https://goo.gl/9y8vX4
Darrell Baty
Darrell Baty
Friday, December 7, 2018
Wednesday, February 14, 2018
Thursday, June 8, 2017
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Much to Be Thankful For...
My check engine light came on this morning in my truck. I was extremely irritated, worried, etc…all those feelings that culminate in that knot in your stomach that makes you walk right past the free donuts in the office. (Don’t worry – I have since redeemed my sugary, tasty friend)
As I was worrying about how we would pay for repairs with Christmas coming up and bemoaning how unfair the timing is, the Lord struck me with an interesting idea that He has used to humble me and increase my thankfulness for all of His rich blessings. As Thursday approaches, and whether the Cowboys win or lose, whether your turkey is dry, and even if your mashed potatoes are lumpy and cold (horror!), consider these statistics as we enter Thanksgiving.
In 2006, the median annual household income according to the US Census Bureau was determined to be $48,201. This means that after 20 years at this level of income, the annual household in America has earned a MILLION DOLLARS. Did you ever think about that? The average WORLD income is close to $8,000 dollars and most studies show that 25% earn 75% of the income. What remains is a world full of very poor and destitute. Even if you never have a million dollars at once, just thinking about the fact that we even have the capability of attaining that amount of wealth is staggering. It should also make us seriously consider the words of Christ when he talks about money – because guess what – “Baby, you’re a rich man.”
Regarding religious freedom: (
This year an estimated 160,000 believers will die at the hands of their oppressors and over 200 million will be persecuted, arrested, tortured, beaten or jailed. In many nations it is illegal to own a Bible, share your faith, change your faith or allow children under 18 to attend a religious service. Nations where Christians are frequently persecuted include…
Afghanistan
Cyprus
Maldives
Sri Lanka
Algeria
Egypt
Mauritania
Sudan
Azerbaijan
Equatorial Guinea
Morocco
Syria
Bangladesh
Ethiopia
Myanmar (Burma)
Tajikistan
Bhutan
India
Nepal
Tibet (China)
Brunei
Indonesia
Nigeria
Tunisia
Chechnya
Iran
North Korea
Turkey
Chiapas
Iraq
Oman
Turkmenistan
China
Kuwait
Pakistan
United Arab Emirates
Colombia
Laos
Qatar
Uzbekistan
Comoro Islands
Libya
Saudi Arabia
Vietnam
Cuba
Malaysia
Somalia
Yemen
http://www.prisoneralert.com/vompw_persecution.htm
Another sobering site regarding persecution is http://www.christianpersecution.info/
I am struck by this fact and the money thing when I remember the feast we had a church on Sunday night. Not only did we have enough turkey to feed an army, it was relatively inexpensive AND we were able to freely congregate to declare our faith and worship without any fear. There is so much more that could be written about healthcare,
Nathan Campbell
Systems Administrator
Dallas Symphony Orchestra
Schlegel Administrative Suites
2301 Flora Street
Dallas, Texas 75201
214-871-4026 - phone
214-953-1218 - fax
n.campbell@DalSym.com
www.dallassymphony.com
"To entertain, inspire and change lives through musical excellence"
Click Here To Buy Tickets
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Fw: Wednesday - Be Encouraged
----- Original Message -----
From: Buford, Philip
Sent: Wednesday, October 17, 2007 5:09 PM
Subject: Wednesday - Be Encouraged
Refined
Proverbs 17:3 The refining pot is for silver and the furnace is for gold, but the Lord tests hearts.
I'm no expert but I know a little about silver and gold. I know that both substances are mined from the ground. Both are not easy to find. Both are precious and costly. Both have to be in pure form for there to be much value. As far as the purification process goes, which is what this verse is about, I don't know a lot. I know that the metals are heated up and the impurities are burned off or removed manually- chemically, mechanically, someway.
It is no accident that the writer of this proverb compares the purification process of the precious metals to our own testing. This is no startling insight...our goal is to be like Jesus Christ. Well in order to reach that goal, some things will have to be removed from my life, my thoughts, my habits, my ideas.
That will not be a pleasant process. Indeed, at times it may feel like I'm in a boiling pot as I struggle to make my will conform to His. There are times I definitely feel Him turning up the heat to get rid of impurities and then scraping off a top layer of the scum that rises to the surface.
The more I struggle, the more I resist to yield parts of my life to God, the more it is gonna hurt. Even when I purposely, willfully let go and actively seek God it is difficult.
"the Lord tests hearts" God wants to find those who are committed to Him. He seeks them but I don't think He finds many. It is one thing to give God lip service, to tell Him how we love Him and how committed we are to Him. It is an entirely different thing to live up to your words and actually follow Him. God is going to test us- I think for at least three reasons. To help us grow. To show us if we are committed. To show Him who is committed.
I pray that God tests me often and I pray that through the testing I grow more Christlike.
Be encouraged when you are tested.
Philip Buford
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Thursday is For Missions: Missional
From Michael Spencer, aka, the InternetMonk.
What I was seeing in Don was one of my first glimpses of what I now recognize as a missional leader. With all the caricature that’s standard fare in discussing the emerging, missional movement, the truth is that these ideas have been out there for a very long time in men like Don, in Henri Nouwen’s work, in missionary leadership thinking and in wise, Jesus-following pastors who understand the Kingdom of God is both bigger and smaller than denominational headquarters told you at the last pastor’s conference.Read the whole thing here.Dr. Dan Morgan- from the SBC’s Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary- recently listed Seven Characteristics of Missional Leaders:
* They grasp the importance of leading like Jesus.
