It's a Haiku

O my Dallas Cowboys -
Romo looks like number 8 at times
I like pie
T.O. stands for Terrell Owens
William & Mary is a school?
Wade Phillips is boring
But it doesn't matter
Wow. How bout them Cowboys.

God & War

I am not really much of a poetry person, but this morning I gave a poem a little extra time to read, and I concluded that it's just a really cool poem. It is quite long, but I think it is fitting for the situation that our country is in. For those who have been affected by the war... and for those who are in turmoil in how they view God in the midst of it all, check out the following link.
http://benwitherington.blogspot.com/
You may have to cut and paste into your address bar or you can just click on the link to the right entitled "A really smart guy named Ben."

The One Whom Jesus Loves...

“Not long ago I received in the mail a postcard from a friend that had on it only six words, “I am the one Jesus loves.” I smiled when I saw the return address, for my strange friend excels at these pious slogans. When I called him, though, he told me the slogan came from the author and speaker Brennan Manning. At a seminar, Manning referred to Jesus’ closest friend on earth, the disciple named John, identified in the Gospels as “the one Jesus loved.” Manning said, “If John were to be asked, ‘What is your primary identity in life?’ he would not reply, ‘I am a disciple, an apostle, an evangelist, an author of one of the four Gospels,’ but rather, ‘I am the one Jesus loves.’”
What would it mean, I ask myself, if I too came to the place where I saw my primary identity in life as “the one Jesus loves”? How differently would I view myself at the end of the day?
Sociologists have a theory of the looking-glass self: you become what the most important person in your life (wife, father, boss, etc.) thinks you are. How would my life change if I truly believed the Bible’s astounding words about God’s love for me, if I looked in the mirror and saw what God sees?
Brennan Manning tells the story of an old Irish priest who, on a walking tour of a rural parish, sees an old peasant kneeling by the side of the road, praying. Impressed, the priest says to the man, “You must be very close to God.” The peasant looks up from his prayers, thinks a moment, and then smiles, “Yes, he’s very fond of me.”
-Phillip Yancey, What’s So Amazing About Grace, visual edition, page 22

What are we doing and How are we doing it?

Okay, so we decided to make the Rockway Church Blog page a site that was mainly reserved for interaction and discussion- not so much devotional thoughts by staff. So if this looks familiar- it's because I just cut and pasted this entry from the Rockway Blog Site to my blog page.

"CHRIST we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone MATURE in CHRIST. For this I toil, struggling with all HIS energy that he powerfully works within me." -Paul, Colossians 1:28-29

We proclaim Christ. The Christ of the inspired Word of God. Not a Christ of morals or ethics. Not a Christ of self help psycho-babble. Not a Christ of friendly smiles and good-will. Not a Christ of reason. Those are all helpful, but not essential. We teach Christ: born of a virgin named Mary. Living a sinless life- 33 years. Suffering under Pontius Pilate. Crucified. Dead. Buried. Risen from the dead. Ascended to Heaven to be with the Father. Currently speaking to the Father on behalf of those who treasure Him. And one day returning for His Bride, the Church and destroying Death once and for all.

It's a lot to proclaim. And like Jonathan alluded to in his blog- a lot of it sounds pretty crazy. But these we must hold to- so that we can, like Paul, present everyone mature in Christ. We can be mature in a lot of things- but only one thing is worth our energy- knowing Christ.

And we want to know all there is to know about Him! Our minds were made to be filled with wonderful thoughts about Him! It's not enough to just believe that he was crucified. But we must know that he truly was dead and that he rose again- Even that's not the complete picture of Jesus. We will never get the complete picture of Jesus- like Paul said it's like trying to see Jesus in a very dim and poor mirror, but one day we will see Him face to face (1 Cor 13:12). We want to know all there is to know about Him!

And How will we do this? How can we tackle such an enormous job which is to know and teach Christ from now until life is over? The only possible way is this: We need God-like strength and energy. And God generously gives it! It's not easy. Paul says it's a struggle. But it is the ONLY thing worth striving after. Knowing and teaching Christ with the energy He provides.

