Funkyjimmer's Blog

Thursday, January 29, 2004

INDIANA STUDENT LEADERSHIP FORUM ON FAITH AND VALUES

This weekend Karon and I will participate in this Forum. As far as I know, it is patterned after the National Student Leadership Forum. Then-United States Senator Dan Coats began Indiana’s Forum several years ago. Currently United States Representative Mike Pence continues the effort with the assistance of a great crew of capable volunteers.

Students from every college in Indiana—public and private—are invited to attend. Usually the College will pay the registration cost. Typically 250 – 300 students attend. They spend a weekend in Indianapolis at the State House and are housed at a local hotel. There are general sessions where people who have demonstrated Christian Principles in their professions are invited to speak to the gathering. Some are successful businessmen; some politicians and some are from the sports world.

The students attending are divided into small groups of 10-12 members with a facilitator couple. In addition to the general sessions, there is time for sessions in the small groups. The groups spend Saturday afternoon doing various service projects in the Indianapolis metropolitan area. Saturday evening the groups go to various community homes for a meal and another small group session in the host home. It is a great time for host families to meet outstanding college students and vice-versa.

I don’t know how many years the Forum has been held. The past several years my wife and I have hosted a small group in our home on Saturday night.
We have met some terrific people this way.

This year we are going to be “Facilitators”. We will spend the entire weekend with a small group of students. We will attend their sessions; facilitate their small group discussions and go to the work project with them.

I am looking forward to it. It is good to be with such committed people. I have been so encouraged by my associations with this age group over the past several years. They are such terrific people. I have 13 people of this age group on my daily prayer list. They have each blessed my life so much in one way or another.

It will be a rich, rewarding, scary, challenging, exhausting (what other adjectives could I use?) experience. But I have been praying that Karon and I can be a real blessing to those with whom we interact this weekend. I would ask that you who are reading this would pray for the Indiana Student Leadership Forum meeting Friday afternoon through Sunday afternoon. Pray for good travel weather; for the speakers; for God to prepare the hearts of those who attend. Pray for Karon and me.

I’ll let you know next week how it went.

Jim

posted by jim 2:30 PM 0 comments

Monday, January 26, 2004

“…THE SIN THAT SO EASILY ENTANGLES….”
(Hebrews 12:1)

A while back I was reading about David Livingstone, the great British missionary explorer. He was making his way through the African bush country when he was startled by a noise. He turned just in time to see a lion springing at him.

Livingstone tied to jump aside but the lion caught him by the shoulder and began to shake him, much like a cat with a mouse. Livingstone escaped the attack but his later description of that event got me to thinking.

He said that when that lion had him by the shoulder shaking him, it caused a sort of “dreaminess” to come over him. In this state he said he experienced no sense of pain or feeling of terror. Yet at the same time, Livingstone said he was completely aware of all that was happening. He described it as similar to what patients experience who are partially under the influence of anesthetic. Those patients, in a state of "dreamy" consciousness" see all the operation but do not feel the knife that inflicts the surgical wound.

I have tried to imagine what David Livingstone experienced as he was caught in the jaws of a deadly enemy. The rest of his account said that instead of feeling fear or pain, he was “entranced and captivated by an agent whose only intent was his destruction.”

The book I was reading commented that Livingstone’s experience is what it is like for a Christian being attacked by Satan. Instead of being aware of the destruction that is taking place and fearing it enough to fight to get free, the Christian responds with the same kind of “dreamy” consciousness that a temptation is occurring, but “so what?” There seems to be no sense of distress or fear that would provide motivation to escape. Instead we allow the temptation to overcome us and we yield and are destroyed.

As one who has struggled all my life with a specific temptation, I can testify that it happened to me exactly as described by that book. From my early pre-teen years until only a short time ago, I was caught in the grips of Satan’s temptation. I knew it was wrong but I took a dreamy, “it probably isn’t so bad” attitude toward my sin. I saw myself being destroyed without accepting that it was me and that I was actually being destroyed by my persistent sin. I had no sense of terror or that anything was really wrong.

Thanks to the intervention of God through a great and godly friend, I was made aware of what was happening to me. For me, the struggle to free myself is a continuing battle. But it is a battle that is being won a day at a time and sometimes an hour at a time.