* They don’t assume a friendly environment in which to carry out church life.
* They work opportunistically rather than routinely.
* Their focus is on the Kingdom, not preservation of an institution.
* They foster relational structures rather than institutional structures.
* They disciple with a view towards deployment on mission, not servicing the organization.
* They believe the Kingdom is bigger than the church.Hmmmmm. Don was doing exactly that all those years ago. He didn’t call it missional or emerging. He wasn’t twenty-something. He didn’t listen to loud rock music or have David Crowder’s hair. But this is almost exactly the kind of ministry path he was following.
Non-related, but enjoyable blogs:
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Meditating on God's Word
Meditating on God's Word
The next step after memorizing scripture is not just to wait for sin to come knocking. Meditation on God's Word is such an important part of our walk with the Lord. The goal of meditating on scripture is to apply it, to make it real, to make it a part of you. Let's take Joshua 1:9 further. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or dismayed for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.
What is meditation? We are so used to seeing the world's version of meditation in movies and books that we may not even know any other way to do it. It isn't hard. The world may take a word or syllable or sound and repeat it over and over. Sorry, but that does not do anything. Try this. Take God's word that you've treasured in your heart, go over that a few times. The Hebrew and Greek words used for "meditate" literally mean: to murmur, to ponder, to imagine, to talk to yourself. One word, ruminate, is used to describe a cow chewing its cud. The grass gets chewed and goes down to one stomach for a while then up it comes for a second chew. Then down it goes to another stomach and up it comes for another chewing. The process goes on. That is how the cow gets the food broken down so it can be best used by the body. That is the idea we see in scripture of how to meditate on God's word.
Another way to explain meditation is to compare it to worrying. What? Yes, worrying. Do you know how to worry? What are the things you worry about? When you are driving car or mowing the yard those doggone bills keep popping into your head or that situation at work that is bugging you. Or when you are taking a walk to "clear your mind" and all you do it fret about an illness or retirement or your teenage child. That is what I mean by worrying. When you think about something over and over and from every different angle and you think what if this happens or what if that happens…. THAT is meditating. Now take it to the realm of God's Word.
Say the verse right now and begin meditating on it. Joshua 1:9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or dismayed for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.
After the verse is memorized, begin to ask yourself these questions.
- What does the verse mean at face value?
- Who is speaking, who is being spoken to and why?
- Say the verse out loud – no one is watching you while you drive, go ahead.
- Look at the context of the verse – how does the verse/ verses before it help with the understanding?
- How do the verses after it help create the setting for the verse?
- Read even a larger section of scripture – a whole chapter or two before and after. How does that add to the meaning of the verse?
- Are there other verses in scripture similar to this one? Use a concordance to find some.
- Are there verses in scripture that seem to disagree with this one?
- What does this verse teach me about God that I already knew?
- What does this verse teach me that I did not know?
- Look at the word order, switch some of the words around, how does that change the meaning?
- Say the verse over and each time emphasize a different word- listen how that changes the meaning of the verse.
- Have I not commanded you?….
- Have I NOT commanded you?….
- Have I not COMMANDED you?....
- ….be STRONG and courageous!....
- ….be strong AND courageous!….
- Okay, okay you get the idea.
- Have I not commanded you?….
- What might happen if I do what this verse is talking about?
- What might happen if I don't do what this verse is talking about?
- Pick out a few key words- define them. Find a verse or two with the same word, how does that word fit in that verse? Get out the dusty Strong's Concordance or just Google it.
- Paraphrase the verse in your own words.
- Read the verse in 10 different translations- note what words are different and how those words give the verse a slightly different meaning. It is easy to find lots of translations on the internet. Just type in Joshua 1:9 in a Google search.
When do you do this? One of the keys to is this….you don't do it all sitting at the kitchen table. Some of it you will have to look up and read or write down, but the majority is not done at a desk. You do it while mowing the yard or raking leaves, while cleaning out the nasty child seat in your car, while walking the dog or washing the dog, while running, riding a bike or exercising, while cooking, while doing just about any task that does not require a lot of thinking. There are probably even times at work when you are waiting for the copier to warm up or when you are going to get some coffee, unloading a truck, putting away merchandise, getting Starbucks for your boss, whenever. There are bits of time you can pull up a phrase of the verse and chew on it.
This may seem very structured, contrived, calculated and rigid. It's not meant to be but you have to get in there and tear the verse apart. Work on it, work through it. After a few days or a week you'll probably be amazed at how some of the ideas and concepts start coming together. The phrases of the verse will just pop into your mind at times. And it will become part of the way you think. You might even catch yourself saying some of the words or ideas to someone – ooo, what a concept – actually applying God's Word to your everyday life.
Here are some good ones to start with.
Joshua 1:9….how does verse 8 impact verse 9, is the idea of courage repeated?
Psalm 1:2 ….but I don't delight in the laws of God….why should I?
Psalm 119:105…why is the Word a lamp, think what a flashlight does during a hike on a dark path in an unfamiliar area?
Psalm 119:11…what question is in verse 9, what is the answer?
Nehemiah 4:14…what caused the fear, what happened?
Hebrews 12:1-2….who is being spoken of, what is our motivation?
Hebrews 10:23…what is our strength to remain true, what do the following verses tell us to do also?
Philippians 4:1….what is our strength?
