IT'S NOT ABOUT US

If this God is such a mean and hard taskmaster as some would suppose, then why are there so many joyful songs ending with calls to praise? If it were simply adherence to rules, wouldn’t the Psalms end in a call to strict and unemotional obedience?

There is more to consider when we realize why we are giving praise. In reading the very last of all the Psalms, we see an important truth to remember from Psalm 150 (Note ht ehighlighted words):

1 Praise the LORD; Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty firmament 2 Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him according to his surpassing greatness 3 Praise him with trumpet sound; praise him with lute and harp 4 Praise him with tambourine and dance; praise him with strings and pipe 5 Praise him with clanging cymbals; praise him with loud clashing cymbals 6 Let everything that breathes praise the LORD Praise the LORD (RSV)
The above Psalm - the final thought of all the Psalms - reminds us that it is not about us.

It reminds me of the time when I was the minister of a wedding in Oregon. During the rehearsal, I couldn’t help but notice a young lady parading before everyone else, oblivious to the need for order during the practice. I was told that she was a friend of the bride, and she was going to sing a solo during the wedding service.

The day of the wedding arrived and the young lady strutted to the front, grabbed a microphone and belted out a rendition of “You Light Up My Life” that was so loud I believe a gentleman in the back lost his toupee. I mean, the windows were rattling during this song. She finished, slammed the microphone back into its holder and looked at the silent crowd. As I looked at her shocked face I realized that she fully expected a standing ovation. As she stomped back to her seat, I became aware of the glaring fact that this girl forgot all about the wedding; she thought the whole ceremony was about her!

I’m not here to judge her, because I believe in the light of the Lord, we all get that way one time or another. We go to church to be seen, not to seek. Here’s the truth for all time: Praise goes to God and God alone. It gets me to thinking about many of today’s churches and the rut into which they’ve fallen. Please realize that the church pleases God not when it makes itself marketable or socially exciting, but when it shows man how to put himself in humility and submission and properly praise God. Moreover, God wants a deep family-love from His people and wishes to display His love for anyone who would receive it.

God wants to be discovered, but you have to be willing to do the searching. Realize, though, that HE is the object of our worship. Not our church, not our social life, not our friends, not even our music. It's Him and only Him.

Apostle Peter's house

This is the foundation of what is believed to be the home of the Apostle Peter's home.

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We had our home Bible Study last night at my house. I think we had nine students including some graduates of CAK like Warren Pineda, Dan Prince, and Matt Mueke. (Matt gave us a good memory of his distant relatives being hosts for Corrie Ten Boom.) We studied Greek words found in 1 Thessalonians and Ephesians. Then I went across town and helped out with Billy High's Bible Study and we went over a study in 1 Corinthians. I am finding that there is a real honest-to-goodness desire to learn the Bible and only the Bible. I think the days of celebrity speakers and prose books is on its way out.

And you know? I like it! When people start reaching for God's pure Word, then there is hope for our generation.


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I met up with my good college buddy Scott Curtis who now works at Bible Broadcasting Network in Charlotte NC. It has been 25 years! We sat at Cracker Barrel and hotted and hollered about old stuff from campus. What a great time.

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HOLINESS OF GOD
Often we forget that God is Holy. The Bible is filled with references to His holiness.
1. Habkk 1:12 - He is everlasting and He is holy.
2. Psalm 60:6 - God speaks in His holiness, from His holy sanctuary (KJV)
3. Job 15:15 - He is so holy, even the heavens are unclean before Him.

WHAT DO WE DO ABOUT THIS?
1. We get tough toward sin like Joseph: Psalm 39:9...he realized that the worst thing was that he would sin AGAINST GOD!
2. We become tender like Ezra: Ezra 9:6...when Ezra the prophet saw his people become rebellious against the Lord, he became astonished and ashamed, and the people were moved by his grieving. May we recognize that above all, God is holy!

Kindness and the "foolishness" of hallel

A reporter was interviewing a highly talented symphony orchestra conductor from Eastern Europe who had recently been released from a years-long prison sentence due to his political views. His incarceration was one of total isolation. The reporter asked the maestro many questions on his world views and then turned to the subject of music. The reporter asked, "What in your opinion is the most beautiful piece of music ever written?"

The conductor paused and considered this question, but gave no answer.

The reporter asked again, "Maestro, what is your favorite music. When you were held in isolation what did you want most to hear? What music would you have considered then as the most beautiful?"

"In the whole world?" the maestro asked.

"Yes, in the entire world!" the reporter answered.

"Ah, yes, in all the world," the maestro said, with tears in his eyes, "the most beautiful music is the sound of another voice."

May we remember that there are those around us that simply want the beauty of a Christian's voice of caring. That, indeed is the most beautiful music to a thirsty soul.

We crave kindness. We love it when we are the recipients of an act of care. Our Heavenly Father is ready to give us loving care and kindness every day. Here indeed is a profound statement found in Psalm 136, known to the Jews as the Great Hallel:

1 Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good, For His lovingkindness is everlasting. 2 Give thanks to the God of gods, For His lovingkindness is everlasting.

The entire passage of Psalm 136 could be interpreted as a shout of praise, which is indicated by the Jewish term “Hallel.” It has a very powerful etymology. The Hebrew name for “Psalms” is tehillim and is interpreted as “praises.” It is from the root halal, which means “to make a jubilant sound,” and is directed toward God and his works. If a worshiper makes ellell, he is rejoicing, and the rejoicing is toward the Almighty. It is interesting to note the other meaning for halal, which in the Hithpael means “to praise or boast of one's self”, hence to be foolish. In other words, you can be Godly in your praise and “be a fool for God” ... or you can be foolish if you decide to praise yourself!

Not your ordinary gas station.

This is a very cool photo of an actual gas station from years past. Man, I would have loved to have been a worker here. A theme-park service station! Love it. But then, that's the kind of weird stuff I enjoy seeing. Wonder why they don't make stuff like this anymore? Creativity seems to be relegated to making fancy web pages. Yawn.

I'd like to see some more great "architecture" like this again.

Nicholas leaves for college today

Peter, Nicholas and I got up early and headed to a "going off to college" ceremonial breakfast (don't think we're high-minded; it was a Dunkin' Donuts that we went to, by Nicholas' choice). This is going to be hard to see the firstborn heading off to a new life, out from under our wings. It was mighty hard for me last night, but this morning I have accept it and leave Nicholas' training and further growth to the Lord's direction.

Numerous good Bible ministries at ETSU including Campus Crusade, are calling and looking forward to seeing Nick on campus. In activities both social and spiritual, they are prepared to take him in and care for him.

Nicholas, we will be praying for you each and every day. May the Lord make you a mighty man in Him.

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"The best way to prepare for the coming of Christ is never to forget the presence of Christ.”—William Barclay

Baby Julie is the light of the Zockoll household

He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these."
- Mark 10:14

OVERCOMING TRAGEDIES AND SEEING JOY

Maybe you, as I, have faced a childhood of difficulties and that has hurt your walk with the Lord. Your scars have made you wary of opening up and showing true feelings for God, since many authority figures of your tender years were often cruel and even unjust. I can tell you truly that I have been able to see God's grace in letting me open up and express and profound joy for the Lord and make myself available to His love. I recall the writer CS Lewis and his need to overcome a tragic childhood as well. When he did, he found true joy.

At one time a hardened atheist, writer C.S. Lewis learned of a benevolent and loving God who cared about him. Lewis was able to overcome his terrible childhood memories and come to Jesus. he said, "In the Trinity (third term of school) Term of 1929 I gave in, and admitted that God was God, and knelt and prayed . . . . The hardness of God is kinder than the softness of men, and His compulsion is our liberation."
Then Lewis made a specific step to accept Jesus as the God/man, the Savior. "I was now approaching the source from which those arrows of Joy had been shot at me ever since childhood. . . . No slightest hint was vouchsafed me that there ever had been or ever would be any connection between God and Joy. If anything, it was the reverse. I had hoped that the heart of reality might be of such a kind that we can best symbolize it as a place; instead, I found it to be a Person."

