Who knew that crossing borders could be so difficult?
1) I entered Maine from Milltown, NB, last Wednesday night - you know, the little border crossing on the way to BGR. I told the guy I had only the bags he could see, nothing in the trunk. He wanted the trunk popped. I struggled with our broken glove compartment and gave him the key to open it the old fashioned way. Imagine my surprise when he asked what the bags were. Ah, yes, the bags of clothing for the sharing club. Oops. I got to pull over and go talk to the US customs.
2) Today I entered Abbotsford, BC, from Sumas, WA. Everything was fine until the Canadian customs official alerted me that I, as a Canadian resident, could not legally drive my US-plated rental vehicle into Canada. I got to pull over and talk to the Canadian customs agents who told me, "The cops will fine you a lot of money for driving, but I don't see another option. Go ahead." I drove the speed limit and was more defensive than ever.
28 February 2006
MIA
I'm not MIA, I promise. It's just that a spiritually intense weekend, the beginning of revival in chapel, preparation for a trip, a Vrooman wedding weekend, and admissions trips will really take a person off kilter. Josh and Kara's wedding was perfect. Honestly. I wanted to post about it before, but you know.... (Oh yeah, I'm doing homework and trying to be a good husband in there too somewhere.) More to come....
17 February 2006
Christian Worship
Okay, this might start something. What do you think makes worship "Christian" as opposed to any other religion or adjective that you might put in here? Why bother?
16 February 2006
Disappointing Days
It's really disappointing when you call your dad to wish him Happy Anniversary and are greeted by a mechanical voice that says, "The number ***-***-**** has been disconnected." I knew Dad and the fam were moving, but he said he'd call with the new number and address. They did not. (Still haven't.) Fortunately, I had Dad's cell phone number. (To his credit, the fam has gone exclusively to cell phone use, so there wasn't a new number to give.) We talked, but that was very disappointing. Why wouldn't he call, when they moved two weeks ago?
I'm dealing with this. Pray for me to face it honestly and to move quickly to forgiveness. It's a little bit more difficult because I've had a series of disappointing days recently.
On the other hand, both AP and James called me this week. That was a blessing on both counts.
I'm dealing with this. Pray for me to face it honestly and to move quickly to forgiveness. It's a little bit more difficult because I've had a series of disappointing days recently.
On the other hand, both AP and James called me this week. That was a blessing on both counts.
15 February 2006
Danielle
Many of you don't know Danielle - or "IvorySing." (By the way, this is a great nickname for her if you've heard her sing.) She is a very deep sister in Christ whom I came to know over a year ago. She and her family are incredible; you'll all enjoy meeting them in Heaven. Now that you know her, I'm going to address her curiosity to "entire sanctification."
Danielle, I'm not going to argue with you because I think people who argue over doctrine are talked about in 1 Timothy 6 in a negative light. However, we're all wrestling with this issue of sin. To talk about entire sanctification completely from its biblical derivative would take an incredibly long blog or a brief, possibly inappropriate attempt at explanation. I'm going to go with the latter. (Sorry for all the big words you may encounter. Doctrines that are difficult to explain bring them out in me.)
Living a sinless life comes into play in the Bible at Creation. The Father created a perfect world without sin. Thus, His plan was a world with no sin. Note that He did not create a world without the possibility of sin. The sinless and perfect Adam and Eve were still tempted and still sinned. Thus begins the story of the Bible - God and people love each other; people give into temptation to sin; people are separated from God; God provides a way out; people are restored to sinlessness (forgiveness and eventually freedom from the bent to sin); God and people love each other again without sin.
That is a very simple take on the salvation story, but sinlessness was God's plan from the beginning and continues to be now. The terms "entire" and "sanctification" come together in thoughts that derive from Scriptures like 1 Thessalonians 5:23. It says, "May God Himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul, and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." This verse is the one verse that puts simply what we're all trying to say with entire sanctification. This word "blameless" is a much better way to look at what we're talking about than sinless. It means that we cannot be blamed for our past sins and sinful origins.
Does this help? (I'm sure that AP or another genius can say it better, but let's stick with this for now.)
Danielle, I'm not going to argue with you because I think people who argue over doctrine are talked about in 1 Timothy 6 in a negative light. However, we're all wrestling with this issue of sin. To talk about entire sanctification completely from its biblical derivative would take an incredibly long blog or a brief, possibly inappropriate attempt at explanation. I'm going to go with the latter. (Sorry for all the big words you may encounter. Doctrines that are difficult to explain bring them out in me.)
Living a sinless life comes into play in the Bible at Creation. The Father created a perfect world without sin. Thus, His plan was a world with no sin. Note that He did not create a world without the possibility of sin. The sinless and perfect Adam and Eve were still tempted and still sinned. Thus begins the story of the Bible - God and people love each other; people give into temptation to sin; people are separated from God; God provides a way out; people are restored to sinlessness (forgiveness and eventually freedom from the bent to sin); God and people love each other again without sin.
That is a very simple take on the salvation story, but sinlessness was God's plan from the beginning and continues to be now. The terms "entire" and "sanctification" come together in thoughts that derive from Scriptures like 1 Thessalonians 5:23. It says, "May God Himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul, and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." This verse is the one verse that puts simply what we're all trying to say with entire sanctification. This word "blameless" is a much better way to look at what we're talking about than sinless. It means that we cannot be blamed for our past sins and sinful origins.
Does this help? (I'm sure that AP or another genius can say it better, but let's stick with this for now.)
