Love is patient

E agape makrothumei - 1 Cor. 13:4

Love is patient. The word makrothumei, according to dictionary sources, means to be patient and not lose heart. One translation puts it like this: "Love is never tired of waiting." This form of the word is passive - it means that love doesn't want to strike out, retaliate. Jesus had every right to retaliate as He went through the trial. He was blindsided, spit upon and constantly mocked. These things strike home with me, coming from a Zockoll ancestry that carries with it a fearful streak of anger. I've heard stories and even seen first-hand my relatives' tempers flare, with regrettable results. There are times when it is hardest to keep my anger, and that's when I feel it is justified. Yes, there are times to be angry, but not in the sense of losing control or lashing out, and that's the challenge I've faced for numerous years. I see that Jesus was justified to respond in anger and even violence - but He didn't.

You face a dorm roommate who just wears your patience, and tries you just about every day of the school year. You work under a boss who seems either unduly vicious or amazingly incompetent. You find out that you were the target of gossip. All of these things ought to be responded to with a quick stroke of anger, but there is a higher response, such as found in this passage... you respond in love.

I write this because I'm encountering some situations this week where I must use this very verse as I step into meetings and encounters where I will need to rely upon the words of the Lord in order to guard my steps and my mouth.

Brad Zockoll and his family want you to pray for son Peter Zockoll who is winding down his senior year at high school and is making some serious plans for college and his career. Please pray for God's guidance in Peter's life.

Mark 15:34

And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?”–which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

Jesus was on the cross, suffering not only physically but spiritually as well. He cries out a sorrowful wail: "Why do you forsake me, Father?"

I am familiar with the feelings of being forsaken, having endured a painful childhood after my parents' divorce. Truly, only child of divorce can understand the utter loneliness of the ending of parent/child bond. The one you loved and held in esteem has said "No, my interests are more important than you." Parents who read this can use any excuse they wish, but they'll never be able to explain away the devastation of a child realizing the close-knit love relationship will never return. It's a loneliness that will never leave. The child has been forsaken.

Jesus was forsaken. It was necessary for the ultimate sacrifice to be paid. If there is one part of the crucifixion to which I can say I identify, it is this forsaking. I have never been tortured nor forced to face a hostile, violent mob ... but I have been forsaken. And in that little way I can begin to see the gnawing emptiness Jesus felt. It makes His love for me all the more real, because He chose to face this for my sake.

David Guzik brings some amazing truths to this lesson:

There was a significant sense in which Jesus rightly felt forsaken by God the Father at this moment.

i. How? Because God made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Corinthians 5:21).

ii. Jesus not only endured the withdrawal of the Father’s fellowship, but also the actual outpouring of the Father’swrath upon Him as a substitute for sinful humanity.

iii. Horrible as this was, it fulfilled God’s good and loving plan of redemption. Therefore, Isaiah can say Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him (Isaiah 53:10).

iv. At the same time, we cannot say that the separation between the Father and the Son at the cross was complete, because as 2 Corinthians 5:19 says, God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself at the cross.

v. It rarely grieves man to be separated from God, or to consider that he is a worthy object of God’s wrath; yet this was the true agony of Jesus on the cross.

Guzik, David. "Study Guide for Mark 15." Enduring Word. Blue Letter Bible. 7 Jul 2006.2009. 21 Oct 2009.
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Brad Zockoll and his family welcome your responses and insight on the entries of this blog. Please understand, though, this blog is not about debate or argument. We're looking for spiritual truths and insight, so your additions and reflections are most welcome. Thank you to the many people who contact me and let me know that they read this blog - it's an encouragement to me.

John 16:12-15

"I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you."

We're all interested in the future; in fact, the upcoming movie about the Mayan prophecies of 2012 are taking advantage of the fact that people like to hear and read about things to come. The Holy Spirit, as explained by Jesus, will make known the things of the future to us, but not in a fortune-telling, crystal ball way. The ministry of the Holy Spirit is to guide us to the truth in Christ Jesus. It's not the ministry of us. I don't work in the ministry of me. God help us if we ever fall into the selfish pursuit of ego-building. Things to come include the revelation of Jesus Christ as Judge and Sovereign. Future revealings tell of the Kingdom of God and the glory that outshines anything here on earth. That is what the Holy Spirit aims to do. We are to tell of the glory of eternity, not the quick-rich-schemes of the present day.

I recall the loving service of one of the men of the church I now attend. He has been instrumental in helping us purchase houses as he would walk through places we sought to buy, using his years of experience as a realtor to help me avoid pitfalls - and he never would take a penny from me. He was, and is, my financial mentor as well as a guide to help me grow in Christ. This man is very wealthy, but he lives in modest means, preferring to use his wealth to further the Kingdom. He has the Holy Spirit leading his eyes to look to the future.