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In school's Bible Apologetics class we're doing a lightning round of learning the books of the Bible so that by the end of the semester, each student will having a working knowledge of EVERY book of the Bible - all 66 in a condensed form so they will know where to go when someone asks them a question about the Scripture.

I am currently working on having a Christmas devotional book being published. The working title is "Fireside Psalms" and it will be the modified version of my doctorial dissertation. I will let you know when it is available - right now the expected time of release is the week before Thanksgiving. it will be a daily devotional that you read from Thankgiving Day right up to Christmas. Each day you will read a passage in the Psalms that reveals something new about God's personal relationship with you. Plenty of Hebrew words to enjoy in their definitions and etymology.

Preparing for Nick's travels ... and other thoughts

On the home front:

Nicholas is getting ready to head to ETSU; we're having special dinners and involving ourselves in last-minute packing in order to help him prepare for Thursday's move.

Peter and I are both trying to get over sinus infections. I was almost caught by surprise by this, but then I realized, hey, I live in Tennessee. Every fall I get some sort of pollen attack and then every winter I get a severe cold. I don't mind it, though - it's worth it to be able to live in Tennessee.

Grandma was trying to cut Julie's bangs, but our little girl decided to fuss and move around during the haircut. The result is that her bangs are almost completely gone; I think I have more bangs than she does (take a look at my photo and you'll see how devastating this fact is). I'll try to post a picture of it soon.

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We hear of many people who say they wish they could take back words they have previously used. We have also heard of others who wanted to make others "eat their words." Well, the celebrated 17th century German political historian Philipp Andreas Oldenburger had just that pleasure. It seems that Oldenburger became a little free-spirited in his criticism of the authorities in his pamphlet writings. He was arrested, found guilty, and given a most unusual sentence: "eat your own writings." And that is exactly what he was forced to do. He writes in his memoirs that he was forced under the threat of a flogging, to eat every last shred of paper of his pamphlets. Talk about having to eat your own words! Maybe those of us whose tongues constantly commit the sin of gossip ought to be aware that words can have a devastating effect on others - and on us!

Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer. - Psalm 19:14

Lighthouses and other thoughts

I love lighthouses; both their aesthetic beauty and their purpose. They not only give us an unusual and attractive presence, they also save lives. This lighthouse is located in

I cannot, simply cannot find my way through life without the daily guidance of my Lord. This lighthouse is located in Point Loma. It reminds me of the structurally sound and comforting strength I find in Jesus Christ.

You, LORD, are my lamp; the LORD turns my darkness into light.
- 2 Samuel 22:29

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Our 18 year old son Nicholas will be heading to East Tennessee State University this Thursday for orientation. We visited ETSU over the weekend and were impressed by the friendly and can-do-it atmosphere! Please keep Nicholas in your prayers as he makes this big step in his life.

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I was digging through my sermon files and found this excellent story. Here's a great little illustration on anger...

There was a little boy with a bad temper, who would fly off in a rage at the slightest provocation. His father wanted to help him learn of this danger, so he gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper, to hammer a nail in the back fence.

It was a hard task. The first day the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence. He learned about the dangers...Then it gradually dwindled down. He discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails into the fence. Finally the day came when the boy didn't lose his temper at all. He told his father about it and the father suggested that the boy now pull out one nail for each day that he was able to hold his temper.

The days passed and the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone. The father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence. He said, "You have done well, my son, but look at the holes in the fence. The fence will never be the same. When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one. It won't matter how many times you say I'm sorry, the wound is still there. "

SECURITY OF THE BELIEVER

The question has come up again and again throughout the years of my youth ministry - "Can I lose my salvation? Does the Bible say I will have my salvation taken away? What does the Bible say about eternal security?" Due to the overwhelming interest in this area to new believers, allow me to share some Scriptures with you.

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..."

GOD INVITES YOU

God is a God of Invitation! Look at His Word:

Isaiah 1:18:
"Come now, let us reason together," says the LORD.
"Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool."

Take a look at Isaiah 55:1:
"Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost."

This is God who is talking!

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. Take time today to look up other references besides these, where God openly invites people to receive His blessing.

(Above verses are from the NIV)

Where does the credit go?

(This is a picture of the Mount of Olives. Notice the gravesites in the foreground.)

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May I ask you, what will give you satisfaction as being successful? Will it be a fat salary or a well-respected reputation?

Perhaps it is well to note the power of the passage in John chapter 9, where Jesus takes a down-and-out blind beggar and gives him sight. This is a new man, with a whole new life ahead of him! Mark now what the people ask him and how he answers ...

(I'll paraphrase this.)


"You look familiar, but the guy we knew who looked like you was blind," the people said.

"It's me, for sure, " answers the former blind man.

"Well, wait a minute," the people respond. "How did you get to be able to see?"

"You see, Jesus did it all..." answers the new man.

Notice that all his success starts with Jesus. He gave no opinion of himself or of anything or anyone but Jesus. Jesus was the reason for the miracle, and it's Jesus who gets the credit. THAT is success for the Christian, friends. It's Jesus first and foremost. Please remember this throughout your career, and no matter where you go, you will find that for the Christian, this is true!

The Reality of Frustration

Just as a baseball pitcher who eases up on his fastball and surrenders a home run, we Christians can succumb to lapses in our walk with God and suffer great frustration. Much like a race car driver, any mistake we make can impact so many others around. There are times when I get so upset with my failures that I feel like hiding from God in embarrassment.

Many times I just get sick of me.

Billy Graham said "The Christian life is not a constant high. I have my moments of deep discouragement. I have to go to God in prayer with tears in my eyes, and say, 'O God, forgive me,' or 'Help me.'"

Pitfalls. Mistakes. Blunders. Failings. We all face them, but to the Christian, they represent an open door. An embarrassing and humble one, to be sure, but a door nonetheless. At the door's threshold stands Jesus, saying," reach out your hand, and I will pick you up." We wonder why we haven't lifted our heads to see Him standing there in the first place. This is the point: to remember to keep looking up to Jesus.

Isaiah 26:3
Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.

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"God may thunder His commands from Mount Sinai and men may fear, yet remain at heart exactly as they were before. But let a man once see his God down in the arena as a Man, - suffering, tempted, sweating, and agonized, finally dying a criminal's death - and he is a hard man indeed who is untouched. "
... J. B. Phillips, Your God is Too Small [1953]

A LAST LOOK AT THEOLOGY CAMP

Here are three more pictures taken at Theology Camp, made possible by my good friend and student Alison Poland. I would show you a picture of Alison, but as humble as she is, there is only one picture of her and it is so dark you can hardly make out her features. I will try to get her photo on another post.

The top photo is of Craig Dockery; the second photo is of me in the water readying for another pool game. The third is of Nicholas Zockoll and Zack Aiken as they prepare to make another grand meal in our spacious camp kitchen.

The Theology Camp was so successful that I will be planning three camps next year, Lord willing. Two of the camps will be high school camps and the third one will be for middle school students. We are already in the planning stages.

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It is our first full week of school and each class was spent discussing the Greek word praotes - "gentleness: strength under control" along with the Mark 7 teaching of the Pharisaical washing of the hands and the questions that skeptics will throw at Belivers. I also debated the classes on the issue of the deity of Christ to see if they could show me the truth in the Scripture.

WHERE DO WE FIND THE DEITY OF CHRIST IN THE BIBLE?

John 10:30 - 33.
“I and my Father are one. Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him. Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me? The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.”

Colossians 2:9. -“For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.”

Hebrews 1:8, John 20:28. - Jesus Christ is called God by God.
“But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.”