Romans 6:11-12….why does it say "even so", what is that referring to? How do chapter 5 and the rest of 6 address this issue of sin?
Dude, pick a verse and do it.
Be encouraged, lead your families and friends to know Him more,
Philip Buford
Thanks for today's blog posting to:
Philip Buford
Thanks,
Gary
gkendall@KendallSystems.com
"While it is hard to motivate someone with no Vision, it is almost
impossible to stop someone with a Vision." - gary kendall
Please pass this email on to anyone you think should see it.
Visit the blog at:
http://firstdallasmen.blogspot.com/
To remove your address from the list, just send a message to:
menofgod-leave@lists.kendallsystems.com
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Outline for Men
Men: Outline for Life
The Apostle Paul opens most of his letters with the words, "Paul. A servant
of Jesus Christ*" We, as men, need to take on the role as a servant in our
homes. Yes, we are the leaders of our homes, but to lead we must serve
first. We lead by serving. Joshua 24:15 says, "As for me and my house, we
will serve the Lord." Even Jesus "served" his disciples by washing their
feet.
Dr. Robert Lewis, founder of Men's Fraternity and Raising a Modern day
Knight, came up with 25 ways to be a Servant Leader.
25 Ways to Be a Servant-Leader
1. A servant-leader includes his wife in envisioning the future.
2. A servant-leader accepts spiritual responsibility for his family.
3. A servant-leader is willing to say I'm sorry and forgive me to his
family.
4. A servant-leader discusses household responsibilities with his wife and
makes sure they are fairly distributed.
5. A servant-leader seeks the consultation of his wife on all major
financial decisions.
6. A servant-leader follows through with commitments he has made to his
wife.
7. A servant-leader anticipates the different seasons his marriage will pass
through.
8. A servant-leader anticipates the different stages his children will pass
through.
9. A servant-leader frequently tells his wife what he likes about her.
10. A servant-leader provides financially for his family's basic living
expenses.
11. A servant-leader deals with distractions so he can talk with his wife
and family.
12. A servant-leader prays with his wife on a regular basis.
13. A servant-leader initiates meaningful family traditions.
14. A servant-leader plans for outings for the family on a regular basis.
15. A servant-leader takes the time to give his children practical
instruction about life, which in turn gives them confidence with their
peers.
16. A servant-leader manages the schedule of the home and anticipates any
pressure points.
17. A servant-leader keeps his family financially sound and out of harmful
debt.
18. A servant-leader makes sure he and his wife have drawn up a will and
arranged a well-conceived plan for their children in case of death.
19. A servant-leader lets his wife and children into the interior of his
life.
20. A servant-leader honors his wife often in public.
21. A servant-leader explains sex to each child in a way that gives them a
wholesome perspective.
22. A servant-leader encourages his wife to grow as an individual.
23. A servant-leader takes the lead in establishing with his wife sound,
biblically-supportable family values.
24. A servant-leader joins a small group of men who are dedicated to
improving their skills as a man, husband, and father.
25. A servant-leader provides time for his wife to pursue her own personal
interests.
I hope this helps guide you to lead your family in a God-honoring way.
Blessings!
Thanks for today's blog posting to:
Ed Sanchez
Men's Minister
First Baptist Church, Dallas
214.969.7735 office
214.208.3190 cell
Thanks,
Gary
gkendall@KendallSystems.com
www.KendallSystems.com
972-488-0009
"While it is hard to motivate someone with no Vision, it is almost
impossible to stop someone with a Vision." - gary kendall
Please pass this email on to anyone you think should see it.
Visit the blog at:
http://firstdallasmen.blogspot.com/
To remove your address from the list, just send a message to:
menofgod-leave@lists.kendallsystems.com
Monday, September 17, 2007
King of the Mountain
One of the all-time best things as a kid was to find a great big pile of dirt. My friends and I would rush to it and play "king of the mountain." The point of the game was to be on top of the "mountain." Everyone else would rush up the pile and try to take the spot atop the "mountain" to become "king." The one on top would try to ward off the attacks, but eventually would lose footing and slide to the bottom. The process would then begin all over again.
There are a lot of similarities between this game and real life. We see this very plain in the life of Elijah. Elijah had the most dynamic victory on top of Mount Carmel when he faced off against 450 prophets of Baal and 400 other idol prophets. God was the only one who answered by fire, proving Him omnipotent and the others powerless. You talk about being the king of the mountain, Elijah was it! This was an incredible victory and spiritual high. This story takes place in 1 Kings, chapter 18. In chapter 19, we see something different. Jezebel hears of the show on the mountain top and makes a vow to kill Elijah within 24 hours. Elijah hears her threat and knowing she means business, runs. He finally stops and sits under a juniper tree and says he wants to die. What contrast to the victory we saw just a short time earlier!
The rest of the story tells us that the Lord fed Elijah and then led him to a place where he witnessed many great and powerful things such as earthquakes, fire, and wind. It was after these things that Elijah heard a still, small voice. God revealed some things to Elijah at this time. God was there not only on the mountain top, but also in the low time. And God had a plan and a purpose. His love and care for Elijah had not changed. Elijah recharged his spiritual battery and went back and faced both Ahab and Jezebel once again.
Sometimes we have these great spiritual highs only to be followed by low times under the juniper tree. The world and the devil seem eager to knock us down from the mountain top. We even begin to wonder where God is in all of this trouble. God is there in both places, the mountain top and the bottom of the valley. He still has a plan and a purpose. His love for us hasn't changed. And He is still God and still in control. We, like Elijah, have to trust Him enough to get up and go face the king again.