At the Cross, Christ freed me from the guilt and the penalty of sin. And that freedom is mine because I have accepted Him as my Lord and Savior. But Satan doesn’t give in or give up easily. He still battles to have me yield to his enticing temptations.

But God has impressed on me His promise in 1 Corinthians 10:13: “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.”

I pray daily that I and all the people on my prayer list will remember the truth of that Scripture and that we will want to find that way out, that we will look for it and take it rather than yield to Satan’s temptations.

Sometimes I take that way out and sometimes I don’t. However, I can say that because of God’s grace to me, I find and take that way out more often now than I used to.

It helps me to remember times when, by God’s help and the prayers and help of my Christian friend; I was able to resist temptation. I try to remember what helped me say, ”No” to sin. Usually it was remembering how sinning would hurt my God, my family and my friend. I just couldn’t do it. God would often provide a way out by creating a distraction in some form.

But I also remember times when I yielded to temptation. I am not proud of it but it happened. It happened when I ignored God’s teaching and refused to look for or take the way out He provided.

So I still pray for God to open my eyes (and the eyes of those for whom I pray daily) to see the “way out” God provides the next time we are tempted. Then we won’t go down in defeat before the battle against temptation even begins.

Jim

posted by jim 2:20 PM 0 comments

Wednesday, January 21, 2004

SEVEN WEEKS AND OUT!

Seven weeks ago today I had my left shoulder rotator cuff surgically repaired – again! When I awoke from the surgery I had the sling in place. It has been there 24/7, except when showering and doing home exercises the doctor ordered.

Seven weeks later I am now out of the sling. I will begin formal physical therapy twice a week for six weeks or so. Now that I am out of the sling the therapist will work on regaining motion and strength in the arm and shoulder. It is surprising how quickly atrophy sets in and you lose strength after seven weeks of immobility. If it weren’t for the home exercises which I faithfully performed (at least until returning to work!) I would have no strength at all.

The x-rays show healing is taking place. All the screws and “hardware” are still in place. Now I can perform the more basic tasks of daily living and won’t need so much assistance from my long-suffering wife.

I am discouraged that I still have so much pain whenever I move the arm. After all, I had surgery to be rid of the pain. But the doctor says it is because of the long period of inactivity. Therapy and use of the arm is supposed to relieve that.

At least I don’t have to “lug” that sling everywhere I go! Now I can fasten myself in the car seatbelt, shave with my safety razor, tie my shoes, tuck in my shirt, put on shirts and coats in the normal way. (Oh! I guess I no longer have a reason not to wear a necktie—I can tie it now! UGH!) Life should get easier. I just have to remember not to pick up or lift anything with any weight with the left arm for the next several weeks. That will be hard because I am naturally left-handed. I think that’s a main reason why they have you wear the sling for so long—to keep you from instinctively doing something you shouldn’t with the arm.

My use of the arm is still very limited. But I feel a sense of freedom and relief. So I am thankful and happy. I even got the trash ready to take out last night. I couldn’t take it out but I could get it ready. A small thing for which I am grateful

Jim

Jimdewing@yahoo.com

posted by jim 8:59 AM 0 comments

Monday, January 19, 2004

WHAT WE PRAY ABOUT VERSUS WHAT SHOULD WE PRAY ABOUT

My previous Blog addressed the issue of prayer meetings being glorified gossip sessions.

I am also concerned about the issues brought up for prayer. Throughout the years of my association with Christian prayer groups, the preponderance of requests are for physical matters: Healing from cancer, heart disease, surgeries of various types, on and on the list goes. But it is almost always regarding physical matters.

I keep remembering what Jesus said: “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” (Matthew 10:28)

Why do we place so much emphasis in our prayer requests on the physical and ignore the spiritual?

Seldom have I heard a request or a prayer regarding someone’s need for employment. Rarely does someone ask for prayer to deal with a difficult co-worker or family member. It is not often that someone requests prayer for a marriage that is in serious difficulty or actually breaking up. It happens, but not often.