Tuesday note: The blessings of the Zockoll household include the friendship of the John and Lori Huffman family. Lori has suffered a continuing fight with cancer but has shown an incredible Godly strength through all of the trials. They'll be with us during the Halloween festivities for an evening of fellowship.

Last night's five-and-a-half-hour Bible study

Our Bible study is growing in more ways than one. More young people are showing up on Sunday and the hours of the "open house" study have become longer. We started yesterday at 4 p.m. and continued until 9:30 p.m.with continuous Scripture study.

Well, okay, we did take a break for some more nachos and roasting marshmallows over our fireplace, but overall the group of college students were pretty intense. Our studies ranged from Greek words storge, agape and phileo; Revelation 20 and the futuristic teaching in the chapter; Zechariah prophecies; verses concerning abortion; Davidic prophecies; and a debate.

The Sunday afternoon Bible studies are meant to be an open forum on anything the students want to discuss concerning the Bible and Christian issues. I have a regular Bible study we walk through, but at any time we break off and answer questions. We don't have any music or games; this is straight-on Bible learning. Please understand that students do not need to stay for the whole study; some come in at 6 p.m., others must leave early, so the students do not need to stay all five and a half hours ... though some do.

Wow, it is an uplifting time for me. The group - Jared, Jonathan, Daniel, Heather, Aaron and the others - are all intense and yet relaxed. The Lord takes over as we study, and the fellowship is based upon our growth in Christ.

Here is part of the learning we had last night (there has been a strong interest in prophecy):

ZECHARIAH'S PROPHECIES.

Many people aren't aware that Zechariah the prophet had some amazing prophecies that he proclaimed on the authority of the Lord. He made his proclamations of the future over 2500 years ago while walking the streets of Jerusalem. Zechariah's prophecies were aimed at the Diaspora of the time - the Jews returning from the Babylonian Captivity His prophecies warned that it was not over - the Jews face more persecution and far-flung dispersion. In the midst of all of this shocking news is an interweaving of hope: the Messiah would come. Zechariah gave the signs of the requirements of the Savior...

Zechariah 9:9
The expected Messiah would enter Jerusalem while riding on a donkey

Zechariah 11:12-13
Zechariah's play-acting tale of a shepherd foreshadowed the betrayal of Jesus for 30 pieces of silver

Zechariah 12:10
Zechariah foretells the crucifixion of the Messiah

You are most welcome to come to the Zockoll household on Sunday evenings if you are in the Knoxville, Tennessee area. Please write me at bradzockoll@gmail.com and let me know when you are coming through the area. We would love to have you join us by the fireplace for an evening of looking at God's Word.

Studio is set up

We've just finished setting up the recording studio so I will be able to undertake the numerous radio broadcasting tasks that have been coming into my office lately. Along with recording public service announcements on behalf of the Premier Basketball League teams, I will be doing some charity work for some organizations. Eiva Media's Steven Johnson and his brother Dave have been a great help in getting this project completed.

The whole Zockoll clan went over to hear Aaron Coffey speak at Oak Ridge Baptist Church last night. What a genuine speaker! You don't hear many like this gentleman anymore - sincerely in love with giving God's Word with no pretense or ego. His message was from Psalm 1 and I couldn't agree more: Christians would find more peace and power by simply enjoying and digging deeper into their Bibles.

Susie Shellenberger, editor of SUSIE Magazine has been a good friend of mine for a number of years. She is the head of a great magazine for Christian teen girls and the website is top of the line as well. www.susiemagazine.com

Julianne turned five on Sunday! We had a big blowout, like the Zockolls usually do, and party hats were the fashion statement of the day. The highlight of the day was the little electric car that Grandma and Grandpa gave her. I'll post a picture tomorrow.

Jesus is the Word John 1:1

LOGOS

"In the beginning was the Word..."

The word "logos" was used in the spiritual sense around 600 BC when a Greek philosopher named Heraclitus used the term to capture the idea of the supernatural reason or divine plan that would oversee and control a moving and growing universe. Aristotle used the word to mean rational discourse that was above pathos or ethos - logos was pure reason. The Stoic philosophers of the day, who judged behavior above speech, used the term "logos" to mean the supernatural principle that runs throughout the universe, guiding the morals of its inhabitants.

Thus, when John used logos in speaking of the guiding principle of the universe and equating it to Christ, he grabbed the attention of those who were familiar with the power of the word. John was telling everyone that Jesus Christ was more than a teacher and a moral character - He was God Himself, the guiding and logical principle of the entire universe.

Good Chambers Quote

If in preaching the gospel you substitute your knowledge of the way of salvation for confidence in the power of the gospel, you hinder people from getting to reality.

- Oswald Chambers

... in other words, let's pull back on the ego and let Christ speak. Too many times I have heard personal illustrations that cloud the clear instruction of salvation through Jesus Christ. Be careful of the need to do a little boasting of yourself and not boast of Christ. It's like scribbling all over a road map; someone may get the proper route, but they've got to get past your personal markings. If your personal stories don't directly line up with Christ's direction, then remain silent.

