A Pilgrim's Progress

2006-04-08T12:48:00.000-07:00

God is perfectly Good and Holy.

Why did He create mosquitos and the Hebrew language?

I bet you anything that if we had a small enough microphone to actually hear what mosquitos are saying, they'd be speaking in Hebrew. Tiny, high frequency Hebrew.

Hebrew is just a bunch of dots and squiggly lines. Of course, I've heard that, and very much believe that english is the most difficult language to learn. Very few solid rules with many exeptions.

So, I remain thankful for Hebrew.

2005-02-04T17:02:00.000-08:00

I came across this devotional today and it really touched me. I thought you (yes you, you know who you are) would enjoy it. Is this a copyright infringement. Can I go to jail or get sued for blogging someone's published material?

Morning and Evening Daily Readings By Charles H. Spurgeon

Believer, look back through all thine experience, and think of the way whereby the Lord thy God has led thee in the wilderness, and how he hath fed and clothed thee every day-how he hath borne with thine ill manners-how he hath put up with all thy murmurings, and all thy longings after the flesh-pots of Egypt-how he has opened the rock to supply thee, and fed thee with manna that came down from heaven. Think of how his grace has been sufficient for thee in all thy troubles-how his blood has been a pardon to thee in all thy sins-how his rod and his staff have comforted thee. When thou hast thus looked back upon the love of the Lord, then let faith survey his love in the future, for remember that Christ’s covenant and blood have something more in them than the past. He who has loved thee and pardoned thee, shall never cease to love and pardon. He is Alpha, and he shall be Omega also: he is first, and he shall be last. Therefore, bethink thee, when thou shalt pass through the valley of the shadow of death, thou needest fear no evil, for he is with thee. When thou shalt stand in the cold floods of Jordan, thou needest not fear, for death cannot separate thee from his love; and when thou shalt come into the mysteries of eternity thou needest not tremble, “For I am persuaded, that neither death; nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Now, soul, is not thy love refreshed? Does not this make thee love Jesus? Doth not a flight through illimitable plains of the ether of love inflame thy heart and compel thee to delight thyself in the Lord thy God? Surely as we meditate on “the love of the Lord,” our hearts burn within us, and we long to love him more.

2004-11-30T06:36:00.000-08:00

Here are some excerpts from 2 Timothy. Take some time today to read 2 Timothy, its a short book! May God bless you.

Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, who has saved us and called us to a holy life-not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace.

No on serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs-he wants to please his commanding officer.

In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble. If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument fro noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work. Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God-having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.

. . . I give you this charge: Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke, and encourage-with great patience and careful instruction.

hallelujah Brothers and Sisters!

2004-11-19T17:04:00.000-08:00

Yes, well, I'm back. I was ambushed by Greek tests, mid-terms, and my Theology term paper. They all ganged up against me and held me down over my books.

I've decided that I need to quit writing my own opinion on the things of God, and instead simply copy scripture passages. As I've discovered during my term paper on Karl Barth, God is only known through his Spirit-revealed-Word; God's salvation cannot be found through the study of nature, philosophy, history, science, or any other form of man's discernment. Much of our apologetic efforts presuppose that man can know God through man's own thinking processes. Barth says NO! Knowledge of the True God is only revealed in Jesus Christ by Him through His Holy Scriptures. Any attempt to find God outside of the scriptures will be a manmade, stripped-down, idolatrous god. It will be a reduced image of god that man has created with his infantile understanding.

I'm sure that I'll keep on writing my garble; but, at least for now, here's some God Breathed Scripture . . .

Epesians 2:1-10
And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

Hallelujah Brothers and Sisters!

2004-10-10T06:10:00.000-07:00

Today, I'm back on the topic of sin. What a tantilizing topic!

