Unveiled faces

Tim Tebow, the bandwagon, and 3:16

2012-01-10T09:26:00.000-08:00

Tim Tebow threw for 316 yards this past Sunday in a football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. He also averaged 31.6 yards per completed pass (an NFL record).

The stats coupled with Mr Tebow's open profession of faith in Jesus Christ has prompted many different writers to make the connection to John 3:16. I can understand the allure of such a connection.

John 3:16 is one of the most well known verses of the Bible in America. It is probably quoted as often as "judge not lest ye be judged."

However, I would like to point out that the majority of the books in the Bible have chapter and verse 3:16.

Start with Genesis, the first book in the Bible:

To the woman he said,

"I will make your pains in childbearing very severe;

with painful labor you will give birth to children.

Your desire will be for your husband,

and he will rule over you." (Genesis 3:16 NIV)

Maybe that is the message God would want us to take away from the alignment of stat to scripture connection?

Or it could be this passage:

The priest shall burn them on the altar as a food offering, a pleasing aroma. All the fat is the Lord's. (Leviticus 3:16 NIV). This verse is a part of a description of offerings that were a staple of the Israelite worship in the Old Testament. Maybe God is using Tebow to spur us to a better physical fitness level so we can all glorify God in athletic ways? Ok, maybe not.

But what about:

Now Ehud had made a double-edged sword about a cubit long, which he strapped to his right thigh under his clothing. (Judges 3:16 NIV)

Or...

And I saw something else under the sun:

In the place of judgment—wickedness was there,

in the place of justice—wickedness was there. (Ecclesiastes 3:16 NIV).

Maybe?

The Lord says,

"The women of Zion are haughty,

walking along with outstretched necks,

flirting with their eyes,

strutting along with swaying hips,

with ornaments jingling on their ankles. (Isaiah 3:16 NIV)

Could be that the message intended was for us to read from a book with the same first name as Tebow...

Beyond all question, the mystery from which true godliness springs is great:

He appeared in the flesh,

was vindicated by the Spirit,

was seen by angels,

was preached among the nations,

was believed on in the world,

was taken up in glory. (1 Timothy 3:16 NIV)

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, (2 Timothy 3:16 NIV)

Maybe the point is to handle ourselves day in and day out so that when others ridicule us we have comfort...

keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. (1 Peter 3:16 NIV)

You know it could be to draw our hearts to the other John 3:16:

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. (1 John 3:16 NIV)

It could even be to let us know about the judgment of those who are half-hearted found in the last book of the Bible Revelation 3:16

So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.

I am not insightful enough to tell you exactly what the message should or should not be. I know that God would not be offended were you to explore the other verses numbered 3:16. I know that God is probably pleased with Tim Tebow not because he is a winner at football, but because he loves God and loves others.

Hope you find this helpful,

simply HIS,

Not a thumping gizzard.

2011-11-29T08:12:00.000-08:00

First I would like for you to go and read this post by a woman I know as Jamie the Very Worst Missionary.

http://www.theveryworstmissionary.com/2011/11/guard-your-heart-bro.html

Now then. Here is my response to her post.

Distant. Angry. Frustrated. Driven. Workaholic. Crude. Bastard. Jerk. Jock. Checked out.
Layers upon layers of names have been given to men over the course of their lives. Crybaby. Queer. Punk. Sissy. Useless. Quitter. Failure.

Over and over again, the lies wash over our identity hammering at who we really are. Denying what is the truest about us. That we were created to bear an image, to reign over all created things, to stand up to the adversary that seeks to ensnare and destroy the truth about you and me.

And it has damn near worked.

There is a voice that speaks other words, gives other descriptions...

Son. Warrior. Lover. King. Mighty one. Kinsman, Redeemer. Brother. Husband. Father. Friend.

A voice that cries out from the dirt and the rocks. A voice that whispers through the breeze of a summer evening. A voice that sings with the birds and the thunder. A voice that stirs a place deep within my heart. A voice that knows the truth laying beneath the rubble.

Strong. Honorable. Worthy. Enduring. Protector. Defender. Rescuer.

The reason our hearts need guarding is that they are the most valuable thing we have been given. The heart is the place of true reason and faith. The heart bears eternity and is the stronghold of our true name. The name that was spoken to us before the sands of time began. The name that we were crafted to carry with honor and courage.

Jamie, thank you for the reminder Dear One.

I would like for you to join this thread and comment. To hear your story as well, either on this blog or on Jamie's.
God Bless you and speak to you your true name.

simply HIS,
jb

What's that sound?

2011-11-18T11:49:00.000-08:00

My friend Ken Holsberry taught on Sodom this past Wednesday night. Here were some thoughts from his lesson.

Sin has a sound. Genesis 18:16-33; Isaiah 59:4. Is there anyone to intercede?

God hears the shouts of the abused, mistreated and tortured.

He hears the moans of poverty, and the cries of the hungry.

What does my sin sound like to God?

Why can I not hear it? Do I ignore it?

Abraham stepped in between God and Sodom to bargain for their life. (Gen 18:22-32)

Paul would go to hell to save his countrymen. Moses bargained for the lives of the Israelites.

They all loved someone who was going to be destroyed. Do we love any who are in danger? Do we love those caught in their sin?

God hears the deafening sound of sin.

During the triumphal parade like entry into Jerusalem, Jesus stopped and wept over the city for the destruction to come. The Christ begged they be forgiven from the cross and he desires that all would come and repent and be redeemed

From their lives of brokenness.

God is a justifier.

God is a healer.

God is a restorer.

God will not turn a deaf ear, will you?

simply HIS,

stuck in the pages

2011-11-11T13:42:00.000-08:00

I was thinking today about how I read the Bible. I read the stories, the lists, the events, and I think on them and then teach from them. But I have no idea of the space and time that these events happened.

I know the historical situation surrounding most of the information. I know the teaching of some of the church fathers. What i don't get are the smells, the sounds, the dust, and sweat, the tension of the participants, the emotion showing on their face, the hearts racing in their chests, the silence...

I read stories of a man building an Ark, telling his neighbors about a rain and flood to prepare for, loading up his wife and sons and daughters-in-law. All in the space of 3 chapters, 68 verses, 2 1/4 pages. Astounding!! This 100+ years of life and activity and people and animals and wood, and splinters and arguments between husbands and wives......whew. Exhausting.

I lose this wander, and awe and excitement when I just readrightthroughtryingtofinishachapter. Yet the richness and fullness is there if I can just remember to put time in. Not more time reading, but remember that these people were living through all these cool and weird things in the same time constraints and effects I am.

LORD, please help me remember today the between the lines of the story you are telling.

simply HIS,
jb

Why?

2011-11-10T07:06:00.000-08:00

My friend Benny Nowell (http://www.sevensonline.org) told me once about a vision he had outside of a place called Freedom tunnel (ironically spelled Freedoom). He witnessed this girl fixing up her heroin to shoot. The vision was that Jesus was standing next to her, His hand on her shoulder eyes fixed on Benny and saying, "it's about time you got here."

The message was that Jesus is waiting for us, for His disciples to arrive in the dark places so we can reflect His light. Many times we get all caught up in taking Jesus to the lost; yet, the fact is HE is waiting for us there. HE is wanting to take me to the lost.

I hear the question frequently, "why would a good God allow suffering; bad things to happen to good people; children to starve...?"

The question I ask in return is, "Why are you allowing it to happen, what are you doing to help?"

We can no longer just sit by and "Occupy Space and Time" we have a responsibility. When Jesus was asked what were the greatest commands, He answered

Love God with all you have.
Love others as yourself.

This is a expository statement on the Ten Commandments. The Law and Prophets (The Old Testament) boil down to these two things Love God, Love everybody else. Why?

Because God created you, and made the sacrifice that frees us from our crap that we choose instead of Him.
Because God created others and they carry His image too.

Ephesians 2 tells us that God saved us not just to be little cute figurines in some cosmic display case, but that we were saved for good works. What are good works? Love others as yourself. Do you feed yourself? Get yourself out of dangerous situations? Clothe yourself? Buy yourself nice things? Then love someone else the same way. I am not saying you alone have to rush out and save everybody, but you can rush out and help someone.

Lets agree to start small and simple, today make it your goal to only use words that build up and encourage those around you. No demeaning jokes, or sarcastic belittling of people. No jokes about Lindsey Lohan, Kim Kardashian, Joe Paterno, THAT person in the office, THAT kid at school, etc...

Look around, take notice, and then act on what you see. Lift some one up today in the name of Jesus Christ, lift someone up.

simply HIS,

You!

2011-11-09T06:17:00.000-08:00

I have been between most of my life, between the world of church and “reality.” There has been very few times in my life where I have felt fully accepted, or where I had a sense of really fitting in.

I have felt a divide between the world of home, school, work and church. I have also felt I have stood most of my life between two men. Two men who I love with all that I am. Two men that I look up to but quite simply do not fully understand. I cannot understand how two men so much alike in my eyes, who I have so much affection, and who I long to make proud could be so far apart.

It has felt like therefore that I must offend one to love another, or that I need to bring them together. So i have lived this life of two worlds and they have collided.

So how do I develop grace to all now? I'll start with this.

Yesterday I wrote about second chances to men like Osama Bin-Laden. Today I move past that hypothetical situation and speak about actualities.

I could write out a list of men, women, children, dogs, cows, institutions, and ideas that offend me. But I just want to talk about one. You.

You make me sick to my stomach some days. You really do, you are hypocritical, lazy and insubordinate. I cannot believe that I even associate with you. I mean...REALLY?

You gripe and complain and then chastise others who do the same. You neglect your daily Bible reading, go hours without one thought of others, and avoid hurting people because you do not want to be uncomfortable. You have told me the story of sitting in a McDonald's and being uncomfortable due to the people that were sharing the building with you. You look down on people that do not meet your expectations of holiness, service and dedication. You really chap my hide!

You make me so frustrated that I am including your picture.

I did not include your picture to embarrass you or shame you. I included your picture to tell the world that I forgive you. You need to know that when Christ died, He died for your sins too, and not just to forgive you; no, Christ redeemed you and is restoring you. You do not have to be stuck as you were any longer. There is hope for you that you may be made new. No longer trapped by what you have done, seen, or been. Today is a fresh day for you, a day of freedom and life.

I pray that you take it and echo what one writer once said, " I run in the path of Your commands (LORD), for you have set my heart free."

simply HIS,

Never Beyond? Now just wait a daggum minute

2011-11-08T07:07:00.000-08:00

This is a picture put out this week by a group called People Of The Second Chance. This is the latest in a series of posts about who may have wandered out past our limits of a second chance. Here is my initial reaction.

WHAT THE... now just hold on a stinking minute. Have you lost your ever-loving mind? Are you totally crazy? What could you have possibly be thinking? This is a mass murderer, a man who commissioned and planned the murders of men, women and children that refused to cow to his beliefs and demands. How in the world can you even entertain the idea of asking me to give a second chance to a... terroristic zealot like this man.

That was my internal conversation yesterday. Every time I looked at this picture I cringed inside. I even asked my friend Tanner, "do we offer a second chance even if it risks someones life?" Hey said "sometimes that is the price." Me: "that's a steep price." -end of conversation-

So today I was reading some of the comments about this man we know as Osama Bin-Laden. I watched recently the world rejoice at the death of this man. I myself was conflicted about that, I wonder what our reaction would have been if word had come out that Bin-Laden had laid down his weapons, and repented of his past acts, pledging a new life and a new tactic: peaceful resistance... I wonder how the the worl...how might I have reacted to that? How might you have reacted to a repenting terrorist?

The I think back to Acts 9: There was this dude back in the 1st Century that the bible says was breathing out murderous threats against the Lord's disciples, and had obtained letters to seek out, arrest, and bring to account any who belonged to the Way. This guy Saul was what we would consider a terrorist. Yet while he was on his appointed rounds, Jesus has another idea of how to handle Saul...convert him! The reaction of the people of the Way was skeptical at best. Most would not believe that this man had changed, that this was all a clever scheme to infiltrate the Way and take out the leaders. One man named Ananias was told by God to go and see Saul and touch Saul, and baptize Saul. Ananias reasoned with God that surely this was a foolish mission, a trap. This Saul had warrants for the arrest of any Christian, even any one suspected of following this Christ. The Lord simply told Ananias to go.

How do you react to this story? Is your initial response to say, yes but Jesus called out this man Saul, by name. Do you think that God rejoiced at the killing of this man Bin-Laden? Or does God grant the opportunity of grace to all?

This is what I wrestle with when I see this picture, this image of a man with seemingly no respect for human life unless it fell lockstep in with him. I wrestle with the idea of a second chance for a man who killed, i wrestle with a second chance of the prisoners of Guantanamo, I wrestle with the possible parole of the kidnapper of a friends wife, I wrestle with the offer of grace to those who offend me, I wrestle with the hope of forgiveness to the coach who allegedly sexually assaulted young boys, I wrestle with kindness to those who violate my principles, I wrestle with extending grace to those that make it difficult, I wrestle with God over who might be saved.

So, take a minute today, pray then look at this image of a man who destroyed so many. Then ask God what he would have you do. What he would have you offer. Ask God if second chances are supposed to be this radical.

simply HIS,
jb

My focus needs more focus

2011-11-07T06:35:00.000-08:00

A nationalistic Christianity is a toothless religion. This boils it all down to behaviors and laws. This has been seen before. The Jews used a faith based system and flooded themselves with so many laws and edicts they drowned.

Rome eventually legalized Christianity, but the only thing that resulted was the Catholic church and Rome's demise. While officially a religious, pious culture; the deceit and depravity led to a destruction of holy living before the collapse of the empire.

So what is it that we want as Christians in America today? What is it that we want of our leaders? Are we willing to demand the same things of ourselves? Having yielded the welfare of the poor to the government, do we now cede the moral welfare to a few elected officials with little to no accountability? Do we legislate change among men and women, or do we pray and lead lives of such holiness and Christ-like love that people have only two choices: embrace the truth or flee?

Will we continue to lament and complain because someone punishes or ridicules us due to our faith, or will we instead be a people who embrace the promise of persecution and rejoice when we are scorned?

Notice I ask the question as we. I am not immune to any of this.

Confession time, I live a large portion of my day without space for Christ. Many of you know that I am a minister professionally and that I guide college students along a path of growth spiritually and responsibility toward Christ and His church.

That being said, I have these huge gaps in my life that I just don't acknowledge a place for Christ or His Spirit to be evident or prevalent or abundant in my life. It is in these moments that I just check out, or retreat from God, from responsibility as a leader.

So acknowledging this absence, what now? What do I do to "fix" this?

The answer for me seemed to become clearer this morning. It was a pear tree. A pear tree? Yes, a pear tree.

An ornamental pear tree to be precise. You see, I don't really see the purpose of an ornamental pear tree. It looks nice, and provides shade, but then what? A pear tree's purpose should be to make another pear tree from the seed in its fruit. How does this answer the question?

The purpose of a Christian is to produce another Christian! My purpose is not to change how my nation feels about or follows Christ. My purpose is to make disciples, baptizing them into Christ and teaching them to obey all that God has commanded. If i feel like I am not accomplishing anything because my influence is not large enough, my focus is off. I am called to just be in the moment and in the with the person I am with and share with him (or her) the joy of God's salvation, the hope for them, and the life that is offered. It is not my job to provide shade and beauty for a large number.

While i was griping to a close friend about how long college was taking and all the unnecessary classes I was taking, he counseled me to remember my goal and that school was a means to get there (even algebra). Perhaps today I would have more hope and more joy if I remembered that I must only be with and share Christ with the one person in front of me at that moment. Win that moment, do not let Satan steal that moment, do not gripe and complain about things that will be dust in eternity.

Remember your purpose.

simply HIS,

Troublesome times are here...

2011-11-04T15:46:00.000-07:00

There are times we have taken a large amount of joy in the idea that some will be in Hell. It is a somewhat soothing thought that men like Hitler, or Jim Jones might has received eternal torment for the innocent lives they consumed. It is like a grand game, or competition...it is "just" in our minds that men who commit grievous, gargantuan acts of violence against others need more than just our scorn. These who so violate our prescribed standards of good and evil, who tilt the ledger so drastically must; must absorb some form of everlasting punishment that surpasses this mortal sphere of life.
So, we have taken joy; and assigned weight to deeds and plans of men and women and graded on our own scale the hellish consequences deserved or level of grace dispensed.

Yet GOD knows more than I the level of depravity that would cause HIS wrath, and whether or not said wrath would last eternally. That is not my decision to make nor do I seek the authority to wield such power.

Here is where we stand though. Christ has said the only way to enter HIS kingdom is to be born again. To enter life fresh and learn again to walk, talk, and interact with other people with a new standard, GOD. We are no longer to lean or rely on our own simple, earthly, human abilities to understand or do. The thing is that the existence of Hell notwithstanding GOD has called us to do something. To not is to deny ourselves the promise HE has tied to the call.

So, let us debate the literal vs. Figurative view of Hell. Let us debate baptismal regeneration vs baptism an act of the saved. Let us debate over and over until time ceases the endless topics and doctrines that separate us like boys and girls at a Jr High dance. Yet never let us debate the LORDSHIP of Jesus Christ. Never allow me to deny the things HE has spoken or judge them as merely figurative things to believe. Allow me Dear GOD the strength, honesty, and trust to just do what you have stated.

Saved for What?

2011-10-11T07:05:00.001-07:00

Saved for What? from Tenth & Broad Church of Christ on Vimeo.

My Dad

2011-09-19T05:33:00.001-07:00

Bond

Jennings “Gene” Bond, 79, of Wichita Falls, died Friday, September 16, 2011.

