Open Arms

Think back to the decade of the 60s. Divorce was still a pretty dirty word ... even if it referred to the spouse who had been hurt.
"Well, she must have done something to make him leave."
"Those kids of hers - they probably caused it."
"You know what she is? She's a divorcee."


I was in elementary school at the time, but I heard it clearly enough. We weren't invited into many Hershey social circles. We were looked upon with pity by some, with disdain by others. Even as a child, I never felt that we were able to measure up. Most people simply gawked at the sight of my mom tugging along six little ones through the supermarket, library or Scout meetings.

And then there were the churches. Wow, how many did we attend?

Empty, empty. We could feel a distinct lack of counseling help for my mom. People would give her a sad grin, but nobody reached out to help. From one assembly to another we trod, wearing our second-hand clothes and puttering down the road in our VW bus. I distinctly remember that we felt uncomfortable in churches. People talked at us, not to us.

Then we attended the little church in Sand Beach, right outside of Hummelstown PA. Independent Bible Church of Sand Beach. So help me, I never did fidn the sand beach. But it didn't matter. We found some good folk. Real good folk.

From the first day, we were welcomed with open arms. Pastor Barry McClure and his family joined with the congregation to reach out to my mom's needs and see to the care of us little 'uns. (Believe it or not, I wore a bow-tie to church. A bow-tie!)

My mom took no high airs about this. She accepted the open arms and bags of food. She directed us to the little classes where each teacher had a personal concern for our physical and spiritual well-being.

We little kids got involved in everything. I remember we even helped shovel and carry bricks for the new wing you see in the picture above. I guess it's not new anymore. Brent and I - I guess we were in 3rd and 4th grade respectively - joined the choir for a Christmas cantata. What a blast. Neither of us could sing. I had no idea what a note was, but I held the songbook better than any one of the Three Tenors, baby.

I distinctly remember an elderly man (must have been in his 90s) who would hand out little sticks of gum to all of us every Sunday.

The friendships, the pot-luck dinners, the parties in the church basement, the outdoor evening events... the kindly people were open armed, waiting for us to walk toward them. And we did. I started learning about the love of God.

God is a God of Invitation. Take a look at Isaiah 1:18. Take a look at Isaiah 55:1. Didn't Jesus say "Come unto Me and I will give you rest?" And I also see that God invited Noah into the ark, where He was. Isn't that a great picture of salvation?

Best of all, look at Revelation 22:17. You know the qualifications for coming to Him? You must be thirsty and you must be willing. That's it. The loving families at Independent Bible Church of Sand Beach began to teach me that.

2009 approach

This coming year my blog will take a different approach.


I'm gearing up to write this blog in a more personal style but one that brings the Scripture up to the table so we can sit and look at it without any confusing trappings.





I had a very strange and yet fascinating childhood, and I can say that the odd trek didn't stop whenever I left the homestead.





I want to talk to you about it, and how the Lord has worked in me, talked to me, and let me see Him in ways it's hard to explain unless I give you an anecdote or life story.





It's very important that I give you some real-to-life situations that actually happened in my life, so that you may call me into direct responsibility for what I tell you, rather than me making a vague reference to a long-ago individual. Sure, I'll quote and cite, but mostly I will dig back and tell you of the things I learned from my years. Believe me, it's not a bragging session; it's a way for me to communicate to you as best as I know how. So cut me a little slack as I get my words in order.


The picture is where it all started for me as I shuffled onto this mortal coil on May 29th, 1959. That's Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh PA, and in the same year I was born, Ben Hur was being released as the top film of the year. Other newcomers who tried to steal my spotlight were some states named Alaska and Hawaii, who both joined the Union that year. The cost of a new house was about $12,000 but bear in mind that the average citizen was making about $5000 a year. Gas was 25 cents a gallon and you could get in a movie for a buck.


I was the fourth Zockoll. Before me were Bruce, Gwen and Brent.


And that's when the fun began.

Our Christmas letter

What a year 2008 has been for the Zockoll family here in Knoxville TN. This must have been one of the most unpredictable years in my life - in fact, as I write this, I am battling the flu ( I am pretty sure I picked it up while writing a sports column at a basketball game on Sunday) and my eye is watering contantly as I type this. Well, let me sniff a little and give you a synopsis:

Julainne is now 4 years old "and I can whistle." Some of her favorites include Curious George cartoons, wearing a princess dress, and dancing with Daddy to the Symphony channel on Sirius radio. Julianne loves her Sunday School teacher Miss Tanya (who, years ago, was a teen in my youth group. "Miss" Tanya is married with a whole passel of kids.) She also has a small child's "kitchen" in our kitchen and cooks alongside Mommy during the day.

Nicholas is 20 years old and has arrived back from working at Camp Red Cloud in Lake City CO. He is engaged to Alexis and is considering seriously a step into a career in the military. He got the gang together at Thanksgiving and played the annual Turkey Day football game, and is the Keeper of the Flame in our downstairs fireplace. Nicholas is taking on more responsiblities - he is holding down two jobs - while making decisions on whether to attend UT or move into the military.

Peter is in his junior year at Berean and has a bedroom that is becoming a shrine for Steeler football. He is working at Chik Fil A and has been in a number of theatrical productions but looks toward playing football or rugby in the coming year. His fantasy football team is in the playoffs and he is an integral part of our Sunday Night College/HS Bible study when it comes to debating at the end of the study.

Jill has been wonderful, simply amazing in keeping our household running, especially through these financial strains that our family and, well, the whole nation is undergoing. She has been supportive of me and my writing endeavors and has been a spiritual pillar to us all. More than once when I endured my sickness this year she has been uncomplaining in taking care of the needs of the home. Her fibro myalgia won't go away, of course, but I think she has been able to take control. She has been reading numerous Joni Erikson books and recently completed the biography of Chuck Colson. She is a fantastic hostess whenever someone comes to the house for a visit or an overnight stay. When I struggled through the many trials of this past summer, she performed the greatest two things anyone could do for me: she listened and she prayed. Our family loves her, obviously, but the boys in the College group love her as well. She makes friends wherever she goes.