John 20:31. - “But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.”

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"This is the mystery of the riches of divine grace for sinners; for by a wonderful exchange our sins are now not ours but Christ’s, and Christ’s righteousness is not Christ’s but ours."
- Martin Luther

A FUNNY MEMORY ABOUT HYPOCRISY

When I was a child growing up just outside of Hershey, Pennsylvania, our neighborhood was known for having a ferocious dog named King. King was chained, to be sure, but the kids in the area were deathly afraid of him. He would lunge at us and go absolutely insane with fury whenever any of us came within twenty feet of his doghouse. "Stay away from King," the older kids would say, "he hates everything. He's the meanest dog in the world."

Imagine my surprsie one hot and quiet rural summer afternoon whenever I peeked out of our living room window and saw King lying placidly while scores of boards - and I do mean dozens of birds - hopped around his area. Two of them drank from his bowl. Three of them perched on his house and chatted. While numerous birds casually ambled about in front of him (within mere inches of those famous jaws!) one actually sat on his back!

I was dumbfounded. This is the King we all feared? As I tried to fathom the change I was witnessing, a screen door slammed nearby; his owner was coming out of the house.

Immediately King was up and barking, snapping at the birds around him who were barely escaping with their lives. Then I realized that Kind was a big old fake. He knew what was expected of him; he was to appear ferocious. It wasn't his nature at all; he simply knew when and where to put on the act.

Whenever I encounter a Christian who is putting on a show for the sake of reputation or respectability, I'm reminded of the great hypocrite of our neighborhood, King.


Jam 3:17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, [and] easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.

THE POWER OF PERSUASION

Psalm 119:18 - "Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law."

I read this interesting tidbit some time ago...sorry I can't remember the original source, but it's too good to pass up:

An Army psychology student drew kitchen detail and decided to apply some of his studies and theories to his work. He was stationed at the end of the chow line, assigned to hand out apricots. Apricots were not exactly a favorite among soldiers.
He asked the first soldiers that passed by, "You dont want any apricots, do you?" He calculated that 90% responded with "No."
He then tried a different angle. The next shift of soldiers were asked "You do want apricots, don't you?" Approximately half answered, "Yes, I guess so."
Finally he tried an old selling technique. This third time he asked, "One dish of apricots or two?" In spite of the universal dislike for Army apricots, 40% took two dishes and 50% took one!

People can be easily swayed by smooth talking...even Christians. Remember that the Christian life is guided by the Truth: Gods Word. No matter where the persuasion - on television, in movies, at school, in the neighborhood, or even in the family - there is only one way for us to go, and that's the path of God's will.

Pictures of Theology Camp

Here are a few pictures of our Theology camp. In the top picture, Bret Carlson is having his quiet time during Meletao (greek for "meditation") In the middle picture, Jackson Slagle is giving us a message during the afternoon session. Jackson is a student at CAK who is ready to graduate this year.In the bottom hand picture I am sitting with Zack Aiken, a great young man who attends Karns High School here in Knoxville. He was an avid reader of the Scripture and can do an absolutely incredible bellywhop in the pool!

PASCAL'S WAGER

We are at school and I will be meeting new students and parents here at CAK during Open House. School starts tomorrow for us here at the Christian Academy of Knoxville!

Have you heard of Blaise Pascal? If you haven't, you'll find a man that is a powerful figure in Christian history as well as in the field of math and philosophy....

Pascal was born in Clermont-Ferrand on June 19, 1623 and those who knew this young man knew that there was something special about him, and that he was detined for great things. Pascal formulated a basic theorem of projective geometry at age 16 ,and invented a calculating device that was actually the ancestor of modern computers, and he invented this at the tender age of 19. At 23, he was establsihing himself as a giant in the world of physics. Pascal proved the existence of the vacuum, opening the door to the creation of hydraulic devices in all walks of life, including hypodermic syringes, pistons and barometers. Pascal also came up with the mathematical theory of probability and helped shape the field of calculus.


All was not easy for Pascal. In his youth, he developed an ailment that gave him severe pain in his legs, leading to him becoming artially crippled. Yet even in this time of stress he stood high. Unable to sleep due to the pain ojne night, he simply grabbed some paper and wrote down the solution to a difficult area of mathematics.

In 1654 Blaise Pascal trusted Christ and began a series of writings that challenged the intellectuals who would not consider Jesus Christ as Savior. Like CS Lewis and Francis Schaeffer, Pascal raised many powerful challenges to the unbeliver.

One of mny favorite quotes of Pascal is, "There is a God-shaped vacuum in every heart."

He also constructed a wager having to do with Christianity. it is widely known as Pascal's Wager:

"Either Christianity is true or it's false. If you bet that it's true, and you believe in God and submit to Him, then if it IS true, you've gained God, heaven, and everything else. If it's false, you've lost nothing, but you've had a good life marked by peace and the illusion that ultimately, everything makes sense. If you bet that Christianity is not true, and it's false, you've lost nothing. But if you bet that it's false, and it turns out to be true, you've lost everything and you get to spend eternity in hell."

WORTH THE WAIT

Here is a picture of what has been nicknamed the "Jesus Boat". It was an archaeological find that was dated to the first century. If you'd like to read more about this great discovery, click here:

http://www.christiananswers.net/q-abr/abr-a003.html

and here:

http://www.ourfatherlutheran.net/biblehomelands/galilee/kibginnosar.htm

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Thanksgiving is the language of heaven, and we had better start to learn it if we are not to be mere dumb aliens there. ... A. J. Gossip

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My latest magazine novel can be read on Brio magazine's web site. You can access it by clicking here:

http://www.briomag.com/briomagazine/fictionfix/a0006777.html

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Here's a thought for today:

So many teens have the idea that God is mean when He says that we should wait until marriage to pursue sexual relationships. Here's a good way to illustrate the power of waiting:
Pretend you were 12 years old and a PRIZE PATROL came to your home, called for YOU and gave you $1000...with an option: You could take the $1000 now or, if you waited until you were 21, you would receive a million dollars. Wouldn't the wait be worth it...?

TEACHER ORIENTATION

Today is the first day of school for me...back in the educational saddle, so to speak. Believe it or not, I can't wait for school to begin. My first semester teaching will be in teaching the 12th graders, and the course will be Apologetics. If you'd like to take a look at our fine school that is known as the Christian Academy of Knoxville, please click here:

http://www.christianacademyofknoxville.org/

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THE GENTLE INFLUENCE OF THE CHRISTIAN

Years ago, a very powerful and much-loved Senate Chaplain gave a story to the many audiences across the country. The man's name was Peter Marshall, and he is still considered one of the most influential Christians in Washington D.C.'s history. He liked to give a little talk about an old man who lived next to a spring in an Austrian village in the Alps.

The little town gave a small sum to the old man to watch over a local spring. The old man loved the spring and took good care of it. He would pull weeds and remove branches from it. He would feed the ducks and swans, and he would skim the surface of the spring. Soon the spring was clean, the wildlife was abundant, and the place was picture-pretty. People came to see the spring and enjoy the scenery, and word got around. Tourists started to visit. Crowds grew, and the little town had a good business going. In fact, it got so good that every business in town benefited from the beautiful spring.

The town leaders were in a meeting, discussing what to do with this new profit coming their way. As they discussed their plans, it was mentioned that the town was paying a stipend to the old man to keep the spring tidy.

"What! We could use that money elsewhere. The guy's an old coot, and doesn't need to be messing around with our spring. Let's cut his pay," blasted some of the leaders. So they did.

In fact, they dropped his pay altogether. The man was no longer around to do cleaning, and scum began to grow on the surface. Swans and ducks left, and branches clogged up the spring. People didn't come any more. Businesses lost income. Desperately, the leaders saw their mistake and hired the old man again. After careful cleaning, the town again prospered when the spring was cleaned up. The leaders learned their lesson.

