Blog.

I admit that I’m just a little behind on keeping you guys up to date.  Ok, I’m really behind, but hopefully this will make up for it: Three sets of pictures to keep you guys happy…

First, Heather went to Seattle in May on business, but was able to sneak in a day of tourism.

Full Gallery HERE

Second, here’s a few more pics of Truman for all you dog lovers.

Click HERE for more.

And last, my parents spent a week with us recently, and we really loved having them here. Here are a few pictures of our adventures with them…

Full Gallery HERE.

For all you daily readers, I promise there will be pictures and updates soon.  My parents are in town visiting, and we’re having a wonderful time.  Hopefully this weekend I’ll get around to posting something besides my crazy “sermons”…

This will probably be a long post, but bear with me, I think these thoughts are extremely important to those with a passion to know God. In light of my previous post, I have tried several times to sit down and start the discussions on my forum about all the things Kenneth and I are learning, but I can’t ever seem to quantify it in a simple post without going into an exhaustive history of the events leading up to whatever Bible passage I want to talk about. It just so happens that Kenneth is teaching his small group tonight and wanted to impress upon them the importance of spending quality time in the Word and studying it in context, which has forced him to summarize a lot of our study down to one lesson. The following is based on his notes for his lesson, with edits, comments, and references inserted by me.

Intro: God’s Consistency

God is consistent and does not change. Malachi 3:6-7 (”I the Lord do not change. So you, O descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed. Ever since the time of your forefathers you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you”, says the Lord Almighty) lets us know that he does not change in respect to his relationship with us in that he wants the same from us at all times. He wants our devotion and he will accept us if we turn to him in repentance and try to follow his ways. He is not out to trick those who earnestly seek him.

The idea behind this line of thinking is to take advantage of God’s consistency by familiarizing ourselves with how he works. Take the time to compare and contrast how God worked in situations in the past to find out what things are wrong and what things are right in the present.

The stories of how God worked before Christ came can reveal much to us about the nature of God and what he wants on a practical level. The main question we want to answer is “What are the keys to having God’s blessing?”

Flesh it out: Building Context

Building context cannot be easily taught (if at all) in a lesson or a series of lessons. It can only be attained by dedication to the semi-exhaustive study of God’s word on a personal level. Anyone truly dedicated to their faith must answer this question: “How much will I give to know God’s word?”

Due to generations of separation from the Jewish respect for the word of God, we (as Gentiles and Westerners) have lost the in-depth study that lends itself to the memorization of the word in a contextual setting. Therefore, it is necessary for those of us that do not have the bible memorized to use the tools we have available, such as an exhaustive concordance to help us tie up loose ends as we study.

3 Keys to Building Context:

1. Comparative stories: (Reference: 1 Samuel 13:8-14, 2 Samuel 6:12 through all Ch 7))

Question: Both David and Saul offered sacrifices before God. Neither of them was authorized to do so by the Levitical covenant. Why did Saul get rebuked and David did not?

The answer to this question takes more time then this entire lesson allows. The point to be made is the answer is found in studying the interaction of the two parties with their God while examining the rules and context of each sacrifice.

2. Locations/Places: (Reference: 2 Kings 8:1-6, Joshua 19:17-23, 1 Kings 12)

Question: What king did the Shunammite woman make her request to? This matters later in study when looking at the influence of Elisha and context surrounding his influence between the kings of 2 Kings.

In looking up the land of Shunem, it is found to be in the allotment for the tribe of Issachar which rebelled against Rehoboam with Israel after Solomon’s death. Therefore, it can be deduced that She is speaking to the king of Israel and not the King of Judah.

3. Names: (Reference: 1 Kings 19:16-18, 2 Kings Ch 9-10, Hosea 1:4-5)

Question: Jehu played a prominent role in fulfilling the word of God. He also was anointed king over Israel by Elisha’s servant. What did he do wrong that caused God to punish him?

Answer: After he was anointed king over Israel, Jehu went through and methodically executed anyone who had to do with either Ahab’s family (deceased at this point) or Ahaziah’s family. The question deepens when we find that both Ahab and Ahaziah had been prophesied to by God that their entire family would be wiped out for their sin. Upon further study of the name Ahaziah, we find that there are two Ahaziahs that are close in proximity to one another. The earlier one was the son of Ahab and the king of Israel, but the one Jehu completely destroyed the seemingly innocent family of was the son of Jehoram, the King of Judah. This leads me to believe that the massacre at Jezreel that is referred to in Hosea was of those who God had not prophesied against. (the prophecy was against Ahab’s family, not Jehoram’s) Seeing this, Jehu was obviously executing for his own political purposes and not necessarily for the purposes of God.

