, I couldn't help but ask, "What on earth are we doing?" Literally, what are WE Christians doing on earth? What are WE doing in our Country? In our State? In our Society, our City? Are WE doing anything?

There are approximately 7 billion people in this world. Just under...it's like 6,929,123,456 or something. But 7,000,000,000 is close enough.

Recent estimates show that 2.1 billion, or 2,100,000,000 call ourselves "Christians".

But further estimates show that only 770 million, or 770,000,000 are true, born-again disciples of Jesus Christ.

Let's bring that number home for a minute. If we cut off 6 zero's in each of the above numbers, then that would be like saying there is a world in which there are 7,000 people. And of those 7,000, only 770 of them are true disciples of Jesus Christ.

WHAT ON EARTH ARE THE 770 OF US DOING?

We live in a dark world, and Jesus said we are the light of the world in Matthew 5. So why are we not shining brighter and impacting our world for Him more, if, in fact, the Spirit of the Living God is alive in each of us who are His children??? Why does our culture, our city, our world remain sooooo unchanged?

WHAT ON EARTH ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT?

IT'S PEACEFUL AS LONG AS YOU SUBMIT:

2011-09-03T12:53:00.000-05:00

"Two Christian men were seriously injured by young Muslim men this month in Karachi when they refused to convert to Islam, a family member told Compass.

[They] were returning home after an early morning prayer service at their church in Sohrab Goth on Aug. 14, Pakistan’s Independence Day, when ethnic Pashtun youths near Sea View harassed and later attacked them." ........

“The Pashtun youths then started questioning them about their faith and later tried to force them to recite the Kalma [Islamic conversion creed] and become Muslims, telling them that this was the only way they could live peacefully in the city,” Liaqat Munawar said. “They also offered monetary incentives and ‘protection’ to Ishfaq and Naeem, but the two refused to renounce Christianity.” ..........

After cajoling the two Christians for some time, the Pashtuns sat in a white car parked nearby and eventually drove away. Ishfaq Munawar and Masih got back onto their motorcycle and were about to start it, Liaqat Munawar said, when suddenly the young Muslims reversed their car and rammed it into the Christians.

“The Muslims got out of the car armed with iron rods and attacked Ishfaq and Naeem, shouting that they should either recite the Kalma or be prepared to die,” Liaqat Munawar said.

He said the Pashtuns severely beat the two Christians, fracturing Ishfaq Munawar’s jaw and breaking five teeth, and seriously injuring Masih. He added that the two Christians fell unconscious, and the young Muslim men left assuming they had killed them.

LEFT BEHIND?

2011-08-30T19:49:00.000-05:00

Lately, it seems that around every turn I hear someone somewhere mentioning the "rapture", a still-of-the-night whisking away of the bride of Christ into the presence of our Lord. I think people are ever more talking about it because of our economic turmoil, global warfare, mass catastrophes, etc. As has been the case for several years now, rapture proponents continue saying, "We're in the last days." It’s so common to hear and say that I wonder if people have really given it much thought.

According to the “left behind” theory, there will be a rapture of the Church just prior to a 7-year period of tribulation. Those not taken away into Glory are "left behind" to receive several seasons of torment for their wickedness. But what does the Bible say about those who are left behind? Does it suggest WHO will be left behind? Here are some historical, biblical examples to help us navigate our way.

#1- The Great Flood (Gen 7). When God told Noah His plans to flood the earth, He told him to build a huge ship in order to spare some of His creation. Who was removed? Not Noah, but the wicked. Who was left behind? Not the wicked, but Noah. The wicked were swept away in judgment, and Noah was left behind to replenish the earth and dwell in it.

#2- Sodom & Gomorrah (Gen 14). When God told Abram His plans to destroy S&G, Abram pleaded with God on behalf of the righteous remnant. Although there were very few, God agreed to spare the righteous. Who was "carried away"? The wicked, once again, were swept away in judgment, while Lot and his family were left behind to dwell on the earth.

#3- Passover in Egypt (Ex 12). When God told Moses His plans to destroy the firstborn not consecrated by the lamb's blood, Moses took word to the Pharoah about the pending doom. When Passover occurred, was it the righteous who trusted in God's word who were judged? No, the faithful were spared -- left behind -- and the faithless wicked were judged.

#4- The Exodus (Ex 14). When the Pharoah finally let the Hebrews leave, he later changed his mind and chased after them. His armies chased the Hebrews to the Red Sea where he had them cornered with no escape. Or did he? The Hebrews were not rescued by God by flooding THEM in the Sea and taking THEM "home" to be with Him forever. No. Instead, it was the wicked who were swallowed up in the sea in judgment, and the righteous left behind on dry ground to worship in the land.

#5- Israel's futile invasion attempt at Canaan (Num 14). After God told the Hebrews to take Canaan, spies were sent in to develop a battle plan. Their plan turned into cowardice, refusing to enter and conquer it. However, two warriors - Joshua & Caleb - refused to bend to peer pressure and instead chose to trust God's promise to them. When the Hebrews later attempted to enter Canaan against God's command, they were ransacked by the Canaanites. So, who was taken away? Righteous Joshua & Caleb? Were they taken away by the Lord so they would no longer have to contend with their faithless brothers? No. Instead, THEY were left behind to one later day enter the land of promise, while their faithless brothers were swept away in judgment.

#6- Elijah on Mt. Carmel (1 Ki 18). This one is by far my absolute favorite story in all of the Bible, second only the the Passion week of Christ for sinners. Elijah put out a challenge to the prophets of Baal: Build an altar, put a bull on it, and whoever's God answers with fire...that god is God. I can just imagine Elijah reclining in his lawn chair sipping on an ice-cold lemonade while watching the antics performed by the prophets of Baal. He even goaded them a bit: "Yell louder, maybe he's sleeping or busy doing something else!" I love it. Observing the debacle long enough, Elijah summons the onlookers to himself and his altar. Rubbing salt in the prophets' fresh wounds, he tells them to pour buckets and buckets of water on the altar, soaking it thoroughly. Yahweh answers with an all-consuming fire and devours the sacrifice. Immediately thereafter, Elijah was taken away in a rapture so he could escape the prophets' godless nonsense, and they would be left behind to fend for themselves against God's judgment. No! That's not at all how the story goes. Instead, the false prophets were swept away in judgment while Elijah was left behind to worship God in the land and spread the good news that Yahweh is God over heaven and earth.

#7- Esther and Haman (Esther). Haman's sinister plan to wipe out the Hebrews backfired on him. With the same gallows that Haman built to destroy the Hebrews, he himself was hung from it. Who was spared and left behind to glory in God? You guessed it. And who was swept away in judgment? Bingo! Wicked Haman.

#8- The Tribulation (Matt 24). When Jesus foretold the Roman conquest and sacking of Jerusalem and her temple, he warned the people to flee to the mountains. "Run for your lives when you see the abomination that causes desolation in the temple, for you know that judgment is right at the doorstep. Otherwise, you will be destroyed with your city." This language harkens to the days of the first Passover. Whoever did not believe His word was doomed; but whoever trusted what Jesus said would flee the city. In 70 AD, who was left behind, the righteous or the wicked? Exactly. It was those who trusted Christ at His word who were spared and left behind. The faithless doubters were mercilessly slaughtered by the Romans.

CONCLUSION: The Bible actually provides several examples (and this list is not all-inclusive) as to what the "end times" will conceivably resemble. While I have no lofty notions in my head that I have all of God's eschatological events figured out, I can say with relative certainty that the "left behind" (popularized by Tim Lahaye) theory is not very plausible. If we are careful to follow Biblical precedent, then we’ll leave “left behind” in the dust.

So who REALLY gets left behind? What do you have to say?

'CUZ YOU NEVER KNOW WHO'S LISTENING:

2011-08-24T19:33:00.002-05:00

Yesterday morning, a co-worker and I investigated a car vs. bicyclist crash in which the 25-year old bicyclist was instantly killed. For 3 hours we tried to locate his next of kin, but were unsuccessful. So this morning was the autopsy at the medical examiner's office, and it was there that I finally met some of the young man's family members in the front lobby.

Long story short: While in the finishing stages of explaining things to them, I sensed a prompting,
"Pray with them, Mike."
I pushed the notion aside for a bit until I was sure they were "ready".
"Pray with them, Mike."
This time, I tried ignoring it because the situation didn't "feel" right at the time.
"Pray with them now, Mike."

I finished what I had to say and I looked the victim's brother in the eyes and simply asked, "Can I pray with you?" See, the other family members had kindof strayed away from our immediate location for a brief moment...and that's when I asked the brother. But it was as if I asked with a bull-horn becuase the family members turned around and all (almost simultaneously) said "Yes, we'd like that."

I was delighted; I prayed briefly, and after finishing I went about my business of attending the autopsy. When I exited the door into the main lobby where I had originally met with the family, I noticed what looked like a couple employees standing near the front desk. The attendant at the front desk was on the phone, and one of the female employees mouthed quietly while pointing at the lady on the phone, "She wants to talk to you."

The woman hung up the phone and said, "I just wanted to tell you that I thought it was so nice that you prayed with that family. That is very rare. I sat back here and bowed my head in prayer right along with you. Thank you, Trooper."

I tell this story because I was shocked at the scope of the prayer's audience. I intended only for the family, God, and me to hear it. I prayed quietly and subtly so as to not embarrass the family, but the attendant overheard it. I was perplexed, because I didn't realize who was listening.

Why do I ever doubt the Spirit's timing?
Why did I ignore Him at the first and second promptings?
I wonder if it will encourage any of them to pursue Jesus Christ more.

Most tragically, I wonder what would have been the outcome had I quenched the Spirit at that crucial time......

7T times 7:

2011-08-20T16:18:00.000-05:00

When are mere words not enough?

When do our words, in order to be true, require action?
How long must we contend with each other, apologize, do nothing about it, and do the same all over again?

My spirit faced these questions from the Spirit of God as I struggled with an issue with a neighbor. Here’s the gist:

We have several free-range chickens.
We live on plenty of land for the chickens to walk, scratch, and eat whatever it is chickens eat.
Our chickens wander, but not frequently outside of our property.

Our neighbor across the road has two dogs.
One is a Rottweiler; the other is a Boxer.
Over the past handful of months, 4 chickens have been killed or maimed (2 of each category, actually) by his dogs on our own property.

The neighbor always admits when his dogs are in the wrong.
He always apologizes for it.
But, he always says he’s going to put up a fence, or do whatever it is he says he’s going to do to make the rampage stop.

He and I had a phone conversation (because I was at work during the most recent attack that maimed yet another chicken), and he offered the same ol’ apologies and offered the same trite promises.
Empty words at this point.

About an hour after the conversation, the Spirit of God mauled me like a Rottweiler does a chicken:

“Mike, day-in and day-out you sin. Not just any sin, but the same ol’ sin. The one you did yesterday, and the day before that, and the month before that, and the year before that, and the decade before that. You sin – you apologize – I forgive. For what, just to do it all over again? You say you’re going to do something about it; you say you’ll put up your own ‘fence’ in order to guard your mind. When are you going to do that, son? As soon as you start building the fence, you take it right back down again. Your words are just that – words! And quite frankly, I’m fed up with them. They are mere, hollow, empty words. When are you going to take action? After all, faith without action is dead faith! How long must I contend with you and forgive you and tolerate your empty apologies? You ask for My help? ‘What do I do, God?’ you ask. Forgive him. Forgive. Period. No strings attached. ‘But how often?’ you ask? Seventy times seven – as often as it takes for Dennis to finally see Me through you. That’s how often. Because that’s precisely what I’ve done for you.”

Nuff said.
I jumped right back on the phone and expressed our forgiveness to Dennis.
It was difficult, but it was the right thing to do.

Now, if I could just find a way to protect the chickens...

"Putting Others First" -- Chuck Swindoll's Paws & Tales

2011-08-19T05:37:00.000-05:00

"Paws & Tales" is a weekly radio program -- and DVD -- for kids. It can be heard primarily on weekends on most Christian radio stations. I agreed to review this 2-episode DVD for Tyndale Media. I thought this DVD was very useful and beneficial, not only for me, but for my children.

I have to admit, of my two children, only my 6-year old son was interested. The 3-year old was still a little too young. He was easily distracted, but the episodes kept the oldest child's attention from start to finish. The DVD series is titled, "Putting Others First", and the two episode titles were "Race Against Time" and "The Hire Principle". In the first episode, the children are forced to choose between difficult choices and whether or not to help a friend in need. In the second episode, the main character, CJ, endures an issue of "blackmail" in order to protect the dignity of his own father.

LIKES: The episodes clearly teach biblical behavior and principles that we parents all hope to instill in our children. The message is not an in-your-face style, so the DVD can easily be shared with non-Christian friends and family and their children without fear of feeling too "preachy". I asked my oldest son some questions about the theme and purpose of the episodes. With a little help, he was able to draw up good conclusions...so, it's plain that the message was clearly taught.

I give this DVD title 5 stars.

Disclaimer: I received this title free of charge from Tyndale Media in exchange for my unbiased review. All opinions are mine, and I have not been threatened or coerced to provide a positive review.

WHAT ARE WE DOING, REALLY?

2011-08-13T21:17:00.000-05:00

As my wife and I passed a church building in our town, I commented about how nice the newly cemented parking lot looked. It was all dirt and gravel not too long ago, and they paid for it with cash. Yes, they needed the lot lonnnnng ago, but they found it prudent to save the money (novel idea, I know) and do the job when they could pay cash. Well, the finished product is great.

Another church on the other side of town, on the other hand, hopes to add to their building structure, incurring greater debt. They hope to pay down a large portion of their original debt prior to adding on, but not completely eliminate the debt before moving forward.

The conversation proceeded as follows: "I wonder what the church body in Somalia thinks of our church finances here in America. What would THEY do if they had access to just a quarter of our holdings? When we give measley chump change to nearby food banks and say we are doing God's work in our communities, do they (the church body in 3rd world nations) lament over our stinginess? Do they think our idea of missionally feeding and clothing the poor is a joke? I wonder what they think of our spiffy buildings, nice parking lots, shiny new cars, beautiful musical instruments on a stage with more wires than Best Buy.

And we do it all to have a "packed house" for 3 hours on one day of the week, when many 3rd world church bodies are experiencing the fire of God sweeping through their villages on a daily basis.

