08.06.08
Posted in Uncategorized at 8:05 am by
The “Independent Christian Church Ministers” group question this week is phrased below, with only minor adaptations from “The Wall” so that it reads well here.
We all have a desire to challenge our congregations/ students/ or whomever we work with to go deeper in their relationship with God… What does deeper look like? And how do you judge your effectiveness?
One of the most beautiful descriptions of the church is that of a family. As we think of a growing family, with new additions on a regular basis, we know that not all members of the family have the same level of maturity, much less the same relationship with each other and their father. A wise father treats each child as an individual and seeks to help each of them reach their potential. This can be a long and slow process and it helps when the older kids pitch in, much like in the old “one room school house” where often the older students tutored the younger ones in their school work, and where the younger children would learn as they listened to the older kids do their lessons. The church works in much the same way in that new christians can look to their elders (spiritually speaking) to learn and grow.
So, “what does deeper look like?” is a question that changes as each individual grows and matures. To the new convert a deeper relationship will be in learning to have a regular devotional time with God. To someone who is older it may be learning that God is not only there for troubled times, but also in times of joy. This relationship grows deeper as the person learns that each part of their life should be subjected to Christ’s authority and as they learn to give financially and also of their time. This deepening of the relationship is a lifelong process as the christian learns to connect with God on deeper and deeper levels, as they grow closer and closer to Him.
As for judging effectiveness, again it’s on a case by case basis. Sometimes with an individual (starting with one’s self) one tends to think “Will they never ‘get it’?” And then WOW, some comment or occurrence shows that they DID get it, that they WERE paying attention and that they HAVE learned. Working with people is not a “one size fits all” endeavor. Each individual has their own personality and needs and their own approach to life. Certain lessons are easy for one - but HARD for another, and vice versa. Sometimes I find myself frustrated when someone (myself included) does “something stupid” or manifests a shallowness in their relationship with God. But then I try to remember that it’s a learning and growing process, just like turning a first grader into a rocket scientist. At first they may struggle with “one plus one is two. two plus two is four. four plus four is eight.” but as they grow and build on that first foundation they then move on to more complicated processes of mathematics and other sciences until they’ve reached the place where they can design and build extremely complicated machines or do other intricate calculations. How did they reach that point? By building on the basics, one day at a time.
The Apostle Paul wrote to the Ephesian church: “And He personally gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, for the training of the saints in the work of ministry, to build up the body of Christ, until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of God’s Son, [growing] into a mature man with a stature measured by Christ’s fullness.” (Ephesians 4:11-13) I’d say that he summed it up much better than I can. 
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06.04.08
Posted in Christian, Uncategorized at 6:18 pm by
A while back I came across a site called www.efolkmusic.com and later www.efolkmusic.org spun off of it. This is a good source for folk, bluegrass, celtic, gospel, country and old time music. You can buy the music by the track or order CD’s and other merchandise. Since we’re overseas it’s been easiest for me to just download and then burn my own CD’s. Also, this way I get a good variety on each CD and music that I like. We’re in the land of Vallenato, Merengue, Salsa, Champeta and other sounds which I find hard to adapt to. efolk, on the other hand, offers music that speaks to MY soul. :) And also there’s a lot of “unknown” artists that you won’t find at your local wallyworld or bulkmusic store. And if you’ve got a folk, bluegrass or other such band - well, they offer a chance for you to gain a wider audience for your work.
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02.13.08
Posted in Uncategorized at 12:50 am by
Well, the past couple weeks have been quite busy. Since I got up to the US the weather’s been interesting, just like I like it. ;-) Got some snow and ice and genuine winter weather. Haven’t had much chance to compute, but there’s an article or so in the works as time allows.
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11.22.07
Posted in Uncategorized at 11:00 am by
“Thank you!” - such simple words, and yet so often omitted from our daily life. Humans seem to be ungrateful by nature. Look at the example of the 10 lepers who were healed by Jesus. Only one returned to say “Thank you!” - even though their lives had been changed incalculably.
Well, today marks the official day of thanks in the United States of America. On this day millions of people will gather with family and friends to eat a hearty meal, watch football and spend time together. And a few of them will even take time to remember WHY this day was set aside. Some will take the time to not only be “thankful” but to remember to Whom they should be thankful and WHY they should be thankful.
Unfortunately, many have sought to undermine our nation’s heritage. Some have built up myths around our heritage - and that’s as bad as the former. And yet, there is much to be grateful and thankful for in our heritage. Our nation was indeed founded by men who believed in our God and Creator. This is particularly shown by the first declaration of a day of thanks as proclaimed by the Continental Congress in 1877.
