Amazing Shadow Puppets!

God sure did a great job at connecting muscles, bones, ligaments, tendons, etc. to the brain! Look what this guy can do!

Got Questions? Go Here!

I get questions all the time about lots of stuff, and this morning I found a website that has answers to over 127,000 questions about the Bible, God, the universe, religions, etc. Here's the link: http://www.gotquestions.org/

Have You Had a Dose of Tozer Lately?

Next weekend, our church is having a fall revival weekend. I have been reading, praying, and meditating about revival. In my preparation, I have been reading some of A.W.Tozer's writings (If you’re not familiar with him, go to: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tozer).

He had a knack, a powerful knack, at cutting through a lot of fog to give a clear assessment at what's wrong with many a church (and many a Christian, too). A friend loaned me a little booklet entitled Paths to Power which basically says without obedience, all our talk about faith is just talk, and that the Holy Spirit won't do a thing if we are blatantly, consistently disobedient.

With regards to revival, Tozer writes in chapter 3: God is ready to send down floods of blessing upon us as we begin to obey His plain instructions. We need no new doctrine, no new movement, no “key,” no imported evangelist or expensive “course” to show us the way. It is before us as clear as a four-lane highway.

Just do the next thing you know you should do to carry out the will of the Lord. If there is sin in your life, quit it instantly. Put away lying, gossiping, dishonesty, or whatever your sin may be. Forsake worldly pleasures, extravagance in spending, and vanity in dress, in your car, in your home. Get right with any person you may have wronged. Forgive everyone who may have wronged you. Begin to use your money to help the poor and advance the cause of Christ. Take up the Cross and live sacrificially. Pray, attend the Lord's services. Witness for Christ, not only when it is convenient but when you know you should. Look to no cost and fear no consequences. Study the Bible to learn the will of God and then do His will as you understand it. Start now by doing the next thing, and then go on from there.

Tozer wouldn’t say these are works in addition to faith; he’d say this is what true faith is, a trust in God that results in continuing obedience. He would remind us that James is clear when he writes, "In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead."(2:17)

Can anyone watching you, and listening to you, figure out that you really have faith in Christ? Do you want to obey God more and more? Is you life characterized by a faith-initiated, truth-enlightened, Spirit-empowered obedience that is transforming you into someone who does life more and more like Jesus Christ and less and less like the world?

If you want to have a daily dose of Tozer, go to:
http://www.cmalliance.org/devotions/devotions.jsp

TV Guide's Funniest Episode of All Time!

Most of you know that I've been involved in more funerals this year than any previous year in my ministry. I guess that it why when I was on YouTube the other day, a particular episode of the Mary Tyler Moore Show came to mind...the one about Chuckles the Clown's funeral. Here is the funeral scene. The others are available at www.youtube.com.



Here is what Wikipedia had to say about it...

Chuckles Bites the Dust (October 25, 1975) The ludicrous death of WJM's Chuckles the Clown, crushed by an elephant while dressed as Peter Peanut, provokes a torrent of black humor which has everyone in the newsroom but Mary convulsed in laughter. Mary's suppressed laughter comes out at an inopportune moment: at Chuckles' funeral. This episode was ranked #1 on TV Guide's The Greatest Episodes of All Time.

In the midst of one of the funnier moments on TV, Georgette, Ted's girlfriend/wife (can't remember when this episode occurred in the Mary Tyler Moore time line), makes some really poignant remarks about how "funerals come too late." It seems Paul would agree as he wrote:
Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. (Galatians 6:10)

You can see the episode at YouTube, but here is the link to the funeral part. Enjoy...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSlDgkm3jFk

Great Article and Nooma!