This is great...really great

At this stage of my life (I'm now 50 years old) I look for ways to do the Lord's work with a mind toward helping the next generation. Call it a heritage or what you will, but my deep desire is to minister to young people and pass on the blessings that the Lord has given me through these years.

That's why it was amazing to see the ministry results over at Concord Christian School on Tuesday night. I will post pictures asap. The four collegiate teams, from Omega Rho to Zeta Chi, had their Rush Night - and the whole gymnasium was a great, loud, exciting event. The teams had booths up and food galore. The students were excited and energetic. Sure, I know that one noisy evening doesn't make a ministry, but it showed the potential for the coming year. The students are ready! 2 Timothy 1:7 was already taking place. The future is promising for this middle school in the area of Christian leadership, teamwork, and spiritual growth.

These are the same kids I was with at the spiritual retreat last month. There were awesome decisions then. Tuesday night showed me that the decisions are still alive. Yes, I do feel like these are my kids... and I get a great joy from seeing their walk with Jesus.

I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth. - 3 John 1:4

Cold Winter?

It's a bit chilly this morning, and I am reminded of the shorts news article I read yesterday, claiming that this winter could be the coldest in ten years. Happily for us, we have a gas fireplace upstairs and a wood fireplace on the bottom floor. No use taking chances! I'm going out today to check our woodpile, but I am fairly certain we'll have enough fuel to carry us through.

I came back exhausted from the Premier Basketball League's Washington DC Combines, and it was quite a sight - scores of young athletes trying to earn a place on the roster. I can't help but be impressed by the fact that many men have placed months of practice and years of hope on Sunday's Combine. Through my career I well remember the joys of victory and the hurt of defeat, as I'm sure you do too.

I'm having a fantastic time in the Scripture reading. I was given a "read through the Bible in a year" edition and I find it hard to put it down - as it is, I'm almost three weeks ahead of the reading. I'm now in the opening pages of the New Testament, of the coming of the Messiah. It's as exciting as the first time I heard the story.

God's Holiness

God is holy - that truth constantly amazes me and stops me cold whenever I try to follow my own paths. We often overlook God's sacred separateness and try to fit Him into a category that would satisfy our selfish needs. We cannot overlook the fact that the Scriptures constantly remind us of God's holiness.

Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders? Ex.15:11

Give unto the LORD the glory [due] unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness. 1 Chr. 16:29

Worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness. Psalm 29:2

Sing unto the LORD, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness. Psalm 30:4

God sits upon the throne of his holiness. Psalm 47:8

God hath spoken in his holiness. Psalm 60:6

Art thou not from everlasting, O LORD my God, mine Holy One? Hbk 1:12

Good things

Tomorrow is the Hot Air Balloon Festival at Pellissippi State.


We had a great week with my father coming to visit. I have not seen him since last year and it's great whenever he comes to stay for a while. We treated him to the movies, Italian restaurants, trips around town, Chinese restaurants, shopping, BBQ restaurants... you get the idea. Dad is 80 and moves around like he's 30. WE were hoping he'd come back for Thanksgiving, but he's back in PA, active in his Jazz band and doesn't think he can shake loose.

Jill has been readying the house for fall - it looks great. I'll try to post some pictures later on. Our "new" flooring is parquet - we found it whenever I was ripping up the old carpet. Hey, great savings! No new carpet to purchase.

Julianne has been Supergirl, Cinderella and Batgirl this week. Hard to keep up with all of the fictional characters. Easier than last month - she was Wall-E for a week.

Peter has just today gotten over the flu. He was in severe pain, with nausea and fever. Swine flu? We never could tell. He's recovered and will be back on the football field. It's a bye week so he has some days to get his strength back.

I had a great time speaking at GCA's chapel yesterday. Talked about forgiveness. God took over.

I had a great reading this morning in Nehemiah. What a story. One of the best verses is in 9:6:

You alone are the Lord. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, and all their starry host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven worship you.

Premier Basketball League

This Sunday I will be at Washington DC for the Premier Basketball League Combine, a pre-season tryout camp for players, coaches and even referees. No, I'm not going to take to the court - I never was a basketball player of any worth (one year playing in a church league, where we went 1-11 and the one win was a forfeit. We lost a game by a score of 73-10. I am not kidding).

I will be writing articles about the 11 teams in the PBL and chatting with the coaches, preparing the brand new league website for content. I have been given the position of Vice President of Media Operations for the Premier Basketball League, assisting in the promotion and marketing of the teams. A new website will be posted during the first week of October.

Quote by Hawking

"The odds against a universe like ours emerging out of something like the big bang are enormous... I think clearly there are religious implications whenever you start to discuss the origins of the universe."

- Stephen W. Hawking,
Stephen Hawking's Universe,
page 109.