God, let Rockway strive to know everything there is to know about Your son, Jesus. And may Rockway proclaim and teach none other than your true son Jesus Christ.

Satan's plan of salvation?

More from Glyn Evans- "Satan's deliverance minimizes the great deliverance that God promises his children. In being tempted by Satan, Jesus was promised deliverance from the cross. Many martyrs were promised deliverance from their pains by a simple recantation..."
"Satan wants us to fulfill ourselves and be the happy subjects he wants us to be- but in HIS way. That is why it is very difficult to convince unsaved people that they are not having a good time. The fact is, they are! Further, it is difficult to get people to exchange their immediate happiness, which Satan gives, for an eventual happiness, which God promises.

"By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharoah's daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin." Hebrews 11:24-25

Agree or Disagree:

I read the following in my devotional book ('Daily with the King' by Glyn Evans). It was really thought-provoking. I am curious, though. What do you think?

Satan says, "Serve me, and I will give you everything you want." God says, "Serve Me, and I will give you only what is good."

More thoughts later...

Tragedy

As many know by now, tragedy struck here in Mansfield last night at the Summit JV football game. A young man named Dozie died last night. I don't know the details, but from what I understand, it was due to an injury sustained while playing and he collapsed on his way to the sideline. It's awful.
I have no words to make the situation better. But I do know that there is always hope when you are walking with Jesus. This hope was so real to Paul that he said, "To live is Christ, to die . . . even better." Pray with me for Dozie's family and those who are in the wake of such an awful thing. Feel free to post your prayer to this blog.

What joy...

"OH, WHAT JOY for those whose rebellion is forgiven,
whose sin is put out of sight!
Yes, what joy for those whose record the Lord has cleared of sin,
whose lives are lived in complete honesty!
When I refused to confess my sin, I was weak and miserable,
and I groaned all day long.
Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me.
My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat.
Finally I confessed all my sins to you and
stopped trying to hide them.
I said to myself, "I will confess my rebellion to the Lord."
And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone.
Therefore, let all the godly confess their rebellion
to you while there is time, that they may not drown
in the floodwaters of judgment.
For you are my hiding place; you protect me from trouble.
You surround me with songs of victory.
The Lord says, "I will guide you along the best pathway for your life.
I will advise you and watch over your life.
I will advise you and watch over you.
Do not be like a senseless horse or mule that
needs a bit and bridle to keep it under control."
Many sorrows come to the wicked,
but unfailing love surrounds those who trust the Lord.
SO REJOICE IN THE LORD AND BE GLAD,
all you who obey him! Shout for JOY, all you whose hearts are pure!"

-King David
PSALM 32 (NLT)


Like the joy and gratefulness that one is overcome with soonafter a near-death experience . . . I think that's kind of how we are to live everyday of our lives. I am not very good at it, but I need to be. If you have known anyone who has just escaped death- they hug their sons and daughters, husbands or wives closer. They are not ashamed to express the beauty of living life. I heard John Piper compare it to miners who have narrowly escaped death . . . spending days trapped while others work tirelessly to rescue them. And when the miners finally come out into the light and breathe the fresh air- who is doing all the hugging? EVERYONE! Onlookers hug each other. Rescuers are hugging strangers. Wives run to husbands. Life is celebrated- everyone's life is celebrated!
Oh if only the church was a place where JOY was expressed to the hilt because WE have been rescued from ourselves. We have all been where those trapped miners were. All banged up, bruised, and bleeding, gasping for air, about to go under for good. And then the light appears! The Father has chased after us! He removes our shame! He heals our wounds! He gives us new life, new breath! I can't express it any better than David did in Psalm 32.
This Sunday, let's celebrate the rescuing. I want to hug more people, because the truth is that they have been rescued. And so have I! I am happy to be alive.
"Yes, what joy for those whose record the Lord has cleared of sin, whose lives are lived in complete honesty!" 32.2

Thank you Jesus. I can't wait to see you!