Peter Marshall used this story to talk about the influence of Christians in their local surroundings. He emphasized that people may think you strange and even unlikeable. But what a difference and influence you have! He mentioned that a society without a Godly representative is a sorry society indeed. So, let's take his story to heart; we are an influence on the area around us. Don't lose hope - you are making an influence as you follow the Lord!

I REMEMBER THE DAY OF THE MURDER

I was a youth pastor in Hollister, California when news of this grisly murder reached me. However, the murder was only part of the utter shock that hit me. Please notice the parts that I have put in bold. This is from a New York Times article relating to the California crime.


HEADLINE: YOUTHS' SILENT ON MURDER VICTIM LEAVES A CALIFORNIA TOWN BAFFLED
By WAYNE KING, Special to the New York Times
DATELINE: MILPITAS, Calif., Dec. 10

To Detective Sgt. Garry Meeker of the Santa Clara Sheriff's Department, it was not the killing of 14-yearold Marcy Renee Conrad that was so unusual, at least not these days.
''Not the crime itself,'' said the 42-year-old sergeant, who has been a police officer all his working life, like his father before him. ''The unusual aspect was what followed, the kids going up there. That was the unusual aspect.''

At that, he said, it was only the extremity of the crime, the strangulation of a young girl, that made the callousness and silence of the teen-agers so out of the ordinary. For two days they had gone up into the hills by the carload, as if on an outing, to take a look at the body lying half naked in the woods.

''Even the straightest kid in school knows which kid is dealing dope; they don't care or want to get involved,'' Sergeant Meeker said. ''They know all the stuff that's going down. You take the straightest, straight-A, civic-minded student in that school, he's going to know all that, and he's not going to tell.''

''But when it reaches the point of murder,'' he said, making a small gesture of futility, ''I mean, when you're talking about a 14-year-old girl. ...''

Like Sergeant Meeker, there was no one in Milpitas, at least none who could be found and would talk about it, who had any real explanation for either the killing Nov. 3 or what followed.The scant official facts are that Anthony Jacques Broussard, a 16-year-old junior at Milpitas High School, is charged with strangling Marcy Conrad, possibly after raping her, and leaving her body about four miles from town in the hills where some dump leaves and trash.On Tuesday, a hearing is set in Superior Court here to decide whether the young man will be tried as an adult or as a teen-ager. Meanwhile, he is being held without bail as a juvenile on a charge of murder.

But what has shocked this fast-growing community of 38,000 are reports by police investigators, acknowledged by students and school administrators, that the defendant boasted of the crime, then loaded other young people into his white pickup truck and drove them into the hills to view the body. Others, hearing of ''the body in the hills,'' went on their own to look.

According to reports that the police decline to make official because trial is pending and juveniles are involved, some of them made bets on whether or not the body was real, and one girl snipped a patch or decal off a piece of the victim's discarded clothing.Sergeant Meeker confirmed that a number of young people had gone to look at the body in the two days before anyone reported seeing it. '

'There were people up there when we were up there,'' he said, ''kids coming up. While we were at the scene, cars came up with two or three juveniles in them, saw the police cars and turned around and left.''

Why, for two days, until a former student who saw the body finally went to the police, did no one report it?
''Whether it was fear or whatever would be hard to say,'' said Meeker, who added that he had interviewed seven youths who admitted looking at the body. ''But they knew it was a dead body, definitely - the location of the body, what they could see from the road, nobody in their right mind could think it was a mannequin.''

Only one of the students who saw the body has been charged as an accessory. The police say he went to view the body with the defendant and dumped a garbage bag of leaves on it in an apparent attempt to hide it. As for the others, Sergeant Meeker said, ''Failure to report a body is not a crime.''

Nor, he said, would the reported snipping of a patch from the victim's clothes be illegal unless it was done to help conceal the crime.Reaction to the incident here varies. Milpitas itself has the newminted feel of a once-small farming community that burgeoned first into a factory town with the coming of an auto plant and is now belatedly becoming part of the Silicon Valley, startled heir to the boom in the electronics industry.The town has long been the brunt of local jokes; its name, its bucolic origins and what is perceived as kind of a hangdog lack of pretension to community spirit all play a part. And now many are angry at what seems a new community affront.

School authorities, among others, are angry at the bad publicity that has resulted. Richard P. Mesa, the superintendent of Milpitas schools, refused comment and hung up on a caller who inquired about student attitudes.

''I don't want to be a party to any more of the crap that has been written,'' he said. Others blamed television, both its violence and what they saw as its inculcation of a sense of unreality, an inability to distinguish emotionally between a real act of violence and one on a flickering screen.

Others found a general sense of moral insensitivity, among adults as well as teen-agers. Some students at Milpitas High have expressed indignation and concern over the apparent callousness of their classmates and the resultant black eye in the media. But others seemed either little concerned or prone either to sympathize with, or distance themselves from, the six-foot-four, 230-pound suspect. No one mentioned the victim.

John Ellis, head librarian at Milpitas Public Library, was among those who saw television as the culprit.
''I don't think the kids here are different from anywhere else in he country,'' he said. ''They're all touched by the same media; the impact of violence on TV is the same as everywhere else.''
Charles Perotti, the principal at Milpitas High, said he regarded press inquiries as ''irresponsible.'' However, he said he had spoken to four students who had seen the body and maintained that ''there was a tremendous amount of regret for not having moved more quickly'' to inform the police.

''The kids were confused,'' he said. ''Two didn't believe that it was real, the other two weren't sure. They were scared.''

Milpitas High, a 12-year-old school in a quiet residential neighborhood, is a well-integrated campus, according to James Brennan, the assistant principal. About 40 percent of its 1,600 students are members of minorities - Samoans, Filipinos, blacks, Mexican-Americans, Cambodians, Vietnamese.Mr. Brennan acknowledged that there was a small group of students referred to as ''stoners,'' because marijuana smoking was a primary recreation, and some have suggested that Jacques Broussard was a member.The ''stoners'' are not so much an organized group as a collection of what Mr. Brennan called ''burnouts'' -bored, often truant, uncaring.But Sgt. Meeker said drugs appeared to have no connection with the case.

John Simpson, a 17-year-old black student, said he knew Jacques Broussard. ''Yeah, I used to beat him up every day,'' he said. Despite his size, the suspect had a reputation for being unable to take care of himself. ''No one was scared of Broussard,'' Mr. Simpson said. ''Jacques wasn't that much of a likeable person so that people would want to cover for him,'' said a 16-year-old who also knew Marcy Conrad. ''He was scared of everybody.''

Jacques Broussard is black. The victim and most of those who went to see the body were white, and the officials say there were no indications that race was a factor in the incident. Apprehensions about informing on a fellow student might have played a part, Sergeant Meeker said. He also mentioned another case two years ago in San Jose, 10 miles from Milpitas, in which two teen-agers murdered the parents of one of the boys and buried them in a back yard. Afterward, he said, they told a dozen acquaintances, including the son of a local judge, none of whom apparently believed the tale or saw fit to tell police.

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Disgust is what I felt at reading this article. How could someone go and see the body of a murder victim and not report what they had seen? Subsequent articles in the Caifornia newspapers revealed that not only did students not tell, they actually persecuted those who did come forward.

It was on that day that I realized that America had a new generation with which to contend: a generation of people who openly look at sin and see nothing wrong at all.

I'm still shocked whenever I read this.




The New York Times
December 14, 1981, Monday, Late City Final Edition

CREATIONISM MUSEUM IS ALMOST READY

You read it right: there's a museum that will give the biblical account of the beginning of man. It coast $25 million and the initial picutres are quite impressive. One of my good friends Leroy LaMontaigne is one of the woodwork craftsmen, helping to finish this startling new museum. You can read abouit it by linking here:

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/14122311/?GT1=8404

I believe it's the first of its kind anywhere in the world.