Thanks for your comments on my last blog, Nick. I agree with you and yet I feel like such a schizophrenic(sp?) when it comes to sin. Jesus' Grace is sufficient, he died on the cross, he said forgive 70 x 7 times, Jesus forgave sinner after sinner, Paul says that we are no longer under the law; yet Jesus also said he's going to separate the sheep from the goats, Jesus says sin against the Holy Spirit is unforgivable, good seed scattered on bad soil will die, when weeds grow up in a field the farmer has his workers cut them out, Paul says to kick continually-sinful people out of the church, God brought his wrath on sinful cities and people, Adam and Eve were kicked out of the Garden, the flood . . .

Karl Barth wrote that man's participation in the being of God has been accomplished in God's particicpation in the being of man.

Is Judas Iscariot in Heaven?

In many ways I think that God is the God of a "good heart" or "good intentions". Jesus says that it is your heart, thoughts, and intentions that matter even more than your actions: hatetred is worse than murder, lust is worse than adultary. Peter followed the Lord with his whole heart but his actions couldn't follow through. King David was a man after God's heart but his actions fell short. Loving your neighbor is an act that flows from inside your soul. To truly have love for someone cannot be faked on the inside. You may have polite outward actions but God knows your heart, doesn't he.

Please comment your thoughts.

2004-10-06T19:51:00.000-07:00

I write a lot of jibberdy-jabber on my Blogg that is just plain ole' jibberdy-jabber. I get these notions about the world, economy, sin, God, humankind, and the like and I sort of just spew forth some deep thought garble that may or may not be good for anyone else to read. My mind is so spongy and mushy from the shear number of new ideas that have been forced upon it lately that I sometimes don't know if I'm standing up or lying down. How is a man who doesn't know if he's up or down supposed to coherently write about faith?

I have been thinking much lately about sin and God's dealing with sin, specifically in respect to God's gracious gift to mankind, Jesus Christ. Sin in the post-cross universe. Karl Barth, in regard to Paul's letters, says that Christians cannot sin. Is this true? To be in Christ is to no longer be bound by sin? Is sin still there but is now simply inconsequential? Or did sin dissapear? I don't think sin is gone because I'm still full of it! Yet God's grace in Christ is sufficient and covers my transgressions. The Lord came to save sinners. What would happen to the woman (who was going to be stoned for adultary) if she went back to sleep with the same man that very night? Does God love us not only through his grace, but also through his wrath?

What is your view of sin? How do you think God will deal with your sin? Or, what is God's response to your sin? Please comment.

2004-10-02T08:23:00.000-07:00

"I would rather have blood on my hands than water (like Pontius Pilate)"
- Brittish author whom I can't specifically recall.

Is it worse to be the one consumed with a treacherous evil, or to be the one standing by with indifference? Are American Christians indifferent to evil in the world? Have we become the modern day Pilate and simply wash our hands of the evil we see around us?

2004-09-26T18:13:00.000-07:00

Why does man feel so sad in the twentieth century? Why does man feel so bad in the very age when, more than in any other age, he has succeeded in satisfying his needs and making the world over for his own use?
- Walker Percy (Taken from No Place for Truth, Wells)

How is it that today we have more counselors, psychaitrists, marraige counselors, self-help books, and psychiatric drugs; and yet we have a higher divorce rate, more depression, and more anxiety than ever before. Given all these things to help us, shouldn't we be more happy today than ever before?

Maybe God's plan is the best plan after all?

In a book I'm reading by David Wells, No Place for Truth, he describes a small New England town in the 1700's. At the geographic center of the town was the church. All of society flowed from this church: children's education, social gatherings, town business, and all communtiy events. Every part of life revolved around God: education, conversations, thoughts, reading material, and entertainment. There was a strong sense of permanency and contentment. Christian life and belief permeated all aspects of life, unlike today where we generally compartmentalize our Christianity away from the other parts of our life. They were Christians through-and-through, not just believers in Christ. Christ was their life, not just a viewpoint they hold.

Given our secular society today, it is difficult even for the most devout Christian to live a complete life for Christ. But I am becoming ever convinced that it is the only way. Your happiness, peace, contentment, relationships, family, life, death, and lasting relationship with God all depend on it.

2004-09-24T16:58:00.000-07:00

A couple of things I've been thinking about.

