No reserves – No retreats – No regrets.

From time to time I have come across parts of the story of William Borden. Yes, he was from "that" Borden family, he was heir to the Borden Dairy estate. Yes, his family was very rich, and yes, he was a millionaire right out of high school. He was born in 1887 and graduated from Yale. He didn’t live the typical life of a boy growing up in wealth.
William Borden was a dedicated Christian and felt the call of missions in his life. He gave away hundreds of thousands of dollars. His call to missions caused a friend to say that he was throwing himself away as a missionary. I guess that was because he was so rich and could have and do anything. But, William didn’t think missions was a waste. Because of his response to God’s call in his life, his influence stretches into eternity.
During his time as a student at Yale, he was so dedicated to reaching students for the Lord that he started a prayer meeting. That meeting was replicated in other meetings and he influenced hundreds of students for Christ.
One of the entries in his journal said "Say ‘no’ to self and ‘yes’ to Jesus every time." That’s just one example of his commitment to Jesus.
Borden was called to be a missionary to the Muslim Kansu people in China. He never wavered from God’s call in his life.
He sailed for China to fulfill the call of God. His first stop was in Egypt to study Arabic. It was there that he contracted spinal meningitis. Within four months, William Borden was dead at age 25.
Some would look at his short life and say it was a waste. He would disagree. He was obedient to God’s plan for his life. He had written some words in his Bible that expressed his approach to life. He wrote:
No reserves – No retreats – No regrets.
His epitaph on the grave talks of his love and sacrifices for God and his love for Muslim people. Here’s how it ends. "Apart from faith in Christ, there is no explanation for such a life."
There is so much we can learn from his dedication to Jesus and how he lived his life. We could write volumes on those six words No reserves – No retreats – No regrets. I want to challenge you to think on them and how you can apply these principles to your life. Holding nothing back, with no quit in you, you will never have to regret your life and choices.
And, it is so true what was written on his grave, "Apart from faith in Christ, there is no explanation for such a life." It is only the power of Jesus in a life that will cause such a sacrifice based on love.
There are many lives we can learn from. Let this be one of them.

Tempus Fugit

Way back in the dark ages when I was in high school, I took two years of Latin. I’m not sure why, but I did it. My friend, Bob, sat behind me. He used to sit there saying the conjugation of the verb "to be". I’m sure we must have learned many valuable things in that class.
One of the few things I remember from Latin class is the phrase tempus fugit. It means time flies. And, that is one of the most accurate things I learned in school. Time is flying faster every year. I just got an e mail notifying me that someone from the school where I studied Latin is beginning to organize a 40th reunion next year. Yes, that’s 40 years. Wow. Some people think that being 40 years old is old, and this is a 40th from high school.
When we graduated, if someone talked about the 40th reunion, we would have said that was so far away we couldn’t even imagine it. That would have sounded sooooooooooo oooooolllllllllllllllddddddd (that’s so old). Now, we are there, or almost.
I remember when we were hearing about a think called Y2K. Remember that? That was when they were predicting that at the turning of the year 2000 computers would crash and banks and public records will all crash. The sky was going to fall in. Well, we survived that event. And that was almost nine years ago. We are almost through the first decade of the new millennium.
What should we learn from this thought of time flying? First of all, that it does. And then we learn that we need to use the time we have wisely. I used to hear a saying all the time – Only one life will soon be past. Only what’s done for Christ will last. We must invest our lives in ways that accomplish something that will last and be worth something. Eternity is real and we must plan for it.
Think of the highlights in life and how quickly they pass. I remember thinking that I would NEVER graduate from high school, and then it was my turn.
Then, it seemed like I waited so long to get married.
Then I longed to graduate from college.
Then as children came along it seemed like so many events in their life were far off.
Now, all my children have flown the nest. Two of them are married. Time is flying.
There are many reminders of the mortality of the life we live. I would like to challenge you to think of what you are doing now that will leave the kind of legacy you want to leave. What are you doing that is impacting eternity? What are you doing that will matter a hundred or a million years from now? Now is the time to think and do something about it before all the tempus fugits.

Two New Studies

One of the fun parts of writing a blog is that you have to keep remembering to write something. It’s amazing how quickly days go by as soon as I write something. So, what’s on my mind today?
I’m thinking of two series I am just starting. I’ve been working on them for a long time. I have always tried to have practical topics when I teach or preach, and I believe these two are very practical. On Wednesday night I started a study on the topic of the family. That’s a major topic and I know we can’t cover every part of it, but we are going to give it a try. People are working hard to change the definition of a family and bring confusion. We don’t have to be confused. In our study, we will look at issues that make for a strong family, as well as family structure and roles. We had a great start this week with lots of good input and discussion. It is every Wednesday at 6:30 P.M. Come and participate.
The other series starts on Sunday evening at 6:00 P.M. This topic is The Battleground Is The Mind. Every person alive deals with temptation and struggles to do right. The Bible is filled with teachings on the mind, the battle of the mind, what we put in our minds, etc. We will dig in to what the Bible says about the battle and how we can have victory. Yes, we really can have victory in our lives. Again, come and participate.
The format for these studies is teaching and discussion. We ask questions and seek answers. The Bible really does have answers for us these days in confusing and scary times. We need to be reading, studying and learning how to apply what it says. Come and learn as we study together.

A Great Missions Convention
Let me take a few quick minutes and review our time last week here at Cornerstone giving emphasis to missions.
One powerful teaching point was to hear our Wednesday night guests tell about their journey in their walk of faith in Jesus. After telling of some powerful testing times and learning to really trust Jesus through it, they gave a great teaching point. God is concerned about us, but He is especially concerned about our journey with Him. The things we learn in the process of life, the lessons learned through daily life make us strong spiritually.
Faith is like a muscle. When it doesn’t get used it becomes flabby and weak. When it is used it becomes stronger. How often we wish that God would simply wave His hand and make everything perfect. Some day we will live in His perfection, but it is not His plan for us to live there at this time. He is teaching us to trust Him.
Our missions time also showed us the amazing need that is still out there in the world for people to have the opportunity to hear the message of the love of Jesus. There are still billions who have not heard yet. The message must get out.
Just a few short thoughts today. Think about your journey and walk of faith in Jesus. Think of what He is teaching you. I trust you are learning the lessons in God’s lesson plan for your life.