I ran across this article by Tony Snow who recently stepped down from being the White House Press Secretary due to his returning cancer. The tag line is: When you enter the Valley of the Shadow of Death, things change. It is an excellent first person account of what a powerful teacher cancer is. Here is the link: http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2007/july/25.30.html

And if you need more reasons to live each day to the fullest, check out Rob Bell's newest video "Nooma" entitled Today. As usual, it's excellent. Check out a preview at http://www.nooma.com

Still Here, Still The Traveling Country Parson

Where does the time go? I could write several pages on what's been going on, but then again, once you saw how long it was, you'd skip it! At any rate, I have been on the road a lot this month (actually a 20 year record). My "new" Civic (2 years old) is a mere six months away from overtaking my mom's '97 Honda in miles! Ouch! I've been to Charleston three times in the past two weeks for two different surgeries (not mine), along with my usual trips to hospitals in Columbia and Orangeburg.

Last Tuesday and Wednesday, in less than 24 hours, I was with a family who would say good-bye to their father who would pass away two days later, then the next day I was with an 88 year old (she's 89 today) who had major abdominal surgery in Charleston, and I came back through Orangeburg and made it to the hospital 30 minutes before a church member had a C-section to deliver a healthy baby boy! I still am amazed that God lets me do what I do, and lets me in on people's lives at very significant moments. The thing is, significant moments are around us all the time if we don't get too busy, frustrated, distracted, impatient (you finish the list).

We tend toward living in routines and ruts. I think it reinforces our false sense of control. Sad thing to drive through life and never notice the scenery, never taking the time to talk to people along the way. Remember what Paul said in 2 Corinthians 5:17: "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" And being the new creation, shouldn't we have new eyes, new vision to see the world with a renewed (and daily renewable) sense of gratitude, and wonder, and anticipation that at any moment God can break through into our lives with a significant moment.

I took this picture shortly after the beautiful Ravenel Bridge was completed in Charleston, before they destroyed the old one. It reminds me of how Christ died not only to get us into heaven, but to give us a new route along the way...a better route, more significant route, more meaningful route. So take time to watch for those moments along the way! (For more on the longest cable-stayed bridge in the Western Hemisphere go here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Ravenel,_Jr._Bridge)

Hilton Head for Two Days

Sorry I've been gone "again" for so long. Spent a couple of days with my mom, her sister, and my cousin's family at Hilton Head. Had a great time. Still found time to experience God's creativity and grace in unexpected places. First, I got a chance to take a lot of pictures of some Macaws. God is quite an artist!

Some "Feel Good" (Make that "Great") Talent!

Anyone who watches "American Idol" knows about Simon Cowell, the nasty, cold-hearted, British music critic who thinks nothing of destroying a person's hopes in front of millions of people. Granted, sometimes...okay, often, the talent is just not there, and Simon's cold, no-nonsense critiques are part of his image. This year he served as a judge on England's version of "America's Got Talent," and these three contestants actually brought a smile to his face, and they probably will to you, too!

This clip is of 6 year old Connie Talbot singing, "Somewhere Over the Rainbow:"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=En0A8KGMgq8

This one is of 13 year old George Sampson doing street dance: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pa-6QAvosb4&mode=related&search=

This one is of a cell phone store manager singing opera...the best clip in my opinion...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1k08yxu57NA

For other clips go to www.youtube.com and search for "Britain's Got Talent." ENJOY!

Does Your Anger Make the World a Better Place?

I showed my Sunday night group Rob Bell's latest Nooma video entitled "Store." It was excellent, reminding us that anger is an emotional that always leads somewhere, often to a petty, destructive place, but in Christ's case, His anger always led to healing and restoration. See Mark 3:1-6 for an example as the religious leader cared more for their traditions than for the welfare of a person in need. How it must break God's heart even today when we get angry by putting our traditions, or worship preferences (traditional vs. contemporary), or prejudices ahead of the welfare of people in need.

Bell points out that the choice is in our reaction to our anger. Do we give in to our selfishness and complain, get bitter, or try to get even (Who ever gets "even" anyway?)? Or do we allow God's Spirit and word to transform us into people who get angry at what Jesus got angry at.... injustice, poverty, etc.

It is quite sobering to ask ourselves, "where is my anger leading me?" Or "is my anger making the world a better place?" It can you know.

