The World According to Me
My Faith, Family, Friends, and Other Things
An Appropriate Psalm for the End and Beginning of a New Year
13 weeks ago
by Rodney
in Christianity
Psalm 90:1–17
1 Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations.
2 Before the mountains were brought forth, Or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, Even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.
3 Thou turnest man to destruction; And sayest, Return, ye children of men.
4 For a thousand years in thy sight Are but as yesterday when it is past, And as a watch in the night.
5 Thou carriest them away as with a flood; they are as a sleep: In the morning they are like grass which groweth up.
6 In the morning it flourisheth, and groweth up; In the evening it is cut down, and withereth.
7 For we are consumed by thine anger, And by thy wrath are we troubled.
8 Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, Our secret sins in the light of thy countenance.
9 For all our days are passed away in thy wrath: We spend our years as a tale that is told.
10 The days of our years are threescore years and ten; And if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, Yet is their strength labour and sorrow; For it is soon cut off, and we fly away.
11 Who knoweth the power of thine anger? Even according to thy fear, so is thy wrath.
12 So teach us to number our days, That we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.
13 Return, O Lord, how long? And let it repent thee concerning thy servants.
14 O satisfy us early with thy mercy; That we may rejoice and be glad all our days.
15 Make us glad according to the days wherein thou hast afflicted us, And the years wherein we have seen evil.
16 Let thy work appear unto thy servants, And thy glory unto their children.
17 And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us: And establish thou the work of our hands upon us; Yea, the work of our hands establish thou it.
God Sized Tasks
01 month ago
Over these past few weeks, I have tried to read all of the Christmas Scriptures along with any corresponding Old Testament references or prophecies. It has been exhilarating to say the least.
One particular person who I love to study and pore over is the person of John the Baptizer. Read me with this verse told his father Zechariah in Luke 1:17.
17 And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.
What an amazing assortment of tasks, trials, and territory for the yet unborn child. Talk about pressure! Talk about great expectations! What a list! What a burden! To think that saddled from infancy, John was to accomplish these monumental tasks in preparation for the Messiah.
Simply put, these are all God-sized tasks or to state it differently; John will require supernatural help to accomplish them.
As many of us do our year end evaluations and set out for 2012 with new goals, perhaps we need a fresh challenge. Maybe we need a monumental undertaking!
Why don’t we rewrite our small, mediocre goals and replace them with some God-sized goals that will require supernatural help to accomplish? Goals that when completed will echo the refrain of John the Baptizer in John 3:30 that “Christ must increase!”
How big are your goals this year? Who will get the credit if they are realized? Are they in line with God’s plans for you this year?
Every Man and Holiness
02 months ago
by Rodney
in Christianity
Every man is as close to God as he wants to be; he is as holy and as full of the Spirit as he wills to be.… Yet we must distinguish wanting from wishing. By “want” I mean wholehearted desire. Certainly there are many who wish they were holy or victorious or joyful but are not willing to meet God’s conditions to obtain.A. W. Tozer, Tozer on Christian Leadership : A 366-day Devotional (Camp Hill, PA.: WingSpread, 2001).
Real Devotion
04 months ago
Church won’t start for hours. Almost 2 to be precise. Yet, the church house is buzzing with laymen.
The special musicians are here an hour before the other choir members, making sure they have time to practice and prepare for the extra they they bring to the services.
About 45 minutes later, the youth leaders are here to prepare and pray, and people are leaving to pick up teens for the evening service. The Patch the Pirate people are here, sailors hats in hand. Faithful this morning, faithful tonight, faithful period.
Real devotion to God and true faithfulness is often unseen by others. While others napped, these serve. May God give us an army of people given to real devotion out of the spotlight.
Is it Tiny or Teeny ?
0Back in May of this year, my family including my wife and two adorable, precious, gracious children made a list of sorts. It was on the Father’s (my) sticky note pad. Not the small one, mind you, the large 4×6 official sticky note pad. We made a list of things to do this Summer. We made them official and legally binding by writing them down. In May. Of this year. On Paper.
