Blog Banner Explained

Okay, only Rolland tried to figure out the banner picture. He was pretty close. It is in Brazil but about a 1000 miles from the Atlantic Ocean. It is by the city of Manaus, 1000 miles up river. It is where the Solomes and Negros Rivers meet to form the Amazon. (A side note - Most geographers will measure the total length of the Amazon using the Solomes River, which gets its start in the Peruvian Andes). There are several reasons why the water is two different colors. First off, when the rivers meet, they flow side by side for at least 5 miles. The reasons are due to different water temperatures, water densities and compositions. A fun fact about this phenomena is that the fresh water dolphin like to swim and play through the different waters.

This picture helps explain the title of my blog, which is a commentary on my life. Many different factors went into each of the rivers, which come from different parts of the continent to form one river. In turn, many people took differing paths which produced who I am today. One of my family lines were persecuted because of their faith about 500 years ago in Switzerland and eventually moved to the Pennsylvania colony. Another family had 4 generations as ministers of the Gospel. Another family group were gentleman farmers in Indiana. Several families produced veterans of every war that America has been involved with. This is the heritage I inherited. I had no say in the matter. It all converged upon me, my brother and my immediate cousins. There are errors to learn from and faith to hold on to. But it does not stop with me, but I must continue to do what God has called me to do. The same God that urged my fore-fathers to stand up to heresies of the reformation; the same God that calledSamuel, John, Everet and Russell Wooten to be ministers of the Gospel; the same God that gave many men (and a few women) the courage to fight and defend their country. I am to pass along the efforts and faith of the past to my kids and grandkids so that they will be children of God and honorable people.

Yeah, it would make a good sermon point. I will probably use it some time in the future. Since Rolland had the closest (and only) guess, he wins the door prize. The Ginzu knives will be in the mail.

Thanks

Today will be the last day of the year that I will be posting. My family is spending a week in Steamboat Springs, Dec 22-29. Once we return, I may post from home, but who knows.

With this post, I wanted to thank some people who have supported me and challenged me throughout this past year.

1. My wife, Lona, has to be at this position. Who else in this world would put up with me other than her? She is a great source of support and I love her dearly.
2. My two kids, Madeleine and Ian. Madeleine is growing into quite the beautiful young lady and singer (no help from me...its all mom's doing). Ian is the smartest little guy I know. You can literally spend hours talking about Thomas the Tank Engine with him. I try to mess up the names of the obscure engines and he corrects me every time.
3. Pastor Bobby Holt is the shepherd of Vista Grande Baptist Church (VGBC) and is one of the finest expository preachers in America. He is always asking me about seminary classes and gives me a chance to preach every once in awhile.
4. Pastor Greg Teel is the Children's Ministries pastor at VGBC. We carpool to seminary and have some great discussions on theology, the church, preaching, missions and M*A*S*H.
5. Pastor Jay Hill is the worship leader at VGBC and we spend a lot of time together preparing music for the church services. God has truly gifted this man in how to prepare for worship.
6. Rev. Chuck Conner is the executive director of Christian Missions Unlimited (CMU). He has been like an uncle to me over the last 20 years. He has been a great source of inspiration and encouragement in my life. I hope I can go to Brazil with him for another 15 years.
7. Rev. Rolland Kenneson is the best preacher I know that doesn't have a church. If your church needs a great missions-minded, expository preaching pastor, then this man is for you! He has also been my closest friend since I moved to Colorado 13+ years ago.
8. Randy McRoberts is my second cousin-in-law or something like that. We stay connected, primarily through our blogs. I am always amazed by his wealth of theological knowledge and admire his English (or should I say Scottish) dry humor and sarcasm.
   
9. Colin Adams writes a blog for preachers in Scotland. We have never met, but I love reading his blog every day and listening to the occasional sermon. Keep blogging, Colin! One day I hope to attend one of the pastor's conferences.
10. Natalie Rose (Carter) York is my cousin and she passed away in June from a brief bout with intestinal cancer. I never knew she blogged. I had lost touch with her over the last few years. I deeply regret that. She was a stay at home mom in a difficult marriage with two rambunctious kids, but she dearly loved her Lord and Saviour and had an amazing network of friends in the blogging world. You will know that you are truly loved when a dozen people you never met show up to your funeral and talk about the impact you made on their lives. Wow!

I could go on, but 10 is always a good number to stop with when making a list. Thanks to all for this past year and I look forward to another year of blogging!

Christmas Cheer

Good husband and housewife, now chiefly be glad,
Things handsome to have, as they ought to be had.
They both do provide, against Christmas do come,
To welcome their neighbors, good cheer to have some.

Good bread and good drink, a good fire in the hall,
Brawn, pudding, and souse, and good mustard withal.
Beef, mutton, and pork, and good pies of the best,
Pig, veal, goose, and capon, and turkey well drest,
Cheese, apples and nuts, and good carols to hear,
As then in the country is counted good cheer.

What cost to good husband, is any of this?
Good household provision only it is:
Of other the like, I do leave out a many,
That costeth the husband never a penny.

- Thomas Tusser

Can You Guess the Banner?

Recently, I put a new banner at the top of my blog. It helps define the name of my blog a little better. Can you guess what it is?

Ten Moments of 2007

I am sure there are more than 10, but I wanted to take some time to think of ten moments over this past year that has had an impact on my life:

1. March - Spending a week with my family and my dad in Utah during spring break. We were one of only 5 families staying at a summer resort. It was sort of like a ghost town. We spent a lot of time playing games and watching DVDs. It was too cold to go out and play in the snow! We spent a lot of quality time together.
2. April - my youngest cousin emailed me and wanted some advice and someone to talk to. He had a horrible dad and is dealing with a lot of issues. I was surprised by his email, but thankful that I could help.
3. January/February - I was able to coach my daughter's 6th grade basketball team. It was a great time to spend with my daughter.
4. May - A pastor friend of mine resigned from his ministry position. A sobering experience to go through. I had to do a lot of soul searching and prayer.
5. June - Spent a week doing music for Vacation Bible School with nearly 400 kids! Aye-yi-yi!
6. July - Spent 10 days in Brazil building a church and preaching for the first time. A truly awesome experience.
7. July - Got to preach the evening service at my home church.
   
8. August - Spent 2 weeks in Croatia with my lovely wife teaching ESL and was asked to preach twice. It was this mission trip which cemented in my mind that God has called us to missions and to preach. I still can't rightly express the emotions of that trip. I am still processing how God moved.
9. September - Started seminary and tackled Intro to Greek as my first class. It was a love/hate relationship but I am looking forward to the next class.
10. September through December - Praying for a local ministry opportunity of which I hope to have an interview in January.

There are several more, including my cousin Natalie's funeral, this blogging thing and the people I have met through blogging. Maybe in early January I will list some things I am looking forward to.

The Oxen

Christmas Eve, and twelve of the clock.
"Now they are all on their knees,"
An elder said as we sat in a flock
By the embers in hearthside ease.

We pictured the meek mild creatures where
They dwelt in their strawy pen,
Nor did it occur to one of us there
To doubt they were kneeling then.

So fair a fancy few would weave
In these years! Yet, I feel,
If someone said on Christmas Eve,
"Come; see the oxen kneel,

"In the lonely barton by yonder coomb
Our childhood used to know,"
I should go with him in the gloom,
Hoping it might be so’

- Thomas Hardy

Christmas is a Time for Family

A dear family friend, Dr. Wingrove Taylor, wrote this devotional. He included it in his yearly Christmas letter. He gave his permission for me to share it with you.

