Monday, December 31, 2007
Solitude
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As I was moving things into our new home, I happened to find a large framed photograph of my old youth group from back in 1992! many of these young people have families, I find myself saying. Bobby, Michael, Laura, Mark (who now works just down the hall from me) Amy, and all the other wonderful teens I knew from years back are now on the wall of my study.
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I was chopping off some branches from the Christmas tree in order to wedge it through the back door, rather than taking it through the double front door and risk all of the needles covering the floor. maybe I should have re-thought my strategy. As I was cuttinng through a branch, the knife slipped and gashed open my left-hand index finger's knuckle... I was bleeding all over the kitchen counter, trying to get the flow to stop. For now I have a beautifully deep red scar running across my finger, but thankfully I did not hit a muscle or nerve. I was truthfully panicked for the first few minutes when I realized I could have messed up my writing/typing ability for good.
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I'll tell you a secret:
I desire so much to seek the Lord in song at our church services, that I often try to find ways to avoid looking around and being distracted. No offense to the choir or songleaders up front, but I want to worship the Lord without being given a pattern of actions or emotions. I used to close my eyes but found that disconcerting for some reason. My secret is that I take off my glasses and sing with eyes wide open. My eyesight is good enough to see the vague outline of the words on the screen but bad enough that I cannot make out the features of anybody more than three feet away from me. In this visual haze i can find quiet rest and solitude to sing and enjoy praise to the Lord.
Friday, December 28, 2007
Matthew 5:44,45
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Authenticity
In this world that sees us and hears us, how are you different from a Mormon, Muslim, Hindu or even atheist?
Is it in title only?
What has established you as a Jesus-follower? How has it changed your behavior?
Can people really be drawn to Christ by observing you?
Is your worship of the Lord genuine...
.... even when nobody else is around?
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Praise to God, Who is Worthy
Luk 1:49
For he, the Mighty One, is holy, and he has done great things for me.
Luk 1:50
His mercy goes on from generation to generation, to all who fear him.
Luk 1:51
His mighty arm does tremendous things! How he scatters the proud and haughty ones!
Luk 1:52
He has taken princes from their thrones and exalted the lowly.
Luk 1:53
He has satisfied the hungry with good things
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
A Brief Update on the Zockoll household
The Lord is so good! We have looked forward to owning a home like this and ministering to people without having to crash into them because our house was too small. Even though we decided to take a year or two to properly prepare the home for this new ministry, we are already having people, young and old, coming to visit. Things are finally slowing down, and litle Julianne is a precious relief after the stress of the day. Our three year old entertains us constantly. Her favorite shows are Blue's Clues, Little Bear and Thomas the Tank Engine. Although we battle a nightly mealtime challenge (Julianne just doesn't want to eat at that particular time) the rest of the evening is spent chasing each other around the house or reading fromn any number of books in her room.
We have enjoyed hearing from friends old and new. We have been in communication with old acquaintances from Hollister CA; Canton OH; Charlotte NC; Pittsburgh PA; Austin TX; Phoenix AZ; Salisbury MD; Colorado Springs CO among other places.
Monday, December 17, 2007
Blessings
Focus on the Family recently bought my latest novel for their Brio magazine. The novel is called Incident at Jupiter Lighthouse and will be published in May of 2008.
Psalm 37 rings true, that as the Zockoll family been delighting ourselves in the Lord, He has been giving me the desires of my heart ... one of which is to continue to write professionally.
Please take a glimpse at my other novels on bradzockoll.com and please be patient as I continue to build the site.
Friday, November 30, 2007
God's Fatherly Love
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
"eucharistia"
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
A Best Friend
You know the feeling.
The bottom fell out on me. I sat at my desk and asked myself "Why? Why were these words used in such a thoughtless way? Why was I the target of such an attack - especially at the beginning of the week?" Great way to start a Monday, let alone the rest of the Thanksgiving week...
