Wrestling Girls

Should we wrestle girls? I haven't thought this all the way through yet, but here are two contrasting articles on the subject. Read them and tell me what you think. I do know that I have this temptation to side with Rick Reilly because I don't want to be made fun of. I also have this temptation to side with John Piper because they thought about adding him to the list of apostles in the bible. The trinity would have been blasphemous and would it be called the quadinity? I digress, to a lot of you it seems like no big deal. I don't mind my daughters being a little tomboyish. I'm not a big fan of prissiness. I think that Piper makes an excellent point on not wanting my daughter touched in that way. I also think that boys and girls are different(profound, I know). Stereotypes when it comes to sex are abundant. The thing is, I don't mind most of them. God created us different and I believe we have different ways of glorifying God. Men may glorify God with their strength while girls honor God with their beauty. Rather than running away from the biblical view of manhood/womanhood towards "equality", we should run towards the bible. Embrace the differences and celebrate them.


Over My Dead Body, Son
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/news/story?id=6136707

Reminders Are More Effective Than Rebukes

I commented in my sermon yesterday on how being hung up on our sin is not a sign of Holiness, but a sign of pride. Our repentance shouldn't come from when we're upset about how sin has affected us. Or we shouldn't be upset because we thought we were more righteous than that. Because you're not. In Psalms 51, David tells God against You, against You only have I sinned. Our sin is against God. That is serious stuff, but sinning against God should always drive us to the gospel. Being humble isn't beating yourself up, it's lifting Jesus up. Never let you or the devil have the final word on your sin, let Jesus.
Exalt HIM!

This link is excellent. This guy is way cooler than me.
Reminders Are More Effective Than Rebukes

Lessons in Faith from ‘Jersey Shore’

I am in no way endorsing Jersey Shore, but do feel like it's time for confession. I"ve been snowed in from work and have watched a little Maury, Steve Wilkos, and Real Housewives. These are facts I'm not real proud of. Pray for me.


Lessons in Faith from ‘Jersey Shore’

Reflections on Tragedy

This week in our community we had a terrible thing happen.  A young man on his eleventh birthday wanted to do nothing more than to go gigging with his family.  So he loaded up with his dad, grandpa and great uncle and out they went.  All four of them died in the cold waters.  A lady lost her dad, husband, son, and uncle in one night.  Today, I got the chance to just hang around the school.  I got to listen to people, pray for people, and pray with people.  I just wanted to make a few observations.

1.  Life Sucks.  It doesn't all of the time, but sometimes it does really, really bad.  There aren't any magic words for a situation like that.  It makes me long desperately for the day I will dwell with God.  He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away Revelations 21:4 

2.  There are a lot of people of faith in my town.  It's easy as a pastor to rank the kinds of Christians that go to your church.  Like I can see their hearts and gauge their passion for Jesus.  I don't know how I can see sometimes with the giant plank in my eye.  What I saw today is a lot of people have a faith in God that gets them through.  I was so privileged to see the good in people and as a pastor it makes me want to draw it out of people even more.  There was a man who owns a restaurant in a nearby town that heard the story and decided that he would cater the whole funeral dinner by himself for free.  How wonderful!

3.  Be there for people.  I was nervous about going.  I was in way over my head.  I don't know what to say to people.  20 of the teachers probably came to me and told me how glad they were that there were pastors there.  You don't have to say much, just let people know that you love them.

4.  God is so good.  I would rather not have another day like this for the rest of my life.  However, God was there.  He teaches so much.  What a wonderful thing that God would use a piece of work like me. 

Pray for them

01: The Pastor and Personal Criticism

I wanted to share a link to this article, because this is something I struggle with. We should fear God more than we fear man. I really like the first reason we can expect criticism. Because we sin, because sometimes criticism is right on. I pray God gives me the grace to accept criticism, and to repent from that sin. I pray that I get the discernment to toss the criticism that is trash out. By the way, I think this applies to people that aren't pastors also.


01: The Pastor and Personal Criticism

SWAGGER WAGON

I have two great friends that are going to have their first baby tomorrow. This is the most excited I've been for a baby to come in a while. It's pretty hard to be a parent and be cool. Who knows maybe they'll pull it off. The thing is I always thought marriage showed me how selfish I was, having kids shows you even more. There are a lot of things I hope for my kids. I must admit, I love sports and the idea of having a great athlete really excites me. I'm afraid it excites me too much. I want my children to be good people. That's more important than making a basket or getting perfect grades.