As for me, I am approaching 50 (next May) and reflect on how this year has given me new insight on so many things. Stress nearly ripped me apart this past summer. As for my back problems - I haven't endured that much physical extreme pain since I tore out my knee in college and had to use a cane to get around. My attempts at starting a city-wide College age ministry fell flat, and I suffered when close friends and spiritual mentors kept their distance. I felt as though God were somehow punishing me but now I can look back and see how He was getting my attention. Make no mistake - many of the problems are still with me, but they no longer dominate my body, soul and spirit as they did for six hellish months. God is good, and I can see Him that way in a new light, without the gloss of a full-time ministry or the pressure of a daily Bible presentation for others. Just jesus and me, and I am seeing thast this is great.

I am taking on more writing assignments weekly, and have been working freelance, writing for two pro sports teams as well as preparing a novel based on the true life of a retired DEA agent. I am hoping to latch on to an editing job with a new-found Christian webzine, and other writing opportunities are in the works. It's like with Eric Liddel as he discussed his running - I can feel God's pleasure when I write.

We are growing closer as a family and I cannot tell you how powerful that is. Jesus is becoming a stronger and stronger force within our home and as this year draws to a close I ask you to continue to pray for us as we all seek Christ's leading on doing His will day by day. Thank you for your friendship and have a Joyous Christmas.

O Holy Night

This was sent to me this morning by a good family friend, Diane Heeney, who sang at our wedding ceremony 23 years ago. Jill and Diane were actually fellow counselors at the camp where Jill and I met! Diane sent a great meditative Christmas thought:

Dear Family and Friends,

We invite you to take a closer look at the words to a familiar song this Christmas. Usually, you hear this as a solo; which means you may or may not pay close attention to the lyrics. It is sometimes done in "show-stopper" fashion, which distracts from the poignant meaning of the words. Read through it. Meditate upon its truths. We sang it as a congregation Sunday night, and some of the thoughts have stuck fast this year : "the soul felt its worth...born to be our Friend...to our weakness is no stranger...the slave is our brother...let all within us praise Him...!" Yes, come, let us adore Him together this Christmas season.

Rejoicing in God's Unspeakable Gift,

Patrick, Diane, Erin, Michael and Katie

O holy night, the stars are brightly shining;

It is the night of the dear Savior's birth!

Long lay the world in sin and error pining,

Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth.

A thrill of hope, the weary soul rejoices,

For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.

Fall on your knees, O hear the angel voices!

O night divine, O night when Christ was born!

O night, O holy night, O night divine!

Led by the light of faith serenely beaming,

With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand.

So led by light of a star sweetly gleaming,

Here came the wise men from Orient land.

The King of kings lay thus in lowly manger,

In all our trials born to be our Friend!

He knows our need-to our weakness is no stranger.

Behold your King; before Him lowly bend!

Behold your King; before Him lowly bend!

Truly He taught us to love one another;

His law is love and His Gospel is peace.

Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother

And in His Name all oppression shall cease.

Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,

Let all within us praise His holy Name!

Christ is the Lord! O praise His name forever!

His pow'r and glory evermore proclaim!

His pow'r and glory evermore proclaim!

The Ascension

Care

"The Christian does not think God will love us because we are good, but that God will make us good because He loves us; just as the roof of a sunhouse does not attract the sun because it is bright, but becomes bright because the sun shines on it." - C.S.Lewis

"Christ has turned all our sunsets into dawns" - Clement of Alexandria (c.150-c.215)

Psalm 54:6

"Willingly I will sacrifice to You; I will give thanks to Your name, O LORD, for it is good."

"thanks" Hebrew word yadah Definition: to give thanks and praise, ALSO to confess the name of God

...for the Christian, it is not only to have a spirit of thankfulness but also a spirit of praise and to rightly confess that God is the Author of blessing - to publicly proclaim it.

So then, I want to publicly proclaim my thankfulness to God in a quick list here:

- I am thankful that my back injury pain is nearly overcome. I can sit and walk and lie down without the glass-sharp agony I had only months ago.

- I am thankful to God for giving me my wife Jill who has been a pillar of strength through all of this misery and trial.

- I am thankful that my mother-in-law Marlene is recovering from the blood clot ordeal. Thank you, Lord, for intervening!

- I am so very thankful for my children. Nicholas is full steam ahead in work and school studies. Peter is maturing every day. Julianne - now 4 years old - is the the entertainment value that every member of our family gets each evening. She's the Human Cartoon.

- I am thankful to God that He allows us to have the College Bible Study, and for me to travel and speak to various groups and conferences.

- Thank you, Lord, for the new writing assignments and book opportunities.

- Thank you, Lord God, for good friends like Doug Walker and Kerry McDuffie and the Mooreheads who showed genuine interest and gave serious prayer to our family during these trial periods.

- Thank you that I can say I have three jobs where I know that some people do not have one.

- Thank you for our home and that we can use it as a haven for Bibel studies and overnight stays for those needing one.

- Thank you for our dear British friends the Hydes, whose son Oscar is doing well at Princeton.

... among all other things, Lord, thank you that through this extremely brutal year You have been patient with me through my doubts, depression and crying. Thank you that You did not leave me nor forsake me. Thank you that You listened when I just could not pray but the Holy Spirit heard my groanings and utterings.

Thank you, Lord.

JESUS

Matt. 1:21 - "and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins."

JESUS - The word Jesus is the Latin form of the Greek Iesous, which in turn is the transliteration of the Hebrew Jeshua, or Joshua, or again Jehoshua, meaning "Jehovah is salvation." 1

In Hebrew Yeshua means Salvation...Yeshua is the original Aramaic proper name for Jesus the Nazarene...In Hebrew Yeshua means both "Salvation," and the concatenated ("linked together") form of Yahoshua, is "Lord who is Salvation." 2



1. http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08374x.htm
2. http://www.thenazareneway.com/yeshua_jesus_real_name.htm

Ice Bears

I am now happy to announce that I will be on the staff of the Knoxville Ice Bears! Well, let me explain. It's free lance work. I still have my regular jobs, but I am going to be a staff writer for the local Southern Professional Hockey League franchise here in East Tennessee. it will be part of my free lance writing efforts, but I am going to be supplying content for the team's web page, in areas like player biographies and latest news about recent games. I'm also going to be adding creativity to the Fan Zone and the other areas of interest. It may take a few weeks to get things up to speed, but I am already supplying content on a daily basis, filling in holes and helping to strengthen the page.

Here's a "pre-season" look at the site:

www.knoxvilleicebears.com

Thanks to You...