Monday, November 19, 2007
Back at UT
It's great being back at the Sunday night Bible study at the University of Tennessee campus. Meeting such great students as Matthew, "Frodo", Amy, and others is a real boost to my spirit each week. We meet in Reese Hall for an in-depth look at world religions, philosophies, theories, and the Bible's answers to their many questions. This is a ministry that I have wanted to do for years, bring to mind the verse in the Psalms: "Delight yourself in the LORD; And He will give you the desires of your heart." (37:4)
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The words of preacher Charles Spurgeon:
In Job's uttermost extremity he cried after the Lord. The longing desire of an afflicted child of God is once more to see his Father's face. His first prayer is not "O that I might be healed of the disease which now festers in every part of my body!" nor even "O that I might see my children restored from the jaws of the grave, and my property once more brought from the hand of the spoiler!" but the first and uppermost cry is, "O that I knew where I might find HIM, who is my God! that I might come even to His seat!" God's children run home when the storm comes on. It is the heaven-born instinct of a gracious soul to seek shelter from all ills beneath the wings of Jehovah. "He that hath made his refuge God," might serve as the title of a true believer...
"O that I knew where I might find Him!" —Job 23:3
Powerful words from a London preacher of years past. Just as Job did, crying not for physical healing but for God's nearness, I want first and foremost of all to see His gentle closeness and mercifuil ways to me whenever the sky grows dark in my life.
Friday, November 09, 2007
The Question of Absolutism
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Great Word to Ponder
Mark 6:6 - "And He was amazed..."
Now, think about this. What would it take to amaze the Son of God? He's the Author of the Universe, the Creator of all things, the Anointed One ... what would make Him amazed?
"...at their lack of faith."
Now, ponder this: the one thing that could completely amaze Christ is the lack of faith of people in the face of everything that God puts before them! And I see this truth more clearly each day. God has given us so many good things each day - some small, others large - and yet there are people who will explain it away to "luck", "good fortune", "Nature", "the Fates," or some other invention of the mind.
Yes, I suppose that would be enough to amaze Jesus.
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
CS Lewis' conversion
Monday, October 22, 2007
Possible L'Abri?
Saturday, October 20, 2007
Our New Home
God has graciously made it possible for us to purchase a home on the west side of knoxville. This house is 4500 square feet and is everything we have ever dreamed of. True, it will need updating, but it is virtually all cosmetic - the structure is as sound as the day it was built.
I will post some pictures later on this week to let you see it. We are dedicating this home to honor the Lord in all we do.
Friday, October 19, 2007
The Omnipotence Paradox
(2) If God can create a stone which He cannot lift, then He is not omnipotent (since He cannot lift the stone in question).
(3) If God cannot create a stone which He cannot lift, then He is not omnipotent (since He cannot create the stone in question).
(4) Therefore God is not omnipotent.
Wednesday, October 03, 2007
Stunning Truth about Ability
Friday, September 21, 2007
Thoughts on the Christian's Joy
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
The Holiness of the Lord
The Lord speaks in His holiness Psalm 60:6
God sits upon the throne of His holiness Psalm 47:8
Habakkuk 1:12 are you not from everlasting O Lord my God mine Holy one?
Habakkuk 2:20 the Lord is in His holy temple
God’s holiness would not allow a man to touch the ark, specifically against His rules 2 samuel 6
God’s holiness would not allow people to mock the Lord’s Supper and live 1 Cor. 11
God’s holiness would not allow people to lie to the Holy Spirit even in the honorable action of giving money to the Lord, Acts 5
Today's prayer
Monday, September 17, 2007
Thursday, September 06, 2007
Praise
Friday, August 31, 2007
Blocking the Way
Saturday, August 25, 2007
Impacting the World
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Oswald Chambers
Wednesday, August 01, 2007
Persecution
Click here:
http://www.persecution.com/
This site is provided by the blessed work of the ministry called Voice of the Martyrs. Reading through some of these stories will change your life, I am sure.
Friday, July 20, 2007
Excitement while waiting
Friday, July 06, 2007
Thanks for your patience
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
The strange case of Craig
The wrestling season ended, and then the months of school flew by toward the summer. Since he was an upper classman, I didn't see much of Craig the rest of that year or in the summer months.
