Extinction

The "San Diego Zoo" and "Wild Animal Park" are two fascinating places our family visited on a recent trip to the mainland. I could've sat and watched the Gorillas for hours, the meerkats were hilarious and the elephants were quite simply impressively enormous.


Something else struck me about my time with the animals. There were a number of animals we saw that were on the verge of extinction. Breeding programs had been set up to try and save a number of the species but these programs were producing mixed results.


Do you know that it takes 85 Christians one year on average to produce one new believer in Jesus Christ? How are we doing when it comes to our own breeding program? I'd suggest and 85 to 1 ratio isn't really something to be proud of.


I'm all for the preservation of the animal kingdom. That was one of the major reasons I took my family to the zoo and the wild animal park on our vacation. At the same time, I think it's high time that those of us who believe in Jesus put a lot more time into our own breeding program. You might know that program better as the great commission.


I'm pretty sure that Christians won't become extinct before the return of Jesus. That's how I read the Bible. But I would hate for my grandchildren to take a guided tour of the Christian heritage museum one day, and have the guide point out to them the six or seven Christians left in the country while discussing the specialty programs designed to keep this unique species of humans available for all to see.


Tour Guide: Keep your eyes open!! Around this next corner if we're lucky, we might catch a glimpse of one of the last North American "Born Again" Christians. This species of Christian is so endangered that it is not expected to survive past the next decade. We've tried to breed them but so far they seem to be quite content not to reproduce. Look!! There's one now. Oh, my mistake, that's Joe the park Janitor. 

Matthew 28:18-20

¹⁹Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in^[a] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

What do you think? Comments are welcome!!!

Sunday Mornings

Ever wonder what we expect from God when we come to church on Sunday mornings?  Maybe, just maybe, it's time for us to come with Him in mind more than ourselves in mind. What do you think? Take this with a grain of salt. It's not intended to offend.

Progressive Vs. Regressive Thinking

The problem with cable news thinking by Seth Godin

Not only the networks of all political persuasions that come to mind, but the mindset they represent... When I was growing up, Eyewitness News always found a house on fire in South Buffalo. "Tonight's top story," Irv Weinstein would intone, "...a fire in South Buffalo." Every single night. If you watched the news from out of town, you were sure that the city must have completely burned to the ground. 

Cable news thinking has nothing to do with fires or with politics. Instead, it amplifies the worst elements of emotional reaction:

1. Focus on the urgent instead of the important.

2. Vivid emotions and the visuals that go with them as a selector for what's important.

3. Emphasis on noise over thoughtful analysis.


5. Unwillingness to reverse course and change one's mind.

6. Xenophobic and jingoistic reactions (fear of outsiders).

7. Defense of the status quo encouraged by an audience self-selected to be uniform.

8. Things become important merely because others have decided they are important.

9. Top down messaging encourages an echo chamber (agree with this edict or change the channel).

10. Ill-informed about history and this particular issue.


11. Confusing opinion with the truth.


12. Revising facts to fit a point of view.

13. Unwillingness to review past mistakes in light of history and use those to do better next time.

If I wanted to hobble an organization or even a country, I'd wish these traits on them. I wonder if this sounds like the last board meeting you went to...

Hangin On

Spent some time at Salt Pond Beach Park today with the family. As we were relaxing in Gods creation I watched the Kite Surfers who on a very windy day seemed to be flying across the ocean on the power of the God sent wind.

For a while I wasn't sure what impressed me more... the artistry of the kite surfers or the wind that carried them along.

Then I realized that without the wind, the surfers were for lack of a better word "nothing."

It was the wind which carried them across the waves and provided all of their power. They were then free to harness the power into a thing of beauty.

I was reminded that the provider of that same wind is also the driving force and power behind every good thing you and I do.

I can do everything through Christ who strengthens me.
Philippians 4:13

I was also struck by the idea that even when the wind was blowing, if the kite surfers weren't holding on securely they were bound to fail. Don't you think that all too often God is right there beside us and we choose not to hold on to him and his power, fall and then try to blame him?

My friends, God is right beside you ready to power you to amazing heights! Hold on tight! Enjoy the ride! Sharpen your skills! The skills that God has placed in you to fly high under his power!

Feel free to tell me what you think... and have a great day!

How amazing is grace if...

Last time I checked the bible there were 127 uses of the word grace and many more allusions to the concept.

One of my favorite references to grace is found in 1st Peter 4:9-11

⁹Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. ¹⁰Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. ¹¹If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

All too often our problem is that this very grace talked about ALL OVER the bible remains stuck in the word and not lived out in our daily lives. I know that I for one am guilty of this on too many occasions to count!

What does grace mean when taken from the bible and lived out?? I think it means

a) Giving someone the benefit of the doubt before assuming the worst or being disappointed in them.

b) Leading with forgiveness, mercy and compassion before leading with consequences and coldness.

c) Responding the way you would hope to be responded to if the "shoe was on the other foot."

And so much more.

My best friend showed up 30 minutes late for a football game when I was 17. We missed the 1st quarter. Lets just say I didn't respond with grace and it was a very long and quiet football game. Later that day I found out that he had been in an accident and in my haste to lead with coldness I shut down a friend / his story / and a great time at the game. Thank God for a forgiving friend!

Have you been disappointed in someone or something recently? How can you respond with grace?

Dear God,

Most of the time I don't do grace like you do. Your grace is inspiring stuff, especially considering what I've done. Would you help me show your grace to others today in a way that inspires them and me and makes you proud?

Amen

What do you think? Feel free to respond!