The funeral service will be conducted at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, September 21, 2011, at the chapel of Owens and Brumley Funeral Home with Joe Glenn, Larry Suttle and Johnny Bond officiating. Interment with military honors will follow in Crestview Memorial Park. Arrangements are under the direction of Owens and Brumley Funeral Home of Wichita Falls.

A son of the late Janie (McClure) and Johnny T. Bond, Gene was born on May 14, 1932, in Stigler, Oklahoma. He was a member of 10th and Broad Church of Christ. Gene served with the United States Air Force for four years during the Korean Conflict. He was a member of the VFW #8878, also serving as Commander, and later #2147. He was a member of the Military Order of the Cooties and Eagles. Gene served as District Commander of the VFW District 15 and as State Service Officer of the Texas VFW. He also served as secretary/treasurer of the Eagles Lodge.

Gene devoted 40 years to Sand Beach Skate and Swim. Many children grew up under his watchful eye, making laps at the rink or swimming at the pool. Gene’s dream of a safe and fun place for kids created lots of memories.

Gene was also preceded in death by brothers, Utah F. Bond, Verle Bond, J.D. Bond and Allen Bond. Survivors include wife, Gloria Bond, of Wichita Falls; sons, Kenneth Bond and wife, Tonya, of Holliday and Johnny Bond and wife, Dawn, of Wichita Falls; grandchildren, Chance Bond, Braeden Bond and Sarah Bond of Holliday, Dalton Bond and Rebekah Bond of Wichita Falls; sisters; Kathleen Montagna, of Madera, California, Delma Jean Sivils, of Sacremento, California and Palestine “Pal” Leonard and husband, Thomas, of Federal Way, Washington.

For those desiring, memorial contributions can be made to Hospice of Wichita Falls or Church of Christ Student Center at 10th and Broad Church of Christ.

The family will receive friends and family from 7 until 8 p.m. on Tuesday, September 20, 2011, at the funeral home.

Condolences may be sent to the family at www.owensandbrumley.com.

Never Beyond

2011-08-24T16:19:00.000-07:00

So what the heck am I supposed to write? There are many who have already given amazing thoughts to this idea of never beyond a second chance. What will my words be in addition? Not sure, but here we go...

The idea that we have a second chance does not mean that we start over, from scratch. It means that we now have a fresh slate going forward. We can drop all of our baggage here and walk on unhindered from our past screw-ups. We are the people who did those things, yet they no longer set our steps, burden our walk, or entangle our hearts. We are set free. GOD will not be sending out HIS wrath, or our friend will not seek revenge, and we need not carry the guilt one more step, stumble or stagger. We can now walk along with the opportunity to love well, live free and offer to someone else the grace we have received.

simply HIS,
jb

Adventure

2011-06-07T08:34:00.000-07:00

This August I will begin the 42nd year of my journey on this planet if the LORD desires for me too. I am not necessarily some sort of remarkable man. I have not discovered a new continent, star or medicine. I probably will never be world renown, famous or be someone you would recognize for something all that grand. I have done things in my life that I have told no one but GOD, because HE was the only one who would replace my shame with HIS grace.

This all sounds like a great beginning for a mid-life crisis hunh?

But it is not!

It is just information.

What I have done is love my bride of 16 years faithfully, raise my children with the idea that they should fear GOD and serve HIM only, and for the last 5 years served as a minister for youth Littlefield, TX, a church in San Jose, CA, and college students in Wichita Falls, TX.

I probably have made a number of errors in all of the tasks I have undertaken, and I for sure am not the most patient of shepherds with GOD'S sheep. But I believe in the grace of GOD for everyone. Those who seek it will find it abundant and lavish and overwhelming and overcoming. It will not make you complete overnight, or make you a perfect Mom, Dad, son, daughter, employee, or whatever...

What GOD'S grace will give you is the work of redemption and restoration. Starting at your acceptance, at your submission grace will begin to fight for your heart, heal your wounds, and caress your soul with the powerfully gentle touch of a earth forming, life sustaining, patient LORD.

From there your journey will be one of companionship as you are called to follow the HOLY SPIRIT as he urges you toward the path you where created for.

For me, it was a path of leaving friends, family and comfort at the age of 35 for ministry training. Then a call to California to learn and teach in a church setting, then a call home to work with men and women in their college years.

How is it going? What is GOD doing?

The HOLY SPIRIT of GOD is healing, freeing, and redeeming; and HE lets me stand near and be a small part. Isn't that crazy?

simply HIS,

Freedom?

2011-05-14T09:38:00.000-07:00

It's a trap! I want to stand at the entrances of sinful paths with a big stick and smack everyone and shout this warning.

The reality is that the freedom you think you gain with these "lifestyles" is just a big smokescreen. It is the art of misdirection, it is a cesspool made to look like a waterpark.

You see promises are made about the freedom of sex with whoever and whenever, glory is given to the heightened awareness of drug use and alcohol.

The truth if the matters is plain to witness though. Sex with whoever whenever leads to babies. Babies are not a limited demand item. These young boys ad girls demand that you feed, water, clean, support, invest, assist, repeat; for the many years to follow. For the first 10 years, these little ones are almost helpless, the for years 11-? They demand freedom that they are not able to responsibly earn.

Besides babies, there is the emotional tie that binds two people who engage in sex. See we are people of appetite; meaning if we like something then we want more. Sex will keep you in a jacked up relationship because you are afraid you might not be able to "get some" regularly if you break up with your partner. Yet this relationship will end and badly, with hateful, devaluing, haunting insults exchanged; and scars that will affect your next relationship.

There are also physical illnesses that can come from free sex. Just google STD's and evaluate the risk reward for yourself. There is also the problem of being trapped in a prematurely sexual relationship by the guilt you deny having. This accompanies one of the previously mentioned results. You begin to feel the pressure of the child you have (brought forth by your love of the child) together with a person you no longer love in the same way. You begin to feel bitterness and your fighting increases and escalates leaving you trapped and held hostage by this freedom you have given yourself over to.

Drugs and alcohol are a different way to paint yourself in a box. It is amazing in a culture of people longing to be independent that we give ourselves so freely to the control of chemicals and herbs. Again, I would remind you that we are people driven by our appetites, needing more and more of that which we like. This leads us to begin to delve deeper into the culture that develops around these substances. We will see the signs of use in influential people and use that as encouragement to continue; forgetting that outside of the fame and money, these people live lives of wreckage and sorrow. Some of these substance Will even change how your mind thinks, or will adversely affect the way organs in your body work. These substances can also counter the way prescription drugs such as anti-depressants, high blood pressure, birth control work.

My prayer is that if have already entered into any of these that you would seek help and also true freedom. If you are thinking about the allure if these. Don't do it, it is a lie meant to change the course of your life for years.

simply HIS, jb

miraculous

2011-03-16T09:27:00.000-07:00

what happens when we live God's way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely.

23-24Legalism is helpless in bringing this about; it only gets in the way. Among those who belong to Christ, everything connected with getting our own way and mindlessly responding to what everyone else calls necessities is killed off for good—crucified.

25-26Since this is the kind of life we have chosen, the life of the Spirit, let us make sure that we do not just hold it as an idea in our heads or a sentiment in our hearts, but work out its implications in every detail of our lives. That means we will not compare ourselves with each other as if one of us were better and another worse. We have far more interesting things to do with our lives. Each of us is an original. Galatians 5:22-26

The supernatural gifts of GOD appear as fruit if we allow HIM to prune us. (John 15:2)

So today I challenge you to permit GOD to prune you, allow HIM access to the your heart, soul, mind, body, spirit, conscious, subconscious. Allow CHRIST to work in you a miracle of giving you love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control to a supernatural level.

Warning: Comments may be offensive to some...

2011-03-07T18:42:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I think it would help if we were more ignorant and not so enlightened. We are a culture so full of information and self-confidence that we have trouble hearing truth and obeying. We talk, and question and debate the thoughts of Calvin vs Arminius vs. Luther vs Stone-Campbell vs blah, blah blah.

Truly, it reminds me of Paul's warning to the Corinthians in 1 Corinthians 1:10-13

I have a serious concern to bring up with you, my friends, using the authority of Jesus, our Master. I'll put it as urgently as I can: You must get along with each other. You must learn to be considerate of one another, cultivating a life in common.I bring this up because some from Chloe's family brought a most disturbing report to my attention—that you're fighting among yourselves! I'll tell you exactly what I was told: You're all picking sides, going around saying, "I'm on Paul's side," or "I'm for Apollos," or "Peter is my man," or "I'm in the Messiah group."

I ask you, "Has the Messiah been chopped up in little pieces so we can each have a relic all our own? Was Paul crucified for you? Was a single one of you baptized in Paul's name?"

Paul is agonizingly frustrated in the church calling themselves Apollians, or Peterists, or Reformed Paulians, fracturing the body based on the teachings of men! The point of this letter is to remind the denominations that Christ was crucified for the redemption of all and it is only HI who we should follow. Yet here we sit thousand of years afterward stuck in the "we're right and your wrong" arguments of children on the playground.

It is super frustrating that we cannot be people simply in love with and longing after Jesus. It is aggravating that we cannot be people that have such a desperate need for GOD that we have not even skimmed the surface of the knowledge of God and salvation.

I think that there are traps that keep us in this thinking. Tradition, Family, and Comfort are three that come readily to mind.

Tradition traps us because it is safe and predictable. We know that it is "proven and reliable." After all, it has worked for _____years.
Family is a trap because the fear rises up that if this is true...then Grandma & Grandpa, or Mom & Dad were wrong, and maybe not in Heaven.
Comfort traps us because, "I have what works for me, don't rock the boat."

We need to stop putting out faith in a doctrine studied and developed by mere men (we have the apostolic teaching of SPIRIT filled men.) We need to stop buying the big think "Study Bibles" and reading the notes as if they were inspired as well as the Scripture. And we need to be people that read the Bible, pray and ask questions about what is the simple obedient thing to do now.

we now return you to regular programming...

Abandoned...

2011-02-17T07:32:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I pass these cars along the highway with orange stickers stuck to the window warning the owner that the car is to be towed away and impounded. ABANDONED.
Each time I hear the word abandoned, I flinch...I mean this word has such a negative connotation in our society.
ABANDONED -: given up : forsaken is the second definition of abandoned. SYnonyms include - derelict, deserted, desolate, disused,forgotten, forsaken, rejected, vacant, vacated, void.

With a word like this, it is a tough word to find much good in, and nigh impossible to find comfort in.

But think about the call of Christ to crucify ourselves daily, to no longer conform to the pattern of the world (Romans12:2), to no longer desire or even be friends with the world (1 John 2:15; James 4:4)... This is living with abandone.
To abandon the things of the world could also be called repentance. To leave the things that our flesh desires and follow after the SPIRIT of GOD.

Abandoned also has another definition. wholly free from restraint.
This resonates within my heart as the charge from Paul to the Galatians; "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery." (5:1)
I also think about the words of CHRIST in John 10:6-10 "Jesus told this simple story, but they had no idea what he was talking about. So he tried again. "I'll be explicit, then. I am the Gate for the sheep. All those others are up to no good—sheep stealers, every one of them. But the sheep didn't listen to them. I am the Gate. Anyone who goes through me will be cared for—will freely go in and out, and find pasture. A thief is only there to steal and kill and destroy. I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of."

The heart of the enemy (Satan) is to blind us, lead us into sin, and kill us. That is the one purpose of the one who scripture calls the Father of Lies. And people are lining up to get inside.

I remember when I was using drugs. I had a coupe of scriptures that I would lean on to justify my behavior. One of them was Colossians 2:16-17. The idea that I had a freedom to do whatever I wanted was empowering and intoxicating. To think, that I had carte blanche to pursue whatever I wanted without judgment from men was beautiful, and I thought it was freedom.

However, if I were to continue to read Paul's thoughts on the matter, and he does continue; in chapter 3 Paul says we are to "set our minds on things above, and to put to death whatever belongs to our earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, and greed which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of GOD is coming." (vv.5-6). Paul is also the one who warns that even if something is permissible, it may not be beneficial, or he would not be mastered by it (1 Cor 6:12; and 10:23).

So, back to the word ABANDONED. WHat would it look like in my life if I abandoned all but CHRIST? What would the risks be, what would have to change?

For me, I have to set aside my pride, my comforts of overindulgence in food, and my fear that someone may not like me.
What about you? WHat is it that you need to leave on the side of the road and let be towed away?

simply HIS,
jb

Romans 12:2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.
1 John 2:15-17 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.
James 1:27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
James 4:4 You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.

Church Growth

2011-01-27T16:35:00.000-08:00

Church by the numbers.

What if the way we have looked at church growth was shortsighted. What if just simply having people show up and observe and sing and tithe was not a real sign of growth? What if a mega church only had 50, 75 or even fewer members? What if we looked instead for evidence of the Holy Spirit being active and making us radically different? Jesus told the 12 that people would know they belonged to HIM if they "loved one another."

So...what are we known for?

Here's your sign...

2010-10-28T07:43:00.000-07:00

Years ago, Bill Engvall (a comedian) produced a hit song with another country artist called "Here's Your Sign." The premise of the video was that we share the planet with some not do bright people and it would be easier if we could just hand them a sign so that others would be warned.

Here is a link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5ZkdHImCuQ

In our society today, we are quick to give labels, or signs to ourselves and others. You have heard many of them: Stupid, Idiot, Queer, Fag, Slut...; the list goes on and on and on. Labels, names, and w=verdicts that we place on one another to categorize who we think they are based on the slight evidence that we have available.

But, what if we had more knowledge? What if we knew of the battles and hardships, and attacks that people had walked through? What if instead of trying to label someone with a term that we had decided on we used a different scale? What if we saw people the way GOD sees people? What if we were to call people by the name CHRIST uses? What if instead of the father of lies (Satan) controlling our judgments of others, we allowed the SPIRIT of GOD to name them?

We live in a society that is divided into teams. Divided into to "us vs. them" everywhere we look and listen. Yet the WORD tells us that w are all children of GOD (even those who do not believe), and that HE is patient wanting all of us to reconcile with our PAPA.

Therefore, my prayer for you today is that you would be given your sign. The name that PAPA has given to you to wear in front of us all... maybe this video can give you some ideas.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFykrF5DxLw

May you hear GOD call you by name today.

simply HIS,

providence

2010-10-01T08:55:00.000-07:00

I have been abundantly blessed throughout my life to be able to engage in various activities. Someone asked me the other day what I did before the ministry.

Well, I began to think about that and it leads to a long list of jobs and passions that I pursued.

Job wise, I have hauled beer, and worked as a mover/driver. I have worked at 7-11, as a school janitor, a school bus driver, substitute teacher, lifeguard, disc-jockey (actually played records); I have also worked in waste water, water distribution and run a swimming pool. I have been on stage and off in theatre (professionally), done voice work for commercials, worked as a fry cook, and even made water skis.

I think that is all...

Over all of this time, I have to admit that I rarely felt as if I "fit in" at any of these places. I have for the biggest part of my life felt as if I were a misfit wherever I was. That is a blessing!

It is a blessing because even though I felt awkward, and sometimes downright unwanted I have had the opportunity to have some great relationships with people in all of these places.

This morning I have a friend that I love like a brother call and ask a favor. The favor was to go to spend time cleaning up a piece of property he owns. I was honored and will arrange my schedule to help; just so that I can spend a quiet day with my friend.

I also view the misfitting as a blessing because it increases my longing for Heaven. I feel that if we are Christians, that there should be some part of us that rises up and feels uncomfortable here and now. We know that Paul struggled with this, and I believe that Jesus too looked forward to returning to the presence of GOD.

So, today if you are feeling a little out of sorts, perhaps you are just homesick for the place being prepared for you.

simply HIS,

today

2010-09-20T09:27:00.000-07:00

So today. Today is a day that I will live. I will live today with all that I have. I will sing, I will laugh, I will shout and I will tell of the ONE who made me. I will tell of the ONE who knew me before the earth was formless and void. I will tell of the ONE who knew my unformed self. I will tell of the ONE who wove me together in my mothers womb. I will tell of the ONE who who chose to be born like me. I will tell of the ONE who experienced and endured all that I know. I will tell of the ONE who died, fought back death and won. I will tell of the ONE who is waiting eagerly yet patiently for the command. I will tell of the ONE way to hope, truth and life. I will tell of the ONE way to the FATHER. I will tell of the ONE who longs for you to accept HIS love.

simply HIS,

Thoughts I had during worship

2010-09-14T08:18:00.000-07:00

These are thoughts I had this Sunday while visiting a church service in the Bay Area of California.

Sometimes we fool ourselves. We fool ourselves into thinking that our reverence and worship are the "IT" God is longing for.

Yet, the things that pop out to me in scripture, the things that bring joy to PAPA and are a pleasing aroma and glory to HIS NAME is when our hearts are completely poured out to HIM. There is a fulfillment of GOD'S promise of grace when we rely on HIS holiness instead of depending on our reverence.

How many of us "knew" the proper way to worship when our souls began to cry out for hope and salvation; for renewal and restoration? How do we know that the way we set up worship is pleasing to GOD? 2Songs, a prayer, 3 songs, communion, contribution, a song, sermon, 2 songs, prayer, dismiss...

Is this pleasing to GOD or to me?

Is GOD pleased by regiment and ritual? If our hearts are truly poured out to HIM, then yes!

If is is simply a set of hoops to jump through, and we are simply practicing the long held way of doing things that make me or you comfortable. If we are just little plastic, robotic, beings acting out church...then i would say to us NO!

I encourage you to explore the way you love PAPA, the way you seek to honor HIM and show that HE is holy and the LORD of you life. I encourage you to be completely emptied out and express your love to PAPA with all of your heart.