“O Lord that lends me life, Lend me a heart replete with thankfulness.”
- William Shakespeare

"Give thanks unto the LORD, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the people."
- 1 Chr. 16:8

This Thanksgiving week

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. - Col. 2: 6,7


thankfulness "eucharistia" - giving of thanks, expression of gratitude or appreciation

Bible scholar Faussett says as Christian advance to maturity they showgratefulness "to God as the gracious Author of this whole blessing."

I like how Matthew Henry states it: "Being established in the faith, we must abound therein, and improve in it more and more; and this with thanksgiving. The way to have the benefit and comfort of God’s grace is to be much in giving thanks for it. We must join thanksgiving to all our improvements, and be sensible of the mercy of all our privileges and attainments."

Henry reminds us that we should never forget that it is by the mercy of God that we get any blessing, any favor, any benefit - it all comes from Him. In this society, we like to think that our advantages are brought about by our own effort and guile, but it's far, far from the truth. I am reminded of that every time I finish my next novel. There's nothing so humbling as a rejection slip, believe me. When I stare at that short papragraph of polite denial, I realize how fortunate I am to be a published author at all, let alone for these past years. Being a writer is like walking a tightrope. You may feel fine as you inch forward, but you realize you could fall off the rope at any time - meaning, you've got to start peddling your wares right from Square One. I'm thankful for every contract I sign.


And I'm thankful for every blessing God gives. As the late great Walter Fremont used to say, "Thank the Lord for every blessing in your life! Take a day and walk around your house, thanking the Lord for all things - the sofa, the refrigerator, the heating unit, the coffee table, the food in your pantry... everything! And when you finish, you'll have a different attitude about the things about you and the God above you."


How very true.

Burghers of Calais

Occasionally a student will ask me about my favorite work of art.

Without a doubt it is Rodin's The Monument to the Burghers of Calais, seen above. It is presented on a low pedestal so that the viewer may actually "walk alongside" the figures and feel the intensity of the work.

I find this sculpture stunning not only for its realism but for the true story behind it.

In 1347, the city of Calais was laid under siege by Edward III, the King of England. The condition of mercy, relayed to the townsfolk after the long period of suffering by the city was this: send out six of your burghers who will be sacrificed, and the rest of the city would be spared.

Six burghers (Eustache de Saint-Pierre, Jean d'Aire, Jacques and Pierre de Wissant, Jean de Fiennes, Andrieu d'Andres) stepped forward, sacrificing their lives in order to hand over the keys of the city to the King and spare the lives of its residents.

The faces of the six burghers moves me deeply every time I view this monument of self-sacrifice.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art relates the background of this highly emotional story:

"The Burghers of Calais, commemorating an episode during the Hundred Years' War between England and France ... [where} six of the principal citizens of Calais were ordered to come out of their besieged city with head and feet bare, ropes around their necks, and the keys of the town and the caste in their hands. They were brought before the English king Edward III (1312–1377), who ordered their beheading. Rodin has portrayed them at the moment of departure from their city led by Eustache de Saint-Pierre, the bearded man in the middle of the group. At his side, Jean d'Aire carres a giant-sized key. Their oversized feet are bare, many have ropes around their necks..."

Some versions of history state that the queen interceded and the men's lives were spared, but there is speculation that this version of the ending may have been invented by the French chronicler Jean Froissart ... and that the men were beheaded.

As I stood mere inches from the faces of these men, I saw the anguish portrayed in each visage. There is a mixture of emotion - part benevolence for those they have made safe, and part misery for the death that awaits them.

I think of our Jesus and the same decision He made in stepping forward to be the one who would take the condemnation I deserved.

And no artist has come near to successfully capturing even an idea of what Christ's face must have looked like on that long walk to the crucifixion site.

Family

I had an evening I will long remember. I was invited to speak at a concert/rally at Ridgeview Baptist Church here in Knoxville on Friday night. A young college-age band by the name of Two Empty Chairs comprised of the evening program, and I was honored to meet these fine young men who made up the ministry team. They had a true desire to see people learn about Jesus Christ, and it showed as much off the stage as on. Eric Webb was a student of mine about two years back, and he was one of the key components in making this event happen. I am constantly perplexed as to why people will ask me to speak at events such as this - it is truly humbling, considering the vast number of better speakers available. However, I asked the Lord to hide me behind His message, and served as best I knew how.

-------------------

The economy and needs of the family have forced me to take on an evening job in addition to my daytime career. This is truly a humbling experience, but it's also been a great teaching time for me. I have had to go back to the classroom to be trained (which is always healthy for me anyway) and it's also put me in a new environment. I am gaining new friends and hope to be sharing the Lord with them soon.

The worst part, however, is being away from the family. I cannot tell you how much I miss my wife, my boys and my little girl each evening. The Greek word for "family" is patria and denotes a people that share. They share the same lineage, the same holidays, hopes, failures, "secret words", jokes and memories. The absence of the sharing time with my family has made the minutes I can be with them more precious, and in the midst of this very hard year for all of yus, I see the Lord slowly binding the five of us together closer than we have ever been. Our patria is knitting tightly. I see Jesus becoming more powerful in our household.

I find this hard to believe that I am actually saying this, but in a way, that makes this all worth it.

Eido - seeing Jesus

I recently saw some pictures of people who are decorating their eyes. One picture shows a close-up of an girl's eyeball with a small heart-shaped icon. What kind of material the heart is made of, I don't know. I get a little squeamish with that.

But the most bizarre picture I saw was of a man receiving a tattoo on his eye - that's right, a tattoo! Actually, the doctors injected a blue ink under the first layer of his eye so that it would float underneath the clear membrane. That's beyond me.

The photos I saw reminded me that people wanted to call attention to thier own sight - they wanted people to view their vision. And I think a lot of Christians get caught up in self-centered pursuits enough to ignore the proper line of vision - the vision of a daily walk with Jesus. In John 12:21 the seekers came to Philip and said "Sir, we want to see Jesus."

That great word for "see" is EIDO. It means more than just perceive with the eyes. It goes deeper in its definition, including "preceiving with other senses." In other words, seeing Jesus with intellect and faith as well. It also means "discover." So they were really asking Philip, "Sir, we want to discover Jesus.

Wouldn't it be great if we Christians got back to discovering Jesus. Discovering that He wants us to imitate His love for the neighbor that lets his dog bark all night. Discover Jesus' caring for sharing a McDonald's meal with the poor kid down the street. Discover Jesus by concentrating hard on enjoying Him in our church service and openly speaking of Him and praising Him. Letting our family know that we really love Christ and are not ashamed to speak His name!