Giving it all over to Jesus

The past months have been an eventful, and at times fun, period in our household. Nicholas has now graduated from the AirForce trainiing in San Antonio, and Peter is settled into his regimen at his final year at Grace Christian Academy. My work with the American Basketball Association, Premier Basketball League, TownMe, Project Doulos and other companies has made my office busy to say the least.

But I'm looking to see what the Lord Jesus Christ would have us to do now. But I'm letting Jesus open the doors.

For the past months I've been almost exclusively working with secular companies and have had an ache to serve in the ministry in the area of writing. Enhancing this yearning is the great time we have each Sunday evening as University of Tennessee students come in for our Bible study. At times I want to minister so much more that it keeps me awake at night.

"In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps." - Proverbs 16:9

However, I see the Lord telling me that patience is the key here.

"Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." - Psalm 46:10

My daily reading in the Scripture (Ezekiel and Jeremiah) have constantly shown me the principle of slowing down and waiting.

And for once in my life that is what I'm going to do. In doing so, I am openly laying out all plans and hopes solely on the lap of the risen Christ. There's a great peace in doing this.

Starting off the week

Psalm 107:31 - "Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!"

The picture you're seeing is of Julianne's second day at pre-school. It was Cowboy Day and she was a rarin' to go. Jill tries her best to keep a straight face but can't do it. Julie is the Human Cartoon. Every day she comes into my office and sits at her little desk and "works" for about an hour. She'll empty my trash can and sort some papers but mostly she'll draw pictures for me. My office is like a regular art studio now.

Hey, it's been a great time lately.

Jill's up and around and making this home look great - the renovation projects and other chores we've been tackling are starting to show. She has really decorated the home and made it look awesome. Jill has a definite gift.

Peter is getting more and more into the football season, and he's adjusting well in the Grace Christian Academy life.

Julianne is Julianne.

Nicholas is graduating in San Antonio this week. Alexis will fly down to TX to see him.

My writing jobs have picked up lately. Google, 24OnDemand, Premier Basketball League, even a possible movie script...I'm fighting to keep everything in order. Plus the Collegian program I wrote is going great at the churches and schools around the country.

Last night was great. We had five University of Tennessee students join our Sunday evening Bible study, and the whole place was energized. Bobby McCoy came over and spoke about his life and God's greatness, even after the accident that left him in a wheelchair. He was - and is - an inspiration to us all. He gave a message that fits our family to the Nth degree: in spite of all the world's trouble, God is still very, very good.

I agree wholeheartedly. God is good - all the time.

Big Saturday

We were all excited this morning. Fed Ex arrived , and - woo hoo! - I received a nice check for some sports league work for the upcoming season - nothing like seeing a little up-front payment to get the morning started! Writing has slowly but surely been getting more steady; the previous months showed me the severity of the economy to many businesses. A lot of them needed me to write for their web page, manual or articles, but could not scrape the money together. A few energized businesses have helped me a lot. And besides all that, the rain and a little Miracle Gro have combined to make my gardens pretty monstrous.

Peter played linebacker for GCA vs. a Chattanooga team and he got in a few good licks. Nicholas' graduation is this week, at San Antonio. Praise the Lord from Whom all blessings flow!

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From Paul Little:

As we face the claims of Christ, there are only four possibilities. He was either a liar, a lunatic, a legend, or the Truth. If we say He is not the Truth, we are automatically affirming one of the other three alternatives, whether we realize it or not.

(1) One possibility is that Jesus lied when He said He was God -- that He knew He was not God, but deliberately deceived His hearers to lend authority to His teaching. Few, if any, seriously hold this position. Even those who deny His deity affirm that He was a great moral teacher. They fail to realize those two statements are a contradiction. Jesus could hardly be a great moral teacher if, on the most crucial point of His teaching -- His identity -- He was a deliberate liar.

(2) A kinder, though no less shocking possibility, is that He was sincere but self-deceived. We have a name for a person today who thinks he is God. That name is lunatic, and it certainly would apply to Christ if He were deceived on this all-important issue. But as we look at the life of Christ, we see no evidence of the abnormality and imbalance we find in a deranged person. Rather, we find the greatest composure under pressure.

(3) The third alternative is that all of the talk about His claiming to be God is a legend -- that what actually happened was that His enthusiastic followers, in the third and fourth centuries, put words into His mouth He would have been shocked to hear. Were He to return, He would immediately repudiate them.

The legend theory has been significantly refuted by many discoveries of modern archeology. These have conclusively shown that the four biographies of Christ were written within the lifetime of contemporaries of Christ. Some time ago Dr. William F. Albright, world-famous archaeologist now retired from Johns Hopkins University, said that there was no reason to believe that any of the Gospels were written later than A.D. 70. For a mere legend about Christ, in the form of the Gospel, to have gained the circulation and to have had the impact it had, without one shred of basis in fact, is incredible.

