Let's use the example of the ATM. You have an ATM card that is unique to you. You know the PIN number, and you enter that PIN number after putting the ATM card into the machine. Something you have, something you know, and something you do. 

During one of my trips in and out of the various buildings around here getting my credentials checked for the thousandth time, it dawned on me that this procedure mirrors eternal security well. You must know that you are a sinner and that the price of sin is death. You have to know that their is but one sufficient payment for that sin and that is Jesus Christ who gave Himself in your place. You must then do something with that knowledge. Romans says that you must confess with your mouth and believe in your heart, and that whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. Finally you must have something. You must have a relationship with Lord. He has to know you. Just like when you show your ID at the grocer to use your credit card, your real face must match the face on the ID you hand them. The Bible says that in the day of judgment many will call out "Lord, Lord!" and describe all the great things that they did...but they won't HAVE what they needed, which is a personal relationship with Christ.

So as the Tongan Marines dutifully guard the gates to palace, and I have, know and do what I must to get in, I  notice that none of the security protocals involve me being squat or gaining access to anywhere just because of who I am. It's all about access granted to me from one who has the authority and grace to grant it.

Eternal security is the same. God could have watched man fall and said, "Well I gave them a chance...tried to warn 'em." And washed His hands of us. Instead He personally got involved and gave us what we could not attain on our own, then released His Spirit to impart what we had to know and what to do with it. With that the gates to eternal life were opened.

We've heard some really whacked out intel on why Al Qaeda thinks we can do what we do. Some of it is down right hysterical. Sadly there are whacked out ideas out there on what it takes to have a relationship with our loving God. They span the spectrum from strict legalism to wild libertarianism and all places in between. Some insist their exact recipe is the only way to Heaven and that recipe must be earned with good works and a strick moral code, while others claim Scripture is dated and one of many good books on spirituality. I heard one man say one time, "Just because we're all trying to get to the same place doesn't mean there's more than one path to get there." Dangerous. The plan for eternal security is beautifully simple.

In chapel  we talked about storms. The chaplain spoke about Max Lucado when he was in college. He and four friends owned a house boat. Hurricane David was zooming towards them, so they went to the hardware store and bought all the rope they could. Lucado described their finished tie down as a spider web with something caught in the middle. An old, seasoned sailor walked by and simply stated, "Your only hope is to anchor deep."

Our only hope is to anchor deep in the truth of God's simple message. Places of storm and trial can't distract us in knowing our security is firm and God grants us access to His presence.

On June 27th, we hosted our first storytime for children. We had a fair turnout of 6 children with ages ranging from 10 months to 11 years. There were plenty of board games for fun in the beginning; we had dominoes, chess, checkers, Snakes and Ladders, and even Jenga.The book read out loud for storytime was You are Special by Max Lucado. This was a beautiful tale about self worth and belief that we are all created special by our Maker. Here's a summary of the book from the Amazon website:

Wemmicksville is a land created by Eli, the "God" figure of the story. He creates each Wemmick in Wemmicksville uniquely, each with its own look and personality. Punchinello is the central character, along with his friends Lucia, Splint, and Chip. When Punchinello strays from Eli, he begins to have problems. Only when Punchinello stays close to Eli does he clearly see how to walk through his life in Wemmicksville.

In this heartwarming tale, Eli helps Punchinello understand how special he is-no matter what other Wemmicks may think. Children will learn a vital lesson-regardless of how the world sees them, God loves each of them just as they are.

After hearing the story, the children were given sheets of paper for drawing images related to the book.

Also we announced the beginning of our month-long reading contest. Consequently our attendees left with plenty of books to read and add to their list for the contest. See our previous post below entitled "Children's Events at Lexicon Lending Library" for more information on the reading contest and future storytime dates.

We look forward to the next storytime on Friday, July 11 from 2:00-3:30 PM.

Thanks to all who were able to come and support this event. Hope to see you here next time. Until then - happy reading!

"Believe He CAN. Believe He CARES. Believe He COMES."

So many times I have chanted and chewed on this phrase, this mantra, that in a simple way reminds me that I'm not fighting autism alone. I can't give up on Jesus' power to intervene and to show up even when the tides of doubt and fear rush in and whisper, "It's too late. The damage is done. Miracles and healing are random and rare. Don't get your hopes up. Your faith is too weak."

I was first introduced to this phrase several months ago when I was reading the Max Lucado book Every Day Deserves a Chance. I remember at the time feeling so submerged by the weight of dealing with autism, and to be honest, every day felt like a drudgery that I didn't want to face. Period. I couldn't see a way out or feel the optimism of a bright future, and as Max Lucado broke down the story in Mark 5:21-43 where Jesus raises a young girl from the dead, I began to gain my fight back again.

BELIEVE HE CAN... You see, a man named Jairus in this passage is not much different than us parents that are fighting for our kids' lives. As he saw his daughter suffering and on the brink of death, he remembered the stories he heard of Jesus healing the sick. It was their only chance. All other options were dead ends. He knew Jesus had the power to save her, and if he could just find Jesus, He would make his child well.

BELIEVE HE CARES... Jairus found Jesus in a big crowd and he fell to his knees and begged, "Come and lay hands on my daughter so she will get well and live." Jesus had compassion and went with him. "Yes!" Jairus must have thought, "This is going to happen. It's all going to be okay." And then, the unthinkable happened. The momentum got stopped dead in its tracks. A woman with a blood condition reaches out in the jostling crowd and touches Jesus' robe. Instantly, power went from Jesus and healed the woman. He stopped to try to find who touched Him, looking all around for that person. Finally, she came forward and showed herself. Because she took a risk of faith, Jesus tells her she is healed and whole.