Family Truth. Preparing for a time of worship while on vacation, God’s truth about family became structured. The truth about family must begin with The Forever Family. This uncreated family is comprised of the eternal Father (1 John 1:2), the eternal Son (1 John 5:11), and the eternal Spirit (Heb. 9:14, KJV). The Forever Family is mystery that we faithfully accept through our spiritual latitudes but cannot fully analyze because of our physical limitations. On His created earth, the uncreated God created what we may call The Foundational Family (Gen. 2:18-24). Here God undoubtedly laid for all time the principle for the basic composition of earthly marriage and family—the God-officiating uniting of a male and a female (cf. Matt. 19:3-6). All other supposedly marital combinations are total untruth—even from the practical standpoint of posterity. There is The Fallen Family—fallen because Adam brought sin into the world (Rom.5:12a). Study Genesis 3 and it becomes obvious that sin is basically self-deity in place of the Sovereign Deity. First by the rudimentary redemption of sacrifice and covering in Genesis 3:20-21; then by royal redemption God made possible The Faith Family (Eph. 5:22-6:4). The faith family is indeed The Father’s Family; for when Jesus was told that his mother and brothers sought Him, His response was “Behold my mother and my brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother” (Mark 3:34b-35). In fact, not only do the claims of earthly family cease in eternity, but the condition itself of earthly family changes (Luke 20:27-36). Indeed the Father’s Family is to be The Final Family (Eph. 3:14-15).

Family Thoughts. When I was growing up, one of the pungent appeals of evangelists and pastors was whether or not a given family would be unbroken around the throne of God. It produced powerful aspiration. There is no question, as Ephesians 5 and 6 reveal, that God desires Christian and responsible parents, and Christian and responsive children. These family thoughts are separate and apart. Here, the truth is that whatever decisions, for or against Christ, parents or children may make, there will be no broken families in heaven. In heaven, the Father’s Family will be the Final, the only Family. More than being remarkably structured, God’s truth about family is unmistakably sobering; and this I shared with my children and grandchildren. I share it now again with them; with my wider family; and with my wonderful friends. With conscientious devotion let us all be doers of God’s will in the deeds that He wants us to do; but first and foremost, with complete dedication let us be doers of God’s will in the beings that He wants us to be.

Let us resolve to fully celebrate Christmas as families by each member being a part of the Father’s Family!

My Mom

Rachel Anne Webb
1942-2002

5 years ago today, my beloved mother passed away and joined her parents and many other friends and family in heaven and in the presence of our heavenly Father. This picture is of mom when she was 6 or 7 while her parents were missionaries on the island of Trinidad. I miss you mom.

The Three Kings

Three Kings came riding from far away,
Melchior and Gaspar and Baltasar;
Three Wise Men out of the East were they,
And they travelled by night and they slept by day,
For their guide was a beautiful, wonderful star.

The star was so beautiful, large and clear,
That all the other stars of the sky
Became a white mist in the atmosphere,
And by this they knew that the coming was near
Of the Prince foretold in the prophecy.

Three caskets they bore on their saddle-bows,
Three caskets of gold with golden keys;
Their robes were of crimson silk with rows
Of bells and pomegranates and furbelows,
Their turbans like blossoming almond-trees.

And so the Three Kings rode into the West,
Through the dusk of the night, over hill and dell,
And sometimes they nodded with beard on breast,
And sometimes talked, as they paused to rest,
With the people they met at some wayside well.

"Of the child that is born," said Baltasar,
"Good people, I pray you, tell us the news;
For we in the East have seen his star,
And have ridden fast, and have ridden far,
To find and worship the King of the Jews."

And the people answered, "You ask in vain;
We know of no King but Herod the Great!"
They thought the Wise Men were men insane,
As they spurred their horses across the plain,
Like riders in haste, who cannot wait.

And when they came to Jerusalem,
Herod the Great, who had heard this thing,
Sent for the Wise Men and questioned them;
And said, "Go down unto Bethlehem,
And bring me tidings of this new king."

So they rode away; and the star stood still,
The only one in the grey of morn;
Yes, it stopped --it stood still of its own free will,
Right over Bethlehem on the hill,
The city of David, where Christ was born.

And the Three Kings rode through the gate and the guard,
Through the silent street, till their horses turned
And neighed as they entered the great inn-yard;
But the windows were closed, and the doors were barred,
And only a light in the stable burned.

And cradled there in the scented hay,
In the air made sweet by the breath of kine,
The little child in the manger lay,
The child, that would be king one day
Of a kingdom not human, but divine.

His mother Mary of Nazareth
Sat watching beside his place of rest,
Watching the even flow of his breath,
For the joy of life and the terror of death
Were mingled together in her breast.

They laid their offerings at his feet:
The gold was their tribute to a King,
The frankincense, with its odor sweet,
Was for the Priest, the Paraclete,
The myrrh for the body's burying.

And the mother wondered and bowed her head,
And sat as still as a statue of stone,
Her heart was troubled yet comforted,
Remembering what the Angel had said
Of an endless reign and of David's throne.

Then the Kings rode out of the city gate,
With a clatter of hoofs in proud array;
But they went not back to Herod the Great,
For they knew his malice and feared his hate,
And returned to their homes by another way.

- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

The Prophet's Call

When we are called to preach, there are certain fundamental things to remember, and these are found in Chapters 2-3 of Ezekiel. We will only look at chapter 2 today.

1. God has called us be ready- Verses 1-2, the Holy Spirit puts a cowering Ezekiel up on his feet and demands attention so that God can speak to him. When I am preparing for a sermon or speaking to a group of men, I need to be in prayer and in the word, waiting for the Lord to speak to and through me. God doesn't want me to be timid, but to boldly proclaim what He wants said. To do that, I must be mentally, spiritually and physically ready to preach.
2. God has called us to obedience - In verses 3-5a, God has called Ezekiel to preach to a rebellious people. He has called Ezekiel to preach to a group of people that will not listen. He has placed him in a difficult situation. The same goes for us. We may be placed in a church that has difficult people or politics. We may be preaching to empty pews or cold people in the pews. We may be dealing with very difficult political climates. We may be preaching to very rich and powerful people who think they don't need God. But preach we must!
3. God has called us to be bold - In verses 5b-7, God reminds Ezekiel that whether they react to his preaching, he will be heard. They will know that a prophet is among them. He will be singled out because of his preaching. But God tells him to not fear them or their words because God will be his strength. Without God, Ezekiel would have given up, ran away or been killed. Only God could provide the courage and strength to persevere in the harsh climate. Only God can give us the strength to preach the Truth in a world where there is no truth. Only God can give us courage to preach Peace and Hope when the world does not provide peace and Hope. Only God can give us the fortitude to preach Righteousness in a world that does not know the meaning of the word.

I will stop there because verses 8-10 go with chapter 3. I hope to comment on that and the rest of chapter 3 tomorrow.