For Christ's Glory,
Darrell Baty
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Thur. 4 Missions: Missional Church
Tim Keller discusses .... (each clip is real short)
Missional church vs. Seeker church
Missional Church vs. Evangelistic church
Where I got this from.
Missional church vs. Seeker church
Missional Church vs. Evangelistic church
Where I got this from.
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Suprise, Suprise
I was reading Hosea last night and while the Scripture is very clear that Gomer’s unfaithfulness is a picture of
Maybe I’m more like this Gomer:
It is so interesting to see that God actively pursues us, even when we run away from Him!
Then I came across this verse in chapter 9:
Hosea 9:7 (New International Version)
Because your sins are so many and your hostility so great, the prophet is considered a fool, the inspired man a maniac.
This really spoke to me: He is talking about
For the most part, the world wants the darkness, needs the darkness (it thinks!). It is our job to strap on a light every day so that no matter where we go, who we talk to, what we do, the light is shining into the darkness. They may think we are mean or crazy, but that is what God says His man will be called. I think it is worth it to be called His man.
Nathan Campbell
Monday, September 10, 2007
Monday
FALWELL CONFIDENTIAL
Insider weekly newsletter to The Moral Majority Coalition and
The Liberty Alliance http://www.moralmajority.com
From: Jonathan Falwell
Date: September 7, 2007
Are You What You Appear to Be?
"The shortest and surest way to live with honor in the world is to be in reality what we would appear to be." — Socrates
I occasionally hear people say that they are not interested in becoming a Christian because they see how some Christians live their lives. They look at people around them who claim to be Christians and see nothing different than the way the rest of the world lives. The question that pops into their mind is this: Why do I need to be a Christian if they're no different than me?
Such observations are tragic. The fact is that we never know when people are observing us. Oftentimes, people are seen going to church on Sunday and then choosing to live apart from their faith the rest of the week. Their private persona contradicts their public persona and hypocrisy becomes a way of life.
It has been said that we (Christians) are the only Bibles that some people read. But if we are not living our lives in servitude to Christ, we may well be personally poisoning people's perception of the Gospel.
As Christians, it behooves us to live out our faith 24/7 and to understand that we may be under the microscope at any given moment. Genesis 17:1b says, "I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless." In other words, Christians should spend every day attempting to live blamelessly before God. And, we should also live blamelessly before others.
But is it even possible to live a blameless or faultless life?
Of course not. We are all victims of our fleshly nature.
Certainly we cannot fully live out our faith on our own. Attempting to do so is nothing beyond a prescription for failure.
Living lives of diligent faith can be accomplished only when we completely trust God to be preeminent in our lives.
This begins with daily prayer and Bible reading so that our hearts are prepared to be worthy representatives of Christ at home, in the workplace and in our backyards. This also begins by being honest with ourselves, identifying our weaknesses and casting those cares upon Christ, knowing that we cannot address our own flaws and inadequacies apart from Him.
Robert Murray M'Cheyne (1813-1843) said, "What a man is alone on his knees before God, that he is, and no more."
Apart from Scripture, there may be no more powerful statement ever made regarding the Christian life. It cuts to the core of our beings.
We cannot lie before God or bargain with Him because He knows our every thought and motive. At the same time, He is also our great advocate who wants to forgive our sins and to facilitate our quest for holiness.
Here is the greatest thing about the Christian life: we have the Spirit of God living within us. In John 14:17, Jesus stated, "… but ye know Him; for He dwelleth with you and shall be with you."
What comfort He gives in trying times.
What encouragement He gives in difficult times.
What wisdom He gives in uncertain times.
What friendship He gives in lonely times.
In return, should we not be living our lives so that others want to understand the joys of knowing Christ?
If indeed the Spirit of God lives within us, we have a source of strength that allows us to live above our capabilities; we can actually live beyond ourselves through Christ.
And so through Him, we can overcome anger problems, marriage and family dilemmas, job-related difficulties, bitterness or any other struggle that plagues our lives and prevent us from being strong ambassadors for Christ. Only when we take on "the whole armor of God" (Ephesians 6:13) can the Spirit of God then take hold of our lives.
So then, when we serve God in sincerity and in truth (Joshua 24:14), not only can we live victoriously, we don't have to wonder if people who are observing us are seeing a proper picture of the Christian life.
Imagine the impact we could have on our nation if every Christian chose to live a life in accordance with Philippians 1:21: "For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." If we all could live in this way in politics, in business and in our families, we would see a much different society than the one in which we now live.
Insider weekly newsletter to The Moral Majority Coalition and
The Liberty Alliance http://www.moralmajority.com
From: Jonathan Falwell
Date: September 7, 2007
Are You What You Appear to Be?
"The shortest and surest way to live with honor in the world is to be in reality what we would appear to be." — Socrates
I occasionally hear people say that they are not interested in becoming a Christian because they see how some Christians live their lives. They look at people around them who claim to be Christians and see nothing different than the way the rest of the world lives. The question that pops into their mind is this: Why do I need to be a Christian if they're no different than me?
Such observations are tragic. The fact is that we never know when people are observing us. Oftentimes, people are seen going to church on Sunday and then choosing to live apart from their faith the rest of the week. Their private persona contradicts their public persona and hypocrisy becomes a way of life.