Missions Emphasis

Tonight, Wednesday, starts our Missions Convention. This is one of the most important events of the year. Why do I make that statement? Because it’s true.
Why is it true?
God’s heart is towards the souls of every person in the world. He loves them. Jesus died on the cross so that everyone could be forgiven of their sins. Missions is an important part of that process. We are privileged to be a part of a fellowship that gives strong emphasis to missions. Missions includes the whole world; our home country and across the seas.
Missions Conventions are important because they give us an opportunity to express faith in God’s provision. We make faith promises during a missions convention trusting God to help us invest in supporting missions around the world. God blesses a generous heart. We must not panic with current economic conditions causing us to turn inward on ourselves. God says that the generous person will be blessed. This is not some get rich scheme, but the promise of God to honor a generous spirit.
Another reason why missions conventions are important is that our missionaries are making an impact around the world. In the last 94 years our fellowship has grown from several thousand to over 50 million people. It may be more but I can’t locate the current statistics. In the founding meeting of our national fellowship the people there made a commitment to the greatest evangelism the world has ever known. I’m not worried if they have accomplished that, but the impact worldwide has been amazing. On my recent overseas trip I met a person who was a FORMER drug addict and prostitute. Only Jesus can take a person bound in all kinds of sin and turn them around to say that those things are truly now a part of the PAST. Jesus sets people free.
Still, after all the accomplishments, the need is overwhelming. With all that have come to know Jesus, there are still countless that have not heard. That’s why the missions need continues.
I’m looking forward to the great things that God is going to do as a result of our missions emphasis this year. Come and be a part.

Back in the U.S.A.

Good Morning. I’m back here in Wisconsin. I got back on Wednesday evening. I didn’t do much more than go right to sleep. Now, I’m in the midst of that fun experience of getting adjusted back to this time zone. I just had a quick Internet Message chat with George. He saw me on line and said I must have gotten up early. Yes, I did. That’s one of the "hazzards" of readjusting the time difference. That’s ok, for mornings are a productive time. This is being written early.
It was great to get back and start the adjustments of returning to normal. Andrea is here as well. She is going to have a challenge recovering from her surgery. We are still figuring out how things have to work for the time being. The pain is still quite real for her. We do appreciate the cards received and offers of help. Yes, we will be glad to receive it as needs arise.
The trip back was uneventful. That is a great description for any time you are on a plane. You want it to be routine, smooth landing and all. There was a bit of a mixup and mess in getting my luggage, but nothing major. So, all of that is good.
The eternal fruit of the trip will be hard to track while we are here on earth. With God’s help I was able to reach the goals of teaching about using the study Bible as a study and teaching tool. There was much excitement from those who participated. One of the last things I said in the seminar was that they need to go home and review the things learned so they can begin to apply them. As their effectiveness in study is improved, their effectiveness in ministry will improve as well. Preaching and teaching is fun (most of the time). Being adequately prepared is a vital ingredient in the fun and blessing of preaching.
For all who have had a part in praying for and assisting in this trip, you have a part in the harvest. Thank you for all your help and support. The Bible talks about planting seed in the harvest. This has been a seed-planting time. That Bible also says that when one plants and another waters, God gives the increase.
Let me leave you with a few pictures of some things I found interesting.
Picture of eggs. In the weekly market in town, you can buy about anything. Many trays of eggs sit out waiting for purchase.
The large metal box you see up in the air is for garbage disposal. The residents where George lives take their garbage to these huge dumpsters what are buried in the ground on the edge of the sidewalk. A truck comes by with a lift and pulls them up, and the garbage falls out the bottom in to the truck.
Look at the white board going up a steep angle in the middle of the picture. That is the steps between the 2nd and 3rd floors in their row house. Thirteen steeps steps separate each floor, all four of them. Lots of good exercise.
Thanks for reading. I’m not sure if I will be writing more about the trip, but I plan to keep on writing on this blog. Again, I will strive to be consistent in writing and not let large amounts of time come in between. Remember, our missions convention is coming right up. Don’t miss out on that.

One More Note

Hi. One more note from this side of the pond. It is Tuesday evening here. We had an interesting day. We went to the seminary and I presented a class of pictures and narration from my trip to Israel in 2000. It was fun to present. We had good discussions, just didn’t have enough time. None of the students had been there and I was able to show them several interesting places. One of the things we talked about was a major difference between Israel and The Netherlands. Here the whole place is FLAT. There are no hills or mountains here. Israel is one hill after another.
After class there was a chapel service. Then it was the day of a scheduled field trip for the class. In downtown Amsterdam there is a Bible Museum. It is a very interesting place. A Dutch pastor from the 1800s had a large collection of ancient artifacts. He also created an excellent model of the Tabernacle like the Jews used in their desert wilderness experience. It was an excellent tour. They have a good web site and I plan to check in to it more in the future.
Then we did one touristy thing. We took a canal boat ride. There are probably hundreds of tour boats floating the canals of Amsterdam. The trip took an hour. They said there are 60 miles of canals within the city. Everywhere you go in this country, you see canals. It was raining, but that’s ok, for they are prepared. All the tour boats are glass enclosed. They even had heat blowing in the boat.
Driving home we hit a major traffic jam. It was well in to the evening, past what you would think would be rush hour. And, their version of what we would call the Interstate was jammed going IN to Amsterdam, even worse that the road leaving. Not sure where they are all going, but no one was moving very fast.
Tomorrow is my flight home. On the flight schedule it looks like I have a two hour flight, 3:30 to 5:30. But, there is the minor factor of chasing the sun and picking up seven hours. By the time I get home my body clock will be on about 2:00 A.M. It will be a long day. Can you say sleep???????
I’m looking forward to seeing everyone on Sunday. I’ll be sharing thoughts from the ministry of the past few weeks. I hope I’m good, I hope I have something good to say. I’m reminded of what our hosts in Ciney said about when their son was young. When he would pray for the meal he would always add, "And Lord, help it to be good". We’ll pray that for Sunday.
The pictures today:
From the Bible Museum, a picture of the Holy of Holies in the Tabernacle
One of the 1,000 bridges in the city
A picture of a very low and ineffective railing, the only thing that is between the road and the canals. Note that people park right up to the edge of the canal.
Thanks for reading. See you in about 4,100 miles or so.