Nativity: A Christmas Poem

Immensity cloistered in thy dear womb,
Now leaves His well-belov'd imprisonment,
There He hath made Himself to His intent
Weak enough, now into the world to come;
But O, for thee, for Him, hath the inn no room?
Yet lay Him in this stall, and from the Orient,
Stars and wise men will travel to prevent
The effect of Herod's jealous general doom.
Seest thou, my soul, with thy faith's eyes, how He
Which fills all place, yet none holds Him, doth lie?
Was not His pity towards thee wondrous high,
That would have need to be pitied by thee?
Kiss Him, and with Him into Egypt go,
With His kind mother, who partakes thy woe.

-John Donne

To Pay a Debt that Keeps on Paying

I was asked the other night by one of the singles at church what tetelestai meant in Greek. This is the last word Jesus said in John 19:30, which is usually, "It is finished." After one semester of Greek, of course I have become the Greek scholar, so I told her it meant "It is complete, the debt has been paid." But then I thought I had better look it up.

Tetelestai is the Perfect, Active, Indicative, third person, singular form from the Greek stem Telew, which means I complete, I finish, I pay, I carry out. The stem means that some activity that was started has been completed. It is interesting that Jesus uses the Perfect form of the word. In Perfect tense an activity that was started has come to an end, but with results that continue on. The fact that Jesus used the third person, to me, shows that He continued to give glory and credit to the Father. "He has finished the work, He has paid the debt for all through Me, so that others may live." Christ's life on earth, His work in human form, was finished at that point, but His blood, shed on the cross as the ultimate sacrificial Lamb, became our salvation.

This was the ultimate gift that keeps on giving.

Are You Rebellious?

I haven't mentioned Ezekiel in a while, but I was looking at chapter 2 and my initial comment is, "Israel must have been rebellious." God is very descriptive of Israel and not in a complementary fashion. He uses "rebellious" five times. He then describes them as: transgressors, stubborn, obstinate, children, thistles, thorns and scorpions.

I will comment on this at length at a later date, but God definitely gives His of Israel to Ezekiel. He was preparing Ezekiel for the reception he will receive, which was a cool one at best.

Tragedy 30 Years Ago

30 Years ago today the entire basketball team, coaching staff and support staff of the Evansville University Purple Aces died in a tragic plane crash soon after the plane took off from the Evansville Regional Airport. This really struck home because I was a 13 year old kid who loved basketball and was a big fan of one of the players. Mike Joyner was a star player for Terre Haute South High School and a close friend of my Uncle David. David, dad and I would go to different schools and playgrounds to play basketball every Sunday afternoon and Mike was always there. I was normally the youngest but they always let me play. Mike was always nice to me. He liked to play opposite of Uncle David instead of on the same team because they would "dog" each other the whole time. It was more fun for them to defend each other.

There is a remembrance convocation at the college today.

Marmion Christmas Poetry

Heap on more wood! – the wind is chill;
But let it whistle as it will,
We’ll keep our Christmas merry still.
Each age has deem’d the new-born year
The fittest time for festal cheer:
Even, heathen yet, the savage Dane
At Iol more deep the mead did drain;
High on the beach his galleys drew,
And feasted all his pirate crew;
Then in his low and pine-built hall
Where shields and axes deck’d the wall
They gorged upon the half-dress’d steer;
Caroused in seas of sable beer;
While round, in brutal jest, were thrown
The half-gnaw’d rib, and marrow-bone:
Or listen’d all, in grim delight,
While Scalds yell’d out the joys of fight.
Then forth, in frenzy, would they hie,
While wildly loose their red locks fly,
And dancing round the blazing pile,
They make such barbarous mirth the while,
As best might to the mind recall
The boisterous joys of Odin’s hall.

And well our Christian sires of old
Loved when the year its course had roll’d,
And brought blithe Christmas back again,
With all his hospitable train.
Domestic and religious rite
Gave honour to the holy night;
On Christmas Eve the bells were rung;
On Christmas Eve the mass was sung:
That only night in all the year,
Saw the stoled priest the chalice rear.
The damsel donn’d her kirtle sheen;
The hall was dress’d with holly green;
Forth to the wood did merry-men go,
To gather in the mistletoe.
Then open’d wide the Baron’s hall
To vassal, tenant, serf and all;
Power laid his rod of rule aside
And Ceremony doff’d his pride.
The heir, with roses in his shoes,
That night might village partner choose;
The Lord, underogating, share
The vulgar game of ‘post and pair’.
All hail’d, with uncontroll’d delight,
And general voice, the happy night,
That to the cottage, as the crown,
Brought tidings of salvation down.

The fire, with well-dried logs supplied,
Went roaring up the chimney wide;
The huge hall-table’s oaken face,
Scrubb’d till it shone, the day to grace,
Bore then upon its massive board
No mark to part the squire and lord.
Then was brought in the lusty brawn,
By old blue-coated serving-man;
Then the grim boar’s head frown’d on high,
Crested with bays and rosemary.
Well can the green-garb’d ranger tell,
How, when, and where, the monster fell;
What dogs before his death to tore,
And all the baiting of the boar.
The wassel round, in good brown bowls,
Garnish’d with ribbons, blithely trowls.
There the huge sirloin reek'd; hard by
Plum-porridge stood, and Christmas pie;
Nor fail’d old Scotland to produce,
At such high tide, her savoury goose.
Then came the merry makers in,
And carols roar’d with blithesome din;
If unmelodious was the song,
It was a hearty note, and strong.
Who lists may in their mumming see
Traces of ancient mystery;
White shirts supplied the masquerade,
And smutted cheeks the visors made;
But, O! what maskers, richly dight,
Can boast of bosoms half so light!
England was merry England, when
Old Christmas brought his sports again.
‘Twas Christmas broach’d the mightiest ale;
‘Twas Christmas told the merriest tale;
A Christmas gambol oft could cheer
The poor man’s heart through half the year.

- Sir Walter Scott

12 Days of Christmas...I think

Check out this version of the 12 Days of Christmas

Joseph Parker Is In The Building

I just received 14 volumes of the 25 volume set of Joseph Parker's sermons. He was a great expository preacher in London during the later half of the 19th century. He was a contemporary of Charles Spurgeon and Alexander MacLaren. It is amazing that 3 of the greatest preachers of the last 200 years were in the same city at the same time. G. Campbell Morgan may have been at the same time and if that is the case, then 4. These are my four favorite preachers and I have collected quite a bit of each.

I have been asked if I sit down and read these sermons as I would a book. Every once in awhile I will, but normally, as I prepare a sermon, I do 4 things:

1. I pray and meditate over the text. This may be a few days, a few weeks or a couple of months. Since I don't preach regularly, I have this luxury. I will be preaching twice in January, so there are two texts that I have read and reread and prayed about. What does the text say? Why does God want me to use these texts? What is the true meaning of these texts in context to the culture and scripture? How this be applied today?
2. I exegete the passage to see what it really says in the original language. If it is a N.T. text, then I look at the verbals to see what is happening. Why is Jesus or Paul using the language he is using in that particular letter or situation? What is the background? Why is the letter being written or what is happening in the narrative? Are there any cultural idioms to be aware of?
3. I look at other commentaries to see what conservative theologians have to say about the text.
4. Lastly, I read sermons from preachers that I respect which include the men named earlier in this post. It doesn't hurt to read how God spoke through other men during different times.

These are the four things I do before I write out the sermon. My Pastor, Dr. Bobby Holt, was the one that helped me with this preparation style. I do not normally use a manuscript when I preach, but I have a detailed outline with me and any quotes I might use are spelled out completely in the outline.