We want to see Jesus!

Compassion beyond words

Mark 1:40-41 -
A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, "If you are willing, you can make me clean." Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. "I am willing," he said. "Be clean!"

COMPASSION - Greek: splagchnizomai (pronounced "splänkh-nē'-zo-mī ")

Definition: "to be moved" "to be moved as to one's inwards (splanchna)" "to yearn"

The ache within Jesus was enough to cause His physical well-being to be interrupted. He was visibly moved, as we say in today's society. Reflect on this: His visage was no doubt changed - perhaps His eyes grew watery, His brow furrowed, and His shoulders stooped in sadness at the sight of this decrepit man whose face was chewed up with the scabbed ravages of leprosy.

Jesus was moved with compassion for the multitudes of spiritual wanderers (Mt. 14:14); toward the blind (Mt. 20:34); and even for the physically hungry but spiritually determined (Mt. 15:32).

I wonder if we can exhibit the same kind of compassion Jesus shows. Note this: the rule of the day was not to touch a leper, but to throw money on the ground and stay a dozen feet away. We know that Jesus could have merely said the words to heal this man, but it strikes me that Jesus touched the man. This shows me a deep, deep truth - that Jesus is "up-close caring."

My mom is a great example of this. When I was a teenager, one of my scholmates, Tom, was a self-centered independetn-minded kid who nevertheless came by our house occasionally for a Pepsi and a chance to show off his new car. He would givemy mom a causal hello.

On the night that his grandfather passed away (his grandad was his guardian since his dad and mom abandoned him) ours was the first house he came to. As soon as he came inside and fell to the couch sobbing, my mom darted into the room and wrapped him in a hug. She didn't preach or give tired cliches. She just sat and held him.

Tom was able to gather himself together. He was deeply thankful. And he never forgot the kindness. He still, whenever possible, gives my mom an expresiion of thanks whenever he is in the vicinity - over thirty years later.

My mom had an "up close caring." So did Jesus. Good lesson for me.

A Controversial Thought About Prayer

I've been pondering over whether I should bring this up, but at the risk of offending some of the various local church leadership groups around the country that read this blog, I'm going to state a very important observation that I think needs to be corrected:

Stop moving during corporate prayer.

When the church body bows its head to pray, this does not mean that a mental curtain has fallen upon the auditorium. It doesn't mean that a song group, acting troupe or usher crew should start darting about the place. It means that we as a church are coming humbly before God, and the attitude ought to be one of respect and awe. Stop moving. Please.

How many little kids become confused because they glance up and see a grown-up skittering offstage while a leader talked to Almighty God? I thought everyone was supposed to be still. We were all taught that prayer meant a quiet and solemn moment - and the adults were the examples. Remember the days whenever one of the family would cry out about another member keeping their eyes open during the meal's blessing? The usual response was: "How would you know? Were your eyes open?"

In other words, everybody is to join in.

Listen to me, music directors: we don't care if it takes another ten seconds for the choir to leave the stage area while our eyes are open... we'll wait.

Please, pastors: ushers should stand still during prayer, not slink about in quiet chores while a member of the church pleads before God. Believe me, we can hear the shuffling and we can feel the quiet breeze as someone brushes by. Distracting.

Hear me, church staff: we are not in that much awe when we raise our heads and see a skit or theatrical production all on stage, ready to start. Honest, we can wait for the lights to be dimmed and the props to be moved.

I ask you: if the church service is about worship and praise to God, then don't you think that "prayer shuffling" takes away the majesty of the service? Doesn't it relegate the prayer time to little more than a diversion so that the "show may go on?"

Just a thought.

I want my children to grow up seeing examples of church leadership showing the reverence for God that we see in the Bible.

Luke 4:4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone’ but by every word of God. ”

αρτος "bread" - the nutrient-filled sustenance of the New Testament times.

Guzik states:

The temptation to eat something inappropriate worked well with the first sinless man (Genesis 3:6), so why not try it on the second sinless man? By this, we also see how temptation often works. Satan appeals to a legitimate desire within Jesus (the desire to eat and survive).
Satan suggests that Jesus fulfill this legitimate desire in an illegitimate way.

Often, this is the essence of temptation. But Jesus answered him, saying, "It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.’" Jesus countered Satan’s suggestion with Scripture (Deuteronomy 8:3). What Satan said made sense - "Why starve yourself to death?" But what is written makes even more sense. Jesus reminded Satan of Biblical truth, that every word of God is more important than the very bread we eat.

Phlpns 3

Not that I have ... already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. All of us who are mature should take such a view of things.

epilanthanomai is the Greek word for "forget" and it carries a very particular definition. It's more than merely "out of sight, out of mind", but the definition also includes ""no longer caring for", to the point of "neglecting" and even :uncared for" and - get this - "given over to oblivion."

And I look at the past year and the trials that have been landsliding into my life, realizing how we Zockolls took them day by day and step by step. You know? So far we've been all right. Now, I want you to know, if I try to conjure up the memories of the physical pain and the bouts of fear we faced, I might get a little gun-shy about the future.

But I am going to make it a concerted effort - by God's grace and leading - that this stuff is cast into oblivion and out of my memory. I gotta move on. And I will. Thank you, Jesus.

You know, epilanthanomai is a very likeable word to me right now. As I see the light of the Lord's joy straming back into our household, bit by bit, I realize that it's time to start picking myself up and seeing Jesus and Jesus alone. I no longer care for the hurts of the past year. I've got the joy of the Savior in my life, leading me.

Good stuff. Very good stuff.

Now praise we Christ, the Holy One,

The spotless virgin Mary's Son,
Far as the blessed sun doth shine,
E'en to the world's remote confine.

"Now praise we Christ, the Holy One." by Martin Luther, 1483-1546
Text From: THE HYMNS OF MARTIN LUTHER (New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1883), pp. 18-19

excerpt from Darrell Scott's House Judiciary testimony

TESTIMONY OF DARRELL SCOTT (FATHER OF TWO VICTIMS OF COLUMBINE HIGH SCHOOL SHOOTING LITTLETON, COLORADO) BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON CRIME, HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE, UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES: 2141 RAYBURN HOUSE OFFICE BUILDINGThursday, MAY 27, 1999 2:00 P.M.