"PEACE BE WITH YOU", by David Carlson

2011-08-11T20:04:00.001-05:00

"Peace be with You" is a sociology exposee. Dr. Carlson embarked upon a project-journey in the mid-2000's to visit a number of monasteries around the country where his goal was to interview monks and nuns regarding their thoughts about the 9/11 events. "Peace be with You" is Carlson's commentary and reflection about his personal journal detailing those experiences. It was very much "a day in the life" account, and not quite what I expected it to be. I guess I should have read the subtitle first: "Monastic Wisdom for a Terror-filled World", for it would have given me insight into the book's direction.

I thought too much of the book was filled with uninteresting fluff: such as what time Carlson checked into a certain monastery, clothing worn, what kinds of chores he may or may not have performed, the monks' schedules, what they ate and when they ate it, etc. Without these details, the book would have been far shorter than the nearly 300 pages that it is.

SYNOPSIS:

Here's what I understood to be the overall opinions of the monks and nuns Dr. Carlson interviewed:

America is wrong, we deserved what we got on 9/11, and it's no wonder everybody hates us;
Americans are a bunch of prideful carmudgens who don't share with our global neighbors;
So much is wrong with Christianity and Christians;
Americans and American Christians need to forgive, as well as observe the events of 9/11 from Islam's point of view;
Americans and American Christians need to learn about others and how we can compromise in order to better get along with our global neighbors.

DISLIKES:

Primarily, my biggist issue was with Carlson's theology, which can be summed up in a single phrase out of the book, "Dialoguing and praying with other religions seems less important if the church believes those other relgions need to be evangelized" (p. 154). Let's be honest for just a moment: If what we Christians believe is true about God, heaven, hell, sin, salvation, Jesus Christ, etc, and if we truly believe what we believe about those things is true, then it seems to me that Christians would/should want everyone to know the truth. It seems we would be righteously burdened to evangelize the world with the gospel of Jesus Christ so our neighbors won't suffer eternal damnation in hell.

But that's not the approach in "Peace be with You." In fact, Jesus Christ and His graceful work of redemption of sinners is largely absent in the book. He's not set forth as the Prince of Peace the world needs. Instead, all paths appear to be equally valid approaches to the summit of bringing the world into unity. Rather than needing Jesus Christ for salvation, Carlson seems to suggest that what the world needs most is Thomas Merton's enlightenment (p.265).

Sadly, the mention -- and even explanation -- of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ are hardly mentioned in the book. When mentioned, Calvary was more of a figurative event than a literal one. For example, "...the incarnate Christ is being both crucified in every moment of human suffering and being resurrected whenever that suffering is met by selfless acts of love" (p.265). I wonder what happened to the true purpose of Calvary, where Jesus was crucified to redeem sinners to a holy God, and rose again to secure eternal life? That message is absent in this book.

LIKES:

Dr. Carlson certainly got the point across that it would be good for us (Christians, Americans, etc) to approach and view our "enemies" through the eyes of Jesus Christ. "Does the Christ whom I worship see the world with its religious divides, or does Christ see beyond that to the suffering of our world? (p.49). Maybe we would do well to learn how to forgive those who attacked us on that day. Maybe doing so would aide is progressing toward healing. If Jesus told us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us, why do we so often think that command doesn't apply to our situation? It's high time for Christians to lead the rest of the world in how to respond to our world, our enemies, and our neighbors. That said, I give Dr. Carlson credit for at least getting the questions into the public forum.

CONCLUSION:

Overall, I wasn't entirely interested in this book, but I promised to read completely in order to fairly review it. I give "Peace be with You" two and a half stars out of 5, primarily for (1) effort and (2) legitimacy of some important questions proposed. I dock stars primarily for theology and lack of interesting material.

Disclaimer: I was given this book free of charge from Thomas Nelson Publishers in exchange for my unbiased review. All opinions are mine. I was not threatened, coerced, or promised favors of any kind in exchange for writing a positive review.

GOODBYE, TROOPER STOKES:

2011-08-06T05:34:00.000-05:00

Thursday evening, we lost another brother in blue: Trooper David Stokes. He was only 41 years old. While driving his personal car, it appears he suffered a fatal heart attack.

I only met Dave a couple months ago when he was a "student" trooper in my car at the Precision Drive Track, where he was learning to become a driving instructor. I spent many hours with him in that training patrol car, and we had some interesting conversations, some of them spiritual conversations. And just last week I worked with him again as he instructed his first group of "student" officers and troopers. He brought such a fun attitude and sense of humor to the group.

When I received a text message early Friday morning that Dave died, I wept bitterly for quite a while. I didn't simply cry. I wept. My heart hurt for him. I pleaded with God over and over again, "Please have mercy on him! Please have mercy!" No other words would come to my head. My prayers were simply for God's mercy.

Dave, you will be sadly missed by many. I pray for your wife, children, mother, father, siblings, and comrades.

Goodbye, Dave. Goodbye.

MY RAMADANIAN COMMITMENT:

2011-08-03T05:29:00.000-05:00

Ramadan is now in full swing, and my commitment to the Muslim people around the world is this:

I will pray to the Living God Jesus Christ for you every day that you would come to see and know the truth of His great and glorious gospel;
I will pray that you will come to understand Jesus Christ did indeed die and rise from the grave for your sins;
I will pray that He will make Himself manifest to you in your visions and during your prayer times;
I will pray that He will show you His marvelous mercy;
I will pray that you finally come to drink from the Living Fountain of Life in Jesus Christ;
I will pray that you will find true eternal life in Christ Jesus the Lord of heaven and earth.

"HELL, ROB BELL, AND WHAT HAPPENS WHEN PEOPLE DIE", by Bobby Conway

2011-07-27T21:08:00.000-05:00

There are some conversations best left untouched in public circles, like religion and politics. But another that is often neglected because of its sensitive, even politically incorrect nature, is Hell. It's difficult to talk about openly because (a) if it really exists, nobody wants to come to grips with the notion that grandma or grandpa -- or even we -- might be or go there; (b) it is difficult to imagine decent people suffering for all eternity in Hell for finite sins; (c) it has often been used as a scare tactic to coerce people to believe a certain way. I could continue, but you get the point.

"Hell, Rob Bell, and What Happens When People Die" is a short rebuttal to Rob Bell's recent release, "Love Wins".

So why this book? Why is it necessary? Why not let Bell write his best-seller book about his beliefs on Hell and just get on with life? Because "a Barna poll found that 25 percent of born-again Christians maintain that all people will eventually be accepted by God" and "only 1 percent of Americans actually think they are going to hell."

I think Conway is right when he wrote, "Christians are embarrassed by the doctrine of Hell", that it is "seldom preached from the pulpit." If the Bible is true; if Jesus bore witness to the truth, to reality; then Hell is a real place with which we real sinners must come to grips. We have shied away from Hell's reality because we have forgotten that Hell was God's idea in the first place. We have forgotten that sin is not merely something that is finite or horizontal in nature, that we can only commit "so much" sin in any one lifetime. Instead, sin must be seen as infinite and vertical in nature. We must recognize that sin causes us to fall infinitely below the holiness of God, and that height is infinitely great.

Conway is spot-on in his approach to the horrible reality of Hell. But he doesn't leave the reader hopeless, for he presents the simple, clear gospel, giving hope that sinners can be saved by God's grace through Christ from this horrible eternity. He offers the promise of real hope, not the false hope that Bell provides. Conway urges his readers that when talking about such a difficult topic as Hell, "When we who call ourselves Christians talk about hell, our demeanor and our words should express humble brokenheartedness, with no hint of arrogance. Nonbelievers have a hard enough time digesting this terrible truth -- we should not make it even more tasteless with a love-lacking presentation. Our voice should have the ring of urgency, truth, humility, and brokenness."

For his careful and truthful presentation of Hell's reality, I give Conway 5 stars on this book! It was the perfect length. Perfect for sharing. He lovingly, but sternly, corrects Bell's flawed doctrine while presenting the message of the gospel of Christ. It's a very quick read, and extremely cheap in e-book form.

DISCLAIMER: I received this title from Waterbrook Multnomah "Blogging for Books" free of charge in exchange for my unbiased review. I was not threatened or coerced in any way in order to provide a positive review. All opinions are mine.

"THE GOD I NEVER KNEW", by Robert Morris

2011-07-21T17:04:00.003-05:00

I requested a review copy of "The God I Never Knew" because I recognize I have long neglected the influence and presence of the Holy Spirit in my own life. I was one of those who grew up in a denomination where I was given poor teaching and theology regarding the Holy Spirit, so I grew fearful and reserved about His role in my daily Christian life. Over the course of years, I flip-flopped from one extreme of Holy Spirit theology to the opposite, and I don't believe either of them are/were biblically healthy.

I read "The God I Never Knew" with an open mind; with a fresh set of lenses, as though I was discovering the Holy Spirit with the faith of a first-time reader of the Bible. I was open to learning fresh what the Bible has to say about the Holy Spirit, and as a result, I'm pleased I read this book. Maybe the Holy Spirit knew I was ready to receive something about Him from scratch; I certainly won't call it coincidence.

The chapters in the book are divided into themes about who the Holy Spirit is, what His character is like, how He came "onto the scene", His gifts, the baptism & filling (although I'm not sure I see a difference theologically), and the controversies over speaking in tongues in public and the use of tongues as a spiritual prayer language.

Morris approached the topics biblically and candidly from his vantage point. His writing is simple to read and not too heady. There were moments when I had to pause my reading to contemplate what was being conveyed, but all-in-all it was not a difficult one to read. He breaks down 1 Corinthians 14 and other passages quite well, making good arguments for the role of the Spirit in believers today. I'm sure he did not intend this book to be the final authority on all that is of the Holy Spirit, but he convinced me to trust the Spirit and look into His role further.

DISLIKES: I have one major dislike, and that is the overuse of the word "amazing" (or a derivative thereof). Sadly, Hollywood (via reality TV) has taken this word hostage and it seems to have lost its true meaning. Morris used "amazing" (or amazed) no fewer than 28 times in the book's 198 pages. That equates to one use per every 7 pages!

I recognize this book is an "advance reading copy" and has not been finalized, but there are other corrections that need to be made by the editor prior to official release. There were several misspelled or misused (correctly spelled but used in the wrong context) words. Additionally, on page 60 there was a complete sentence repeated immediately one after the other. Verbatim. It was obviously not a literary technique, but a "copy and paste" error. Minor errors, but never-the-less these are some of the mistakes I'd like to see corrected.

RATING: All-in-all, I give "The God I Never Knew" 4 stars. It was biblically sound, it was pretty well written, and it caused me to consider my position (right, wrong, or indifferent)...and isn't that all an author can hope to accomplish?

DISCLAIMER: I received this book free of charge in exchange for my unbiased opinion. I was not threatened or coerced to provide a positive review.

ELI & PEYTON MANNING = "FOOTBALL COPS"

2011-07-19T09:57:00.002-05:00

RUN FOR THE GLORY OF GOD:

2011-07-18T08:55:00.001-05:00

A popular quote has been attributed to Eric Liddell (on whom "Chariots of Fire" was based): "I believe God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast. And when I run I feel His pleasure."

I competed in the Clarklake Triathlon yesterday...and I beat myself! I had an overall time of 1 hour 48 minutes, which was well below my estimated time of 2 hours 10 minutes. I was 22nd of 26 in my age group, but the experience was exhilarating!

Prior to beginning the triathlon yesterday, though, a good friend sent me a text message: "I'll be praying for you as you run for the glory of God." It was appreciated, and I was later encouraged by those words. After swimming the 1/2 mile and about 4 miles into the 13.5 mile bike portion, I was starting to sharply fatigue. I was reminded of all the good advice I'd heard during my training: "Pace yourself. Don't worry about what others are doing. Go at your pace."

Well, during that fatiguing process, I was reminded of my friend's good words about running for the glory of God. I reflected on some people in my life who would gladly trade their wheelchairs for the chance to compete in an event like this. I thought, "If Jason (a paraplegic friend) or Joni Earickson-Tada were told, 'You can get out of your wheelchair on one condition: you must compete in a triathlon;' " My hunch is that they would jump at the chance.

So I took that opportunity to smile, enjoy the tightness in my lungs, and the burn in my legs, saying, "Thank you, God, for giving me the ability to swim, and bike, and run, and breathe heavily, and push myself in ways others may not be able to do, and enjoy the health you've given me."

More than simply performing well for my own standards (good grief, a 69 year-old guy "smoked" me!), I used the opportunity to run in pain for God's glory; to remember those who were/are not able to compete, and mention their names to God.

Run for the glory of God, Christian.
Run hard!
Don't give up.
Run as if your life depends on it.
Because it does.

CLARKLAKE TRIATHLON - July 17th:

2011-07-13T12:40:00.000-05:00

When I began training for the Clarklake Triathlon back in early March, I went in with the mindset that I simply wanted to finish. No doubt, I wanted to finish well, but I primarily wanted to finish.

Over the past 3 1/2 months, however, the desire has grown more and more to finish really well -- hopefully in the top 10 in my age group. Based on my training, I set what I believe are some very realistic goals for myself last week: Swim the 1/2 mile in 30 minutes or less, bike the 13 1/2 miles in an hour or less, and run the 4 1/4 miles in 40 minutes or less. That adds up to 130 minutes. I set my own performance goal at 2 hours 10 minutes. Reasonable

Well, I thought I was progressing pretty well until I reviewed the results of the Ann Arbor Tri/Du held last week. First place finisher finished in 1 hour 17 minutes! That's nearly an hour ahead of my goal! The 10th place finisher in my age group finished in 1 hour 43 minutes! If my practice times are any indication of my performance time Sunday, these guys will be done sweating by the time I return. Shoot, the organizers will probably have already passed out awards and gone home. I just hope I don't return to crickets chirping.

So, while I'm super excited to compete in my first-ever "sprint" triathlon, I'm a little concerned about my times. Maybe "concerned" isn't the right choice of words. Maybe "uneasy" or "healthily burdened" would fit better, I wonder? Hopefully my time discrepancy is due to over-training...yeah, that's it...because I've actually been swimming more than a half mile, biking nearly 20 miles, and running like crazy. I don't think I'll finish horribly, but I'm thinkin' I better push the pace a wee bit, eh?

I'll be praying that my heart, lungs, legs, shoulders, neck, calves, and brain don't quit on me!