To my recollection I have never heard someone request prayer or actually pray for someone who is really messing up his/her life by persistent sin. No one prays for someone who is sinking deeper and deeper into the muck and mire of alcoholism or another addiction such as drugs, gambling, pornography or sexual perversion. No one requests prayer for a person committing adultery or fornication.

I’ve never heard a group be requested to pray for someone who is known to lie consistently, cheat on tests or at work. Who ever asks for prayer for someone who has unresolved hatred in his/her heart toward another. When are we ever solicited to pray for someone whose prejudice is blinding him or her and doing harm to others?

This list could be endless. You get the idea.

Why are these things never mentioned in groups for prayer? Yet we will whisper about these things to others or talk about them with others over the telephone or by email. But somehow we don’t think we should pray about them.

We have the mistaken notion that to mention these things would be invading privacy or something. I rather suspect we don’t pray about them or request our groups pray about them because we might have to do something more than pray. We might be expected to intervene in some way or confront or – HEAVEN FORBID! – actually pray with the person or persons involved. We wouldn’t want to “interfere”. Who are we kidding? We just don’t want to get involved.

Oops! This has become a rant. I’d better stop. But as I do, let me say I’m not condemning others with this Post. I can speak authoritatively because what I have written describes my attitude and behavior far too often. I suspect that I’m not alone.

Jim

Jimdewing@yahoo.com

posted by jim 10:01 PM 0 comments

Friday, January 16, 2004

PRAYER MEETING OR GOSSIP SESSION?

I not only believe in prayer, I believe prayer is vital to my very existence and spiritual health. I pray. I ask others to pray for me and with me about issues. I pray for others far more than I pray for myself. So this is not intended to be a rant against prayer.

But I don’t feel comfortable participating in most group “prayer meetings” or “prayer sessions”. Usually far more time is spent talking about all the (sometimes gory) details about the matter supposedly to be prayed about. Very little time is spent praying. Often there is no time left for prayer. Why is it necessary to spend so much time probing the details of the request? Why do we feel it necessary to expound our personal opinions on every aspect of the situation we are supposedly to pray about?

I have decided it is the sin-nature in us. Why else would we be so enamored with knowing every detail? Some would argue we have to know details in order to be able to pray intelligently or adequately? I would ask, ”Why?” Do we believe in a Sovereign, Omniscient God or not? Yes, He has asked us to pray – always, even though He knows our needs before we ask. But we don’t have to know “everything about everything” in order to pray. God knows. It is our sin-nature curiosity that causes us to want to know more than we need to know in order to pray. And that sin-nature causes us to want to tell others. It may just be gossip disguised as a “prayer request” – especially if we are “requesting prayer” for someone else rather than for ourselves or our family.

I would agree that we need to know more details if we seriously intend to do something overtly to help in a situation about which we are also praying. But that is a different issue entirely. The prayer groups in which I have participated, or the prayer requests on Sunday mornings during worship, have no connection with doing anything to help in a situation. They are supposedly just for praying. And we don’t need a lot of details to do that.

This Blog is intended to address one of my distresses about group prayer meetings. There is another about which I will Blog later. Let’s digest this one for now.

I hope no one misunderstands what I’ve written. I will continue to participate in prayer groups. But I hope I can have some influence in some of them to move beyond the “gossip session” to the effective, fervent prayer which God honors. So far it hasn’t happened.

Jim
Jimdewing@yahoo.com

posted by jim 11:39 AM 0 comments

Monday, January 12, 2004

MY FRIEND

I am so blessed. I have a wonderful friend. I am so happy to have this friend. He meets what I consider all the qualifications of a friend. He is everything you could want in a friend. If you remember my blogs about friendship from last summer, I identified several characteristics necessary in a friend.

This special friend has all of those qualities about which I wrote last summer. He is committed to our friendship. We confess love for each other regularly. And my friend demonstrates his love for me often. He loves me unconditionally. I can confess to him when I mess up and he won’t hate me. My friend encourages me to godly living.

He is willing to confront me when I am wrong in my attitudes and behavior. And he does so in a manner that gently but effectively reproves. In his confrontation he convicts me of my sinfulness and motivates me to change that behavior. And he forgives me. He continues to love me and be my friend.