1) If you have two apples on the table and you set two more apples on the table, how many apples do you have? Four. Isn't that an absolute truth, always all-time?

2) I've been learning lots about criticisms of the Bible . . . especially the Old Testament. There are many good hearted Christian (and other) Thelogians that would like to reduce the Bible in as many ways as possible. They say that they are simply looking for a more accurate historical account. They simply want to know the real truth. They want to unpack reality from myth, and strip away any manmade frosting. I give them credit for their hard work and for their dilligent effort to reduce the Bible to a more reasonable, logical account of things that any reasonable, logical person can believe in through reaon and logic. Unfortunately, I don't think that this was the original Author's intention.

3) Does it matter if the story of Genesis is an actual "historical" account of the beginning of the world or if it is "metaphorical" account of the beginning? Are not both God-breathed truths? Does not either one tell us the ultimate Truth that God is the creator of the universe and He did so in an orderly fashion? Furthermore, could we reasonably expect that something as complicated as creating a universe could be explained in real terms? It may be that God is so far beyond the comprehension of our 2-dimensional thinking that He simply can't give us the actual explaination; a metaphore may have to suffice. Certainly, metaphores and parables (as Jesus spoke) can be a much more powerful Truth than a simple observational account.

4) Why do people keep searching for truth when its already been given to us. Seriously, I don't even want to sound like an evangelical nutcase, but have they read the Bible? Its all there: metaphores, parables, historical narratives, poetry. And its all the God breathed Truth. You don't need to prove it or scientifically validate it, there's no point! If the Bible isn't true than why does it speak such truth? Just Read It! Don't keep looking and searching or your gonna die with a flashlight in your hand and anxiety in your heart!

2004-09-14T13:39:00.000-07:00

A General Christian Rambling on the World, Democracy, Free-Markets, and The Church

Last night I laid in bed anxiously praying. Watching news about Iraq, Russia, Florida, and the Presidential Election has really been giving me uneasy feelings. Have you been feeling this way too? What a messed-up, fallen world we live in. How can these situations be resolved? Russia is headed back toward more authoritarian control, and the people of Iraq seem to need more than America can provide.

Government, the economy, and religion have a stunning similarity: none of them can be imposed on a people. The only way that any of them can truly thrive is if the people's hearts and minds are changed; changed hearts fuel change throughout the system. A democracy is only as strong as its people. A democracy is only as moral as its people. A strong democratic government cannot create people of good character; however, people of good character can create a strong democratic government. That is precisely why God’s Word is vital to American Democracy.

That's what Jesus did. He didn't come swooping down through a government or church hierarchy and impose His Way on society. He began alone, empowered 12 disciples, and those disciples empowered people and churches, and those churches spread throughout the world.

What can save our world? Governments? Armies? Social Programs? Technology and efficient production? I am convinced that none of these can ultimately change the course of the human race. With every new discovery comes a new threat. With every new breakthrough comes a new break-out. With every new good comes a new evil? Are people more satisfied with life today than they were 400 years ago? After centuries of modernization has the basic human condition gotten any better?

What will save our world? God will through his people. God’s kingdom on Earth is a place where His people have a loving, persevering, joyous, patient, kind, good, peaceful, humble character. It is a place where people will sacrifice their gain for the good of their brother and their community. This is no social program or new technology; this is no less than an entire rebirth of humanity. This is a complete rennovation of man. Could it be true that God sent his only son to preach His Word, die on a cross, and rise again in order to rebuild His creation from the inside out? Is God's Kingdom not only some future heavenly place, but here now on earth? Are we serving His Kingdom or are we serving ourselves? Are you waiting for something more to happen? Don't wait too long.

This is not a statement of doctrine, but a mere rambling. I don't claim this writing as a truth, but rather barber shop conversation . . . that is, if your barber is Christian, I suppose.

2004-09-11T19:01:00.000-07:00

I checked-out a book on Soren Kierkegaard at the library last week. Steve Locke used to talk about Kierkegaard all the time. So I thought to myself if Steve liked him, he must be a cool and interesting guy to read about. And he is.

