Leftovers

I am purposefully going to be relatively unavailable for the next few days, so I will offer up a couple previous posts for your re-reading enjoyment! Both posts have to do with motorcycles . . . one of the few reasons I miss warmer weather. :)

Try this one: BAGGAGE

or maybe this one: SPEED AND FREEDOM

The Nativity

The kitchen counters are full of goodies: plates of cookies, sweet breads in red plastic wrap, jars of jams and soup mixes. The cookie sheets are in constant use. The living room echoes with Christmas music from everyone from Charlie Brown to Mannheim Steamroller. And the icing on the cake is that there is snow on the ground today!

Well, here is another poem and another song. I guess I've just been in that sort of in that mood lately. :)

A poem for Christmas by C.S. Lewis, accompanied by Phil Keaggy on the guitar

County Down - Phil Keaggy

THE NATIVITY

Among the oxen (like an ox I'm slow)
I see a glory in the stable grow
Which, with the ox's dullness might at length
Give me an ox's strength.

Among the asses (stubborn I as they)
I see my Saviour where I looked for hay;
So may my beastlike folly learn at least
The patience of a beast.

Among the sheep (I like a sheep have strayed)
I watch the manger where my Lord is laid;
Oh that my baa-ing nature would win thence
Some woolly innocence!

Merry Christmas from the Moore household!

Opera, Anyone?

Wow, now this is really going out on a limb, but I'm posting a short opera piece. It's called Nessun Dorma, and the version below is sung by Luciano Pavarotti. The lyric is powerful enough; the music makes it mighty. So, for all you opera fans, ENJOY! :)

Nessun Dorma - Luciano Pavarotti & Andrea Bocelli

Italian Text:
Nessun dorma! Nessun dorma!
Tu pure, o, Principessa,nella tua fredda stanza,
guardi le stelleche tremano d'amoree di speranza.
Ma il mio mistero è chiuso in me,il nome mio nessun saprà!
No, no, sulla tua bocca lo diròquando la luce splenderà!
Ed il mio bacio scioglierà il silenzioche ti fa mia!
(Il nome suo nessun saprà!...e noi dovrem, ahime, morir!)
Dilegua, o notte!Tramontate, stelle!Tramontate, stelle!
All'alba vincerò!vincerò, vincerò!

English Translation:
Nobody shall sleep!... Nobody shall sleep!
Even you, o Princess, in your cold room, watch the stars,
that tremble with love and with hope.
But my secret is hidden within me,my name no one shall know...
No!...No!... On your mouth I will tell it when the light shines.
And my kiss will dissolve the silence that makes you mine!...
(No one will know his name and we must, alas, die.)
Vanish, o night! Set, stars! Set, stars!
At dawn, I will win! I will win! I will win!

Ikey, Billy and Cortlandt

When O. Henry (nee William Sydney Porter) created characters for his stories, it was as if he started with a basic human model and then painted on translucent layers of social class, station in life and intellectual ability. These layers could be plainly seen, but not without the basic humanity of each character showing through. At least that's what I think. So here I have another short story by a guy with a really short first name . . . that's a joke . . . "O." Henry . . . Anyway, the title of the story is "The Social Triangle" and it's just a perfect little tale to demonstrate the basic human instinct to be known and to be needed. Henry quickly sketches three different characters in "The Social Triangle" and at the end, you'll have attached yourself to at least one of them.

The story brings to mind a few truths the Bible states and observations the Bible makes about people and those are right here for the clicking: Proverbs 19:6, Proverbs 22:9, Luke 6:26.

Alrighty, then, click Mr. Henry and read on if you have five extra minutes . . .

Stille Nacht

The narrative below is something that I shared with the teenagers in our youth group. Music played while it was being read and it was, if not powerful, at least moving and meaningful. :)

So, if you have enough time (5 or 10 minutes) and are brave enough to tackle it, press the play button on the Imeem player below and let the music set the mood while you read.

Stille Nacht (Silent Night) - Mannheim Steamroller

I guess you could say this story has no beginning. So we’ll start before time began, in eternity, where there is no beginning or end.

Outside of the constraints of our world, in eternity, God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit wrote a story of love that would be contained within a book called "Time".

It was there, before the creation of the world, that the plan was made and the groundwork laid that the Son of God would one day step down into time to save His most treasured possession.

With infinite wisdom and in the power of His sovereign might, God created the heavens and the earth. He started the galaxies swirling and balanced billions of stars in space. He set the solar system spinning in its precise and delicate dance, and held our planet in his hands, making it fit for life. His presence hovered over the waters as He brought forth the land and a myriad of living things. His immortal mind knew that one day He would send His Son here as a Savior.

On the sixth day of creation, he formed the first man from the earth as a potter would form clay. The very elements that comprise the crust of the earth he spun together to form flesh, bone and sinew. This process completed, the Lord of Life breathed into this newly formed body a living spirit. And mankind was born. How strange to imagine that one day in the distant future the very Son of God who helped make man, would become one Himself and in this way become uniquely and intimately connected with His own creation.