I believe my friend gives to me so much more than he receives. Though I try to show my love as well as verbally express it. I feel that I do both of these inadequately. I continually search for ways to more adequately communicate my love to my special friend.

My friend is completely transparent and open with me. And his demeanor encourages that same openness on my part. I have come to learn that I can trust him completely. I have shared the most secret, intimate areas of my life with my friend. I have told him things I have told no one else on earth. I am free to regularly share my struggles and temptations with my friend. I am able to share my victories over temptations and I can share those times when I yield to the temptation and completely mess up. My friend still accepts me and loves me. I am so blessed and so fortunate to have this friend. I thank God all the time for bringing him into my life. And it was God sending him, otherwise I would never have known him and come to love him and be blessed by him.

I have never seen my friend. He communicates with me through the written word. Many would say, “You can’t really love someone you haven’t met or seen personally or talked to.” But I know you can because I do! Blind people do it all the time. And if this were not possible, we could not love God. The Bible says that no one has seen God at any time. I certainly haven’t seen Him. I have seen the evidences of His presence but I haven’t seen Him. Yet I love him.

My love for my special friend is of such strength that I have determined that this friend is one for whom I would gladly lay down my physical life if called on to do so.
My friend’s written words encourage me to godly living and they have kept me from yielding to the strong temptations I often face. He knows where I am the weakest and encourages me to keep strong and pure in those areas. And I have for a long time because I don’t want to hurt or disappoint him. Yet I know that if I do sin, he will still love me, accept me and forgive me.

My friend is loyal to me and to our friendship. Although he is very busy, and has many things with which to deal, he has invested his time in order to maintain our friendship and relationship. He has interceded for me often before the Father. Oh, how I love him for that. Our friendship and relationship is stimulating—at least to me. I hope it is to my friend also.

Thank you, my friend, for being my friend. I love you. I am grateful for you and your friendship.

Who is my friend? Well, I may identify him in a later Blog. But for now, you figure it out – if you can!

Jim

posted by jim 1:16 PM 0 comments

Friday, January 09, 2004

[ Thu Jan 08, 09:55:43 PM | jim ewing | edit ]
DOUBLE ENTRY

Well, I see I achieved a double entry! Sorry about that! I tried to go back and delete one but it didn't work.

The double entry is due to my unfamiliarity with Blogging and my impatience. I suspect it is more due to my impatience than my unfamiliarity!

Oh well!!

Jim

posted by jim 9:01 AM 0 comments

Thursday, January 08, 2004

DOUBLE ENTRY

Well, I see I achieved a double entry! Sorry about that! I tried to go back and delete one but it didn't work.

The double entry is due to my unfamiliarity with Blogging and my impatience. I suspect it is more due to my impatience than my unfamiliarity!

Oh well!!

Jim

posted by jim 9:55 PM 0 comments

DATES, DATES -- AND MORE DATES

Do these dates mean anything to you?

January 2 Day after New Year’s Day (New Zeland)
January 26 Australia Day

February 6 Waitangi Day (New Zeland)

March 1 St. David’s Day (United Kingdom)
Labor Day (Australia – WA)
Eight Hours Day (Australia – TAS)
March 8 Labour Day (Australia – VIC)
Canberra Day (Australia – ACT)
Commonwealth Day (Australia, Canada, New Zeland,
United Kingdom
March 21 Mothering Day (United Kingdom)

April 10 Easter Saturday (Australia – except VIC & WA)
April 12 Easter Monday (Australia, Canada, New Zeland,
United Kingdom – Except Scotland)
April 14 Bank Holiday (Australia – TAS)
April 23 St. George Day (United Kingdom)
April 26 Anzac Day (Australia, New Zeland)

May 3 Labour Day (Australia – QLD)
Bank Holiday (Eire, United Kingdom)
May 24 Victoria Day (Canada)
May 31 Bank Holiday (United Kingdom)

June 7 Queen’s Birthday (New Zeland
Foundation Day (Australia – WA)

July 1 Canada Day
July 12 Battle of the Boyne Day (Northern Ireland)

August 2 Bank Holiday (Eire, Scotland, Australia – NSW, ACT)
Picnic Day (Australia – NT)
August 30 Bank Holiday (United Kingdom – except Scotland)