But in the fall as school started, I was surprised by what I saw. In fact, we all were.
Craig came into school wearing a short sleeved white shirt. His hair was cut to crewcut length. He sported a thin black tie. His black pants and shoes were immaculate. And he was quiet, polite, and reserved.
Ah, you think I'm going to say he became a Christian. No, not at all.
Craig had joined a cult. And in watching his change, i learned something about the Christian walk.
Craig avoided groups and kept to himself. He was mannerly, sure, but he and his sister stayed off to one side and carried an otherworldly gaze in their eyes. They finished up school neatly and reservedly, and we never heard from them again.
My point is this: whereas we saw a change in Criag, I don't think any of us really saw something we found attractive. Craig stopped befriending us. He avoided public gatherings and became withdrawn. He gave us no impression that we would want to be like him.
It helped me understand our Christian testimony's impact.
Thursday, June 14, 2007
The Question of Compromise
The world is clever in its allurements, the flesh is vulnerable to temptation, and the devil is aggressive in his attack. So it's a battle to remain spiritually stable.
Monday, June 11, 2007
Some good sites
a complete dramatized Audio Bible unabridged in MP3 Format. Listen to the bible anywhere either on your PC or portable MP3 compatable device. www.audio-bibles.co.uk
one of the best Bible resource places I know: http://www.blueletterbible.org/
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
Genuine Love of Jesus by a Christian
which they hid within themselves in the secret chamber of their souls, and which they only spake of in their private assemblies when they met on the first day of the week, and sang hymns in honour of Christ Jesus the crucified, but it was a passion with them of such a vehement and all-consuming energy, that it was visible in all their actions, spoke in their common talk, and looked out of their eyes even in their commonest glances. Love to Jesus was a flame which fed upon the core and heart of their being; and, therefore, from its own force burned its way into the outer man, and shone there. Zeal for the glory of King Jesus was the seal and mark of all genuine Christians.
- Charles Spurgeon, Morning and Evening
Julianne on the move
Saturday, June 02, 2007
Revelation: The Truth About a Throne
As Ecclesistes chapter 3 states, every man has been given the knowledge of eternity in his soul. He thinks of the hereafter and the realm above his earthly life, and so he realizes that there is a throne. Question is, who does he let sit on the throne of his life? He will want someone to sit on that throne.
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Tears
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Are Christians Unable to Decide Right and Wrong?
" ...a new study conducted by The Barna Group suggests that, despite the widespread coverage of the legal arguments and fight against piracy, most young consumers possess no moral qualms about getting music illegally."
"The study shows that born again Christian teens are not much different than are non-born again teens in terms of holding an anti-piracy moral position. Just 10% of Christian teens believe that copying CDs for friends and unauthorized music downloading are morally wrong, compared to 6% of non-born agains (the four-point difference barely qualified as statistically significant). Also, the proportion of pragmatists was statistically equivalent - 64% of born again Christians and 66% of non-Christians."
For more on this story, click here:
http://www.cmta.com/research.htm
Monday, May 28, 2007
"With mirth and laughter let old wrinkles come." - Shakespeare
It's the life in your years."
Abraham Lincoln
Sunday, May 27, 2007
Surprise of the Missionary
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Big happenings on Tuesday - my birthday! I'll be a spritely 48 years old! Come and join my party at the Cove, just outside of Farragut, TN.
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I think one of the wondrous things about our God is that He’s a God of miracles. He does things that we cannot even begin to comprehend.
One of my friends Lauren Phillips is a missionary to Eastern Asia. She’s about 24 years old and is energetic in wanting to see the Lord work in and among the people of Eastern Asia. Earlier this year she read aloud a letter given to her from one of her fellow missionaries. They are called the Dao people and the letter from her friends is enough to shock anyone.
The new missionary couples came into a totally new area, the letter said, and yet when they arrived, the men of the village greeted them warmly and let them sit by the fire. While one of the men fiddled with his nose bone and smoked a cigarette, he mentioned casually that his father, now dead for almost two decades, said that the missionaries would come.