Monday

Over here they often talk about rain and more rain. We have had really good weather during this trip. Today it is raining for the first time here in Holland while I have been here. We had some rain in Belgium one day as we were traveling. So, we have had really good weather and I appreciate that. It wouldn’t have been fun to be dodging raindrops constantly.
This morning has been a time for reorganizing, planning the organization of suitcases and gathering a few goodies to bring back home. My plan for the afternoon is study. I have actually gotten quite a bit of study done while I have been here. I’m working on a couple of series I will be doing for Sunday and Wednesday nights. They are - The Battleground Is The Mind & The Family. I’m excited about doing them. I believe they will be very beneficial. I just still have a lot of work to do on them. My goal is to have the complete series done by the time I start. If I don’t reach that goal, I will be close and I will start and work to complete them shortly after I start.
Today, George is teaching classes at the seminary. I could have joined him to learn about the book of Acts, and it would have been interesting, but I felt I could better use the time with study. Tomorrow I will be joining him and presenting pictures I took when I was in Israel in 2000. I organized a powerpoint presentation and showed it at Cornerstone a few weeks ago. Then we will visit a Bible Museum in Amsterdam. The trip is part of their class. I’m looking forward to seeing what they have.
Andrea will leave the hospital today. YEA!!!!! She is looking forward to blowing that pop stand. She will have quite a time of recovery and therapy. Thanks for your prayers for her. I haven’t talked with her today because it is still too early over there. I’m finally getting adjusted to the time difference from this direction - 3 PM here is 8 AM in Wisconsin. I’ll call later and get the latest info.
As I write I’m listening to music on the internet. I recently discovered christianityradio.com. I often listen to it in my office, and, through the wonder of the internet, I can listen to it over here as well. They offer several styles of Christian music, you can take your pick. I enjoy having some light instrumental music in the background as I work.
I have been doing some thinking about what we have accomplished in the past two weeks. I never want to waste time and money on something that is worthless. The first thought that comes is that we won’t really know all of the results till eternity. That’s ok, since we are doing eternal work. My goal was to help pastors and church workers obtain and know how to use the study Bible. We have accomplished that and heard over and over how grateful they were for our coming. I have no idea where all the Bibles will end up. It will be over a wide area. I know that it is an excellent study tool and they will be much better off in their ministry preparation as they use it.
My brother told me of one student who almost gave up the ministry because he had such a hard time knowing what to preach and how to prepare. After he attended the seminary he learned how and was so much happier in the ministry. I believe that the study Bibles will accomplish something similar. One pastor I met had never had any formal Bible training. As I heard about that, I said to myself that he is the exact kind of person Don Stamps had in mind when he wrote the notes and articles. He was in the front row of the seminar following along. I’m excited that we reached church workers with something that will help them out and make them more effective in the ministry.
Another thing we accomplished was encouraging and ministering to people in a few local churches. I spoke from the Psalms and the words of King David. We have hope and encouragement in Jesus. The presence of God is a refreshing oasis in the desert of life and we experienced that in the services. Several people commented on the uplift they experiences from the ministry. Many of them have so little Christian fellowship throughout the week because there are so few people who actively practice the Christian faith. They cherish the times of teaching, praying and visiting with other believers.
The pictures today are of our wonderful hosts in Ciney, Roger and Lilly Myers. They are the most gracious and loving people. Lilly is an amazing cook. It is a joy to visit and work with them. They have a large and loving heart for the people they minister to. On top there is a pic of the Thomassen Three singing. Below is George and me preaching.
Again, thanks for reading and I’ll see you soon.

Back Up North

Did you know that The Netherlands has road construction and large traffic jams? If you didn’t know that, let me tell you that it is true. I have just driven through them. We returned to Hoofddorp today and ran in to lots and lots of traffic, road construction and detours. We made it ok, but there are thousands of people on the roads.
This morning we were in Ciney for church. I was privileged to preach. George was my interpreter. Things went fine. We got in to a good rhythm for speaking and interpreting. It was well received. There was an awesome sense of the power and presence of the Lord in the service. They shared in communion during the service. The presence of the Lord was very strong there. It was a privilege to participate in communion with believers over here. The Lord is the same wherever we go. The folks in the church there really love the Lord.
I believe that the power and presence of the Lord is one of the aspects of this trip that has been most exciting. I have been reminded of the reality of God and His great love for us. Each service or seminar we have been privileged to pray together with the local church and sense that God was with us. We have sensed a spiritual hunger for more of God. This morning, after the service, I was privileged to give our last French Bible to a man who will be baptized in water next week. It is one we used all week in the seminars, and George used it for teaching on Wednesday night. He needed one for what we were doing throughout the week. I didn’t need to take it back with me, (as you know, I don’t parleze French) so we were blessed to give it to him. He was overwhelmed and thrilled to receive it. I know it will get good use.
As we were leaving this afternoon, Pastor Roger strongly expressed appreciation for our being able to be with them for the week. I know that God has used this week to strengthen the church. There is a quotation from a book about Don Stamps, author of the study notes in the study Bible. This thought was written by a friend to encourage him as he was going through some real battles. It speaks prophetically about the impact that Don would have through his future ministry. That, in large part, is the impact of the study Bible. His friend wrote: "Satan is fighting diligently everything you are about because it is a future threat to his kingdom." The help that the Bibles will be to the workers who have received them and learned how to use them will be a threat to Satan’s kingdom. For all of you who have helped in any way to assist me in this venture, you have a part of that reward. Yes, God is awesome.
An update:
I have talked with Andrea today and she is progressing well. Her recovery will be quite a process, but she is doing well for all she has been through. She is working out where she will be for the next few days. When I get home, I get to play nurse and help her out.
Again, thanks for reading this blog. I trust that each post has been helpful in keeping you informed. I’m already thinking about what I want to present next Sunday to give you a live report and update of all the events of these two weeks. That will be fun. Come and hear.
More later.

Saturday

It is hard to believe that I am coming to the close of this amazing trip. Next Wednesday is the day I will fly back. In between there are still a few more ministry opportunities. Sunday morning I will speak in Ciney at the morning service. Again, it’s going to be translated in to French. Friday evening I spoke in Dinant (pronounced DEE - no). There is a hunger among the believers for more of the Lord. That is exciting. It is also challenging that the spiritual need here is so vast. The picture of the building with the large windows is the church. The building has an amazing history. It used to be a brothel and the windows were for the girls to stand and lure in the "customers". Now, the building is used to share the life giving light of Jesus. The building is "new" in its use. That’s what Jesus does to people, He makes them new.
One of the things of personal interest to me is that this area is filled with history. My father served in the US Army in WW II. This is the area where the Battle of the Bulge was fought. My father was in this general area during the war. That battle was very bloody and extremely sad at the vast loss of life – hundreds of thousands of people died. One of the places we visited was Malmedy. A sad events of the war happened there when the SS murdered many U.S. soldiers rather than to take them as POW’s. Some of them survived the shooting. My father was among the soldiers that rescued the survivors. There is a memorial to their outfit, the 99th Inf Btn (sep). I have included a picture of my brother and I at the monument.
Another moving sight is the military cemeteries here. It is something to realize the size of the loss that occurred. We visited two American cemeteries. Between the two there are over 13,000 U.S. soldiers buried there. I am always in awe at the loss and sorrow represented there. And, I am in awe at how they can make the place so perfectly laid out and kept in pristine condition. There are also a few pictures from there.
We also visited Bastogne. This is the city that the Nazi’s surrounded in their push during the Battle of the Bulge. When the Allies were told to surrender, General McAllif simply replied "nuts". They held on and won the battle. There is a memorial and museum at Bastogne. The memorial is shaped like a star and has the names of all the states around the top. It was something to climb it and look out on beautiful and peaceful countryside, knowing that at one time the whole area was destroyed by bombing and shelling.
As we travel around the cities in Europe, we see one narrow street after another. I have also included a picture to illustrate that. It is interesting to drive over here. When the directions tell you to go straight on a street, that is a relative term.
Now, let me give you an update on Andrea. She finally was able to have the surgery on Friday afternoon. She came out of it well. They had to put in pins and screws to repair her arm. They expect a good recovery. She is still in pain and has a long ways to go to get back full mobility. She is not sure when she will return home. In many countries people are praying, and it is appreciated. Thanks for all of your concern.
Sunday afternoon we return to Amsterdam. That means I have to get my suitcase packed again. More work. Well, that’s OK. Thanks for reading.