That's great for her! Fine and dandy, but in the meantime, during this pit stop that Jesus made, Jairus got the news he most feared. Someone informed him it was too late. His daughter was already dead. Accept it. Time to move on and quit bothering Jesus. How disheartening! Those minutes could have been the difference between life and death, he must have thought. But then, Jesus--in the midst of the most final and bleak circumstances--says, "Don't sweat it. Just trust me."

BELIEVE HE COMES... People were already piling in with hotdishes for the grieving family when Jesus arrives on the scene. He's not phased by their reports of death. This isn't over. He still comes and He gently takes the girl's hand and says, "Get up, little girl," and she starts walking around and needs a sandwich because she's hungry. Of course, everyone's beside themselves. Life is restored.

I long for life restored. Over the months and years ahead, there are some things we're doing in our own power that I imagine will help our son. He can't help but make some progress from the therapies and the natural treatments that we're trying to put into place. But, I also know that just managing autism is not what I want to shoot for. I want Jesus to come and heal my son, ultimately. That is beyond my own power and ability, so I need to rely on Him. Healing could come through giving us guidance for what paths to choose to help him, or it may mean supernaturally making his body respond to healing and restoration in his cells and functioning. I don't know. 

No matter what, though, I've got to believe that Jesus will come. No matter what the circumstances look like or how final the decree, I've got to believe that the Name above all names is above the label of autism. "Incurable" is crushed by the God who can do the "impossible." I'm not above begging God like Jairus did, or nagging like the persistent widow in Luke 18. When I start feeling complacent like I've prayed this prayer for my son's healing hundreds of times so "just do it or don't, God... I can't deal with the emotional ups and downs of faith and doubt...," I must remind myself to believe that Jesus can. That He cares. That He comes.

How many of us give up on shooting for the best outcome too soon when God wants to prove to us that we were right to believe that He can? 

According to the Sun Times, "Democratic nominee Barack Obama huddled privately Tuesday with a group of influential Christians in downtown Chicago -- not all supporters -- to help shape conversations Obama wants to have with voters as he heads toward the general election. Obama invited the mainline Protestant, evangelical and Catholic leaders and authors from across the country for the meeting -- in offices at 55 E. Monroe -- in part because he wanted to hear their critiques as he intensifies his campaign against GOP rival John McCain. I'm told Obama -- hunting for independent, middle class and GOP support -- wanted to let the group know that his door was open -- in the campaign and in the White House, if he is elected.

The group of about 30 -- who were not assembled with an eye toward endorsements -- included Cameron Strang, the founder and CEO of Relevant Media Group, the publisher of the hip Christian magazine and related Web site Relevant, "covering God, Life and Progressive Culture," with a big youthful audience; Bishop T.D. Jakes, the leader of a Dallas megachurch, and Catholic scholar Douglas Kmiec, an attorney who served in the Reagan and Bush 1 administrations.  Others included best-selling Christian author Max Lucado; Paul Corts, the president of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities; the Rev. Stephen Thurston -- who is the president of the National Baptist Convention of America, and the pastor of the New Covenant Missionary Baptist Church on Chicago's South Side; the Rev. T. Dewitt Smith, president of the Progressive National Baptist Convention Inc., and AME church leader Bishop Phillip Robert Cousin Sr.

Barack Obama hosted a meeting with prominent evangelicals and other faith leaders this afternoon where attendees discussed policy issues and came together in conversation and prayer. Outreach to the faith community is a priority for Barack Obama, and we look forward to holding regular meetings in the months to come," Obama religious affairs chief Joshua Dubois said in a statement. Obama's primary campaign included a religious affairs department from the start, run by Dubois, a former Assemblies of God associate pastor, and the faith shop is growing.

Already the Obama team on a weekly basis holds conference calls for: Prominent African-American religious leaders, Evangelical and values voters activists, Catholics -- the campaign has a National Catholic Advisory Council, Jewish religious and civic leaders. The campaign has a separate staff working on Jewish and Middle Eastern affairs, and people involved in the intersection of faith and policy -- religious-based charities, for example. Before their controversies -- which forced their exit from the Obama campaign -- Obama's former minister, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, and Father Michael Pfleger were on Obama campaign faith-based advisory councils."

Interesting stuff.

Not sure what to think... What do you think?

-Jordan

The cross. Can you turn any direction without seeing one? Perched atop a chapel. Carved into a graveyard headstone. Engraved in a ring or suspended on a chain. The cross is the universal symbol of Christianity. An odd choice, don’t you think? - Max Lucado

Read more in Alexander

How are you feeling after watching the sermon?

Did it bring you peace?

Did it speak to you?

Do you know Jesus?

Do you want to know Jesus? CLICK HERE

After a month of Sundays full of preacher problems, Senator Obama exhibited Daniel-like bravery. He sat down with a room full of ministers. Conservative ministers, at that. Guys like Max Lucado, TD Jakes and Franklin Graham. They discussed gay marriage, abortion and Jeremiah Wright. They even asked Obama where he stood on Jesus. Is He the way or a way? If Obama was smart, he plead the fifth. After all, it was religious leaders who crucified the Savior. My Lord, my Lord!