Take the case of Arissa Gonzalez of Las Vegas, NM. Around Thanksgiving of 2006, a drunk driver slammed into her family's van killing her THREE sisters and both parents! Goto: http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=3338511&page=1
for the complete story. Out of that tragedy, Arissa and her extended family have become crusaders against drunk driving in New Mexico. They could have all become bitter, giving up on life extending the damage this one careless person caused, but they didn't. Their heartache, depression, and anger are leading them to make the world better, so it can be done.

Goto http://www.nooma.com/Shopping/ProductDetails.aspx?ProductID=322&Mode=WMV&PMID=237
to see a preview of Rob Bell's Nooma video about this! NOTE: you can see other previews and full versions of other Nooma's (the 17th one comes out at the end of July) at http://www.youtube.com/

Now, go and get angry about something that matters...something that will make the world a better place!

An Amazing Weekend

For all my friends who still think Denmark is boring. It's not. Never has been. Never will be!

Friday: Made my last two visits to the two World Changers teams which were working on homes in our area. We adopted them for the week, feeding them, etc. Both groups, for those who are not acquainted with WC, were made up of about 10 teen-agers and a couple of adults from churches around the southeast (some from Texas and Virginia, too). The groups only have two teen-agers from the same church so the kids will form a unique group where they are all newcomers. It does work well.

My favorite quote was from one of the kids on one of my member's crew. He's the kid on the ladder. Billy (also in the picture) was the crew chief, directing these ten kids in putting a roof on a house. Billy is unique, sort of like a tamed grizzly bear. He enjoys being gruffer than he really is, and he does have a heart for missions and young people and does very well with them. His wife Cathy was the crew encourager on the same crew.

As the group was dispersing to return to work after their lunch time devotion, I asked some of the kids how they had enjoyed Billy. One of the guys said something to the effect that he was great, cool, or something like that. I made the comment that Billy was sort of like the peanuts in crunchy peanut butter...you know...some might not like the feel of them, but they add flavor. This kid, Bradley, responded without missing a beat, "Yeah, he's EXTRA CRUNCHY."

During the last World Changers worship service, I got a call that one of my youth leaders who had gone with the group to Columbia had fallen out of the church bus while it was moving. She was sitting on a stool talking to the driver ( a good friend), when they took a sharp turn, throwing Beth out the door into a four lane highway. She was okay! The ambulance came with various firemen and troopers, too. She hurt her lip, scraped her arm, and had some bruises, but that was it. Yep, a miracle...a big one, and we're thankful....very thankful. They all went on to play putt-putt and skate, and returned to the church for the rest of the evening and Saturday morning as it was a lock-in.

The group returned at 2:00 am, and I went over to the church (nope...I didn't sleep before they got back from Columbia)...and drove the bus for my photo scavenger hunt team. There was lots of screaming when one of the other teams were spotted...we visited two cemeteries (at 2:30 am no less), local businesses and locations taking assigned pictures. Can you see me up in the corner of this picture? I think we came in second place, but it was fun for the kids. I finally gave out at 5:30 and slept till 12:45 Saturday afternoon.

I found out late Saturday afternoon that my chairman of deacons' house was struck by lightning... didn't burn down, but it ruined a good bit of their electronics (you know how painful that is for me!) He and his wife and I went out to eat Saturday night. Normally I would have been freaking out about my sermon, but I didn't prepare one!

Today we had the Lord's Supper, and though it was difficult, I decided NOT TO prepare a sermon. I had told a couple of my deacons that I was toying with the idea of having an open mike for spontaneous testimonies focused on what difference Jesus Christ is making in their lives right now (i.e. in addition to heaven). One of my deacons dared me, and was the first one to jump to the mike!

To make a long story short, our service went to 12:45 pm and there were NO lags; people just kept coming up to speak wonderful words of gratitude for Christ's gift....even a visitor shared! Several of those who shared were unexpected, and very powerful in their words of affirmation, referring to the table with the elements, expressing gratitude to Christ for what He means to them. Several people commented that they hadn't even noticed the time. I was humbled in the people's responses. It was one of the best Lord's Supper we've ever had.

So that's what my typical weekend in Denmark was like! Hope you had a great weekend, too! If nothing noteworthy happened...well, make something noteworthy happen this week!