"WHY GOD WON'T GO AWAY", by Alister McGrath

2011-07-11T19:37:00.001-05:00

Two general classes of atheism exist today: Apathetic and Committed. Apathetic atheists say, “I don’t believe in God”. While atheists, they feel little need to provide reasons why they believe as they do. They have no axe to grind with religion; they are simply indifferent to it. Committed atheists, on the other hand, say, “I believe no God exists”. They have their reasons, and they’re not afraid to make their points. The committed atheists are not indifferent to religion, as are their apathetic counterparts, but they merely tolerate it.

But there’s a sub-category of Committed atheism: It’s the New Atheism. “New Atheists”, informally led by “The Four Horsemen” – Sam Harris, Richard Dawkins, Daniel Dennett, & Christopher Hitchens – do not stop with their profession that “there is no God”. Neither do they tolerate religion. Instead, they are militant about their position. In fact, they think apathetic and committed atheists are cowards. They hate religion, saying it is the sole source for today’s evils. In a word, they are “anti-theists”.

“Why God Won’t Go Away”, by Alister McGrath, is not a tome on the defense of Christianity – or any other religion, for that matter. McGrath writes, “It is not my intention to argue the case for the Christian faith in this short volume…” (p.145). Neither is this title one where the author slings mud at the atheists who sling mud at the religious. It is also like a childhood playground argument: “God is not good”, “Yes He is”, “No he isn’t”, “Yes He is.”

Instead, “Why God Won’t Go Away” is a book that sheds light on the inconsistent positions the New Atheists posit. In the three primary sections of the book, McGrath discusses three core themes of attack New Atheists level against religion: “Violence”, “Reason”, and “Science”. The New Atheists attack on these fronts because “New Atheism is characterized more by its attacks on religion than by its own positive beliefs…” (p.45).

Citing several historical events, McGrath brings injury to the New Atheist positions because “such irrational hatred [is] what the New Atheists want us to believe is characteristic only of religion” (p.50). He does well in pointing out the New Atheist flaws and inconsistencies (something too detailed to describe in this brief review), and he does it without demeaning or belittling those who hold the atheistic position.

“Why God Won’t Go Away” is intelligently written and presented – although the New Atheists will never accept anything that’s not atheist as being remotely intelligent. Reading this book was truly a pleasure, and I highly recommend it if the on-going conversation interests you. You will see that the New Atheism is, in fact, running on empty. I give this one 5 stars out of 5.

I was given this free book by Booksneeze in exchange for my unbiased review. All opinions are mine. I was not coerced or threatened to provide a positive review of this title.

MEET THE MAN WHO MET THE MILESTONE:

2011-07-10T16:27:00.000-05:00

This guy caught Derek Jeter's 3000th hit, which happened to be a home run! Teams -- and fans -- recognize the value of a ball when it was the one in play at the time a major milestone was met. It's been said this particular ball was worth upwards of a quarter mill. Not too shabby.

But what did this guy want for the ball? To give it to DJ himself, shake his hand, and say, "Congratulations."

That's it.
No money.
No autographs.
No special accomodations.

In return for his generosity, the Yankess are rewarding this guy with a nice package -- suite tickets to every remaining home game this year (including playoffs) at Yankee Stadium, jerseys, bats, balls, you name it.

What I think is coolest is the man's unique (non) request because it speaks volumes of his character. After all, who couldn't use an extra chunk o' change, right? I love it that this guy loves baseball, that he recognizes major milestones, and that he recognized it was worth so much more to DJ and to baseball.

That guy?
Christian Lopez.
Great job, my fellow fan.
Classy move!

BATTLEFIELD JESUS (from "A Place of Healing"):

2011-07-07T06:31:00.000-05:00

"Do you find yourself objecting, perhaps, to this battlefield imagery I've employed to describe my life as is? Could it be you've never quite pictured your walk with Jesus in such terms? Here at our ministry, we refuse to present a picture of "gentle Jesus meek and mild", you know, a portrait that tugs at your sentiments or pulls at your heart strings. That's because we deal with so many people who suffer, and when you are hurting hard you're neither helped nor inspired by a syrupy picture of the Lord, like those sugary, sentimental images many of us grew up with.

You know what I mean, Jesus with his hair parted down the middle, surrounded by cherubic children and blue birds. C'mon, admit it. When your heart is being wrung out like a sponge, when you feel like Morton's salt is being poured into your wounded soul, you don't want a thin, pale, emotional Jesus who relates only to lambs and birds and babies. You want a warrior Jesus. You want a battlefield Jesus. You want his rigorous and robust gospel to command your sensibilities to stand at attention.

To be honest, many of the sentimental hymns and gospel songs of our heritage don't do much to hone that image. One of the favorite words of hymn writers in days gone by was "sweet". It's a term that doesn't have the edge on it that it once did. When you're in a dark place, when lions surround you, when you need strong help to rescue you from impossibility, you don't want sweet, you don't want faded pastels and honey softness. You want mighty. You want the strong arm and the unshakable grip of God who will not let you go, no matter what!"

(transcribed from the audiobook by Joni Eareckson Tada, "A Place of Healing", available free at christianaudio.com this month; chapter 1, beginning around the 20-minute mark.)

ANOTHER GOSPEL (which is no gospel at all):

2011-06-27T19:29:00.001-05:00

Well, the summer isn't off to a very good start for Christians.

On May 28, 2011, an organization called the American Clergy Leadership Conference (ACLC) invited Mr. Louis Farrakhan to be their guest speaker. Yeah, so what? Well, Farrakhan is the leader of the Nation of Islam (not to be confused with its kissing-cousin Islam), where "the Principles of Divine Unity and the Universal Brotherhood of Islam" are taught. NOI is a mish-mashing of Christianity and Islam together so as to unify all religious ideologies under Islam. So why was he speaking to a group of "christian" clergy on May 28th when he called President Obama an assassin and a murderer? (see youtube video below)

On its face, it appeared Farrakhan was speaking to christian clergy...but the ACLC was formed ca. 2000 when 120 clergy of various religious convictions joined together to affirm the revelation of God to one Sun Myung Moon...yes, the founder of the Unification Church, where universalism (i.e, many different paths lead to God) is taught and embraced. Moon's ideology calls for the unification of all religious theologies under the banner of the body of Christ.

That poor, deceived group. Not only by Moon, but also by Farrakhan.
This leads me to my second instance of shameful behavior in Christendom.

On June 26th, several churches (26 I think) around the United States were scheduled to read passages from the Qu'ran to their congregation during their regular worship services so as to send "a message both here at home and to the Arab and Muslim world about our respect for Islam". At a time when truth seems to be all but extinct, "'Interfaith' conferences and meetings are being held with increasing frequency all over the globe. Major global religious leaders are urging all of us to focus on our “shared” religious traditions."

A familiar passage comes to mind here for the Church: "If anyone preaches another gospel (other than Jesus Chrsit), let him be accursed!" The Church better wake up, because I have a hunch judgment is pounding on the door!

MODEL THE GOSPEL & BE QUICK TO FORGIVE:

2011-06-25T13:21:00.000-05:00

I respect stay-at-home moms. My wife was gone a whopping 3 days this week, and I was reminded how exponentially more difficult her job is than mine. She puts up with a lot of crud from our boys...and she does it pretty gracefully.

I, on the other hand, grew short-tempered with them...even over relatively minor things. Today as I was cutting down trees, my 2 year old spilled my cold water (he has a bad habit of destroying that which isn't his and not taking care of things). I blew up! I was angry. I told both boys to get away from me and to not touch whatever didn't belong to them any more.

I finished what I was doing and I calmed down. After lunch, we all had quiet time away from each other. After quiet time, I approached my oldest son (who was also there during my blow-up) and confessed that my behavior was downright wrong. I told him what I did and how I should not have done it. I confessed that I did not control my anger properly. This is something we've been working on with him, because, unfortunately, he has my short fuse.

I modeled bad behavior.
I did not model the gospel to my sons.

Thankfully, my son was very quick to forgive me. It is a special gift God has given him. It is one thing we both share. When we are hurt, we are both relatively quick to forgive. We don't seem to harbor resentment for prolonged periods of time. We both hurt easily, but we forgive easily, too.

I was cut deeply by a close friend at work recently. He was someone I thought would trust my word and be true to his, but wasn't. After talking it through, I was able to forgive him rather quickly. I'm not sure I can trust him all that much, but I was still able to forgive him.

I find it easy to forgive when I reflect on God's tolerance for me and my bad behavior. For some strange reason, He readily forgives me when I sin over and over and over and over again. And my sin against God is infinitely greater than any person's sin will ever be against me. How could I dare harbor grudges toward others when God has chosen not to harbor a grudge against me?

Joshua, may you always be quick to forgive.
Thank you for modeling to gospel to your ol' man.
Well done!

"IS THE BIBLE RELIABLE: BUILDING THE HISTORICAL CASE", By Focus on the Family

2011-06-21T21:36:00.000-05:00

"Is the Bible Reliable" is a 2-DVD set and study guide where the teacher, Dr. Stephen Meyer, leads a small group of 24 college-age students through biblical journeys defending the historicity and reliability of the Bible. It is produced by Focus on the Family and is extremely similar to "The Truth Project", produced by the same organization.

If you've seen or participated in The Truth Project, then you understand the setting for this series well: classroom setting. The lessons are interesting: (1)The Patriarchal Narratives and the Documentary Hypothesis, (2)The Exodus: From Egypt to Canaan, (3)The Israelite Conquest, (4)The United Kingdom of David and Solomon, (5)Historicity of the Old Testament: A Tale of Two Conquests, (6)The Babylonian Conquest of Judah, (7)Canons of Historicity: The New Testament, (8)Early Composition of Luke and Acts, (9)External Corroboration, and (10)The Trial of Jesus.

Meyer obviously knows his stuff...he proves it well in this series. He seems to teach well, but sometimes he was a bit too fast or "skittish". I tried hard not to compare him and this series to Dr. Dell Tackett's "The Truth Project", but I did. I thought TTP was less hurried, if you will. Thankfully, it is a DVD series, so the facilitators are free to press the pause button in order to take extra time for more thorough discussion. Certainly, 30-minute overviews are not capable of covering every conceivable detail. So, lots of facts, charts, and maps are crammed into the lesson in quick order.

Which leads me to the next issue: time. I think the lessons could have been longer, so as to not feel rushed through the information. I understand the audience is young people, but hey, it's high time we teach young people that exploration takes considerable time, and is not complete in a quick episode.

The physicality of the study guide is pretty nice! Sturdy, colorful pages. However, the content is lacking for being a study guide. There doesn't seem to be too much depth in the guide, as if the students don't have the time to think through in discussion. I would have liked to see it go deeper.

I likely would not purchase this series with my own money. If someone bought it for a small group of students and asked me to facilitate, I would. But I think the money would be much better spent purchasing "The Truth Project", though. That one is produced with adults in mind, but college-age students wouldn't be left behind in that series. This one seems a bit redundant in that respect.

I give "Is the Bible Reliable 3.5 stars out of 5...primarily for presentation. I knock it down a point for being too rapid, and a half point for redundancy.

Disclaimer: I received this free DVD in exchange for my unbiased opinion of its content and presentation. I was not expected to provide a positive review of this title. All opinions are mine.

"THE FAITHFUL FATHER AND THE LAMB OF SACRIFICE:

2011-06-20T12:32:00.002-05:00

AUDIO LINK HERE

Sunday -- Father's Day 2011 -- I spoke at the Pulaski (MI) Free Methodist Church. The title of my message was "The Faithful Father and the Lamb of Sacrifice", taken from Genesis 22:1-18.

First, I have to say I truly enjoyed the experience of preaching. While I have taught bible study groups and a house-church group, as well as various teaching capacities within my employment, this was by far the most fun and challenging experience at the same time.

I was invited to speak a little over a month ago by my friend, Mike, who is the senior pastor at PFMC. He asked me to speak on a Father's Day-related theme. I had thoughts about what text I wanted to use, but God inspired my wife to suggest the Abraham and Isaac account. I thought about it and fell in love with the idea!

The theme fit well in the occasion, considering we would be celebrating Memorial Day -- where we reflect on those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice -- and Father's Day. The Genesis 22 passage pointed to the One who made the ultimate sacrifice to save us, and as Bill Cosby once said, "I told you that story to tell you this one." That's what God did in Gen 22: He gave us an account that pointed to and told the bigger story of God redeeming mankind through Jesus Christ.

I prayed and I prepared and I practiced and I prayed and prepared and practiced more. I tweaked it and prayed and practiced and prepared until I had no more days left to prepare. See, I believe in the power of the Holy Spirit, but I don't think He intends Christians to fly willy-nilly when teaching His word. So I prepared as much as I humanly could; and I left the results up to Him.

The church greeted me warmly and they took any load off my shoulders that was there. I honestly was not nervous, and my heart wasn't leaping through my chest. The Spirit of God ministered to me as I was about to minister to His people. I reminded myself on my notes "God is with you." After all, I was preaching HIS word on His behalf.

-- Which reminds me: about two weeks prior to Sunday, I began reading, "He is Not Silent", by Albert Mohler. Two of his thoughts struck me. First, "What a wonderful and humbling thought to realize that God has chosen enlivened dust like us to bear testimony to His glory" (p.41); and "It is a singuular privilege that He deigns to consecrate to Himself the mouths and tongues of men in order that His voice may resound in them" (p.43, quoted by Mohler of Kent Hughes, "Disciplines of a Godly Man). As if speaking before a group of people isn't challenging enough for some speakers, add to it the burden of speaking God's word effectively, correctly, and efficiently to those who would hear it. Thank the Holy Spirit that while my words are not all that eloquent, His word is always perfect to accomplish what He desires (Is 55). --

Raising my hands in praise and worship, singing along with the congregation, I was hit by the "coincidence" of the songs fitting the message perfectly. "Come Thou Fount" and "Amazing Grace" (Tomlin's version) plowed the soil of my heart before preaching God's word...and it confirmed God's desire to have this particular message spoken to this particular group and this particular time. No, I never heard an audible voice, but I firmly believe nothing occurred accidentally. I was perplexed at the divine orchestration...and I never had contact with the musicians before Sunday.

God, you have proven in your word that you are faithful. And if we will only look around, we will observe daily occurrences that continue to prove your faithfulness to us. Thank you for reaching to such a great depth to save a sinner such as me.

FIERCE WORSHIP:

2011-06-15T12:58:00.000-05:00

I’ve been to rock-n-roll concerts where we fans waved our hands, pumped our fists in the air, and sang horribly at the top of our lungs with our favorite rockers. We’d sing so loud we’d get headaches. We’d sweat. Our ears would ring long after the show.