Thursday’s Blog

The past few days have not allowed me to write in my normal fashion, considering the news of yesterday. I had just started to write last evening when I received a message that my wife had broken her arm. So, I had to hold the presses. We were told that they would do surgery to repair it last night. That didn’t happen. She is hoping that it will happen Thursday afternoon, but no promises yet. So, she still needs prayers. One of the first things she told me was to NOT try to change my plans and get back. I still have some ministry scheduled over here and she wants me to stay and complete it. That makes things a bit more complex, but we are thankful for friends in NR who are helping out.
Let me try to catch up a bit.
Tuesday evening we had a great night. One truth I have heard from others, and it is proving itself true here is this – when you are involved in missions ministry – Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not break. The setting on Tuesday night was in a church, and there were people there from a few different churches. The place was full. We didn’t present the seminar in the same way as the previous times since the people didn’t have the study Bible in their hands. We didn’t have enough for all and so the decision was made by the local church after the presentation who would get them. So, we presented it to them without their being able to see it and follow along. We had to shift our approach a bit. But, that afternoon I had added a few things that fit in perfectly in that setting. I didn’t know at that time that things would be different. It went well. We ended the night with a very powerful and protracted time of prayer. It was awesome. The spiritual hunger among the believers is strong.
Even though it wasn’t what we planned when we got there on Tuesday, it was a great evening. The Lord has helped that pastor to reach out to some really hurting people and see God do supernatural changes in them. Only God can change lives that are completely controlled by sin and make them totally new.
Wednesday night, George spoke in the Bible Study in the local church where we are staying. He speaks French and did a good job. The people were really with him, responding to his questions, etc. Before he spoke, I shared a few thoughts and then we sang some choruses. We chose songs that the people knew, so we had a bi-lingual song service. It was fun.
Friday night and Sunday morning I speak in two different churches. Again, it will be with an interpreter, so that is the fun part of the challenge.
Again, thanks for reading and praying.

It’s Wednesday

Wednesday has flown by. I’m writing well in to the evening.
HOLD THE PRESSES!!!!!
Just as I started to write today’s blog, an e mail that came in to my computer telling me that my wife fell and broke her arm. I have just spent quite a bit of time on the phone with her getting the update and all the information. She is in the New Richmond hospital and will have orthopedic surgery this evening (Wednesday) to repair her left arm. She cracked the ball in her humerus which is the ball in the bone that is situated between the elbow and the shoulder. The orthopedic surgeon was coming to the hospital to do a late hip surgery, so she will be added to the list tonight.
To be honest, after getting this news, I don’t feel like writing all I was going to write, telling about the past few days. I’ll attempt to do that some time tomorrow and get caught up. One of the challenges in being over here is that we are seven hours ahead. That means that, but the time she gets to surgery, it will be in the middle of the night here. I don’t expect the opportunity to talk with the surgeon. Thankfully, I have cheap phone calling here using my computer, so it is no problem to stay in contact.
So, thanks for reading. The ministries here are going well. The Bible Seminar has been very well received. We also have some other preaching opportunities. I’ll talk another time.

Good Morning from Belgium

Monday was a long and tiring day. But, it was a good day. We started out packing for the trip and getting the car loaded. We headed south across the Netherlands in to Belgium. Our destination was about four hours away. Arriving at the home of our hosts, Roger and Lilly, we had the opportunity to rest a bit and get caught up with friends we met last year when Andrea and I were here on our anniversary trip. They have spent the last twenty five years ministering in this general area. They are renting a small house that is set on the edge of town. Across the field we can see cows grazing.
We enjoyed some good old southern hospitality as Lilly prepared a vegetable soup. It was really good. Then we drove for an hour or so to Liege. Liege is a large city. It was good that we had Roger with us to guide us. We would have never found the church without his help. I’m amazed at how twisting and turning the streets are. In fact, he said that years ago he was trying to find the building and asked a man on the street how to get to the address. He thought and thought and tried to give directions and couldn’t figure out how to tell them. Finally, he said, "I know how to walk there, but I don’t know how to drive there." That’s because of one way streets and crazy curves and circles. The church there is right in the middle of that large city. They have a perfect location (because it is where the people are), but are facing real problems because they don’t have enough space. The church is growing and right now they have two services. The pastor and his wife are excited about the things that God is doing. They would love to find a larger facility, but they are not available in that large city. So, they are praying for God’s provision.
George and I got to present the Bible Seminar in French for the first time. It was a challenge for him because he has not spoken French on a regular basis for three year. It was all coming back to him quickly. Roger was there to help out if he got stuck on a word. For some parts of the seminar he did the speaking. For others, I spoke and he translated. It all went well. Again, the people there were very open to hear and learn how to use the study Bible in their lives. They were very receptive and excited at the things they would learn as they study. As the people we present to realize the potential and value of the study Bible, they get excited. I think that they will be good "advertising" for others to use the study Bible.
If you have never spoken or taught through an interpreter, let me tell you that it is a real challenge. You have to speak a sentence and then wait for it to be spoken in a language you don’t understand. Then you have to keep your train of thought so that you can go to your next sentence. Try this some time. As you are having a conversation with a person, stop after every sentence and have a third person make some noise. Then pick up your conversation, again having the third person talk, "interrupting" you. That’s what it’s like to speak through an interpreter.
We arrived back home quite late. It was a long and tiring day, but very productive. So, this morning, because we didn’t have any reason to push things, we just slept till we woke up. Then we had a great breakfast of toast. The reason why it was a great breakfast is first of all the bread. The European bread is really good. Then we had a variety of toppings. One of my favorite is a chocolate spread. It works like peanut butter but is made of chocolate. It’s amazing. They also had another similar spread, but it is the flavor of one of the popular cookies in this area. I love the creativity of the spreads they make for sandwiches. Why can’t we have cookies and chocolate to spread on our sandwiches?
The pictures in today’s post are from last night. You can see the building the church is using. It is right in the midst of the large city. The people really love the Lord. We could feel a strong sense of God’s presence. I ended up the time by praying for them. We had a powerful time of prayer. It was exciting. That’s another of the blessings of this trip, to be reminded that all believers in Jesus are connected through HIM, even if we speak different languages.
We get to present the seminar tonight to another group in another church. We are going to discuss ways to do a better job in the presentation and translation. Each time we try to do it better from what we have learned.
Thanks for reading. I’ll attempt to write again tomorrow.

Good Monday Morning

Just a quick post today as we are packing to head to Belgium. We will present the Bible Seminar tonight.

Sunday night went well. The fellowship where I preached is a new English service getting established and reaching out to English speakers. They are getting things organized and plan soon for some more specific outreaches. Of course they had coffee and cookies before and after the service. That is very important here.

The French Bibles are packed in the car. I have to get some clothes ready for the trip. I hope to have more posts soon. Thanks for your prayers.