One cool thing that Keirkegaard said was that the belief in God is nothing that we can come to by our own discernment. In other words, belief cannot be discovered or proved through theological discourse, good argumentation, or laborious study. You can get close to belief, but you can't get all the way there. To quote Karl Jaspers' chapter in the book:

"For the truth of this faith cannot be perceived, cannot be discovered historicaly, cannot be thought speculatively. It does not like human truth slumber within us as a hidden bud which need only be awakened. It is not like human truth communicated from teacher to scholar, where the scholar learnd only incidentally from the teacher what he might well have been able to discover for himself. On the contrary Christian faith develops outside of and in opposition to human truth. It comes to us from elsewhere. God alone gives us the capacity for belief."

I was reminded of this again at the preaching conference this weekend. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 1:18-23
18 For to those who are perishing the message of the cross is foolishness, but to us who are being saved it is God's power. 19 For it is written: I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and I will set aside the understanding of the experts. 20 Where is the philosopher? Where is the scholar? Where is the debater of this age? Hasn't God made the world's wisdom foolish? 21 For since, in God's wisdom, the world did not know God through wisdom, God was pleased to save those who believe through the foolishness of the message preached. 22 For the Jews ask for signs and the Greeks seek wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to the Gentiles.

I guess this struck a chord with me because I'm constantly reading books on appologetics trying to find great arguements to prove the faith. I know that this is important and that we are commanded to be prepared to defend our faith to all who ask. But utimately, my arguments and my proofs cannot bring anyone belief in God's Word. Only God can do that. Only God can make the blind see.

I'm not going to stop reading appologetics book, nor will I stop thinking of proofs for God. But my wisdom is foolishness unless it is blessed by God. My conversations are meaningless unless they are guided by God. If I expect to convert an unbeliever (or help anyone with anything), I must spend more words in intercessory prayer for God's revelation for that person.

2004-09-08T14:17:00.000-07:00

Well, its official, I'm a seminarian.

The more I learn about seminary and my future studies here, the more confidence I gain in God's call for me. I know that I am in the right place, thank the Lord!

For sure, I went through some doubts before I came to this peaceful day. I had doubts even up to the first morning of student orientation. I walked into the chapel with 700 other new students, just like me, who were all called to seminary. Suddenly, I felt like my 'special call' from God was just a number in a crowd full of special calls. I honestly felt a little disheartened. My selfish desire for importance and individuality was crushed (thank the Lord!)

Thankfully, the Lord began to work on my heart and show me truth of my surroundings.

As I got to know the other students, I understood that God had called us - each one of us - in our own way. We each had our own life story, and we each had a different journey to seminary; yet the same God of the Universe called each of us from wherever we were to serve Him. This is the same God that called Noah, Moses, Paul, and countless others throughout the centuries. Its a comfort to know that God has called all of us to this place at this time. Its a comfort to hear stories of men, just like me, who turned over their life to pursue God's call. We have an inherent bond that runs deep. These are my brothers and sisters. God is good.

"Well, isn't that special!" (ala Church Lady, 1987) I'll let you know if I still have these same goo-goo-la-la feelings half way through the semester when my Greek mid-terms are pressing in. For now, it is wonderful to be bathed in the glory of God's surroundings in my life. I will soak in every minute. Please continue to pray for me and Shanna.

2004-09-06T11:04:00.000-07:00

A few months ago, I scratched out a statement for myself to help me remember the truth amidst all the changes we are facing. I lost it in the packing process, but today I randomly found it in the shuffle. I thought that I'd blog it.

I know that things will get expensive.
I know that there will always be loose ends.
I know that the future seems unclear and uncertain.
I know all of this, yet I know that God is greater than all of these. I know he has a plan and will provide a life greater than I ever expected if I trust and follow him.
Constant prayer and study are the tools to build trust in the Lord.
Immerse yourself in his Word, prayer, worship, and fellowship and you will be walking closely with the Lord.
I am worthless on my own. Everything that I have tried on my own has been useles, a failure, or hurtful to others. My existence, by itself, has been and will be completely meaningless.
God has given me every great thing I have. My life through him has been made wonderfull. The work he has done through my life is the only good work I've done.
My future with the Lord is unbounded and perfect. If I walk with the Lord, he will guide and provide a life beyond measure.
Amen.