"Men and women are three part beings. We all consist of body, soul, and spirit. When we refuse to acknowledge a third part of our makeup, we create a void that allows evil, prejudice, and hatred to rush in and wreak havoc. Spiritual influences were present within our educational systems for most of our nation's history. Many of our major colleges began as theological seminaries. This is a historic fact. What has happened to us as a nation? We have refused to honor God and in doing so, we open the doors to hatred and violence.

And when something as terrible as Columbine's tragedy occurs - - politicians ... immediately seek to pass more restrictive laws that continue to erode away our personal and private liberties. We do not need more restrictive laws. Eric and Dylan would not have been stopped by metal detectors. No amount of gun laws can stop someone who spends months planning this type of massacre. The real villain lies within our OWN hearts. Political posturing and restrictive legislation are not the answers. The young people of our nation hold the key. There is a spiritual awakening taking place that will not be squelched!

We do not need more religion. We do not need more gaudy television evangelists spewing out verbal religious garbage. We do not need more million dollar church buildings built while people with basic needs are being ignored.

We do need a change of heart and an humble acknowledgment that this nation was founded on the principle of simple trust in God. As my son Craig lay under that table in the school library and saw his two friends murdered before his very eyes, he did not hesitate to pray in school. I defy any law or politician to deny him that right! I challenge every young person in America and around the world to realize that on April 20, 1999 at Columbine High School prayer was brought back to our schools. Do not let the many prayers offered by those students be in vain.

Dare to move into the new millennium with a sacred disregard for legislation that violates your conscience and denies your God-given right to communicate with Him. ... My daughter's death will not be in vain. The young people of this country will not allow that to happen.

Prayer of Thanks

Thank you, Lord, for helping me through the year so far. Thank you for the ability to endure the physical pain that has dogged me, and yet made me more dependent on You.

Thank you that Nicholas has had a time of growth and experience in You at Camp RedCloud in Colorado. We see maturity in him each day since he's been back.

Thank you that we have seen some relief in Jill's fibro myalgia, especially since the winter weather has been settling in.

Thank you that we can see Your work being done within the College Bible study.

Thank you that You are faithful and unchanging. I can rely upon You and can see You even when the days get darkest. Thank you for not letting go when I became so frustrated and even angry because of the trials that have dogged us.

Thank you because You give us the right not only to recognize your greatness as El Olam and El Shaddai, but also the intimate, personal Abba.

Effectiveness

If you read history you will find that the Christians who did most for the present world were precisely those who thought most of the next. It is since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world that they have become so ineffective in this.

- C. S. Lewis

Jesus marveled

Luke 7:9 - Now when Jesus heard this, He marveled at him, and turned and said to the crowd that was following Him, "I say to you, not even in Israel have I found such great faith."

The word "marvel" is used very few times in the Bible when it comes to Jesus. I can see only two times when He actually marveled. Let me explain first of all, that the word "marvel" is thaumazō and it is used in terms of wonderment and even with a hint of admiration in this case, accrding to the dictionary. The situation here where the Savior is taken aback is when the Roman centurion shows such humility that he begs Jesus not only to heal the centurian's dying servant, he begs Jesus not to bother Himself with traveling and entering his home (Jewish belief at the time was that a Jew who entered a Gentile's home was ceremonially unclean).

The centurian only asks that Jesus says the words of healing, and the servant will be cleansed of his terminal illness.

Jesus is in wonderment at this man's amazing belief. This Roman has a faith that is absolutely stunning.

Yet Jesus wonders another time... in Mark 6:6 He wondered at His own people's unbelief.

And this gets me to thinking...

...I clearly recall in the 80s of the Lord caring for my every penny whenever, as a single man, I traveled the country as a small-time evangelist, speaking at churches and schools without ever asking for a cent. I commited to the Lord that if He wanted me to keep traveling, He would provide without me ever having to ask for money. For two years I ringed the United States speaking at churches as few as 20 and as large as 2,000. I never had to ask for support...that was a beautiful testing of my faith in which God came out more glorious than ever.

So why does my unbelief pop up now and again?

Jesus must wonder.

Sunday

Things are getting exciting once again. I will be speaking at the Singles Bible Study on Sunday morning at West Park Baptist Church, and then we will be rolling along in our College Bible Study at 6 p.m. on Sunday, looking into the book of Luke as well as some key Greek words in the book of Corinthians. Feeling happy to be able to get deeper into the ministry once again. How I've missed it!

The weekend means getting to catch up with Nicholas, playing with little Julianne, spending time with my wife Jill and maybe catching a movie with Peter.

And a chance for us to go to worship at church on Sunday together!

Clarksville

I've had some time to reflect on my ministries of years past as I prepare to embark on new ones...

... and it brings me to Clarksville, Georgia, where, as a Bible college student in 1980, I would pile into a car with a couple of other fellows and drive the few hours to this little town and help out a storefront church pastored by an engaging man named "Buzz."

We had after-church Sunday lunches that would beat any big-city buffet. I still remember the ham and the tall tales told by the patriarch of whichever clapboard home we were blessed to eat that sumptuous feast.

But the Sunday morning services still stick in my mind...

There couldn't have been more than 30 people in any service; 20 might be more like it. The floor was an uneven sloping bare wood construction. However, the intense joy and fervor for seeing the Lord's blessing was evident in each service. There was a lady in her 20s - I think her name was Cherry - who would sing at a moment's notice ("Cherry, some on up here and sing us a song...you know, that one about the resurrection?") without any instrument backup.

The church was a storefront; only one window air conditioner cooled the "sanctuary" and made hearing the preacher a challenge. Most men came in work jeans; ladies came in sundresses. I believe a few children were barefoot. A beehive was attached to the back window. But the deep love for Jesus in that little church was one memory that I still feel to this day. There were no programs or series of messages (not that programs or series are wrong, mind you) but a week-by-week outpouring of what God had done in the lives of the people in that little burg in northern Georgia in 1980.

Some things you'll always remember.

Ashamed of Christ?