"Long ago, when I was a little boy, my father was waiting for you to come, He told me you would come," said the man. The man, in his late thirties, said that there would be people with white skin who would come and tell them about the truth about God and the way to get to see Him. "We had never seen a white person, so he told us all, don’t be afraid of their white skin! They look very different but they will become like our own brothers and sisters. They will be one family with us. They will bring a talk about God."
When the young couple added up the years, they realized that the father had told the message to his village the very year the missionaries were born!
As the missionary heard these amazing things, he thought about the passage in Ephesians 2:10 which said "God has made us what we are. In Christ Jesus, God made us to do good works, which God planned in advance for us to live our lives doing." This is the God that we read about in the Scripture and we talk to in prayer. He’s not a far-away God. In Isa. 43: 1-4 we read of a compassionate God whom nobody could have ever imagined. A God who openly pursues us with His love and His care. Listen to this passage:
"Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine! When you pass through the waters, I will be with you...you are precious in My sight...you are honored and I love you."
Saturday, May 26, 2007
Concerns about the mood
While at the Christian Academy of Knoxville, one of my positions was that of scheduling chapel speakers and heading up our Tuesday chapel time. A few times in this past year I had student-led chapels, and after two of these chapels I was approached by a small band of students. Both times they chastised me for not allowing the chapel to go beyond the scheduled hour that our school has allotted.
Although both chapels were very powerful, I found that this clutch of students were agitated about the length of the service.
"It must be longer - at least an hour more than you've allotted," insisted one boy.
When I asked him why, he responded, "because we need time to get into the Spirit, and the song time is what we need to do this. It's got to be much longer. We've got to get into the Spirit."
Now, I find this curious. I have encountered people who have told me this before, and I fail to see where the Bible gives directions on how Christians need a massive amount of time to "warm up" to the Holy Spirit's movement. To be sure, singing prepares a heart for the Word of God's instruction, but I was told by this group that there must be gobs of songs and lengths of time in order to get ready, and I find this lacking in Scriptural authority. We are to spend two, three hours in singing before we can allow God's Word to be brought forth?
It leads me to see a danger that I will talk about in coming blogs: the danger of over-emotionalism in today's Christian generalization. Many, many times I see the abstract thinkers of Christianity push away the concrete thinkers with an insistence that the service be flowery and mood-sensitive.
Hey, I want to have time with Jesus and praise Him, but I don't want a Woodstock experience to have to achieve it.
Friday, May 25, 2007
Security of the Believer
Many a time in my youth I wondered if Jesus would simply get tired of us. After all, people can be pretty stupid a lot of the time. We endeavor to do right but we fail. We set lofty goals and get nowhere near attaining them. Why would Christ have any interest in us as we keep stumbling about? We Christians attempt to honor Him but we end up wanted to honor ourselves more. We lose control of so many of the ways to give Him glory, why wouldn't He just forget us and deny us Heaven? We're trying to do good, but doesn't His patience have a limit?
Then I look at His Word and I am comforted. Can we lose our salvation? I read the Word and see some powerful truths that tell me otherwise...
1. God does not let saints fall
Micah 7:8 - "when I fall I shall arise"
Psalm 37:24,25 - "Though he fall he shall not utterly be cast down...I have not seen the righteous forsaken..."
2. This is the Lord's doing, and it is not in our power to "undo" it.
Psalm 37:37,40 - "But salvation of the righteous is of the Lord..."
2 Tim. 1:12 "He is able to keep that which I've committed unto Him against that day."
Jude 24 - "...now unto Him who is able to keep you from falling..."
1 Peter 1:5 - "who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time."
3. God knows the believer.
John 10:14 - God tells us He knows His child.
Compare that with the lost He speaks to in Matthew 7:23. "...I never knew you..."
4. The believer is in Jesus' hand.
John 10:28 - "...neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand."
5. The believer will not come into condemnation.
John 5:24 - "He that...believeth on Him that sent me hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation..."
Thank you, Jesus, for making a Way. Thank you for keeping us going on that Way.