   "GOD LOVES YOU. Personally. Passionately. Others have promised and Failed. But God has promised and succeeded. He loves you with an unfailing love. And His love-if you will let it- can fill you and leave you with a love worth giving."

   Have people you call your best friends ever said something behind your back and you found out about it? Has the boy or girl you are dating ever betrayed you? People hurt our feelings, they lie, and cheat and do things without even considering the consequences... you feeling unloved. Which doesn't work, because we were created to love and be loved. For instance, hang with me here, my mom's dog, Cody, she bought him for the sole purpose of loving him, and boy does that dog love her... Cody almost looks depressed when she is not at home, and when she gets home he follows her everywhere, sits with her, snuggles with her, plays with her and barks when there is an "intruder." His purpose in life is to love my mom, and he does it well... 

   God loves you like that, well kind of, His love is even better, He is always there, He never leaves. He sits with you and listens to you. He holds you close when you need comfort, He laughs with you. And He protects you against all the hurt of this world. He loves you more than you can even imagine, its the best love story ever created, and He did it all just for YOU... 

  "God showed how much He loved us by sending his only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through Him. This is real love. It is not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins." -1 John 4:9-10

My wife left the Family Christian Stores catalog in the bathroom. Excellent reading for the above purpose. Light. Lot's of pictures. And very thought provoking.

Here are some of my random thoughts regarding the Family Christian catalog:

1. The Veggie Tales are the most interesting videos and perhaps the most creative thing ever in the "Christian Retail World". Period.

2. Don't even think of buying me a silk tie from this store!

3. Don't buy me this either (below). Don't get me wrong... I like these little statues by Willow Tree, but I prefer to admire them on the store's shelf. I don't particularly want to own one. And, no offense, but I have even less desire to collect them.

4. I actually would like this Sword Letter Opener for Father's Day. But I know you'll get me the statue instead. This thing is cool... Hebrews 4:13.

5. No Christian self help books please. This genre has almost taken the place of the Bible.

6. Max Lucado, take a rest. Man! There's prolific and then there's over killed and over exposed. Stop working so hard. Go on a vacation or something. Rent a flat in Italy. Lay out in the sun in Aruba. Spend some of that money.

Check out all these 3:16 products. It's exhausting, Max... exhausting.

7. Beth Moore is a tough talker, but if you get right up in her face when you meet her at the conference and make intimidating "huffing" noises... she backs right down. Believe me. Or just ask Security a the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center.

Finally...

8. What the? That big guy with the fro from American Idol is in my Christian Book store? It's shocking and a bit disturbing to me for some reason. Sorry big guy.

Thank you for your time.

I stand at the crossroads of this life, examining the dichotomy that is my world. This is a world of great consternation and turmoil on one hand, and of endless possibilities and exuberant joy on the other. The sequential relations are exhausting and triumphant, full of sorrow and pleasure. 

My journey of self-discovery is randomly scattered moments of listening, reading and writing. It is when I listen to music or read that I find knowledge, truth and inspiration. In these moments I am drawn to take pen to paper expunging my heart.  I bare my soul reflecting on the rhythms of the journey this life sets before me.  It is when I write that I am free. I am free to dream. I am free to create. I am free to perform miracles on paper. Miracles that one day I may make reality.

There is nothing more exploratory than the ponderance of these lyrics, these writings, these quotes. Musings of creative prose fill my head. They stir in me deep thought and call in to question my reason for being and doing. Why are we pulled in to such actions? What is the impulse(s) that needs fed? What speaks to our hearts and why? 

My need for healing and growth seem boundless. My fierce pursuit of these things has not always led me down the right path. Sometimes the path we choose leads to more suffering before the mending can begin. It is a process. One that is not clearly defined. One that is not served to us with end in plain sight. But instead it is one of clever twists and turns and never ending surprise. It is a dance. And my journey began with a song.

Excerpt of Lyrics:   Beloved… Tenth Avenue North

Love of my life, look deep in my eyes, there you will find what you need.

Give me your life, the lust and the lies, the past you’re afraid I might see.

You’ve been running away from me.

Love of my life, look deep in my eyes, there you will find what you need.

I’m the giver of life, I’ll clothe you in white, my immaculate bride you will be.

Oh come running home to me.

Well you’ve been a mistress my wife, your chasing lovers it won’t satisfy,

Won’t you let me make you my bride, you will drink of my lips and taste new life.

CHORUS:

You are my beloved, lover I’m yours.

Death shall not part us, it’s you I died for.

For better or worse, forever we’ll be.

Our love it unites us and it binds you to me.

It’s a mystery.

I can not begin to describe the anguish that exploded from my heart that night. It brought me to my knees and shook me to the core like nothing ever had before.  Just as music should, hearing these lyrics wrecked my soul and started my journey home.

As I ventured down the path of contemplation on my spiritual journey, the next inspiration before me was that of the Uganda Bloggers and my introduction to Compassion International.  I had never heard of Compassion, nor did I read blogs.  It seemed odd to share your life with a world of strangers. What would they think? Why would they care? Yet again another song and more lyrics came in to play as I began reading the Uganda updates and my marriage was crumbling before my eyes.

Excerpt of Lyrics:   Unwritten… Natasha Bedingfield

I am unwritten, can’t read my mind, I’m undefined.

I’m just beginning, the plans in my hands, ending unplanned.