Powerful thoughts here by John MacArthur:

...in Matthew chapter 10 we have a very interesting section of Scripture. I want you to pick it up as Jesus teaches here regarding the cost of discipleship at verse 32, Matthew 10:32. "Jesus said, Everyone therefore who shall confess Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven."
In other words, Jesus says everyone who openly, unashamedly, unabashedly with conviction speaks My name before men, I'll speak their name before My Father. In other words, if you'll claim Me, I'll claim you. If you don't claim Me, I won't claim you. Verse 33, "Whosoever shall deny Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven." Now we're dealing with a very serious issue here, friends. This is a matter of salvation. If you are continuously and constantly ashamed to confess Christ, then He will be ashamed to confess you before His Father. You don't belong to Him if He doesn't belong to you. If you won't acknowledge Him, He won't acknowledge you. And the implication here is that there's a price to pay for that. Notice verse 34, "Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth, I didn't come to bring peace but a sword." Jesus is saying I know there's a cost here. "For I came to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter‑in‑law against her mother‑in‑law and a man's enemies will be the members of his household."
In other words, I know that if you confess Me in that Jewish environment, you're going to pay a price for it right in your own family. But if you're not willing to do that, then I'm not willing to confess you. And verse 37 He follows it up, here's the real issue, it's who you love most. "He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. He who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. He who doesn't take his cross...that means be willing to die...and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. And he who has found his life shall lose it. And he who has lost his life for My sake shall find it." In other words, if you're willing to confess Me, if you're willing to take what rejection comes, if you're willing to give your life over to Me even to death, then I'll confess you before My Father. But if you're ashamed of Me, and if you're constantly ashamed of Me and continually ashamed of Me, then I don't have any relationship to you at all and I will not claim you before God.
In Mark chapter 8 verse 38, you remember this text, don't you? "What shall it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? What shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" Listen to what comes after that. "For whosoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation," you get that? You're ashamed to speak up for Christ because you know society is hostile to Him. "The Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when he comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels." Boy, what a statement.

from study on 2 Timothy 1:6
by John MacArthurCopyright 2007, Grace to You.

http://www.biblebb.com/files/MAC/55-2.htm

Mr and Mrs Christopher Daniel Jones

Chris Jones and Jill King wedding today

At 4 p.m. I will be officiating the marriage of Chris Jones and Jill King at a beautiful amphitheater near the Norris Dam in the Lake City, Tennessee region. Chris was in my youth group years and years ago and the honor in performing this ceremony is above what I can fully express. A lot of my good old youth group members will be there as well. As soon as I have pictures I will post them here.

Paying It Out

Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. - Ephesians 5:15, 16

I often get edgy at work. A desk job is extremely confining to me, and I long to get back into the teaching profession where I can walk the room and never sit down. Moreover, I like looking at the clock and realizing that for the next 40 to 50 minutes, I can share the Bible with my students in a controlled environment where they can ask questions, check my facts, and dip into the Bible and learn for themselves.

I constantly pray for patience, but I often feel like time is running out. There is so much ministry to do!

It's the same with my publishing work. I enjoy the labor of creating and developing plot lines and story episodes, but I often get antsy. Why can't I do this all the time, and really pour my efforts into the written word?

It's to be patient that I pray for, but not to be complacent.

The KJV relays verse 16 as "redeeming the time." The word redeeming is exagorazo and it is a financial term, referring to the wise use of money. Your use of time is like spending money on a shopping day. You can use it for meaningful things like food staples or construction needs, or you can blow it on candy bars and comic books. It's your money, but how will you use it?

That's always the way I felt that time was - a precious commodity that is to be used wisely. I seek to spend it wisely each day. The wise way to spend it is in such a way that at the end of the day I can honestly say to Jesus, "Thank you for the day. Here is how I spent it for You."

How We Christians Should Speak

These are the words of Augustine in his writing The City of God. The term "Teacher" in this paragraph speaks of any preacher, missionary, laymen, housewife, school student....anyone who presents the Scripture as a tool for change.

The Duty of the Christian Teacher.
6. It is the duty, then, of the interpreter and teacher of Holy Scripture, the defender of the true faith and the opponent of error, both to teach what is right and to refute what is wrong, and in the performance of this task to conciliate the hostile, to rouse the careless, and to tell the ignorant both what is occurring at present and what is probable in the future. But once that his hearers are friendly, attentive, and ready to learn, whether he has found them so, or has himself made them so, the remaining objects are to be carried out in whatever way the case requires. If the hearers need teaching, the matter treated of must be made fully known by means of narrative. On the other hand, to clear up points that are doubtful requires reasoning and the exhibition of proof. If, however, the hearers require to be roused rather than instructed, in order that they may be diligent to do what they already know, and to bring their feelings into harmony with the truths they admit, greater vigor of speech is needed. Here entreaties and reproaches, exhortations and upbraidings, and all the other means of rousing the emotions, are necessary.

That is my joy in our Sunday night College studies and in the times that I travel and speak to different groups. it has nothing whatsoever to do with the uplifting of my name (pure foolishness to do so), but rather lifting up the name of Jesus so that people may see the clear light not only of salvation but also of a holy and delightful walk with God each day.

Our household perks up each time our home is a place for a guest to stay. We all agree that our home is part of our ministry, and we thank God for the opportunity to use it in this manner.

Col.3:12

pronounced {khray-stot'-ace} sympathy, compassion, tenderness



So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience;






Little Julianne's birthday was this weekend - the smallest Zockoll turned four years old! The weekend was filled with hugs, trips, treats and small gifts. At one point when Julie was being treated royally, we saw a great example of today's greek word.

Julianne stopped and saw my wife Jill sitting on a nearby sofa, resting from an exhausting day. "Here, Mommy," she said, giving her only cookie away to her mother. "This is for you so you will be happy."

That act of kindness brought to mind the many who helped lift me up during the long days of this past year for me. Between the sicknesses and injuries as well as the ministerial setbacks, I can say that this has been one of the most difficult years of my adult life. But in the midst of this, I saw Jesus as I saw His love carried through kindnesses brought to me, one who had no ability to retunr the favor because of my condition or the situations surrounding me at the time:

- the immediate and attantive call by old college mate Dan Moorehead when he heard of my pain. I cannot tell you, Dan, how that one phone call lifted my spirits.

- the expression of a gift of foodstuffs toward the College ministry by the Bernard. Mr. and Mrs. Bernard, my wife and I are taken aback by your giving attitude. Chris, you are quite a guy to have a heart like this. Thank you all.

- the continued prayers and notes from the Hydes across the pond in England. You are truly God with skin on!

Hiding Place

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High Will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.

- Psalm 91:1

"shelter" is the Hebrew word "cether" (pronounced "say-ther") which means "hiding place."