For this to have happened would be as fantastic as for someone in our own time to write a biography of the late John F. Kennedy and in it say he claimed to be God, to forgive people's sins, and to have risen from the dead. Such a story is so wild it would never get off the ground because there are still too many people around who knew Kennedy. The legend theory does not hold water in the light of the early date of the Gospel manuscripts.

(4) The only other alternative is that Jesus spoke the truth. From one point of view, however, claims don't mean much. Talk is cheap. Anyone can make claims. There have been others who have claimed to be God. I could claim to be God, and you could claim to be God, but the question all of us must answer is, "What credentials do we bring to substantiate our claim?" In my case it wouldn't take you five minutes to disprove my claim. It probably wouldn't take too much more to dispose of yours. But when it comes to Jesus of Nazareth, it's not so simple. He had the credentials to back up His claim. He said, "Even though you do not believe Me, believe the evidence of the miracles, that you may learn and understand that the Father is in Me, and I in the Father" (John 10:38).

Source: http://www.everystudent.com/features/faith.html?gclid=CI388r6nyZwCFU0i2godmS0BJA

Recent events

I'm heading over to Concord Christian School this morning to help introduce Blueprint Doulos, the teamwork and leadership program I wrote, designed for Christian youth groups and high school students. In late September I'm supposed to meet with some organizations in Orlando who may make it a national ministry. Jill and I are praying about this. If it can be part of a Christian organization's growth, then it'll be a blessing to me to be able to provide it.

We've had a busy household around here. As Jill and I were renovating, I pulled up some carpet in the main fireplace room and found that underneath looked to be some pretty nice wood flooring. I ripped up the rest of it to find some awesome parquet flooring, hidden from sight for over twenty years, It's changed the look of the whole room.

Then Dave Whitaker, wife Lynette and daughter Kaylan were traveling through to get Kaylan settled in for college. I worked on the staff at Heart to Heart Bible Church in Phoenix AZ where Dave was the pastor. That was almost ten years ago. The whole family looks like they haven't aged a bit... well except for Kaylan. She was only eight when we left. Now she's a beautiful young lady, ready to strike out on her own.

Then I get a call a couple of days later. It's the Moorehead family from the Kansas City area. What a riot! They were also passing through, so we stopped the work day and threw out the spread for a lunch that ended up lasting three hours or so. What fun. Dan and Kathy Moorehead are dear friends from the old college days. They were chugging along the interstate with their family, also on the way to droppiing off their son Nathan for college. It was a great time. I keep telling Dan he needs to move here to Knoxville, but will he listen? We have everything you'd want in a town... mainly restaurants. Tons of eateries here in the town. Hey, that's pretty big incentive.

Peter will be playing football tonight for Grace Christian Academy. They're playing a school in Chattanooga, an away game. Peter will be putting some time in as a linebacker and maybe a bit as a lineman. He's really adapted to the speed and the flow of the game and he'll be ready to go tonight.

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Psalm 143:8 - "Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust..." It's in the morning, before the rush of the day, that I best feel God's gentleness. Yes, that's it, His gentleness. He lets me arise and get my thoughts in order, but He wants to help me sort them out in the correct manner, with an eye toward Him. As I get this proper view of the day, I am ready to walk the pathway with better sight toward all the challenges I'll face.

Self control

Galatians 5:22, 23 -"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. "

(self control is the Greek word enkrates from en = in + krátos = power is literally one having power to "hold oneself in" or to "master self". Enkrates means the ability to have dominion over self. The individual exercising enkrates is displaying restraint over his own emotions and appetites. He is able to control his impulses and desires. By showing enkrates I am displaying the fruit of the Spirit. And boy, is this a hard one to follow.

I can recall the time in college when the stress was so bad and the testing so great that I literally saw red. A felloow student was showing callousness and rudeness, and I had reached my limit of him (ever happen to you college students with roommates?) I had to do everything possible from exploding in anger, and to be truthful, it scared me.

Years later, as a teacher, I was accosted by a parent who was so angry she was almost shaking. We scheduled an appointment with the principal and some other mediators. I realized the situation would be volatile, and I was also aware of my need to keep things in control, so I had some deep prayer prior to the meeting. Thank the Lord, even though the accusations and emotions were loud and personal, they didn't really reach me - in other words, they didn't get to me. When it was explained to the woman that all of her accusations were false, she immediately directed her anger at another person in the room. I then realized how dangerous the situation could have been - she was provoking someone in the room to lose their temper. (None of us did.) By leaning on the Lord I was able to make it through.

Enkrates - control of temper, appetite, direction, desires, focus. This is pretty near impossible if I attempt this on my own, believe me. However, I find that God's power through the Holy Spirit makes it possible. It is indeed a fruit of the Spirit.

The right attitude about possessions

The writing career is fun - but it's also a long row to hoe.