CHORUS:

Staring at the blank pages before you, open up the dirty window,

Let the sun illuminate the words that you could not find

Reaching for something in the distance,

so close you can almost taste it, release your inhibitions.

Feel the rain on your skin, no one else can feel it for you, only you can let it in,

no one else, no one else can speak the words on your lips

Term yourself in words unspoken, Live your life with arms wide open

Today is where your book begins, The rest is still unwritten.

Thus, BeyondJEMS was born of me and my muse. It came to fruition as my need to express what I was feeling was pushed to the limits by the Uganda bloggers. Their words wielding the joyful hope that Compassion brings to those stricken by poverty and despair were my inspiration. Blogging came in to my world and I began to bear my soul to the world. I did not know why or what was to come. The only thing certain was the need to write.

Much of this journey is about self-discovery and the desire to pursue what Christ has intended for my life.  I have never sought His design for me. I’ve never explored the idea that He created me for something unique to share with this world until this next inspiration came in to my life from the words of Max Lucado.

Excerpts:  You! God’s Brand-New Idea Made to Be Amazing by Max Lucado

~ No one can duplicate your life. You are heaven’s Halley’s comet; we have one shot at seeing you shine. You offer a gift to society that no one else brings. If you don’t bring it, it won’t be brought.

~The longings of your heart are not incidental; they are critical messages. The desires of your heart are not to be ignored; they are to be consulted. As the wind turns the weather vane, so God uses your passions to turn your life.

~ You can do something no one else do in a fashion no one else can do it. Exploring and extracting your uniqueness excites you, honors God and expands His kingdom. So “make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that” (Gal. 6:4 MSG)

~ When choosing or changing jobs, be careful. Consult your design. Consult your Designer. Let your uniqueness define your path in life.

~ God always rejoices when we dare to dream. In fact, we are much like God when we dream. The Master exults in newness. He delights in stretching the old. He wrote the book on making the impossible possible.

While exploring this new medium of self-expression, I realize that it is a resource in my journey for discovering God’s plan for my life. For the hopes and dreams he has for me come to the forefront of my mind as I listen and read and write.  It becomes more of who I am and what I need to do for mindful clarity.

Another quote, this one directed personally at me, landed on my ears last night and brought about the inspiration for this post. This is what the good doctor said to me, “It’s more than blogging. You are a writer. It’s part of who you are and a part of your identity. For you writing is a form of art and all art is spiritual.” Oh how these words resonated with my soul.

There is an intoxicating element to writing. There is a beauty in words that express feelings and inspire others. They are fluid extensions of our souls to be honored as priceless treasures of art when they are crafted with genuine meaning and heartfelt delivery.

If writing is my one of my spiritual gifts that God has given me. It is through writing that I create spiritual art as a gift to Him, myself and for those who are touched by my words, whether they be many or few. True beauty is in the eye of the beholder and my hope is that God finds my writing beautiful.

THis is a part of Randy Elrod's Water Cooler Wednesday.

Some daily grace comes from simple and often unnoticed piece of paper. This proved to be a heartwarming piece worthy of reading and reflecting. Written by motivational and relligious best-seller writer Max Lucado, this piece tells an analogy of how a person's character is often tested. May you find grace in this great piece.

When a potter bakes a pot, he checks its solidity y pulling it out of the oven and thumping it If it "sings", it's ready. If it "thuds," it's placed back in the oven. The character of a person is also checked by thumping.

Been thumped lately?

Late-night phone calls. Grouchy teacher. Grumpy moms. Burnt meals. Flat tires. You've -got-to-be-kidding deadlines. Those are thumps. Thumps are those irritating inconveniences that trigger the worst in us. They catch us off guard. Flat-footed. They aren't big enough to be crises, but if you get enough of them, watch out! Traffic jams. Long Lines. Empty mailboxes. Dirty clothes on the floor. Even as I write this, I'm being thumped. Because of interruptions, it has taken m almost two hours to write these paragraphs. Thump. Thump. Thump.

How do I respond? Do I sing, or do I Thud?

Jesus said that out of the nature of the hear a man speaks (Luke 6:45). There's nothing like agood thump to reveal the nature of a heart. The true character of a person is seen not in momentary heroics but in the thump-packed humdrum of day-to-day living.

if you have a tendency to thud more than you sing, take heart. There is hope for us "thudders".

Begin by Thanking God for thumps. I don't mean a half-hearted "Thank You". I mean a rejoicing , jumping-for-joy "Thank You" from the bottom of your heart (James 1:2). Chances are, God is doing the tumping. And, He's doing it for your own good. So every thump is a reminder that God is molding you (Hebrew 12:5-8).

Learn from each thump. Face up to the fact that you are not "thump-proof", you are going to be tested from now on. You might as well learn from the thumps. -- you are going to be tested from now on. You might as well learn from the thumps -- you can't avoid them. Look upon each inconvenience as an opportunity to develop patience and persistence. Each Thump will help you or hurt you, depending on how you use it.

Be aware of "thump-slump" times. Know your pressure periods. For me, Mondays are infamous for causing thump-slups. Fridays can be as just bad. For all of us, there are time during the week when we can anticipate an unusual amount of thumping. The best way to handle thump-slump times? Head on. BOlster yourself with extra prayer, and don't give up.

Remember no thump is disastrous. All thumps work for good if we are loving and obeying God.