Wow! I didn't realize how far off track I got. I start by telling you about my shipment of sermons by Joseph Parker and end up explaining my sermon preparation. I am excited about the shipment arriving and for the chance to preach a couple of times.

'Christmas Bells'

I heard the bells on Christmas Day
Their old, familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet
The words repeat
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

And thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along
The unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

Till, ringing, singing on its way
The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime,
A chant sublime
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

Then from each black, accursed mouth
The cannon thundered in the South,
And with the sound
The Carols drowned
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

And in despair I bowed my head;
‘There is no peace on earth,’ I said;
‘For hate is strong,
And mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!’

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
‘God is not dead; nor doth he sleep!
The Wrong shall fail,
The Right prevail,
With peace on earth, good-will to men!’

- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Principles of Expository Preaching

John Brand has been posting some great insights on sermon preparation. This should never be taken lightly and John shares many ideas to think about.

All-Americans at Indiana?

Austin Starr, kicker

You may not believe this but Indiana University can boast of having three football players players that were picked by SI.COM as All-Americans. Austin Starr was selected to the first team as the kicker, Greg Middleton was selected to the second team and James Hardy received an honorable mention. For programs like USC, Texas, Ohio State or Florida, three selections would be a slap in the face, but for a program like IU, this is major news. Great job, guys! Go beat Oklahoma State on Dec 31.

A Christmas Carol

The Christ-child lay on Mary's lap,
His hair was like a light.
(O weary, weary were the world,
But here is all aright.)

The Christ-child lay on Mary's breast
His hair was like a star.
(O stern and cunning are the kings,
But here the true hearts are.)

The Christ-child lay on Mary's heart,
His hair was like a fire.
(O weary, weary is the world,
But here the world's desire.)

The Christ-child stood on Mary's knee,
His hair was like a crown,
And all the flowers looked up at Him,
And all the stars looked down

- G. K. Chesterton

Greek Final

Well, I had my Greek final and I thought it went well. There were no surprises. I did well in the areas I thought I would and didn't in my trouble areas. I did mess up the diagram. We translated and diagrammed 1 John 1:7-8. Thanks for praying! Next semester we will be going through Philippians.

Divine Guidance

Today is my Greek final. All prayers for divine guidance would be appreciated!

Good Christian Men, Rejoice

Good Christian men , rejoice
With heart and soul and voice!
Give ye heed to what we say:
"Jesus Christ is born today."
Man and beast before Him bow
And He is in the manger now;
Christ is born today, Christ is born today!

Good Christian men , rejoice
With heart and soul and voice!
Now ye hear of endless bliss;
Jesus Christ was born for this.
He has opened heavens door,
And man is blest forevermore.
Christ was born for this, Christ was born for this!

Good Christian men , rejoice
With heart and soul and voice!
Now ye need not fear the grave;
Jesus Christ was born to save.
Calls you one and calls you all,
To gain His everlasting hall.
Christ was born to save, Christ was born to save!

Rev. Phillips Brooks

Brooks was an Episcopalian pastor and Bishop of Massachusetts. He lived from 1835-1893. I like this quote:

"Do not pray for easy lives, but pray to be stronger men. Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers, but pray for power equal to your tasks. Then the accomplishing of your work shall be no miracle, but you shall be a miracle. Every day you shall wonder at yourself and the richness of life which has come to you by the grace of God."

Ezekiel's Vision

In chapter one, verses 4-28, Ezekiel describes a vision shown to him by God. The first part of the vision describes four beings which are most likely some sort of angelic being. Each one had four faces and four wings. If you were looking directly at the being, the face of a man was in front, the face of a lion was on the right, the face of a bull on the left and the face of an eagle in back. I won't continue to describe the creatures or their movement because that is plainly described in the text.




What fascinates me is what one set of wings is doing. One is covering their bodies, but the other set is holding up an expanse. This is an interesting word that is only found in Genesis 1:6-8 where its function is to separate the waters above from the waters below. Why would this word be used? I believe that can be answered by what is resting atop the expanse. On the expanse was a throne and sitting upon the throne was a figure with the appearance of man. This was God and His appearance was like glowing metal (a Hebrew word that some translate as bronze but it is an unknown metal). There was a radiance about Him. Ezekiel, through the brightness could see a form, but nothing else. I believe that this separation is there to show Ezekiel that there is a separation between God and man. Israel had continued to shows their disobedience time and time again. God is preparing to give Ezekiel his life's work and the grounds for that work is that Israel was separated from God and had no communion with God. God wants a relationship with His people. He wants Ezekiel to understand the great gap between man and God so that he can be more effective in his ministry to the people of Israel.

Any comments?

Expositors Summer School

Can I be the least bit jealous that Scotland, England, Wales and Ireland are hosting all these preaching conferences and there are none (that I know of) here? I confess of my jealousy.

Praying for Pastors

Resolve7 has a nice list of how to pray for your pastors. Are you doing that? You should.

Don’t pray prayers that are too small. Pray that you and we will be swept up by the Spirit in a great new work in our day that has the supremacy of God in all things at the center of it.

Style and Back-burner Projects

Peter continues to provide some great preaching pointers.

Preaching...and More Preaching

Colin provides another weeks worth of preaching and preaching helps. Enjoy.

And if you have not heard Mark Driscoll preach...you should. Colin provided more links to hear this great young preacher.

Proof That Cats Are Evil

DOG DIARY
8:00 am - Dog food! My favorite thing!
9:30 am - A car ride! My favorite thing!
9:40 am - A walk in the park! My favorite thing!
10:30 am - Got rubbed and petted! My favorite thing!
12:00 PM - Lunch! My favorite thing!
1:00 PM - Played in the yard! My favorite thing!
3:00 PM - Wagged my tail! My favorite thing!
5:00 PM - Milk bones! My favorite thing!
7:00 PM - Got to play ball! My favorite thing!
8:00 PM - Wow! Watched TV with the people! My favorite thing!
11:00 PM - Sleeping on the bed! My favorite thing!

CAT DIARY
Day 983 of my captivity.

My captors continue to taunt me with bizarre little dangling objects.

They dine lavishly on fresh meat, while the other inmates and I are fed hash or some sort of dry nuggets.

Although I make my contempt for the rations perfectly clear, I nevertheless must eat something in order to keep up my strength. The only thing that keeps me going is my dream of escape.

In an attempt to disgust them, I once again vomit on the carpet.

Today I decapitated a mouse and dropped its headless body at their feet. I had hoped this would strike fear into their hearts, since it clearly demonstrates what I am capable of. However, they merely made condescending comments about what a "good little hunter" I am.

There was some sort of assembly of their accomplices tonight. I was placed in solitary confinement for the duration of the event. However, I could hear the noises and smell the food. I overheard that my confinement was due to the power of "allergies." I must learn what this means, and how to use it to my advantage.

Today I was almost successful in an attempt to assassinate one of my tormentors by weaving around his feet as he was walking. I must try this again tomorrow -- but at the top of the stairs.

I am convinced that the other prisoners here are flunkies and snitches. The dog receives special privileges. He is regularly released - and seems to be more than willing to return. He is obviously retarded.

"Be Fools For Christ"

"Beloved teachers, be fools for Christ, and keep to the gospel. Don’t be afraid: it has life in it, and it will grow: only you bring it out, and let it grow.”

Colin is sharing a classic example of why we should preach the Gospel. I, personally, don't understand why a preacher would preach anything else. Anything else is NOT preaching.