I face some pretty tough times - as we all do - in having enough work for us to take care of our household needs. The writing profession is not immune to the financial trials of the nation, and each assignment is met with great appreciation. As I pray for guidance and direction each day so that I might receive the work and payments to take care of our household, I am reminded of the balance to be struck so that greed doesn't enter the picture. The fine program Discover the Word (www.rbc.org) had this as a great explanation:

The Greeks tell the story of rich King Croesus who wallowed in his gold. But he became beside himself with mortification because he could not make the Athenian philosopher Solon envy him.

There is a Yiddish tale about a poor man who was given three wishes. But there was a condition: whatever he wished for would be granted to him, but the same would be given double to his neighbor.

First, he wished for a beautiful wife and got her, but his neighbor received two beautiful wives.

Second, he wished for a palace and got it, but his neighbor got two palaces.

Third, so filled with jealousy, he used his third wish to be blind in one eye and it was so, and his neighbor became blind in both eyes.

... people who have accumulated money are not necessarily happy.

A reporter asked Nelson Rockefeller, “How much money does it take to be happy?” He replied, “Just a little bit more.”

Accumulating money has been compared to drinking salt water. The thirst remains ...

"You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s" (Exodus 20:17).

Source for story: http://www.rbc.org/radio-tv/discover-the-word/2009/07/15/program.aspx Brad Zockoll, 2009

Looking ahead

This is the Brad Zockoll favorite quote of the month:


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

Blueprint Doulos

Attached are some pictures of some of the teens involved with the Blueprint Doulos project in years past. Years back I had created this program and we had 150 churches across the U.S. and into Canada. The Lord has directed me to re-establish this ministry across the United States and right now we are doing a test-run as I try to resurrect the program after more than a decade. The principle of Blueprint Doulos is that the young people in school and in youth groups are, as James 1:22 says, "doers and not just hearers of the Word." Strategy meetings, game teamwork, teaching, responsibilities and intensive Bible discussions are part of the maturation process of the student within the Blueprint Doulos (doulos is the Greek word for "servant") program. Teens learn to serve as well as lead. They are directed to straightforward lessons about the reality of Jesus Christ and the work of the Lord in this world. So far twenty-five churches and schools have signed up, reaching from California to Pennsylvania. Please pray; a group of churches in Nova Scotia is considering taking on this beta testing part of the program as we gear toward the fall.

Renovation

The Zockoll household is undergoing renovation. The whole front section of our main floor has been stripped down, repainted and repatched. We're into our third week of repair, and it's giivng me a feeling of living in a warehouse. Anywhere you talk you get echos. It'll be nice to get the furniture back in here. Tony Skinner's paint and wallpaper crew does a fantastic job. If you live in Knoxville, this is the man you need to see.

We pulled up some old carpet in the fireplace room and found beautiful wood flooring. After a cleanup, I now have a parquet floor. No extra carpet purchases - woo hoo! That's the skinflint side of me talking.
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This is from Bill Gordon's fine column at 4truth.net, a ministry of the North American Mission Board:

Philosophical objection:
"Why didn't God create free creatures that would not sin?"

Christian Response:
Those who raise this objection never provide a satisfactory answer as to how God could manipulate a free choice and at the same time keep the choice free. The Christian doctrine of God teaches that God is all-powerful. However, there are some things that even an all-powerful God cannot do.
For example, the Bible teaches that God cannot sin (see Num. 23:19; 1 Sam. 15:29; Heb. 6:18; Jas. 1:13). Christian theologians also argue that God cannot do anything that is nonsensical or self-contradictory.
When the skeptic asks why God didn't create a free creation that would not choose evil, he might as well ask why God didn't create square circles. Both questions are self-contradictory and nonsensical. A square is not a circle and a fixed will is not free.

Three wonders

“If I ever reach heaven I expect to find three wonders there: first, to meet some I had not thought to see there; second, to miss some I had expected to see there; and third -- the greatest wonder of all -- to find myself there.”

-JOHN WESLEY

True Friendships

Here is a picture of our front yard, including my pet project: the front flower garden. When we moved in, the bushes had been overgrown and a lot of the ornamental foliage had been inexplicably designed to actually block the passerby a look at the flowerbed. I spent the spring ripping out all the shrubs and laying out a whole new design of plants. I aimed for a Victorian style of splashes of color throughout the garden. I've now added a second garden across the yard. It's the Russian heritage of farming; man, I do love to get into the soil whenever I can.

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I think of some of the deepest friendships of my childhood. There was a great elementary school pal named Danny, who listened to my fantastic stories and superhero plans, encouraging me all the way. Then there was the Camp Mt. Lou San summer counselor "Uncle Marv", a former member of the Air Force who was a humble yet straightforward mentor to us impressionable ones. I also remember my teen years' spiritual mentor Eric, who helped me see the reality of Jesus and the joy of the Scripture. All of these - and many more - friends helped me see the true friendship that Jesus offers to everyone and anyone. Even in my stupidest moments - the time I was arrested for an act of graffiti, the time I cheated on my high school sweetheart, the time I lied to a string of friends in order to cover up an initial falsehood - these close friends stood by me and let me know that they would stay nearby. They didn't condone my stupidity, but even as they corrected me they showed that they were true companions. I think that is where I first saw Jesus as more than an icon; I saw Him as a friend.