Click here for the SOURCE LINK.

This post is also dedicated to the following "thumpers":

PAPA BERNS | LIFE CEBU ACTIVITIES | CAN OF THOUGHTS
| JOLIBER MAPILES | MIMI’S MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE | PINOYWORL.ORG |

| SILKENHUT | PINOY BLOGOSPHERE | PRETTY CATCH | PRO PINOY | NEWZ AROUND US | ORDINARY PEOPLE, ORDINARY DAY | MINA LOYOLA | BIG BANG MEME | APO THE GREAT | TWISTER RIAA | MAPILES.COM | PHILQ LIFE AND BEYOND | SEXY NOMAD | RIANNE HILL SORIANO’S BLOGNEWS AND FRONTPAGE | DAILY HEROES | MY NAKAMA | | A LEADER’S JOURNAL | KOOKABOO | WHILB’81 FUN PLACE | OLIVER OLIVEROS | ME, MYSELF AND IRENE | WORDPRESS.PH | THE PINOY BLOGGER REVIEWS | SOMASINGLESPEED | ALPHAZOLAM ONLINE | I SHARE HAPPINESS | DAYOTHE LONELY PLANET | BACK TO BASIC | POSTCARD HEADLINES | BASKETBALL NONSENSE | MELVS ROCK | | MEVINDICHOS | MANILENYA | REYNA ELENA | PUZZLE PIECE | MABELLE’S BLOG | BELL EVERLASTING | JOURNEY TO LIFE | TIBORSHO | RAGID HANDSOME | CLADO | CLADO | VICENT’S BLOG | DAY DAY | MeiYah | FUN.FEIRCE.FABULOUS |UBER |DATING NINJA | DATING NINJA | KONOHASHINOBI | YEYEN | YOUNG GLOBAL PINOYS |HEAVEN’S PARADOX |PRETTY SINGLE MOM | MY MUSIC |BLOG TO ENTERTAIN | MITCHIES NOTEBOOK | SWEET HESTIA |GVEN-ROSE | ROOMS4YOU | TREASURES: HUGSMILES | LOVING MOTHER |SPEEDYCAT HOLLYDALE PAGE | GEAR FIRE | DULQ.COM | STACIE’S BLOG | AMANDA’S BLOG | JULIA AQUINO | WEBLOG AWARDS | RENE A. BAKER | PROTOPLASM | TXTU.COM | LAZILY | ODYSSEY DAVE | WEB HOSTING REALITY | PAXIL ONLINE

Some daily grace comes from simple and often unnoticed piece of paper. This proved to be a heartwarming piece worthy of reading and reflecting. Written by motivational and relligious best-seller writer Max Lucado, this piece tells an analogy of how a person's character is often tested. May you find grace in this great piece.

When a potter bakes a pot, he checks its solidity y pulling it out of the oven and thumping it If it "sings", it's ready. If it "thuds," it's placed back in the oven. The character of a person is  also checked by thumping.

Been thumped lately?

Late-night phone calls. Grouchy teacher. Grumpy moms. Burnt meals. Flat tires. You've -got-to-be-kidding deadlines. Those are thumps. Thumps are those irritating inconveniences that trigger the worst in us. They catch us off guard. Flat-footed. They aren't big enough to be crises, but if you get enough of them, watch out! Traffic jams. Long Lines. Empty mailboxes. Dirty clothes on the floor. Even as I write this, I'm being thumped. Because of interruptions, it has taken m almost two hours to write these paragraphs. Thump. Thump. Thump.

How do I respond? Do I sing, or do I Thud?

Jesus said that out of the nature of the hear a man speaks (Luke 6:45). There's nothing like agood thump to reveal the nature of a heart. The true character of a person is seen not in momentary heroics but in the thump-packed humdrum of day-to-day living.

if you have a tendency to thud more than you sing, take heart. There is hope for us "thudders.

Begin by Thanking God for thumps. I don't mean a half-hearted "Thank You". I mean a rejoicing , jumping-for-joy "Thank You" from the bottom of your heart (James 1:2). Chances are, God is doing the tumping. And, He's doing it for your own good. So every thump is a reminder that God is molding you (Hebrew 12:5-8).

Learn from each thump. Face up to the fact that you are not "thump-proof", you are going to be tested from now on. You might as well learn from the thumps. -- you are going to be tested from now on. You might as well learn from the thumps -- you can't avoid them. Look upon each inconvenience as an  opportunity to develop patience and persistence. Each Thump will help you or hurt you, depending on how you use it.

Be aware of "thump-slump" times. Know your pressure periods. For me, Mondays are infamous for causing thump-slups. Fridays can be as just bad. For all of us, there are time during the week when we can anticipate an unusual amount of thumping. The best way to handle thump-slump times? Head on. BOlster yourself with extra prayer, and don't give up.

Remember no thump is disastrous. All thumps work for good if we are loving and obeying God.

”En kjærlighet…” har kjærleikskapittelet, 1. Kor. 13 som gjennomgangstema. Forfattaren går gjennom sentrale omgrep og moment i dette kapittelet, og ved hjelp av Bibelforteljingar, Bibelvers og historier frå hans eige og andres liv, klargjer han t. d. kva det vil seie at Guds/den ideelle kjærleik toler alt, utheld alt, ikkje skryt, ikkje gøymer på det vonde osb.