THE NOVEL HAS BEEN COMPLETED!

Here is our little Julianne at about one year. She is now twenty-one months.

















GREAT NEWS! MY NOVEL IS DONE!

Over 100,000 words, my friends...and now it's time to send it off to my publishing company (they'll remain nameless until I get a confirmation or otherwise.)

It's taken all summer, but Crying Island has been completed. I will keepyou posted on the progress.

THE RIGHT KIND OF EXERCISE

Argh!
At my age, exercise gets harder and harder. I remember the days that I could run five or six miles with no problem. Right now I'm struggling to make three miles at a stretch every day.

Physical exercise is great, there's no doubt. Well, how about spiritual exercise? Let's take a look:

1. A great exercise for a Christian is practicing humility to help point others to Christ.
TEXT: John 1:7 John would not let himself be exalted, but pointed people to Christ, the true Light.

2. Prayer and studying the Scripture helps us exercise our readiness to witness.
TEXT:Acts 1:8 We should prepare not only to witness to our neighbors and classmates (Jerusalem) but also other neighborhoods and areas (Judea) and far-reaching regions (Samaria & uttermost parts of the world)

3. Memorizing Scripture is a good exercise to help guard the soul against testimony-killing sin.
TEXT: Psalm 119:11 Hiding God's Word in our heart is a defensive measure against sin.

4. Preparing to actually verbally witness opens up new opportunities.
TEXT: 1 Peter 5:13 Being ready to share our hope keeps us from getting caught 'flat-footed.'

"WHERE WERE YOU WHEN I NEEDED YOU?"

2 Timothy 4:6-7 "For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith..."

The newspaper article in the Florida newspaper told it in grim detail. The Ft. Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel reported the death of a 12 year old boy who hung himself. Why? The merciless taunting of his classmates because of his weight. The boy was 5 foot 4 inches tall and weighed 174 pounds. Seems the classmates couldn't get enough of teasing him. So one evening at midnight, he crawled out of the window of his home and went to the backyard tree, got a stool, slung a rope over a branch and hung himself. His 8 and 10 year old brothers found him as they were getting ready for school. His mother collapsed as the paramedics pronounced him dead on the scene. The father immediately took an axe and cut down the tree.
You might say the boy was literally teased to death. Isn't that absolutely tragic?

One observer put it this way: Our kids learn a lot about science and math - but they don't really hang onto the instruction about compassion.

But let me ask you...surely there was at least ONE student in his school who was a Christian, who could have befriended him, and made him feel welcome. WHERE WERE THE CHRISTIANS?

Maybe this same situation is brewing at your school. Are there others who need your care? As a Christian, take the initiative.

Let's not stand by this September! Let's get to work!

Verses for study: 1 Timothy 6:12 - "Fight the good fight...:
2 Timothy 4:9 - "Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me..." Jesus wants followers who are loyal to Him! No deserters, no cowards. Let's show Jesus we mean business.

SECURITY OF THE BELIEVER

Here's where you can guess.
a. Am I deep in theological study?
b. Am I trying to remove leftover corn from my teeth?
c. Am I taking an afternoon siesta - during class?
d. Am I in great agitation since I can't seem to locate any good Bullwinkle and Rocky graphics on the web?

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The question has come up again and again throughout the years of my youth ministry - "Can I lose my salvation? Does the Bible say I will have my salvation taken away? What does the Bible say about eternal security?"

Due to the overwhelming interest in this area to new believers, allow me to share some Scriptures with you.

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..."

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WHAT A CAMP IT WAS

HERE IS A PICTURE OF OUR YOUNGEST CAMPER ... JULIANNE ZOCKOLL. She was a hearty participant at the lunch table but had a little problems with the Greek word study.

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I can hardly begin to describe the great joy I feel as I think back on our week of camp. I will be posting pictures of the great times we had but in quick reflection, I must say that the most satisfying thing was our No-Holds -Barred Question and Answer session on the Bible, held each evening. The campers piled into the room and we sat for late evenings at a stretch, taking questions and looking into the Scripture to see serious answers to bothersome questions.. There were no bands or long musical segments in our camp... that's for other camps. This one was for quiet introspection on the work of the Lord in the life of the camper.

Alison Poland will be sending me over 200 pictures and I will be posting them next week. Thanks so much for pryaing for us and letting me know of your support. This was a camp I'll always remember.

Here are some of the things we enjoyed. (Ask some of the campers to explain some of the most puzzling ones):

OX ROAST
AUCTION
WELDED DIVERS COMPETITION
BIBLE TRIVIA ON ACTS
PYRAMIDS
WATERMELON FOOTBALL
VERSE BY VERSE ON THE BOOK OF ACTS
PUSH UP CONTEST
SKIT CONTEST
PIE EATING
GREEK WORD STUDY
STING PONG
CARTOON TRIVIA
CARPET FLOOR TRIVIA COMPETITION
TEENS MADE THE MEALS
CUP-PASSING CONTEST
SYNCHRONIZED SWIMMING
BEACH VOLLEYBALL
GREEDYBALL
HEBREW WORD STUDY
H-O-R-S-E BILLIARDS

Camp is around the corner

HERE ARE TWO OF MY FORMER STUDENTS FROM GRACE CHRISTIAN ACADEMY: Chris Banks (l.) and Keith Joy, both trying their best to look intellectual, when actually this was taken during study hall. Both young men have graduated and are on their way to fantastic careers.

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I've been getting e-mails throughout the week from our teens who are preparing for camp. We've all been reading through the book of Acts and readying ourselves for a retreat of deep meditation and yet outrageous fun. The excitement is growing.

NOTES FOR CAMPERS:

I believe we have laundry facilities. If you think you'll need to do some wash during the week, then you must bring your own laundry soap.

If you'd like to add decorations to the dining tables when your team does the cooking, bring along some artwork or art gear so that you can design whenever it's your team's turn to serve.

Snacks are okay for your room at night. Buy them ahead of time and stash 'em in your room.

Campers...

We'll be doing quite a bit of journalling. You'll have a chance to write down your thoughts - devotional and otherwise - during the week.

Take your time and really reflect on what God will have you to learn about Him this week. If there's one thing we need to remind oursleves is that it's not about US...it's about HIM!

I find it very curious as I go through the many blogs throughout the Internet of seeing the massive egos of some bloggers. Their whole world revolves around their activities, looks, attractiveness to the opposite sex, sports favorites, foods, music, booze and a whole list of self-centered delights. I'm especially intrigued by the prevalent use of profanity by many... does this show intelligence?

The glory of blogging to many people is that is gives a chance to talk about THEM, the most impotant person they know. Our camp will be centered on HIM, and how we can draw closer to Jesus Christ. This is His world and it's His delight, and we can experience incredible joy as we see what He has for us!

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Optional things to bring that might be part of our week:

- beach ball

- crazy hat

- your favorite devotional book

CAMP NEWS: FOUR TEAMS

Hi campers!

We will have four teams at camp, not so much for competition but for organization. Yes, we will be having a quiz machine and the games will be great, but we will also be using the different teams for doing things that will keep the camp running smoothly. For example, each team will have its turn at cooking...that's right, you will be in the kitchen, cooking one of our meals! Some meals are simple but others will take more time. In all, each team will be preparing at least four meals during the week.

Here are the four teams and the members SO FAR...THIS IS BY NO MEANS A COMPLETE LIST:

1. HARPADZO
Heather Dewey
Tina Luckman
Matt Iden
Ben Andrews

2. KOINONIA
Zack Martel
Mollie Daves
Nick Zockoll
Alison Poland

3. DUNAMIS
Bret Carlson
Peter Zockoll
Jared Wilkins
Ben Brown
Laura Novikoff

4. APOKALUPSIS
Bradley Newburn
Kellen Leland
Chris Bernard
Yani Jackson

I'm still adding people to the teams!!!