2004-09-02T06:15:00.000-07:00

I just read a blog by Mary that really got me thinking. Mary was talking about recieving email forwards about Jesus and other Christian topics. Many of these emails come with a note that says something like, "Forward this email to everyone in your address book if you want to be a Good Christian!" Like Mary, I feel guilty about not forwarding these and filling my quota. Occasionally, I do forward them to people who I know would like to read the particular message, but mostly I just delete the emails after I've read them.

I wonder how the original sender of the message decided that "everyone in your address book" is sufficient numbers to qualify you as a 'Good Christian'? Why stop there? As long as they have the power to make up quotas, I think the email should include a note that says, "Print 1,000 copies of this email and hand them out to every person that crosses your path - if you want to be a Good Christian!" Better yet, how about a note that says, "Publish this email in an attractive brochure format, print 7.1 million copies, buy a one-way ticket to the Middle-East, develop a team of highly trained street evangelists to pass them out, then - and only then - will you be a Good Christian!" The point that I make is that all quotas for Christianity can be reduced to absurity. We can never do enough, as long as there is more to do.

Along this same topic of quotas, I often find myself judging others based on what they're doing or not doing. Yet, there must be room for Christian accountability somewhere. Should I never say 'Praise you sister for serving the Lord, what a blessed example you are to me!'. Or, should I never say 'Brother, your evil deed is a sin against God!". For the most part, I understand that judgment is placed on the person, whereas accountability is held on the person's actions.

All aside, we are called by God to share the Good News of Jesus Christ. We are called to share this news in many ways, times, places, and formats. We must seek God's Holy Spirit for guidance in these matters, for this is something that we dare not approach on our own. Some people are called to shout the Gospel from a soap-box on the street corners, while others are called to quietly comfort a dying patient. I do beleive that God convicts our hearts when we are not serving his kingdom. We are always called to serve God in greater capacities, but we must seek God's advice on that, not some random emailer. I know a really awsome guy named Jim who prays for opportunities to evangelize. When he prays for this, he finds that he is constantly placed with people and situations eager for the Good News.

Isn't the final answer always 'Pray and seek God's guidance'.

2004-08-24T08:34:00.000-07:00

I just read a book called The Question of God by Dr. Armand Nicholi. Great book, read it. The author compares and contrasts the world views of C.S. Lewis and Sigmund Freud. Lewis holds God and Christian teachings at the center of his world view, while Freud holds Atheism and psychoanalysis in the center. Much of the book is written almost as a biography, full of direct quotes from letters, books, and other writings from both men.

There are, of course, the obvious differences between Christianity and Atheism - like God and nothing. But the greatness of this book is that it explores all aspects of Lewis's and Freud's lives to unfold a full story of how their world views molded them as humans. The book explores each man's view on love, friendships, relationships, sex, marraige, the meaning of life, and death.

There is a whole chapter devoted to how Freud and Lewis approached their own deaths. Both men had a terminal illness and were well aware of their own mortality during the last months of their lives. Freud faced his death with depression, anxiety, and panic; Lewis embraced his death and spent his last days in a calm, cheerful mood, with almost 'anticipation'.

I thank God for C.S. Lewis. What a great man and a greater Christian. C.S. Lewis has made such a rock-solid case for Christianity through logic alone. His logical arguments for God and Christian teachings are sometimes overwhelming to me. As I read Lewis, I constantly have 'wow' moments, where another truth about God is revealed. Lewis not only wrote about it, he lived it, and died it. What a great Christian.

I pray that my life will have the same effect on those around me. There is true nobility in following our Lord Jesus Christ. Nobility is not the desired end result for which we live, but rather nobility is the by-product of a life lived for Christ.