Ezekiel 1:1-3

Last week was not a good week for me to have my normal Bible study time. But I was able to get back in the swing of things this morning. I started looking at Ezekiel 1:1-3. Ezekiel gave some really good indicators of the chronology of his prophetic visions and preaching. He was about 25 when he was taken into exile by the Babylonians along with a lot of other Israelites. This was 598 B.C. He was 30 when God called him to the ministry, which was about 594 B.C.

There are three things that God does with Ezekiel in the section. He reveals His vision, He spoke His word through him and He lays His hand upon him. Firstly, God revealed His vision to Ezekiel. We will learn later what those visions are, but God "expressly" chose Ezekiel to view these visions and gave Ezekiel the insight to understand them as much as God wanted him to understand them.

Secondly, God gave the words for Ezekiel to say or another way of saying it is that God spoke through Ezekiel. Ezekiel was in exile, a military captive and very well could be turned into a slave in the conquerors wanted. Regardless of the situation, Ezekiel was true to his calling as a priest and performed those duties to the best of his abilities given the situation he was in. He was obedient. That is all that God wants from all of us is obedient.

Thirdly, God laid His hand upon him. God gave Ezekiel the power and authority to preach the Word that was given him and reveal the meaning of the visions that were shown him. He was an instrument of God to be used during a very trying time in Jewish history.

As I have mentioned before, I am excited about this study and will continue to give you updates.

What are you called to do?

In Sunday School yesterday, I finished teaching through Matthew. The material we use lends itself to a "survey" of a book rather than an in depth Bible study. We spent 3 months in Matthew and we could have spent a year. We could have spent 3 months on the Beatitudes alone, but I will stop complaining.

Yesterday's lesson had a "on mission" theme to it with the final point of the lesson being Matthew 28:18-20 which is the Great Commission. As I was teaching and stressing a point that we need to be ready at any moment to share the Gospel, God triggered a memory. I remember my grandpa, Rev. R. W. Wooten, telling a story about disobedience. He was walking down the street and a man was walking towards him. As the man drew nearer, God impressed upon my grandpa to share the gospel with him right then. Grandpa was in a hurry and quenched the Spirit and continued on, passing the man without saying a word. As he turned the corner to walk down another street, he had only gone a few steps when he heard squealing brakes. Grandpa turned around to see what had happened. The man he was supposed to talk to, had been hit by a truck and killed while crossing the street.

My grandpa has the gift of evangelism. He never had a problem speaking to someone about salvation. That zeal intensified after that moment. He never forgot his disobedience to God. He never knew whether that man was a Christian or not, but he always felt the man wasn't because of what God wanted him to share. I used to go with my grandpa when he would visit people and I heard him share, almost every time about God's love for that person. This is a lesson we all need to hear. I don't want to bear the guilt of disobedience because I didn't share the Gospel. Obedience is what we are called to do. That obedience is in different shapes and forms. God doesn't want our sacrifices, our things, our talents, our gifts...He wants our obedience.

"All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

New Library Feature

I added a new feature to the blog recently. It is a library application. I have wanted to catalog all my books at some point but didn't know how to go about it. I saw this on Adrian Warnock's sight and it looked pretty good. You can do 200 books for free, then pay a 1 year membership of at least $6 (yes, you have an option!) or a lifetime fee starting at $19 (yes, there is an option here as well). You can import lists or export your library into a CSV or tab-delimited file. Some people might find it mind numbing, but I have found it enjoyable to look at all of my books. I remember the joy of reading the Hardy Boys for the first time or the thrill of my first college history classes.

Anyways, I hope it isn't distracting from the blog.

A Thanksgiving Psalm

Psalm 46

God the Refuge of His People.

For the choir director. A Psalm of the sons of Korah, set to Alamoth . A Song.

¹God is our refuge and strength,
A very present help in trouble.
²Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change
And though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea;
³Though its waters roar and foam,
Though the mountains quake at its swelling pride. Selah.
⁴There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
The holy dwelling places of the Most High.
⁵God is in the midst of her, she will not be moved;
God will help her when morning dawns.
⁶The nations made an uproar, the kingdoms tottered;
He raised His voice, the earth melted.
⁷The LORD of hosts is with us;
The God of Jacob is our stronghold. Selah.
⁸Come, behold the works of the LORD,
Who has wrought desolations in the earth.
⁹He makes wars to cease to the end of the earth;
He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two;
He burns the chariots with fire.
¹⁰"Cease striving and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."
¹¹The LORD of hosts is with us;
The God of Jacob is our stronghold. Selah.

First Cold Spell

A month ago we got about 3 inches of snow, but it melted off quickly and it has been pretty warm so far. Finally a cold front moved in last night and it snowed a little bit, but it is a lot colder. It is currently 27 with a low tonight of 11. Tomorrow, Thanksgiving, will be sunny but only about 30, then colder on Friday with more snow.

Mark Driscoll on Atonement

I first heard of Mark Driscoll from Colin's blog Unashamed Workman and then I followed a link over to Adrian Warnock and he has a complete breakdown of the 11 point sermon (yes, you heard me...11 points!).

Mark spoke about the person of Jesus and his work on the cross. He said that he believed that it was important for preachers of the gospel from time to time to sit and hear the gospel.

He began in 1 Corinthians 2 — “... I resolved to know nothing when I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified ....” The only thing that must be preached is Jesus and him crucified. Apart from Jesus and his death, we have nothing to offer anyone.

You can finish reading the rest at Adrian's site. Enjoy.

Rounding Third and Heading for Home

Joseph Henry Nuxhall
July 30, 1928 - Nov 15 2007

As a kid growing up in west central Indiana, I used to stay up late on summer nights listening to my favorite baseball team, the Cincinnati Reds on a small transistor radio. When the Reds played on the west coast against the Giants and Dodgers, I would fall asleep with the radio under my pillow and the voices of Marty Brennaman and Joe Nuxhall would be the last ones I heard. If I was awake at the end of a Reds win, Joe would say, "And this one belongs to the Reds." After his post-game interviews, he would end the telecast by saying, "This is the old left-hander rounding third and heading for home. Good night everybody." I heard that phrase a thousand times or more.

Today, the voice that ended many games will not be heard again. Joe died at the age of 79 after a recurring bout with lymphoma. Joe was one of the nicest men you would ever meet. He was a true gentleman who would spend time talking to a stranger as if he knew them for a long time.

How to Win Cowbell Hero

So you want to play a cowbell, eh? Watch and learn...

Sheep and Goats

I will be teaching from Matthew 25:31-46 in the Singles Sunday School class this week. This is a very familiar passage with very memorable imagery. And, if you are a fan of Keith Green's music, you have an additional appreciation for this passage.

What strikes me about this passage is how it is similar to Ezekiel 34 when God speaks out against the shepherds (kings and leaders of Israel) and how He will separate the good sheep from the bad sheep. But back to Matthew 25:32, "He will separate them one from another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats." You see, these animals would graze together. The shepherd would take them out together, but when they came back, we would separate them into their own pens, the sheep to one side, the goats to the other. Sheep are more valuable to the shepherd. They provide wool for many seasons and meat. The goats provide milk and meat. It seems the main point that Jesus is wanting the disciples to understand is that the Shepherd knows His flock. He will return to judge everyone and He will know who His followers are.