Question: Why does the bible tell us that Ahaziah king of Judah was Omri’s great-grandson?

Answer: Omri “did evil in the eyes of the LORD.” Omri was the king of Israel during a period away from God. Israel is historically known (worse than Judah) to turn their backs on God and not walk in his ways. This announcement of genealogy is to give background on what kind of person Ahaziah is and to let the reader know why he is prone to not follow God.

Summary

I can tell you details and all day long. To that extent, I can teach you these facts, but understanding more about how God works leads to understanding the motives and reasoning behind why God does what He does. Knowing God is not about digesting facts, but about spending enough time watching how God works to understand some of the “Why’s” on what he does. The reason that elders are to be older men is merely because they should have had a relationship with God (theoretically) longer and have witnessed him work enough to be familiar with how he works. This relationship is what enables them to recognize the handiwork of God, and provides the insight to lead the flock that God has placed them over.

In order to be better servants of God, it is imperative that we invest as much time as possible in his word and in prayer. If we are going to be the leaders of tomorrow, we need the insight of how God works in order to lessen the mistakes we make.

The following is the explanation of what I hope will become an excellent discussion board for anyone who is seeking to dig deeper into the Word of God. Ken and I are planning on posting our discussions and fleshing out our questions and what we are learning as we study through the text. These discussions will be posted here. I hope these thoughts will cause you to give some thought to how you approach the Bible and will inspire you to deepen your relationship with God.

In order to understand the questions and discussions contained here, you must know a few things that brought us to this point in our study. Kenneth Starr (longtime friend) and I have recently embarked on a “new” way to study the Word Of God. A couple years ago, I was handed a set of talks given at the Focus On The Family Institute in Colorado by Ray Vander Laan. Ray is a long time pupil of the Word and spent a significant portion of his life in Israel learning everything he could about the Jewish lifestyle, culture, and language (Hebrew, Greek, etc?). When he returned to the United States, he brought back with him a fire and a passion to teach and share his insights and the lessons God taught him while he was over in the Middle East.

In the talks I was given, Ray lays the foundation of how Ken and I approach the Text. First, you must understand the difference in the thought process between “Westerners” (the USA) and “Easterners” (The middle East, much of Asia and Africa). In general, Western thought is very logic based. They want facts, they possess a need to UNDERSTAND the things around them. If a Westerner fails to understand something, there is a good chance they will refuse to believe it, and will question it until it makes sense. Easterners, on the other hand, base their understanding on their experiences. Something doesn’t have to make logical sense for them to believe it, it just has to fit their experience. For example, an Easterner might believe that a car has an engine even though he’s never looked under the hood based on his experience of driving the car, where a Westerner would need to physically see the engine to truly believe it’s there. As silly as that sounds, the implications of this idea are far reaching. A Jew doesn’t have to understand God to believe in Him, where many Westerners today reject God based on the fact that He doesn’t make “sense” to them. Moses encountered God in a burning bush that didn’t burn up (Exodus 3). I don’t think he came down from the mountain trying to figure out how the bush was on fire but not burning up, he came down knowing that he had an encounter with Almighty God and although not everything made logical sense, He trusted God and proceeded to do what was asked of him.

Second, Ray points out that Westerners are very abstract thinkers, while Easterners are very concrete thinkers. For example, ask a Westerner who or what they think God is, and they will likely answer with words like “God is love”, “Joy”, “Almighty”, “Holy”, etc. It will be very hard to see anything if you close your eyes and try to picture those answers, but ask an Easterner the same question, and they will answer with “God is my Rock”, “my shield”, “my fortress”, “my shepherd”, “my living water”, etc. Those things are concrete. You can see them, they’re “pictures”.

Third, Ray points out the absolute necessity of our Jewish roots as Christians. We, as Americans (Gentiles), are essentially adopted Jews and cannot exist without our roots. Without our Jewish heritage we wouldn’t have Jesus, as the Bible says (using the picture of an Olive tree) He was a “shoot” from the “stump” of Jesse (Isaiah 11:1), and that we (Gentiles) are branches from wild “fruitless” olive trees that have been grafted in “among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root…” (Romans 11:11-24) Verse 18 of that same chapter says this: “You do not support the root, but the root supports you.” Our root that gives us the “nourishing sap” is not Jesus, but the “stump of Jesse”, or our Jewish heritage. Don’t hear me wrong, Jesus is the source of our salvation and our savior from sin, but Jesus was, as we are, a branch from the stump, not the stump itself. Sadly, Westerners and Western translations have done everything they can to strip the text of it’s Jewish “roots” and make it, for lack of a better word, “Western”.