2004-06-02T13:42:00.000-07:00

I've been thinking lately about 'conservative' and 'liberal' Christians. It seems like the conservative Christians are always upset with the liberal Christians because they think they're too inclusive and permissive - speaking God's grace with little of God's judgment. The liberal Christians are upset with the conservatives for being too exclusive and insensitive - speaking God's judgment with little grace.

Then I began to think of the Body of Christ and how the Bible explains that the Body is made of all sorts of believers. Each of these believers have certain talents, gifts, and purposes within the body, yet each of them are used for building Christ's kingdom. All is used for His glory for those who love the Lord.

I also thought of John the Baptist (and other OT Prophets) who was a fiery voice of God's judgment and wrath, and this contrasts with the Apostle Paul who spoke a strong message of God's forgiveness and grace. Jesus was the King of Grace and Forgiveness, yet He also spoke of a time when the Lord will come to judge all.

It may be that, in the end, God uses all these voices to get his point accross.

2004-04-25T20:36:00.000-07:00

This is an amazing statement of Christianity written by Lloyd Alhem. Read and enjoy. Lloyd must like Rich Mullins . . .

A CHRISTIAN MANIFESTO
FOR PEOPLE WHO AREN’T
GREAT THEOLOGIANS

by Lloyd Ahlem

God is in charge of everything. He designed it all, made it all, and will end it all. How he goes about it is curiously captivating to consider. You can get some fancy college and seminary degrees trying to figure it all out.

God thinks he is self-evident. He is not too worried about your proving whether or not he exists. Simple people can find out a lot about him without much mental hassle. Brainy folks have to be more childlike.

God loves people. He turned himself into a man so he could be like you. He gurgled through babyhood, colic, and wet pants. He squirmed through adolescence, emerged into strong manhood, and into full divinity. He is the strangest combination of qualities you have ever heard of. He is called Jesus, and he will not fit any of your notions of what God ought to be like.

Through the years people who yearned for him and began to understand him wrote down what they learned about him. They used their own words and descriptions as best they could. They did very well for they still tell us about him today. Their thoughts are true and full of hope. Some people like to argue about the words, but their fussing is not important. The plain stuff will compel you more than you expect. If you don't think so start with the Gospel of John, then the Gospel of Luke, and the Acts of the Apostles. They are easy to find in the index of your Bible.

God knows you screw up your life and make a lot of booboos. Knowing you could hardly do otherwise, he decided to forgive you before you even started being so awfully normal. That way the heat is off you and on him. No use keeping score in a game where the results don't count. You can forget about feeling guilty for all your nonsense unless you decide to be your own god and fix everything yourself. Some people try to do this and they get very tired; tired of themselves and tired of never succeeding at setting things straight. There is always somebody to apologize to, some stupid act to rationalize, or some dumb mistake that cannot be corrected. In time you will not care or your conscience will be so beaten up you won't feel either pain or joy. Fortunately, Jesus paid all our moral and spiritual bills. You don't have to contribute a thing-just accept the gift. This is true even if you have done something hideous.

Since God has no memory of your klutzy deeds and lusty motives, he likes what he sees in you. He enjoys your company. He laughs and sings and dances when you come around. He is like a father who wants to do more for his kids than they can imagine. He tries not to be too indulgent because they might get spoiled. So you may not get everything your heart desires.

God is not half as hard on you as people are. He loves you so much he will forgive stuff most religious people would like to hold you accountable for. Do not worry about these people. They can't take away the gift. In fact, a lot them haven't accepted the gift themselves. That's why they are so pious and cranky. Try copying God when it comes to forgiving yourself. You are probably tougher on yourself than he is.

God will give your life direction and meaning. Just start doing the things that show love to people and let God put all you do into a personal mission. By loving and serving you will discover your abilities and God will expand your opportunities. A lot of books have been written about special secret and mysterious ways to dig out what God has in mind for people. Most of these can be ignored. Just read the New Testament. Then do the things that are obvious to do.