How will He know? He will know their heart. If they are true followers of Christ, their heart will be right and they will want to serve Him. This heart issue should lead directly to their actions; that they will be known by their fruit. A true follower of Christ will want to share their lives with others, helping those in need and sharing the love that God imparted on them with others.

Conversely, the sheep know the voice of their shepherd and will want to be near Him. I have watched shepherds walking through fields in Scotland and Ireland and when the sheep see the shepherd, they run to him, rub against his leg and talk to him. The same should be for Christians and Jesus. We should always want to be near him, reading His word and talking to Him because He will supply all our needs.

What is the two-part reward that is reserved for the sheep? The sheep, or Christians, are blessed by God, the Father. The Greek word for "blessed" is a plural noun, so it means all the ones that God has rewarded. The second part is that we will inherit the kingdom. If we have a true salvation experience, then we are given eternal life. Inheriting the kingdom and eternal life means the same thing. But the amazing thing is that God knew man would mess things up when He created the world and He already made plans for us which included salvation through Jesus Christ and eternal life. He prepared a way for us from the foundation of the world.

The next time you have a chance, watch some sheep and think about yourself and the Good Shepherd.

Choosing a Bible College

John Brand has been posting his concerns of Christian education and what an individual should look for when shopping for a school. Instead of the school marketing itself to the student, it seems the student should be proactive and interview the college to see if the college is right for them.


Is the goal to achieve certain qualifications or degrees or is it to prepare God’s people for works of service? There is no doubt in my mind that for most institutions in UK, the former has become the overriding objective and the latter has become increasingly sidelined. With the result that we are producing expert missiologists and lousy missionaries, competent biblical textual scholars and incompetent pastors and Bible teachers, men and women conversant with every liberal theory and view but who don’t know their Bibles.

Verse of the Day

As the appearance of the rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the surrounding radiance. Such was the appearance of the likeness of the Glory of the Lord. And when I saw it, I fell on my face and heard a voice speaking. Ezekiel 1:28 NASB

I don't see visions like Ezekiel's everyday, or any day for that matter, but I do see the hand of God working in my life and the life of my family. I see God's creation everyday when I look at Pike's Peak. When I am riding my bike to work, there is one stop light I always stop at and I look to the mountains and am humbled.

When I read God's word, I am always humbled, yet not as much as I should be. I should be in awe that God's word to man is sitting in my lap. I would love to experience this sense of awe that Ezekiel experienced. I know I will one day in the future.

This would be fun!

Ezekiel - Who Was He?

Well, I have started to dig into who this Ezekiel guy was. Some basics that are plain in the text is that he was a priest, son of Buzi (a priest) , which indicates he is of a priestly line. He was probably a young man when Jerusalem was taken siege and when Israel was placed in Babylonian exile (about 597 B.C.) He was married, he was about 30 when God commissioned him and his wife died while in exile. That is most of the personal info that we know of Ezekiel.

Some questions I want to seek answers to are:
Why did God choose this man?
How was his personality different from Jeremiah or Isaiah?
What were his strengths and weaknesses?


I am reading the background material of the commentaries I had mentioned in previous posts. That may take me a couple of days before I get to the actual text. Feel free to ask any questions or correct me in any way. (Lovingly, of course!)

Time to Clean House?

I could take you to Bible College lecturers who deny the reality of hell, the lostness of those who die outside of Christ, the penal substitution aspect of Christ’s death on the cross, the uniqueness of Christ as the way of salvation and much more. Why should we allow such false teachers to train our students and prepare them for Gospel ministry? If our Bible believing churches stopped sending our students to these places they would have to start putting their houses in order or close down.


John Brand is also commenting on the state of the Bible Colleges. Read on...

How to Prepare

Regarding sermon prep, I had Haddon Robinson at DTS, and his course is basically contained in his book, “Biblical Preaching.” I don’t follow his method to a T, but I do generally follow it, with many shortcuts that are necessary for ministry survival. I begin just with the old observation, interpretation, application process that we learned in Bible study methods. I try to jot down any issues that need to be resolved, to figure out why the Lord included this passage in this context, etc. I try to determine what the subject of the passage is, and what it is saying about the subject (Robinson explains this process). If I can, I take an initial stab at a main idea.

Steven Cole discusses how he prepares for a sermon.

Prayer and Preaching

Let us be preachers who do not shy away from the work involved in our ministry, but let us also be preachers who never fail to pray at every stage in the process.


Peter Mead has been offering a nice series of posts concerning preaching. It is well worth the read.

You Know You Are In Britain When...

These are the top 10 silly laws as voted by a few thousand people in England whose names elude me.

Most ridiculous British law:

1. It is illegal to die in the Houses of Parliament (27 percent)

2. It is an act of treason to place a postage stamp bearing the British monarch upside-down (seven percent)

3. In Liverpool, it is illegal for a woman to be topless except as a clerk in a tropical fish store (six percent)

4. Mince pies cannot be eaten on Christmas Day (five percent)

5. In Scotland, if someone knocks on your door and requires the use of your toilet, you must let them enter (four percent)

6. A pregnant woman can legally relieve herself anywhere she wants, including in a policeman's helmet (four percent)

7. The head of any dead whale found on the British coast automatically becomes the property of the king, and the tail of the queen (3.5 percent)

8. It is illegal to avoid telling the tax man anything you do not want him to know, but legal not to tell him information you do not mind him knowing (three percent)

9. It is illegal to enter the Houses of Parliament in a suit of armour (three percent)

10. In the city of York it is legal to murder a Scotsman within the ancient city walls, but only if he is carrying a bow and arrow (two percent)

Flaming kamikaze squirrel

What a way to go...

Flaming kamikaze squirrel torches car

Ezekiel - The First Read Through

Well, I finally finished the first read through of Ezekiel. I must admit that I skimmed a couple of chapters near the end when the temple was being measured. There are some interesting items to look at. There is the water coming out from under the temple which could be a metaphor of the River of Life. There is also the interesting idea of trees on each side of the river bank that produces fruit every month and the leaves are for the healing of the nations. Then there is the whole concept of animal and grain sacrifices while Jesus is sitting on the throne.

This is a lot of cool stuff to grapple with and try to figure out. I will start reading the commentaries and studying the text and keep you posted.

More Expository Preaching

“If preaching is giving the Bible a voice, if preaching is the proclamation of God’s message, then it would seem that the expository method would be the method most commonly employed. However, this is not true.

Read further of what is being said about the need for more preaching and less social content.

Sermon Ideas and other Thoughts

I am close to finishing the first read through of Ezekiel. I have the last 8 chapters (the measurement and uses of the temple). I thought I might share a few some sermon seed ideas and other study thoughts as I go back to the beginning of this prophetic book and study it more in-depth.

Sermon Seeds:
Chapter 2 - The Prophet's Call - I think we can all relate to being called by God. Everyone who has accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior has had at least one call from God. There is the call to ministry.

Chapter 3 - Ezekiel's Commission - There are the verses of feeding yourself with God's word. There is the challenge of being the watchman of Israel.

Chapter 18 - God dealing justly with individuals - God states that all souls are His. Also, He states "Repent and live."

Chapter 33 - The Duty of the Watchman

Chapter 34 - Prophecy against the Shepherds of Israel and the restoration of Israel

Study Thoughts:

What is the meaning to all the prophecies?
Which ones are fulfilled and which ones are yet to be?
Why is the temple needed in the last days (with sacrifices)? Is this literal or figurative?
Can much of this book be applied to our lives today or is it simply historical and prophetic and we can learn nothing?