A Powerful Memorial

Hi. It is Sunday afternoon here. We have been to church and had Sunday dinner. I just talked with the pastor in Belgium where we will be heading tomorrow. We will drive there in the morning. I know we will be going to another country, but it’s like driving to another state. All the details are coming together for the week. We will do the Bible Seminar on Monday and Tuesday evenings. He is pastor of two churches and we will minister at the Wednesday and Friday night services there. Then we will minister in the Sunday morning service next week. So, we will have a busy week.
The pictures included in this posting today are from our visit yesterday. The one fun food picture shows the amazing cream filled pastries that we had to sample. It was a struggle to eat it, but I forced myself to finish it. It’s too bad I can’t e mail one of them to you. We went to Haarlem and toured the ten Boom Museum. It is the house that Corrie ten Boom grew up in. It is the place where their family hid Jews escaping from the Nazis in WW II. If you have not read The Hiding Place or seen the film, you must read it. It shows the amazing love of Jesus for people. Casper ten Boom was the father, the patriarch of the family. God had so burdened his heart with love for the Jewish people that, when all the Jews were forced by Hitler to wear a yellow star on their clothes, he wanted one for himself.
We sat in the living room of the house and heard how the soldiers raided the house and brought them all in to that room to question them. I was trying to imagine the confusion, probably shouting at them demanding information about where the Jews were being hidden. They were safe in the hiding place upstairs. And, all of them in that secret room survived. The pictures are of the hiding place, the front sign and the alley that leads to the entrance to their house.
I also stood in front of the building and looked at the street lined with stores and houses. Hundreds of people were coming and going. A street musician was sitting at a keyboard playing classical music (she was really good). I tried to imagine what it was like when all the cars pulled up to the house to raid it. That sad day was the complete opposite of yesterday. We had enjoyed beautiful weather and the market at the town square about a block away. That horrible day back then was anything but peaceful.
The amazing thing about all of the sacrifice of the ten Boom family was that God has impacted countless people around the world with the story of God’s love. When Corrie was born, she was extremely small. Today she would have ended up in a special nursery unit in a hospital. Some people back then said it would be better for her to die, for she would always have health problems. One of her Aunties said no, she would do whatever it took to see her survive. She believed that God had something special for Corrie, and she was right.
Again, I encourage you to read the book or watch the film. It will not be easy, but it will show you the depravity that sinful people can reach. And, it will show you the power of God’s amazing love.
Tonight (Sunday), I will be preaching at the English service at Turning Point, where we heard Dutch this morning. I trust that the people will be there, because they made a mistake in the bulletin this morning and gave the wrong time. Another interesting glitch.
Thanks again for reading. I’m trusting that we will have some kind of internet connection available to us this week and that I will be able to continue my posts.

Yes, It Really Happened

Well, it finally happened. I presented the Study Bible Seminar Friday night. We were given the use of a local church in Amsterdam. It is a beautiful setting. The congregation bought an old night club and have transformed it to a great place for church services. It is a large place. The main meeting room is specious and gives much room for a service, for coffee and fellowship and much more. Yes, coffee and talk is just as important to the folks here as it is in the States.
I didn’t count exactly, but about 50 people from several churches and ethnic backgrounds attended the seminar. It was well received. The evening was informal enough so that we had questions and discussion as we went. I think I was successful at pointing out the features and benefits of the study Bible. The people were excited as they began to realize the learning potential of what they had in their hands. Several people ended up getting Bibles for family and friends after they saw it and learned more about it. I think that several churches in the area will have many people in their church with the same study tool. That will add much to their studies and discussions.
We all (my brother, his wife and daughter) felt great as we drove back to their home. We were quite tired when it was all said and done, but well worth it. I now have the opportunity to critique my presentation and get input from my brother. The next time we present it will be a challenge, and a team effort. It will be in French. So, we’ll have to work on that.
The pictures in this post are from the church. I took a few before everything started. I will get some from during the presentation from my brother’s camera some time later.
This trip has also allowed time for study. I am working on two different series for back in Wisconsin. I have been writing them for a while, and still have much work to do. I’m doing this in a different format. I often do a series of sermons or studies, and have the themes worked out ahead of time. Then I prepare week by week as I go. My goal this time, and I’ll see how it works out in the end, is to have it all done and published at the beginning. So, I’m taking advantage of time here to get some of this work done.
This is it for now. More later.

This Is The Day

This is a day I have been looking forward to for longer than I can remember. It is the day I get to present the Bible Seminar to pastors and church workers in the Amsterdam area. I’ll talk more about that later. But, first . . .
. . . Let me talk about another fun part of the day. This is Friday, so it means that in Hoofddorp it is market day. Once a week many vendors set up on the public square and sell everything you can imagine. I was here last year and enjoyed the market and have looked forward to going back to it. We will get our lunch there after a while. Market day is a European tradition and I really like it. You can see by the pictures above that they have some of everything available – food, clothes, flowers. I just did a quick walk through part of the market to get some pictures. I can’t post all of them, just a sample. It is crowded. I’m going to enjoy looking around and getting some things there. Licorice anyone?
Now, to the most important part of the day. My dream to take a missions teaching trip has centered around the Fire Bible. Filled with study materials written by missionary Don Stamps, it is a source of much spiritual insight. I have owned one of these since the early 1990s and I believe it is the best study Bible out there. It is very practical. Many of the people at Cornerstone have one and use them regularly. I trust that more will get one for themselves and learn how to use it. I practiced on them this summer, giving the seminar to get the feel of it. I think it went well. Tonight I get to do it here. We have talked with several people who are planning to come and they are excited about it. I have pulled out the notes I wrote and studied them. I’m ready to go.
My goal is to help people learn how to use this study tool for both ministry presentations (preaching and teaching) and personal Bible study. All who follow Jesus must be students of the Bible, learning how to grasp the teachings and applying them in daily life. That is one of the blessings and benefits of this study Bible. If we can’t apply Bible teaching to real life, what good is it?
The 119th Psalm says that the Word of God is a lamp and light. It guides our path in life. So, more than just going to church and learning to say the right things, the Bible helps us make good choices and decisions in life. It lights the path so we don’t have to stumble in life over temptation and deceit. It makes life worth living.
This is Friday and it will be an awesome experience. I’ll write again and let you know how it all goes.

