Not forgetting the past as difficult as that may be. In commemoration of the anniversary there is a new documentary being released about the race riot. I had the pleasure of being involved with this production and look forward to getting a chance to view it.
What better way to celebrate my 100th post than a tribute to her:
She is the object of my affection. She is my life companion. She is the mother of my daughter. She is the only one I have ever known and I can’t imagine any other like her. Tomorrow she celebrates 34 years of pure rock and roll here on this earth. Then on Sunday we celebrate 12 years together. It doesn’t seem as long as one would think and I KNOW the best is yet to come!
Thank you Missy. I love you.
Sin is anything that separates us from God. Right? Is there a name for the acts or things that we do to make us right with God? No. Because what we do doesn’t determine who we are before God (except when it comes to sin). It is faith that is credited to us as humans. So what’s my trouble with sin? Well primarily that sin is something that I do. Sin is so easy to spot. And it seems that the more I recognize sin the harder it becomes to stand up to it. Later in Romans chapter 7 there is this fantastic summary of how this principle works. Paul, a man everyone recognizes as a great apostle of God, records in detail how even he spiraled through this cycle of sin. We come to recognize that the things we are doing are not at all what we want to be doing. Rather than stopping it seems that the desire grows even greater. The realization is that sin is something far greater than a simple act. Sin is something that is so deeply woven into the deepest parts of our being that deliverance can only come by faith. To try and limit sin through outward actions is like battling icebergs with an ice pick.
My conclusion is the same as Paul’s: Thank God for Jesus Christ and his grace!
What thoughts do you have about sin?
Ok. Well it seems that perhaps all the hoopla related to Craiglist announcement last week that they were going to pull their “erotic services” postings was not fully understood by myself. Based upon a review from my lovely wife who often will “take one for the team” when it comes to the internet all they have done is renamed the postings. Rather than being listed as “erotic services” they are now listed as “adult services”. Now before I completely retract all my praise for Craigslist, they (website administrators) are reviewing AND removing blatant prostitution postings. Now I’m not dumb, I know that most women will post as providing “full body massage” or “body to body massage” services. I am still very pleased that Craigslist is taking a step in the right (and legal) direction and will continue to use the service.
Also came across this video post from another OBI worker who visited Niger recently. If the story line sounds familiar it certainly is. Just check out this video here. This just shows that there is so much to drilling a water well and that often our battles are not against flesh and blood!
Ran across this video on Youtube the other day. This video was edited by Operation Blessing who works with Pastor Yacouba in Niger. I shot the footage used in this video on my first trip in Nov/Dec 2007. Still moves me to see these images!
I’m a huge Craigslist fan! Are you a huge Craigslist fan? Just yesterday my wife and I found a sweet deal on a great looking chair for the living room. Being a Christian and loving Craigslist like I do can sometimes get me in trouble. It’s almost like being Southern Baptist and loving Disney. But no longer:
http://www.reuters.com/article/marketsNews/idUSN1340144120090513
That’s right Criagslist has decided to pull its “erotic services” section from its list of services. Thanks Craigslist! You rock even more now than you did before. And you rocked a bunch before, so I’m not even sure that I can register your rockinness on a scale now!
So I had this conversation with God:
God: Hey Kenyon
Me: Yes. What is it?
God: About the phone.
Me: Yes.
God: Things just haven’t been the same.
Me: I know, but I’ll get it all under control.
God: Really? You think so?
Me: Sure. I’ll disable some functions and I’ll be REAL intentional about how much I use it.
God: Sounds like YOU have it all under control.
Me: Yup. So I’ll see ya tomorrow ’bout the sametime?
God: Kenyon?
Me: *silence*
Ever get that gnawing feeling that things might be out of whack? What do you do about it?
I strongly recommend everyone grab a copy of Eyes Wide Open, a fairly new book by Jud Wilhite, pastor at Central Christian Church in Las Vegas, NV. Fairly new because it has taken me a couple of months to work my way through it. If there is any primary reason for my taking so long to read the book other than being busy, it is that it requires thought. No doubt there are plenty of books about our identity as humans through Jesus Christ and much of what Jud presents in this book reaffirms that. In my opinion what seperates this book apart from others is that:
1. It is not deeply psychological and so I don’t find myself combating some nuanced secular theory. Jud firmly establishes his writing on scriptures and THEN shows how human research (secular or religious) has proved what the Bible says as true.
2. Though Jud relies so heavily on Scripture he does so with out be dogmatic. There’s no secondary agenda here trying to bash secular humanists. There’s no attempt to place his thoughts solely as his own and superior to anyone else.
3. He takes the time to go beyond the practice and discipline of seeing ourselves the way that God sees us and forces us to get out of our comfort zone and apply what we have learned. This is done largely through stories and personal experiences.
The thing that I love best about Jud’s writing is his willingness to invite us into his ugly moments. It seems to me that most writers/pastors are too afraid to admit they’ve messed up and use that as an example of what not to do. Instead they find someone elses story and use that instead or perhaps a less harmless truth that “everyone” can accept. (You’ll have to read the book to find his account of “drywalling” the laundry room.)
My favorite quote from the book (towards the back in case you were wondering if I read the whole thing): “The Bible focuses more on truth that makes absolute claims on my life. I should be first concerned about knowing this truth and living in it. By living in the truth, I will be authentic. By sharing the truth of God’s Word through my life and love, I will see culture impacted for good. This posture is one of truth over inauthenticity.” p. 169
This quote sums up for me, as a pastor, the struggle of the church today to be found as a place with real answers and real people and not just a place to hear THE answer. Surely Christ, through his blood, has freed me from the bondage of stupid, selfish, damaging decisions. But I am still a human and continue to make those decisions though I am learning to rely more and more on the power of Christ, through His Spirit to become all that he has created me to be.
It’s a great book. Go and get a copy today.