Sing a lot, love even more, worship joyfully, hope strenuously, and remember God must have a sense of humor to make the likes of you. He always has a surprise when he moves you along in your life. He is never completely predictable. He loves to put quirks in your plans just for the fun of it. Accept the fact with cheer for he has final plans you can scarcely imagine.

Someday those people who decided to be their own god will get to live with themselves forever; totally alone, unloved, bitter, hopeless, remembering what might have been. The place is called hell and the door will likely be locked from the inside, for this is what they are used to doing. You, on the other hand, are invited to live in his mansion. Living with God will be so fulfilling you will be tickled you dumped all the other options. No death, no tears, no grief, no suffering. Hooray!

- - - - - - - -

Lloyd Ahlem, Ed.D., is a retired psychologist, professor, college and seminary president, retirement community administrator, and businessman. He is a member of Cornerstone Covenant Church, Turlock, California. An earlier version of this article originally appeared in the Covenant Companion.

2004-04-23T21:38:00.000-07:00

Please pray for me. I desperately want less of me and more of God. I want nothing but God's presence in my life. I wish to speak nothing but His word. Yet, my own agenda is always manipulating His work in me. I constantly dilute God's will to fit my comfort level. I know God has called me to seminary, but I sometimes cringe at the thought of myself as a beacon for His Kingdom. Lord, take away my selfish desire. Humble me God. Teach me how your Righteousness and Truth compliment your Love, Grace, and Compassion.

2004-04-03T10:11:00.000-08:00

Today, I am trying to plan our trip back East. I've got lots of mixed emotions. I'm super excited as I look through this United States Road Atlas! Las Vegas, the Grand Canyon, St. Louis, Chicago . . . I can't wait to see so much of America! From purple mountains' majesties, baby! There is so much to see and do! I've got the same feeling about seminary. Its such an exciting adventure to start on!

I've also started planning what furniture we will take and how big of a trailer I need to haul it all. This is when some reality and a touch a loneliness sets in. I begin to realize all the things that I will miss, and what a huge change I am embracing. Its kind of scary when I really think about it.

I know, in the end, my life will not be fulfilled by keeping safe and secure. At the end of my life, I want to at least be able to say that I tried my best to follow my Lord, wherever he took me. My trust is in Him. Four walls and a paycheck are deceiving security. I've started to notice that the more I trust God, the more safe and secure I feel - regardless of my surroundings.

I so much want there to be more of Him and less of me.

2004-02-28T21:31:00.000-08:00

OK, so we have this foreign exchange student from Spain on our tennis team. His name is Jesus (in Spanish, thats Hey-suse!) So, anyway, Jesus is awsome. He is the coolest tennis player on the face of the earth. We spent the last two days at a tennis tournament in Clovis, and Jesus didn't loose a match. He's solid. Watching him play is like poetry. He doesn't hit the ball hard, but it's just plain beautiful. He's a clay court tennis player, so it gives him this finesse and movement that is hypnotic. Plus, he consistently delivers these unbelievable shots in nail-biting, clutch moments.

The greatest part is that Jesus saved our team twice in this tournament. In our last match today, our team was tied dead-even with our opponents, and Jesus was the last match to play. Jesus, through an incredible battle, won victory for our team. The players ran out onto the court yelling "Jesus saves!", and "Jesus can't loose!" He has become the most popular and respected guy on our team.

I just think its really cool that his name is Jesus.

2004-02-26T19:09:00.000-08:00

I saw "The Passion" last night with Stacy and some of the youth at the Presbyterian Church. Wow, it was intense. 'Intense' is about the only way I can describe it. I felt like I had just walked away from a fatal car crash. It definitely made the point that Jesus, a sinless man, paid the ultimate price for our sins. It left no room for thinking "yeah, it was a bad death, but it could have been worse." I can't think of any way it could have been worse. I'm sure that Mel (Gibson) took some creative license with the torture scene, and I know many people criticized it for being too graphic, but I think it was very intentional in order to bring you to a place where you were so emotionally disturbed and appalled that you felt like crying out "STOP! ENOUGH!” I wanted to get out of my seat and help Him! I was almost moved to action, and I think that was Mel's intent. I feel that the movie definitely calls us to speak out and act against violence. Jesus was such a passive resister who loved His enemies and raised His hand to no one. He stood firmly for the Truth, but He didn't defend the Truth with the sword - He defended it only with love, honesty, and its own piercing depth. He prayed for forgiveness for the men who brutally tortured and crucified Him.