That seems to be truthful and spiritual to me.

simply HIS,

The Altar or a Table...Altarable.

2010-07-22T07:54:00.000-07:00

This is a sermon I offered at the Tenth and Broad Church of Christ in Wichita Falls, Tx. It is the first of three in a series on Refocusing on the Lord's Supper. The next two weeks, Allen Carr and Ken Holsberry will complete the series.

Altarable from Tenth & Broad Church of Christ on Vimeo.

simply HIS,

ten things I love about church

2010-06-28T07:52:00.000-07:00

10. Ken Jackson - Paul Guinther - Jason Ondo - Jason Stewart

9. Ryan Favre

8. Brent Holsberry - Jack Cummings - Tyler Colley - Charlie Burnam and the rest of the T&B Youth

7. Allen Carr and family

6. Larry Suttle - Ken Holsberry - Greg Stanford - Elmer Johnson

5. Mustangs 4 Christ

4. Ruth Kizer - Virginia Hearn and the Wed morning ladies Bible class - The Sassy Sisters

3. The Colley - Green - Schulte - Studdard family.

2. Joe, Karen and Matt Kohler

1. My Band of Brothers

Ten is not enough to list the things that I love about the church. it is the tool through which Christ offers redemption to the world.

simply HIS,

top ten frustrating things...

2010-06-26T09:33:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago, I read Trey Morgans --10 Things that Frustrate Me as a Minister -- Here is my list...…

10. "Because we have always done it this way" answers. Questions deserve scriptural examination and discussion; both sides may learn something.
9. Standing on songs that have the word stand, stand-up, I will rise, etc. in them. We don't kneel when the song has the word kneel in it...
8. People who place form of corporate worship over living a daily life of discipleship.
7. People who threaten to change churches if they do not get their way.
6. People who do not follow through with number 7.
5. Elders who see themselves as more CEO's than shepherds of the flock.
4. The "us versus them" attitude. It is not a war against flesh and blood. (2 Peter 3:9 God is patiently waiting wanting for all men to come to repentance).
3. Wrapping the Cross in a flag. (it contributes to number 4) We should be proud to live in America, but our citizenship is in another, far more important Kingdom!
2 Dis-fellowshipping those with the instrument, but being okay with those who do not believe in the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, or that the Spirit is the bible.
1. Clock watchers!!!! Or pop-up-toaster members if church is not over in 90 minutes or so, pop! Out the door they go.

So...what are your frustrations about church or ministry?

A question

2010-06-07T07:32:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I spoke with a friend. He called and asked a question that is difficult to answer. You see my friend's wife underwent a liver transplant this past year. Everything went great with the transplant, in fact doctors were amazed at the lack of complications, even going so far to say or infer that it was a "God thing."

Well now it seems that the suppressed immunity that allowed such a successful acceptance of the liver has allowed cancer to spread rapidly through her body. As you can imagine, she is tired and leery of chemo...so my friend admitted to me that he wants to encourage his wife to continue to fight, to explore and exhaust every availability of treatment. She is reluctant, he is scared and there are questions.

My friend admits to me that he is afraid of being left alone if she dies. He is hurting and confused, and scared. So I am asking if you will pray for my friends Paul and Kathleen.

simply HIS,
jb

One Trick Pony

2010-05-14T08:36:00.000-07:00

I find it funny (not really ha ha funny, but ironic) that people will say the biggest problem with Christians is that they are hypocrites; yet, when we live and breathe what we believe we are called intolerant. I think I would rather be thought of as intolerant. Intolerant of sin, death, lying, destructive behavior, unhealed wounds, and people fleeing the wrong way thinking all along that they have such freedom.

The TRUTH is that CHRIST is the only way, the only life, the only hope!

FATHER help me to be a "one-trick pony!"

simply HIS,

pins and needles

2010-04-14T06:47:00.000-07:00

Have you ever awaken after sleeping on your stomach and both of your arms are asleep? Do you know that momentary panic filled thought that you are paralyzed and are going to suffocate? Can you recall the stinging sensation of pins and needles as the blood begins to flow through your arms? I have the nagging sense that some of us are going through this in our faith.

Sometimes I feel that as churches we have been sitting so long that maybe our legs have fallen asleep, that we try to walk but our feet are not fully functioning. Or that maybe we have slept on our arms to long and they feel like heavy rubber making it difficult to reach out to hug, or help others. Perhaps I am so wrapped up in how the church (the people) are not seeing how much I am struggling, or how high life is piling things upon me, or blah, blah, wahhhh!

1 John 3:16 (New International Version)

16This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.

To completely and fully follow the will of my FATHER and wake up my half-dead extremities, I must lay down my life. I have to stop being so selfish, self-seeking and self-comforting. If I want help with my problems, maybe I should help others...

Church, we are in danger of "sleeping" through our lives if we do not get off of our hands and DO SOMETHING! Peter commands that we prepare ourselves for action. Paul says that if we do something without love we are like wind chimes (a resounding gong). James tells us faith without action is empty.

LORD, allow me to awaken! Command me to be strong and courageous, to stand firm, to armor myself with the qualities of CHRIST and to be a fruitful branch. Take my life FATHER and do with me what you will. In JESUS name, AMEN?

Life...?!

2010-04-09T07:53:00.000-07:00

Okay, so as I continue to look into John 10:10, the statement was made to me "it depends on our definition of life." I agree...so lets look at what it was Jesus meant abut life.

the Greek word is from the root - zao (dzah'-o) actual word is zooeen from zoe (dzo-ay') The definition in Thayer's Greek lexicon is: "life real and genuine,...a life active and vigorous, devoted to God, blessed, the portion even in this world of those who put their trust in Christ, but after the resurrection to be consummated by new accessions (among them a more perfect body), and to last forever." "to be obtained in fellowship with Christ."

The Rev. David Brown write this:[Jesus states]"I came not to preserve a life already possessed, but to impart a life before unknown and to communicate it in a rich and unfailing exuberance."

That is a remarkable claim! Jesus is telling these Jewish leaders that this life is one of which they have never before even thought of. The idea that most Hebrews had of life was that of the sum of all the energies making up a man's existence. Therefore if the soul were to separate, then it ceased to have a fullness of life. See the term fullness of life? It is what Jesus says he is bringing. A life more abundant...what is this life that could be more?

Genesis 2:7 reads: "...the LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.

This is the life Jesus was speaking of here, think now of Jesus words in Luke 19:10 "For (A)the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost." What is the "that which was lost" ? It is LIFE!

Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden, giving up the Tree of Life for the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. They gave up the life of God beside them and within them. Now Jesus is announcing that the life they forfeited, the life that they gave over to their lust for knowledge, the life that Satan has conned them into giving over; is here and Christ is the bringer of this life.

John 1:4 states that "in Him was life" and it is only through a real and personnel communion with Christ; a walk that allows for Jesus to pour himself into the disciple, that we can take part.

So we partake of this life as we commune with Jesus, as we abandon ourselves to His will, and allow His Holy Spirit to transform us into His likeness. It is an offer that is available here and now. And an offer that will be made complete when we finally make it home.

simply His,

Examining Life

2010-03-30T06:35:00.000-07:00

I am going to try something new...I want to try to write for successive posts on a scripture that seems to be stirring in me quite strongly. I would like to take a couple, or a few,(or how ever many it takes) to write and discuss aloud my study of and thoughts about a section of scripture in John.

John 10:10 (New American Standard Bible)

10"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.

The text above follows an action packed section of scripture in the gospel of John. Beginning in John 8:12(which is titled "The Validity of Jesus' Testimony,") we see a section akin to a running gun battle in a movie. Jesus is being questioned by the Jewish leaders of the day and is responding to them by pointing out their lack of knowledge and understanding about the spiritual ramifications of earthly actions. He is also giving them a history lesson to correct some of their revisionist historical beliefs; but anyway...

In John 9, we read of Jesus healing a man born blind followed by an investigation by the Pharisees, and then another confrontation with Jesus. In this confrontation, Jesus refers to those who are blind now and claims that they will see; while those with sight will become blind.

The initial question asked by the disciples was about sin in the life of the man born blind. The question now asked by the Pharisees is: "What? Are we blind too?" Jesus said, "If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin: but now that you claim to see, your guilt remains."

This is where Jesus changes analogies in the discussion and begins to speak about shepherds, thieves and sheep. This is language rooted in the history of the Jewish culture. (See; Psalm 23 & 80; Jer. 39:10; Ezek. 34:11-16 for starters)

This is how we get to the comparison made by Jesus.

The Theif: Purpose = Steal, Kill, and Destroy
Jesus: Purpose = Give abundant life.

Now, here comes the question that I will attempt to study and explain from this verse...

Is the life here that Jesus speaks of giving, handed out now, or do we have to wait for Heaven?

Feel free to comment, harangue, poke with a stick, or add your study results along the way.

simply HIS,
jb

one week

2010-03-27T09:30:00.000-07:00

...so it has been one week since we returned home from Boulder. I really ran a whole gamit of emotions during that time. Saturday I was just glad to be home, to see my pups, and get some rest. Sunday was one of the most difficult times of being in church that I have had in many years. As I sat through the worship, and communion and the lesson; I was battling the thought that what we do on Sunday mornings in sanctuaries around the world have to be about more than just a "pep rally" for Christians. Larry preached about being the church with the "OPEN DOOR," a church that sees beyond what songs we like to sing, getting done by 11:20, and being more equipped to notice more than ourselves. This message fit hand-in-hand with our trip to work with SEVENS...but I had trouble. I had trouble buying in, that the folks who sat around me were really all that concerned. I mean after all, I had just spent Spring Break week with homeless people and with their problems, what had they done. You see there in my pew, I had eaten a whole truck load of self-pride, and found myself more enlightened than those around me. Whoops!

So after battling agrrivation at the less holy church members around me, I went home and took a nap. Then I awoke and went to small group and felt even more holier-than-though (or them)while sitting there.

You see, God was not stirring me up, making me unsettled so that i could come back and judge all the people who went vacationing, or who asked if we had a "good trip" (we worked among very humbling conditions; so I cannot call it a "good" trip, I will say that it was life-changing and a purposeful trip)NO! God has called me to do something more with my life than sit around and preach to the broken and hopeless among the middle class.

Jesus when reading scripture in his hometown synogogue read from the prophet Isaiah reading:
"The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to release the oppressed,
to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."[e]

FATHER, help me live up to the mission of CHRIST that you have set before my heart and my eyes! Amen?

called

2010-03-16T23:09:00.000-07:00

we stood along the stairs leading from the highway down to the riverwalk. Just beyond where we stood was the Pepsi Center where the Denver Nuggets play basketball. Further along the riverwalk was a huge REI store. All around us was life, and it was wizzing along blurringly fast. But my new friend Benny searched under a pine tree, looking at some tarp, and cardboard and a wet blanket. Benny spoke of a friend who lived in this "squat" frequently; Trent. Benny spoke of the hard life that Trent had lived. He said Trent grew up in the church, the son of a minister...yet, his path had placed him under this tree among the tanbark, under the highway just a few hundred feet from the home of the Denver Nuggets, and he was dying!

As Benny told us this story, sorrow began to wash over me. Uncontrollable, overwhelming emotion from deep in my past. I had to walk away from the group; this was about Trent,about the work Benny did, and about preparing our group of students for the mission we were on. This was not about me. But it seemed that God had another idea.

For a moment, God spoke directly to me reminding me of the journey I have been on the last 20 years. I felt a rang of emotion as Benny spoke of Trent. One of the most surprising was guilt. I felt somewhat guilty that I have been redeemed, restored, and renewed while Trent was not. I also felt remorse for all who I had led into a life of drug or alcohol abuse. I always spoke freely to people about how great some smoke I had was...yet how reluctant I seemed to be about saying JESUS was amazing.

Benny was telling us how one person heard Trent's last desperate cry from help on that day as he lay dying. How that one person called 911 and Trent spent almost a year in the hospital recovering from an infection from dirty needles, and an overdose. Benny had to stop as he spoke of Trent. Benny was heartbroken, because he knew that there was life, not in the freedom of the streets, and the dulled, fuzzy, reality of the altered, drug induced euphoria. Benny wept. And I wept.

I wept because I have friends and family members who are struggling. Not just with addiction, but with living. Having to get up day after day in a rut of hurt and sorrow. A life that was NOT what they had planned. I wept because even after God has called me out of a harrsh desolate place into the lush goodness of grace, I turn. I turn my eyes to the shiny "new" image; I turn my nose away from the fragrance of his love, and I turn my heart towards things that are just not HIM. I wept because HE was calling out to me like a lover who had wandered away.

So, what would it take for you? For you to put down the good things in life that are taking your attention from the ONE who really cares about you today, tomorrow, forever? What is it that God is calling you from?

STOP! LISTEN! ANSWER!

simply HIS,
jb

Where have you seen JESUS?

2010-03-16T08:03:00.000-07:00

There is a world out there that most of us never even imagine exists. Never take a minutes notice of except to lock our doors, or remove some "smudge" from our gear shift handle to avoid eye contact with the man on the corner with the sign. I took a tiny step into that world yesterday.

The Mustangs 4 CHRIST are working this week with Bennie Nowell and his family Nikki, Max, Zoe, Pete. The Nowells are missionaries in Boulder, Co and their mission organization is called SEVENS. Monday was our first full day with Bennie and he first took us from the low altitude of Boulder (5430 ft above sea level) to Nederland (8228 ft) which Bennie reminded us is a foothill (no rock above the trees). We spent time overlooking Barker Meadow Reservoir, which was frozen and snow covered, and spending time with God in prayer and alone time. Bennie said that it was vital for us to slow down and unplug before trying to get a grasp of the world in which he works. It was awesome! Sitting on a rock by myself, it seemed as if God were closer here in the mountains than he is in the flat lands, there was a moment when I felt very unself-conscious and able to really just let the Holy Spirit settle me. It was a moment of clarity and serenity that I have had trouble engaging in about a year. The message from PAPA was like a pick-axe to a heart of rock intended to shatter the remains of bitterness and judgment and anger. It struck true...

After our time of prayer and reflection we shared lunch on the mountain and began our descent.

After a quick stop-off to change into dry footwear, we drove south to Denver. Bennie took us on a turf tour to give us a stark image of how people without fixed residences live. It was shattering as well. The place of greatest impact for me was when Bennie stopped on some stairs just below the highway and spoke of his friend Trent. There was a sorrow in that place that was palpable and tangible. It seemed as if God was again breaking something in me (more on that later)for another message. Following that we walked along a river walk and Bennie then took us a mile into a drainage tunnel. If you have ever been in a tourist cave, you have been in total darkness; yet you have not experiences anything like this. The cars driving over the man holes make it sound as if there is a tunnel dragon waiting to devour your soul. This tunnel is a place where people journey (on purpose) deep into darkness to escape into a reality of their own concocting. One such tunnel had FREEDOOM tagged on the wall. The darkness of the tunnel changed our breathing, how we walked, and what we heard. It was scary.

Bennie spoke of how we as Christians always boast that we need to take JESUS into the world; and how that is an arrogant statement. JESUS was in that tunnel when we got there! I have battled claustrophobia for most of my life and it never bothered me in this tunnel. I prayed as we walked and Jesus comforted me. As a Christian, I must change my thinking of ":taking JESUS to the world" and go out and meet HIM where HE already is. I must go out in HIS power and in HIS light and reflect on the world the love He is longing for them to feel.

So JESUS draw me! Draw me out of the stubbornness and stupidity, and pride of thinking that I can control how you are distributed. Break my pride, my personality, and my preconceived idea of what "church" is. Thank you for grace which floods over the earth and has swept me up. Carry me to where you need me. Amen?

simply HIS,
jb

Other Blogs

2010-03-05T08:32:00.000-08:00

From time to time, I just want to post some other thimgs I have read.

here are some from this week...

http://wittingshire.blogspot.com/2005/06/raising-men.html

http://francischansblog.blogspot.com/2008/07/prayer-americans-refuse-to-pray.html

http://www.treymorgan.net/2010/02/we-dont-need-church-referees.html

These are just three that provoked me this week. Enjoy

simply His,
jb

Flourescent Salt

2010-02-26T07:59:00.000-08:00

"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men."You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden." -- Matt 5:13-14

Israel of old was a chosen nation. A royal people made Holy by the GOD who pursued her heart. GOD set them up in a land of enemies, and told them that they were to be priests, an example to those around them to the power of this LIVING GOD!

Jesus calls us out today in much the same way. We are to be salt and light. Two things very common today, so common that I forget the necessity that both were in the 1st Century.

You see, Satan knows God, and he knows us as well. Our enemy realizes that we can be distracted from our purpose and our focus on YHWH. The lesson that we today can carry from Israel of the Old Testament is this: As long as Israel served the LORD their GOD, they were a mighty force and their enemies feared them. When they served themselves or gods of the land...they were defeated by the surrounding nations (read the OT book of Habakkuk).

Jesus says that although we are salt, if we lose our saltiness (JESUS) then we are only good for the trampling of the feet of our enemy. When our hearts turn from GOD and from serving HIM we are not worthy of the dung heap and the world will see us fall because we are a city on a hill.

To quote the Apostle Peter, we must be "evermore eager to make our calling and election secure."

simply His,
jb

That Smell...

2010-02-25T06:32:00.001-08:00

Ooh, ooh that smell
Can't you smell that smell?
Ooh, ooh that smell
The smell of death surrounds you.
--- "That Smell" Lynyrd Skynyrd 1977

But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life.
--- 2 Corinthians 2:14-16; The Apostle Paul AD 57

Have you ever become aware of how you smell? Maybe you had worked hard all day and then a breeze hits you just right and WHEW! you are funky. Or maybe it was a more pleasant awareness, like the smell of your shampoo, or you are just blessed with a natural pheromone that is appealing.