Obviously I don't have everyone on a team. Stay tuned for our upcoming e-mails and you'll get the complete roster. If your name wasn't on here and you would like to be on a specific team, you have 24 hours to contact me and let me know.
Keep praying about our camp!

July 4th celebration!

AH, TODAY IS A GOOD DAY! I LOVE SITTING BACK AND REMEMBERING THE WONDERFUL SERVICE OUR SOLDIERS HAVE DONE. I look for any soldiers and personally thank them for what they've done.

I'm also going to Famous Dave's with some of my students (led by the notorious John "BBQ Bandit" Miller) and eat as many ribs as I can get my grubby fingers on.

Theology Camp notes:

We will leave the high school parking lot at 12 noon on July 16th. We will be returning to the CAK high school parking lot at 1:30 p.m. on July 21st.

Campers, this will be a time of serious study. We will be going into Hebrew and Greek terminology in the Bible, for starters.

You will also be learning how to cook...really! There will be Team Chef details, and each camper takes a shift at cooking. Let's call it Heaven's Kitchen.

If you'd like, bring an extra journal for your personal thoughts and reflections after devotional time.

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"If you look for truth, you may find comfort in the end; if you look for comfort you will not get either comfort or truth only soft soap and wishful thinking to begin, and in the end, despair." - CS Lewis

THEOLOGY CAMP REMINDERS

Campers!

July 16th we will be meeting at the front of CAK. Items to bring:

Pillow
Sleeping Bag
For the fresh fruit communal bowl: a apple, 1 banana, 1 orange
Snacks for your own room
Swim gear
Toothbrush, toothpaste
Towel for swimming, towel for bathing
Camera, if you like
Bible
Pencil and/or pen


Prepare yourself by reading one chapter of Acts each day. Also, please note: each of our campers will be giving ONE 3 minute devotional during the course of the week. EVERYBODY will be giving a devotional. If you have some ideas on your subject, please gather some notes and ideas now. I will be giving you instructions on the devotionals once we get to the Lodge.

We will be starting camp the minute we get on the bus! Be ready for anything.

Keep checking back here for more details.

Publishing opportunities and blessings all over

GREAT news...I 've had contact with three publishers in the past two days. One of them is very interested in my latest adult fiction work, and wants to get it into their office as soon as I finish the project (completed, around 100,000 words - I'm at 30,000 right now). The other two want to take my old novels from the Brio and Breakaway magazine publications and publish them as an anthology of short stories. I am feverishly trying to get all of the manuscripts in order and sent off - what a summer! Things just keep happening that continue to amaze us. The Lord is so good in bringing blessing after such a hard year with Jill's fibro myalgia and my injuries. Nicholas has a steady job and is readying himself for college at ETSU. Peter has started his own lawncare business and has become quite responsible. Julianne, of course, is the 2 year old baby that brings joy to us every day.



Psa 37:4 "Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. "

This is the Lord in action. This is seeing Jesus in His gift-giving stage.

Theology Camp and other notes

THEOLOGY CAMPERS: Please remember to get into the routine of reading one chapter of the book of Acts each day leading up to camp. We will be studying this powerful book of the Bible with an intense concentration to every verse. Be prepared! I'd also advise you to start getting your gear together. Sleeping bag, pillow, toothbrush...July 16th is coming soon!

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I've made a great contact with a publisher who is interested in my latest novel. I've been slaving away throughout the summer to get this work done and the flow has been good. I won't reveal the gist of the novel just yet, but by this weekend I could be well over 80,000 words. I mean to make this my most powerful published fiction yet, and I believe the Lord is opening the door for me to do so. I will keep you posted.

Nicholas is working overnight shifts at Target. Some are ten and twelve hour shifts. We are praying for him and I would ask you to do the same if you might.

"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 son shines on it." - C.S. Lewis

Random Thoughts

Believe it or not, our household is enjoying World Cup soccer. Even outside of our obvious favorite, we're following the many different stories of the Cup race.

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One of the delights of my summer rest and relaxation is to read and watch selected movies. My latest books are McCullough's John Adams as well as a well written biography of Hall of Fame pitcher Sandy Koufax and one about Queen Elizabeth (I'm random, I know - I tend to read two or three books at the same time.)

As for movies, I enjoy the old silent films of early film star Harold Lloyd (Speedy and Safety Last are two of my favorites). Of course, I've watched and re-watched Super Bowl XL at least once a week since January. If all goes well, I will travel with my boys back up to Latrobe, PA to see the Steelers' training camp in August.

A shocking death

I was stunned to hear of the death of one of my former youth group members. "Trey" (not his real name) was 32 years old, found floating face-down near a beach off of the San Diego coast. I am stunned. This was one of my most trusted members, a boy who was constantly wanting to know the Scripture anbd God's leading, a fellow who was very disciplined and well-liked by all. He stood out in his public high school, a real model and a standup kid. He was a Navy Seal and a highly regarded member of the military.

One of his friends met me this week and let me know of his death. Speculation is that it was a violent death, not a suicide. He had been cited for five DUIs in the past, a life that tanked soon after he graduated from high school. I am bewildered. Why do teens do this stuff? How hard the Devil pulls at these kids.

It's what gives me renewed conviction to do everything possible to bring God's love and leading to the forefront knowledge in every student I meet.

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"Oh, this is a reality, not a fable, that the Lord Jesus Christ is our friend. And we should not be satisfied till we are brought to this."
-George Muller

Birthday

Yesterday was my birthday and I was surprsied with a visit from a group of my students from the Academy! Wow, it was nice to be able to see that students don't forget you. I think that it probably one of the hardest things for a teacher to face - the "loss" of a graduate to the world of careers. (I bristle at the mention of the phrase "the real world" as in you'll soon be going out into the real world"...who makes that distinction? The students are not living in reality right now?) I'm 47 years old now, but I must tell you that I feel as good as when I was 20. The radical diet the doctor has me on has made incredible changes in my health.

Please pray with me for Dan Prince, Meghan Prince and a whole group of grads who will be going to Guatemala for a mission trip...pray that it is more than a sightseeing tour, but that the work of Christ will truly be done and an impact can be measured.

My latest reading material: biographies on Sandy Koufax and Julius Casar. Both are great reads, giving insight into the subjects fot eh books.

Relativism and recovery

SCHOOL IS OVER...SUMMER IS HERE!!! Recovery part: I am now gathering my thoughts and getting physical rest after finishing up at school. What a year it has been! I have enjoyed the seven classes that I taught ("End Times"). I also had a great time teaching evening classes in both Revelation as well as Archaeology and Prophecy.

Now I am preparing the final notes for Theology Camp in July. I would ask you to pray for the preparation of the camp, including scholarships for needy teens.

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Relativism part:

I find that so many people who claim to be relativists have not really thought out their views. For example, I hear the statement "All truth is relative." I then respond with "If indeed all truth is relative, then your statement 'All truth is relative' would be an absolute. If it is absolutely true, then everything is NOT relative and your statement that 'All truth is relative' is false. Your very own statement has defeated your argument."


My birthday is tomorrow...believe it or not, I will be 47 years old. Kind of old, I know, but I'm holding together fairly well.

Better health but broken hearted.

I've lost over ten pounds since the doctor put me on a rigid diet following my heart/reflux/esphagus/chest pain/whatever it was visit to the ER last month. I've been off coffee from the day I saw him and I haven't touched a carbonated drink either. This is pretty amazing since I worked for Pepsi when I was in college, and at onetime averaged over six fizzy drinks a day!

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

I do love the students that I teach, both at church and in school and in the evening classes. I don't know when I've grown so attached to a group of students. I enjoy coming to classtime, no matter where it is. I get the feeling that I am actually reaching them with the truths of the Bible, and very few things in my world can eclipse that happiness. Seeing students draw closer to Christ is one of my top joys.