It was not long before God completed man by providing him a partner. From the same elements with which He formed the man, indeed from his very side, He drew the necessary elements to create a woman: different, yet one with the man, a perfect complement. A woman, lovingly made to bear new life, and one day it would be a woman who would carry in her womb the Son of the Most High.

In the course of time, the man and woman that God had formed turned their backs on their Creator and disobeyed, to their demise. They stepped out of safety and unleashed a curse of sin and suffering on all who would come after them.

From the time of that first failure, the Fall itself, God asserts His compassion and declares that, though mankind would suffer because of sin, one day a Son of Man would be born that would crush Satan under His feet. God’s story of love was being written and played out.

Through thorny years of turmoil and pain, men and women spread out over the earth. Civilizations grew rapidly. Although men continued to rebel against the Creator, the man Noah feared God and was preserved in the face of destruction in a vessel that foreshadowed the Savior and His redeeming grace. As darkness plagued the earth and the water poured out from above and below, Noah and his family were protected until the sun shone again and painted a promise in the sky.

The chapters of mankind’s history flowed on, and centuries passed. With every new setting and plot twist, God made it known through His prophets that one day, at just the right time in the story, a Redeemer would come.

Many men spoke of Him: Moses and Jacob and David king of Israel, himself a shadow of the coming King. Others, through the Spirit of God, foresaw His advent: Isaiah and Jeremiah, Daniel and Micah, Haggai and Zechariah and Malachi. The words of God within them were glorious and mysterious - they knew with deep excitement and anticipation that their Messiah would come, though they knew not when. Isaiah, moved by the Spirit of God, proclaimed that, "the people living in darkness [would see] a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light [would dawn.]"

At the very sunset of the Old Testament the prophet Malachi spoke. Darkness had come and would last 400 years, but he spoke of the Son, who would "rise with healing in His wings..." And then, finally, the light of the world would dawn.

Four centuries later, a servant of the Lord, a mere girl, saw the first blush of dawn on the horizon. The angel Gabriel, God’s "hero", God’s "strong man", appeared to the meek one Mary and delivered a message that would change her world. It would change the whole world.
The hope of a Savior had not been completely dormant, for there were many faithful who waited patiently for His advent. Indeed, the Spirit of God was stirring even in a child still in the safety of his mother’s womb: when Mary visited her pregnant cousin Elizabeth, no explanation was necessary, for her unborn child leaped for joy within her and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. She knew that the long night was almost over.

Three months later, the cousin of Jesus was born and his father Zechariah named him John, and, overcome as Elizabeth had been, he prophesied that "because of the tender mercy of our God...the rising sun will come to us from heaven to shine on those living in darkness."
The night was fading quickly, dissolving in the spreading light, but there was another night to come. A holy night.

Six months passed and the womb of the young girl Mary was ready to deliver. The baby within was eternal yet he was made from the same dust as the first Adam and vitally connected to his earthly mother, receiving nourishment from her body. And one day He would die because of the rebellion of that first Adam, in order to save from the curse and consequences of sin all those that followed who would believe on Him.

The night was holy, yet not silent for everyone. In Bethlehem the young Mary cried out with pain in childbirth as she delivered the One who would deliver her.

In the nearby countryside, drowsy shepherds were startled by what might have been mistaken as an early sunrise, but as their senses cleared, they discerned a light and presence not of this world. Angels announced to these humble men that the Good Shepherd had finally come. They ran to Bethlehem to see the Child the angels had spoken of.

Bethlehem, which in Hebrew means "the house of bread’, had become the birthplace of the Bread of Life, just as the prophet Micah had foretold.

When Jesus was just eight days old, Joseph and Mary brought Him to the temple in Jerusalem to have Him circumcised and to offer sacrifices for Mary to purify her from the flow of blood during childbirth. It was required by the Law, and she brought two birds because she could not afford a lamb, though in her arms she carried the Lamb of God.

A man was waiting for them there. Simeon was devout and righteous and full of God’s Spirit. And he was old. He had held onto the promise that he would not die before he had seen the Christ, the Messiah. As the young family entered the Temple, Simeon took the child and praised God with the deep and personal words, "My eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to Your people Israel."

Then his gaze turned from heaven to Mary and he spoke prophetically and powerfully: "This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul, too."

Though the Savior had come, men would still reject Him. Such is the fallen nature of mankind. But He came to give Himself for His own, and His sheep would hear His voice.

Peace would not come without struggle, cleansing from sin and eternal life would not be possible without the shedding of innocent blood. Just three decades from his birth, this Messiah would endure an excruciating, humiliating, agonizing death. Broken, bruised, contorted and bleeding He would fulfill the plan of God and provide a turning point in the timeless story of our salvation. Darkness would once again cover creation, but only until the morning of the third day . . .

Rising in power and ascending in glory among the same angels that announced His birth, the God-man Christ Jesus promised that He would return.

Even now, Today, He awaits the Father’s command to enter time once more.

The disciple John, one of Jesus’ closest friends and disciples, had of vision of his Savior towards the end of his life:
"His head and hair were like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes were like blazing fire. His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and His voice was like the sound of rushing waters. In His right hand he held seven stars, and out of His mouth came a sharp double edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance."