The world has a bad rap, but maybe there’s something there – something we Christians might consider copying. I wonder if the rock concert is a taste of what’s in store in heaven when we worship our Savior.

I like what Albert Mohler’s thought in his book, “He is Not Silent”: “What would someone think about your God based on your worship?” If a complete stranger who knows nothing about religion or God walked into your church and watched your worship, what would he assume about the God you claim to follow? I wonder if he’d think a God with a cruel sense of humor poured sour milk and lemonade in our bowl of oat bran. I wonder if she’d come to the conclusion that we have been redeemed from so grave a condition.

Do you celebrate your favorite sporting team’s home run or touchdown more vibrantly than you worship your God? Do you worship your team the way you ought, instead, to celebrate your God?

Is our worship intense? Fierce? Joyful? Passionate? Does is look like celebration?

Our mere lip service is an indictment of the condition of our hearts, and Mark Dever nailed it when he recently spoke, “Our lips will praise what our heart follows.”

FOOLISH PRIDE:

2011-06-06T16:56:00.000-05:00

In becoming more and more successful in my career, one thing is absolutely certain: pride stinks, and it's foolish! Ok, that's actually two things...but they're related.

As I grow to recognize this ugly beast growing inside me, how ought a Christian continue pursuing goals that many people dream about...and at the same time begin stepping pride down to ground level? I know the blessings I've received have come from God, and I recognize that. But I've allowed them to seep into the fabric of my being, lying to myself that I'm some kind of great. And I know It's wrong. How do I defeat pride before it defeats me?

I'm not sure.
So I'm asking.

This week in Accident Investigator School (flashbacks to high school geomety, calculus, and trigonometry come to mind), an instructor told us that just about the time we think we've got the science of moving vehicles down pat, we'll forget stuff and realize we're idiots.

That same instructor read a quote I liked, so I'm sharing it with you: "We are ignorant; and we are ignorant to the fact of our ignorance...and that is ignorance squared. And that's when bad things happen."

A former pastor once said, "When you know that you don't know something, that's good, because then you can be taught. But when you don't know that you don't know something, that's bad, because you cannot be taught anything else."

TO BE OR NOT TO BE? -- THE SECRET RAPTURE:

2011-05-24T11:04:00.000-05:00

I reject the “rapture” theory as posed by dispensationalists / “left behind” theologians, but instead support a once-and-for-all final second coming of the Messiah to judge the world. With May 21, 2011 firmly behind us, and the updated October “rapture” ahead, I think it would do Christians some good to examine what the bible says about the whole “left behind” theology.

I have several reasons for holding the position I do, but I’ll only comment on what I believe are the top-3 persuasive passages that do not support a secret rapture. Note: I call it “secret rapture” because that’s essentially what dispensationalists have deemed it to be…that a “thief in the night” will secretly whisk away Christians while the world is left in chaos. Not only that, but “secret rapture” is easier to write and understand than “dispensationalism.”

FIRST: Matthew 13:24-30 – The parable of the Weeds / Wheat & Tares

“The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared. The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’ ‘An enemy did this,’ he replied. The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’ ‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may root up the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.”

A few points worth noting, and then we’ll add the second passage. First, the weeds and the wheat grow together (obviously) until the time of harvest. Second, come harvest time, BOTH the weeds AND the wheat are gathered; the timing is precisely together, not separate! Third, while harvesting both, it is the weeds that are bundled first, and there is no indication of a “whisking away” of the wheat (Church).

SECOND: John 5:28-29 – After speaking about life through Jesus Christ, Jesus moves on to teach about resurrection:

“Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out – those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned.”

Now let’s connect this passage with the previous one and then add the 3rd and final passage. First, note that Jesus says a time is coming when ALL who are in their graves will rise. This applies not only to believers, but to unbelievers as well. Second, when connected with harvest time in Matthew, it is plain that ALL people will be harvested at one time, both the living AND the dead.

THIRD: 1Cor15:50-53

“I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will no all sleep, but we will all be changed – in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality.”

Finally, combining the three passages, we see there is one trumpet, one harvest, in these concluding thoughts. First, while Paul has believers in mind when he refers to the “perishable and imperishable”, we often limit the application to believers only. Other biblical passages comment that believers and unbelievers alike will exist eternally – either in eternal condemnation, or eternal life (see Revelation). Therefore, this passage about exchanging the perishable (bodies) for the imperishable (souls) not only applies to believers, but also to unbelievers. Second, these connections are critical because “left behinders” have narrowly applied the “moment / twinkling” statement to apply solely to a “secret rapture” of the Church. Instead, Paul connects the testimony of Jesus in Matthew and John with his own statements about judgment, that ALL – both dead AND alive, believers AND unbelievers – will be harvested and sorted, if I may.

CONCLUSION: Sadly, the notion of a secret rapture in the Christian Church in America is so prevalent that someone who professes not to believe it is considered a near-heretic. “What do you mean you don’t believe in the rapture? You don’t want Jesus to return for His bride?” I do, but it is fundamentally different than what many pastors teach today. I don’t know precisely what eschatology God has in mind, but I am convinced it is not the “left behind” version. I am more convinced that it will all happen at once, rather than a rapture followed by (or even in the midst of) a period of “tribulation.”

What say you?

SUN STAND STILL (part deuce):

2011-05-10T22:02:00.001-05:00

For some reason, I've been receiving a lot of "how-dare-you-say-such-things" comments about a recent book review I posted at Amazon.com for "Sun Stand Still", by Steven Furtick, pastor of Elevation Church in Charlotte, NC. ! I've posted unfavorable reviews on other books, but apparently this one takes the cake! If you're interested in the original review, I linked it for you on this blog over here...(you'll have to scroll to the bottom of the page to get to the original review.) Why are they so defensive??? I've posted here Ado's ~~scathing~~ comment that s/he left at Amazon.com and my reply. This is why I love doing book reviews, it stretches our comfort zones.

POSTED BY ADO:

"Before you start criticizing Pastor Furtick you need to visit his church in Charlotte Nc. and hear him in person. As for your Blasphemous comments about his book you need to read the parable in second Kings chapter 2 when the children made fun of Elisha Gods prophet. After I read this passage in the Bible myself I never again said anything bad about a preacher. If you have nothing good to say don't say it at all. Just because you didn't like it doesn't mean it could not be a great blessing to someone else. I'll give this book 5 stars ! thousands came to know Christ as their personal Lord and Savior Because of his message. It sounds to me that you don't believe that God actually made the sun stand still. I really feel sorry for you that you could actually take the time out of your day, to write horrible things about a wonderful preacher."

MY REPLY:

"Ado, first let me thank you for stopping by to share your thoughts. I truly hope you read my entire review, and didn't simply formulate your opinion based on my first paragraph or two. I hope you will read my reply, and that your comment wasn't simply a "drive-by".

Regarding visiting Elevation Church: I attended a church for a number of years in Michigan called "Westwinds". It was/is very much like Elevation. I loved the ethos of the place! I'm sure Elevation is quite similar based on the pictures and videos I've seen. In fact, there's another church down in your neck of the woods called "Watershed." If you're from Charlotte, you've probably heard of it. They are a church plant established by one of the Westwinds staff. So, all that to say I'm quite familiar with the type of church Elevation is. I have nothing against its TYPE. I was fair in my review in that I listened to Pastor Furtick's Sun Stand Still message via podcast. I felt the same regarding his book as I did the 3-part podcast. So, I was fair: I gave it a shot!

Next, please be careful regarding what you call "blasphemous". In Christian theology, one cannot blaspheme a mere book written by a mere human being. Blasphemy is something one can only do to God. For instance, one blasphemes God when we attribute something to Satan when it should only be attributed to God. One cannot possibly blaspheme "Sun Stand Still" the book.

Next, I am very familiar with the passage in 2Kings 2 where Elisha called a bear to maul boys who mocked him. First, this is not a "parable", but "historical narrative". Parables use physical things we can see and touch to describe difficult-to-understand spiritual concepts. For instance, the parable of the 99 sheep, the parable of the lost coin, etc. Each item in a parable is a real thing, but it represents something bigger that was to be grasped by the hearer. 2Kings 2 is "historical narrative", told to us as if it was an event that actually happened...just like the sun standing still for Joshua. In your Elisha example, if you think I am mocking Pastor Furtick, you are wrong. I am bringing his poor teaching to light. That is simply good stewardship of God's word.

If what you intended was to say the bible tells us to "touch not God's anointed," well, you are unfortunately misunderstanding God's word. In that Psalm, the "anointed" one was King Saul, and David was instructed not to physically harm Saul although Saul had been physically attempting to harm David. Many teachers use this passage to defend their shoddy theology so listeners will not judge their words or work.

While we're on the topic of judging: we OUGHT to judge! We must judge whether or not a math teacher properly teaches us mathematics; we must judge whether or not we'll buy a car from a particular car salesman who has a bad reputation of cheating people; we must judge whether or not God's word is being taught correctly...whether we judge Pastor Furtick's messages or the Pope's messages. What we must NOT judge is a person's salvation, which I am not doing. I have not condemned him to hell or proclaimed that he is not a believer. I simply think he needs to tune up his theology! But I digress.

Next, regarding having nothing good to say: You apparently didn't read my entire review. Honestly, you didn't, did you? Because I actually had a couple nice things to say. For instance, I recommended chapter 13 to readers, and I explained why. On the other hand, I was requested to provide my honest review of this book. What kind of reviewer would I be if I didn't give all of my opinioin...both the good and the bad? That wouldn't be very fair to future readers, would it?

Next, I didn't say the book couldn't be a blessing to a person. In fact, I even asked myself if my faith is a living faith (3rd paragraph from the bottom of my review). There's another example of why I doubt you read my entire review. But, I forgive you.

Next, I actually DO believe God made the sun stand still that day for Joshua. It was a miracle that science and time cannot explain, and I will not blaspheme GOD by attributing that miracle to Satan or as a mere accident. So, thank you for judging my faith...something you seem to wish I hadn't done of Pastor Furtick's book.

Finally, I do hope you will re-read my review. Please re-read Pastor Furtick's book again more critically. Read it with you bible open. Ask yourself some tough questions when you read the historical narrative in Joshua: "Is this miracle told to us so that we'll have a 'sun-stand-still faith' so that all of my dreams can come true if I just believe in faith? You'll probably find yourself answering much differently than Pastor Furtick would have you to believe.

I look forward to your reply and an on-going conversation."

PSALM 122 - JUDGEMENT FOR PEACE!

2011-05-02T18:49:00.000-05:00

This year I've been reading and praying in the mornings (although I admit, not EVERY day) before heading off to work. Due to time constraints, I have been praying, reading, and journaling through the Psalms as they correspond with the day of the year...when I get to 150, I will repeat the process and probably get to the ones I missed the first go-around.

Today, fittingly, as US Special Forces killed Public Enemy #1 (Terrorist bin Laden) was Psalm 122:

1 I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go into the house of the LORD.”
2 Our feet have been standing within your gates, O Jerusalem!
3 Jerusalem is built as a city that is compact together,
4 Where the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD, to the Testimony of Israel, to give thanks to the name of the LORD.
5 For thrones are set there for judgment, the thrones of the house of David.
6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May they prosper who love you.
7 Peace be within your walls, prosperity within your palaces.”
8 For the sake of my brethren and companions, I will now say, “Peace be within you.”
9 Because of the house of the LORD our God I will seek your good.

Our US Navy SEAL's deserve big props! Huge kudos! This is a step in the right direction that our country needs. We need to be more secure, and those brave men who assaulted bin Laden's compound were established for such a time as this, as they courageously executed the orders they'd been given, and have exacted justice on a tyrant. You are the baddest mo-fo's on the face of the planet...and I bet the devil himself would be afraid if you came knocking on his door.

May peace prevail the world around!!!

"The Chasm", by Randy Alcorn

2011-04-23T20:58:00.000-05:00

In this brief, gospel-centered allegory, Nick Seagrave is on a journey through life to the edge of eternity. Along his journey, Nick meets several characters who attempt to entice him to walk one of two roads -- one leads to life in Charis, or the City of Light, while the other leads to death.

"The Chasm", which is the much-condensed version of "Edge of Eternity" (also by Randy Alcorn) reads much like a simple version of three books married together: "Pilgrim's Progress", by John Bunyan, and "The Chronicles of Narnia" and "The Screwtape Letters", both by CS Lewis. If you've read them, you've read this one. I found it rather boring and predictable...but unpredictability isn't what Alcorn was after. His intent is obviously to explain the gospel as clearly as possible using allegory.

While I'm reluctant to say the book wasn't interesting (since it is a play on the gospel message)...I have to say, it wasn't all that interesting. Aside from the presentation of the gospel, I found the story immature and lacking the ability to capture and keep my attention.

LIKES: In this story, the gospel message is clear and easily understood. A young teenager could read it; a semi-interested co-worker could read it. It almost reads like young-adult fiction, though. It's not heady, but is very simple.

DISLIKES: There are a few scenes that come across more as scare tactics rather than gospel truth. For example, one scene early in the book has Nick's life being replayed before the world as his audience. In that audience are his wife and daughters. They watch what was a seemingly private moment he once had in a hotel room. While there is only speculation as to what occurred in that room (pornography? adultery?), it is presumed that his family is suddenly made aware of his moment of privacy.

The issue I have with this is that I find this idea of "all-the-world's-an-audience" nowhere in scripture. Yeah, yeah, I get it: it's a story. But it's written in a way that is intended to provide play-by-play of the gospel message. The gospel clearly indicates we will answer for every thought, deed, and word. Nowhere does it suggest, however, that everyone in the history of the planet will be watching at the time of our answering. I have a problem with this because I don't want people to be scared into trusting Christ for salvation; I don't want to see people simply "scared straight". That emotion doesn't last long. I hope, instead, they would make an intelligent decision based on truth.

RATING: Overall, I give "The Chasm" 3 stars for gospel presentation and simplicity. The book is extremely short (110 half-size pages) and can easily be read in one sitting and passed along as an evangelistic tool.

I received this book free of charge in exchange for my honest review of it. I was not promised reward or threatened in any way to provide a positive review. All opinions are mine.