With these three points in mind, Kenneth and I have begun to reexamine the text and experience for ourselves the power of God’s word when it is put in the context of which, and to whom it was written. In addition to just reading the text, we study with an exhaustive concordance, which is nothing more than an alphabetical listing of every word in the bible and where it is used. When we come to a new name, we look it up in the concordance and see if and where else that person is mentioned. We then read that passage and the surrounding context to try to get a picture of who that person was and how they fit in (what tribe were they from, who are they related to, etc). Same procedure for places, strange objects that we might not be familiar with (ex. a Goad), tribes, laws, and anything else that might be mentioned elsewhere in the Bible. Yes, it takes a lot longer to get through a passage of scripture, but as you begin to put the whole picture together and see the Bible as one continuous interwoven message instead of a collection of short stories, God truly begins to open your eyes to things you’ve never before seen.

Finally, but most importantly, I leave you with an exert from an email Ken sent me recently:

“…I think it is imperative that we stress the reading of the text, but more importantly stress that the text itself will not get you there. A person must first be concerned with pleasing God and coming to know Him. No formula, including the text or not will get you to God. Only His grace and following him as you strive to be in his “will” (that continual relationship with Him) can cause you to grow and do the things you should…”

There are few things in life that really get “under my skin”, but one of those things happens to be something that a large majority of people seem to do. I see it everywhere: in politics, in church, in families, at school, in the movies, sports teams, bible studies, etc. Basically any organization or gathering that involves people. Not everyone exhibits this behavior, but the longer I live and the more I look around, the more my eyes are opened to it. I am even guilty of this at times, but I’m trying to change that.

Wondering where I’m going with this? Ok, here it is. I’m tired of people not knowing who they are and what they believe. I’m tired of people “riding the fence” with issues, sliding back and forth between viewpoints depending on who they’re talking to. I’m tired of people who profess to believe one thing then turn around and act as if they believe the opposite. I’m sick of watching people commit to things and not follow through with them. I’m tired of wondering whether I’m being lied to, brown nosed, put off, ignored, or being talked down to as if I don’t know anything. I’m tired of people not willing to admit that they don’t know the answer to a problem or question. I’m sick of people that aren’t willing to admit that they were wrong.

There’s an epidemic in this country and most likely around the world that has infected the human race, and that epidemic is caused by an insecurity in oneself. As people go through life, they form their individual identities that encompasses everything they believe in. That identity is what drives people to behave the way they do. It is central to the way they think and process information, who they trust, who they talk to and spend time with, who they marry, how they do their job, and basically their whole outlook on life.

I could take this and run with it in many directions, but what bothers me most are people that claim to be followers of Christ, but don’t live as if they are followers of Christ. I’m not just talking about the people that wear a cross around their neck, aren’t a part of the body of Christ and only claim their belief in Christ when it’s convenient, I’m talking about a lot of “religious” people that are in church every time the doors are open, who attend bible studies and classes, who “DO” a lot of things, and yet don’t KNOW CHRIST, or the word of God! They talk the big talk, but when it comes down to it, they don’t know anything about what the Bible really says, they just regurgitate what they’ve heard, and believe everything that “sounds good” or “feels right”. These are people that have been “in church” their whole lives and yet still are missing the big picture.

If a person truly wants to be a follower of Jesus and finds his/her identity in Christ, there will be a hunger and thirst for anything that fosters and enriches their relationship with God and His son Jesus. One of the primary ways to develop that relationship involves personal study with the Word, not just hearing a sermon every week, or reading Christian books, or even going to a bible study. There is a general sense that the Bible is hard to read and understand and that it takes a degree in bible to really “get it”. The only ones who believe that are those who haven’t personally invested the time in the word. It’s not nearly as hard as it’s made out to be. I’ve met a lot of people who have been through “seminary” and still missed the point. I’m not saying these things are bad, or not to read other books, partake in bible studies, or pursue a degree in ministry, I’m just trying to make the point that everything, and I mean EVERYTHING in the bible and the life Christ lived on this earth was/is the divine plea of a God who wants a relationship with his children. It’s about the relationship, not a bunch of facts, or a history lesson.