So you can imagine how devastated I was to go on some blogging sites (at the behest of some adults) and find some of my students with filthy blogs, racy photos and profane dialogue. I'm still heartbroken. I guess I was a bit too naive, but to read the rantings of some of the blogs sickened my stomach. How can a person claim to be a follower of Christ, calling Him their best friend, and have such language and filthy attitudes?

I still cannot accurately describe the hole it burnt into my heart to read such garbage.

Thoughts on God

God puts in me in incredible awe. The more I dig into the Word, the more amazed I am at the power and glory He chooses to let us observe. His future kingdom that He'll share with us is above stunning; it's beyond human comprehension. A wolrd of total safety? A world with no more pain? A place of complete joy (Ps. 16:11) and no more sorrow (Rev. 21:4) is something that I often sit and ponder.


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

GOD IS IMMUTABLE. Unchanging. Fixed and focused. He makes a vow and keeps it.

29 "And also the Glory of Israel will not lie or change His mind; for He is not a man that He should change His mind" (1 Samuel 15:29).
His Word is ‘forever settled in heaven’ (Ps 119:89).
His love is eternal: ‘I have loved thee with an everlasting love’ (Jer 31:3) and, ‘Having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end’ (Jn 13:1).
His mercy ceases not, for it is ‘everlasting’ (Ps l00:5)

Great weekend ahead

Ah, it's Friday and what a grand day we had in the classroom. It was TEST DAY and the students were challenged on the book of Revelation especially in chapter 21. Most came out okay, with a few low scores, but overall the grades were fine.

We're getting Nicholas ready for the final days of school along with prepping him for college. It will be hard to see him leave for ETSU, but he's got a great roomate as well as a whole ton of people praying for his growth and decision-making.

I will be going in to see the doctor and have an esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) on Monday. That is an actual word: "esophagogastroduodenoscopy!" They'll be checking me to see if any damage was done with my reflux.

Revelation 21

This picture is part of the isle of Patmos, where John wrote the book of Revelation.

I am now teaching the 21st chapter of Revelation in my End Times class, and the teaching is absolutely stunning. THE NEW EARTH WILL HAVE NO MORE SEA! In a world that is dominated by water (almost 75% of our earth is covered in ocean/sea water), this is hard for us to put into perspective. Will we then be in a world with no need for the hydrological cycles of the water/cloud/rain, river sequence? It boggles the mind...

It is one of seven "evils" that the writer John says will no longer be in existence. The rest fo the list follows in the fourth verse:

No more:

1. sea
2. death
3. mourning
4. weeping
5. pain
6. curse
7. night

Fantastic teaching about Jesus

This is absolutely stunning. This comes from the Blue Letter Bible Institute, (blueletterbible.org) where I'm surrently taking classes on Christology. Hey, I love to continue learning. Read these excerpts from the teaching about the name of Jesus, and His Old Testament name before He was given the name "Jesus"...it was simply "the Name". Read this great teaching:

"When did Jesus get the name Yeshua? Only here, (in the New Testament) when He comes into the world. So what was His name before that? And it is interesting even discussing that. The word name appears 800 times in the Old Testament. It is the word shem. Remember that Noah had three sons: Shem, Ham and Japhath. Shem is the line of the Messiah—the line of the Jews and the Semites. The word shem means "name." Therefore the Semites are the People of the name.

The word name appears 800 times in the Old Testament. It is the word shem. Remember that Noah had three sons: Shem, Ham and Japhath. Shem is the line of the Messiah—the line of the Jews and the Semites. The word shem means "name." Therefore the Semites are the People of the name.
In Jerusalem there is a memorial to the Holocaust when six million Jews were killed by Hitler and his troops. The name of it is Yod ha Shem. Yod, meaning "monument" or "pillar." So it is a monument to ha Shem, "the name." It is really a monument to God and the survival of the Jewish people which He promised in His Word. There is quite a story behind that.
In the New Testament the word "name" is onoma and is used 200 times in the Bible. Now here is something interesting: not once does the word name, in reference to God or Jesus, ever appear in the plural. It is always in the singular, even when it mentions all three persons of the Godhead, like Matthew 28:19 which states, "Go and teach all nations in the name (singular) of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." There it mentions all three persons but they only have one name.

Now we are told in the New Testament as well as the Old, that our Lord has a name that is above every name. There is no name of anybody worth mentioning in the same sentence. His name is above every name. The Bible says in Acts 4:12, "Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved."

So the name Yehoshua, when did that come? When was that given to Him? At His birth. Well, then what was His name previous? Isaiah says that His name was Wonderful. You call Him wonderful in the Old Testament. But the Hebrew word Wonderful, means "difficult to understand" or "incomprehensible." So what are we talking about when we discuss the preexistence of Jesus Christ? We are talking about someone who has not yet received His name, Yehoshua, and whose name is beyond our ability to understand. That is really something important, yet we sometimes miss it.
Why is His name beyond our ability to understand? Now if you need to know the meaning of wonderful, you can check Psalm 139:1-6, where it speaks of God’s knowledge being so great that before there is a word on our tongue, He knows it altogether. Before we say anything, He knows exactly what we were going to say. He knows the end from the beginning. And the Bible says in Psalm 139:6, "Such knowledge is too wonderful for me. It is high. I cannot attain it." There is a clear definition of the word wonderful. It is greater than your ability to understand it. When it says in Isaiah 28:29, "His counsel is wonderful," and in Isaiah 9:6, "He is the wonderful counselor," it means that it is "too difficult to understand." He is the incomprehensible Christ!"

Some great sources

The picture on the right is taken from my novel "Silmarrillion Weekend," for Breakaway Magazine, a division of Focus on the Family. The two figures coming through the door are C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkein.
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My wife Jill is responding well to the treatment that will help remove mercury that has been clogging her system for about two years. The fibro myalgia may have been aggravated because of this, but we are seeing hope! She is able to sleep better at night...for a while it was not unusual for her to up as many as seven times a night.

My chest pains are alleviated by Nexium and I am going in for more doctor visits in the next two weeks. I find it necessary to "cocoon" for stretches at a time...finding a quiet place to read or study, since I am with people such much during the weekdays and on Sundays. This has been a powerful time for me to see Jesus work in me and help me understand what people go through when they face death...I have begun to learn of the face-to-face reality of eternity.

Here are some excellent sites for Bible study that I heartily recommend for the serious Bible student:

http://www.biblebb.com/macsg.htm ... John MacArthur spends untold hours of research into Bible studies and it shows.

http://www.blueletterbible.org/ ...in my opinion, the flat-out best resource for the Christian student

http://bradzockoll.tripod.com/youthworker/ ...sorry for the self-promotion, but the youth leader will find plenty of resources that my brother and I assembled. This is an old site, but the ideas are still highly workable.

I will try to add more as the days and weeks go by!

Prayer requests

Please pray as my wife Jill sees a specialist in the field of fibro myalgia; we are praying for a recovery from the constant fatigue she endures. Today her exam is in the afternoon.

Pray also for my health. I've been having continual chest pains for over a week now, and covet your prayers as I seek medical help.

CREATION OR EVOLUTION TAUGHT IN SCHOOLS?

This picture is of my 18 year old son Nicholas (left) and one of my students, Pete McClain. Both boys will be heading to East Tennessee State University this fall, and I cannot tell you how proud I am of Nicholas and the joy he has brought to our family.
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The first plank of the Humanist Manifesto: "Religious humanists regard the universe as self-existing and not created."
The second plank states: "Humanism believes that man is a part of nature and that he has emerged as a result of a continuous process."


Humanism reigns in public school teaching. Why? The American Civil Liberties Union (A.C.L.U.) states that Creation is religious, and the government should not assist religion at all.