And such is the brilliance all of us who believe in Him and belong to Him will one day behold - the glory of the Creator, the prophesied Messiah, the baby Jesus, the Suffering Savior, the Risen King, the Lamb of God - one day, some day soon, when God writes the final chapter of time and we begin an eternity of life with the Author of salvation.

Slides

My parents must have thousands of them: those wonderfully small, cardboard-framed cells of vivid color known as "slides". If you're young enough, the only slide you know of that has to do with pictures belongs in PowerPoint. But the slides I'm referring to are something far more amazing. Maybe I'm a little odd, but there's something almost magical about holding one of these little beauties in your fingers and lifting it to the light to behold the brilliant images captured on film long ago. I absolutely love my digital cameras, but there is definitely a uniquely rich quality to good film photography that digital technology hasn't quite captured yet.

I couldn't begin to count how many evenings I spent as a child laying on the floor of our darkened living room looking at family pictures projected onto a glittering fabric screen. I can still hear the whirr of the projector fan as it cooled the bulb that was providing the needed pathway to fling our memories through the air onto the screen. And then there was the satisfying mechanical "cha-chunk" as the carousel of slides rotated and the metal sliding armature would remove one picture and insert another. (Of course, I wasn't thinking such fanciful thoughts at the time, but nostalgia has a way of making the mundane poetic.)

For me, slides are like little treasures and they fascinate me as an adult the way my View Master did as a kid.

I think I'm going to stop by my parents' house and raid that old closet downstairs and see what kind of celluloid gems I can find.

Russian Wisdom

Everybody has something to learn. The book of Proverbs starts off by stating that its mission is to give "prudence to the simple" and that the wise should "listen and add to their learning."

One of my favorite authors is a fine Russian gentleman by the name of Leo Tolstoy. No, I have not read War and Peace. I have five children, and tend to gravitate towards novels of a somewhat smaller nature. In Tolstoy's case, I have read most of his short stories. I think a lot of folks don't even know that Tolstoy wrote a whole stack of wonderfully rich short stories.

In "Three Questions", he tells the tale of a king on a quest for wisdom and I think it illustrates pretty well the words of Proverbs written above. This story is so short it's almost a fable, really. Just click on Leo's portrait and take five minutes to read it. You'll find out the right time to begin everything, the right people to listen to, and the most important thing to do! So go ahead and click, he's friendlier than he looks!

Wheeeee!

It's good to be a kid. The world is new, adventure waits around every bend, you just know you can run fast enough to fly, and "carefree" is your middle name.

I just know Jesus loves children because of this and it's why He told us to have faith like kids do. I think we really oughta wake up each day with adventure in our hearts spurred on by the confidence we have in our Heavenly Father - carefree.

The one thing my kids want to see before they go to sleep at night is my face. I can't explain that, really. Maybe they just wanna know Dad is home, that Dad has got things under control, that Dad will be awake and watching over things while they sleep. I'm not sure, but I do know that I am an unworthy recipient of such affection.

I think a secure child is an obedient child. No, not a PERFECT child, but one that wants to be obedient, one that considers doing what dad asks or expects to be quite normal behavior. Orneriness is to be expected, but it seems to me that somehow being in a secure relationship makes it easier to do what's right.

Someone once said, "a child only wants to see his father smile." My kids know they have my undying affection. They also know my firm hand. And because of this, they are secure and happy. I literally weep when I think that there are millions of little ones on this planet experiencing nothing like that.

Walk On

Just a simple thought today: we all must pass through pain so that we may be filled up with God's comfort and then pour it into someone else's life.

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God." 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

And as a nice side dish to this thought and Scripture, I give you a song from one of my favorite Irish poets ;) . . .

Walk On . . .

Abundant Truth

Leading an assembled group of believers in worship on Sunday morning is something akin to choosing a paint color that everyone likes, or carpet that everybody can agree on.

There will always be critics, because musical taste is so subjective, and these criticisms can sometimes be a little tiring (and I've certainly been on that side of the mic before). However, the criticisms don't bother me when I know that I have been careful to choose songs full of abundant truth. The best songs for corporate worship declare the Truth about who God is, the Truth about the Redeeming Christ, and the faithful work of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer. Corporate worship should set forth doctrine and magnify the character of Almighty God. It is not a time for sappy love songs. It is not a time for whipping yourself into an emotional frenzy. Did I say that? I did.

I have nothing against emotions in worship. Just this morning I was in tears driving to work while listening to a favorite song that came on the radio (I had to actually drive PAST the office while the song played out...). But what I shun in corporate worship is a forced emotional state that substitutes for a true experience of praise. It is truly moving indeed when my emotions are brought to the surface by solid Biblical Truth in the words of a song.

One contemporary songwriter who is creating this kind of music is Stuart Townend. The simple, hymnlike melodies of "How Deep the Father's Love for Us" and "In Christ Alone" are matched with lyrics that are like steps carved in the side of a mountain, leading one higher and higher. The sound doctrine contained in these songs is refreshing and irrefutable. It exalts Christ and proclaims the work of God. It encourages and assures the true believer.