"THE FIGHT OF OUR LIVES", by William J. Bennett & Seth Leibsohn

2011-04-21T19:31:00.001-05:00

It a violent criminal offender was released from prison, and upon his release committed more atrocities, most people would be appropriately outraged. What happens, though, when the prison system or government lets us down after catching that violent criminal subsequent times? What would you think about the "system" if the offender's probation was repeatedly extended? Would you shrug it off, thinking, "Well, that's just the way it goes."? Or would you demand, "Something must be done to stop this horrific trend!"?

That's the basic premise of "The Fight of Our Lives", only the violent criminal offender is Islam, and the "system" is our government that continues to appease Muslim Extremists, hoping they will simply go away and leave us alone. The problem is, it doesn't work! And our political leaders have not paid attention to the history books to know the problem isn't going away.

Page after page of this book is filled with documented quotes from Muslim extremists who wish for America's demise; and page after page is filled with documented appeasing responses from our cowardly "leaders". As the authors point out, "While we believe we are in the fight of our lives right now...there is grave doubt as to whether the American leadership believes it" (p.4).

Although Bennett and Leibsohn fill the book with historical events and people, like Faisal Shahzad (the Times Square Bomber), Nidal Hasan (the Fort Hood, TX shooter), Hamas, Al-Qaeda, the 9-11 attacks, and London Subway bombings, "The Fight of Our Lives" does not read like a boring history text book. Instead, I found myself hanging on to every word and name, constantly checking the Internet for their cited resources. I was honestly flabbergasted at the lack of appropriate government response to those terror organizations who only desire our utter destruction.

In the government's appeasement of our enemies, terrorists who have been banned from the U.S. have been allowed admittance once again; politicians are afraid (yes, afraid) to call our enemies terrorists; they are afraid to label them as evil. In chapter 7, "False Peace, True Peace", one section entitled, "Understanding Islamic Violence", beginning on page 116, reveals how we must set our minds: "If we are at war (and it is worth remembering that war has been declared on us), it is the most vital of first steps to identify the enemy, to know who attacked." Continuing further, "...the terrorists themselves tell us they are Muslims, and they cite Muslim theology to justify their attack -- a theology too few Muslims seem willing or able to refute as doctrinally unsound."

If our world's current events fascinate you as they do me, you will do well to read this book. It's not terribly long; only 153 pages, but could easily be longer and would still maintain interest. I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars!

Disclaimer: I received this book free of charge from Thomas Nelson Publishers. I am not coerced, threatened, or rewarded to provide a favorable review. All opinions are mine.

MSP Trooper Recruit School - Precision Driving

2011-04-17T13:13:00.001-05:00

We (MSP) currently have a new class of recruits going through the training process (recruit school) to become troopers. They are currently in week 12 of 16, and it was a week full of driving. This video was filmed while I was instructing there this past week. I hope you enjoy!

"THE REASON WHY", by Mark Mittelberg

2011-04-07T13:15:00.000-05:00

The first version of "The Reason Why" was written by Robert Laidlaw in the early 1900's. Because many of his examples needed updates, Mittelberg re-wrote "The Reason Why" because he believes the need for answers still exists. I fully believe we have a lot of good, old books that have gone unread by moderns, so why not re-package them into something that can be sold today? I think Mittelberg did a fine job with this one.

"The Reason Why" is a very short book, totaling only 127 pages that measure approximately 4" x 7", and could easily be read in one or two sittings. Realistically, the book is not one that answers every tough question anyone could ever ask; it's much too short for that. Instead, it is more of a "primer". It launches the reader into a world of questions about about theology and Christianity:

1) Is There a God?

2) Can the Bible be Trusted?

3) Are We Accountable to God?

4) Who Was Jesus and What Was His Purpose?

5) Is Divine Forgiveness Available?

6) What Do I Need to Do?

What I truly like about this book is its simple approach to the truth of the gospel. What Laidlaw and Mittelberg have to say about the Cross (its importance and centrality in Christendom) in this short book is unspeakably more than many authors today say in 300 pages. "The Reason Why" is very straight-forward about the gospel, and the reader will have no choice upon reading the final page but to make a choice: to trust Christ, or not.

I think this book would make a great evangelism tool. It's pretty cheap ($5.99) and simple for a beginner or questioner to read. While it hits head-on, the reading is not too "heavy". For the person more entrenched in apologetics, this book may serve as a springboard into deeper study of individual topics.

I give this book 5 stars out of 5 for its straight-forward presentation of the gospel and for its usefulness in evangelism. Buy it and share it with a friend.

DISCLAIMER: I received this book from Tyndale Publishers free of charge, in exchange for my unbiased review. I was not threatened or promised reward for providing a positive review.

"THE SACRED JOURNEY", by Charles Foster

2011-04-02T11:10:00.000-05:00

Please don't mistake Richard Foster, the author of "The Celebration of Discipline", for Charles Foster, the author of "The Sacred Journey". My review of this book by Charles Foster will be rather negative. I like Richard Foster's work; I dislike Charles Foster's work.

I'll be completely honest: I wanted to gouge out my eyeballs with a cereal spoon after reading the first few chapters. I could barely stomach reading the rest of the book. I didn't feel as if Foster had much useful to contribute to the conversation about spiritual discipline, so I basically put my pencil away about half way through.

WHY I DISLIKED "THE SACRED JOURNEY"
1) Foster's lack of biblical support; suggesting Christians journey rather than settle in.

2) Foster's use of other religions' teaching to suggest Christians practice that which was not suggested by God. Universalism / Inclusivism.

3) Foster's citing of several stories of "walking" in the Bible as proof for God's preference for pilgrimage.

LACK OF BIBLICAL SUPPORT: In an effort to convince his readers we should participate in "pilgrimage" as a spiritual discipline, Foster cites more non-Christian literature than he does the Bible. Most of those quotations come from Muslim, Hindu, and Buddhist clerics. In his own words, Foster wrote, "I quote a good deal from the pilgrim literature of other religions" (p.xviii). I think this is the case because there doesn't seem to be much support for arguing that pilgrimage is a command/desire/requirement of the God of the Bible.

Foster attempts to argue on behalf of Christian pilgrimage by citing biblical references of Jesus telling people to walk with him. "Walking" with Jesus, according to Foster, is the command to journey, to be a wanderer, to be like the Bedouins. Sadly, the notion for Christians to be pilgrims requires a stretch of one's imagination and of the biblical account. Foster also cites a few Old Testament stories, saying God tried to turn settlers into wanderers. Unfortunately for Foster, the ones he cites don't seem to support the idea of pilgrimage either.

UNIVERSALISM / INCLUSIVISM: As has been the case with just about every book in this series edited by Phyllis Tickle, Foster places Christianity on par with Islam and, in this book, with Hinduism and Buddhism. There seems to be such a minor difference among the religions (according to the editor and author) that the book seems to teach a form of universalism. Foster never takes his readers to the Cross, something I would expect of a Christian author convinced Jesus Christ is the only way of salvation and unification with the Father in Heaven.

At one point, Foster cites a Hindu sage as teaching that wandering leads to the destruction of the wanderer's sins (p.91). This notion is completely foreign to the gospel. Never does Foster set out to guide readers about sin and salvation through Jesus Christ according to the Bible. He seems comfortable quoting anti-Christian rhetoric to support his notion of pilgrimage.

PREFERENCE FOR PILGRIMAGE? It's not like cars have been around since the dawn of time. Unless people were wealthy enough to own a horse in the old days, just about everybody walked wherever they went. Since they walked together, they talked. It's really not much different today except we drive long distances. We travel; we talk. But if Jesus came today instead of the first century, I doubt He would put His stamp of preference on driving over walking or bicycling. It was simply the culture of the time to walk. This hardly supports a nomadic lifestyle commanded by God.

OTHER PROBLEMS AREAS:

EXCLUSIVITY OF CHRISTIANITY: In chapter 1, Foster lays out the idea of pilgrimage by presenting it from the vantage point of Islam (p.4), Hinduism & Buddhism (p.6), and Christianity (p.7). When presenting pilgrimage according to Islam, Foster writes, "The Hajj -- the mandatory pilgrimage to the one Mecca -- reminds Muslims that there is one God, Allah; that he spoke very specifically to one man, the Prophet, in this place; that there is only one true revolution against unbelief, this one" (pp.4-5).

After reading that passage, I wondered to myself, "Will Foster be so adamant in his profession that Christianity is as exclusive in its boasting about Jesus Christ being the only means of salvation, as Islam does about Allah and Muhammad?" Just a couple pages later, Foster finished his brief introduction to pilgrimage, answering my question. No, Foster did not tell of Christianity's exclusivity. In fact, he seems to hold more respect for Islam's exclusivity than of Christianity's.

PILGRIMAGE AND MUJAHIDIN? On page 11, Foster made an interesting statement about Christianity's crusaders. Having briefly detailed events of the Crusades, Foster told of a Cross, something he says the Christians used as kind of a good luck charm, being carried off in triumph by the hordes of Islam. Foster asked, "Had God definitely withdrawn his favor from his crusading mujahidin?" I found in interesting that Foster would call Christian crusaders "mujahidin", a term Muslims use of warriors who fight for Islam and Allah.

WHAT IS THE GOSPEL? In chapter 2, Foster retells a story about a group of religious men and women sitting around the table for a meal, when they happened upon the topic, "What is the gospel?" Foster referred to those who believed the gospel was about the redemption of sinning mankind to God through Jesus Christ as though they were a group of confused individuals. Foster said, "I sat glumly at the table, wondering if I had completely missed the plot. The plot I had been reading that afternoon was very different...It's just, 'Follow me.' You will struggle to find in the Gospels anything obviously analogous to 'conversion'" (p.24).

But if the gospel was simply "Follow me", then why would the Apostle Paul go to such great lengths to warn believers and fellow teachers about false doctrines, about false gods, about false teachings? Jesus, as a teacher, did nothing different from what Aristotle, Plato, or other teachers in the early centuries did: They walked. As they walked, they taught; and as they taught, they gathered more followers. Jesus told people to follow Him, to learn from Him, and not follow and learn from the worldly sages.

Journeying doesn't save a person. Being in the wild doesn't "cleanse the soul", as Ted Nugent wrote in "Fred Bear". There's only one way to be restored to right position with God, and that is through none other than Jesus Christ -- a fact Foster ignores in "The Sacred Journey."

I don't think this book contributed to the conversation of spiritual discipline, and I don't think he accomplished what he intended, convincing me of the necessity or importance of practicing pilgrimage. I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone, and I'm quite disappointed that a Christian publishing company would publish this as a Christian work. I rate "The Sacred Journey" 1 star out of 5.

I receive books free from Thomas Nelson (Booksneeze) in exchange for my unbiased review of those books. I am not threatened or rewarded in any way to provide positive reviews.

CHILDREN OF GOD & SELF-ESTEEM:

2011-03-21T19:00:00.000-05:00

I have always been one to fall prey to bouts with low self-esteem. I don't suffer under it, but occasionally doubts will creep into my mind and sap my zeal for a short time.

Before people provide theological treatises why Christians should not have self-esteem, that we should have no esteem for self but only for God...ok, I get it. I understand I am nothing apart from Christ.

I know.

Life is where reality meets theology.

I have the kind of personality that reads too much into what people say and do (maybe it's why I'm good at police work), but, unfortunately, that trait serves as a double-edged knife that can cut deep.

I'm going through a bout of this right now. I'm wondering if my bosses and peers like me.
I wonder if they think I'm competant to do my job.

I know who I am in Christ, and that is my eternal hope.
I cherish that.
I relish that.

But the reality is that I (I think we all) want people to like us, to find us worthwhile to be around, to be competant.

But the self-doubt hurts.

When I see certain people in my life, I get that feeling that I don't measure up. Maybe it's just that I read into their words. I shouldn't, but I can't help it.

Lord, lift me out of these thoughts of despair, and comfort me in your bosom.

"THE SACRED MEAL", by Nora Gallagher

2011-03-18T18:22:00.004-05:00

"The Sacred Meal", by Nora Gallagher, is book 6 of 8 in the Ancient Practices Series. This book is nothing more than New Age-Buddhism wrapped in a pretty "Christian" cover. In fact, this book is a fraud if Gallagher intends to teach Christian doctrine about the Eucharist. Shame on Thomas Nelson for publishing this garbage as Christian. They, too, will have to give an account for leading people astray by putting their stamp of approval on that which is professed to be Christian.

For starters, never ever anywhere in the book did Gallagher mention Jesus as the sole Sacrifice that would assuage the Father's wrath for sin, or the Cross as His means for accomplishing our salvation! She wrote, "Jesus did not suddenly make a choice between power and vulnerability. He put his foot on a path, and years later he looked back and saw where that path had led him" (p.22). She never spoke of the historical biblical reference for why we celebrate the Eucharist/communion. She never mentioned God delivering the Israelites from slavery in Egypt by the "plague of the firstborn". She never referenced the Passover event as a historical event that foreshadowed Jesus Christ. Instead, Gallagher's view of the Eucharist is from a largely "social justice, all-inclusive, new age" approach.

As if Jesus, to Gallagher, was simply a man who happened to be enlightened and achieved a purpose that God intended for all of mankind, she wrote, "...what I am coming to understand is that Jesus meant to say these things to himself, as much as to me. He said these things to himself because he understood that choosing the vulnerable path was the way to keep his soul alive, and protected, from the harsh realities of power. He sought out the vulnerable because they helped keep him vulnerable. And he finally came to identify with them" (p.20). To her, it seems, Jesus was not the Son of God who came to accomplish His Father's will.

Almost heretically, Gallagher steers readers away from Jesus Christ on the Cross as our Sacrifice, to making us the central focus of communion: "...of course, we're remembering Jesus, but that should not be all we're doing. I don't think Jesus was interested in everybody just remembering him. What's the point of that?" [ummmmm, His sacrifice in our place maybe?] But I digress. She continues, "That puts Jesus in the category with the various celebrities who will do anything to get into the media so we'll remember they're still alive. Instead, I think Jesus wanted his disciples and everyone who came after him to remember what they had together. What they made together. What it meant to be together. How the things he wanted them to do could not be done alone. How the things he did could not have been done without them" (p.24). Gallagher's view is very man-centered, not Cross-centered, and the Eucharist is designed for us to remember Him, not us. Think I'm crazy? She added, "When we all show up and do our parts, we are the sacrament, the body of Christ" (p.24).