I just wonder because every time I read 2 Cor. 2:14-16 I get caught up in the words Aroma of Christ. There is a scent on us that will not wash off; it is like hugging your Grandma, or Mom, or wife (or the male equivalent) and still being able to smell them later that day. I still remember the way my Papaw smelled when he came home from work. Not nasty or dirty or grimy, it was just his smell, his aroma.

Now for us who have put on Christ, we are told that we are the aroma of Christ, to all. Those who are enjoying it and those who are offended. However, that smell is on us and we carry it wherever we are. So today be mindful of this, Jesus has hugged you, washed you clean, and now the aroma is not your own. But that of JESUS!

Inhale deeply!

simply His,
jb

Worthy?

2010-02-24T09:56:00.000-08:00

"Christ died for men precisely because men are not worth dying for; to make them worth it."

C.S. Lewis --The World's Last Night

My worth is found only in that which God paid to redeem me.

simply His,
jb

From the inside

2010-02-16T07:39:00.000-08:00

So as I was talking to a friend of mine the other day, the conversation came up about Jesus saying whoever left friends and family would receive much more in His service. So we talked about how that meant more brothers, sisters, moms, friends; but we noticed that Jesus left out Fathers.

That is because God is the only one capable of filling that role. Now he will bring friends into your life to act through in fathering me and you; but He is the only Father.

Now this led me to the thought that it would be nice to have a "tangible" God who would walk with me, and hold my hand, and rub my head. Then I thought of Jesus' words to the 12..."It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you." I often think how much easier, or how much more faithful I could be if Jesus could walk with me and do those amazing things He did (kinda like having a God to touch physically).

Then the most amazing thought hit my head and heart! I do have a God who can hug me. Ephesians says that the Spirit (Counselor) of God lives inside of me. That means that I am being hugged from the inside. God knew I would have the times of loneliness, fearfulness, doubt, and frustration. So in His wisdom, He provided something that even Jesus in His physical form could not...to be everywhere all at once with each of His children.

So today, I pray that you would feel loved, and hugged by the God of all from the inside out.

simply HIS,
jb

Favorite Song?

2010-02-04T06:23:00.000-08:00

So what is your favorite song of the moment? No not your anthem that you have loved since high school, or "Your song" that you dance with your partner to...but what is the song that if it came on right now it would just soothe your heart, and ease your mind? What song is it that you sing the chorus (maybe the verses too) in times of need?

For me, it is a song called Deliver Us by Andrew Peterson.

Let me know what you're listening too.

What would it take?

2010-02-02T07:05:00.000-08:00

For a man named Saul it took a blinding light and the voice of CHRIST. For a man named Simon it took a Rabbi saying follow me. These are just two examples in the Bible of men who left behind things that they had dreamed of their whole lives and followed Jesus. I wonder what the internal conversations where, I wonder what the family members of the men had to say on the change.

I wonder what it would take for me to be "sold out" to Jesus. To be so intent of following Him and being like Him that I would seek that only. What would it take?

How about you, what would it take?

simply His,
jb

Hmmm.

2010-02-01T10:18:00.000-08:00

I have been thinking a lot lately, and writing very little. I have had some things that I needed to work out in my mind and heart before I began to post my thoughts. So...

In a recent conversation with a dear brother in Christ, I came to this conclusion (thanks E!)

I am God's mustang. A seemingly wild horse uncontrollable and unbroken. The truth however is that there is no other rider than Christ, no other bit fits my mouth, and no other saddle on my back. When I turn and where I turn are up to FATHER. I will follow no other voice or command.

How about you?

simply His,
jb

The Woman at the ...

2009-10-12T06:18:00.000-07:00

A powerful bit of poetry to start your day.

jb

How "church of Christ" are you?

2009-05-12T09:45:00.000-07:00

http://bobbyrossjr.com/2009/05/12/tamie-tuesday-facebook-quiz-wants-to-know-how-church-of-christ-are-you/

The link will take you to a blog written by Tammie Ross, guest blogger and wife of Bobby ross from the Christian Chronicle.

The blog speaks of the Fasebook quiz that asks the question that I have used to title the blog.

I just wanted you to read the blog and then think about the ways in which we divide ourselves. I am convicted by the blog, and by the fact that sometimes I view others as less spiritual than myself because they hold to a different idea. I speak often about Romans 14, and the principle applied there, yet I seldom put it into practice.

I would like to ask us to all pray like Daniel prayed in chapter 9; that w would all admit to our wriongdoing in this labeling of others in our fellowships, and then put away our label makers and practice loving one another (John 13:34-35).

Let us all join together, tear down the fences, walls and opinions that divide us. Reach out and take the hand of our brethren to the left and right of us, and shout a new hallelujah.

"For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins." Col 1:13

simply His,
jb

An unpopular answer = courage!

2009-04-21T11:49:00.001-07:00

Taking the Witness Stand

I found myself wondering today if I were in the running for a job or award, even if it were the top two, would I compromise what I believe to win?
This is the exact circumstance that Ms. Carrie Prejean found herself in at the Miss USA pageant. Asked a politically charged hot button question by “celebrity blogger” and judge Perez Hilton, Miss Prejean said what she believed…and it may have cost her the title of Miss USA.

The question posed by Mr. Hilton was, ““Vermont recently became the fourth state to legalize same-sex marriage. Do you think every state should follow suit? Why or why not?”

The answer from the contestant was unpopular and seen as divisive; “…I think that I believe that a marriage should be between a man and a woman. No offense to anybody out there, but that’s how I was raised and that’s how I think it should be — between a man and a woman.”

The judge was upset by the contestants answer, saying she should have kept her politics out of it (even though he asked the question) and been more “politically savvy.”

Ms. Prejean had no regrets though…,“I was true to myself, and I know now I can go out and speak to young people about standing up for what you believe in and never compromising anything, for anyone or anything, even if it is the crown of Miss USA.”

Here is my question to us…

What would we say with the bright lights, the opportunity, and the question about something that we feel is truth? What would we do if we were called on the witness stand? Would we stand and state what we know to be right, or would we follow the advice of Mr. Hilton and divorce ourselves from our true selves?
Today as you read this, ask yourself, do I have the courage to live and state what I believe?

Simply His,
jb

Feels like the first time.

2009-04-01T10:15:00.000-07:00

The first time we probably did not even realize what it was, actually the first hundred times we more than likely miss diagnosed it. Perhaps it was excitement, or adrenaline, or fear, or hunger, or…a hundred or a thousand other things. It is even difficult to describe in words what the physical sensation was like. It feels almost feverishly prickly, sweaty palms, rapid breathing, followed by a rush of goose bumps and maybe even chills up your back. The hairs on your arm and the back of your neck stand at attention, your cheeks alternate between flush and pale, flush and pale, flush and pale like the blinking of an old fashioned neon sign. Do you remember what it was like for you the first time your heart lept in your chest, and you did not think that you would ever be able to swallow it again, that forever after that time you would have this lump there as you tried to live your life…

What was it for you? What was it that first shocked your system into life, into a love so intense that it seemed to shake your world? What was it that spoke to something so deep inside of you that you were so panicked, so confused, so overwhelmed that you KNEW you would never be the same again? What was it that stole your breath, but gave you meaning? Do you remember?
In the book Sacred Romance, the author writes;

...we have many expressions to help us express the flame of the human soul. We describe a person without compassion as “heartless,” and we urge him to “have a heart.” Our deepest hurts we call “heartaches.” Jilted lovers are “brokenhearted.” Courageous soldiers are “bravehearted.” The truly evil are “black-hearted” and saints have a “hearts of gold.” If we need to speak at the most intimate level, we ask for a “heart-to-heart” talk. “Lighthearted” is how we feel on vacation. And when we love someone as truly as we may, we love “with all our heart.”

Something that I see that is concerning me in the world today as well as within the church , is the loss of communication with our hearts. At times our practical application of faith is prudent and necessary; however, for that to be the end and the means of trying to understand God and the Bible is incomplete and dangerous.

You see, it is in our heart that we first come to meet Jesus and to hear His call, His knocking on the door of our hearts. I think of James, John, Andrew and Peter as Jesus walked up to them on the shores of the Galilean sea and said “follow me.” The call was so simple yet reached so deep…I can only imagine the looks on their faces and the discussion that must have been going on internally, perhaps they had some of the feelings I attempted to describe in the first paragraph. What it must have been like for Matthew as he sat at the table doing his job for the government and Jesus calling him to “follow me.” I think of Paul, Timothy, Luke, John Mark, and of Old Testament men and women and wonder, what was that like? What were they feeling?

I know for me, when I sat at lunch with the preacher and the involvement minister at the congregation I grew up in. As we sat and had lunch and began to speak about my future, about the possibility of going to Sunset and about preaching school, and about ministry…I remember my heart just going crazy. It seemed like it had jumped out of my body and was dancing on the table. Was that what those who Jesus had called, who God had sent forth felt?
I cannot answer that. I can only imagine the situations and the feelings that the men and women of the scriptures had when their moment came for them to step up and serve.
I wonder this morning when was the last time you felt like God was calling you, not because you were messing up, pr weren’t at church…but instead calling out to you like a lover, longing to be with you, and intertwine His heart with yours, do you remember when?

If church has become a drudgery to you, if telling others about Jesus is just another thing on your to-do-list, if your heart is tired, or dry, or empty or spent, then just stop, listen and pray. Cry out to the God who made you, and longs to hold you near. Cry out to the Christ who gave up so much just to walk along with you. Cry out to the Holy Spirit who is a deposit, marking you as the bride of Christ.
Write a poem, or a letter, or a song, or a psalm, or something…just write about the times that God has touched your heart and made you feel more than alive.

Today I stand, hand in hand

with the hand of God who made me.

Today I rise, to walk again,

to the Word of the one who called me.

Today I fight, for those who can't

with the Spirit of the one who heals me.

Today I win, the souls of men,

for the one who has Claimed me.

Simply His,
jb

Catching up a little

2009-03-14T11:01:00.000-07:00

It has been a while since I have been on here to write, and I apologize to both of my loyal readers.

I just wanted to let you know, that we are in a time of transition and I will probably be more irregular than normal over the next few months. My family and I will be moving back to Wichita Falls in June of this year. We have accepted the Campus Minister position at the campus of Midwestern State University. My home congregation (Tenth and Broad) is the employing congregation, and I will be working with a great bunch of people.

Also in June, Dalton is graduating from high school here in San Jose. Wow! Where does the time go? Seems like just yesterday he was riding around with me in my pickup singing "Pick-up Man" by Joe Diffie.

Dawn is also in the process of finishing up her semester of college. She was recently inducted into the Phi Theta Kappa organization. This is the 2 year college equivalent of Phi Beta Kappa. I am so proud of Dawn. She is able to keep us all squared away at home, and work her after-school care job (writing curriculum, creating activities for kids, helping them with homework, etc.), and make straight A's in her classes.

My dear Bekah is amazing too. She is an honor roll student, has been student of the week multiple times in different classes, sings in the choir, and is a wonderful representative of our Lord Jesus wherever she goes. Bekah is beautiful, conscientios and intelligent (she gets it from her Momma).

As for me, I am so blessed! To have such a wonderful family to work with makes my job a lot easier, and makes me look good. I have recieved word from SIBI that my Bachelor's degree for my time there will be presented at the Graduation ceremony in Lubbock in May. I will have to wait until they mail it to me to recieve it however as we will be in the middle of our most hectic time of our transition.

I would covet all of your prayers as we go forward with the next few months. Pleas keep my Dad in your prayers as well as he is experiencing some health issues.

Also please pray for my Great-aunt Thelma, my mom's cousin Billy Blakeney, my brother Kenny, and the church here at Central in San Jose.

Simply His,
jb

wish to be

2009-02-12T16:10:00.000-08:00

Have you ever been frustrated that someone would just not take your advice? I mean no matter how you approached them, they just would not react as you wished they would. What was your reaction to that? Thomas A Kempis has an interesting thought on this idea...

"Be not angry that you cannot make others as you wish them to be, since you cannot make yourself as you wish to be."

What do you think?
Reactions?

Simply His,
jb

A Living House

2009-01-29T10:38:00.000-08:00

Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what he is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on: you knew that those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised.

But presently he starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to make sense. What on earth is he up to? The explanation is that he is building quite a different house from the one you thought of — throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards.

You thought you were going to be made into a decent little cottage: but he is building up a palace. He intends to come and live in it himself.

C.S. Lewis, in Mere Christianity

Last week I spent four days in Lubbock, Tx at Sunset International Bible Institute with some of my classmates. As you can imagine, when preachers get together there is a lot of talking. And then we talk some more.

One of the things that happens is we share our pains and our frustrations, but inevitably, it all turns around and someone makes a statement that is followed first by silence; and then by introspection.

There was a comment made this week about the boxes that we place ourselves in. That we live inside of these boxes and become quite comfortable. In fact, even the people we associate with have corresponding boxes that look very similar. At the very least, our boxes are close enough that we don’t mind inviting them in because they will “respect” our parameters that we have set up.

The conversation kept going until someone said that in trying to really follow God you run into the side of your own box. Please go back and re-read the C.S. Lewis quote at the top of this article…

Spiritual growth is uncomfortable because we live so much in the physical world. I wish that I could have Elisha pray for me as he did for his servant, “O LORD, open his eyes so he may see.” (2 Kings 6:17)

I miss so much of the spiritual depth and the character and nature of God in my own life, because I am simply unfamiliar with His ways. At times I even grow frustrated with God and simply bellow, “Would you just tell me…” Oh how I long for a laundry list of things to do so that I might become holy. I grow tired of the natural process of growth, and the supernatural ways of God that I do not understand.

I would like to challenge you to join me in praying this week: “O LORD, open our eyes that we may see, open our eyes that we may hear, and build in me what you will so that I may be your dwelling place.”

Amen?

Simply His,

Concealed No More!

2009-01-08T09:10:00.000-08:00

“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.”

Have you ever felt the need to conceal something? Perhaps you were ashamed of something that you did. Maybe it was a good thing even, but you just did not want anyone to know. Like the fact that you love Barry Manilow, or maybe you were a huge fan of Hee Haw.
There is generally something in our lives that we hold very close to the vest and work diligently at not allowing anyone to see, or know.

The passage above was written by the apostle Paul to the church that met in Corinth. Corinth was a town that was renowned for its sinful behavior. Paul could very well have been writing about them in another letter when he said, “they invent ways of doing evil.” Corinth was a place well known for sexual perversion, idolatry, men and women selling themselves. Corinth was a place so well known for the diverse ways of sin, that a person would be called a Corinthian based on the amount and depth of sin in their lives.

It is in this type of city, that Paul was given a message from the Lord; “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city." The text in Acts 18 goes on to say that Paul stayed for a year and a half. God said that in this city so famous for sin, so caught up in disgusting behavior, “…I have many people in this city.” WOW!

So now we go back and look at this second letter that Paul is writing to God’s people in this dangerous place. Paul is stating something about a reflection; not of the evil debauchery that is going on around them, but instead of Jesus Christ. Paul is comparing the Christians in Corinth to Moses as he came down from Mount Sinai, and other times from the tent of meeting, glowing from being in contact with God.

Paul is affirming to these people who are surrounded by a society seduced by Satan, and telling them that they are concealed no more; that there is this glorious radiance that is lighting up their faces and sending the darkness into hiding. Paul is encouraging these brave few to no longer veil the glory that is reflected in them, to pursue the transformation available to them in Christ.
I would like to challenge myself and you to be people like these noble Christians in Corinth; to be about the Word of God, to expose ourselves to the Spirit of God, and be transformed into people of Light. Join me as we remove our veils and choose to be concealed no more.

Simply His,
jb

A Glimpse

2008-12-17T10:48:00.000-08:00

There are many times where I will be reading scripture when all of a sudden the realization hits me of how little I actually see of the kingdom. My dear brother Ethan explains our view of what God is doing as focusing on the corner of a great painting. We see this little bitty piece of the corner and think, “wow, what a masterpiece.” Then we run around trying to show everybody what we have found. That in and of itself is good, when we see a new piece we tell others.

The problem arises when we start to believe and live like that corner is the whole of the painting. The problem is when we start to believe and live like all that we see is the totality of everything. When we think that we have it all figured out , we tend to stop searching and seeking. When we stop seeking, we become like someone who has bought a plane or train ticket and then just sit in the waiting area, even if they bought the tickets months in advance.

How foolish would that be? To buy a ticket to fly somewhere this summer, and then to go and sit in the airport until your plane is scheduled to leave. How much worse then to do that for our trip to the kingdom of Heaven? We cannot allow ourselves to become myopic when it comes the things that God is revealing to us. We cannot just draw a line in the sand and say, “Here and no farther!” Especially since our Savior says to follow Him.

No it is not just ourselves that we stop when we behave in this manner. We stop others from coming to Christ. Think about what you idea of a church service is...go ahead, I will wait...

Why is it that we have come to the conclusion that reverence to God is demonstrated in quiet, solemn demeanor and worship. How many people do we turn away because we have simply become comfortable with our "style" of worship. How many people will never know Jesus because we want all people to conform immediately to us instead of following Paul's example of being all things so that some might be saved.

As I write this, I realize that I could possibly be simply looking at another corner of the painting...so I pray as I hit post "God open my eyes and allow me to see your glory, and your desire for the lost of this generation. Allow me Father to see the whole picture and not just the piece that makes me the most comfortable.