Here is "How Deep the Father's Love For Us", performed by someone other than Stuart Townend, but this guy sings skillfully and plays a Taylor...

For the Birds

I'm almost finished reading Reclaiming Science From Darwinism by Kenneth Poppe.

Below is a paragraph with which he finishes off a chapter that discusses how Darwinian evolution is supposed to produce only beneficial traits:

"Watch one singing bird for a few minutes with solitary attention, and then try again to explain how such a 'ridiculous' activity became highlighted in the gene pool instead of leading to the extinction of that songbird's species. Since there is no scientific reason for birds to randomly sing, and every reason for them not to, I will give credit for beautiful birdsongs, as well as my capacity to enjoy them, to their Designer."

Of course, this isn't the strongest argument against evolutionary theory, but it's a pretty simple and elegant one. I think beauty itself (its existence and appreciation) is huge evidence that nothing about this universe is a product of random processes and chance.

The amount of scientific evidence that causes evolutionary theory to crumble is actually quite large. Unfortunately, it's just not cool (politically proper) to let that (cleverly designed and created) cat out of the bag. Evolution doesn't make sense and men and women from every scientific discipline agree on that fact.

Are there changes within species? You betcha. There are plenty of small changes and adaptations going on all the time. Natural selection is at work. But natural selection only favors traits that already exist and natural selection has never made a man from an amoeba, a bird from a dinosaur or a whale from a cow. It's not just improbable, it's impossible. How do I know this? A little bird told me.

The Five

To begin with, I freely confess that I stole the photo ideas in this post from my friend Al.

I don't know what I'd do without my five sons (besides a whole lot less laundry!). They frustrate and delight me, challenge me and concern me, inspire me and make me proud. Whenever I hear of a family that has more than five kids, I secretly think, "lucky!", and become slightly envious.

For every time I've been angry with one of these guys, I've laughed a dozen. I've spent time crying over them and time just thinking hard trying to figure each one out. They are superbly fascinating.

I look forward to coming home at the end of each day and being among these boys I love so much. Our home is really my refuge. I hope it is for the boys as well.

BTW, the firstborn is here. :)

O'er Our Tumultuous Snow!

It snowed today! There are people who don't like snow. I don't understand them. Never will. Sorry. This time of year excites me like no other. Autumn is deepening into winter and my soul is snuggling into something warm and familiar. I love what winter does (at least in my latitude). It quiets everything and slows life down. Furnaces and fireplaces radiate welcome warmth and thick comfortable coats come out of hiding from their closets. There's nothing like getting bundled up to go outside. For me it's a feeling of security and comfort.

Whether it's a crystal night as cold as stone and hard as iron or a bitter day that takes my breath away I cherish the experience of winter. It's invigorating in some strange way.

So I'm back to poetry now, quoting C.S. Lewis again:

PATTERN

Some believe the slumber

Of trees is in December

When timber's naked under sky

And squirrel keeps his chamber.

But I believe their fibres

Awake to life and labour

When turbulence comes roaring up

The land in loud October.

And plunders, strips, and sunders

And sends the leaves to wander

And undisguises prickly shapes

Beneath the golden splendour.

Then form returns. In warmer,

Seductive days, disarming

Its firmer will, the wood grew soft

And put forth dreams to murmur.

Into earnest winter

With spirit alert it enters;

The hunter wind and the hound frost

Have quelled the green enchanter.

Clive loved winter and I think Robert Frost did, too (how appropriate). I stole a line from his poems "Stars" to title this post.

A good blanket of snow also calls to mind Isaiah 1:18 and reminds me of the covering - no, the cleansing - that Christ provides for me. My sin is hidden and gone and all that is left is the sparkling brightness of His righteousness.

Praying for Truth

Orthodoxy. Correct doctrine. Straight opinion. Right belief. A very important word for Christians. Believing correctly about Christ is essential to a relationship with God. This is why the Apostle Paul excoriated false teachers and those who misrepresented the True Gospel. It's also why he urged Timothy to "rightly divide" or "cut straight" the Word of God (Gospel) in his teaching. Interestingly, the word used in this verse in the Greek is "orthotomeo", obviously closely related to "orthodoxos". Each word has something to do with doing something precisely, correctly and accurately.

There's something afoot in religious discussions these days, and I suppose it's been around since the beginning. What I'm talking about is the argument about who believes correctly; who exactly does have a corner on the Truth? In organized "Christian" religion (I put it that way b/c I don't believe everything within this scope is truly Christian) the belief pendulum swings far and wide from tight-fisted, close-minded, obsessive-controlling Phariseeism to loosey-goosey, warm-fuzzy, so-open-minded-that-your-brains-leaked-out, feel-goodism. Somewhere in the middle is orthodoxy. Or perhaps orthodoxy escapes the path of the pendulum altogether. That might be a better picture.

In my time here on the planet, I've met folks who live in religious straightjackets and I've had discussions with others who dilute the Gospel down to some all-inclusive kind of resort package. I'm not sure which end we of the spectrum we are most threatened by in America today, but I think I'm leaning toward the warm-fuzzy folks as the most dangerous.