It has been said that we (Christians) are the only Bibles that some people read. But if we are not living our lives in servitude to Christ, we may well be personally poisoning people's perception of the Gospel.
As Christians, it behooves us to live out our faith 24/7 and to understand that we may be under the microscope at any given moment. Genesis 17:1b says, "I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless." In other words, Christians should spend every day attempting to live blamelessly before God. And, we should also live blamelessly before others.
But is it even possible to live a blameless or faultless life?
Of course not. We are all victims of our fleshly nature.
Certainly we cannot fully live out our faith on our own. Attempting to do so is nothing beyond a prescription for failure.
Living lives of diligent faith can be accomplished only when we completely trust God to be preeminent in our lives.
This begins with daily prayer and Bible reading so that our hearts are prepared to be worthy representatives of Christ at home, in the workplace and in our backyards. This also begins by being honest with ourselves, identifying our weaknesses and casting those cares upon Christ, knowing that we cannot address our own flaws and inadequacies apart from Him.
Robert Murray M'Cheyne (1813-1843) said, "What a man is alone on his knees before God, that he is, and no more."
Apart from Scripture, there may be no more powerful statement ever made regarding the Christian life. It cuts to the core of our beings.
We cannot lie before God or bargain with Him because He knows our every thought and motive. At the same time, He is also our great advocate who wants to forgive our sins and to facilitate our quest for holiness.
Here is the greatest thing about the Christian life: we have the Spirit of God living within us. In John 14:17, Jesus stated, "… but ye know Him; for He dwelleth with you and shall be with you."
What comfort He gives in trying times.
What encouragement He gives in difficult times.
What wisdom He gives in uncertain times.
What friendship He gives in lonely times.
In return, should we not be living our lives so that others want to understand the joys of knowing Christ?
If indeed the Spirit of God lives within us, we have a source of strength that allows us to live above our capabilities; we can actually live beyond ourselves through Christ.
And so through Him, we can overcome anger problems, marriage and family dilemmas, job-related difficulties, bitterness or any other struggle that plagues our lives and prevent us from being strong ambassadors for Christ. Only when we take on "the whole armor of God" (Ephesians 6:13) can the Spirit of God then take hold of our lives.
So then, when we serve God in sincerity and in truth (Joshua 24:14), not only can we live victoriously, we don't have to wonder if people who are observing us are seeing a proper picture of the Christian life.
Imagine the impact we could have on our nation if every Christian chose to live a life in accordance with Philippians 1:21: "For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." If we all could live in this way in politics, in business and in our families, we would see a much different society than the one in which we now live.
Thanks for today's blog posting to - Bert Page & Jonathan Falwell
Thanks,
Gary
gkendall@KendallSystems.com
www.KendallSystems.com
972-488-0009
"While it is hard to motivate someone with no Vision, it is almost
impossible to stop someone with a Vision." - gary kendall
Please pass this email on to anyone you think should see it.
Visit the blog at:
http://firstdallasmen.blogspot.com/
To subscribe to the list, send a message to:
menofgod-subscribe@kendallsystems.com
To remove your address from the list, just send a message to:
menofgod-unsubscribe@kendallsystems.com
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
Wednesday's post
Nehemiah's Prayer Life – part 1
Guys,
I'm studying Nehemiah's prayers as I mentioned. I thought I'd just summarize what I've learned from all of Nehemiah's prayers and pass on a few key ideas. Not. I feel like a preacher with five minutes left in the service and I'm still on the first point of the sermon (I think that happened to Mac a time or two). I'm still stuck in, still learning from the first mention of prayer in the book of Nehemiah.
Chapter 1, verse 4 speaks volumes. "Now it came about when I heard these words, I sat down and wept and mourned for days; and I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven." I've already talked about fasting some and it is still a mystery to me why we do not discuss it more in church. Nehemiah just got some bad news. That puts in mildly. It was horrible news about blessed
Thankfully it's been a while, but just over two years ago I was hit with that sort of a life shaking situation. One Sunday afternoon I found my wife lying on the floor of our closet having a seizure. I had never seen anyone have a seizure and did not remember anything about Lois ever having one. I had no idea what to do besides call 911. The paramedics, fire department and police arrived quickly to assess the situation and give aid. Many of the questions they asked me stung and hurt. Is this normal, has this happened before, any history of drug use, any alcohol involved, was there any kind of physical altercation? No, no, no, no, no. I answered all the questions immediately yet the look in their eyes told me they didn't believe me. The hospital visit was short. They ran test after test, they found nothing major but we would need more tests from a specialist in the coming days. They put Lois on some medicine that made her very sleepy and sent us home. They said she could not drive for six months. What?! How in the world is this… ? How can this be? Three little kids in school, the oldest can't drive yet. My life was shaking at the very core. My wife worked downtown at church part time and cleaned 5 houses each week and was very involved in PTA at the elementary school… how was this going to work? The first two days were unbelievable in many ways. I was numb from terror. I was strengthened only by the love, prayers & support of family and friends- food, hugs, prayer, everything. One sweet neighbor called and said- Don't even ask and don't say no. I'll take the kids to and from school every day as long as you need, you have enough other things to deal with. That is love. When Lois woke up that Sunday evening things did not look good. Her speech was slurred; she was very dizzy and could hardly walk. She slept the better part of 4 days. She couldn't remember anything from morning until evening. On Friday she realized what day it was and asked me if the kids had gone to school all week. She didn't remember anything about the week. I didn't know if those were side effects of the seizure or of the medicine….was it temporary or permanent. There was LOTS of sitting down and weeping and mourning for days. My brothers and I have always been close but I tell you they called me everyday, every single day for what seemed like weeks. They prayed for me and with me, they lent me their strength when I had none. There is nothing like that in all the world. I was scared. My mom died when I was 8, leaving my dad with three kids. I was terrified of what our life might be like in the future months.