Speechless

2008-12-10T13:48:00.000-08:00

Have you ever been speechless? The point not where you could not speak, but where you dared not?
This morning in listening to a teaching CD titled "The Hope of Prayer," a question entered into my mind...

What is the answer God is giving us when HE is silent?

The answer I feel right now is to stay in prayer before HIM, but be still and silent... to listen, to draw nearer to the throne. It is not that I cannot speak (those of you who know me know that.)

It is more that I just need to listen now and not speak.

Habakkuk 2:20 "But the LORD is in HIS holy temple; let all the earth be silent before HIM."

shhh!

Lessons that you only learn by doing.

2008-12-05T06:13:00.001-08:00

There are some lessons that you learn that are so stupid, you can only learn by doing them...
Here are some of mine. (Idea blatantly stolen from TreyMorgan.net)

Never try to unplug a record player with your teeth.
Never try to pull two broken ends of an electric fence together without checking to see if the charger is disconnected. (I believe this is how they discovered the transporter beam in Star Trek).
Never try to capture a cow by hiding in the hay loft, and placing a loop on the ground for the cow to step in. (Could also be titled little boys cannot fly...)
Never try to stand in the upstairs window of your parents roller skating rink and moon people.
Never try to jump your bicycle of off the edge of the pool into the water.
No matter how much time you think you have before the bus arrives, do not "go behind the tree."
Never tell your mother, "Well bless your little heart," in the same sarcastic tone she uses with you when you are whining about something.
Never just fall of the diving board when trying a back flip. (unless you want to hit your head under the board)
Never reach out the back window of the school bus and sticl your gum on the back window.
Never shoot a dead armadillo with a shotgun downwind.

Got any of your lessons you would like to share????

Lessons that you only learn by doing.

2008-12-05T06:13:00.000-08:00

Rehabilitation

2008-12-01T23:13:00.000-08:00

I probably watch too much TV. Okay, not probably. However, that is not the topic of this writing.

The topic is a show that I catch occasionally called "Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew."
I caught a few episodes last season, and thought that it was a strange reality show. I also thought that probably one of the celebrities biggest addiction is fame. Even to the point of going to rehab on TV.

We have all seen the headlines of "Star A" or "Star B" getting in trouble and heading to rehab.
I have scoffed and joked at the brokenness that celebrities go through.

This season though has been different. There is still the same sensational garbage that is going to go on, but there is also more.
I am seeing the picture of real broken people. Brokenness that money and fame cannot hold at bay. These are real people! These are people who have something missing somewhere in their lives and have tried to replace it with dark, dangerous things.

They are no different than me. They are no different than you.
I apologize for ridiculing people who are broken.
I apologize for forgetting that I was once just as broken, and only through Christ have I been able to find healing.

James 3

2008-11-21T14:24:00.001-08:00

James 3:10

Just another something to examine about myself as I get ready to worship God.

jb

Am I Okay With That??

2008-11-14T15:32:00.000-08:00

I was talking with a brother in Christ today. I really enjoy talking with him, because we have a relationship to stretch each other. Today we started (like most times)with "what is wrong with..." and like always we ended up by talking about the plank in our own eye.

We spoke today about the things that are a hot topic in the nation at the moment, "right to marry," pro-life vs. pro-choice, among many others. My friend said something that took the air out of me...he said,"how can I take a stand on those things, if I am not willing to examine where I am personally numb to sin."

My gut reaction is to say, "bro, what are you doing? these people are dying in their sinfulness and they want everybody to go with them." or "Why don't you shut your big yapper!"

Yet, as I think about the statement I have to ask myself where it is I have stopped on my walk towards being a disciple of Jesus... I have to examine the things that I have allowed to be so common in my life that I am no longer outraged or even the slightest bit alarmed. Things like the television shows I watch, the things I allow my eye to linger on, the thoughts about people, the condition of my physical health, etc.

My brother brought up something that he had recently eliminated from his life because of the conflict the question had caused in his heart. He loves MMA fighting, if it was on tv he recorded it, if not he checked it out on the web. This was something that he enjoyed. Matter of fact, when the fights were on, we would text back and forth about what was going on (our way of sharing the experience). We spent time together and watched many of the fights together. My friend was convicted to put aside this form of entertainment, he was watching the female matches on tv and was "uncomfortable," which led him to ask why he accepted it if it was 2 men instead.

He did not share this with anyone except his bride, and does not force his conviction on anyone else. Yet he has taken a stand for where the line is in his own life, and where he can begin to add some sensitivity to the numbness he has allowed.
I was blown away!!!!!!
I have really been wrestling a lot recently with where I have placed the line of sin. I have placed the line at the actual physical act. I think that the Holy Spirit has been convicting me recently that it is before that. It is at the posture of the heart. I have asked myself, "when did Adam & Eve sin?" "When did the prodigal sin, what about David, Saul, Judas???" The answer that I see is when they decided in their hearts that they were going to do what they did. Jesus teaches all through the Sermon on the Mount about the "hearts desire." (lust = adultery; hate = murder...)

The new X-Box commercials show a person looking at the tv, the camera then pans around to the back of the persons head and it is filled with the exact thing that is on the television. Sometimes that is the way the heart is in this world. The more I fill my life with things of the world, the less room there is for Jesus.

I do not want to become comfortably numb any longer. I want to become sensitive to the Holy Spirit's pain when my heart sets an altar to sin. I want to love the LORD God with ALL of my heart, soul, mind and strength...

---jb

For $20

2008-11-12T08:46:00.000-08:00

What if you could feed a family for twenty dollars? How?

Follow this link.

http://www.treymorgan.net/2008/11/feeding-dump-people.html

jb

B-O-R-I-N-G

2008-11-08T10:11:00.000-08:00

It is the word that I sometimes use about Church. You know that you sometimes think it too... church services can be so "boring."

I just want to ask us all a question...

Does sin ever get boring? If not, why?
If so, why aren't we looking for more?

jb

Church Marketing...

2008-11-08T08:58:00.000-08:00

Listen for the buzzwords.

Ouch.

Sometimes...

2008-11-07T16:40:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I get so wrapped up in myself, in the things that are going on around me and are happening to me.
Then something happens to change it. I think God shakes me up a little.
I have some friends that are teachers in China. Today their e-mail update said,
"Continue to lift us up and constantly mention us to Dad."

And I am undone! To read these words just really stuck my heart. Here we are living in America, enjoying our freedoms and our things, and we are griping. I read these words and I think of missionaries over the years, this is just like something that we would read from one of Paul's letters to a first century church.

These words are words that today I have honored...will you join me?

And now...

2008-11-05T09:01:00.000-08:00

"Unless something happens to draw the citizens of our nation into a relationship with their Creator, we are in big trouble. Prayer draws upon the power of heaven to do God’s will. He has told us what His will is…reconcile men and women to Him who loves them. We steadfastly refuse to do it! While we have hidden in our buildings holding “worship services,” Satan has been winning the hearts and minds of those we have ignored. Our prayer ought to be that God’s people will finally do God’s will."

The above quote is from SIBI instructor and missionary Dwight Whitsett.

Can I get an AMEN??

Friends, brethren, we need not whine or complain about who is now elected to office. We MUST not judge someones faith on how they voted. What we must do is remember that God does not work through a nation, but people. God has not called America to be His voice in this world, He has called those who have been saved by His grace. Unfortunately, most of us are happy to just sit in the boarding area clutching our bags and boarding ticket, and neglect to share with any one else how they can receive Christ's grace.
We too often would rather just assemble and speak our "secret language" and code words to one another than focus outward to the drowning people all around us. We have people under the shadows of our buildings who are hungry and thirsty, ignorant of the only hope that will carry them over the pitfalls of this world.

What I pray for is this, that we would all remember what it was like when someone struck the match of the Gospel in our lives. What it was like to be blinded by light instead of darkness. Stop whining and moaning that the government is making life difficult for us as Christians and start glorifying Jesus with our lives when difficulties fall on us.

Let us always be prepared to give a reason for the hope that we have, not excuses for why it is so difficult to be a Christian. There are times we are called to suffer for His glory. There are times that we will be comforted. For both we PRAISE GOD!

Now, how do we go forward from here?
We must be about Jesus! First, second, third and always. We must let the Holy Spirit develop the qualities of Jesus in our lives. We do this not by badmouthing or accusing, but by speaking the truth in love, and shepherding the world by the way that we walk.

Let us now stand with Jesus, and do not fear.

jb

Whatever it takes?!?!?!?

2008-10-24T15:33:00.000-07:00

The economy is in decline, marriage is being changed before our eyes, our military is stretched thin, and now it seems as if an American toy manufacturer is supporting an eastern religion.
It seems like more and more, America is being shaken from within and without.

Have you ever prayed that God would do whatever it takes to return America to its Christian roots? I have. I have prayed that God would do whatever it takes to turn the hearts of men and women to Jesus.

Now it seems to be happening. So, what now???
I sometimes seem to fall into the same line of prayer that Habakkuk fell into; first I cry out about the sinfulness of my own people and then when God gives glimpses of what could happen I cry out, surely things are not that drastic.

Let us be about prayer as the election nears, let us pray that God will use this time, this nation and us individually to bring Him glory. Let us not worry about our comfort as Christians, and instead worry about the eternal salvation of the ones around us.

jb

anazopureo

2008-10-17T14:33:00.000-07:00

http://www.studylight.org/lex/grk/view.cgi?number=329

There has been much on my mind and heart lately. So much that I have not been blogging much for fear of something I might type. You see, sometimes blogging can be "safe" because of the anonymity of it. I mean most of you know who I am, but there is just something about communicating this way that can feel distant, or well safe.
This is a way of communicating in which you do not see the physical response of those you are communicating with, so I was trying to be mindful to not be hurtful or accusatory and the best way for me to do that was to not type.

But I cannot hold what is inside of me...

The link above is a Greek word lexicon that gives information of the word stir.
As I type I hear the words of the song:
"There's a stirring, deep within me.."
I realize that the last couple of weeks that I have been stirred by God. When we get comfortable, or complacent, or whatever, I believe that God will stir us to get us back to where He would have us if we are to be effective for His purpose. I wonder how many times I have just charted this feeling as "bad-attitude day," or just a bad week? How many times have you.

This idea of stirring is found in 2 Timothy 1:6 where Paul is urging Timothy to "fan into flame."

The idea that I want you to get is that of a cold campfire that has burned well through the night, but now appears to be only ash. Yet with a stick, the ashes can be stirred to reveal embers that need only fuel and oxygen to grow. The Word is the fuel, and the Spirit is the Oxygen.
What is the stick that you have been stirred with this week?

Thanks God

2008-10-16T17:30:00.000-07:00

Today I am Thankful!

For His using on such as I
For my Wife
For my children
For my family
For my brothers (you know who you are)
For having a "job" to preach and teach.

Are the stones crying out???

2008-09-30T11:00:00.000-07:00

As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him— you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 2:4-5

I find it rather amusing at times to read about the questions that are posed about Stonehenge. If you watch the History channel or PBS you are bound to see that countless hours of time and film have been spent to document or propose a theory on what men believe was the purpose of this group of standing rocks represented to the builders.

Well, to be quite frank, unless some day someone finds the directions and reason behind this formation no one really knows; it is a mystery.

Recently I have begun to think on the idea of stones or rocks as a monument in scripture.

I think of Exodus 24, where Moses was commanded by God to set up 12 stone pillars representing the 12 tribes of Israel.
I think of Joshua 4; where the stones were taken from the middle of the Jordan and stacked on the other side as a reminder...a place to tell of the rescue of the Israelites by God, a memorial forever to remind them.
I think of the shepherd boy David, anointed to be a king who chose five smooth stones to stand against a giant.
The rebuke of John the Baptizer against the Pharisees and Sadducee's comes to mind; "...out of these stones God can raise up children foe Abraham."
Jesus said that even if those who shouted Hosanna at his entrance into Jerusalem were quiet that the stones would cry out (Luke 19:40)

The idea that I am slowly getting to is this. If Stonehenge were all that important of a "monument" then there would be someone to tell the story. As it is, those who brought it to be have long since vanished and there seems to be none who can recall the true reason for its being there.

I hope that this never happens to our churches. I pray that we can be people who always hold to the reason that we are here, the reason we gather together with the name of Christ over our doors, that we are stones being raised up top be priests, with words written not on tablets of stone, but instead the tablets of human hearts.

Let us be the stones that are raised up to cry out, let us be the ones to point out the stone set in Zion and the reason for His presence.
Let us point people to Jesus and tell the story of the crossing over from sin and death to everlasting healing and life.
Let us follow the urging of Peter in 1 Peter 2:1-3;
"Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good."

Give me Jesus!

jb

_______ we stand!

2008-09-24T06:22:00.000-07:00

"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. "Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world." John 17:20-24

I wonder why this is so difficult?? Why does it seem so hard to have unity? The middle of the passage that you read above from John 17:23 Jesus is praying that we would be brought to complete unity so that the world would know the love of God for the world (John 3:16).

Jesus tells the apostles in John 13:34 that the world will know us, will recognize us if we love one another.

So I guess I need to ask myself:

What am I doing to be known?
How am I showing Love?
How am I promoting unity?
Am I seeking God's glory or my own?
Am I buying in to God's purpose or my own?

Charles Speer (Sunset instructor) would tell us that God has 2 Eternal Purposes.

That all people would be saved.
That all people would be like Jesus.

Jesus' desire for this purpose is seen in the final verse above. Jesus wants people to see the glory of God, and for them to be where He is.

Is that what we want? Is that our prayer?

Father,
I pray that you would stir in me the heart of your servant Jesus. To pray for and seek out the unity of all who call on your name, so that the world would know of Your purpose Lord, and that they may come to salvation and begin to be transformed. I pray that we would throw off the things of this world that weigh us down as believers and begin to seek the desires of Your heart. Stir us Lord, deep in our hearts, deep in our souls, raise up the Holy Spirit inside of us and let us realize the portion of your strength that you have given us to be the people of God. The people who have no agenda of our own, but have given ourselves to You and Your purpose for our lives. Allow us to deny ourselves and our own simple plans, and wholly and totally commit to You Lord.
I pray that our unity would come, and in coming, a revival would sweep across our churches and renewal would flow across our nation, and Your Name would be proclaimed in all languages and cultures.
I pray that you would come quickly, so we can be where You are Jesus.
Amen?

Serving in times of trouble.

2008-09-23T06:37:00.000-07:00

"We serve a God who is able to deliver us, but even if he does not, we will not worship other gods who are false!" (See Daniel 3:16-18)

The three musketeers of faith Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego spoke these words standing outside of a fiery furnace so hot, it roasted the men who were heating it.

It makes me think. It is so easy for me to proclaim the glory of God my life when that glory is not so clearly visible. The hardest thing to do is to praise God when we do not see the rescue...

HOWEVER; we have historical record of the fact that God will not fail. God will be faithful to those who trust and obey. Wether we are rescued from the physical peril we are undergoing, God will always provide rescue. In this life or not; therefore, I will not follow idols (greed, anger, hate, politicians, actors, athletes, teams...) I will follow my ABBA FATHER, My JESUS, and give my self to the prompting and guidance of the HOLY SPIRIT.

"We serve a God who is able to deliver us, but even if he does not, we will not worship other gods who are false!" AMEN !

Things...

2008-09-18T11:12:00.000-07:00

Things I have read, heard, or watched lately.

Read:

The Shack - A wonderful allegory on the relationship God desires with us and has with Jesus and the Holy Spirit.
Celebration of Discipline - A good look at spiritual disciplines and why we should desire them in our lives.
This Present Darkness - The first Peretti book that I ever read. The second time, is still as powerful an idea of spiritual warfare as it was the first time.

Heard:

Walking With God - The questions a man asks if he makes walking with God a DAILY desire for his life. (An example is a prayer that God could break my personality if it would make me a better disciple.)
Unveiling Your Purpose/Calling - Good thoughts on stretching and searching for the fulfillment of the purpose of God in my life.
Songs from Wendell & Laura - Songs sung by my dear sweet friends that remind me of the gifts God gives us to affect others.
Jay Burnam: Songs For God - My favorite new artist! A young man expressing a heart for God.
Chris Rice - Sings things that I wish I could think of, yet alone say about how I feel for God.

Watched

Facing the Giants - Yeah, I cried! What a beautiful movie.
Second Hand Lions - A great movie about kids and the fathering that God brings to them.
That The World May Know - If you don't know, ask somebody! Great lessons brought in the setting in which they happen. If you want a study to challenge you and propel you into the Word; this is it.
Everything Is Spiritual - Rob Bell does a wonderful job of connecting the dots between science, philosophy and Genesis 1.
The God's Aren't Angry - Another Rob Bell video. Wonderful

Why...

2008-09-15T14:36:00.000-07:00

Why do I do it? Why do you? It seems a peculiar thing to wake up early on a weekend morning, dress up, and drive to a building (set up much like a theatre of sorts) to gather with a bunch of other peculiar people and sing songs, and hear lectures, and discuss someone who lived thousands of years ago, and his Father; a spiritual being that no one has ever seen.

Why would we go and do that?

I know why I go. I go because I believe that In the beginning there was the Word, and that Word was Jesus. I believe that before the world was created, back in the mist of pre-time; God had an idea of me, of you, of all of us as His children (much like we dream of what our children will be like before they are born) as the ones He would love and would love Him back.
I go because this Creator God, the one who formed land and sea and cosmos with speech; formed man with His hands, fashioned him with an image that would mark him as a special creature, a love child...I go because when everything went crazy, and that first guy and lady ruined everything God did not just hit the reboot switch. I go because no matter how many have said, "You go away" God has stayed involved in the lives of His love children, too the point that a part of Him came to live as one of us, and died painfully as one of us, and then made death "tap out" give-up, in ridicule and shame.