Etter denne presentasjonen kan vi gå til vurderinga. Er dette ei god bok? Er ho i tråd med Guds Ord? Til desse spørsmåla må vi svare ja. Her vil eg berre peike på nokre få moment som trekkjer i positiv retning. For det fyrste er boka lettlesen og lett å forstå. Ho nyttar fine historier, bilete og Bibelhistorier. Desse siste vert ofte lettare omskrivne, men likevel på ein måte som er tru mot teksten sitt innhald. I tillegg bør det nemnast at forfattaren har ein god, mild og venleg tone som gjer at det blir behageleg å lese boka.

Boka si største styrke, er at ho er godt grunnfest i eit sant evangelisk vitnesbyrd. Omgrepet ”Guds kjærleik” vert ikkje framstilt som noko abstrakt, men derimot ofte knytt til krossen, der Jesus leid for våre synder. Og det vert mange gonger understreka at det er på dette grunnlaget – nemleg frelsa på grunnlag av Jesu død – at vi skal elske kvarandre. Det naudsynte ”bakteppet” for frelsa, våre synder mot Gud, vert heller ikkje neglisjerte, jamvel om eg nok godt kunne ynskt at forfatteren ville hatt eit litt større fokus og gått litt djupare akkurat på dette punktet.

Elles kan det seiast at Lucado er jordnær og sunn i sin teologi. Han syner forståing for at problem som t. d. sinne, kan ha mange ulike faktorar og årsaker i seg, og han nyttar kvardagslege døme for å få fram det han meiner. Lucado legg altså ikkje opp til nokon form for ”supermann-kristendom”, men derimot ein sunn kristendom som vert levd ut i samspelet med familie, vener og andre ein møter.

Eit par minus i margen har boka fått. Det minste fyrst: Forfattaren kan av og til gje litt ”enkle” løysingar på kompliserte problem. Eit døme på dette, er når han med tilvising til 2. Kor. 10, 4-5 slår fast at vi kan ”tillate” godt eller dårleg humør og avvise vonde tankar, og også kontrollere kjensler som vreide og misunning. Dette blir sjølvsagt for enkelt, og her burde Lucado, etter mi meining vore litt meir nyansert.

Det andre minuset, som nok er ein del større enn det fyrste, er fylgjande: Boka reknar, verkar det som, ikkje med moglegheita av at lesaren kan vere uomvend. Såleis talar ho varmt om evangeliet, og nådetilsagn er det mange av. Likevel tykkjer eg boka kunne tala meir om den klare skjelninga mellom lov og evangelium. I tillegg meiner eg ho burde kommunisert litt meir om den sunne Gudsfrykta som Jesus lærer at vi skal ha (Matt. 10:28-31.)

Men alt i alt: Ei fin, sunn, lettlest og evangelisk bok om Guds kjærleik til oss – og korleis vi kan bringe denne kjærleiken vidare.

In the past God spoke... many times and in many different ways. But now... God has spoken to us through his Son. - Hebrews 1:1-2

Too much to do. It seems like a disease these days...having too much to do in too little time. Arranging meetings, making deadlines, getting that gift for mom...it's Friday and I need another day before the weekend to make things come together...

Read more in Alexander

Sticks and stones can break my bones, but names will never hurt me! It's just a childhood chant, but although we can put up a good front about hurtful words not hurting, the truth is they can be damaging at any age...

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World renowned author Max Lucado is senior pastor at Oak Hills Church in San Antonio. Anyway, a friend of mine who is a member called me Sunday to tell me she bought a cd copy of that weekend’s (April 19-20) sermon for me knowing my interest in false teaching. To my surprise he spoke out against false teaching! This may have to do with the recent exposure of Oprah and Eckhart Tolle; but, he went even further.

Max’s sermon was mostly from Matthew 24:4-14:

4 And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. 6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.
9 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. 10 And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. 11 Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. 12 And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But he who endures to the end shall be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.” [NKJV as used in the sermon]

Here I’ll quote excerpts of his sermon:

“…Be ready for heresy… ‘…Take heed that no one deceives you…’ …Many will come deceiving and “many” will be deceived…”

And, I love this one:

“You’ve probably noticed that churches are Petri dishes for self-serving egomaniacs who masquerade as ministers of the Gospel.”

Did Max really say that?! WOW!

“’Deceivers will come in My Name’ …They boast of insider information” “God told me, God led me to say to you” “Heaven has told me to say…”

“They position themselves as religious gurus …codebreakers or members of an inner circle” [gnosticism]

After these statements, Lucado speaks of Jesus Luis de Jesus Miranda of Puerto Rico who claims to be Christ incarnate. Then he goes on to speak of Oprah and Eckhard Tolle’s A New Earth.

Then Max goes on to say:

“Satan can counterfeit signs & wonders” [Matthew 24:24]

“Filter through one question: Do they regard Jesus as God’s only Son – they one only Saviour? …Don’t be enamored by large crowds, great television productions, good looks. Be doctrinally diligent – listen carefully to what they’re saying…”

“…False prophets will always minimize the role of Christ and maximize the role of people… …Stick stubbornly to the question: are these people pointing people to Jesus or pointing people to themselves. If they’re pointing people to themselves, get out while you still can!”

Later, he says:

“A great many church attenders will be disclosed in that day as faith pretenders. They will not only leave the faith; but, they will make the lives of the faithful miserable.”