The Bible commentator Fausset says that hiding place "denotes nearness to God... (to) abide or lodge secure from assaults" that a Christian "can well use the terms of trust" that we so often sing of in God.

Do you allow God to hide you, to protect you, take care of you? It's a problem of mine that I often want to jump out away from His protection in order to see if I can succeed of experience life on my own. I don't want to sit and talk with Him. It's at those times that I receive painful wounds because I forget, as the song says, "the arm of flesh will fail you."

Pastor Chuck Smith notes that in this verse we are reminded that "There is a place where you and I can live in Jesus Christ, a place of safety, peace, and joy." I think of this as I counsel many young people who are hurting, but don't want to let go of their own desires and ways. They dopmn't want to go to the hiding place of submission and let God start the healing process. I am reminded of quite a while back when I met with one girl who would not let God take over a dating relationship that had gone sour. She wanted to continue to force her views, impatience and timetable on the situation... and the boy has since gone far away, not seeing a peace in the relationship.

I don't point a finger at her... I've done the same myself.

But, boy, do I get rest when I go to God's hiding place and let Him talk.

Augustine

"Do you wish to be great? Do you desire to construct a vast and lofty fabric? Think first about the foundations of humility. The higher your structure is to be, the deeper must be its foundation. ... Do you wish to rise? Begin by descending. You plan a tower that will pierce the clouds? Lay first the foundation of humility."

-St. Augustine

Last night's meeting

It seems as if the Lord is not directing in the area of expanding or even maintaining the College Ministry... at least that's the direction I'm seeing. We had the information meeting last night for financial support and virtually nobody showed up. Since Jill and I have been pouring our incomes into the ministry, we've found ourselves under a severe financial strain, hence the meeting last night. The turnout sent a clear message to me that although I have a lot of vocal support in the community, there is little else, and so I am forced to postpone the ministry and see where the Lord is leading.

Jill and I had laid out a fleece concerning this meeting. The answer came through loud and clear.

Yes, I am disappointed, but when God makes it clear that a door uis shut, there's no use worrying or fussing about it.

Time to pick up and move on. I'll keep up my writing and publishing, but that's not the ministry I felt we were led into.

I wonder if there are any ministries in the United States who could use someone like me with a heart for college and/or career people?

If you know of one, please contact me.

Stay with Your Strengths

If you ever want to see diversification in action, stop by a local school sometime. In my years of teaching, I had friends who would wear numerous hats during the course of their job. One friend I knew taught history, coached volleyball, taught a foreign language, led a Social Studies class, and did out-of-class counseling... every day! Now that's diversifying!

The problem is, all he wanted to do was teach just one subject. That never happened, though. The school district needed teacher who could handle numerous subjects.

Spreading yourself around can be good - especially in the area of learning new trades - but it can also have its hazards.

Sometimes companies’ ideas on diversifying can raise a few eyebrows. I know that I was caught off-guard whenever I read a UPI story entitled “British Grocer Offers Dental Treatments. Now, our local Kroger’s has an indoor bank as well as a Starbucks, but the dental office was a new concept to me altogether. Sure enough, there was the story out of Manchester England. Grocery shoppers who would like to have a bit of teeth cleaning or a cavity filled can park their shopping cart and stroll on into the private dental clinic within the Sainsbury store.
In fact, the check-up fee of $28 dollars is among the lowest in the region, beating out the National Health Service charges. The Sainsbury's stores are making these dental services available seven days according to the Daily Telegraph.

Hmmm. Not a bad idea although I am not sure that I want to hear the whine of a drill while I’m walking the dairy aisle.

Diversification can get pretty radical. I’ve read about soft-drink companies buying up theater chains and liquor companies purchasing fried-chicken outlets. Sometimes this “spreading out” works. Sometimes not.

The same happens to me whenever I start freewheeling in my walk with the Lord. I find reasons to get on a rabbit trail instead of intensifying my walk with Jesus. I might get immersed in the social aspects of a Bible study group rather than the Bible itself. I will be more concerned with the number within a study group rather than the quality of Scripture and the time we spend in God's word. I might spend more time in my clothing preparation for church than in my spiritual readiness to hear what God has for me. You see where I'm coming from?

All the other stuff is dross. I don't want divesification in my walk with Jesus. I really do desire one goal:

that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; (Phllpn 3:10)

Cafeteria Religion

Is it possible for man to find satisfaction in the afterlife and even here on earth if he chooses religions and core beliefs as if he was shopping for parts of a meal in a cafeteria? Is it possible for a person worship the true God in any fashion, with any rules or creed and have it accepted by God? What does the Bible say?

JOHN 4:23-24 – "'But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.'"

Are there many avenues to finding the right kind of worship to God?

ACTS 4:12 – "Neither is there salvation in any other [than Jesus]: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved."

Could it be that God is okay if people reject the Bible but still want a spiritual experience?

ISAIAH 8:20 – "To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them."

DEUTERONOMY 4:5-8 – "'Surely I have taught you statutes and judgments, just as the LORD my God commanded me, that you should act according to them…. Therefore be careful to observe them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples who will hear all these statutes, and say, 'Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people. For what great nation is there that has God so near to it, as the LORD our God is to us, for whatever reason we may call upon Him? And what great nation is there that has such statutes and righteous judgments as are in all this law which I set before you this day? ''"

Is man the answer to all things?

PROVERBS 14:12 (16:25) - "There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death."
JEREMIAH 10:23 – "O LORD, I know the way of man is not in himself; It is not in man who walks to direct his own steps."

Little Things

One of the most intriguing things about Michael Phelps’ eight Olympic medal trek is that more than one of his victories was decided within a stroke or two of the final touch-pad. In fact, you may remember that a twist on the usual stroke brought him a win by the smallest of margins. Think of it: one action could mean the difference between first and fourth place.

Big victories are achieved through the smooth integration of small practices. In other words, you’ve got to be consistent with the “littles” in order to win the “bigs.”

Ignoring the minor details can be disastrous. This was brought home to the working Chicagoans who had offices in downtown business district known as the Loop. In an article in the April 27, 1992 edition of the U.S. News & World Report, the busy and productive Loop economic region had enjoyed a status of high-energy success… until one embarrassing and costly morning.
Traffic and business was stopped as thousands received reports about a leak. A big leak. In fact, a HUGE leak. A quarter billion gallons of dark Chicago River water was spewing into a 60-mile system of ancient freight tunnels directly beneath the Loop. The ensuing plumbing and electrical disasters stopped virtually every business in the area, costing untold millions of dollars in lost revenue.