" My love of you, O Lord, is not some vague feeling: it is positive and certain. Your word struck into my heart and from that moment I loved you. Besides this, all about me, heaven and earth and all that they contain proclaim that I should love you, and their message never ceases to sound in the ears of all mankind, so that there is no excuse for any not to love you. But, more than all this, you will show pity on those whom you pity; you will show mercy where you are merciful; for if it were not for your mercy, heaven and earth would cry your praises to deaf ears." - Augustine, "Confessions"

What I owe

I love the depth of Oswald Chambers' work. His insight, like CS Lewis, forces me to pause and reflect. Here are some of his words concerning the passage in Romans:

"I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the barbarians." Romans 1:14
"Paul was overwhelmed with the sense of his indebtedness to Jesus Christ, and he spent himself to express it. The great inspiration in Paul's life was his view of Jesus Christ as his spiritual creditor. Do I feel that sense of indebtedness to Christ in regard to every unsaved soul?"

Chambers' words strike deep. Have I been really absorbed in not only pleasing Christ but in reaching others for Him? I get caught up in my work in the sportswriting world and in the editing work I am doing for corporations, I tend to forget that there are plenty of people I can reach for Christ. Each day this summer is a new opportunity.

Right now I teach a summer series on Wednesday night to students. Have I asked questions about their souls? Have I showed them Jesus? I've been dealing with sports team owners around the country. Have I been the right witness? Have my words pointed to or away from Jesus?

I want to keep these thoughts forefront.

Two words

I stood on the tiny concrete-pad-and-canvas-awning porch that makes up the front of M&M Barbecue here in Knoxville, Tennessee. At M&M you don't sit down and eat. In fact, you don't even stand up and eat. The place is so small that you're forced to make your choices at an order window and take your stuff home. But, oh, it's worth it. That's why every time I stop by the place I stand in a line of at least seven to ten people.

"I've seen you here before, buddy." said the tall grinning man next to me. "You and your son were here, gettin' a big order. You really tear into this stuff, don't you?"

"Sure do," I agreed. "This is fantastic barbecue."

"Reminds me of the place over near Walker Springs exit," the man said, looking at the awning as if trying to visualize a road map. "Good pork, and the hush puppies are crisp." He glanced at me. "But ol' Pressy here, she has a way of smokin' the chicken that tops anything in town. Lookit all those smokers, son."

He stepped back. "Here, buddy, you go ahead of me. I'm in no hurry."

I gave a weak protest - I was dying for some ribs - but he insisted that I move ahead of him. I thankfully moved ahead but we still chatted.

And that gives you Knoxville, Tennessee in a nutshell. Two words, really.

Food. Friends.

Now, I'm not trying to over-simplify. Knoxville is nationally known for its college sports programs at the University of Tennessee. Appalachian music and bluegrass talent seems to grow from trees. Oak Ridge nuclear technology is right down the road. The city has a lot of quirks, qualities, bells and whistles enough to intrigue anyone who visits. Just a quick look at the Civil War history books gives an idea of the heritage this city owns.

But the two building blocks I find here are exceptional meals and folks who won't take you for a stranger. Those two are virtually intertwined, too. Who hasn't been invited to a Knoxville gathering where there wasn't a table groaning with pies, cakes, salads, and enough meat to drive anyone's cholesterol to the Space Station? Ever here of the after-church suppers and socials? Heck, we practically invented 'em. Folks and food, going together hand-in-ha ...er, fork. And yes, more than one restaurant in town serves fried-green tomatoes.

It's a stereotype we can live with. Go ahead, you can tease. Just pass me a plate of slaw to go with my pulled pork.

And another plate here for my friend. Here you go, buddy - slaw and pork. And what did you say your name was...?

New week, big assignments

Big week this week in the office. Some major work being done in preparation for the sports leagues starting up in the fall, and time moves quickly. I'm working with Marty on the West Coast as we ready some teams for the work to be done. A couple of tours to assemble, and some columns to write today. Lots of time at the keyboard and on the phone. And all while still celebrating my hometown Penguins' Stanley Cup championship. Yeah, the playoffs were great. I have a 1980s era Pens jersey on the wall of our Man Room.

Through the years I've read numerous Christian authors. Some are simple and effective in their message. Others are fairly confusing - at least to me - with numerous high-handed statements and lofty phrases. Still others try for a broad audience and try so hard to make a watered-down version of the Gospel that their weak narrative is downright embarrassing.