I am really looking forward to this study.

Sick House

I am home this morning for a couple of hours so that Lona can do some things after taking Madeleine to school. Ian is sick and staying home from preschool, so I am watching him. He is watching various kid shows on Disney or Nickelodeon. There is only so much "Go, Diego, Go" or "Dora, the Explorer" I can take.

I am thankful for some expository preaching blogs that I have found. I hope to find a couple of more. While I am learning how to preach, it is good to read and hear other preachers. It doesn't mean I will copy any of them, but it allows me to see and understand how different people structure a sermon.

I am at the beginning of a study of Ezekiel and the sites I have found have been helpful in giving some advice concerning OT commentaries.

Reading the Bible

I came across this reminder to read the Bible, and even more so if I am going to consider myself a preacher of the Word. This is a post by John Brand at A Steward of the Secret Things.


You should read, read, read and go on reading, and you need to start doing so straight away. A daily portion for devotional meditation is important and indispensable, but a preacher or prospective preacher needs to go way beyond this. Turn off the television and spend several hours each evening with your Bible open, and make a start TODAY. Use a good sturdy Bible, probably with a hard cover, with good marginal references, and any method - marking, taking notes, circling in red ink any marginal reference that seems particularly significant - any method at all that will impress the inspired text on your memory, your imagination and your heart. Get inside the Bible and ask God to enable you to get it inside you.


The rest of the article is just as good.

Your Best Life Now...is a Game

I refuse to display the creepy grin, but here is a warning concerning the board game version of Joel Osteen's book "Your Best Life Now." No comments...just a warning. Follow the link if you dare. But I am warning you that you might barf.

3rd Ezekiel Book

I just received Ezekiel: A Commentary (Old Testament Library) by Walther Eichrodt. This is the English translation from a great series of works by German Theologians. It is by Westminster John Knox Press.

With two commentaries and a specialty book dealing with the temple, I think I am set. I haven't finished my first read through, but should finish it this week. I will try to provide highlights of this study. If anyone has any study help ideas for Ezekiel, please pass them on!

Happy October 31

Say That Again

How do timbers become shivered? And is it legal in all states?

Never Jumped, But...

As I stated a couple of weeks ago, I was not jumping on the Rockies bandwagon. The Cincy Reds will also be "my" team, through thick and thin. Yet, the Rockies appealed to me because of watching the kids come up through the farm system and playing at AAA Colorado Springs. That is what appealed to me.

I remember when Todd Helton was a kid hoping to grow facial hair and waiting for a Cat to be traded or retire. The Cat being Andres Gallaraga. Andres was one of the nicest guys you will ever meet and one of the more under-rated players of his time because he had the * of playing in Denver. The place where all hit and no pitch meant Thursday night softball scores instead of a MLB game. But I digress: Helton was one of the many talented kids in the minors who was waiting for an established player to leave. When he got his chance, the Rockies continued to bring in free-agents to fill gaps and win quickly while the young kids continued to develop in an improving farm system.

The wait was worth it. The kids who played in Colo Spgs made it to the biggest show in the game. Yes, they got swept by another great team. Sometimes that happens. Don't forget that the 1970 Reds were swept by the Baltimore Orioles. Two years later, the Reds lost in 7 games to a great Oakland A's team. Three years later, the Reds added the first of two in a row World Series titles. I see some resemblance in the 1970 Reds and the 2007 Rockies. There were a bunch of young players learning to play together and learning how to win a championship. The Rockies are learning how to win. I think they will be back in the playoffs for the next few years and, maybe, in the World Series a couple of more times. Will they finally win? Let's watch and see.

I didn't jump on the bandwagon, but everyone loves to watch a parade.

Girls Night Out, Boys Night In

Lona and Madeleine are going out to dinner, do some shopping and see a movie. I think they are going to see the Transformers movie on the IMAX screen. I am a little jealous.

Meanwhile, Ian and I will figure out what to do for dinner, eat some popcorn and/or icecream and watch a movie. Maybe I will carve his pumpkin.

After he goes to bed, I will get caught up on my Greek homework.

That may sound like a boring night, but I kinda like it!

New Ezekiel Book

Another book came in today. It is "Messiah's Coming Temple" by John W Schmitt and J. Carl Laney. This book discusses the temple as described by Ezekiel in chapters 40-48. The author built a scale model of the temple complex based on Ezekiel's description. It looks pretty cool!

Red Sox 2 - Rockies 1, Sox lead the series 2-0

What a great game! Both starting pitchers pitched well and the bullpens did even better. The Rockies bats haven't woke up from their 8-day slumber. Hopefully the thinner air will do them some good. I am looking forward to a good weekend of baseball.

What is the Cost of Discipleship?

“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.”
-Jim Elliott

"God loved a lost world and gave His only Son to be a missionary. I love a lost world and I am a missionary, heart and soul. In this service I hope to live and in it I wish to die."
- Dr. David Livingstone

“To deny oneself is to be aware only of Christ and no more of self, to see only Him who goes before and no more the road which is too hard for us.”

“The first call which every Christian experiences is the call to abandon the attachments of this world.”

“To endure the cross is not tragedy; it is the suffering which is the fruit of an exclusive allegiance to Jesus Christ”

- Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Ezekiel Books

I mentioned a couple of days ago that I will be starting a study in Ezekiel. I ordered 3 books of Amazon to help me along. I got "Ezekiel," a Tyndale O.T. Commentary by John B. Taylor in the mail today. It looks pretty good, but haven't had a chance to read the forward or anything yet. If I get my Greek homework done, then maybe Sunday afternoon I will check it out more thoroughly.

A New Streak

Well the 21 out of 22 is over. It is time to start a new streak. The Rockies lost (embarrassed maybe?) last night 13-1 in game 1 of the World Series. For most of the country east of the Mississippi River, this will be thought of as a typical American League dominant-who's this from the National League series. I do agree that the Rockies looked terrible last night.

More likely, and if you are Manager Clint Hurdle you will expound on this, this was the Rockies first appearance in a World Series in a venue that has hosted many big post-season games. They looked more intimidated by the surroundings and the big stage than anything else. It is one thing playing a meaningless inter-league series in June and playing the Series in October. Okay, the first game is out of the way. The Red Sox have in the bag. Now the Rockies can shake the first game jitters and play like they know how and resemble the team that won 21 of 22 to get here.

Ezekiel

I am starting a study of Ezekiel. While I wait for some used books to show up from Amazon, I am reading through the book. There is a great reminder for us all concerning our heeding God's call. In chapter 3 God tells Ezekiel to tell the exiles whatever God wants them to hear. They may not listen, but that is not for the prophet to worry about. God sternly warns Ezekiel that if He wants to warn the people and Ezekiel does not convey the warning and that person dies, then the blood is on Ezekiel's head.

How can this be applied today? If God compels you to say something to an individual, you had better do it. If I am preaching, I had better say what God has placed me in the pulpit to say. If I am on a mission trip, I had better share with whom God wants me to share. If my neighbor says hello and God tells me to invite them to church or engage in conversation, I had better do it. He may have greater things for that person than I realize. I do not want to be the vessel that won't share His word or message.

If God tells you to speak up, then speak up!