I applaud Max Lucado who has the guts to talk about the coming (and now here) heresy and apostasy “prophesied by Jesus.” I know I spend so much time (rightfully) criticizing the many false teachers/prophets that it feels good to give kudos to a Christian leader who speaks out. I sent an email to the church thanking him for doing this. May even more step up to the plate!'

Havia alguns jogadores de dados que estavam aos pés da cruz. Imagine esta cena. Os soldados estão sentados em um círculo, os olhos, atentos a baixo. O criminoso, sobre eles é esquecido. Jogam por algumas vestes usadas, a túnica, e o manto, as sandálias, tudo isso para apropriar-se. Cada soldado lança sua sorte na dura terra, esperando aumentar seu guarda-roupa, a custas de um carpinteiro morto.
Pergunto-me, quem poderia ter visto essa cena com Jesus? Que pensava ele enquanto olhava para baixo, para seus ensangüentados pés em um círculo de jogadores? Que emoções sentia? Deve ter se surpreendido. Aqui estão os soldados comuns, contemplando o evento mais extraordinário do mundo e eles não sabem.

Até aonde se dão conta, esta extraordinária manhã de sexta, e Ele é nada menos que um criminoso. "Vai apressa-te é a minha vez".
"Muito bem, muito bem. Esta vez vai pelas sandálias"
Lançando sortes pelas posses de Cristo. As cabeças inclinadas. Os olhos para baixo. A cruz esquecida.
O simbolismo é impactante. Podem ver?
Isso me faz pensar em nós. Os religiosos. Aqueles que reivindicamos a herança da cruz. Estou pensando em todos nós. Todos os crentes na terra. Os que não se importam. Os perdidos. Os estritos. Os simples. A igreja maior do mundo. A igreja menor. Os "cheios do Espírito".Milenaristas. Evangélicos. Políticos. Místicos. Literais. Cínicos. Mantos. Colares. Ternos elegantes. Nascidos de novo. Usuários amenos.
Estou pensando em nós.
Estou pensando que não somos tão diferentes daqueles soldados (Sinto em dizer-lhes). Nós também jogamos dados aos pés da cruz. Competimos por membros, jogamos por status. Repartimos juízos e condenações. Competições, egoísmos, ganância pessoal. Tudo esta aí. Não nos agrada o que outros fazem, assim que tomamos as sandálias que ganhamos e nos distanciamos em um piscar de olhos.
Tão perto do madeiro, mas, tão longe do sangue.
Estamos muito perto do maior acontecimento do mundo, mas atuamos como jogadores comuns, de jogos de azar. Nos amontoamos com guerras por milhões do que não tem a menor importância,
Quantas horas de púlpito estão sendo desperdiçadas com pregações do que é trivial? Quantas igrejas caem na agonia do insignificante e do minúsculo? Quantos lideres não tem conseguido controlar suas raivas e tem tirado suas espadas de amargura e se lançam em batalhas contra os irmãos por assuntos que não valem a pena discutir?
Tão perto da cruz, mas tão longe de Cristo
Nos especializamos em competições de "eu sou o bom". Escrevemos livros sobre o que os outros fazem de mal. Somos especialistas em encontrar piadas e chegamos a ser expert em descobrir as fraquezas de outros. Repartimos em pequenas panelinhas e logo, Deus proíbe, e repartimos outra vez.
Outro nome, outra doutrina, outro erro. Outra denominação, outro jogo de póker. Nosso Senhor deve estar surpreendido.
Aqueles soldados egoístas, sorrimos sarcasticamente. Estavam tão perto da cruz, mas porem tão longe de Cristo. E nós, somos diferentes? Nossas divisões são tão numerosas que não podemos ser catalogados. Há tantos ramos que esses próprios têm seus ramos.
E agora... realmente .
São nossas diferenças esse divisor? São nossas opiniões essa obstrução? São nossas paredes esses obstáculos? é tão impossível encontrar uma causa comum?
Que sejam um, orou Jesus. Um. Não um em grupos de dois mil. Se não um em uma. Uma igreja. Uma fé. Um Senhor. Não batistas, nem metodistas,não adventistas, somente cristãos. Não denominações. Não hierarquias. Não tradições. Somente Cristo.
Demasiado idealista? Impossível de alcançá-lo? Não creio. Coisas mais difíceis foram feitas, como você sabe. Por exemplo, uma vez sobre o madeiro, um criador deu sua vida por sua criação. Talvez tudo o que necessitamos são poucos corações que queiram seguir a súplica.
Qual seu caso? Pode você construir uma ponte? Ter uma corda? Cruzas um abismo? Ora pela unidade ?Pode você ser o soldado que se bate em seus irmãos, salta sobre seus pés, e nos lembra ao resto de nós: "Hey ! Esse é Deus na cruz!" A semelhança entre o jogo dos soldados e o nosso, é algo que assusta. Que pensou Jesus? Que pensa agora? Ainda há um jogador continuando com seu jogo... e estão aos pés da cruz.