I'm really just making an observation here. I'll save a discussion on what is included within orthodoxy for another day. Today I'm just contemplating, and praying that people in need of God and Truth will no longer be led astray by teaching outside of orthodoxy.

Crane Your Neck

One of my favorite memories is from almost exactly seven years ago. In November 2001, the boys and I got up at 4am to witness the Leonid meteor shower. It was supposed to be the best showing until 2099, so we didn't want to miss it.

For thirty minutes we huddled in blankets on the deck and never had to wait more than 20-30 seconds to see a meteor, sometimes as few as 3 or 4 seconds. I estimated we saw more than 100 "shooting stars" during our 30 minute vigil. I mentioned to Brayden on the way back inside that the Bible says that when Jesus returns, He will appear out of the eastern sky. He thought that was pretty cool. The Leonid meteor shower derives it's name from the area of the night sky from which it seems to originate: the constellation of Leo. It occurs to me that this is an interesting parallel to the "Lion of Judah."

(This past weekend, a very large meteor lit up the sky in Canada. Definitely a video worth watching!)

The night sky is absolutely a wonder, especially in the colder months. You can see the Orion nebula and the Andromeda galaxy with the naked eye, there's the Winter Triangle and other fascinating sights to see on those crystal nights.

A few nights ago, Jupiter and Venus were reflecting brilliantly in the southwestern sky right after sunset, chasing the horizon. I love to just stare at things like this. It still fascinates me like it did when I was a kid.

Gazing upward often gives me a deeper sense of God's penultimate power and control, and comforts me, too, as I am reminded that I belong to Him. I think we should look up more often, take it all in, and learn something new about God's glory. In the words of Rich Mullins, "it don't do to talk about glory if you never look up and see the sky."

Quick!

A lot of folks are familiar with C.S. Lewis and his writings, in particular the Chronicles of Narnia and Mere Christianity. What many don't know, however, is that in addition to these and his other "theological" works, Lewis also wrote short stories, science fiction, and some very fine poetry.

IMO, his poetry reveals much about who this man was, what he struggled with, how his emotions colored his world, and how he related to his Savior. One of my favorites deals with the maddening dichotomy of our love for God and our struggle with sin.

Forbidden Pleasure

Quick! The black, sulphurous, never quenched,
Old festering fire begins to play
Once more within. Look! By brute force I have wrenched
Unmercifully my hands the other way.

Quick, Lord! On the rack thus, stretched tight,
Nerves clamouring as at nature's wrong.
Scorched to the quick, whipp'd raw - Lord, in this plight
You see, you see no man can suffer long.

Quick, Lord! Before new scorpions bring
New venom - ere fiends blow the fire
A second time - quick, show me that sweet thing
Which, 'spite of all, more deeply I desire

"Lord help! I want you more than anything, but my flesh is so weak!" In Romans 7, Paul says, "I don't really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don't do it." Now, I realize that some folks believe that Paul is speaking hypothetically here, from an "unregenerate" point of view. I, however, am convinced that he is speaking of his own struggle with sin after his salvation. Theological and hamartiological discussions aside, the fact remains that the Christian's struggle with sin is often mind-bogglingly frustrating. Quick, Lord! Give me strength!

Proof Positive

"We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure." Hebrews 6:19

It takes some time for someone unfamiliar with the sea to get used to trusting in an anchor while a storm rages all around. Knowing the anchor is there doesn't make the wind abate or the waves diminish or the darkness dissolve. The sound and fury of the storm can be overwhelming, but in fact they signify nothing. Nothing, that is, if the ship is properly anchored. The longer I live, the greater peace I experience in Christ. It's not that I've earned the right to more peace, or even that life has been more peaceful. That is certainly not the case. Life is more challenging than ever, and suffering and stress are commonplace. What has happened is that I have seen over and over again that the Anchor has always held. I don't fear nearly as much that the boat might be swamped or the anchor chain could break.

Yet, we still are imperfect in our trust. In the book of Mark, a man brought his tormented son to Jesus: "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!"

Charles Spurgeon commented on our lack of trust: "O unbelief, how strange a marvel thou art! We know not which most to wonder at, the faithfulness of God or the unbelief of his people. He keeps his promise a thousand times, and yet the next trial makes us doubt him."

Has God been good? He will be good. Has God been faithful? He will be faithful. He will not fail on any count. The longer we live, the deeper our history, the more we learn to trust and depend on Him because He proves himself over and over again.

I Can't Resist Just One More...

So Friday I posted a Phil Keaggy video, and I've got to give you this one as well. It's just too good...

Guitar Mastery

I own a beautiful guitar. It's a 2001 Taylor 514ce. The top is made of western red cedar and the tone is warm and wonderful. After I first received it (a surprise birthday gift from my wife several years ago), I kept finding myself putting my nose up close to the guitar and basking in the aroma. Mmmmm. It's a crying shame that my meager talents don't measure up to this instrument's potential. I have posted a video of myself playing the Taylor, and you can check the archives if you really want to see it that badly. However, I think it makes more sense for you to watch a master. I couldn't embed the video linked below, so take a trip to youtube and watch Phil Keaggy play a Taylor 514ce and make it sing. (btw, I shook Keaggy's hand once, but apparently the mojo didn't transfer . . . )

Click here to watch Phil Keaggy playing "Cajon Pass" on my guitar (well, the same model anyway!)