Sept. 5 Father’s Day (Australia, New Zeland)
Sept. 27 Queen’s Birthday (Australia – WA)

Oct. 4 Labor Day (Australia – ACT, NSW, SA)
Oct. 11 Thanksgiving Day (Canada)
Oct. 25 Labour Day (New Zeland)
Bank Holiday (Eire)

Nov. 11 Remembrance Day (Canada)
Nov. 30 St. Andrew’s Day (United Kingdom)

Dec. 26 Boxing Day (Canada, New Zeland, United Kingdom,
Australia – except SA)
Proclamation Day (Australia – SA)

NOW—DO THESE DATES MEAN ANYTHING TO YOU?

January 1 New Years Day
January 19 Martin Luther King’s birthday observed
(Actual birthday, January 15th)

February 2 Ground Hog Day
February 12 Abraham Lincoln’s birthday
February 14 St. Valentine’s Day
February 16 President’s Day
February 22 George Washington’s birthday

March 17 St. Patrick’s Day

April 9 Good Friday
April 11 Easter Sunday
April 22 Earth Day

May 9 Mother’s Day (USA, Australia, Canada, New Zeland)
May 15 Armed Forces Day
May 31 Memorial Day

June 14 Flag Day
June 20 Father’s Day

July 4 Independence Day

Sept. 6 Labor Day

Oct. 31 Halloween

Nov. 11 Veteran’s Day
Nov. 25 Thanksgiving Day

Dec. 24 Christmas Eve Day
Dec. 25 Christmas Day

What is the difference between these 2 sets of dates? In the first set, they have no meaning to those of us living in the United States because we are not citizens of any of those countries.

The second set of dates all are relevant at least to the United States, the country in which we hold citizenship. Therefore these dates hold meaning for us—or at least they could have meaning.

It seems to me it is that way in the Kingdom of God also. There are things that have meaning only for those who are citizens in His Kingdom, only for the Christian.
An example would be the Lord’s Supper; the Eucharist, Communion, whatever you are use to calling it. The Lord’s Supper on the Lord’s Day, the First Day of the Week, holds meaning only for those who are citizens of His Kingdom.

For others, there is no real significance to this memorial feast. Just as there is no real significance to the fourth of July to the citizen of Britain or Canada, or any other country.

The Lord’s Supper reminds us of our deliverance from the bondage of sin and our freedom in Christ. It is interesting to notice that all these other events have specific dates but have significance only to the people living in those countries. The Lord’s Supper has no date—we don’t know exactly when it was established, only that we should observe it the first day of the week. Yet it has meaning for all people everywhere if they are citizens of Christ’s Kingdom.

Beyond this, I see additional significance to the observation I just made. We had a big discussion about this during our Sunday School class at my little church a few weeks ago, the second Sunday Joel preached.

Joel and I found ourselves trying to articulate a different viewpoint from most in the class. Their point was we should do everything possible to get society to be a Christian society. There were the usual ideas expressed: elect Christian officials to government positions, picket against those things wrong (such as abortion clinics, adult bookstores and theaters), do something about the legalization of homosexual marriages, etc. There was a lot of fear expressed about what has taken place recently in Canada, and the effect it could have on the United States. (You get the idea.)

Joel and I were trying to say the Christian has no right to expect society to behave in a Christian manner. I guess it is nice if they do. But we have no right to expect it. Both Joel and I tried to point out that nowhere did Jesus mandate or even suggest such actions to make the Roman society Christian. In fact it might be argued that He suggested just the opposite. He said, “Give to Caesar that which belongs to Caesar; and to God that which belongs to God.” The New Testament teaches us to pay taxes and obey the civil government. In the book of Acts the Apostles and early Christians said it is better to obey God rather than man. But they were willing to take what was meted out to them if they chose not to conform to society.

Joel and I were in no way trying to say the Christian conforms to society! But I think our position is valid. The Christian has no right to expect or even demand that society follow Christian standards of behavior. Jesus taught that we are in the world but not of the world. I believe Christianity is always counter-culture. The sad thing is that according to research by the George Barna group, there appears to be little or no difference between the behavior and standards of the Christian and the unsaved person in the world. To me, that is the really sad fact -- not that society does not act like Christians.