08 February 2006
Parable of the Talents
I'm not sure why no one was brave enough to tackle the previous post about talents, but I've been mulling it over anyway. It was also part of the YOTB reading for yesterday, so I'm hot on the trail again.
Basically, I think that parable is a victim of poor Bible study. Tiff was on the right track when she uncovered the fact that the Greek word often translated "talent" refers to money. Remember that good Bible study means we take into account what the author meant for the people who he/she KNEW would be reading the account. Matthew 25 was written, most likely, to a first century audience with a strong background in Jewish tradition. If they understood "talent" as a monetary unit, then that's likely why Matthew wrote that word.
That means that the parable of the talents (money) is about stewardship. The principles are certainly applicable to talents (abilities), as Tiff nicely pointed out. However, it's a parable about stewardship of anything the Lord gives us. In the story the master gives talents to the servants according to their abilities (25:15). (Why would he give someone abilities according to their abilities? That's crazy, yet we all seem to fall victim to this Bible study approach.) One servant had the ability to manage a lot of money, another had the ability to manage an average amount, and another had the ability to manage very little. Each was then given the opportunity to make use of that money. Ultimately, each person was held responsible for what they did with what they were given.
This is a very simple analysis, but I think it's one worth considering. Most of my life I've seen this verse interpreted through people's natural talents, often being used to highlight people's talents and ignoring the responsibility we have in stewardship. WORSHIP IS NEVER ABOUT US, AND THAT INCLUDES HOW WE GLORIFY GOD IN THE STEWARDSHIP OF WHAT WE ARE GIVEN!! Does that mean we should hide our talents? Does it mean we should be silent with our spiritual gifts? Does that mean we should hide our money? Does it mean we should keep our ministries small? No, no, no, and no. That's what the third servant did that disappointed the master.
What we should do is put what we have to the Master's use. (That's the bottom line of the parable.) If it's spiritual gifts, may they be excercised frequently according to the Spirit's enabling. If our natural-born talents are involved, then we should be doing the same. If we're thinking about money, it is God's anyway, so let's put it to His use. This parable has considerably less to do with our talents than it does with how responsible we are to use and multiply what God gives us.
The Master gave you at least one gift according to your ability to manage it. I'm not concerned with what gift that is. Ask the Lord today how you're doing at managing that gift.
Basically, I think that parable is a victim of poor Bible study. Tiff was on the right track when she uncovered the fact that the Greek word often translated "talent" refers to money. Remember that good Bible study means we take into account what the author meant for the people who he/she KNEW would be reading the account. Matthew 25 was written, most likely, to a first century audience with a strong background in Jewish tradition. If they understood "talent" as a monetary unit, then that's likely why Matthew wrote that word.
That means that the parable of the talents (money) is about stewardship. The principles are certainly applicable to talents (abilities), as Tiff nicely pointed out. However, it's a parable about stewardship of anything the Lord gives us. In the story the master gives talents to the servants according to their abilities (25:15). (Why would he give someone abilities according to their abilities? That's crazy, yet we all seem to fall victim to this Bible study approach.) One servant had the ability to manage a lot of money, another had the ability to manage an average amount, and another had the ability to manage very little. Each was then given the opportunity to make use of that money. Ultimately, each person was held responsible for what they did with what they were given.
This is a very simple analysis, but I think it's one worth considering. Most of my life I've seen this verse interpreted through people's natural talents, often being used to highlight people's talents and ignoring the responsibility we have in stewardship. WORSHIP IS NEVER ABOUT US, AND THAT INCLUDES HOW WE GLORIFY GOD IN THE STEWARDSHIP OF WHAT WE ARE GIVEN!! Does that mean we should hide our talents? Does it mean we should be silent with our spiritual gifts? Does that mean we should hide our money? Does it mean we should keep our ministries small? No, no, no, and no. That's what the third servant did that disappointed the master.
What we should do is put what we have to the Master's use. (That's the bottom line of the parable.) If it's spiritual gifts, may they be excercised frequently according to the Spirit's enabling. If our natural-born talents are involved, then we should be doing the same. If we're thinking about money, it is God's anyway, so let's put it to His use. This parable has considerably less to do with our talents than it does with how responsible we are to use and multiply what God gives us.
The Master gave you at least one gift according to your ability to manage it. I'm not concerned with what gift that is. Ask the Lord today how you're doing at managing that gift.
07 February 2006
Feeling Good
Do you know what feels very good? Being able to call a friend or two at a moment's notice to ask for a prayer time later in the day. That's what happened yesterday when I was engaged in some spiritual warfare with Brent and Joy. There's no point hashing the whole thing out (suffice it to say that the Lord is eternally faithful), but felt wonderful to know that in times of absolute need, we could call. In part, that typifies the body of Christ, wouldn't you say?
01 February 2006
Backwards?
I was reading in Christianity Today earlier today. An article there challenged my understanding of the parables in Luke 14. The heading (in NIV), "The Cost of Discipleship," is inaccurate, according to the columnist. If we really look, he said, we'd notice that Jesus was pointing out fools rather than disciples. If the original listeners were familiar with Hebrew tradition (arguably a good point), then the person who didn't finish the tower would be considered a fool (Babel), as would the king who fought without the real hope of winning (Israeli and Judean history).
If Luke was written to a Gentile audience, as some suggest, then can the columnist have his history straight? This passage, obviously calling people from folly into godly wisdom, is about discipleship. However, is this really a way of pointing out spiritual fools?
If Luke was written to a Gentile audience, as some suggest, then can the columnist have his history straight? This passage, obviously calling people from folly into godly wisdom, is about discipleship. However, is this really a way of pointing out spiritual fools?
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