First things first, my children must realize that they aren't good. I'm not saying I want them to feel bad about themselves. I'm saying on our best day we're still horrible sinners deserving of God's wrath, on our worst day we're never outside the reach of God's marvelous grace. We have a way as parents letting our priorities get out of wack. Sometimes I worry way too much about my self, my coolness. Sometimes, I worry too much about my silly dreams for them. The most important thing you can do for your children is to teach them about Jesus.

Bob Dylan gets it why don't you?

"I told you 'The Times They Are a-Changin," and they did.  I said the answer was 'Blowin' in the Wind,' and it was.  I'm telling you now that Jesus is coming back and He is.  And there is no other way of salvation.  There's only one way to believe there's only one Way, the Truth and the Life.  It took a long time to figure that out before it did come to me, and I hope it doesn't take you that long."


Bob Dylan

Parenting: It’s Never an Interruption

I try to post articles on parenting as much as possible, because I need all of the help I can get.  Parenting has this way of making you feel wonderfully blessed one moment and like a miserable person the next.  Then again that's kind of the way the gospel makes me feel too.  I'm wonderfully blessed because God set His love on me, a miserable person.  Parenting is a wonderful way to see the gospel, hear the gospel, and put the gospel to work.  To God be the glory


  Check it out   Parenting: It’s Never an Interruption

Parenting: The Joyful Impossibility

Parenting: The Joyful Impossibility

The Altar Call's Greatest Hits

Our invitations are a little different than Jesus's. If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whover loses his life for My sake will save it. Luke 9:23-24

Live by the day--ay, by the hour.  put no trust in frames and feelings.  Care more for a grain of faith than a ton of excitement.  Trust in God alone, and lean not on the reeds of human help.  Be not surprised when friends fail you: it is a failing world.  Never count upon immutability in man: inconstancy you may reckon upon without fear of disappointment.  The disciples of Jesus forsook him; be not amazed if your adherents wander away to other teachers: as they were not your all when with you, all is not gone from you with their departure.  Serve God with all your might while the candle is burning, and then when it goes out for a season, you will have the less to regret.  Be content to be nothing, for that is what you are.  When your own emptiness is painfully forced upon your consciousness, chide yourself that you ever dreamed of being full, except in the Lord.  Set small store by present rewards; be grateful for earnests by the way, but look for the recompensing joy hereafter.  Continue, with double earnestness to serve your Lord when no visible result is before you.  Any simpleton can follow the narrow path in the light: faith's rare wisdom enables us to march on in the dark with infallible accuracy, since she places her hand in that of her great Guide.  Between this and heaven there may be rougher weather yet, but it is all provided for by our covenant Head.  In nothing let us be turned aside from the path which the divine call has urged us to pursue.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon
Lectures to my Students

To my special friend

Mark 8:35 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it. 

I have this special friend.  We'll call him Englebert.  He used to sit down at the break room table, and ask if there was more to life than this.  The secret to finding life seems to be losing yours.  Becoming so wrapped up in the gospel that you're purpose is to hide behind the cross and make Christ known.  In Phil 3 Paul recounts all that he had going for him.  He was a winner and doggone it people liked him.  Except, perhaps Christians.  Everything, he had going for him he counted as rubbish, once he found Christ.  Nothing compared to the gift of righteousness God had given him through Jesus.  Once he found Jesus, life as he knew it was ruined.  Sometimes, to find life we got to let Christ ruin ours.  When he becomes  your treasure he spoils a lot of other things for you.  Are you willing to let him ruin everything for you besides bringing glory to his name?

I Timothy2:1 First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.

I though about talking politics right after the mid-term election.  I then realized that would make me an idiot.  I already talk religion, am I just a glutton for punishment.  Maybe, I could say a little now.  First, there are Christians in all parties.  Second, if the guy or girl you voted for didn't make it, still pray for them.  Not only pray for them, be thankful for them.  If you think he/she is a major screw up, be assured that God is still on His throne.  If the guy/girl you voted for did make it.  Yippee!  They're still a politician.  I guess what bothers me the most is the fact that people think politics will make everything better.  The gospel is what this nation needs more than anything.  Vote and vote informed, but trust in an Almighty God.  Pray for your leaders.  Pray that God gives them wisdom and that they find salvation in Jesus Christ.  It's a sin to not pray for them.