An Encouraging (?) Word

"Be so brave, and so longsuffering in hope, that when inward comfort is withdrawn, you may prepare your heart to suffer even greater things." ~ Thomas a Kempis

Wow. Thank you for that encouraging word, Mr. Kempis :) Actually, that's a profound statement and full of truth. It is a general fact that we experience little, if any, growth during times of ease. Growth comes from dark and heavy times, when we are tossed about by life's storms.

What do people imagine when they think about following Jesus? Does anyone stop to consider that following Jesus involves suffering? That's a Scriptural promise, in fact. Paul's heartcry was not, "I want to know Christ and the fellowship of sharing in His happiness." Not at all. Sometimes I get more than a little frustrated with America's version of Christianity. God's eternal plan of redemption through the shed blood of Christ has been merchandised in so many pretty little ways and we like it that way. It's disgusting. Meanwhile, Christians on the other side of the world are starving while they tend their bruises in prison. These are the heroes on whom rests the Spirit and glory of God. Persecution, btw, does not include somebody prying the fish symbol of the trunk of your car.

Well, I feel as if I have been ranting. This all began with a preoccupation of my heart today (and in recent weeks) with suffering and with hardship. What does it mean to know Christ, and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in His sufferings? In part, I think it must mean treading in His footsteps through the shadowlands with only His promises for comfort. That's when we learn to truly trust Him, and that no earthly arm is strong enough to save.

I'll finish with a quote from my office wall with, unfortunately, no one to credit for it:

"So if you're hoping to get control of all your problems - Christianity is not for you. If you are looking for success, happiness, or freedom from pain - Christianity is not for you. If you are looking to make yourself feel better, appease your flesh, and have fun and be care-free, RUN, RUN, RUN from Biblical Christianity - run and catch an episode of Joel Osteen or Oprah or someone like that because that's what you are looking for -- not Biblical Christianity."

Firstborn

Today is the birthday of my oldest son. He was the first of five, and being the first, he has played a crucial role in my life as a father. When Brayden came to be, I became something new, too: I became a father for the first time ever. Normally, one receives a title after earning the proper credentials. Not so with fatherhood. I received the title and then began the work of achieving the credentials. And I must say, I have learned more about being a father from my firstborn son than with any of the others.

Brayden's birth changed my life profoundly. It helped me turn a corner. Or maybe it was a U-turn. What I began to learn with each passing day was that "self" had to die. It was a crummy self anyway and it was nice to see it leaving.

Fatherhood has taught me a myriad of things about the character of God. As my sons grow, I understand better all the time the Fatherly God revealed in Scripture: the Father who is calmly patient, who disciplines for benefit (severely if necessary), who does not tolerate rebellion, who loves and teaches and listens.

The love I feel for my five boys is bigger than I can describe or even understand. It's a mysterious thing. There's not one of them I love more than another; I love each one enormously and I am utterly grateful to the Heavenly Father for giving me the chance to be their father.

Just Boys

Children are fascinating creatures, especially when they are your own. My boys are complex and wonderful and funny and frustrating! I love to just watch them and see a little bit of me in the way that one tells a joke or a little bit of their mother in the way that one deals with friends or just to see something that is all their own.

Our firstborn is in the thick of the teenage years right now and there is no thrill ride that can compare! I love adventure, so this is absolutely fantastic. He's a great kid and growing up so fast it's almost frightening.

The next in line is at the threshold of teenagedom and exhibits moments of angst that seem oddly out of place in this heretofore very pleasant young man. The strangely comical part of this is that he reacts to life in much the same way that I did (DO). It's going to be a great ride.

The other three are still in full-blown childhood, enjoying the bliss for a little while longer.

Some days I feel like a chemist, and each boy is like a different chemical. I observe the reactions as they mix and emulsify - sometimes with pleasant results and sometimes blowing up the entire laboratory.

Deep down, at the foundation of things, I think we have peace in our home. I see it when we all sit down to dinner and pray. I see it when me and the guys are all in the living room watching Mythbusters. I see it when we all get out in the woods to go tromping around. They really do love each other, I've discovered.

Psalm 133
1 How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity!
2 It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron's beard, down upon the collar of his robes.
3 It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion. For there the LORD bestows his blessing, even life forevermore.

Inexpressible

Do you remember being a kid and having so much fun you wished it would never end? Can you recall that kind of joy? It was inexpressible! Waking up on a summer morning and having the whole day to do nothing but play in the creek and pick wild strawberries was just glorious. School was 100 years away and there were many friends waiting just a short bike ride down the street. That innocent elation knew not the days that would come in the future when disappointment would bring drab to a colorful world.

How things change! But I'm convinced we must learn a new and better kind of joyful living. As adults, we see the marvelous, unstained joy of children, yet we know it is fleeting. That's why we want to keep our children innocent for as long as possible. But even although we know that innocence ends, if we know Christ we are encouraged because the joy we experience in the knowledge of God lasts far beyond the bright days of summer and is unaffected by the weighty grays of disappointment and disaster that inevitably come our way.