Here in Holland

I know that I have not been faithful to my blog, so here is another start. This is a good time to do it. I’m writing from "across the pond" as they say. After years of dreaming that I would love to do something like this, I am in Holland about to do some teaching. More about that later.
For those who are wondering, the trip over here was uneventful. Air travelers always appreciate being able to say that about a flight. It was an extremely smooth flight. Yes, eight hours is a long time on a plane, but I had an aisle seat so it was easy to get up and move around. The A330 has tall ceilings so I can stretch. That always helps. I am always amazed that I can be in Europe this quickly. I think of the Pilgrims back in 1620 who came across the Atlantic in that tiny ship, at the mercy of the winds to push them. That would have been an amazingly difficult trip.
I enjoy the travel information that is available on international flights. It is like the GPS many people have in their cars. A few interesting facts from the trip – we had some powerful tail winds that pushed the plane along. The plane got up to 706 MPH, ground speed. And, the tail winds peaked at 169 MPH. That’s an amazing wind at about 37,000 to 39,000 feet altitude. The other interesting statistic is that the outside temperature stayed between 50 and 60 degrees BELOW ZERO. I always find that interesting that just a few inches outside the window it is that cold.
Even though they offer a variety of entertainment on demand on the small personal screen in front of each passenger, their selection of things to watch is kind of pathetic. I ended up listening to music, following the path of our flight, getting work done and also attempting to sleep. Attempting to sleep is a good description, as it didn’t really happen. I just can’t sleep on planes.
After we landed in Amsterdam, it felt like we taxied forever to get to the terminal. They should put the runways closer to the terminal.
I don’t know how the pictures in this blog will line up, but included are a few shots from around here. When you are in Holland you see canals everywhere. Amsterdam has many tour boats you can take. I hope we get to take one of the tours before I head back. Also, I have looked forward to enjoying some of the local fries, called friets. They made a great lunch.
The primary focus of my trip here is to teach on using the Full Life Study Bible as a study tool. We will have a group, hopefully large, on Friday night. I will get to do this one in English. Next week we will be in Belgium and it will be in French. No, I don’t parleze the French, my brother does and we will tag-team the presentation. We will also have some other ministry opportunities.
Well, this is a start. I will attempt to write about my journey over here again soon to keep you up on what is happening. Thanks for reading. Check in again soon.

The Definition of Brat

I have always been a fan of The Andy Griffith Show. I guess I have to admit that I’m old enough to have watched it when it was really on TV, you know, the first run of the program. When I was a kid, I never would have dreamed that I would some day be able to buy a small round disk (DVD) and have it available in my home any time I wanted to watch.

One of the things I appreciate about the series is that there are many important life lessons taught in the programs. I think of one program where the definition of the word “brat” comes to mind. I know that around Wisconsin the word “brat” is pronounced “braat” and it means a really delicious fat hot dog/sausage. But, I’m thinking of the old fashioned use of the word.

The program is called “The Spoiled Kid” and it features a character who only shows up once on the program series, Arnold Winkler. Arnold has learned in life how to manipulate his parents to get anything he wants. He gets all the new toys he wants and never has to work for anything. In this program he has a new $70.00 bike.

Arnold gives Opie “Brat Lessons”, telling him how to throw a tantrum, cry and scream, hold his breath to demand what he wants. The difference is that Opie’s dad doesn’t bite on the bait of tantrums. “Opie, what are you doing?” “I’m having a tantrum.” “Oh, don’t get your clothes dirty.”

The climax of the story, the real lessons comes at the end of the program when Arnold has his bike confiscated by the Sheriff’s department for riding it on the sidewalk on Main Street. He has a fit and drags his father down to the courthouse. They both demand that the bike be returned. When Sheriff Andy threatens to arrest the father for the illegal behavior of the son, Arnold’s real heart comes out. He’s more concerned about his bike than his father. He says, “Go ahead and arrest my dad. He won’t care. He’s tough” “I just got that bike and I don’t want to lose it.”

The dad, Simon Winkler, has an amazing moment of waking up and seeing how he has been letting his son run things. He realizes that there is discipline lacking. He asks for the bike back so he can sell it. Then Arnold screams, “That’s my bike and you can’t sell it.” Andy tells Simon that there is an old-fashioned wood shed out back if the want to have a father-son “talk”.

Opie asks if Arnold is going to get a spanking. Andy asks if Opie thinks he deserves one. A classic line in response, “I don’t want to say. After all, he is one of my own kind.”

As distasteful as discipline is to receive, it is necessary to learning and maturing in life. Those who never receive it usually end up with many unlearned life lessons. Discipline is given by people who love the one they are disciplining. We all need it from time to time, especially as we are growing up and maturing. Think about it.

Where Are You Aiming?

There is a group of guys that gets together on a regular basis to do some shooting. It’s called League of Light, and gives an opportunity to shoot various kinds of weapons. The gatherings give both a time for instruction and practice in shooting as well as practical applications to the Christian life.

To a person who has no experience in shooting, it’s amazing to learn how many factors impact an accurate shot. If you talk to an expert marksman, you will learn that they even learn to time their shot in between heart beats. Wind and gravity also affect the trajectory of a bullet. It’s not just point and shoot. There is a lot to it.

The most recent time at L.O.L. included instructions and practice in archery. After hearing all the directions, we took turns shooting at targets. Learning comes quickly as shooters come up either way short or send the arrow far beyond the target. With practice, we got better and were able to hit the target. We had to learn how to both shoot and aim.

I remember a crazy line from the Three Stooges, way back from my childhood. One of those very intelligent guys said:
I shoot an arrow in the air
Where it lands I do not care
I get my arrows wholesale.

As we did our shooting at League of Light, we were careful to retrieve our arrows. I guess we didn’t get them wholesale.

A question for you to chew on: Where are you aiming in life? In your daily life, where are you headed? What are you doing with your life and where are you going with it? Where is life taking you? It does no good to only have good intentions, you have to be going down the right road.

In my life, I have been all over the country and a few other nations. More than once, because of not knowing the area, we went down a wrong road and went to completely different place than we intended to go. We meant well, but we were lost. Our aim was off. But, when we traveled with a local person, we got where we were headed.

Your life is so valuable. You are not “wholesale”, but in God’s eyes, your life is full retail value. You can’t waste life, it is the only one God gives you. You can’t aimlessly wander and just do whatever comes along. God has a plan for each of us, we need to find it and follow it.

Just a few words here today to ask you the question: Where Are You Aiming? Think about it.

Try, Try Again

I have hit another snag in my desire to write regularly on this blog. It’s not that I have nothing to write about, because there are an unlimited number of topics. It’s a matter of doing it. So, I’m going for it again.

I did have an excuse for a few weeks last month, I was on vacation and was actually out of internet contact. I know that is a scary thought to some. It was an opportunity to see some great new scenery. I think I’ll talk about that for my first time back.

My wife and I were privileged to go to Alaska. We cruised the inside passage. I have to admit that I have not been an expert on the geography of Alaska. I learned that the inside passage is the long thin arm of Alaska that comes far south along the Pacific Ocean along the western border of Canada. It is an amazing collection of water passages and mountains. We stopped in some of the towns along the way to get a taste of the tourist trap part of the state. Actually, the tourist areas were much friendlier than some tourist areas I have been in. We also had opportunity to see some great scenery while we were on land.

I guess I have to say the scenery of the state was what I was most looking forward to seeing, and it was awesome. Countless miles and miles of water, countless water falls as the winter snow melted off the mountains, countless hills and trees and more. Unfortunately, we were there during a cloudy and rainy time. If we had gone the week before the weather was perfect. We did have a few sunny days, and they gave us the beautiful picture of God’s creation in all its splendor. One night we chased the sun set. It was going down behind a mountain. As the ship moved and the sun continued to go down, it showed up again several times by the mountain. That night I was out on the upper deck of the ship taking pictures till after 10 PM. God has an amazing paint brush with vibrant colors with vibrant colors on his pallette. I got some great pictures.