Time and time again I keep coming back to C.S. Lewis. As I have said before, I am not a real fan of his fiction (nothing wrong with it, just personal taste) but his apologetics are powerful. I enjoy a writer who is no-nonsense and yet careful to let the reader think. Lewis does not put words in your mouth, so to speak. He gives you a proposal and lets you study. I've always liked that kind of teaching. It might be because I grew up with no father figure who instructed me, so I enjoy a good sit-down instruction that's clear-cut and direct.

Here's a sample from Mere Christianity:

Enemy-occupied territory-that is what this world is. Christianity is the story of how the rightful king has landed, you might say landed in disguise, and is calling us all to take part in a great campaign of sabotage. When you go to church you are really 'listening-in' to the secretwireless from our friends: that is why the enemy is so anxious to prevent us from going. He does it by playing on our conceit and laziness and intellectual snobbery. I know someone will ask me, "Do you really mean, at this time of day, to reintroduce our old friend the devil-hoofs and horns and all?"
Well, what the time of day has to do with it I do not know. And I am not particular about the hoofs and horns. But in other respects my answer is "Yes, I do."
I do not claim to know anything about his personal appearance. If anybody really wants to know him better I would say to that person, "Don't worry. If you really want to, you will. Whether you'll like it when you do is another question."

Proverbs 28:6

"It is better to be poor and honest than rich and crooked."

Nicholas and Alexis stopped by for a visit this weekend. Peter is establishing a small online business, and we'll see the first steps this week. Jill may have caught another round of poison ivy, believe it or not. Julliane is getting over a small cold. My writing career is now stable and I thank the Lord for the many literary opportunities He has sent my way. I stay pretty busy in my office six days a week.

It wasn't too long ago that I was approached by a business that wanted me to do some unethical work. They would pay well, and they were offering me some hefty bonuses and perks for both me and those within my network. Only this was, the work they wanted to do was sleazy.

It wasn't hard to cut them off. No way my people are going to dishonor the Lord, who has given us so much. God has been fantastic - as He always is - and my policy is that neither my network nor I will work with anything that I am asked to do that would be a slight to the Lord. Furthermore, I will cease working for anyone who would question the honeswty and integrity of the work we do.

It reminds me of the time when I was a high school artist - not especially talented, but fairly competent in drawing cartoons - and was picking up odd jobs of illustrating various bits of work for teachers and students. One spring I was approached by an assistant football coach who wanted me to draw an obscene sketch for a poster. I was stuck. I had been raised to show respect for authority figures and obey them while showing honor for their position in life. So I was stuck. It may seem humorous to you because the answer seems so obvious but the teaching of respect for authority was deeply ingrained in me.

The coach argued with me. He promised to leave my name off of it. He tried to bargain with me. But eventually he wore down after I got a backbone and let him know that I could not do those kind of drawings. The sad thing was that I did not let him know that my convictions were based on my life with Christ. The good thing, though, was that I was able to see Jesus walk me through a very difficult situation.

It's the same approach I take now; that God will be honored in all the work I do. I strive for that each day.

Scripture quotation from New Living Translation.

Prov.31:10

"A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies."

Here I am with Jill at my 50th birthday party. Of all of the wonderful gifts God has given me, Jill is at the top of my list. She has been my support and encourager through the hardest times of my adult life, and she has been a support whenever I tackled a project that was daunting yet attainable. Most of all, she has been a spiritual influence in our household, an example of one who desires to please God each and every day.

In case you were wondering, we're sitting on a giant inflatable slide that was in our back yard. Yeah, my birthday was pretty off the wall.

My 50th birthday today

Here on my birthday there are a lot of significant things that I could say as I look back upon my life but I'll spare you the boring details by giving you the best secular quote I've read this year:

You were born an original. Don't die a copy.

~John Mason

Outside of the Bible, I think that's about the best advice I've ever read. I firmly believe it

and now pardon me as I prepare for our garden party where I'm going to eat so much barbecue that I'll sprout horns.

Tomorrow: the half-century mark

Here's a picture of Julianne and me taken at the Knoxville Ice Bears minor league hockey game.

Tomorrow I will be 50 years old, and I must tell you, I enter into tomorrow's celebration a thankful man. God has been good, amazingly good.

Even in the trials He has patiently taught me and brought me along, so that, as stupid as I am, I can still learn. He's placed some wonderful lessons in front of me so that I can continue to grow in His knowledge.

I'm able to work with professional athletes, start-up businesses and major corporations by writing for them and helping them in the field of communications. I'm able to be creative and form new ideas to help people. I'm blessed to be able to continue to write novels and articles for companies across the country. I'm going to be part of a new publishing firm. More about that later.

And I get to enjoy my family. I have the blessing of having my office inside my home.

Tomorrow, the former members of the West Park Baptist youth group of decades ago will be my guests at our birthday party. So many good things happening.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life... Psalm 23:6