I go because I LOVE ME SOME JESUS!!!! I go because if I do not, I might burn up from not being able to express this fire in my heart for Him.

I go, because He Came!

So, why do you go?

Looking back

2008-09-13T09:51:00.000-07:00

This morning as I sit here at the family computer, and truthfully for the last few weeks, I have been looking back.

I have been looking back at the remarkable journey God has take my family on over the last 4 years, and in particular the journey God has brought to my life for the last 7 or 8 years. Most people that knew me growing up and
especially during the time of life from 18-32 years of age would never guess that I do what I do. "A minister?????????" would be the response you would get from folks who remember.

But you see, I hold on to this,

For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength.
Take a good look, friends, at who you were
when you got called into this life. I don't see many of "the brightest and the best" among you, not many influential, not many from high-society families. Isn't it obvious that God
deliberately chose men and women that the culture overlooks and exploits and abuses, chose these "nobodies" to
expose the hollow pretensions of the "somebodies"? That makes it quite clear that none of you can get by with blowing your own horn before God. Everything that we have—right thinking and right living, a clean slate and a fresh start—comes from
God by way of Jesus Christ. That's why we have the
saying, "If you're going to blow a horn, blow a trumpet for God." 1 Corinthians 1:26-31 (The Message)

For the majority of my life, I wanted to be someone famous,someone who was known all over the world. I remember saying that by my 10th high school reunion I would be "a star." Well,that did not happen. And today I am glad. The life that I have lived has been full of experiences, and places and jobs,and people that most do not get to see, or do, or meet.But the thing that I count most wonderful, is the joy of being called CHILD!

"God has smiled on me, He has set me free..." I can hear my dear brother Chad singing this song, and I cannot sing this song without either
tears or a huge smile on my face.

(SOUND OF TRUMPET!)

All that I am today,GOD has made me. All that I hope to be, GOD
will make me, all that I need,GOD will supply I am just a simple man, who loves FATHER, family, and friends.

I am thankful for my beautiful bride, and both of my children for they way that they reflect Jesus into my life.

I am thankful for my Prayer-Warrior Mom, my Dad, and the
growing relationship with my Brother.

I am exceedingly thankful for Chad, David, Marcom, Ken H.,
Wendell, and all of the men that GOD has placed in my life to grow me through areas.

I am thankful for Ethan who is a blessing as a friend and fellow laborer.

I am thankful, that the prayer uttered 15 years ago, alone in a bedroom was answered in such a dramatic way. All because, God has smiled on me, He's
been good to me.

Praise God today as we prepare to gather with those who walk beside us now,as we gather this weekend let us look outside ourselves
and see Jesus in our brothers and sisters.

Amen?

Have you seen my sword?

2008-09-09T06:56:00.000-07:00

"For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." 2 Cor. 10: 3-5 NIV

"I know you are, but what am I?"
"I'm rubber; you're glue whatever you say bounces off of me and sticks to you."

After watching the speeches and posturings of our 2 biggest political parties, and having someone show up at my door "polling" about the issues...I have decided that we will not solve the problems that plague our nation just by electing the right pair for president and vice-president.

The problems in our nation are far more reaching than the behavior modeled by many of our citizens. The behavior is simply the manifestation of a much larger problem. The hearts of the people are far from God.

The larger problem for us is, we have forgotten the weapons we are supposed to be fighting with. We fight with political action committees, petitions, ballot propositions.

We must begin to use the weapons of prayer, and obedience, and consistency to battle against these enemies. Our enemies are not the pro-choice, pro-homosexual, leftist liberals. No, the apostle Paul told us our battle was against the spiritual forces that destroy first the hearts of men and women.

We, the church are to be the warriors of freedom for the hearts of men and women. We can no longer stand idly by while the prince of this world captures men and women in lies and deceit.

We must train ourselves in godly behavior, giving every thought, every idea, eve inkling that we have over to our Lord Jesus to test and see if it is an eternal, heavenly weapon. Let us rise today, and put down the earthly weapons that we have been flailing about wildly with and be trained in the art of heavenly warfare.

PRAY for our nation, PRAY for your neighbors, PRAY for strength and courage to battle for their hearts and bring light to their dark lives. PRAY, and when you have prayed...PRAY more. As one author has written, "...we do not pray for works to be done, prayer IS the work to be done."

Dreaming

2008-09-07T08:19:00.000-07:00

What is it that you dream of? A life goal, or something that you have seen that you are saving your money for? Graduation? From high school, college, graduate school? Maybe you dream of being married, having children...

This morning my darling daughter is walking through the hose singing a Chris Rice song, "Deep Enough to Dream."

"Deep enough to dream in brilliant
Colors I have never seen
Deep enough to join a billion
People for a wedding feast
Deep enough to reach out and touch
The face of the One who made me
And oh, the love I feel, and oh the peace
Do I ever have to wake up

'Cause peace is pouring over my soul
See the lambs and the lions playin'
I join in and I drink the music
Holiness is the air I'm breathin'
My faithful heroes break the bread
And answer all of my questions
Not to mention what the streets are made of
My heart's held hostage by this love"

So. I wonder this morning what dreams are you desperate to not leave? Is it the dream you had as a child? To be a fireman, policeman, movie star, princess, cowboy,...

Whatever it was, remember it today and smile. Go to this link and listen to the song, and remember what it is like to have a dream that captivates your life, even while you sleep.

Then look past the gift of that dream into the the Giver of that dream. Worship the Father and look deep into Him. For only in Him, will we ever reach fulfillment.

jb

Deeper Water

2008-09-05T09:45:00.000-07:00

"When He (Jesus) had finished speaking, He said to Simon, "Put out into deep water..." Luke 5:4 (HCS)

Growing up in a family that owned a public swimming pool, I spent a couple of days at the pool, and in the water from as far back as I can remember.

My family tells me that when I was just a toddler, my brother was in the deep end of the pool and teasing me to "come on in," and reportedly I did. That one incident did not fulfill my desire for the deep end of the pool though. At the age of about 5 or so, my Mom witnessed me swimming from pole to pole along the rope which divided the deep and shallow end. I remember my own children wanting to get to the deep end of the pool too.

The singing group Casting Crowns has a song entitled "Somewhere in the Middle" an excerpt that leaps out at me is...
"Just how close can I get, Lord, to my surrender without losing all control"

How close can I get to submitting to God and still keep my ____________________?
WOW! What a huge question.

Jesus tells Peter to put out to the deep water for a catch. Peter has no idea how deep Jesus is calling him to go. I think sometimes neither do we.

Romans 12:1 calls for us to be living sacrifices to God,holy and acceptable living sacrifices. That means that I must be willing to place myself on the altar the same way that Abraham did with Isaac.

The question that is before each of us is, "Am I willing to give up my dreams for His?"
I cannot have a deep water faith and stay in the shallow end...It is time to take the plunge.

A New Look

2008-09-02T15:45:00.000-07:00

Hey Everybody, or both of you, or Mom...whoever is reading this. I am trying to change over to JohnnyBond.net so that there will be no confusion about who is sending out this stuff. I hope that those of you who have been reading will continue, and I hope to blog MUCH more consistently.

Coming as soon as I can figure it all out, a whole new look and focus.

His,
jb

Who Says?

2008-08-20T07:27:00.001-07:00

Have you ever known someone who just did not have a clue? I mean someone who seemed totally oblivious to any kind of sense whatsoever. My Papaw used to say that they had no more sense than God gave a screwdriver. It is sad really, that there are people who, no matter how many times you explain something, they either argue with you endlessly debating “the facts,” or look at as if you just grew a second head.
Well, did you know that the same thing happened to Jesus? Jesus went about teaching and preaching, and healing people of all kinds of things (even death) and there were some who wondered aloud about the “authority” He had to do those things. They asked “why do heal on the Sabbath day?” They enquired why this and why that, and who do you think you are?

There was one time in particular,

27They arrived again in Jerusalem, and while Jesus was walking in the temple courts, the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders came to him. 28"By what authority are you doing these things?" they asked. "And who gave you authority to do this?"29Jesus replied, "I will ask you one question. Answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. 30John's baptism—was it from heaven, or from men? Tell me!"31They discussed it among themselves and said, "If we say, 'From heaven,' he will ask, 'Then why didn't you believe him?' 32But if we say, 'From men'...." (They feared the people, for everyone held that John really was a prophet.)33So they answered Jesus, "We don't know."
Jesus said, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things." (Mark 11:27-33)

At first glance, this passage seems to be an exercise in immature conversation; a kind of I’ll answer you if you answer me competition going on. However, if we continue to look in light of all of Jesus’ teaching we can see that Jesus is challenging these men and putting them between a rock and a hard place. They must make a decision, they must find the answer, they must either acknowledge the authority or deny the authority…either way, they must decide.
I wonder if sometime those friends or co-workers or whoever the debaters in our lives is just delaying the inevitable.

Heartlight.org has a daily e-column called “What Jesus Did” today they wrote:
"…Jesus refused to give the Jewish religious leaders an answer because
they wouldn't answer him. In fact, they weren't looking for the truth;
they just wanted an answer to their question so they could trap Jesus
in his words. But, they failed -- just as they failed at stopping his
teaching by killing him and failed at stopping his early followers by
persecuting his church. Jesus is THE authority. They couldn't stop him
anymore than they could stop the world from turning. What is scary,
however, is that there is no real answer to life's problems for those
who look at Jesus and his story simply for ammunition to discredit him.
Like the opponents of Jesus of old, opponents of Jesus today are not
given an answer because they aren't seeking one. We need to ask
ourselves, what -- or better yet, who -- do we seek?"

Even today we have people who ask endless, inane questions trying to show their intellect or enlightenment. The fact of the matter is, that their hearts are not engagaing the Gospel that is presented to them. Whether this comes from a deep sense of guilt over something in their past, or just a simple misunderstanding of the nature of God; the result is the same…a person trapped in a life of “this is as good as it will ever be.”

How hopeless to live that life, how debilitating, how sad…
If only they could trust that Jesus held the authority over even their hopelessness,

Look at the words of our Savior:
28"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (Matt 11:28-29)

Let us start right now to pray for that friend with the question. Let us pray that they will find the ability to trust, and then find rest.

---jb

How do you...

2008-07-27T08:07:00.000-07:00

Okay, I wanted to ask another question.

How do you see God? How do you picture, view, imagine, etc...

Do you see God as this big police officer in the sky, waiting to pull you over for reckless living? Maybe He has set up a trap to catch you, a "sting" to arrest you for your sinfulness and shame you into being a better Christian.

Do you see God as a wish-fulfilling Genie? Running to Him in prayer, during times of crisis.
Speaking of crisis, maybe you view the Almighty as some kind of hostage negotiator...
SO you give Him your list of demands, the things that you are bargaining for before you will set your heart free to Him.

Maybe He is that old guy who lives on your block, you know the one...He knows about everybody else on the block. He is always going from house to house, always with some crazy idea about how you could better mow your grass, raise your kids, drive your car, etc...

Perhaps you see God as this ancient powerful man imaged creature, sitting on a throne, waiting for the alarm to go off so He can destroy the world and all the sinful people?

Maybe you see God as this spirit, that lives in the church building, (like a retirement home, or some-kind of assisted living facility) and waits for us to come and honor Him with our worship?

Maybe You see God as love. All love, and loving God would not send anyone to hell, would he? Maybe He just wants us all to be happy, and have everything we want...

I am asking for responses here, so do not be shy. If you don't want anyone to know who you are just respond anonymously. Please, join in the discussion, explain how maybe you USED TO view God and how you view Him now, or whatever.

I will read your posts and then respond in my next post about how I view God.

I dare you!

jb

Just Wondering

2008-07-11T18:02:00.000-07:00

Okay, so we have this amazing book the Bible and in this book, we have examples of how God communicates with His people. We have God speaking to His children, we have God placing events in motion, we have God affecting weather, surrounding nations, even natural resources.

So, I want to ask you all (or both of you) How does God communicate today? Does He speak to us, and if so how. If not why? Does God still give us individual messages, and to what purpose? Do you think that any of the things going on in politics, weather, culture, natural resources, etc. is God communicating with us?

Please no simple "religious" answers. Give me what you believe.

johnny

Do You Have Change??

2008-07-03T19:03:00.000-07:00

"I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe" (Eph 1:18-19).
Paul's letter to the Ephesians exhorts believers to experience three important things in their spiritual lives that he experienced personally. As a good mentor, he desires those he is leading to follow his example.

First, God wants you to have the eyes of your heart enlightened in order to know the hope to which He has called you. God has called each of us to a future and a hope. Some do not ever realize the dreams they envision for their lives. Paul prays they will experience this.

Second, God wants you to know there is an inheritance for each believer in Jesus Christ. There are riches to be had - not financial riches - but spiritual riches that are laid up for every saint. As you are faithful to His calling in your life, there will be a reward for your faithfulness.

Third, God desires you to tap into the power that is available to every believer. Paul often exhorted believers not to look at his persuasive words, but the demonstration of the power of God in his life. He wants you to know this same power is available to you. After all, Jesus said we would do even greater works than He did after He sent the Holy Spirit to us.

We have been saved so that the life of Jesus may be manifested in our bodies (2 Cor. 4:10). However, that comes with requirements, and God will never shield us from the requirements that come with being his sons and daughters.

So, how is this life manifested in you? Are your speech, your thinking, your emotional reactions evidence that Christ lives in you? If I am still the same miserable person that I was previous to salvation, then I lie when I say God has sanctified me.

There is a story of a wife who was constantly berating and breaking down her husband. She was an unhappy woman, and eventually sought to find peace in neighborhood church. Although she obeyed the gospel, and became a dutiful member, she still constantly harangued and harassed her husband. Finally, one day after getting yet another earful, the husband told her, “I don’t mind that you have been born again, I just wish you hadn’t been born again as the same person.”
If we are giving ourselves to God, and submitting to His will so that He may work through us His plans, then we need to be willing to have some of our “personality quirks” broken. Would you be poured out like wine and broken like bread? Would you have the eyes of your heart open so that you may KNOW the hope of His calling?

----jb

SPAM ALERT!!!!

2008-06-29T16:10:00.000-07:00

My Dear Sir,
Like in our tellphone conversation now. There is a transfer in the amount of $950.000.00 USD directed in cash credited to file KTU/9023118308/03, at the owner of this email address. ( westernunionmoney.money@yahoo.fr )
The INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND contacted us for your compensation a couple of hours ago due to your allocated security code.

They said that they choose to send it to an email address instead of a name. We are unable to complete a transfer directed at an email address, so we require some more information in order to complete this transfer.

FULL NAME:
FULL CONTACT ADDRESS:
MOBILE PHONE NUMBER:
OCCUPATION:
MARITAL STATUS AND AGE:

As you are sending us with your full information,do remember to send our transfer fee,which is $285, to this information stated below:

RECEIVER'S NAME:.............. JOSEPH NWABUNWANNE
CITY:....................................COTONOU
COUNTRY :..................... .....BENIN REPUBLIC.
QUESTION:..........................COLOUR
ANSWER :............................ BLUE
MTCN...................................
SENDER:..............................
AMOUNT:$285

Be rest assured,payment will be taking place immediately to either your nominated bank account or at the counter directly from The Western Union Transfering Bank as soon as your required full information is received,and you have complied with us by sending the requirements of payment of the western union charges $285,.

Note: that this is legal and through business , not scam and is directly from the Management of Western Union Menu Cotonou Benin Republic. and our Motto is To Serve You Better.

Get back to us immediately you receive this mail.

Yours Sincerely,

Mrs Mary Frank
Director.
Tel: +229 93 004 799.

I get an e-mail once or twice a week very similar to this. I know that I am not alone; however, it makes me wonder. What counterfeit messages are we receiving every day from the Accuser?

These scams from greedy con artists remind me that Satan’s ploy is to deceive us with something that seems so real, yet is a blatant misrepresentation of the truth. Just like in the Garden, the wily master of misdirection convinces Eve that God is holding something back. That the tree of knowledge is more than a poison apple, it is the fruit of unlimited potential. She bites, Adam snacks, and then man’s relationship with God is torn asunder.

Over and over, throughout the stories of the men and women of the Bible, we see that Satan has set himself against any who would call on the Name of the Lord. In John we see Jesus describing the devil as a “murderer since the beginning, nit holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he speaks lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” (John 8: 44)

So, how do you respond when you receive an e-mail like the one above? Let us learn to respond in kind when we receive a message from the “father of lies.”

“Submit yourselves then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7)

-------------jb

Need help publishing a children's book?

2008-05-15T08:55:00.000-07:00

Anyone interested in publishing a children's book should check out this site: www.institutechildrenslit.com
There will be a :
GUEST CHAT

Thursday, May 22 -- Harold Underdown
"Down the Publishing Path"
Harold Underdown, editor and writer of The Complete Idiot's Guide to
Publishing Children's Books will be with us to help us understand all
the
steps along the publishing path and how to walk it more smoothly. To
learn
more about Harold, check out http://www.underdown.org

Come and hear Harold:
Thursday evening, May 22, 2008
Send questions for Harrold to:
jan.fields@forums.institutechildrenslit.com or
WebEditor@institutechildrenslit.com.

9-11 p.m. Atlantic
8-10 p.m. Eastern
7-9 p.m. Central
6-8 p.m. Mountain
5-7 p.m. Pacific

I'm awake and oriented

2008-05-14T10:51:00.001-07:00

Statement: I woke up this morning
Your response: Well duh, you are typing a blog.