Jesus, to Gallagher, was simply an enlightened person, as I mentioned before. She wrote, "But he [Jesus], too, was 'healed'. He was opened. He was changed. He was no longer so sure of what his job was, what he was meant to do. It may be that this is what kept happening to him [Jesus interacting with all sorts of needy people], over and over again. He met a blind man and was changed by the encounter; he met a woman at a well and Mary Magdalene and a tax collector. The difference between Jesus and us may not merely be one of degrees of divinity, but also his openness to others and their capacity to bend and awaken his heart" (p.62).

-This paragraph is bad on so many levels.
-Was Jesus in need of being enlightened that He required change to get there?
-Was Jesus ever unsure of his purpose on earth? Not according to scripture. Instead, He knew exactly what His purpose was...to seek and save the lost, to give life abundantly, to testify to the truth, etc. I don't recall Him ever thinking, "Hmmmm, what should I do now?"
-Were all of these encounters simply chance encounters? Seems so, according to Gallagher.
-Finally, THE difference between Jesus and us IS divinity. That's the point! Only HE was able to satisfy the righteous requirements of the law of God. Something we could not do! By the way, she mentions we are simply separated by "degrees" of divinity...as if we have any divinity in the first place. It seems that we are on par with Jesus in Gallagher's worldview.

Other problem areas include (I could go on to write a book here about Gallagher's bad theology, but I'll just make a few bullet points instead):

--"I hope, not to become one with God in such a way as to lose my own sense of self and boundaries, but instead to become in God more like myself" (p.93) We ARE the problem...I don't need more of me, but less! I need God!

--She referred to the feeding of the 5,000 by Jesus as a parable (p.95), rather than a historic miracle. At first, I was willing to give her the benefit of the doubt that this could have been a typo. But after considering the whole of her statements, I don't think she believes the reality of the Jesus presented in the Bible.

--She tells a story of how she joined an inter-faith group consisting of Christians, Jews, and Muslims in an evening of "breaking bread" together. After all, she states, we all descended from the same Abraham. Anyway, she went on to tell how she not only observed the Muslims' prayer service, but participated to the point that she was doing exactly what the Muslim woman next to her was doing. Sadly, Gallagher's theology allows her to be easily influenced by false teachings, and she leads readers to think that's ok.

--Gallagher wrote, "We have known for some time that the Gospels were written long after the death of Jesus and were compiled by men who lived long after him" (p.110). Actually, 40 or 50 years is not that long to recall events and teachings that left indelible marks on one's life. It's like asking a World War 2 veteran to write a book today about the horrors he faced in battle. Not at all an inconceivable notion!

--Death, to Gallagher, is New Age-ish, almost like reincarnation: "There is another way to think of dying and where we go. Instead, we die in...that is, we re-enter earth, to be part of the earth that gave us our beginning (so, the earth gave me life? Not God?), to become part of all that lives, and moves, and has its being (then she wrongfully cites Acts 17:28 as if to provide support to her statement). What if the risen Christ does not die out, as in being lifted into the heavens, but rather dies in, that is, dies into the whole of the world?" (p.131)

I doubt Christ, to Gallagher, truly died on the Cross, and I doubt He truly rose from the dead! If not, why celebrate remembrance of His sacrifice? That's exactly why I think Gallagher has the liberal view she has: Jesus was simply a fairy tale! She supported this crazy notion by telling a story of her brother's death, and how he re-entered the world..."similar to what the writers of the resurrection stories in the gospels were trying to convey" (p.135). Gallagher herself applies what she said about dying and rising directly to the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Do I have to give this book a star? If so, I guess I'll just give it 1 star out of 5 for bad theology and mis-application of scripture. At least the pages are soft, it would work well as TP!

I receive books from Booksneeze free of charge in exchange for my honest feedback. I am not obligated to provide a positive review of any book reviewed. All opinions are mine.

TRAIN TO WIN:

2011-03-17T20:56:00.002-05:00

If it's true that one should train the way he's going to play the game,

then I get the feeling there are going to be a lot of people losing.

"Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize."

- The Apostle Paul – 1 Corinthians 9:24-27

THY WILL BE DONE:

2011-03-15T08:53:00.000-05:00

O Lord, help me not only to KNOW Your will for me, but give me the strength to LIVE it...
-- that I not turn away from Him who called me in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is no gospel at all (Gal 1:6-7);

-- that I know Christ has redeemed me from the curse of the law, having become a curse for me (Gal 3:13);

-- that I would stand on the promise that for freedom Christ has made me free (Gal 5:1);

-- that I walk in the Spirit, and in so walking I'll not fulfill the lust of my sinful nature (Gal 5:16);

-- that I bear my fellow brother's/sister's burdens with him/her (Gal 6:2);

-- that I be filled with the fullness of God by seeking to comprehend (although it surpasses all my understanding) the width, length, depth, and height of Your love for me (Eph 3:19);

-- that I walk worthy of the calling with which I was called, with lowliness, gentleness, patience, love, and unity of the Spirit in peace (Eph 4:1-3);

-- that I not be childish, but grow up in Christ, not being tossed to like the waves of the sea, being deceived by trickery with every wind of doctrine (Eph 4:14);

-- that I put off, concerning my former conduct, the old man, which is corrupt according to its deceitful lusts, and instead be renewed in the Spirit of my mind, that I put on the new man, which was created by God in righteousness and holiness (Eph 4:22-24);

-- that no corrupt word come out of my mouth (including bitterness, wrath, anger, loud quarreling, and evil speaking), but instead words of edification and grace (Eph 4:29, 31);

-- that I not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom I have been sealed (Eph 4:30);

-- that I would be kind to others, tenderhearted toward them, and forgiving their sins against me (Eph 4:32);

-- that I imitate You, Lord, by walking in love and thankfulness instead of those things equated with the old man: unholy sexual encounters, uncleanness, covetousness, filthiness, foolish talking (Eph 5:1-4);

-- that I would expose the fruitless works of darkness, rather than having unified fellowship with them (Eph 5:11);

-- that I would not be unwise, but understand all these things Your will: not being filled up and drunk with wine, but being filled instead with Your Spirit (Eph 5:17-18);

-- that I love my wife sacrificially, just as Christ has loved me and has given Himself for me (Eph 6:25);

-- that I obey my parents (Eph 6:1);

-- that I not raise my children in a way that provokes them to anger, but instead in training and admonition of Your ways (Eph 6:4);

-- that I would be strong in Your power, putting on the whole battle-armor you have given me, that I might stand strong against the devil's wicked schemes: the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, boots fitted with the preparation of the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit (Eph 6:10-17);

-- that my conduct would be worthy of the gospel of Christ (Php 1:27);

-- that I be like-minded with the brethren, putting their interests ahead of mine (Php 2:1-4);

-- that I do all things without complaint (Php 2:14);

-- that I not put my confidence of salvation in my own flesh and works (Php 3:3);

-- that I meditate on that which is true, noble, just, pure, lovely, of good report, having virtue, and praiseworthy (Php 4:8-9);

-- that I walk worthy of Your name, pleasing You, being fruitful in good works, increasing in knowledge of God, strengthened in Your power, being patient with joyfulness, and thankful (Col 1:10-12);

-- that I beware of empty deceit and philosophies of the world that seek to take me captive (Col 2:8);

-- that I kill all traces of evil in my flesh: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, covetousness/idolatry, anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, and filthy language -- because I no longer walk in those things of the old man from which Christ has redeemed me to the new (Col 3:5-10);

-- that I would be tender and merciful with others, helping carry their burdens; kindness, humility, lowliness, patience, love, and peace (Col 3:12-15);

-- that I walk in wisdom toward unbelievers, that my speech would always be filled with grace and flavourful, as with a fine salt seasoning (Col 4:5-6);

-- that I may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God (Col 4:12).

LORD, HELP ME IN THIS, that I may glorify You!

"THE GOSPEL IS THE ONLY MEANS OF GOSPEL WAKEFULNESS"

2011-03-14T20:01:00.002-05:00

"Despite the fact that you cannot learn gospel wakefulness, the first step to experiencing it is hearing the gospel. This is how God has designed evangelization to work: he designates the foolishness of preaching as the means of calling people to repentance and to belief in the announcement of the gospel. This is considered “foolish” in content -- because nobody is really expecting a dying God or a resurrected man -- but it is foolish in the medium as well, because the way God resurrects dead hearts is by gospel-bearing speech. That just sounds silly to our religious sensibilities. Nevertheless, “How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?”

So despite the fact that you cannot decide, “Oh, hey, okay, I’ll have some gospel wakefulness,” the recipe for it still calls for you to hear the gospel. Even if the quantum leap never comes, you are being saved by the gospel. The gradual dawn of gospel wakefulness is occurring for you as the Spirit brings your sin to mind, pours more grace upon you, and bears more fruit of good character and good works in you. To this end, then, you should read the gospel, listen to the gospel, sing the gospel, write the gospel, share the gospel, and preach the gospel, all the while asking God to administer its power more and more to your life. Situate yourself constantly in the crosshairs of the gospel. You cannot “Behold!” it if you aren’t looking. As my friend Ray Ortlund has been known to say, “Stare at the glory of God until you see it.”

Re-posted with permission from Jared at Gospel Driven Church
Originally posted here

MAGIC HAPPENS:

2011-03-10T17:43:00.000-05:00

Every 28 days or so, seemingly innocent questions posed by men around the globe morph into hurtful, uncaring, cruel-hearted, insensitive, pig-headed accusations: "You're not putting celery in that, are you?"

"TITHING", by Douglas Leblanc

2011-03-09T13:56:00.000-05:00

If what you're looking for is a theological treatise on tithing, then "Tithing", by Douglas Leblanc, is not the book for you. However, if what you're hoping to find is a book about practical ways tithing was implemented by various people and communities, then this may be what you're looking for.

In the early pages, Leblanc admitted that he learned a valuable rule in his journalism career: "It's not about you." Using that rule, "Tithing" takes a story-telling, journalistic approach than a teachy-preachy one. It is less "why" and more "how".

"Tithing" is book 5 in the "Ancient Practices Series" by Phyllis Tickle. It is only 152 pages long with a short study guide at the end, so it's not a book one would spend a long time reading. All the stories seem to follow a similar format, so it makes for a quick read. In preparing for the book, Leblanc toured the country interviewing people involved in various organizations asking why tithing was important to them. But each chapter is a story of it's own; the chapters don't build from one to the next. Instead, readers could realistically pick up the book, choose a chapter, skip around and there would be no confusion of information by doing so.

Personally, the story-telling model did not appeal to me. I got bored very quickly with the book, and had I not agreed to read it entirely in order to review it, I most likely would have jettisoned it at the end of chapter 1. In fact, after finishing the 2nd chapter, I set the book on my nightstand and remarked to my wife, "I hope this book gets a lot more interesting pretty quickly."

On a positive note, what the stories/chapters brought out is the fact that there are faithful people all around the world doing great things for God's Kingdom with His money. We seem to find ourselves admiring people like this, yet we are reluctant to live as exemplary as they do and give as deeply. It is a wonder how the world would look today if we spent more of our time and efforts praying and giving? It is clear that the model in the Old Testament intended tithing as a means of providing for the poor and needy. The same theme emerged in "Fasting", by Scot McKnight, when he directed us to Isaiah who taught that fasting ought to lead us to giving. At the very least, "Tithing" has opened my eyes to seeing giving in a little bit different light.

LIKES: I did like that Leblanc cited others efforts and organizations, giving practical ways we can give above and beyond a simple offering plate. He not only cited those organizations, but also provided web links for readers to get involved in their efforts. My favorite chapter was #10, "Do They Tell Such Stories About Me and You?" In that chapter, Leblanc interviewed Rabbi Yisroel Miller. Miller pointed to some strong support in the Torah for tithing. Unfortunately, Leblanc didn't accentuate these points. He simply allowed the chapter to die with the conclusion of the interview.

DISLIKES: Very little scripture was used or taught throughout the book. I would have liked to see more of an authoritarian teaching on biblical giving, rather than an "anything-goes" method. Also, it seemed far too often that the people telling their stories tithed because of how it benefited them. Chapter 4, entitled, "Earnest Money", contained the story of John Schwiebert, whose view of tithing was summed up in this way: "If you become a member of Metanoia, you agree that tithing is the platform in which you enter into membership." To him, "the tithe [was considered] earnest money." I don't think the Bible's intent for tithing was for it to serve as a membership fee as though one paid a monthly or weekly membership to the fitness club. I would have liked to see Leblanc challenge some peoples' faulty notions of tithing. They could have served as teachable moments.

You'll notice I haven't quoted much from "Tithing". That's because in my opinion there wasn't much to quote. Overall, I give "Tithing" 2 stars out of 5. I think he put a lot of work into interviewing people of various organizations, but I didn't see him expounding on the teachable moments. I don't think I could recommend the book because I was honestly disappointed with it.

Disclaimer: I receive books from Thomas Nelson Publishers (Booksneeze) free of charge in exchange for my unbiased opinion of them. I am not threatened or rewarded in any way in efforts to encourage me to provide a positive review. All opinions are mine.

"GRAY MATTER", by Dr. David Levy, with Joel Kilpatrick

2011-03-04T20:17:00.001-05:00

Dr. David Levy, a neurosurgeon in San Diego, CA, and his journalist/writer, Joel Kilpatrick, wrote what I believe will be a very popular book in both Christian and secular circles. "Gray Matter" is a term that refers to the mass of matter God created inside our skulls, and Dr. Levy's work focuses on this one vital area of life -- the brain.

To read the first chapter, click here.

If you ever liked watching "ER", you'll love this autobiographical account of life behind the mask of a neurosurgeon. "Gray Matter" is not simply a book written by an egotistical surgeon bragging about his difficult, but successful, life-saving brain surgeries. Instead, it's a humble account of a doctor professionally using his hands and brain the way God gifted him, as he struggles with an issue of faith -- to pray, or not to pray.

As a member of the medical community, Dr. Levy admits that his job as a neurosurgeon transcends the most challenging surgeries. He believes his ultimate purpose as a surgeon is to make people well -- physically, mentally, and spiritually. So the journey began when he started talking with patients about other life-issues that may have been aggravating the symptoms of the aneurysms they faced. What he found was patients carrying baggage of unforgiveness and bitterness with people who have hurt them in their past.

Stepping out in faith, Dr. Levy decided to ask if he could pray with a patient as they sat in his examination room -- one-on-one. He tells about his inner struggle with the pro's and con's of asking such a question: will I be disciplined or fired?; what will my co-workers think of me?; will my patient think I lack confidence in my abilities and therefore need to ask for God's intervention? He finally works it out and boldly asks, "Can I pray with you?" More often than not, the patients looked at him with tilted head, confused, like a dog that tilts its head when interested in a strange noise, and more often than not their reply is, "Sure."