Thanksgiving Proclamation 1777 by the Continental Congress:
IN CONGRESS
November 1, 1777
FORASMUCH as it is the indispensable Duty of all Men to adore the superintending Providence of Almighty God; to acknowledge with Gratitude their Obligation to him for Benefits received, and to implore such farther Blessings as they stand in Need of: And it having pleased him in his abundant Mercy, not only to continue to us the innumerable Bounties of his common Providence; but also to smile upon us in the Prosecution of a just and necessary War, for the Defense and Establishment of our unalienable Rights and Liberties; particularly in that he hath been pleased, in so great a Measure, to prosper the Means used for the Support of our Troops, and to crown our Arms with most signal success:
It is therefore recommended to the legislative or executive Powers of these UNITED STATES to set apart THURSDAY, the eighteenth Day of December next, for SOLEMN THANKSGIVING and PRAISE: That at one Time and with one Voice, the good People may express the grateful Feelings of their Hearts, and consecrate themselves to the Service of their Divine Benefactor; and that, together with their sincere Acknowledgments and Offerings, they may join the penitent Confession of their manifold Sins, whereby they had forfeited every Favor; and their humble and earnest Supplication that it may please GOD through the Merits of JESUS CHRIST, mercifully to forgive and blot them out of Remembrance; That it may please him graciously to afford his Blessing on the Governments of these States respectively, and prosper the public Council of the whole: To inspire our Commanders, both by Land and Sea, and all under them, with that Wisdom and Fortitude which may render them fit Instruments, under the Providence of Almighty GOD, to secure for these United States, the greatest of all human Blessings, INDEPENDENCE and PEACE: That it may please him, to prosper the Trade and Manufactures of the People, and the Labor of the Husbandman, that our Land may yield its Increase: To take Schools and Seminaries of Education, so necessary for cultivating the Principles of true Liberty, Virtue and Piety, under his nurturing Hand; and to prosper the Means of Religion, for the promotion and enlargement of that Kingdom, which consisteth “in Righteousness, Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost.”
And it is further recommended, That servile Labor, and such Recreation, as, though at other Times innocent, may be unbecoming the Purpose of this Appointment, be omitted on so solemn an Occasion.
Oh that our leaders and our nation would turn back to He Who gave us our freedom. Oh that on this day - and always - we would remember to give thanks to Him for the great mercies and blessings He has heaped on us.
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09.10.07
Posted in Uncategorized at 9:30 am by
Ozymandias
By Percy Bysshe Shelley
I met a traveler from an antique land,
Who said–”Two vast and trunkless legs of stone
Stand in the desart….Near them, on the sand,
Half sunk a shattered visage lies, whose frown,
And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command,
Tell that its sculptor well those passions read
Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things,
The hand that mocked them, and the heart that fed;
And on the pedestal, these words appear:
My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings,
Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair!
Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal Wreck, boundless and bare
The lone and level sands stretch far away.”
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08.17.07
Posted in Uncategorized at 9:57 am by
Thumbing through the hymnal in my office today (Favorite Hymns Of Praise - Standard Publishing - Copyright 1967) I came across a hymn written by Haldor Lillenas, both lyrics and music. I’ve never heard of him before, but like the words. I sure wish I could read (and play) music because I’d like to hear how it sounds.
The Bible stands like a rock undaunted
‘Mid the raging storms of time;
its pages burn with the truth eternal
and they glow with a light sublime.
Chorus:
The Bible stands tho’ the hills may tumble,
It will firmly stand when the earth shall crumble;
I will plant my fee on its firm foundation,
for the Bible stands.
The Bible stands like a mountain tow’ring
Far above the works of men;
Its truth by none ever was refuted,
And destroy it they never can.
The Bible stands and it will forever,
When the world has passed away;
By inspiration it has been given,
All its precepts I will obey.
The Bible stands ev’ry test we give it,
For its Author is divine;
By grace alone I expect to live it,
And to prove it and make it mine.
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08.09.07
Posted in Computers, Uncategorized at 10:35 pm by
Here’s an interesting video. Interesting in that it was produced in Polaroid snapshots first, then made into a video. Anyway, they say a picture’s worth a thousand words. I wonder how much this video’s worth? Thanks to Hot Air for posting this.
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07.14.07
Posted in Uncategorized at 8:26 am by
There’s an article on the three known British survivors of World War I (”The Great War” or “The War To End Wars”). One of the three, Bill Stone, gives his “recipe for a long, happy life”…
ex-Royal Navy stoker Bill Stone, 106, the last known ex-serviceman, living in Britain, to have served in both world wars.
He revealed his recipe for a long, happy life. “There are three reasons I’m still living - clean living, a contented mind and faith in the Lord. I’m a lucky man.”
Looks like he’s got it pretty well figured out!
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07.09.07
Posted in Uncategorized at 10:22 am by
The following quote is taken from today’s Brief from The Patriot Post.
“Bulls don’t praise cows, let alone their Creator. Explaining the phenomenon of praise is a real challenge for the Darwinian; it doesn’t appear to confer any particular advantage in that ruthless struggle for survival we’re always hearing about. I can understand why atheists think religion does a lot of evil, because sometimes it surely does. But they never explain why man wastes so much time and energy in activities they insist are pointless and have no biological utility. If we found all the cattle in the pasture dancing and mooing in unison, wouldn’t we be curious about why they were behaving in this extraordinary fashion? I suppose killing your own children makes some sort of sense from an atheistic and Darwinian point of view. If survival is a ruthless competition, your kids are your competitors, right? No wonder Darwin’s legions are in favor of this ‘choice’.” —Joseph Sobran
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Posted in Uncategorized at 9:13 am by
Well, Google-earthing the Bible? Anyway, today I came across a nifty web page, “Bible Geocoding” It’s over on the Open Bible
website. Our internet connection’s a bit flaky today, neither Yahoo! nor MSN Messenger programs are logging on and Google Earth’s not making a connection either so I’ll have to wait ’til later to truly surf around. Weird. Anyway, the page referenced above has a number of .kmz files (Google Earth’s pushpin locater links) linked on it. You can download the .kmz links to the whole Bible’s identifiable places or you can scroll down the page and select according to individual books or chapters. We’ve found Google Earth to be fun. It allows you to zoom in on various parts of the world. We used it to get a feel for an area we were going to hunt last year (2006) and we’ve also used it to locate our house from the air and to see where places are in relation to each other. It’s a nifty, free for the download, tool. And now, with the links to Bible places, it promises to be even more useful!
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