Those people who understand the relationship and are actively engaged with God are the ones who truly find their identity. Those people are the ones who strive to be more Christ-like in every aspect of their life. Those people are the ones that change the way they live when God convicts them of something, instead of ignoring the prodding of the Holy Spirit. They are the people who place a high importance on honesty, truth, and trust. The Spirit of God is apparent in their lives through their “fruit”. (See Galatians 5) Their “yes” is their “yes” and their “no” is their “no”. Their love for others radiates in everything they do.

My desire is that if you claim to be a believer in Christ, actively seek out your own personal relationship with God. Get in the word and let what you read and learn change the way you live. Don’t let the Bible just become a collection of stories and facts stuffed away in your brain. Take pride in your relationship, nurture it like a mother nurtures her baby, and solidify your identity as a child of God.  You don’t have to be perfect, but if you’re not willing to let it interfere with the way you live, please, please, please don’t call yourself a Christian.

Don’t ride the fence.

I want to share some exciting news with you guys… For those of you who haven’t heard yet, as of June 1, 2008 I will be a full time staff member of Christian Fellowship Church where Heather and I worship. My job title will be “Technical Producer” which encompasses all things audio / video / lighting (AVL) in the building complex, which is right up my ally. In addition to that, I’ll still be playing with the band when I can and possibly doing some arrangements, but how extensively will all depend on how much time I have after we get all the AVL issues smoothed out.

This position crept up out of the blue and I’m totally convinced it’s God who created it for me. Without going into a mile long story of all the random stuff I’ve done in my life that has prepared me for this position, let’s just say it fits like a hand in a glove. Heather and I are stepping out on faith here, but we firmly believe in the faithfulness of our God, and we believe He continuously provides for His children. Some people think I’m crazy for leaving my engineering job, but I think I would be crazy if I didn’t follow where God leads…

Go here for the church’s website. There’s also a permanent link in the sidebar to your right…

So The last few weeks have been pretty crazy for Heather and me. We traveled to Texas for a week as many of you know for various reasons and saw most of the major cities while we were there. In addition to visiting my parents and friends in Madisonville / College Station, we buried the ashes of Heather’s grandmother with a small family gathering at Ft. Sam Houston in San Antonio, and finished the week celebrating the marriage of our friends Abby and Justin in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area. Seeing how we flew into Houston and spent one night in Austin, we almost put 1000 miles on my parents Yukon! (Thanks Mom!) It was amazing how many people we were able to visit in that short amount of time, and it truly reminded us of how blessed we have been in our relationships over the years and how wonderful our friends and family are.

This past weekend we spent Saturday afternoon downtown with some friends of ours with the main attraction being the cherry blossoms around the tidal basin. Unfortunately, a storm rolled through the day before and wiped out the bulk of the blooms from the trees, but we still had a wonderful time. As an added bonus, we stopped in at one of the Art museums and enjoyed a bit of history.

Thanks for all your comments about our dog Truman! He really has become an additional member of the family and is a joy to have around. He definitely qualifies as the most spoiled out of all the dogs I’ve ever owned, lol…

Click here for full gallery.

Without further adieu, allow me to introduce Truman, our Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.

Click here for full gallery.

I’m long overdue for several posts, but I’ll get this out there so you guys have something to look at. Last Saturday Heather and I went with a couple of friends and their daughter to the National Zoo. It was a beautiful day and we had a great time. It was also the first time I got to test out our new Sigma 70-200mm lens we bought from a friend. With a couple exceptions, the lens did great, but as my friend that sold me the lens said today, “the biggest problem with my pictures originate from about 12 inches behind the camera”. True to that statement, some of the shots aren’t as good as they could be if I had remembered certain things like bringing the ISO back down from 1600 after I leave the dark indoors, but overall I had a great time attempting to be a photographer.

Click here for full gallery.

I lost my uncle to a car accident today. As hard as that is, I am rejoicing in the fact that he was a believer. He leaves behind a wife and two kids under the age of 10. There really are no words that can be said, only prayers to be offered. My family covets your prayers…

As I grieve, I find comfort in a song by Brad Reynolds called “There is A Friend”. You can listen to it here. Click on “music” at the top of the page and skip to the 5th song.

There is a hope
There is a promise
There is a peace beyond compare
There is a calm amid confusion
There is a friend who’s always there

Prince of Peace, Lamb of God
Take my heart and Draw me Close to where you are
With your spirit fill the corners of my soul
As I offer up my praise unto your throne

If you need hope
If you need comfort
If you want peace beyond compare
Come to the place you’ll find in Jesus
Receive his Grace, and sing this prayer

Prince of Peace, Lamb of God
Take my heart and Draw me Close to where you are
With your spirit fill the corners of my soul
As I offer up my praise unto your throne