One very interesting sight was a large barge we passed. There was a tug boat towing this barge. That’s not all that unusual. The uniqueness to me was what was on the barge. It had cement trucks, large construction equipment, many shipping crates the size of a semi truck, and on top of the shipping crates were several pick up trucks lashed on. Water is the way that the people who live there get their supplies. We were un Juneau, and the ONLY two ways there are air or water. If you live in Juneau, you only have about thirty five miles of highway to drive on.

In the midst of that extreme vastness of the area, out in the middle of nowhere, we would see birds flying and sea lions jumping or sunning themselves. It reminds me of the vastness of God and His promise to keep track of all His creation. The Bible says that not one sparrow falls to the ground without God knowing it. A few times it seemed that we were far from any kind of civilization, and then we would pass a boat with someone fishing.

I know that we only saw a very small slice of Alaska. We have an invitation to go back to Juneau for some fishing. I would love that. I would also love to see more of the scenery. As I have had the privilege of traveling in a few different parts of the world, I have seen over and over the endless creativity and creation of God. He is not like the contractors who put up hundreds of houses in a development and give you the choice of any color house you want as long as it is tan. Just on this one trip, we saw more shades of green and blue that you can imagine. And then there are all the other colors on the spectrum that God created. I hope to see more of them.

Forever Stamps

Well, the post office is doing it again. The price of postage goes up again this week. This time it’s only a penny. That’s probably not as irritating to the mailing public as several cents at a time. Now, for the first time, they are offering a forever stamp. If you buy them before the price goes up, you can use them after the price goes up without having to buy those extra one cent stamps. Something inside of me says that it costs the post office more in the expense of printing, handling and selling them than they get back when they make people buy one cent stamps to make up the difference. I guess they would say it’s the principle of the thing, people have to pay the full postage.

Forever, that’s an interesting concept. What is really forever? I’ve been in Israel and seen very old buildings, old ruins that go back thousands of years. Some of them are in really good shape, the stone construction lasts a long time. The monstrous boulders cut to a perfect shape that are holding up the walls and foundation of the Temple Mount look like they will last forever.

There is a museum there with a boat someone was able to dig out of the sand and preserve that was probably a couple of thousand years old. That took an amazing amount of special work to preserve the wood when it was exposed to the air after so long. You can see the boat, but it won’t float any more.

Forever. What does last forever? I guess we could get in to an interesting discussion regarding what lasts forever. The one thing I’m sure of is the promise of an eternal home in Jesus for those who obey and follow Him on this earth. Here’s one statement that talks about that.

13 And now, brothers and sisters, I want you to know what will happen to the Christians who have died so you will not be full of sorrow like people who have no hope. 14 For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus comes, God will bring back with Jesus all the Christians who have died.
15 I can tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not rise to meet him ahead of those who are in their graves. 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the call of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, all the Christians who have died will rise from their graves. 17 Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and remain with him forever. 18 So comfort and encourage each other with these words.

Did you catch that part at the end? Remain with the Lord forever? That’s one forever promise we can really grasp hold of. We can be confident and fully assured of this home. Let me leave you with one passage that tells us how.

9 For if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved.
13 For “Anyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
Romans 10:9-10,13 NLT

A Slow Spring

Even though we are having what I call a slow spring, we really are getting away from winter. It’s just not as quick as we all want it to happen. Saturday was a bit confusing in that we had enough snow fall to cause snow banks in the ditches of a country road I drove down. That was after days in the 70’s and sun and the golf course opening up here in town. Then the blizzard of Saturday morning showed up.

Even though it is slow in coming, there are signs of spring. In my front yard the new grass is growing. Last summer was a season of mud and dust as they rebuilt our street. The project included new water and sewer lines. New gas lines and storm drains were thrown in. Then it was new curb and gutter, with the final task new blacktop. And, I can’t forget the new sidewalk they put down in my front yard. That caused them to have to plant new grass. They didn’t get to planting grass till it was about to snow, so it never grew last fall. Now, some of it is trying to show itself.

Spring is a time of new life. The robins are back, flowers are popping up. Life is a gift from God and we are reminded of that every spring. As dead and desolate as things may look in winter, spring gives new life. There is something special about the many shades of green we see in the spring.

Spring is a reminder of the new life Jesus gives. I just had an e mail from the pastor who organized the trip to Israel I took in 2000. He said he’s going back in a few weeks. I have to admit a twinge of jealousy, as I would love to go back there. It was there we sat in a garden and looked at an empty tomb. It was empty because Jesus came back to life. For a few days His followers thought it was “winter”, but then they had the proof of Jesus and His resurrection. Then they celebrated the new life - He’s Alive!!!!!!!!!

This winter was a long one - but Spring comes every year.

Your life and struggles may seem long - but Jesus gives life to all who receive Him.

Say What?

I often find humor in signs and attempts to communicate. For example, at the entrance to a local fast food restaurant, there is a sign saying they have braille and picture menus available. I have to ask the question -- if a person is blind or illiterate, how can they read the sign telling them that they can ask for a special menu? And, if they are with a seeing friend, won’t the friend help them with the order?

I just received a form letter from the post office. The last line says “If you do not speak English or you do not understand this letter, please take it with you to your local post office for assistance.” I’m wondering about the non-English speakers who receive this. Do they understand that sentence? Who is the multi-lingual person at our local post office who can help them? Just wondering.

One of my favorite instruction lines is the one that was on the bottom of a fax. It came from a government office, and, in our day when everything is a secret, directed the person receiving the fax - it is illegal to keep or file this information. When you are finished using it, please fax it back to the sender. The last time I sent a fax, the master didn’t get sent down the phone line, only a digital copy.

These illustrations talk about communication. In an attempt to be all inclusive, we see a sign in print aimed for a blind person. That’s as effective as the time we were in Germany trying to eat at a Chinese restaurant. The people there only spoke German and Chinese. Everything was printed in German. I wonder if they had a sign in German that said “we do not speak English”. If they did, we couldn’t read it. Communication requires that both (or all) people speak the same language. It requires that the words are understood and defined the same way.

Communication requires listening. Listen to what is really being said, not what you want to hear.

God didn’t create confusing signs for people. He shows His amazing power and creativity through all His complex creation. He shows His overwhelming love through the death and resurrection of Jesus. He shows His mercy and grace through the free gift of forgiveness of sins.

I’ve been reading a book about Buchenwald Prison in Germany, run by Hitler’s gang. It communicates their hatred, bitterness, destruction and death. I’ve also read a book about God’s love (it’s a best seller). It communicates God’s compassion, caring, uplifting and life. God communicates His love, listens to our cries, and gives us the message of life.

This Would Be Great

Unless you live in a cave and never are touched by the world of media, you know that lots of things are very expensive today. The news media is working hard to let us know we should be scared, depressed, discouraged and angry at the politicians in Washington. And, then there are the people running for president who are quick to tell us it is all the fault of the current president, and, if we will elect them, they will fix all the problems. Well, I’ve heard that song before.

I was reading an article by Mary Hunt. She writes about economic issues. She pointed out that the media loves to focus on the problems and the negative, promoting fear. I appreciated that perspective, for it seems like our culture loves to be afraid. She talked about things people can do to help themselves economically.