If the first part of that verse talks about the normal, human response to woe, the second verse talks about the spiritual response. I didn't do any fasting, but I did a whole lot of praying- alone and with dear friends over the phone and in person. I could not see through this problem. I knew beyond any doubt that my God was in control. I knew He would guide and I knew He loved me and Lois and our children. But I did not know everything was "going to be all right" in the normal sense of the words. God is good and just and loving and kind but this decaying, sinful world is a far cry from
Within the first week of Lois' seizure the doctor changed the medication and all of the very scary symptoms disappeared slowly. She was still tired in the afternoons, got a little dizzy sometimes and was always cold but things did get better and leveled off. After two years her medicine was changed again and now there are hardly any side effects. To say "See, God is so good, see how He answers our prayers and gave us what we asked for" is shallow. God is good all the time, not just when things work out the way you want. God is good, loving and kind all the time for eternity. Period. My little, puny life does not necessitate anything from God. God is God and He is who He is without any input from me. God is good whether Lois died that day or not, whether Lois had horrible, debilitating side effects, if we had to sell our house to accommodate her and lose the life we enjoyed or whether God above was merciful and gracious and restored my beautiful wife to me. God is good regardless of what I think. He is good regardless of what happens to me. He is good, His name be praised.
Hopefully you have not been through a life shaking experience like that, most of us have. Hopefully you have not lost someone very dear to you, most of us have been there as well. I pray that if you had the type of experience that totally changed you life in a totally unforeseen or tragic way, I pray that you have grown immensely in the Lord. I pray that you have grown in your faith to the same degree, the same magnitude as your sorrow and loss. There is no way to know what lies ahead of us each day, so we must "bring it to the Lord in prayer." My dad grew up in the 1920s and there was a phrase he used as a child that I find interesting. He used to say "Pray the Lord" when things went awry. If a friend was troubled he'd say "Pray the Lord." I don't know whether he used the phrase like "Pray the Lord fixes this situation" or "Pray the Lord takes the problem away" or "Pray the Lord shows you the answer" or "Pray the Lord provides for our needs". Perhaps it was shortened from "Pray to the Lord". Or maybe it was like saying "Ask the Lord". All of those work for me. My aunt says he used the phrase a lot. Life was hard for my dad's family back then.
Whatever is troubling you, my brother, pray the Lord. He is on His throne and He will answer.
Pray the Lord and be strengthened,
Philip Buford
Thanks for today's blog posting to - Philip Buford
Thanks,
Gary
gkendall@KendallSystems.com
www.KendallSystems.com
972-488-0009
"While it is hard to motivate someone with no Vision, it is almost
impossible to stop someone with a Vision." - gary kendall
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Tuesday, September 4, 2007
If You Seek Him - devotional
If You Seek Him
The Lord is with you while you are with Him. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you. - 2 CHRONICLES 15:2
Our response to God greatly determines His presence in our lives. If we seek God with all of our hearts, then we will find Him (Jer. 29:13-14). The Lord wants to have fellowship with us, but He will not force a relationship upon us. We cannot reject fellowship with God and expect Him to remain near. He does not merely follow us throughout our day in case we need His assistance. If we continue to forsake Him, a time will come when we desperately need Him and He will not be near (Isa. 59:1-2).
It is an affront to sovereign God to treat Him like a servant who should wait upon us. God will relate to us on His terms, not ours. God desires a close walk with us. He will make His presence real and personal if that is our desire. If we repent of our sin and seek God on His terms, we can look forward to intimate fellowship with Him (James 4:8-10). We are to continually seek Him, not content to enter a new day without the assurance that God is walking beside us.
Do you say you want to experience God's presence while your actions reveal otherwise? If you say you want to know God better but neglect studying His word, are you truly seeking Him? Have you regularly forsaken the place of prayer? If your actions reveal that you are genuinely seeking God, then He promises that you will find Him (Matt. 7:7).
Henry Blackaby
Thanks for today's blog posting to - Dick Kendrick
Thanks,
Gary
gkendall@KendallSystems.com
www.KendallSystems.com
972-488-0009
"While it is hard to motivate someone with no Vision, it is almost
impossible to stop someone with a Vision." - gary kendall
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Thursday, August 30, 2007
Thur. 4 Missions: Settler or Pioneer?
This is taken directly from Guy Muse's blog:
Frontier Theology
--By Wes Seeliger--
There are two views of life and two kinds of people. Some see life as a possession to be carefully guarded. They are SETTLERS. Others see life as a fantastic,The visible church is an outfit with an abundance of settlers and a few pioneers. The invisible church is the fellowship of pioneers.
To no one's surprise there are two kinds of theology. Settler theology and pioneer theology. Settler theology is an attempt to answer all the questions, define and housebreak some sort of "Supreme Being," establish the status quo on Golden Tablets in cinemascope. Pioneer Theology is an attempt to talk about what it means to receive the strange gift of life and live! The pioneer sees theology as a wild adventure, complete with indians, saloon girls, and the haunting call of what is yet to be.