I’m afraid Joel and I weren’t successful in persuading the class to our point of view. But that is one of the many wonderful things about my church. There is such love and acceptance for one another and such a yearning to know the Word and to know how to apply it that these kinds of discussions are the norm rather than the exception. And everyone enjoys and benefits from these discussions. In most churches I have known, these kinds of discussions would divide brothers and eventually divide the whole church. Not so at Countryside.

It is such a refreshing and stimulating experience to study the Word with the good people to Countryside. Thank God for them. Thank God I get to be a part of that fellowship. So my prayer today is, “Thank you, Lord, for Countryside Christian Fellowship.”

Jim

posted by jim 3:57 PM 0 comments

DATES, DATES -- AND MORE DATES

Do these dates mean anything to you?

January 2 Day after New Year’s Day (New Zeland)
January 26 Australia Day

February 6 Waitangi Day (New Zeland)

March 1 St. David’s Day (United Kingdom)
Labor Day (Australia – WA)
Eight Hours Day (Australia – TAS)
March 8 Labour Day (Australia – VIC)
Canberra Day (Australia – ACT)
Commonwealth Day (Australia, Canada, New Zeland,
United Kingdom
March 21 Mothering Day (United Kingdom)

April 10 Easter Saturday (Australia – except VIC & WA)
April 12 Easter Monday (Australia, Canada, New Zeland,
United Kingdom – Except Scotland)
April 14 Bank Holiday (Australia – TAS)
April 23 St. George Day (United Kingdom)
April 26 Anzac Day (Australia, New Zeland)

May 3 Labour Day (Australia – QLD)
Bank Holiday (Eire, United Kingdom)
May 24 Victoria Day (Canada)
May 31 Bank Holiday (United Kingdom)

June 7 Queen’s Birthday (New Zeland
Foundation Day (Australia – WA)

July 1 Canada Day
July 12 Battle of the Boyne Day (Northern Ireland)

August 2 Bank Holiday (Eire, Scotland, Australia – NSW, ACT)
Picnic Day (Australia – NT)
August 30 Bank Holiday (United Kingdom – except Scotland)

Sept. 5 Father’s Day (Australia, New Zeland)
Sept. 27 Queen’s Birthday (Australia – WA)

Oct. 4 Labor Day (Australia – ACT, NSW, SA)
Oct. 11 Thanksgiving Day (Canada)
Oct. 25 Labour Day (New Zeland)
Bank Holiday (Eire)

Nov. 11 Remembrance Day (Canada)
Nov. 30 St. Andrew’s Day (United Kingdom)

Dec. 26 Boxing Day (Canada, New Zeland, United Kingdom,
Australia – except SA)
Proclamation Day (Australia – SA)

NOW—DO THESE DATES MEAN ANYTHING TO YOU?

January 1 New Years Day
January 19 Martin Luther King’s birthday observed
(Actual birthday, January 15th)

February 2 Ground Hog Day
February 12 Abraham Lincoln’s birthday
February 14 St. Valentine’s Day
February 16 President’s Day
February 22 George Washington’s birthday

March 17 St. Patrick’s Day

April 9 Good Friday
April 11 Easter Sunday
April 22 Earth Day

May 9 Mother’s Day (USA, Australia, Canada, New Zeland)
May 15 Armed Forces Day
May 31 Memorial Day

June 14 Flag Day
June 20 Father’s Day

July 4 Independence Day

Sept. 6 Labor Day

Oct. 31 Halloween

Nov. 11 Veteran’s Day
Nov. 25 Thanksgiving Day

Dec. 24 Christmas Eve Day
Dec. 25 Christmas Day

What is the difference between these 2 sets of dates? In the first set, they have no meaning to those of us living in the United States because we are not citizens of any of those countries.

The second set of dates all are relevant at least to the United States, the country in which we hold citizenship. Therefore these dates hold meaning for us—or at least they could have meaning.