The problem? It seems that a top city official was aware of the initial leak, but felt that the short-term advantage of saving some money for the local government was worth it. The repairs would have cost only about $50,000. The final cost of the damage? Over $1 billion.

Sir Humphrey Davy once said “Life is made up, not of great sacrifices or duties, but of little things, in which smiles and kindness, and small obligations given habitually, are what win and preserve the heart and secure comfort.”

The Bible expounds the same philosophy as Solomon writes "Catch the foxes for us, The little foxes that are ruining the vineyards, While our vineyards are in blossom."

Small things. Those nasty little sins can drive a wedge in our peaceful walk with Jesus. You know what I mean:

That impatient attitude towards your kids. That small lie to get you out of a situation. That exaggeration about yourself you place on your MySpace or FaceBook page (and let's also add the prideful attitude in doing so). The sarcastic remark you give to your spouse or good friend. The gossip you can't wait to share...

The little sins we commit are like rude replies to Jesus' questions about how we can grow closer to Him.

Sin

I have come to the conclusion that none of us in our generation feels as guilty about sin as we should or as our forefathers did.

- Francis Schaeffer

He forgot the obvious

Many times people will put style over substance.

I'll never forget the story that my dad would tell us on occasion, dealing with this very subject. As a young boy growing up in the sandlots of Pittsburgh , he had a chance to play quite a bit of baseball, and ended up on an organized team when he was a teenager. The team improved enough to make the playoffs.

The story goes, as my dad tells it, that some of the boys knew that there would be a fair-sized crowd to see the playoff game, so they cleaned up their uniforms and bought some new shoes, caps and even gloves in order to make a good display.

The game was very close, and going into the ninth inning my dad's team was down by one run, but with two outs, was able to get a runner over to third base. On an infield smash, the runner at third base made a dash for home. The catcher got the ball, holding the ball high for a tag. All the runner needed to do was slide... but he didn't. He ran toward home, and was tagged out by the catcher, and that was the end of the game.

My dad and his teammates surrounded the runner. "Why didn't you slide?" they asked. "You could have tied the game."

"Hey," said the runner, "these are new shoes, and no way I'm going to risk scuffing them up."

In order to keep up his appearance, the runner forgot that the main reason he was out there was to win the game!

He forgot the obvious.

This came across my desk some years ago and I've kept it in my file for quite some time. It was from an international business magazine, and the article was talking about strange and odd bits of news. The report came out about an unusual business move by the owner of a South Korean movie house.

It seems that the theater owner got the rights to a very famous American movie and with joy, announced its release to the public. However, when he previewed it, he was bothered by what he saw. This theater owner decided that the movie "The Sound of Music" was too long, and wanted to pack in as many people as possible. He decided to take care of the problem by shortening the movie so he could have more showings per day. How did he do it? Believe it or not, he shortened it by cutting out all of the musical scenes!

Sometimes in a rush to get a result, people will make poor judgments that divert them from the very goal they seek.

I like this:

In Acts 4:20 Peter and John are warned to speak of Christ no longer. They answer in a straightforward way, by replying that "we cannot but speak the things we have seen and heard. The words in the Koine Greek "ou dunamai" denote more than Peter and John's reluctance to stop speaking. The word "dunamai" is where we get the word for dynamite. More strongly worded, it could say this: "We have no power to stop speaking of the things we witnessed." Peter and John knew the reason they were put on Earth; they knew their ministry. So should we Christians. Simply be witnesses of the fantastic things Christ has done for us.

Do You Want Merely Nice Persons or Radically New People?

I hear this argument many times, and it does indeed become a puzzle to many Believers: if Christianity works, then how come there are so many people who call themselves Christians so rotten? Why aren't all Christians nicer than the non-Christians?

I recommend highly C.S. Lewis' Mere Christianity, particularlyone of the final chapters entitled "Nice People or New Men." In it, Lewis tells of how Christians are a continual work in progress as they grow closer to the Lord, and the overall picture is clearer when you remember that the entire creature is overcoming the effects of a sinful kosmos and is in transition towards total and complete Christlikeness. At the moment, some "works in progress" may seem to need a lot more renovation (boy, that really describes me!) For the casual observer to point and say, "well, that's the reason I don't become a Christian, because that Christian is not perfect in his manners," I direct you to Lewis' closing paragraphs of that same chapter:

"Niceness"-wholesome, integrated personality-is an excellent thing. We must try by every medical, educational, economic, and political means in ourpower, to produce a world where as many people as possible grow up "nice";just as we must try to produce a world where all have plenty to eat. But we must not suppose that even if we succeeded in making everyone nice we should have saved their souls. A world of nice people, content in their own niceness, looking no further, turned away from God, would be just as desperately in need of salvation as a miserable world - and might even be more difficult to save.

For mere improvement is not redemption, though redemption always improves people even here and now and will, in the end, improve them to a degree we cannot yet imagine. God became man to turn creatures into sons: not simply to produce better men of the old kind but to produce a new kind of man. It is not like teaching a horse to jump better and better but like turning a horse into a winged creature. Of course, once it has got its wings, it will soar over fences which could never have been jumped and thus beat the natural horse at its own game. But there may be a period, while the wings are just beginning to grow, when it cannot do so: and at that stage the lumps on the shoulders - no one could tell by looking at them that theyare going to be wings - may even give it an awkward appearance. ..

If whatyou want is an argument against Christianity (and I well remember how eagerly I looked for such arguments when I began to be afraid it was true) you can easily find some stupid and unsatisfactory Christian and say, "So there's your boasted new man! Give me the old kind." But if once you have begun to see that Christianity is on other grounds probable, you will know in your heart that this is only evading the issue. What can you ever really know of other people's souls - of their temptations, their opportunities, their struggles? One soul in the whole creation you do know: and it is the only one whose fate is placed in your hands. If there is a God, you are, in a sense, alone with Him. You cannot put Him off with speculations about your next door neighbours or memories of what you have read in books. What will all that chatter and hearsay count (will you even be able to remember it?) when the anaesthetic fog which we call "nature" or "the real world" fades away and the Presence in which you have always stood becomes palpable, immediate, and unavoidable?