The apostle Peter encourages us: Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls. (1 Peter 1:8-9)

Wow. Nothing, nothing tops that. Words can't be found to describe the goodness and mercy of God in securing our everlasting salvation through Christ!

The Ads Will Soon Be Over

Perhaps this post is a little late, but I just now found the video posted below. It is from a man of God I esteem. I believe all the points he makes are valid, although I might not jump on board with him completely, particularly in regard to his thoughts on Sarah Palin. However, his statements about Christians being WAY too wrapped up in politics are right on the money, and the last 40 seconds or so contain the crux of the whole matter. Oh, by the way, please vote tomorrow . . .

'Til Death Do Us Part

We are so often encouraged to be faithful to the Lord, but I wonder what we think of when we consider what faithfulness is. Probably we imagine ourselves being more consistent in our Bible reading, spending more time in prayer, or deciding to resist temptation a little more vigorously. Maybe we offer up a prayer of commitment to 'surrender all'. Well, obviously there's nothing wrong with any of these actions, but I wonder if a better perspective on faithfulness wouldn't enrich our experience and deepen the sentiment behind our actions.

In the book of Hosea, we read that "the land is guilty of the vilest adultery in departing from the LORD" (1:2, emphasis mine). I read that and suddenly comprehended faithfulness from a whole new angle.

I am faithful to my wife. I pledged my life to her. We are raising children together. I work hard every day for her. My thoughts turn to her often during the course of a day. She really is my joy and delight. To think of living apart from her is a horrifying thought. I can't imagine putting asunder what God has joined together. The parallel to our relationship with God is obvious.

There is something valuable in considering faithfulness in a marital light (marriage is, after all, God's idea and patterned after His relationship with us). And the great thing is that this Groom is perfect. We've no reason to be upset, annoyed or unfaithful.

So faithfulness means living my moments with an awareness of deep affection and attachment to my loving God, to whom I have pledged my life. It means growing deeper in appreciation, affection and security as the years go by. It means being in constant wonder as the beauty of my Beloved unfolds with each passing day. It means becoming more and more like the Lover of my soul.

Being unfaithful to an earthly spouse is an awful thing, but departing from the LORD is the "vilest adultery."

Not A Chance

Naturalistic evolution is mathematically impossible. The basics of 'life' are not really basic, but mind-bogglingly complex. The tiny proteins, enzymes and amino acids that comprise 'life' are utterly dependent on precise structures and relationships in order to actually function. The odds of life springing up by chance are beyond staggering. In fact, the mathematical odds prove that, no matter how much time is allowed, life beginning by chance is statistically impossible.

And this is to say nothing of some so-called 'earliest life-form' going through multiplied millions of changes (and somehow acquiring information and the necessary instantaneous complexity) to become everything that now teems over the face of the earth. For the hard and fast numbers, please check out a book I've referenced before by someone who has already done the crunching for us.

In the meantime, I will reference another blog with an excellent visual illustration that plainly demonstrates there IS INDEED a Designer. The World As Seen Through An Atheist's (Irreducibly Complex) Eyes.

The 190 Pound Weakling

This weekend a very dear friend and his family were special guests at our church. Brett and Joan Nelson are missionaries to Burundi, and they are currently in the states itinerating. Joan spoke a few words that resonated with me and had me shaking my head in solemn agreement. She related how she had been a Christian "from the womb" but was recently taken aback by some of her nasty sinful nature popping up in her life when confronted with some frustrating circumstances. Arrogance, pride, selfishness and anger had seemed to come out of nowhere.

I was sitting there thinking how true it is that we are not as strong as we think we are. I had been thinking it was just me. Apparently not.

In "The Imitation of Christ" Thomas a Kempis wrote, "[t]his is that which oftentimes strikes me down, and confounds me in Thy sight, that I am so subject to fall, and weak in resisting my passions. And although I do not altogether consent, yet their continued assaulting is troublesome and grievous unto me; and it is exceedingly weary to live thus daily in conflict."

Like my friend Joan, I have been a believer since childhood. It's interesting though, (and often perplexing) how susceptible I am to sin. Yeah, I can look back over my life and attest to the sanctifying, purifying work of the Spirit in my life. I've come a long way with God's help. Yet, in spite of this, I remain weak. Hmm. This is not to say that I live each day in wild abandon to my passions. Not at all. What I am talking about is the ever-present awareness that I am indeed "subject to fall."

Maybe, just maybe, this is a sign of maturity. Not the weakness, but the awareness of weakness. Even Paul celebrated his weaknesses while exulting in God's strength. Which makes me think just now that we have no business seeking strength in ourselves anyway. The more cognizant I am of my own powerlessness, the more I have to joyfully surrender to God.

How Deep!

Two things have brought me wagon loads of encouragement this week.

The first is the serendipitous discovery of something one of my sons had written in the back of his Bible: "I love the Bible. You can really get connected [to God] by reading the Bible. I love my mom and my dad. I love Jesus."