I also think it would be incredibly selfish of me to call him.  He's trying to move on too.  It would be extremely inconsiderate and rude of me to call.  Earlier this week it was KILLING me to know how and what he was doing, and if he's dating already.  NOW I've started thinking... ok, so what if he is dating again?  I said I wanted him to be happy... well I guess I should prove it.  It would be awful of me to call just to make myself feel better and prolong the entire "getting over it" process for BOTH of us.  I'm glad I didn't call.  I do miss him.  But I kind of got over that hump where it seems like the worst thing in the world not talking to him or knowing what he is doing.  It's like I got a mini-glimpse into the future where it stopped hurting and where I don't think about him 30 times a day and it's just totally OK.  And I'm getting there.  One day at a time.  I love this song I was listening to today by Nichole Nordeman... Small enough.  It's how I've been feeling... "

there were times when i was crying
from the dark of daniel's den
and i have asked you once or twice
if you would part the sea again
but tonight i do not need a fiery pillar in the sky
just wanna know you're gonna hold me if i start to cry
oh, great god, be small enough to hear me now

I can't depend on anyone else.  It's amazing to have such incredible friends who have been there for me and have made sure to call, text, email everyday since the break-up.  But I KNOW the reason (besides my stubborness and Jonny asking me everyday) that I haven't called him is because I've known what I just said is true, that it would be selfish to call and do no good.  And now I just have to depend on God.  Which, if I can be honest.... which I CAN cause it's MY blog, it's hard for me to completely depend solely on Him.  It's something I'm learning about more everyday and something God is obviously wanting me to learn.  That's what I love about that song.  We sometimes ask God for these HUGE things, that's when we commonly pray the most.  But right now, I don't need anything big.  I don't need a huge miracle.  I just need to feel loved and comforted.  That's all I want and all I ask him for and I love the thought of GOD holding me when I'm crying.  It's such a cool thing to think about :)

Anyway, I'm doing good and thought I'd be more happy in my writing.  I also decided I was going to "review" books I've read.  Mostly just so everyone thinks I'm really smart and read a lot... until you read the name of the books, haha.  No, but seriously, I love to read and sometimes I want to tell everyone I know to read a certain book because I'm so in love with it.  And then sometimes i want to tell people to please not waste any time on one because it made me want to tear my hair out from boredom, but I kept reading THINKING and HOPING it would get interesting, but it didn't.  And I don't want any of you making that mistake.  I'll do a few each entry.  Before I start, one of my new most favorite authors, Jennifer Lancaster, lives in CHICAGO!!!  And she's going to be at a Borders near my house on May 6th for a her new book release/signing/book reading.  I AM BEYOND EXCITED!!!!  It's like what normal people must feel like when they go backstage at concerts, or get autographs from celebrities.  Jennifer Lancaster IS my celebrity and I am counting down the days!!!! (so naturally I'll start with her book)

Bitter is the new Black by Jennifer Lancaster:  A+

Jennifer Lancaster is my HERO.  She is SOOO wonderfully mean and bitchy and it KILLS me.  This book it a memoir about how her and her boyfriend (Then fiancee then hubby all in one book) got really rich in the whole dotcom era then lost it all.  And how she literally could not get  job for TWO YEARS!  And basically about how mean she is and how she used to be a spoiled brat.  She is HYSTERICAL.  She has a blog...http://www.jennsylvania.com/jennsylvania/.  Go to it.  And laugh.  She's awesome.  I'm in the middle of reading her second book, bright lights, big ass, I'll let ya know how it is when I'm done... tomorrow probably hehe :)

Water for Elephants by: Sara Gruen... B+

This one only got a B+ because I expected a LITTLE more at that end.  With that being said, I adored the book.  It was compelling and I felt the lead character's pain SO much and wanted to buy an elephant at the end of reading it!  It tries to be a little more "tricky" or "suprising" then it actually is.  It is a beautiful story and a really easy read, but still makes you think.  It's about a man working in a circus, how he got there, what he learned there and a lot about relationships.  I reccomend it pretty highly!

The Kite Runner by: Khaled Hosseini A++ (I give more than one plus when I love it this much... SO?)

Amazing.  I never want to see this movie and ruin how beautiful, moving, amazing, and emotional this book was for me to read.  I never expected anything that happened in this book to happen.  I cried at least 4 times during this book.  The characters are brilliant and you feel SO MANY different emotions because you can see everything from all the character's point of view.  I KNOW this movie will be dissapointing, but I PROMISE the book is not.  I almost hate to read books that are so hyped just because I'm afraid they won't live up to it.  This one did and it is excellent, so read it immediately.

Applause of Heaven by Max Lucado (love him) A+ (times a million)

This is my FAVORITE book of ALL TIME.  I actually need a new copy because I bought a paper back and I've read it SO MANY times that it's just falling apart.  I can probably quote most of the chapters.  Interestingly, I still love it just as much as I did the first time I read it EVERYTIME I read it.  I also cry in basically every chapter EVERY time I read it.  It's so great.  It's about the beautitudes and he goes over them so wonderfully and in a new light.  For the first time I really understood that passage fully.  Read it.  It will change the way you think.  One of my favorite quotes from the book is (a little teaser for you guys... kinda like a movie trailor) :".... when I am criticized, injured, or afraid, there is a Father who is ready to comfort me.  There is a Father who will hold me until I'm better, help me until I can live with the hurt, and who won't go to sleep when I'm afraid of waking up and seeing the dark.   EVER.  And that's enough."   Amazing.  I just teared up, haha of course I did.  I could put at least 50 more quotes, so just read it so I don't have to!

ALSO please give me reccomendations of books to read.  I LOVE READING!   I bought 7 books this week.  I get excited to read and I read like some people overeat.  Too fast and then it's all gone and I have nothing left :(   I'd love to know what you love and read it!  Except you Art, because I feel as though your books will give me a headache :)