Perhaps a little background will be of help in framing why this is even noteworthy (you are still reading, right?). I had apparently just read a book, or an article, or perhaps just had another teary phone call about another family headed to divorce and pain. I instinctively did what I try to do each time God dumps a bucket of ice water on my head — do a self-inventory, ask for input, check my spiritual disciplines, and set new goals. This time my sore spot was treating my children, who seem to be growing up without my permission, with much more zeal and energy. Thus, the list of great and grand things to do during summer vacation.
So Phineas and Ferb excitedly threw out ideas, places, and activities. We distilled them down to 5 or 6. August 1st came and the list had exactly one item checked off this list formed of guilt, of lessons learned, of new initiative to be a better Father and husband. 1 item off of this teeny, tiny list on a 4×6 sticky note pad.
Today, it is September 10th. After holding my nose and going to a Duke college football game, (I know there is no college football in summer, that wasn’t the exact item. Planning and executing a football trip was) I will have only one item left on the list. Dr. Randy Cox helped me that one, and thanks to a sweet family at Beacon Baptist Church, I will be taking our son fishing at their little pond just like Andy and Opie on that show. By the way, that item was Reilly’s, but I kinda liked it too.
Just hope the fish aren’t teeny or tiny!
Some of the best news
0As I have progressed in age and experience in life, my loves, tastes, and experiences have changed along with the calendar. For example, I used to think that peanut butter and tuna fish on toasted bread was quite the delicacy! (I now am fairly certain I was insane during that period of life.) Now a steak dinner with all the fixings is much more appetizing than anything that ends in “-wich.”
I used to enjoy staying up late and was even quite productive after 10 PM. My ability to work hard during the day and then work hard at night was a point of pride. Now, I am content with the fact that I must be at my best early for my commute and subsequent 1st hour classes and then productive in the afternoon. This, of course, requires me to go to be closer to 10 than 1 (or 2AM). My responsibilities have changed and as such my habits have had to change as well.
My Mom was a goodbye kisser. Only Heaven can tell how many times my brother and I went to grade school with lipstick somewhere on our faces unaware of our cosmetic condition. “I love you” was a blessing that was issued more times than I ever took the time to really appreciate. A kiss, a hug, and an “I love you” was the normal routine of life as a child and teenager (and adult.)
From that familial world, I launched into the world of dating or girls to be more specific. To be told “I luv You” was the penultimate achievement in my young mind. Conversely, to share that expression with a female was the ultimate in horror to my teen existence.
As I now look back over 40 years of life and family, 15 years of wedded bliss, and almost 12 years of parenthood, I am still amazed at the power of “I love you.” In reality, the best expression of this fact has never been from a family member, girl, woman, wife, or child, it is from the pages of Scripture as God Himself communicated, demonstrated, and illustrated His great love to us — to me.
Some of the best news I have ever been give is that God loves … me.
Labor Day is for … a Birthday!
0
Today instead of commenting on Labor Day, I just want to recognize a very special young lady. Her sweet spirit and enormous creative talent are just a few of her wonderful character traits. From piano playing to drawing and sketching to crazily driving her (shared) golf cart, her enthusiasm is only matched by her love for her family. She always has a kiss for her Aunt and Uncle (favorite Uncle I might add) and a hug as an added bonus.
So, today we ask the Lord for you to continue to grow in His grace and joy. We pray that you will live for Him and love Him throughout all of your birthdays. Happy Birthday sweet Carissa Ann!
Sunday’s are Glorious
0Teaching full-time and then serving as an interim pastor (for almost eight out of the last nine years) means that Saturdays are usually full of family, grading, chores, and sermon preparation.
Yet, with all the extra stress, I am still thrilled at the thought of Sunday services and the privilege to preach the Word! Working through the text, rethinking old ideas, scanning for good illustrations, praying through my checklist and prayer list, these things are just joy to preacher (and they certainly are work.)
To preach to dying people, to help the hurting, to exhort the distracted, and reprove the rebellious, this is what we get to do when we preach. To publicly evangelize, to prominently proclaim the glory of God, to persuasively remind people of obligations and privileges, to prepare them for the world to come, this is what we get to do when we preach.
I pray that today every Bible preacher will remember that Sunday’s are glorious.