It seems to me it is that way in the Kingdom of God also. There are things that have meaning only for those who are citizens in His Kingdom, only for the Christian.
An example would be the Lord’s Supper; the Eucharist, Communion, whatever you are use to calling it. The Lord’s Supper on the Lord’s Day, the First Day of the Week, holds meaning only for those who are citizens of His Kingdom.

For others, there is no real significance to this memorial feast. Just as there is no real significance to the fourth of July to the citizen of Britain or Canada, or any other country.

The Lord’s Supper reminds us of our deliverance from the bondage of sin and our freedom in Christ. It is interesting to notice that all these other events have specific dates but have significance only to the people living in those countries. The Lord’s Supper has no date—we don’t know exactly when it was established, only that we should observe it the first day of the week. Yet it has meaning for all people everywhere if they are citizens of Christ’s Kingdom.

Beyond this, I see additional significance to the observation I just made. We had a big discussion about this during our Sunday School class at my little church a few weeks ago, the second Sunday Joel preached.

Joel and I found ourselves trying to articulate a different viewpoint from most in the class. Their point was we should do everything possible to get society to be a Christian society. There were the usual ideas expressed: elect Christian officials to government positions, picket against those things wrong (such as abortion clinics, adult bookstores and theaters), do something about the legalization of homosexual marriages, etc. There was a lot of fear expressed about what has taken place recently in Canada, and the effect it could have on the United States. (You get the idea.)

Joel and I were trying to say the Christian has no right to expect society to behave in a Christian manner. I guess it is nice if they do. But we have no right to expect it. Both Joel and I tried to point out that nowhere did Jesus mandate or even suggest such actions to make the Roman society Christian. In fact it might be argued that He suggested just the opposite. He said, “Give to Caesar that which belongs to Caesar; and to God that which belongs to God.” The New Testament teaches us to pay taxes and obey the civil government. In the book of Acts the Apostles and early Christians said it is better to obey God rather than man. But they were willing to take what was meted out to them if they chose not to conform to society.

Joel and I were in no way trying to say the Christian conforms to society! But I think our position is valid. The Christian has no right to expect or even demand that society follow Christian standards of behavior. Jesus taught that we are in the world but not of the world. I believe Christianity is always counter-culture. The sad thing is that according to research by the George Barna group, there appears to be little or no difference between the behavior and standards of the Christian and the unsaved person in the world. To me, that is the really sad fact -- not that society does not act like Christians.

I’m afraid Joel and I weren’t successful in persuading the class to our point of view. But that is one of the many wonderful things about my church. There is such love and acceptance for one another and such a yearning to know the Word and to know how to apply it that these kinds of discussions are the norm rather than the exception. And everyone enjoys and benefits from these discussions. In most churches I have known, these kinds of discussions would divide brothers and eventually divide the whole church. Not so at Countryside.

It is such a refreshing and stimulating experience to study the Word with the good people to Countryside. Thank God for them. Thank God I get to be a part of that fellowship. So my prayer today is, “Thank you, Lord, for Countryside Christian Fellowship.”

Jim

posted by jim 2:30 PM 0 comments

Tuesday, January 06, 2004

COMMENTS

The past few days I have been seriously considering adding comments to my Blog. I didn't know if I really wanted to or not. But I finally got up enough "nerve" to send an email and inquire.

I got the answer back today: "Comment functionality is not yet built into Blogger."

Then they went on to tell me stuff that a technically-challenged person such as myself couldn't comprehend. They suggested several third-party tools and services that would allow me to easily add comments to my Blogger blog. But they lost me in the jargon.

So for now, no comments. In a way, I'm sort of glad. I'm not sure I am ready to open myself up to comments. But another part of me would like feed-back on stuff I write.

Oh well, that's the way it is for now. I guess those who read my Blog have my email anyway and could comment that way.

I'm working on a post which should be available in a day or two.

Jim

posted by jim 7:40 PM 0 comments

Monday, January 05, 2004

PREACHING THROUGH PROVERBS

In my church, I have begun a series of sermons from the book of Proverbs. It is good to be preaching a book of the Bible again, rather than just topical stuff. There is nothing wrong with topical preaching but my history in the pulpit is that I do my best preparations and presentations of the Word when I am preaching expository. I think people are better fed and I avoid over-emphasizing my favorite topics or my pet peeves. And given time, the whole counsel of God is presented.