Ten Commandments of Parenting

Ten Commandments of Parenting

Proverbs 18:2 A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion.

How, true is that.  People are created equal, but ideas are not.  Some ideas simply stink.  Be discerning enough to know that there is truth out there.  Be disciplined enough to seek understanding     Thessalonians teaches us to aspire to live a quiet life.  You're not as smart as you think you are, so shut your mouth once in a while.

Trophy Kids

Trophy Kids Check out this parenting stuff.

Fat Pastors

I read a pretty good blog last week about fat pastors.  The author felt that a pastor's appearance undermined the gospel.  It shows a lack of self control for a pastor to look like the stay puff marshmallow man.  Being, somewhat skinny this could be something I could really jump on, but I'm not going to.  People like to point to the fact that our bodies are temples for the Holy Spirit. If we're going to use this verse to combat smoking, chewing and drinking we better use it to combat McChickens as well.(I just use that because a pair of McChickens assaulted my intestines today.)  I agree with this logic, but like anything we can take it to far.  If it's a matter of self control then we can't use weight as an objective means of measurement.  I know skinny people that can out eat a small army.  The real danger is the fact that I know a lot of skinny people that are vain.  I also sense in my own life the very real possibility of exercise becoming an idol.  The abstaining of food can be a source of self-righteousness, or we can become our own idols. 

Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths.  Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.   I Timothy 4:7-8

I think taking care of your body is important, but not as important as training for Godliness.  In this image obsessed society, we should work on developing the fruit of the Holy Spirit.

It's been a week since I last blogged.  Mainly, because I tend to get fed up with a lot of talk.  God desires our obedience.  Some spend way too much time reading, blogging, and listening to sermons.  More should just get out and obey.  I'm not the only one that feels this way.  You hear this sentiment all of the time.  Stop going to church and start being the church.  Let's take the church outside.  The last thing we need is another sermon or bible study.  While, I certainly understand these sentiments they can be incorrect. 

All scripture is breathed out by god and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17

The word is the very thing that prepares us for good works.  It puts us in the right frame of mind where our good works will be done for God's glory.  We forget sometimes that the word being preached and sung on Sundays is of supreme importance because it exalts Christ, better than we can.  Our creativity, ingenuity, and imagination in praising God doesn't compare to what His word already says about Him.  So get off your butts, but keep the word central.  I get tired of hear people whine, "Why doesn't God speak to me."  Open the bible you sorry sack, HE already did and HE still is.  I don't intend to undermine service and ministering to your community, but I do want the word to come back to the front.

What is the worst sin out there?  If you believe a lot of popular pastors it's homosexuality, abortion or maybe pornography.  While there is no denying the destruction these things bring, they're not the worst.  Is it pride?  Is it greed?  No, but getting closer even our churches tend to struggle with being materialistic and greedy.  Before, I give my answer I want to make one thing clear.  The penalty of sin is the same regardless of the sin.  Our God is a holy God and our sin(big or small) separates us from God.  Our sin is our rebellion against a Holy God.  Christians have been given a covering for their sin.  They exchanged their crappy life for God's perfect life and He got the death we all deserved.  With that being said, I believe the the worst sin we have is the sin that we don't repent of.  Luther said the Christian life is a life of repenting.  How dare we know to do good and don't do it.  How can we see something is clearly wrong in scripture and continue in it?  I wish I hated sin as much as God does.  Someone once said we only believe the parts of the bible we actually follow. 

But God's firm foundation stands, bearing this seal:  "The Lord knows those who are his,"  and ,  "Let everyone who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity."  2 Timothy 2:19

On Sunday I preached about taking risks.  Today, I ate a chimichanga from a trailer next to a storage place.  Guess who's not a hypocrite now.  Me.  I forget who it was, Schaeffer or Tozer or somebody else, but they said if you took every reference to the Holy Spirit out of the new testament would our churches look any different.  Sometimes I wonder the same about faith after saving faith of course.    In the book of James we realize that people can't see our faith, but they can see our works.  Our works confirm that we have a real faith.  How does your faith express itself?  How does your faith make your life look different?  I just want to encourage everyone who reads this.  Jesus has come that you may have life and have it abundantly.  I'm not talking about some dude in a cheap suit claiming cadillacs in Jesus' name.  I'm not talking about health, wealth, and prosperity.  It's much more than that.  It's an opportunity to know, serve, and fellowship with the one who spoke the world into existence.  Jesus loves you.