Legacy
14 months ago
With the very unexpected passing of Carol Arcuri from our faculty, our academic dean wisely (and firmly) recommended we all document our processes and clearly lay out our teaching order and calendar.
It is a necessary tool for improvement to know what you did versus what you desired to do. In our case, it is simply needed as wise stewards to benefit those who will take over our classes through a planned or unplanned exit.
For these weeks as I have painstakingly revisited my spreadsheets editing, adding, and moving ideas and page numbers around, I have been moved by the single thought of legacy. Not just an academic or procedural legacy, but one of influence, presence, and ministry. Every week I am spreading, distilling, and disseminating my influence; leaving if you will, my legacy.
Almost too Late
2You know you have done it as well. You are looking for ONE thing and you stumble across another.
Today while researching a topic for an Advanced Greek class, I found my New Semester folder. I have a digital folder of articles, ideas, “do’s and don’ts” compiled from semester to semester, but honestly I forgot this one existed.
Here is what I almost missed.
A 2006 article by Dr. Thurman Wisdom entitled “Bring the Books.” — Great 2 page vignette emphasizing the need to read and the love of reading.
3 from John Maxwell entitled “Don’t Delay – Do it Today“, “How to Invest More of Your Most Valuable Asset”, and “Developing Your Most Appreciable Asset.”
A June 17, 1996 Newsweek article call “Making the Grade” by Kurt Wiesenfeld. — A professor at Georgia Tech, he takes on the notions of grade inflation and of bargaining for grades like a tee shirt at a ball game.
“Defining Christian Education” by Dan Olinger from BJU. — Nuts and bolts stuff about what God has called us to do with our students.
Beverly White’s missive on “A Personal Scope an Sequence: Basis for a Balanced Curriculum.” — Written primarily for grade school, but helpful for a guy like me who finds himself the head of a Bible department.
Assorted syllabi from PCC and BJU graduate classes. — 2 reasons I keep these around and review them — to remind myself I am not teaching grad classes and to make sure that I am preparing my students for grad classes.
A whole set of workshop notes on “Thinking Right … Teaching Right” from a 2009 NCCSA (www.nccsa.org) Summer Conference. — Culture, Current events, tying everything to the Scriptures, methods, hints, tips, etc. I am convinced that we are losing the worldview war as we continue to leave the Bible in church and not help people make the connection to all of life.
As you can see, I almost missed some great helps and blessings this semester.
I wonder what else is in my files…
Desperate ?
07 months ago
Who among us is desperate enough to ask God for personal revival and then desperate enough to do what He asks?
Simple Saturdays
07 months ago
Simple Saturdays – A Father’s Perspective
Cello music
Laundry piles
“Clean out the fridge” lunch
Sermon prep and finalization
Cartoons (albeit on DVR)
Boxes to the dump
Walmart run
Gas up my car for Sunday commute
Breakfast by Allison
Quicken appointment
Occasional nap(s)
Extra praying
Extra praying that leads to unintentional nap
Weekly review and planning
Time to talk to my kids and wife
These days are ending as Allison becomes a teen, but today is still one of those Saturdays that I love.
This is Just too Great! From Tozer
010 months ago
We Languish for Men
Then Paul answered, What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.
—Acts 21:13
The Church at this moment needs men, the right kind of men—bold men.…
We languish for men who feel themselves expendable in the warfare of the soul, who cannot be frightened by threats of death because they have already died to the allurements of this world. Such men will be free from the compulsions that control weaker men. They will not be forced to do things by the squeeze of circumstances; their only compulsion will come from within—or from above.
This kind of freedom is necessary if we are to have prophets in our pulpits again instead of mascots. These free men will serve God and mankind from motives too high to be understood by the rank and file of religious retainers who today shuttle in and out of the sanctuary. They will make no decisions out of fear, take no course out of a desire to please, accept no service for financial considerations, perform no religious act out of mere custom; nor will they allow themselves to be influenced by the love of publicity or the desire for reputation.
A. W. Tozer, Tozer on Christian Leadership : A 366-day Devotional (Camp Hill, PA.: WingSpread, 2001).