The Wild West offers a stage for picturing these two types of theology. Settlers and Pioneers use the same words but that is where it stops. To see what I mean--read on.THE CHURCH
IN SETTLER THEOLOGY--the church is the courthouse. It is the center of town life. The old stone structure dominates the town square. Its windows are small. This makes the thing easy to defend, but quite dark inside. Its doors are solid oak. No one lives there except pigeons and they, of course, are most unwelcome.
Within the thick, courthouse walls, records are kept, taxes collected, trials held for bad guys. The courthouse runs the town. It is the settler's symbol of law, order, stability, and most important--security, The mayor's office is on the top floor. His eagle eye scopes out the smallest details of town life.
IN PIONEER THEOLOGY--the church is the covered wagon. It is a house on wheels--always on the move. No place is its home. The covered wagon is where the pioneers eat, sleep, fight, love, and die. It bears the marks of life and movement--it creaks, is scarred with arrows, bandaged with bailing wire. The covered wagon is always where the action is. It moves in on the future and doesn't bother to glorify its own ruts. The old wagon isn't comfortable, but the pioneers could care less. There is a new world to explore.GOD
IN SETTLER THEOLOGY--God is the mayor. The honorable Alpha O. Mega, chief executive of Settler City. He is a sight to behold--dressed like a dude from back East, lounging in an over-stuffed chair in his courthouse office. He keeps the blinds drawn. No one sees or knows him directly, but since there is order in the town who can deny he is there? The mayor is predictable and always on schedule.
The settlers fear the mayor but look to him to clear the payroll and keep things going. The mayor controls the courthouse which in turn runs the town. To maintain peace and quiet the mayor sends the sheriff to check on pioneers who ride into town.
IN PIONEER THEOLOGY--God is the trail boss. He is rough and rugged-full of life. The trail boss lives, eats, sleeps, fights with his men. Their well being is his concern. Without him the wagon wouldn't move--the pioneers would become fat and lazy. Living as a free man would be impossible. The trail boss often gets down in the mud with the pioneers to help push the wagon which frequently gets stuck. He slugs the pioneers when they get soft and want to turn back. His fist is an expression of his concern.JESUS
IN SETTLER THEOLOGY--Jesus is the sheriff. He is the guy who is sent by the mayor to enforce the rules. He wears a white hat--drinks milk--outdraws the bad guys. He saves the settlers by offering security. The sheriff decides who is thrown in jail. There is a saying in town that goes like this--those who believe the mayor sent the sheriff and follow the rules won't stay in Boot Hill when it comes their time.
IN PIONEER THEOLOGY--Jesus is the scout. He rides out ahead to find out which way the pioneers should go. He lives all the dangers of the trail. The scout suffers every hardship, is attacked by the Indians, feared by the settlers. Through his actions and words he shows the true spirit, intent, and concern of the trail boss. By looking at the scout, those on the trail learn what it really means to be a pioneer.THE HOLY SPIRIT
IN SETTLER THEOLOGY--the Holy Spirit is a saloon girl. Her job is to comfort the settlers. They come to her when they feel lonely or when life gets dull or dangerous. She tickles them under the chin and makes everything O.K. again. The saloon girl squeals to the sheriff when someone starts disturbing the peace. (Note to settlers: the whiskey served in Settler City Saloon is the non-spiritous kind.)
IN PIONEER THEOLOGY--the Holy Spirit is the buffalo hunter. He rides along with the wagon train and furnishes fresh, raw meat for the pioneers. The buffalo hunter is a strange character--sort of a wild man. The pioneers never can tell what he will do next. He scares the hell out of the settlers. Every Sunday morning, when the settlers have their little ice cream party in the courthouse, the buffalo hunter sneaks up to one of the courthouse windows with his big black gun and fires a tremendous blast. Men jump, women scream, dogs bark. Chuckling to himself, the buffalo hunter rides back to the wagon train.THE CHRISTIAN
IN SETTLER THEOLOGY--the Christian is the settler. He fears the open, unknown frontier. He stays in good with the mayor and keeps out of the sheriff's way. He tends a small garden. "Safety First" is his motto. To him the courthouse is a symbol of security, peace, order, and happiness. He keeps his money in the bank. The banker is his best friend. He plays checkers in the restful shade of the oak trees lining the courthouse lawn. He never misses an ice cream party.
IN PIONEER THEOLOGY--the Christian is the pioneer. He is a man of risk and daring--hungry for adventure, new life, the challenge of being on the trail. He is tough, rides hard, knows how to use a gun when necessary. The pioneer feels sorry for the town folks and tries to tell them about the joy and fulfillment of a life following the trail. He dies with his boots on.THE CLERGYMAN
IN SETTLER THEOLOGY--the clergyman is the bank teller. Within his vaults are locked the values of the town. He is suspicious of strangers. And why not? Look what he has to protect! The bank teller is a highly respected man in town. He has a gun but keeps it hidden behind his desk. He feels he and the sheriff have a lot in common. After all, they both protect the bank.
IN PIONEER THEOLOGY--the clergyman is the cook. He doesn't furnish the meat--he just dishes up what the buffalo hunter provides. This is how he supports the movement of the wagon. He never confuses his job with that of the trail boss, scout or buffalo hunter. He sees himself as just another pioneer who has learned to cook. The cook's job is to help the pioneers pioneer.THE BISHOP
IN SETTLER THEOLOGY--the bishop is the bank president. He rules the bank with an iron hand. He makes all the decisions, tells the tellers what to do, and upholds the image of the bank. The settlers must constantly be reassured of the safety of their values. The bank president watches the books like a hawk. Each day he examines all deposits and withdrawals. The bank president is responsible for receiving all new accounts. This is called "the laying on of hands."