Over time, Dr. Levy grew in boldness, although not without inner turmoil, to pray not just privately with patients in the exam room, but with them in the pre-op room with nurses and doctors around. He even progressed to the point that patients asked him to pray with them, that nurses and doctors expected him to pray, and that those same nurses and doctors would join hands with Dr. Levy and family members to pray with the patient. It is a fascinating account of one doctor's courage in the medical field to give people wholeness in life.

"Gray Matter" contains the right amount of real-life cases and surgeries mixed with matters of faith. Kilpatrick and Levy brilliantly weave and build these stories and his issue of prayer together into a crescendo where the reader is greatly inspired to put aside foolish pride and embarrassment and pray in all matters. I have already incorporated Dr. Levy's approach in some ways I handle my own professional affairs.

"Gray Matter" is not a "preachy" book, and Levy never forced prayer on any one of his patients or staff members. But, neither is it a bland medical journal. Although 300 pages long, it reads like a page-turner.
There's no doubt in my mind that "Gray Matter" is a must-read for anyone who struggles with his/her prayer life. It's a 5-star piece of work, and I'm excited that I had the opportunity to read it.

I received this book free of charge from Tyndale House Publishers in exchange for my unbiased review. I was not threatened or coerced in any way to provide a positive review. The opinions herein are entirely mine.

WHY I REVIEW BOOKS:

2011-02-28T14:02:00.000-05:00

"Dude, why do you post so many book reviews on your blog? How boring!"
"Don't you have anything better to do than read and write about books? Like, watch TV?"

I'll be honest, I don't have the literary style that draws millions to read my thought-provoking insights.
I don't even have that kind of mass influence.
I have direct influence over 2 people because I have that right and responsibility...and they're both under 6 years of age!

In all honesty, here's why I review so many books here:
1) I love reading.
2) I love reading great books that inspire me to draw closer to my Creator.
3) I hate bad theolocially, cold spaghetti, and lame books.
4) I am opinionated, and I love sharing my opinion about the good and the bad - ask anyone who knows me.
5) I'm frugal and love...LOVE...free stuff (especially books and food)
6) When I'm asked to give my opinion of free books, in my opinion that's the best of all worlds.
7) I think Christians should practice the art of reading thoughtfully and critically.
8) I think mature Christians should point others to God-honoring books and repel them the bad.
9) I think our voices need to be heard that bad teachers/authors can go away.
10) I think our voices need to be heard by publishers that they must not publish garbage!

But hey, that's just my opinion....

"FASTING", by Scot McKnight

2011-02-28T13:31:00.000-05:00

Fasting; I haven't done it in a couple years, but I think I may incorporate it into my worship again. While fasting in the past, I fasted in order to "hear from God". I fasted for the wrong reasons. I didn't understand WHY I should fast; only that I SHOULD fast. But only after reading "Fasting", by Scot McKnight, do I now see the practice of fasting with a fresh set of lenses in a whole new light. My former view was summed up perfectly by McKnight, who wrote, "...focusing on the results causes us to misunderstand fasting entirely" (p. xix).

Fasting, rather than being a focus on results, should be "a response to a sacred moment", something I'll define shortly. Fasting was not intended by God to provide a way for us to achieve desired results. Instead, fasting is our natural response to the sacred moments that draw us to closeness with our Creator. McKnight describes the process in a "A" leads to "B" which leads to "C" format.

"If one wants to see the full Christian understanding of fasting, one must begin with A, the grievous sacred moment. That sacred moment generates a respons (B), in this case fasting. Only then, only when the sacred moment is given its full power does the response of fasting generate results (C) -- and then not always, if truth be told." (p. xix)

What are these "grievous sacred moments" which McKnight referred to?
Sin; Death; Impending disaster or disaster relief; The lack of holiness and love and compassion; The impoverishment of others; The sacred presence of God; The absence of justice, peace, and love.

These 7 sacred moments (generally speaking) serve as the main body of the book, and are directly addressed in their respective chapters:
#3 - "Fasting as Body Turning": "... the most common form of fasting is part of confessing sin. (p. 24)

#4 - "Fasting as Body Plea": "...in the Bible, pleas and supplications and prayers were accompanied by the embodied act of fasting. (p. 38) The body and the soul were considered unified in worship of God. Today, we esteem the "body" as evil and the "soul" as good. But if the scriptures are true, then we must love the Lord with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength (including body).

#5 - "Fasting as Body Grief": "body grieving here is a response to death and not a discipline performed to gain something." (p. 54)

#6 - "Fasting as Body Discipline": "The foundational sacred moment for body discipline is consciousness of sin, consciousness of weakness, the need for God's empowering grace, the desire to cut back in life...and a yearning to grow morally in love and holiness." (p. 64)

#7 - "Fasting as Body Calendar": "Most of the church calendar has also been wiped away -- we only celebrated Christmas [not advent] and Holy Week [also called Good Friday and Easter]. ... "Yes, we do know what Lent is, but many evangelicals consider it something that Catholics do and therefore something we don't need to do because we have been saved from rituals." ... "Most significantly, we don't read through the Scriptures aloud together as the liturgical churches have always done. Why? Again, the answer is simple: the calendar is Catholic; therefore, we don't do it." (all - p. 83)

#8 - "Fasting as Body Poverty": Citing Isaiah 58, "fasting was a response to injustices in the land" ... and "also responded in compassion to the poor and in efforts to establish justice in the land..." (p. 104)

#9 - "Fasting as Body Contact": "Fasting is to union with God what a marriage ring is to a loving couple. As the ring is not what prompts their union, so also the fasting is not what prompts union with God. Love prompts the giving of a ring, and it is the love that moves the relationship beyond the ring to genuine union with one another." (p. 114)

#10 - "Fasting as Body Hope": Early Christians "fasted because they longed for Christ to return to establish the Kingdom of God." (p. 123) McKnight shows how the Bible uses feasting and fasting in relation to the Kingdom of God. The ancients fasted in anticipation of the coming Messiah Jesus; while He was present, the people fasted; today, the church fasts in hope of the coming Kingdom; and finally, in the heavenly Kingdom, we will feast. Fast - feast - fast - feast. (p. 126)

LIKES: While all the chapters contained invaluable insight, I think chapter 4 was best. McKnight laid out a compelling argument that the body cannot be ignored in our worship of God. We must not confuse the "body" with the "sinful flesh" Paul speaks about. Our entire being -- including our bodies -- were made in the likeness of God. We worship with emotion, with hands raised, with dancing, singing; yet, we forget the body is a vital part of our union with God. We too often seek only union in the soul, but neglect our body union with the Creator.

DISLIKES: Again, while each chapter had value, I started getting bored with the book about half way through. I had to force myself to take a couple days off from reading it so that I wouldn't be negatively influenced by some of the repetition. That said, however, the parts that were repeated, truth be told, needed to be repeated (i.e., the A-B-C formula was found in nearly every chapter). No doubt, those redundancies drove McKnight's point solidly home.

"Fasting" is book #4 in the Ancient Practices Series. Along with "In Constant Prayer", I honestly believe "Fasting" would be a priceless asset to any believer's bookshelf who has interest in learning more about the purpose of this largely-ignored practice: fasting. The book is only 169 pages long, made up of 2 parts, 13 chapters, and a short study guide.

I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars. I deducted 1 star only because it didn't maintain my undivided attention throughout. The content, however, was invaluable.

I recieve free books from Booksneeze in exchange for my unbiased opinion. I am not threatened or coerced in any way to provide a favorable or unfavorable review. No strings; No gimmicks; Join today!!!

PRAYER WITH SURVIVORS OF TRAGEDY:

2011-02-23T13:10:00.000-05:00

I started reading this book, Gray Matter, by Dr. David Levy over the weekend that I received for review from Tyndale House Publishers. (This posting is not a book review.) The jist of the book is this: Dr. Levy is an accopmlished and well-respected neurosurgeon in San Diego, and a couple years after becoming a Christisn he underwent a life transformation that led him to start praying with patients before and after surgical proceedings.

I agreed to review "Gray Matter" because my personal quest and theme in 2011 is to spend more time in prayer than I did in 2010...which, I regret to admit, isn't actually all that hard to accomplish. I have been riveted by Dr. Levy's devotion to his career and to his God. He admits that his requests to pray with patients gives many of them an uneasy feeling, as though he's overly concerned about the inherent dangers of their particular situation or that he doesn't have what it takes to make for a successful operation. Nevertheless, he puts those feelings aside and gently asks them if he could pray with them (not just for them).

The other day at work, I was sent to give another death notification to a man, whom I'll call Jeff, whose brother committed suicide in another state. I was requested to locate the next of kin and deliver the horrible news. It was difficult enough just trying to locate him, let alone jumping through all the hoops his employer had in place to protect him once I did find him. Prior to meeting up with Jeff, however, I prayed that the Spirit would still my anxious heart, quiet my frustrated thoughts, and help me deliver a peaceful message amidst tragic circumstances.

I met Jeff and delivered the news to him, and quite honestly, he received it well, remarking, "I'm actually not surprised to hear this. He's been having some big problems lately. My sister's really going to take it hard, though."

As our conversation was drawing to a close, I felt a nudge in my spirit (some might call it a still, small voice), "Ask him if you could pray with him." Our conversation continued and he was moving around in his chair as if to stand up and leave the room. As he was doing that, I sensed that nudge again, "Ask him if you could pray with him."
"Jeff, would you mind if I pray with you before we leave today?" He looked at me in what seemed like a different light and replied, "I would like that, trooper. I'm a believer myself." My prayer was simple. It was short, lasting all of 15 seconds. I didn't need to preach a sermon or make Jeff uncomfortable...after all, how many people have had the cops pray with them? Basically, I prayed that God would be sure to make Jeff and his sister know that He was near at this time of tragedy.

After concluding, Jeff appeared comforted and at peace. It didn't change the hurting in his heart, but I think it helped him remember that God really cares and that He is always near. He thanked me for the way I delivered the message and how I handled the situation. It's actually hard receiving "thanks" when bearing bad news, but it felt good to be of service to Jeff physically and spiritually at such a tragic time.

"THE COMFORT OF VENGEANCE", by Ben Redmond

2011-02-18T10:00:00.003-05:00

“As Comforting Avenger, God brings hope to the oppressed and fear to the oppressor.” (p.32) “The Comfort of Vengeance”, authored by Ben Redmond, youth pastor at Westwinds Community Church in Jackson, MI, is a commentary on the Old Testament prophet, Nahum’s, prophecies against Assyria. Redmond writes, “there is a big difference between God in the First Testament [OT] and Jesus in the Second Testament [NT]” (p.19). Many ponder how God could be so mean in the Old Testament and so loving in the New. This idea serves as Redmond’s springboard into solving the dilemma. I think Redmond did well by bringing the entire message of Nahum – the message of a mean, angry God – full-circle to the Cross of Calvary.

LIKES:

I truly believe the pinnacle chapter in “The Comfort of Vengeance” is #16. It was built up when I became concerned with one paragraph in chapter 15, which read, “We will be judged for our sin eventually, every one of us. For now, we believe that final judgment has been suspended through Jesus. When we live apart from God in this life, the consequences are largely a natural part of our world.” (p.139) While the Bible is clear that we will all be judged, it doesn’t suggest judgment is “suspended” for believers, as though Jesus simply delays it.

Instead, God’s judgment of our sin was finished on the Cross. Jesus Christ condemned sin in the flesh that the righteous requirements of the law might be fulfilled in those of us [who are His]” (Rom 8). And that is precisely where Redmond leads his readers in the 16th chapter of his book, which is why it’s my favorite. He asks, “How can anyone survive [God’s judgment]? The answer is Jesus. The work of Jesus on the cross allows us to survive the judgment of God.” (p.143) “The cross says that when our skirts are lifted, Jesus will be the only thing God sees.” His best statement looked like this: “The cross wasn’t just a token sacrifice; it was all of God’s judgment and anger toward the world, dropped like a bomb on one person.” (p.144)

While Redmond admits, “God doesn’t make sense to me” (p.19), I think God makes more sense to him than he gives himself credit for. He gets it that God is jealous for His people; that He is a just Judge; that He will “have vengeance on His adversaries and wrath on His enemies” (Nah 1). He gets it that we are worthy recipients of God’s anger, and that God finally and completely unleashed all of His anger on sin upon His very own Son, Jesus Christ. The God of wrath portrayed in the Old Testament didn’t disappear at the end of Malachi. He crossed over a couple pages into the New. But the magnificent love of God for us would cause Jesus to step in the way when He decided to throw the final blow to sin and death. Jesus bore it all on Himself. “How can anyone survive?” Redmond asks. “The answer is Jesus.” Brilliant plan! Brilliant paragraph.

Redmond did well in a few chapters inspiring his readers to identify themselves with the ugly monster deserving of God’s wrath. G.K. Chesterton once commented when asked what is wrong with the world. He replied, "I am what's wrong with the world." Redmond tied the message of Nahum together so thoughtfully that even an unbeliever might see his/her own ugliness and finally turn to God for mercy. The reader couldn’t help but recognize the wrath of God that was ever present in the Old Testament was alive and well in the New when He abandoned His Son on the Cross in our place.

DISLIKES:

There were more than a couple chapters in the book where Redmond could have dug into the topic discussed much deeper than he did. For example, in Chapter 6, “faith” could have been discussed more in depth by considering what Biblical faith is, where God is when life stinks, where God is when we don’t get answers, etc. Another is the theme of identifying with the “villain”. I would have liked to see Redmond explore that idea more by maybe combining a few of the shorter chapters that touched on the topic together into one larger, deeper chapter.

There were a few “ticks” throughout the book (spacing issues, spelling errors, etc.). While these didn’t detract from the message of the book, it is important to speel chek are werk so peepal tak us serusly. It wasn’t nearly that bad, but you get the idea. Seldom do great authors have errors. If so, one could count them on one finger.

The book is short and sweetly simple. The average chapter is about 4-5 pages with double-spaces between paragraphs, and sometimes single sentences make up an entire paragraph. This makes the book even shorter. To be sure, the book was intended to be a “teaching atlas” for Westwinders. “The Comfort of Vengeance" is wrapped up in 3 sections, one section for each Biblical chapter of Nahum, and 17 chapters. There are also questions for further reflection at the end of each section, tying all the chapters of that section together. In all, the book runs 161 pages. It reads much shorter than that, however.