These “Pearls from Proverbs” are exciting. It is like opening a huge Pirate’s Treasure Chest filled with valuables. In our study we aren’t going to go verse-by-verse, chapter-by-chapter. Rather I have chosen to study these Proverbs by the themes they cover.

We will get to study God’s principles regarding wisdom; vice; sexual morality (and immorality); patience; giving and receiving; the right and wrong use of our words; criticism—both how to give it and how to receive it.

We’ll study God’s teaching regarding our relation to the community in which we live—what is our responsibility? We’ll study alcoholism, suicide and the fear of death.

One of the most challenging themes for me will be to undertake the study and presentation of what God says about our internal attitudes, such as hatred, anger, and pride. Ouch! That last one hurts because it is one of my biggest downfalls—all the time!

We will talk about how to be a good parent, a good son or daughter, a considerate neighbor, a responsible worker.

Even though Solomon, who wrote most of the Proverbs, is called, “The wisest man who ever lived”, he will not be our main focus during this series. As we study the Proverbs, we’ll keep one eye on Solomon and one eye on Christ. What Solomon only talked about, Jesus lived. So our study of Proverbs should not be an end in itself. Any study of Scripture fails if it doesn’t lead us eventually to Jesus.

The abundant life is not found in a book; it is found in the One who is both the Author and the subject of the Book – Jesus.

So I am praying to grow spiritually by the study of these “Pearls From Proverbs”. And of course I also pray that those who hear and study with me will grow. It may seem selfish, but I want to grow to exhibit more Christ-like attitudes and behavior.

Jim

posted by jim 4:55 PM 0 comments

Sunday, January 04, 2004

HELPLESSNESS—HUMILITY

I have been so depressed. I think I have mentioned the sadness that has settled on me. Part of it is my helplessness because of my recent rotator cuff surgery. There has been so little I could do for myself. I have needed help showering, help at the sink with stuff, help getting dressed, putting on my socks and shoes, tying my shoes—everything like that. Someone has to cut up my food, belt me into the car seat with the seatbelt when we go somewhere. I feel just like a 2-year old! And Karon says it is like having a 2-year old around!

Sometimes I just want to cry! Sometimes I do.

I am improving. I am beginning to be able to do a little more for myself now. But I feel so worthless and helpless! Karon has been so good to help me. I had to have my oldest daughter take me Christmas shopping and she even had to wrap my gifts for Karon. And Karon had to wrap everything else!

This sling and the resulting inability to do the simplest tasks have affected my presentation of the Word at church. This was totally unexpected! I have worn slings previously. I didn’t think it was such a problem then. But the past three Sundays have not gone well as far as the presentation is concerned. It seems to be going downhill. I think my content has been good but I have fumbled in the presentation. This really disturbs me! Nothing should interfere with people receiving and understanding God’s Word. I’m not sure what the answer is. Should I step out of the pulpit for a while? I just don’t know. I’m going to try yet another week. Hopefully the presentation will improve. I’ve been praying about that. You can be sure I’ll be praying about that this week!

So my stress and depression have come because of my helplessness. I confessed this feeling to my prayer/accountability partner and to my friend, Tubbs. Both were so helpful. Their prayers are helping. Both told me what I already knew but about which I needed to be reminded. And that is….

God is teaching me humility. He, who made me, knows how often I need that lesson! I struggle regularly with my pride. I wish it weren’t so. But if God can help me to be less prideful and more like Christ, I should be thankful. I am thankful. I just hope I learn the lesson – again!

Jim

posted by jim 7:00 PM 0 comments

Friday, January 02, 2004

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Just to keep me honest in my commitment, I am writing this brief Blog to tell all who read that I'm working on a Blog about "Dates"! (You can guess which kind until I get the Blog posted!) And I realized I hadn't Blogged since Monday--"last year", if you please! I AM going to do better in 2004.

So, here's a brief Post until I can get to the one I'm really working to write. At this time I work on it mostly during my morning shower! But it will get done and posted, hopefully soon.

Stay tuned!

Jim

posted by jim 3:45 PM 0 comments