IN PIONEER THEOLOGY--the bishop is the dishwasher. He does the chores so the cook can do his job. He supports the cook in every way possible. Together the cook and dishwasher plan the meals and cook the food provided by the buffalo hunter. They work as an interdependent team in all matters related to cooking. Humming while he works, the dishwasher keeps the coffeepot going for the pioneers. Though the dishwasher has an humble task he is not resentful. All pioneers realize that each man's job is equally important. In fact, in the strange ways of the pioneer community, he is greatest who serves most. (A bishop is the servant of the servants of God. If the servants of God are cooks, what else would a bishop be?)
The complete book from which this was condensed is available from the author for $6.95. Wes Seeliger, 4027 Lanark, Houston, TX 77025
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
The Time is Now
I have recently heard that you can call it Jesus’ last will and testament. Not wholly accurate, but a good analogy and it provides good food for thought.
At the end of Matthew 28, just before He is taken up into Heaven, some of Jesus’ last words are:
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.”
This was the last thing that Jesus said before He physically departed this Earth, never to return until it is all over and His eternal reign begins. That should make an impact on us – He obviously thought this was the most important thing left to say. His last chance to tell these folks something direct from the source. What does this mean for us? I have the phrase in my head: “the time is now!” The time is now, not only to evangelize the lost, but to make true, whole disciples of those who already believe in Christ, but have yet to devote themselves totally and completely to Him.
We have a great man of God coming to lead us in the next few weeks and I was thrilled to hear testimony of something like 70 people walked the aisle in ONE service! Amazing and glory to God! However, we must understand that as great a speaker as Dr. Jeffress is, no matter how filled with the Sprit he and his staff are, somebody other than him or the leadership team brought or invited those people to church that day. Don’t miss the forest for the trees here – sure, some people probably came in under the Lord’s divine direction through watching the TV show or listening on the radio – the point is the time is now for us as individuals to begin planting those seeds, building those relationships, being friendly and displaying the love of Christ and His ability to change our world to others. The command is to us all. “Go!” Let’s start now and begin laying that soft, rich soil for the seeds to land on.
The last part: “teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you” is very important for all believers, not just new converts. I think it is safe to say that for the most part, we all have a deep desire to advance the Kingdom, die to ourselves, and live for Christ daily. Am I exhorting other men that I know who are sort of on the fence to pick up that charge as well? Not as much as I should. Do we exhort each other, not just those of us we know to be on the same page – that’s easy – what about the other guy? That’s hard, and I’m not good at it. I pray that the Lord will give me ‘strength and honor’ and courage in knowing how and when to be an example to my other Christian brothers.
I am so excited about the group of strong men who love the Lord and are ready to go into battle with one another, to lead the charge and change themselves, their families, our city, and the world!
The time is now – be the Light to an unsaved person today. Exhort a brother in Christ today.
Nathan Campbell
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Wednesday is for being challenged!
My view of God
I guess God is not through with Nehemiah in my life. It keeps challenging my views. This time it challenges the way I view and approach God. As some of the books in the Bible do, Nehemiah ends on note that leaves the reader saying…so what happened next? The last few words of Nehemiah seemed really odd to me at first.
The last chapter tells that Nehemiah left
"Remember them, O my God, because they have defiled the priesthood and the covenant of the priesthood and the Levites." Wow, what an indictment and request. He didn't ask God to forgive them, correct them or punish them. He asked God to remember them because of their disobedience. I think I've talked before about our attitude towards our enemies or those we hope God judges. Add this verse to that topic.
The Bible gives us many examples of behavior- godly and not. This prayer of Nehemiah speaking to God about anger at the people sounds a lot like some of the prayers of Moses. This is not the kind of prayer I would instruct my children to pray about a mean kid at school. I'd probably tell my child he is wrong for doing this…that's frequently the parenting technique I use. It gets great results. I'd say they shouldn't pray for that & God surely won't answer that prayer. At first glance I say Nehemiah's prayer is not an example of the "right" kind of prayer …..but what does that mean? We should be honest with God, in a reverent manner. If we cannot speak honestly, openly to God then there is no one to whom we can go. I don't think God is going to answer by doing what was petitioned. God is forgiving. I think we can pray for judgment but we better pray for mercy and repentance at the same time. Try to balance that one out. Nehemiah asks God to remember the people because of their sin then he tells how he helped fix the situation. The very last phrase of verse 31, the very last phrase of the book is what gets me.
"Remember me, O my God, for good."
It sounds like Nehemiah views God as a judgmental, almost vengeful God. I wonder how much of that was due to his aggravation and frustration with the people of
I want to study of the prayers of Nehemiah to see the things he asked of God, how he addressed God, his attitude in prayer. He obviously listened to and obeyed. God used him mightily. I want that in my life. Not to be famous but to be used by God. There is no greater joy. There very thought is unbelievable…. God would use me to bring about His will?
Live ready to lead,
Philip Buford
Thanks for today's blog posting to - Philip Buford
Thanks,
Gary
gkendall@KendallSystems.com
www.KendallSystems.com
972-488-0009
"While it is hard to motivate someone with no Vision, it is almost
impossible to stop someone with a Vision." - gary kendall
Please pass this email on to anyone you think should see it.
Visit the blog at:
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