Yet, here is a quote to consider:

"In fact, evolution became in a sense a scientific religion; almost all scientists have accepted it, and many are prepared to 'bend' their observations to fit with it." (H. S. Lipson, FRS, Professor of Physics, University of Manchester, UK, "A Physicist Looks at Evolution", Physics Bulletin, vol. 31, May 1980, pg. 138).

You might also present this to your evolutionary-minded friend:

Sir Arthur Keith, a famous British evolutionary anthropologist and anatomist, confesses, "Evolution is unproved and unprovable. We believe it only because the only alternative is special creation, and that is unthinkable."

The power of no-nonsense worship

Jill's fibro myalgia took a turn for the worse last week, but lately we see some hope. A specialized machine to help her leg muscle relax has helped so she can finally get a full night's sleep. What a relief! Then God's special helpers - the great group of teachers here at CAK all pitcehd in to make her dinners so the stress of cooking can be relieved temprarily while I'm out of town. My fellow teachers are amazing - as well as good cooks!

Nicholas will be graduating from high school in a few months - that's still hard for us to take. One of our graduating presents for him is to join his fellow classmates in a weeklong trip to New York City. He's packed and ready to go right now!

THOUGHT FOR TODAY:

There are covenant renewal liturgies, such as Psalms 50 and 81, which are designed to lead God's people to a renewal of the covenant he first gave to them at Mt. Sinai.
“To say it another way, worship is so rich and deep because it is not an end in itself. We don’t gather for the sake of the event itself. We gather because this event expresses and deepens something more important, the relationship we have with God in Christ. Just as a wedding exists for the sake of the marriage that is being established, so too a worship service exists in order to express, deepen, and enrich the relationship that God has with us in Christ. Sermons about worship should focus less on liturgical techniques than on the God we worship.

Source:: http://www.reformedworship.org/cprw_rw56_worship.htm#top

Glad to be here

My wife Jill is suffering from increasing problems with fibro-myalgia, a frustrating and relatively unsolved malady that keeps her bedridden or fatigued with deep muscle pain. Please continue to pray. She has good days and bad days. yesterday was a bad day. In fact, this week was rough all over for her.

My back has been somewhat of a problem once again but thankfully I am on the road to recovery. Slowly I am beginning a running regimen again to see if it may heal. Again, frustration sets in. I cannot play with Nicholas or Peter for very long, nor can I do anything strenuous with my students without paying for it later on.

However, when I look at the overall joys that Jesus has given to my household: an intelligent and caring wife who loves the Lord, three wonderful children, a generous house for entertaining guests and keeping us together, opportunities to serve in the school ministry, the ability to write and publish, and just getting a chance to honor Christ and enjoy Him ...well, I'm speechless sometimes. He is great and worthy of worship.

Heaven and silence

Being in the presence of God is going to be in a place of complete and utter happiness and satisfaction. "Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in Thy presence is fulness of joy; at Thy right hand there are pleasures for Evermore" (Psalm 16:11).

Then I come to Revelation 8 and read about silence for about the space of half an hour, according to John. With so much joy in Heaven, what would cause the quietness? It's a disturbing scene, because it's not about anythying joyful - it tells of God's judgment against the rebellious ones. With so many wonders and great things going on in Heaven, any period of absolute "silence in Heaven" (8:1) must indicate the awful gravity of what is about to unfold.

We forget that God grieves as well. "As I live, saith the LORD GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?" (Ezekiel 33:11).

Good writing for teens

I am getting continually frustrated trying to find good Christian devotionals for the teens in my family and at my school. Many are quick-to-publish journals, with little of no real spiritual meat. Others are so heavy-handed with wordiness that the readers get worn out trying to dig for the point of the lesson.

If anyone has a good straightforward Christian book they've read - not just heard of - I would love to hear from you.

Right now I am working with two publishers on some devotionals and other Christian teen material, but in the meantime, I keep searching for powerful stuff, and I find more celebrity-driven material than straight-from-the-heart writing.

Allowing sin to seep in

History tells us of a close associate of the Christian man Augustine. The friend was Alypius and he was known to absolutely detest the gladiators in combat, as was the sport of the day those many centuries back. His neighbors, we are told, constantly urged and cajoled him to come and watch, just once. He still refused. One day he was physically tricked into going into the amphitheater and forced to sit and watch. Still Alypius' conviction was so strong that he shut his eyes tight against the goings-on. A piercing cry from the arena floor aroused him and he opened his eyes for a moment, seeing the final, fatal wound being given to a gladiator. They say as soon as he saw it, he was changed. He started to get riled up and shouted along with the rest of the mob. His kindness and gentleness left him. They say he became a changed man. Not only did he regularly attend the events from then on, he was one of the greatest proponents of the gladiator contests from that day forward.

The Old Man and the Spring

It's been a good day. Last night's Revelation Bible study was powerful. We have some very serious studetns of the Scripture who want to make a difference in their families!

My back is still stiff from the injury last fall, but the pain is a lot less than it has been. I may need to relegate to biking for exercise; running too long seems to add too much stress to my lower back.

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Years ago, a very powerful and much-loved Senate Chaplain gave a story to the many audiences across the country. The man's name was Peter Marshall, and he is still considered one of the most influential Christians in Washington D.C.'s history. He liked to give a little talk about an old man who lived next to a spring in an Austrian village in the Alps.

The little town gave a small sum to the old man to watch over a local spring. The old man loved the spring and took good care of it. He would pull weeds and remove branches from it. He would feed the ducks and swans, and he would skim the surface of the spring. Soon the spring was clean, the wildlife was abundant, and the place was picture-pretty. People came to see the spring and enjoy the scenery, and word got around. Tourists started to visit. Crowds grew, and the little town had a good business going. In fact, it got so good that every business in town benefited from the beautiful spring.

The town leaders were in a meeting, discussing what to do with this new profit coming their way. As they discussed their plans, it was mentioned that the town was paying a stipend to the old man to keep the spring tidy. "What! We could use that money elsewhere. The guy's an old coot, and doesn't need to be messing around with our spring. Let's cut his pay," blasted some of the leaders. So they did.

In fact, they dropped his pay altogether. The man was no longer around to do cleaning, and scum began to grow on the surface. Swans and ducks left, and branches clogged up the spring. People didn't come any more. Businesses lost income. Desperately, the leaders saw their mistake and hired the old man again. After careful cleaning, the town again prospered when the spring was cleaned up. The leaders learned their lesson.

Peter Marshall used this story to talk about the influence of Christians in their local surroundings. He emphasized that people may think you strange and even unlikeable. But what a difference and influence you have! He mentioned that a society without a Godly representative is a sorry society indeed. So, let's take his story to heart; we are an influence on the area around us. Don't lose hope - you are making an influence as you follow the Lord!

Nathan and the habit

When I taught Bible classes back in California, we had a little fellow whom everyone loved. His name was nathan and he was a little genius, a little five year old boy who would sit in his classes and listen carefully. He was not a troublemaker - in fact, he was scoring high in reading and comprehensive skills. There was just one problem he had that drove the teachers and his parents crazy. You see, when Nathan would listen to the teachers, he would suck his thumb and twirl his hair.

Twirl his hair...take one finger and wind a thatch of hair on his crown and then unwind it again, over and over and over. Soon his hair in that little fifty-cent piece-size area began to come out by the roots from all the habitual tugging. He was literally going bald in that spot! His parents tried numerous ways to stop Nathan, but to no avail. Finally they had no choice but to shave his hair to a tight crewcut in order to keep him from getting hold on any longer hair.

It doesn't seem like much to just sit and tug once in awhile...but soon that habit gets ingrained and soon although nobody noticed before, the bald spot of sinful habit grows and grows. Unless the habit of sin is stopped, drastic measures might have to be taken...