This is the kind of thing a boy might never reveal to his parents, but would easily pen in the flyleaf of his Bible, pouring out his heart honestly. There's no guile there, no reason to "fluff" the words so others would be impressed; it was simply a young boy expressing his heart. And you have no idea what it did for this father's heart.

The second thing that encouraged me this week was the discovery of a new song, a modern day hymn, that I've heard before but never really "heard", if you get my drift. The song is "How Deep The Father's Love For Us" by Stuart Townend. Townend has also written "In Christ Alone", another modern hymn familiar to many. His melodies are simple yet stirring, and the lyrics are deep and full of Truth. Not a word is wasted in these hymns, there's no need to repeat a line several times to stir up emotion, for these songs deliver God's truth to the soul with the strength of ocean waves.

Jurassic Farce

"Over a decade ago, paleontologist Dr. Mary Schweitzer accidentally discovered soft tissues preserved inside dinosaur bone. [S]he came upon what appeared to be blood vessels and blood cells on her microscope slides. In an interview years later, she recalled, 'I looked at this and I thought, this can't be. Red blood cells don't preserve.'"*

Indeed they don't. That is scientific FACT. The evidence is that biomolecules should not last any longer than 100,00 years. Even this is a stretch. Collagen is a resilient biomolecule found in many fossils, but it has a "lifespan" of only 30,000 years or so. Even so, it is insisted that the creatures in which these soft tissues are found are at least 65 million years old.

So, would someone please tell me why we don't hear any of these FACTS discussed in the media or see them in textbooks? Oh, wait, I know why - because the facts militate against the paradigm of 'millions of years' that Darwinian philosophy needs to explain its theories and rule out any need for a Creator.

Evidence for the Creator and a young earth is all around. Science is on the side of the creationist perspective.

*Acts & Facts Magazine, October 2008, published by the Institute for Creation Research

300: In The Bible, They WIN!

The story of Gideon is fascinating. If you read carefully and really press the juice from the grapes in Judges 6 through 8, you see a man who is humble yet heroic, obedient yet reluctant, daring yet doubtful.

Gideon is asked to do an amazing thing by the LORD: rise up against an oppressive army and bring freedom to the land. So, he summons men of Israel in the vicinity and gathers a sizable force of 32,000 men. Now, at this point, can you imagine what Gideon might have been thinking . . .
"At first, I sure thought this was a crazy thing God asked me to do, but look at all the men He's brought me to fight against the Midianites. Cool. We should be able to handle this!"
However,
"The Lord said to Gideon, 'You have too many men for me to deliver MIdian into their hands.'" Judges 7:2
Then the LORD proceeds to whittle Gideon's fighting force down to 300 men. Overwhelming victory was the result. And, 300 or even just three, it didn't matter! It's all about God's glory anyway (SDG!) and victory rests with Him exclusively. I wonder if, in David's time of travail before the Lord when he presumptuously counted his army, he remembered Gideon and what God accomplished with 300 men. I wonder if Gideon's story was part of what pricked his heart at that time as he was reminded afresh that God doesn't esteem a vast army, only a heart that chases after His own.

Without any further exposition, I just want to shout: OK, God, remove all my props! Teach me to trust You and not the assets I perceive to be my source of confidence! Help me to see with spiritual eyes the "chariots of fire" that Elisha's servant saw!

I'm afraid I spend too much time each day analyzing and weighing the "size of my army", prognosticating success or failure based on inconsequential factors such as my (little) bank account, which car is at the shop this week, my own mood, a headache, personality conflicts, and the "madness of self-confidence."

Give me the high-spirited God-inspired confidence of Jonathan, for the Lord will save, whether by many or by few!

Reclaiming Science From Darwinism

I have begun reading "Reclaiming Science From Darwinism" by Kenneth Poppe. One of the first sentences in the book expands on the title: "Today's powerful scientific and mathematical challenges to Darwinism show it to be a failed theory, and it is time that science no longer be captive to its control."

For many years I have been utterly amazed that learned men and women continue to tout Darwinian evolution as the answer to the question of origins. And let me add here that being "learned" doesn't mean you become an evolutionist. There are many, many highly educated and trained people in all scientific disciplines who reject Darwinism in favor of Design and Creationism. Kenneth Poppe himself is a career biology instructor (more than 25 years) with a PhD in education and has assisted in DNA research of stream ecology.

I have made conclusions as to why the tenets of Darwinism are clung to so tightly, but that will have to be a subject for another post.

The point here is the one that Poppe makes, namely that:
"The processes and phenomena currently operating within the universe and on Earth are insufficient to produce themselves. No amount of natural evolutionary theory can account for the complexity and compatibility that are continually observed by science. Therefore, there must be a guiding intelligence repeatedly involved in creating the complexity, but not subjected to it. Such complexity must always be the result of intended information because there is a mathematical limit to what blind luck can accomplish."

Simply put, science and Darwinian evolution don't mix. As Poppe says, "Natural evolution must release its stranglehold on science." Regular folks like you and I (or maybe you aren't regular...) who oppose Darwinism must understand the we are not battling science when we confront evolution in our learning institutions and in the media, but that science is, in fact, on our side. Stay tuned.