One of the big price issues is anything connected with crude oil. Fill your gas tank or heat your house and look at the cost. Food is now much more expensive because millions of bushels of corn are being diverted to ethanol. It’s interesting to me that the farmers are burning tons of diesel fuel to grow and harvest corn so they can make “clean” fuel. Can someone explain that one to me?

I have just read an article that says a company in Texas is making bio fuels from hay. And, they are making it at $42.00 per barrel. This would be great. I hope it is true. Think of that, making fuel out of hay for less than half of what crude is going for. What an amazing impact that would have. I would guess that then the negative folks would talk about the impact on the world hay market.

The authors writing about this says the company is in business and it works. Again, I hope this is true.

So, where is your hope? If you have lots of oil stock, you are doing well in the current market. If you sell lots of hay, this new technology sounds promising. Again, where is your hope? The most consistent hope in history is found in trusting and obeying God. He is the Creator and Provider. He can take care of us in amazing ways. As I’m thinking of this, my mind wandered to a passage at the end of the Old Testament. Let me leave you with a few verses of Scripture for you to chew on. What do you think?

Malachi 3:10-12 NIV
10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it. 11 I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not cast their fruit," says the LORD Almighty. 12 "Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land," says the LORD Almighty.

It Must All Be Relative

Over the weekend, the PGA Tour had a golf tournament in Houston. It was the Shell Houston Open. The winner was a player who had never won before, who goes by the name of Johnson Wagner. If you think Johnson is a strange first name, actually, it’s his middle name. His first name is Montford. I’m not sure what his parents were thinking of.

Anyway, he got the first win of his PGA career this week. For his efforts he won $1,008,000. That’s one million, eight thousand dollars. Not a bad paycheck for playing four rounds of golf.

His win took him from 193rd on the money list for 2008 to 19th. Up till this week, he had “only” won about $40,000 this year. He was way down the bottom of the list.

When a person is thinking of the money pro golfers make, $40,000 isn’t much money compared to the fact that number one on the list is at $3.6 million already. By the end of the year, the number one will probably be pushing $10 million.

So, how about you? Have you “only” made $40,000 this year so far? Multiply that out and it would be about $120,000 for the year. Do you think you could make it on that? There are lots of people who would say they couldn’t live on only 120 grand. How about it, would you like to try? I’m willing to give it a go to see if I could make it.

The title I gave to this entry today is: It must all be relative. With the rising cost of living, it is harder and harder for many people to live. And, yet, we still have an amazing lifestyle here in the good old USA. Some think it’s poverty to only have 40 channels on cable. Many young people think it cruel if they don’t have their own cell phone. Others can’t believe that anyone still uses dial-up internet connection. And, of course, what they wear must come from the right line of designer clothes.

I don’t know for sure, since I’ve never been there, but I have a sneaking suspicion that weight loss clinics are not a big business in India or Sudan. I don’t think the most important issue for people in North Korea or Cuba is that their car has GPS and a port to plug in their I-pod. It all must be relative.

It is easy to be envious of the material success of others. It’s easy to think that they have it all made and no problems. Tiger Woods earns about $2 Million PER WEEK from all his ventures. This last off season the Twins signed one of their stars to an $80 million contract. Maria Carey has now passed Elvis for the number of number-one hit singles. It seems like they have it all made. Yes, it’s nice to not have money worries, but . . .

Compared to some, you are in poverty. Compared to others, you are rich. It’s all relative. We really need to think about that.

One more thing to chew on, no amount of money will purchase your forgiveness of sins or an eternal home in heave. That only comes by receiving God’s free gift. When you know you have received God’s gift of eternal life and have an eternal home promised to you, you really ARE rich.

Here Again

One of the fun parts, or challenges, of writing a blog is the consistency of the posts. I have been doing well on it, and then, recently, got caught up with life and have not written for several days. I’m back and hope to be more consistent.

Today I’d like to chat about God’s amazing provision. I saw a powerful example of that this week.

I was in Appleton, WI, for the district council (annual business meeting) for our state. All of the churches in our district are invited. It always includes the usual reports, etc. One of the reports was for a large ministry to the central city of Milwaukee. God is using it in some powerful ways to impact and change lives. In their report they said that they expected a deficit in their budget of $141,000 for the year. That was a heavy burden to carry.

They had a young boy with them who was a part of the ministry. He gave a great testimony of living for Jesus in a tough area. He sang a song on the theme that no weapon formed against thee shall prosper. He was a very talented singer and everyone gave him a standing ovation at the end of his song. Everyone could sense the presence of God.

When he was through, one of the pastors in the meeting stood up and said that we needed to do something about the deficit. Their church would give the first $2,000. Then others started standing up and making commitments. It was everything from $50 to $10,000. There was no begging or pleading. No mental tricks to shame people in to giving. They simply responded to the need. Within several minutes, commitments totaling $141,000 were made. The entire deficit was taken care of.

We had a great time of rejoicing as everyone there knew that God had come through in an amazing way. It was a powerful example of the fact that God can take care of every need. We all were thrilled at the supernatural provision. It was the kind of meeting anyone would love to be a part of. The windows of heaven opened up and the need was met.

Let me leave you with this: God is not broke. God is not weak. God is not panicked at the challenges of this ministry. God IS able to do abundantly above all that we ask or think. Let that be an encouragement for your heart and life today.

How about the Bible?

Yesterday we had a great time as we celebrated Easter. Actually, Easter is a celebration of the resurrection of Jesus. And, I think we had a powerful time of rejoicing in the knowledge of the Living Lord.

This morning I was going through some articles in my office. It was a time for some sorting. One of them was recounting the claims of some people who, in the name of Jesus, reject the literal and physical resurrection of Jesus. These claims were made by well-known folks who call themselves well-educated theologians. They boldly and clearly stated that there is no way that Jesus could have come back to life. And they claimed (and this I have an amazingly hard time believing) that they really are followers of Christ. They said that they believed in a spiritual resurrection. Believing that Jesus is dead doesn’t hurt their faith.

I’ve never been able to understand how a person can say they are a follower of Jesus and not accept all of His teaching or the claims of the Bible. I met a fellow years ago who said he believed in all the scriptures, and then he went on to explain that not all of the Bible is the scriptures. He had some special knowledge to know which was which. That way he could easily discount anything I might say about what the Bible says, because “that passage is not scripture”.

There are millions of “Christians” these days doing things the Bible clearly says are sin, claiming it doesn’t make a difference. I fear they are in for a rude awakening on judgement day.

So, what is it that is on my mind today? It is the fact that God has gives us his Word, The Bible, and it is our guide for life and the decisions we make. It is our guide for belief. If you claim to be a Christian and can’t accept that, then I challenge you to start digging through the Bible to find out what the Bible really is all about. Is it just a book of stories? Is it filled with mistakes? If it is, then I wonder why we would follow it. If the Bible is full of mistakes, then let’s shut down the churches and do something better with out time and money.

But, if the Bible is accurate, if it is true, if it really is the Word of God, then we had better learn what it says we are to do, and then DO what it says. I don’t see how we can do anything other than that. What do you think?