I mean that I woke up this morning, actually last night. I had been walking around half-hearted in my attitude and reactions. I was reacting like myself to a lot of things going on around me. Last night (at bed time)God began to speak to me. I wanted to go to sleep, but God said that it was time to wake; that I had slept long enough. He told me that I have been living and acting out of the first eternal purpose of Jesus (that all men be saved). Yet I has stopped there, I was not moving into the second eternal purpose (that all come to be like Jesus). Van Morrison wrote and sang "clowns to the left of me, jokers to the right, here I am stuck in the middle with you." When I get stuck in the middle, I forget that there is more available to me. I am left wanting more...I want more of Jesus, I want more of Him and less of me, I want more grace to give to others, i want more kindness to pass around, I want more love to share, i want more patience, i want more peace, i want more struggles to become more complete, i want more understanding, i want more humility, i want more of Jesus and less of me.

I get stuck at times thinking that I am the one carrying the heavy end of this burden. I sometimes feel as if I am being unfairly put upon, that I do not have all that it takes to put up with these...so-called Christians. I feel like I have to get by on my personality and the things that I have learned working with people of the world. I forget that I am called to more. I forget that I do not have to live out of my personality, there is more; much, much more. There is Jesus.

I woke up to that last night. I woke up that before I can worry about being a better person, that I have to die to myself. That before I can stand up and preach, I have to seek God and His wisdom, that before I do anything, I MUST become like Jesus.

There are scriptural words of encouragement that I have read today:

1 Kings19:7-18
Ephesians 1:3-2:20

I woke up today, to the life that Christ has called me to. Not a life that I have to life under my own power.
A life that comes from Him, as a gift. A life that flows from Him, and through Him into me. His life.

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith--that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
(Ephesians 3:14-21)

jb

Unpacking…

2008-05-09T15:32:00.000-07:00

Have you ever gone on a trip, and when it was time to leave you had more stuff than would fit in your luggage? That is how I feel this week after returning from my mountain retreat.
That is a sad statement however, according to Peter I should always be getting more in my suitcase.
“For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted...” (2 Peter 1:5-9) Peter lists various virtues that are necessary for avoiding spiritual myopia: myopia simply means nearsightedness. Unfortunately, my faith is often just too nearsighted.

Peter offers no explanation or description of this long list of virtues. He simply notes them and says, you either have them, or you do not; you either can see, or you cannot. He then exhorts us: make every effort to see! For Peter, knowing Jesus most fully means working diligently to internalize and exhibit Christ-like characteristics on a daily basis--and in “increasing measure.” In other words, we never arrive on a spiritual peak from which we have nowhere higher to climb. There is always room to grow; there is always more to see.

All of us are afflicted with shortsightedness at times. We focus on the struggles right in front of us because faraway promises appear so blurred. We focus on a nagging worry or a superficial frustration because the bigger picture is so much harder to fathom. Interestingly, Peter does tell us to stop looking close to home into order to see clearer visions of the future. (Of course, he would tell us not to worry, as this is not focusing on anything helpful.) But instead, he reminds us that focusing on our union with Christ and our own internalizing of Christ’s qualities helps us to keep the bigger picture in focus and our overall knowledge of Christ most effective. Nobel prize-winning poet Nelly Sachs similarly urges us to widen our gaze and fix our eyes on the transcendent by looking right in front of us.

“In the evening your vision widens
looks out beyond midnight–
twofold I stand before you–
green bud rising out of dried-up sepal,
in the room where we are of two worlds.”

Perhaps the place where we can see hope blossom--no matter how dark and distant it may seem--is closer than we think. Looking at the world through the eyes of Scripture, the hope of the gospel, and the presence of the kingdom provides us with corrective lenses through which we can see who Christ is, who we truly are, and indeed, who we can become beside him. Take a look and see for yourself.
God convicted me this weekend of the many little things that I focus on to make my self nearsighted in my faith. He also challenged me to “step-out” in faith and trust that He would handle the rest. I hope as I unpack the spiritual lessons I learned this week, that I can heed to the words written by Peter…
“…make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

jb.

Success?!?!?!?

2008-04-24T11:31:00.000-07:00

How is it that you judge success? Is by the number of attempts before you get it right? Do you keep score like a golfer; the one with the fewest attempts is the successful one? Or is it simply a case of the ends justifying the means? The thought process that as long as we accomplish the task, no matter what. Do we stop then? Do we cease just because we have reached our personal goals? What if we never reach them?

"Success," said Winston Churchill "is going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm." Everybody fails. It's part of the process that leads us to maturity and success. Most successful entrepreneurs don't think of their failures as defeats. They think of them as lessons.
Can we begin to think this way? Is it Biblical? I would say yes. Over and over again, we see men and women of the Bible who failed on their first attempt, and second, sometimes three or four times brought not even a hint of what we would see as success.

Look at men like Joseph, who was once a favored son, then a slave, then a prisoner, then falsely accused of rape, then second in command of all of Egypt. How about Samson, a pledged child held to an oath, yet a heart divided, a lust pursued robbed him of the presence of God, who at the end turned back and accepted his own death as a success for the deaths of the godless. What about David, Elijah, Jonah, Peter, Paul, etc.
The Bible speaks over and again about men and women who had their definition of success challenged by the wisdom of God.

Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength. 1 Cor.1:20-25

God’s wisdom tells us that our Savior died for victory. The world scoffs at that. Worldly wisdom scoffs even more at the resurrection, and they for sure chafe at the thought of Jesus on the throne of all authority.

Let me ask again, how do you judge or measure success? Is it the times that you have tried over and again, and yet failed. Is it that you have tried once and then decided that was enough pain and heartache for any one person or group of persons to take? When is enough enough, when it applies to the task before us as a church in the name if Christ?

Do we examine things brought before us and simply say, “we have tried that, and it did not work.” Shall we say, “well you know ‘so-and-so’ does things like that and we do not want to be associated with them.” Do we fear reaching the lost of this society because it means we will have to explain what we believe scripture calls us to do and then explain it?

I wonder, what Peter thought after his short lived water walk. I wonder if he ever thought of asking for another chance. I wonder if he ever hung his feet over the side of the boat when nobody was looking and tested to see if the waves would hold his weight.

I do know that Peter did not give up following because he sank that night. I do know that Peter did not give up when he verbally denied Christ three times in the night. I know that Peter did not give up when Paul had to rebuke him. I know that he traveled and preached, and suffered all without wavering.

God never gets mired in our past failures. He is constantly viewing our lives with future success in mind.

"See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland" (Isa. 43:19).

Someone once said, "When your memories are bigger than your dreams, you're headed for the grave." God wants to give us new dreams that are bigger than anything that has ever happened to us in the past.

Let us stand and accept the challenge of reaching the lost means to us.

A guest blogger

2008-03-26T21:01:00.000-07:00

This week, we have a guest writer. Dalton (my 16 year old) will be giving his perspective on "keeping it real." Feel free to comment, I will pass it along to him.

-------------Johnny

Maybe the Coca-Cola Company had the right idea, maybe, with this world that advertises with anything but reality, they were able to see some form of the light. "Keepin' It Real" was and still is a slogan that obviously affected many people, so who is to say we can't use it in our own walk with Christ? First, let me pose a couple of questions: What is "Real?" How do we keep it?, and, more to the point, where do we get it?

Let me say this, we can only find real inside of ourselves, it is not something to be bought, it is not something that there is an eternal search for, except inside yourself.

I had a friend, who, in a recent conversation about a job interview said "I wish I could just fake it." There is a problem there, once you fake it, once you have presented that false identity, you can no longer be real to that person. Eventually, you can't even be real with yourself

So, as America wakes up every morning, puts on their Superman, Spiderman, Batman, and generic superhero suits, I have only one question: How real are you?

---Dalton

Separate and Apart

2008-03-19T09:38:00.001-07:00

A number of years ago, I heard a man at the Lord's table say as the plates for the contribution were about to be passed, "And now, separate and apart from the Lord's Supper, we will contribute of our means".
That sounded good to me for I felt that you certainly would not want to mix the two. This practice caught on all over the brotherhood. Some places had the contribution at the close of the service and the Supper at the beginning so as not to confuse the two.
But as I think back on this, I cannot ever remember anyone who ever got confused about the Supper and the contribution. And as I think about it now, I think that it might be real good for some of our members throughout the brotherhood to get the two a little mixed up.
What would be wrong in thinking about the suffering and death of our sweet Lord Jesus on the cruel cross for us individually as we drop our collection into the plate?
What would it hurt to say to ourselves, "God so loved that He gave His only begotten Son . . ." as we put a few dollars into God's collection? What harm in thinking about the New Covenant that we have entered into with Jesus that was sealed by His precious blood at that moment on that cross? That Covenant that guarantees us eternal life in eternity and joy and bliss right here and now? It is nice to think about what He has given us while we give to Him!
We do not exclude the thoughts of the cross from our preaching or class lessons. At least, I hope we do not exclude the scenes of His death from our songs as we worship. And we certainly mention this time and again in the prayers that we pray together. Why separate the heart of the Gospel from our giving? Why think that one is spiritual and one is physical?
What would it do to our giving if all of us thought long and earnestly about Jesus on the cross just before we put our expression of love to Him in the collection plate? You know what it would do!
Let's not separate Jesus on the cross from any part of our living and especially not giving.
Harvey Porter

The preceding was an article that I received via e-mail from a cousin who preached for 40 plus years. I think back to a time when I was in a congregation that dimmed the lights for the Lord’s Supper, and then turned them back on when it was time for the contribution.
I must question myself, constantly about where my heart is for the Lord’s Supper. If I am thinking of things other than the crucifixion of our Savior for my sins, I am denying the importance of Christ’s sacrifice.
As to the “separate & apart” ideology, when we are writing our checks out during the fruit of the vine, how separate is that? When we rummage around for the cash during the communion; that is not apart.
I would like to challenge you to prepare yourself for the Lord’s Supper the night before, by preparing not only your heart and mind for worship, but by preparing your mind to recognize Christ’s offering to you. In reality, the time set aside can be seen as a two part offering. During the bread and the fruit of the vine, we are pledging our love and devotion to God, and that we remember the price that was paid for us. During the offering, we are saying that all that I own I offer to you Lord God.
So maybe next time, you can have your check written out before you get to the building, or maybe put your money inside your Bible at a scripture that you have selected to read to “prepare your mind.” Whatever the case, we need to understand that the Blood of Christ touches the entire fabric of our lives, not just bits and pieces separately and apart.
------------jb

The Moment For Truth

2008-03-12T12:06:00.000-07:00

The Moment For Truth
Recently, there have been a series of commercials that have caught my attention. The commercials are what I term “Shock value” commercials. These commercials are for the TV show entitled “The Moment of Truth.” This show seems to take up the baton from daytime talk shows in placing contestants on stage while hooked up to a lie detector machine. The show then asks random questions of increasing levels of stress. Here is what the Show Infe page says about the show on Fox’s website:

THE MOMENT OF TRUTH will put participants to the test -- the lie detector
test -- to reveal whether or not they are telling the truth for a chance to win
half a million dollars.
On THE MOMENT OF TRUTH, the challenge is simple --
answer 21 increasingly personal questions honestly, as determined by a
polygraph, and win up to $500,000. This is the only game show where participants
know both the questions and the answers before they begin to play. Prior to
playing, participants are strapped to a lie detector and asked a series of
questions by a polygraph expert, who records their answers. At any time, between
the polygraph and the televised game, participants can change their answers or
walk away from the competition.
To win $500,000 participants have to tell
the truth. Of course, the questions are easier when the stakes are low – but as
the prize amount increases, they will be challenged to fess up to matters they
might normally lie about. The touchier questions could be especially revealing
because participants reveal their answers in front of spouses, relatives and
friends, hanging on every word. What deep dark secret will someone divulge for
hundreds of thousands of dollars?

In the last three weeks, spouses have admitted willingness to end their marriage for a date with their former boyfriend, if they would commit infidelity with a former boyfriend if they knew that they would not get caught, and this week, the ad shows a man answering yes to the question of whether or not he has had an affair with the friend of a spouse.
The questions and the answers, along with the recent infidelity of yet another elected official, leave me wondering if the other spouse is left to ask, “does my spouse still love me?” “why would my spouse make me suffer this way?” and in times where they are left alone following the shows, “where is my spouse?”

This makes me wonder what kind of society we are living in when we would subject ourselves to ridicule for money, and yet car about the emoting of an inanimate object. We leave friends, family members, and even complete strangers emotionally bruised, bloodied and beaten on the side of the road for the sake of promoting ourselves, or winning some money.
I also wonder, how could these peoples lives be so sad, that they would place themselves in these precarious situations?
One of the things that happened this week that brought this to mind was a conversation I had with a friend in ministry. We decided that what leads mankind into to trouble today is the same thing that has always led mankind into trouble. Rebellion!

Mankind still struggles with placing the desires of what we want, with the desires of what God wants. This is super destructive behavior. Paul addresses this in Romans 1: 21-23.
For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave
thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were
darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the
glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and
animals and reptiles.

The results are also listed by Paul:

Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to
sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They
exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things
rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen. Because of this, God gave
them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for
unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with
women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts
with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion.
Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of
God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. They
have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity.
They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips,
slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of
doing evil; they disobey their parents; they are senseless, faithless,
heartless, ruthless. Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do
such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but
also approve of those who practice them. (Romans 1:28-32)
This tells me plainly, that even if I am not the one responsible for the sinful actions of my fellow man, if I approve (i.e. support by watching etc.) that I am as depraved as they are. Let us stand, not as members of this world, but as those called out of this world for the hope of the glory of Jesus Christ. A beacon in a dark sky, that directs others to real life, not just an existence with a chance for money…
----jb

Do We Have The Guts?

2008-03-11T11:01:00.000-07:00

I received this letter via e-mail from a friend of mine (Ken Jackson). The forward message of the e-mail said that it would make me think. It Did! Here it is, application to follow.
It takes courage to live by a different set of rules and lifestyle.And as a person who is looking to reshape or alter their body you need to realize the the rules of the "ordinary" simply DO NOT apply to you. For instance, many "ordinary" people (friends and family included) see my emails and don't know what to make of them.
They take a look at the text and roll their eyes. It's funny because I also see them roll their eyes when I tell them I don't even like sodas, cheesecakes or fried chicken. Or that I may have pizza once a year (Super Bowl).If I didn't have the courage to stand for what I believe in and use strategies that actually work I would be stuck living by the rules of the “ordinary." I've lived that life and I'll tell you from experience – it is not good.
· Being SUCCESSFUL at Fat Loss requires that you escape the Western Diet.
· Being a SUCCESSFUL Fat Burning Machine eating mostly plants based foods.
· Being SUCCESSFUL at building lean muscle requires getting enough lean protein as well as strength training.
· Being SUCCESSFUL at preventing obesity requires physical activity and portion control.
· Being SUCCESSFUL at reshaping your body requires not buying food at places where you get gas.
· Being SUCCESSFUL in weight management requires you to control what's being put in your foods.Being SUCCESSFUL in reducing your belly requires you to eat slowly.
· Being SUCCESSFUL in getting in old clothes requires you to stick to your program.
· Being SUCCESSFUL in healthy eating requires you shopping only around the perimeters of supermarkets. Better yet, forsaking the supermarkets and shopping at Farmer's Markets.
· Being SUCCESSFUL in your Fitness Goals requires thinking the exact OPPOSITE of how the "ordinary" think.
That's right I said it. This does not mean spending 2 hrs at the gym. 1 hr doing cardio and the other working on a muscle group. And all of these things take courage.

As I read this, I initially did what this man’s friends and family did. I rolled my eyes. I mean, I am a minister with 100 members to concern myself with, with their spiritual health, and church attendance. What to preach and what to teach and what to let slide.
Yet, as I read, I was challenged. I was challenged about ordinary. We are called as people to be in the world, but not of the world. Now we hear that often enough; but do we know what it means?
Allow me to tell you what I think it means. We have to no longer be double-minded. We have to be sold-out to Jesus. To follow Him completely, and to do what we are created to do: Make Disciples! Seriously though, who wants to be us if we are no better off than they are? If we look like the same ordinary, everyday, run of the mill human struggling to get through the week, and reacting the same way that the world does when problems arise, and if we watch the same movies, listen to the same songs, use the same foul language, neglect our bodies with the same bad behaviors, et.al. Then what are we saying about our Lord? What are we saying about our faith?
To be a Christian, to be a disciple that produces disciples; then we must be willing to be more than ordinary. We must be willing to offer ourselves as living sacrifices (Rom 12:1), holy and pleasing to God. That means putting off those affairs we have with the sinful behaviors that we relish in. That means dying to ourselves, not just once in the waters of baptism, but each and every day of our lives. That means putting down that shameful habit of the old person that we once were.
It also means that we have to follow very closely to what Paul tells us in Romans 12:1-2
Place Your Life Before God
So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you. (The Message)

As members of the Lord’s church, you were called out of a life of sin, and death. We were called OUT of a life of “ordinary.” Do wehave the guts to live like it?
---jb

Faith or Want???

2008-02-07T11:22:00.000-08:00

I am struck to the quick today. Let me share it with you please?

Recently a dear brother in Christ of mine called me and asked if I would do a lesson on fear. I told him I would, and have begun to do a series of Sermons called Fear Factor (I know real original). As I started last week with an image of life in the Garden from Genesis 3, I realized that God is still in the process of calling out to us; "Where are you?" All the while KNOWING full well where we are and with what we are making ourselves content. The idea, is that we are all so wrapped up in hiding our own sin from everybody (including God) that we are too busy knitting together our coverings of leaves to answer His question.