Rockies/Red Sox bets

Typically, governors of states and/or mayors of cities tend to have friendly wagers on the outcomes of big games or series such as the World Series, Super Bowl, NBA Finals, etc. Might I suggest some wager possibilities:

Rocky Mountain Oysters for Boston Clam Chowder

Coors Beer (the whole production) for Samuel Adams (1 keg)

The Broncos for the Bruins (hey, NY has two hockey teams)

'Melo and AI for KG and PP

I am sure there are other wager options but lets not get carried away.

First Snowfall

We received our first snowfall of the year yesterday morning. Lona and I were leaving the philharmonic Saturday night and there was a warm breeze. We were not wearing coats or even sweaters. By morning we had 2 inches of snow and it snowed until about 1PM. Ya gotta love Colorado!

Rockies vs. Red Sox

Well, it took the Red Sox 7 games to dispatch the Indians and now we know who the Rockies play. The series opens in Boston on Wednesday. As I said previously, I am not jumping on the Rockies bandwagon but I am pulling for the kids that I have been watching over the last 13 years while watching the Colorado Springs Sky Sox. All the starters except for Kaz Matsui have spent time in Colorado Springs. A home grown team. This doesn't happen too often. I think I will really enjoy this series. I can only hope that the farm talent that the Reds have developed will see the same results next summer. But for now, it is the kids from down the road getting to play on the biggest stage of the game: the World Series.

Still Waiting...and Ezekiel

The Rockies are still waiting to see who they play: the Indians or the Red Sox. I hope the long lay-off does not hurt them.

There has been a lot I have wanted to write about this week, biblically speaking, but I will wait until next week. I am just now finishing Isaiah and will go over to Ezekiel. I have never studied that book and I know of a couple of passages I would like to preach on but I need the whole context of the book before I do so. Anyone have any good ideas of study helps for Ezekiel?

ROCKIES ARE IN!!!!!

WOW!!! The Colorado Rockies are in the World Series for the first time in their 15 year history. They have been on an historic run winning 21 of 22 games, including 7-0 in the first two rounds of the playoffs. Their opponent will be the Cleveland Indians or Boston Red Sox. The Rockies have an 8 game layoff until the beginning of the series.

On a side note, my favorite team, the Cincinnati Reds, have chosen Dusty Baker as the 60th manager in their history. He will be trying to improve upon a team that finished 72-90 and 80-82 over the last two years. Starting pitching and a reliable bullpen are the two main concerns for him. I don't agree with the media when they say he ruins the arms and pitching careers of young pitchers. Kerry Wood and Mark Prior had arm injuries prior to his arrival in Chicago. In fourteen years of managing, these are the only two pitchers (and highly visible) that had problems while he was manager. I am not worried about it.

But the Reds are in hiatus until late February, so:

GO ROCKIES!!!

Question of the Day

Where would you go to get away from it all?

If you were able to get away for a week by your self, where would you go and what would you take. Limit yourself to 5 items. I will start:


Place: A small, Irish cottage near the sea with a peat fireplace


Items:

1. Bible
2. Fishing pole
3. Compass
4. Journal
5. A history book I haven't read yet

Ok, its your turn...

Game 1 is in the books

The Colorado Springs Rockies (or Sky Sox North) have taken game 1 from the reptiles of Arizona, 5-1. The Rockies got timely hitting and pitching and benefited from a rookie mistake while the D-Backs continued to show why they had the lowest team batting average in the National League.

Let's hope the Rockies/Sky Sox continue their amazing stretch of games.

Irish History

If you are a student of history, and I know some of you are, this article will be of great interest to you. The Annuls of the Four Masters has been put together for the first time in nearly 400 years. It is being shown in one of the greatest libraries in the world: the Long Room of the Old Library at Trinity College in Dublin. The article is worth the read.

MLB League Series Start Tonight

The Rockies and Diamondbacks start the NLCS tonight in Arizona. The Diamondbacks have not sold out their tickets yet. They still have over 4000 tickets available for tonights game starting at $9 a ticket. Incredible! This is only their second shot at a World Series and they can't sell out a game.

On the other hand, the Rockies have sold out all 3 potential home games. It is cheaper for a Rockies fan to FLY to Phoenix and buy a ticket for tonight's game than to buy a home ticket in Denver!

Go Rockies!

Climbing the Ladder

Indiana University has started turning things around with the team Coach Heoppner built and Coach Lynch is leading. After whomping on Minnesota, IU is 5-1, getting some love from the Top 25 voters and on the verge of bowl eligibility. The way this past weekend ended up in the Big Ten, every game on the IU schedule is winnable.

Look out!

Well, the kids from the Springs, the Rockies, are in the NLCS against the Arizona Diamondbacks. The upstarts thumped two of the oldest baseball franchises (Cubs and Phillies if you are scoring at home). Now the Rockies get a break until Thursday which means their starting pitchers will work their normal order. It should be a fun series.

Did Your Mom Say This?

Colorado Springs Rockies 10, Phillies 5

Well, the kids from the Springs played well again yesterday. They took the first two games on the road and now hope to sweep on Saturday at home.

It was good to see the Indians win, especially by spanking the Yankees. It is always good to see the Yankees lose.

The Cubbies are in a heap o' hurt after losing both games in the desert.

My Jesus by Todd Agnew

No Bandwagon Jumping but...

Ok...first off, I am a Cincy Red fan through and through. I think they have a good group of guys for next year if they can add another starter and bolster the bullpen. I also hope they resign Pete Mackanin as manager, but who knows.

Now, on to the playoffs at hand. I live in Colorado but have never been a Rockies fan. When the Blake Street Bombers were the identity of the club, I couldn't stand them for many reasons. I thought the TV and radio commentators were horrible (Dave Campbell, now on ESPN, was the main guy). They had no pitching. I saw better pitching in the slow-pitch softball league I played in. All their "talent" were obtained through trades and free agency.

Because of that, I watched the Rockies local AAA team, the Colorado Springs Sky Sox. I watched guys like Barry Helton, Brad Hawpe, Garrett Atkins and Matt Halladay play. Whoa, wait a minute! These are the guys on the Rockies now! I have enjoyed watching the Rockies this year because their farm system has produced some dynamic players. I feel like I am watching the Sky Sox.

No, I am not jumping on a bandwagon. I am rooting for the kids I have watched over the last 13 years. Go Sky Sox! errr...I mean Rockies!

Who are you?

Which Harry Potter Character Are You?
	You are Fred and George. You're a joker at heart, but when push comes to shove, you know what's important.
Find Your Character @ BrainFall.com

Thoughtful Quote

"God loved a lost world and gave His only Son to be a missionary. I love a lost world and I am a missionary, heart and soul. In this service I hope to live and in it I wish to die."
- Dr. David Livingstone

A New Face

I just joined Facebook a couple of days ago. It is similar to myspace, but is pretty cool. Check it out when you have a chance.

Always Remember...

Karlovac - A strategic defense plan for over 500 years

Reminders of a war

Leftovers

Scars

Memorial to the Homeland War

Oot an Aboot in Croatia

Pigeons everywhere

The only guard tower left of the old city walls dating to the 1450's

The Kupa River

Goin' fishin'

National Theater of Karlovac

On of the last sections of the old city walls

A Passion

River Trout

Chevapi

Palechinka's (excellent!)

Ice cream and cappucino at Mozart's

Leftover mashed potatoes made into a dough with a plum inside and sweetened sour cream sauce. Decadent!