He is the Way.

2004-02-24T18:54:00.000-08:00

I went to buy my ticket to "The Passion" for tomorrow night. I could not believe the experience I had buying this ticket! As I was purchasing the ticket, I got several 'advisories' from the ticket agent (a teenage girl). I was advised that the movie would be very full and to arrive 20 minutes early. I was advised that the movie would be in Greek and Aramaic, and therefore would have subtitles. And, I was advised that the movie contains much graphic violence due to the subject of the film.

Wow, that’s a lot of advice just to see the truth!

I wish the movie theater would advise us on more movies. Like, "We advise you that this movie will help to slowly desensitize you to violent crime and rape, and therefore contribute greatly to the decline of civilization as we know it today." Or, "We advise you that this movie will show repeated, graphic sex scenes between unwed couples, which will help to completely distort and pervert your ideas about relationships, sexuality, and marriage . . . enjoy the movie!" Best yet, "We advise you that this movie will subtlety teach your children how magic and the spiritual world can work for them in their daily lives."

Isn't it odd that, on a Saturday afternoon, I can watch dozens of junior high kids buy tickets for a "G" rated movie, and then jump from "R" rated movie to "R" rated movie after they are inside the movie theater, yet "The Passion" deserves these extra precautions. Satan is tricky. I bet he sits through movie after movie and just smiles at all the subtle lies being fed to captive audiences. He's tried his best to block "The Passion" by claiming it anti-Semitic, violent, graphic, and controversial - yet God's Truth will be revealed.

2004-02-19T20:03:00.000-08:00

I rented some videos from the Bible bookstore over the weekend. I watched video called "Death by Music". Sounds cheery, huh? I originally pictured a person tied down in a medieval torture chamber while thugs blared clarinets in his ears and beat him with drumsticks.

The lyrical content of much of today's music is disturbing - like this is something we don't already know. But this video takes the time to really explore and uncover it. In part of the video, the filmmaker asks teens about their favorite artist and what their songs are about. Most of the teens had to stop and think for a minute, and then they responded consistently with "sex", "drugs", "party'n", "get'n money". He continues the interviews by citing several popular songs about rape, brutal killing, beheading your parents, and other unbelievable topics; then he asks the teens if there is anything that is 'over the edge' that should not be sung about. Time after time, they all said that everything is fair game and cited "free speech". Thankfully, there was one girl that thought something could go too far . . . she didn't think it was right when a song tried to push religion on her.

Man, it must be the end times when rape and murder are hip culture and Jesus is a taboo topic. I think I would prefer a thug with a clarinet over MTV any day.

2004-02-14T08:59:00.000-08:00

On this Valentine's Day morning, I thank God for giving me my wife. Several years ago, I could not imagine being married, and now I can't imagine living life without her. Shanna is my best friend, my sister in Christ, my greatest supporter, my true love, my colleague in education, my partner in crime (not real crime); we laugh and play and love, and sometimes argue too, just to keep things real. Our marraige has grown and stregthened our faith in so many different ways. She has made me more of a man than I ever was before. She holds me accountable for my actions and loves me unconditionally. I long to love her, cherish her, and protect her all of my living days. A Christian wife is one of God's greatest blessings.

2004-02-13T19:43:00.000-08:00

Hello. This is my first Blogg. My brother Ben Posluch set up my account up here at Calvin Crest. Things are good. I got accepted to Gordon-Conwell Seminary in Massachusetts last Monday. Very exciting and changing times! Nick Mastin says hi. Nick is cool. Ben is cool. Ben is the bloggmaster.