God has been asking this question of each and every one of us over the course of human history.

Today I read a friends blog "Wild Followship" and was immediatly pierced. The writer shared the fact that after reading that it would be easier for a camel to pass throught the eye of a needle than it would be for a rich man to enter heaven stirred her to pray that she would never be rich. Then she lamented of the "wantness" that exposed itself in her life.

I cannot begin to tell you how ashamed this post made me. Here is this woman lamenting the fact that she desires earthly things, and sometimes allows them to interfere with her desire for God, and here I sit wondering if any cars I like are available on Craigslist. I live life with my heart on a swivel; desiring first one thing and then another. I honestly cannot go to Wal-mart without checking to see if the price of the TV I want has gone down yet. (You can bet it is not the 13 inch).

This week, the Fear that I want to speak about is the fear that the Rich Young Ruler had. The fear that God demands everything, that Christ says that I have to renounce ownership of worldly desires to be worthy of following Him.

I have to confess to all that my heart sometimes wants to be the rich man that defies the odds laid out by Jesus so long ago. I want to prove that this is one rich man that can do God's work. Yet I see people like Heath Ledger and the tragic way his life ended, or I see the deep darkness that Britney Spears life has become, and I know that the reason that I am here today is because God answered my prayer for fame and stardom with NO. I know that the reason for that is because I would be a tragic story that ended in heartbreak and lament.

I know that God has a plan for me that involves riches that I cannot even begin to imagine as long as my eye is on the Mazda Miata, or the Vizio 37" HDTV. The only way I can understand the gift that I am given each day is to set aside the eyes of lust for the things of this world, to deny the fleshly nature that rages and brags, to crucify my self daily with the cross set before me and DESIRE JESUS!

Father, allow me this day to be your servant. To answer freely when you ask Where with the words so many of the faithful have already spoken: "here am i, send me."

Today I long to be called child, I long to bask in the Love you have so freely offered at such a dear cost, and ask that you allow me to be humbled for Your glory.

In Christ,

Amen

Tagged...

2007-12-12T15:00:00.000-08:00

I have been tagged; I’m it. Here is my response to the “Meme.”

One book that changed my life: Wild at Heart by John Eldredge

One book that I’ve read more than once: Leaving Ruin by Jeff Berryman

One book that I want on a desert island: The Bible

One book that made me laugh: Blue Like Jazz by Don Miller

One book that made me cry: No Wonder They Call Him the Savior by Max Lucado

One book I wish had been written: The Exact and Essential Keys to the Kingdom by Jesus

One book I wish had never been written: The Left Behind Series

One book I’m currently reading: Way of the Wild Heart & Desire by John Eldredge (I know, that's two)

One book I’ve been meaning to read: Seeing the Unseen by Joe Beam

Perspective

2007-11-08T14:54:00.000-08:00

I stood at the bottom of the hill, looking upward. I checked behind me, but all that could be seen was that which immediately affected where I stood. The shadow of the building reached out to touch the shadow of the tree which reached the shadow of the cars, which joined with my own shadow. Everything surrounding me prohibited me from being able to see any further forward or backward of where I stood. The voices were also loud at the bottom of the hill. I could hear laughing and joking and all sorts of other human interactions that were taking place; coffee cups clanging together in rhythm with spoons and forks on plates creating a whisking sound. The animals were contributing to all the noise as I stood looking up from the bottom of the hill. I wondered inside my head and heart, what was the purpose of this trip if I were to just stand here and be distracted by the quieter noises of the country? Where I am normally bombarded with cars swishing by the windows of my office, the growl of a far off motorcycle, the groan of airplanes struggling with gravity, the pleasant audible aroma of children laughing, singing and playing, the shrill whistle of the sirens wailing from atop ambulances or fire trucks or police vehicles, the sounds of helicopter blades slicing the still night air. What about the noise I choose to engage with for relaxation, be it radio, television, or just the sound of my own voice… these all kept me from climbing the hill that I stood staring up this morning.
I stood there and wondered, why should I climb this hill? The answer came back; why should you just stand here? I could nor answer either question so I started up. I kept my eyes on the path in front of me and saw the signs that marked the journey of others up this hill; the raccoons, the deer, was that a mountain lion, or a coyote, the gophers and even the occasional bird that was stalking a worm. We were all looking for something as we tread through the dirt that lay all over the side of that hill. Were we staliking the same thing?
I noticed the change as I reached the halfway mark. Things were less, and more. The noise was less, the warmth more. The building was less, the incline was more. The inside was less, the outside was more. I was less, the cross was more. From the bottom looking up, the cross seemed smallish, like a toy, or something; yet, as I grew to the halfway point, I noticed that the cross stood taller, more thick, reached higher…
I caught my breath and began upward again. Still looking at the markings on the ground, reaching for my breath that was escaping me, struggling against the backward pull of the bottom of the hill. I thought of that childrens rhyme about Jack and Jill, I did not want to break my crown.
I reached the top, my crown was punding, my lungs were burning and my calves were bellowing. As I approached the wooden cross, I noticed that those things threatened to blot out the thing that I had climbed for. I took a deep slow breath and then just as slowly exhaled the repeated that again and again, until my breathing began to slow. Finally, I could see it clearly.
It was just two pieces of rough wood, bolted about 3/4ths of the way to the top with bolts. It stood at the top of one ridge which led to overlook the top of another, and another and another… It seemed like I could see for miles. I looked back down this hill I just climbed and I noticed that the shadow were different, smaller. The cars, the building, the voices and the noises all smaller, distant, somehow now undistracting; in its place the silence was able to stand to its full height.
The cross was louder though. The cross outshouted the silence in the cool morning air, standing on top of that hill in the rays of the rising sun, empty yet full of meaning. I had climbed to the top of this hill, I had followed the path that someone else had walked previously to get to this cross. And now, standing here I felt like I could see in every direction. Forward, backward, and side to side; it was all much clearer. I could see that the hill from the top was not so large, so ominous or foreboding. I could also see that although there were other hills to come, they were not so daunting either. I realized that I had climbed the one hill around that mattered, the one hill that brought all the other parts of the journey into context. I had climbed the hill of the cross, and the differencr was breathtaking. Now when my friends asked to go up the hill, I could tell them my story of my journey and the things that I learned. I could tell them that it was easier thsan it looked and it was also freeing and strengthening. But most of all, I would tell them that someone else climbed before us both, and put up on the top a marker. A marker that showed the way to go home.
The greatest mystery is not why God loved us. The greatest mystery is that Christ became one of us to die for us.
1 Timothy 3:16Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.
- johnny

Exactly! i think?!?

2007-10-29T21:14:00.000-07:00

I am not sure exactly what it is that is going on. I feel so strange, really I do. I realized today that I still do not completely understand or grasp all that God has done in me, to me, with me...
I struggle to understand what some rough, brash guy like me is doing preaching.
This blog is not about how I feel though, or maybe it is.

No it is not. It is about the growth that I am seeing in some of the men that I am studying with and getting to know. The neat thing is that they are moinistering to me as much as I to them. God has blessed me with men that are real and DEMAND the same from me. They do not let me hide behind a title or a desk or a podium. They call me out and do not let me back away. Today we had a frank discussion. Very frank!!!
After leaving them I had this feeling of letting them down, like the things that I had brought up were not enough. That they were simply some trite, idealistic, simplistic thomes that held nothing. Instead, I found out later that they were the exact words that they needed to hear.

This is what amazes me the most! At the times that I feel the most inadequate, is the time that people seem to get the most out of it. It is like when I get smaller, God gets bigger.

How big??? As big as we need Him to be! God fulfills ALL needs. God enables all men who will allow Him to use them. This is good to know, but FANTASTIC to witness.

Broken and repaired

2007-09-05T16:36:00.000-07:00

“To do for yourself the best that you have it in you to do—to grit your teeth and clench your fists in order to survive the world at its harshest and worst—is, by that very act, to be unable to let something be done for you and in you that is more wonderful still. The trouble with steeling yourself against the harshness of reality is that the same steel that secures your life against being destroyed secures your life also against being opened up and transformed.” ---- Frederick Buechner
How are you at accepting help? I am not too good. I can remember in elementary school through college if something was too difficult I would struggle, and struggle until I figured out a way to “get it done and over with.” Not always the best approach. Yet, I apply this to my life in many areas and under many circumstances.
The unfortunate thing about this is, that I am robbing someone else of a blessing. I know the question pops up, “how can someone be blessed bt my problems?”
The answer is, that others can be blessed by us asking them for help. Think about it, if your car breaks down, you do not just sit and lament about what might be wrong. No. You take the car to the mechanic so that he can diagnose what is wrong. When you need advice for buying something new, you check around and find a consumer report, or ask friends who have the same item for their opinion.
So why in the world are we so content with hiding our struggles. I am not saying that you need to come forward, and spill your guts in front of the auditorium each and every time you struggle; but, you should share with someone. Another brother or sister that would be willing to help.
We also need to be open to being the other brother and sister willing to help. We need to be willing to get involved in messy things for the sake of our brother and sister. Sharing like this is what builds the body. It is like exercise for us, and we need to seek out ways to serve one another. If we do not practice this we become shiny plastic people under shiny plastic steeples. We risk becoming posers, or as Shakespeare wrote, “all merely players” just awaiting the proper time to deliver our lines.
Now this is not going to be an easy thing for any of us to do. First we have to let our guards down and be vulnerable, both in sharing our lives with someone, and being shared with. The reward is a body of rescuers, real live Christians, not simply “religious people.” People who truly live what we believe, and enable others to witness the lives we live, and be an active participant themselves.
I pray that we would all examine ourselves with fresh eyes, and be assured that we are not simply “playing church.” Instead, living passionately for the freedom from sin and death that we hold, rejoicing that we alone are simply broken and bruised. However the blood of Christ has made us whole and holy. That is what we have to share with others, that is what this world needs.
Are we ready to give that?
----Johnny

Fresh and new

2007-09-05T16:26:00.000-07:00

I got to witness a birth today. Not an actual flesh and blood birth, and not a Baptism, but the birth of desire for more of God in a life. A friend, a new friend, a man that I have been talking to today finished reading Wild at Heart. He came to my office after and his heart was brimming over and filling his eyes. It was so cool to see a man that wanted to be closer to the Father, for a man to come and desire so deeply an understanding of the will and purpose that God has for his life. I was blessed just seeing it, and was able to remember when Godly desire was born in my own life just a few years ago. I shared with my new friend some of the words of encouragement that God had given me through my Band of Brothers.
I am so thankful for this journey that God has placed my family as a result of that desire in my life. For the growth that my family and I are going through. I would not trade for anything else in the world.
I got to witness a birth today...

Where we are and where we are going

2007-08-29T09:33:00.000-07:00

Some of us just do not know anything else. We have been Christians all of our lives, just like Mom and Dad. Most of our earliest memories are being at church, or church camp, or VBS, or any other of a number of things that are unique to being brought up in a church home. We feel as if we were found under a pew and bathed in the baptistery.

Others of us see all of this as something completely knew and maybe even foreign. We do not understand the subtle little references and the “code words” spoken often by those who have been in church their whole lives. We see things differently for this is all new and maybe even somewhat confusing to us. We have never been to a retreat, or a youth rally. We have never spent an entire day, much less a whole week at church. We think when we hear VBS that it must be a TV station like CBS, or TBS.

Then there are us who were drug to church each and every time the doors were open by our Moms, and maybe Dad (for special occasions; this arrangement can be reversed though). We grew to enjoy hanging out with the youth group and enjoyed Youth Rallies because it was an opportunity to meet girls (or guys) from other churches. We liked the community and the friends we made, but there was not really a spiritual connection for us. We heard all the rules and the why’s and wherefore’s and could quote a memory verse for a treat. We grew up, got the “Gift Bible” and “The Charge” on Senior Sunday, and then promptly fell away from the habit of church for other habits that seemed more enjoyable, and that definitely conflicted with the schedule for church attendance.

Now we are all gathered here, we all sit in the same building and listen to the same lessons and sermons and all sing the same songs and hear the same prayers. However, we all hear them with the ears of our experiences. There are different songs that stir our hearts in different ways, there are prayers that speak to our needs more than others. We all have filters that process the things that we hear because of the things and people that we have experienced in our lives.
The question I have today is, “How well do you know your pew buddy.” When I was driving the school bus, we would designate “seat buddies” for the students as a way of being accountable to have everybody back on the bus before we pulled out. So how well do you know your “pew buddy?” Do you know the things in their life that led to them sitting here this morning? Or the distractions in their lives that lead them to maybe not being here this morning? Do you know how they came to be saved, or what it is they struggle with during the week? Chances are if they are a family member that you do know this, maybe. If they are not your age, or your neighbor, or sit somewhere else; then chances are we know not these things.

“This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down His life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. 1 John 3:16
John points out that Christ laid down His life for us. Whole this is true in the physical sense, it is also true that Christ left behind the life lived side-by-side with God. “He left the splendor of Heaven…” for a life on earth with people that would argue with Him, and plot to take His life. Jesus left all to come so that we could have a savior that could relate to the lives we have led. We see that he was raised up in the church, yet as an adult he became an “outsider” to those in the synagogues. He was willing to become sin for us, to be uncomfortable for us, to put aside himself for us, to better know us in a way that was meaningful to us.
Are we willing? Can we set aside our wishes and wants for someone else this morning, next week, for the rest of our time here on this earth, so that we can better serve them and their needs. So that we can better understand our “pew buddies,” and the things that they are in need of. And then help supply for those needs.

Let’s all of us commit to getting to know someone in the church here better. To set aside our lives for theirs. This will make us a stronger church, and better able to meet the needs of one another. It will make us look more like Christ.

A Wonderful Savior

2007-08-28T20:59:00.000-07:00

I am touched this week with how wonderful our God is. Nothing special has happened and nothing earth shattering has been halted, I am just in awe of Yahweh. It is so neat to see the moments when God becomes clearer in our lives, those brief moments of clarity that we find when alone and quiet. I think that God calls us to these times to show us His glory.

I know I am rambling, but in the last two weeks i have witnesses and read of people hearing and seeing God in new ways. He answers our prayers in ways that are meaningful to us as individuals, and to see that in the lives of people you know is simply amazing.

I am so glad for this journey that God has put my family on, and so joyful for all of you that have participated in the journey with us.

May God bless you all, and may you feel His presence in a new way this week.

A new round of questions...

2007-08-22T13:44:00.000-07:00

I bought this album the other day, Todd Agnew Better Questions, and while not everybody's cup of tea stylistically, I must say the thought that goes into the lyrics stirs me. I remember as a young man coming up in the church, that I had questions that were just not supposed to be asked ou loud. If you were bold or nieve enough to ask them out loud, the answerr was "because we have always done it that way," or "that's just the way it is."

I think that there are questions like these that just come naturally, and we are afraid sometimes to ask, because God's answers to these questions force even tougher questions. The hard questions that examine my motives for ministry, my heart for the lost, or my love for my Savior. These questions are more than about, "am I doing everything I can to get to heaven," and instead lead me to examine if I am doing everything God wants me to do to call out and help bring freedom and life to the lost and dying around me. It is about me standing at the edge of the burning bush and doubting that God will do everything that I have faith for Him to do through me to free His people held in captivity.

I also think that God answers our questions in a way that forces other harder, deeper questions to show us that it is about more than the destination. As hard as I might try, I just cannot compleltley wrap my finite mind around eternity, or heaven, or actually being in the very presence of God. (I want so much to crawl up in His lap and hug and kiss my Creator, but it is difficult to think that way somnetimes. As if the idea was less than dignified).

Anyway, I just wanted to share this article with you to see if the questions were still there. If we stop asking them, we stopping growing in Him.

Love You All,
jb

P.s. check out this link for an interview with the artist.

http://www.christianitytoday.com/music/interviews/2007/toddagnew-0807.html

Time...

2007-05-17T18:54:00.000-07:00

The time is here. Graduation has come to the class of 2007 at SIBI. WoW! It feels so surreal, and amazing. I want to take this opportunity to thank each of you, all of you for the prayers and support for Dawn, and me as we went through school, and for Dalton and Rebekah as they put up with us while we were in school.
The time draws nearer and nearer to our departure to the Bear Flag Republic (California) to preach the word of God and work with the family at the Central church of Christ in San Jose.
We still covet your prayers and desire for each of you that are able to visit us.
Love to you all,
Johnny

Let's keep living for Him, the King who uses us donkeys.

2007-04-25T20:34:00.000-07:00

This was the message from one of my classmates to me the other day. It is such a challenge for me to think that God is getting such a great servant, and that Central in San Jose is getting such a good minister, but the truth is, I am getting the opportunity to serve God. I am also blessed to have a church like Central to work with.
I am thanlnkful for the opportunity to serve a King who uses donkeys.

redirecting...

2007-03-22T07:00:00.000-07:00

I saw the word redirecting after logging in and going to the site, thought that it fit our situation. As we head into the final term, and preparef for graduation, I realize that I am anticipating the move and the beginning of the job in San Jose, but that there is a great amount of fear as well.
I feel confident that God had the Central church in San Jose planned for Dawn, the kids and me as we were training to minister to them. I solicit all of your prayers and hope that all is well with each of you.

I would like to encourage you all to check out Chris Robey's blog, it is an awesome self exam for those of us who struggle with evangelism.

A job.

2007-02-06T17:56:00.000-08:00

It is official. The Central church of Christ in San Jose, Ca. has hired me to be their pulpit minister. The preparations and plans now focus on not just finishing school strong, but also making the necessary arrangements to move in June.
Wow. God is good. We are looking forward to the next leg of this journey that God is sending us on...