Overall, I think the book deserves 3 ½ stars…a half point deduction for ticks and a point deduction for lack of depth in a few areas. Worth the read.

"SABBATH", by Dan B. Allender

2011-02-10T14:02:00.002-05:00

"Sabbath" is book #3 in the Ancient Practices Series, edited by Phyllis Tickle. It is divided into 3 parts and subdivided into 11 chapters, a conclusion, and a short study guide. The entire books runs just shy of 200 pages.

Sadly, editor Phyllis Tickle's love affair with equating Christianity, Judaism, and Islam started on page "vii" of the Foreward. I mention this because it unfortunately takes away from the work Allender tried to accomplish. Allender's work is strictly gospel-centered, and Tickle's opinion always operated in the back of my mind as I read the book.

She writes, "The Abrahamic faiths of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam share a common religious ancestry...in their adherence to a fixed set of seven religious concepts and practices..." "The processes by which each faith group has adapted tithing, fasting, fixed-hour prayer, Sabbath observance, adherence to the liturgical year, sacred pilgrimage, and participation in the sacred meal..."

Quite frankly, Islam does not observe, nor celebrate, a Sabbath. Nowhere does the Qur'an mention Islam's god resting after creation (Qur'an: Surahs 19:68; 21:31; 32:9; 53:43-48; 71:14-19; 77:22) and commanding Sabbath to Muslims. There are five pillars in Islam, but Sabbath-keeping is not one of them. But, I digress, since this review is not intended to be an apologetic against Tickle's inclusivism or Islam's incompatibility with Christianity and Judaism. For the remainder, I'll stick to reviewing the book, "Sabbath."

ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE: I think Allender did a good job organizing "Sabbath". Each chapter built upon the foundation the previous chapters established. For example, Allender set the stage in chapter 1 with the notion that many, if not most, Christians don't even practice Sabbath-observance. Not only that, but we have a skewed notion of what Sabbath really is. Most equate Sabbath with simply "going to church". With that, he uses the next 4 chapters to explain what Sabbath is and what it is not; what it entails and what it eschews. That forms the first part of the book. The following 2 parts of "Sabbath" then build on the first part: What its purposes are, how to enjoy it, and how to practice it.

WHAT SABBATH IS? Allender provides helpful insight into what Sabbath is:
- "...an intentional choice to enter joy and follow God as he celebrates the glory of his creation..."
- "...an invitation to enter delight."
- "...a day of delight for humankind..."
- "...a feast day that remembers our leisure...anticipates our play in the new heavens and earth..."
- "...a day when the kingdom to come has come and is celebrated now..."
- "...a fest of remembrance and anticipation..."
- "...an encounter with God's delight."
- "...is our re-creating the garden and recreating in the new heavens and earth."
(all cited from the Introduction)

WHAT SABBATH IS NOT: Mixed in with what Sabbath is, Allender helps us understand also what it is NOT:
- "...not merely a good idea; it is one of the Ten Commandments."
- "...not a day to 'perform' religious activities...thoughtless routine...or diversions."
- "...not about time off or a break in routine."
- "...not a minivacation to give us a respite..."
(all cited from the Introduction)

With these phrases in mind, Allender provides support throughout the remainder of the book for the benefits and necessity of observing Sabbath.

Quite frankly, though, I got bored with "Sabbath" rather quickly. Since I can't imagine being tasked with writing a book on such a difficult topic as Sabbath, I will at least give the man credit for diving and digging in. However, I didn't need to have my pencil ready beyond page 1 of chapter 3...and I'm one who likes to mark and write in all my bibles and study books. Much of what Allender wrote in the introduction and first 2 chapters seemed to suffice the topic for me. He certainly left few stones unturned in the writing of the book. It's just that those stones merely uncovered small details scurrying around in the mud and minor insight buried under the shadows of the particular stones.

Maybe I simply wasn't interested in the topic; maybe it was simply his plain writing style that didn't keep my attention. However, if exploring Sabbath practice is something that interests you, this may be a good book for your money. I just won't go recommending it to all my friends (I'll just take the hit for you instead.)

Favorite quote: "No five-star fare is a feast if eaten alone or eaten in silence or banality with another." (Introduction, page 14)

RATING: 3 out of 5 stars

I received "Sabbath" free of charge in exchange for my unbiased review for Thomas Nelson Publishers (aka, "Booksneeze"). I was in no way compensated or threatened to provide a positive review.

EVIDENCES OF GRACE:

2011-02-10T12:31:00.000-05:00

Sometimes it's nice to hear of God's evidences of grace in our own lives. I had that privilege this week. I don't share this story because of anything great I had done, but because of God's mighty hand of providence over every life.

Last week, one of the troops and I were sent to a bad traffic crash in which one of the occupants died. An older man was driving while his wife sat in the passenger seat, and their lives would be changed forever in a split second. A string of events led the man to lose control, and the vehicle he was driving overturned. His wife was severely injured, was extricated quickly, and was rushed to the hospital. When I arrived, I saw the man lying in a cockeyed position in the car -- not moving. I begged God in a barely-audible voice, "Have mercy, God! Please don't let them die."

Once the scene was under control, I was freed up to meet the man-and-wife victims at the hospital and follow up on their condition. The man was pretty much treated and released, so I met with him and gave him the preliminary findings of the investigation. Thankfully, medical staffers had already informed him that his wife was not doing well. That's always a very difficult message to deliver.

As we sat in the hospital together, the man and I talked with each other...not about anything heavy or important; just about life in general. How much can one talk about when life is in the balance? I didn't think I was doing anything spectacular.

I discovered otherwise when I attended his wife's viewing at the funeral home 3 days later. I haven't made this a practice in the past, but after 13 years of doing this job, I'm making the concerted effort to follow up with people I meet on duty whose lives touch mine. This man is one of them. How could one not feel for the man? Imagine the guilt he must feel: that his wife died in a car crash when he was driving the car. Ugh.

Anyway, I showed up at the funeral home and met most of the immediate family. The man and I had a chance to talk privately (not many people like talking to police in uniform for some crazy reason, so there was no crowd around us). He said the most touching words to me. In a time when I hoped to be blessing him, he was blessing me. And he's not a Christ-follower.

He said, "Trooper Lee, when you were by my side at the hospital waiting to see what would become of my wife, you were a source of strength to me at a time when I needed it. There was something about your presence that gave me peace as I sat there at one of the most difficult times of my life. I don't know what it was, but your presence was comforting to me."

My heart was touched. I was blessed.

It is my goal to do my job well, and at the same time be a blessing whenever I can be. I think there's some mysterious way the Holy Spirit's presence in his people emanates from us to the people around us...especially in times of great need. Maybe it's how God reaches people through sinners like me. I can honestly say it was His power, and not my own. In fact, the day just before this crash I had called my best friend asking him to pray for me because I've been getting very angry very quickly lately. Only a God of power can reach out through broken people and touch other broken people with grace.

Do you see evidences of grace is the lives of those around you? Won't you share it with them? It will not only bless them, but will bless you.

I know.

"IN CONSTANT PRAYER", by Robert Benson

2011-01-31T20:42:00.001-05:00

"In Constant Prayer" is book #2 in "The Ancient Practices Series", edited by Phyllis Tickle. He also should have written book #1, in my opinion (see my review on "Finding Our Way Again", by Brian McLaren). Benson had more of value to say in the mere 160 pages in this book than many authors say in two- or three hundred. Not only did I like the content in the book, but I fell in love with Benson's word use and sentence structure. He has a witty sense of humor and can craft a sentence like few others I've read. It was truly a pleasure to read.

What this book is not: It is not a rah-rah book kicking you in the pants to pray. It is not a book containing the same ol' trite comments that prayer is merely "talking with God." Instead, what Benson proposes is called, "the daily office." "The daily office has been a primary way to hold ourselves in closer communion with the One who made us. It is a way to sanctify our days and our hours, our work and our love, our very life itself ... a regular pattern and order for formal worship and prayer..." (p.9)

Benson masterfully inspires his readers to engage God in daily, pre-planned prayer. I'm guilty of thinking (can I get an amen?) , "Ahhh, I'll just pray later as I go about my day." But we all know unplanned prayer never catches up with the runaway train that is our busy day. "When things are important to us, we make choices, we make lists, we make schedules. If it matters, we make a plan." (p. 83) Just a couple chapters into this book and I was already inspired to set my watch to sound an alarm every 4 hours during my work day -- just to remind me to spend time in prayer. As he said, "At some point, all of this high-minded discussion about our life of prayer has to work its way into the dailyness of our lives." (81)

Benson recommends using prayer books in the practice of the daily office. (He provides a sample in appendix A) Yeah, yeah, I had the same skepticism all my Pentecostal friends are experiencing about rote, written prayers, but Benson did a phenomenal job encouraging the use of structured prayer. Saints long-dead have developed godly, well-crafted words that we might be benefited to pray -- and we know words are powerful things. They can invite friends or incite riots; they can make love or make war; they be solutions or problems. We memorize the words in the Psalms God gave us, so why not try recite the prayers of those who journeyed before us? We sing along from memory with the plethora of songs on the radio, but we're afraid to pray the words someone else crafted? While I think Christians in liturgical traditions will have an easier time accepting this type of prayer than will others, I think we "others" might do well to at least try it. We can agree that what all off us could stand to do more of is pray!

Benson makes four suggestions to getting started in the daily office: (1) Pick a time of regular prayer. You set the times and the frequency; (2) Pick a sacred place. It could be an ordinary chair in the living room. But when it comes to prayer time, that ordinary chair somehow transforms into a sacred space of worship; (3) Pick a friend who will pray with you even when you are not together in accordance with the first suggestion; Finally (4) Show up! (118-119)

I see the fourth step being most critical, for you will never become a person of prayer if you never do it. Just as "the only way to become a writer is to write", "you do not become a person of prayer [first] and then begin to pray...you will not become [a person of prayer] if you do not pray." (96-97)

I absolutely, positively recommend this book as a must-have for anyone interested in learning other ways to pray. I am convinced you will enjoy it as much as I did, and I unreservedly give this book 5 stars out of 5!

I received this book free of charge from Thomas Nelson (Booksneeze) in exchange for my unbiased review. I am not compensated, rewarded, or otherwise threatened to provide positive reviews.

ANSWER THE CALL TO BE A MAN:

2011-01-21T14:42:00.000-05:00

For much too long, many men have been slapped in our faces for not being around more. We've been nailed to our crosses for not having "been there" enough for our families. This, I think, is especially true of our parents' generation: My dad is a veteran of the Viet Nam war who went on to work 40+ hours each week, and his generation has been tagged with setting a bad example for their children for being gone so much, for not opening up emotionally, for not being available.

We are now being told by the professionals who can't get their faces out of textbooks that things must change. We're told to spend fewer hours at work, fewer hours with other people who need us, fewer hours doing chores. Yet we're told to be more active in our communities, more loving, more approachable. Those are good things to be, but I don't think my dad did it all wrong. Was he perfect? No. But was he wrong? Heck no!

By now you're likely thinking, "Holy crap! Where are your priorities, dude? How dare you suggest men put work ahead of families!"

I have a terriffic wife and she has never, EVER laid this burden on me. Not once! She has been the consummate mother and wife, allowing me to pursue a noble career fighting crime in exchange for her pursuing a noble stay-at-home wife/mom career. I am not writing this because there is angst in my home. On the contrary!

The purpose in my writing is two-fold. First, to offer forgiveness to those fathers who have nobly been doing their best. The second is to give permission.

My heart hurts that so many honest, hard-working, upstanding men have been shamed for doing what God has created us to do: work, provide, defend. The drive is in our blood to give the best to our families by giving the best to our employers; it runs in our blood to provide food and necessities to those we love most, and if we shirk our duties at work, then we ultimately shirk them at home. It runs in our blood to defend: not only our families, but our fellow countrymen and strangers at home and abroad against the wiles of cruel, harmful, wicked people.

And those types of men are not just serving in the military or police. They are farmers, computer programmers, mechanics, gear-heads, businessmen, politicians. Flight 93 wasn't thwarted by a US Navy SEAL, but by everyday, average Joes who rose to the occasion to defend their families and countrymen by giving up their own lives. We need a highly select set of men to be the best Navy SEAL's, Special Forces Soldiers, Army Rangers, they can be. But we really need men of all ilks to be "on call" 24-7 to defend all of humanity.

We're being told not to fight anymore. We're being told to "turn the other cheek". We're told to raise our hands and surrender. Do you think Jesus intended you to cower in the corner of the room while an enemy broke into your house and began ravaging your wife and children? Certainly not! He would call you a fool for not fighting, for not standing guard! But today we're told otherwise by liberal professionals.

Being on call 24-7 in my line of work doesn't necessarily give me a sense of great satisfaction or superiority; nor does it give me the chills that I will miss some pretty important family functions. I will likely miss out on baseball games, science fairs, piano recitals, camping trips, family movie/game night. And my family will miss me being there. I know it, and it hurts to know my family may be hurt in the process.

When I was a youngster, I wished to see my dad at more of my baseball games and tournaments. They were important to me, and I thought they should be important to him. As I grew older, however, I realized that he was doing that which was just as important as America's past-time for kids: he was earning a living, working to provide for his family so that his son could play ball and have a drum set, and his daughter could own a piano and drive the family car.

I admire that now -- because I'm a father and I understand some things have to come ahead of family once in a while. One day my sons will recognize that their dad would have to miss those family days because at the drop of a hat he had to rush off to defend a stranger from the likes of humanity's worst offenders. And they will grow to understand the supreme importance of defending the life, property, and rights of others.

I'm not giving dads permission to be slugs. I'm not giving dads permission to galavant around town with their buddies, drinking beer until the wee hours of the morning, leaving mama at home to deal with all the family business. I'm not giving dads permission to sit around eating pork rhinds and getting fat while watching sports all day and collecting social assistance from the government. I'm not giving permission to intentionally become a work-a-holic because you don't want to be home.

I am, however, giving fathers permission to be men -- not that men need MY permission, but we men do need permission and encouragement. Men, be men! Provide for your family. Work hard for your employer. Defend what is noble and just. Fight for what is right. Set good examples for your children, and for your neighbor's children, that men should carry out responsibilities with dignity and honor. Be the man God created you to be. Be strong! Be courageous!

Answer the call to be a man and a father.