The Kingdom, The Kids, & The Cowboys

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Author: Allan (Page 324 of 492)

In Line with Kingdom Priorities

November 14, 2012 / / 0 Comments

I won’t use those self check-out counters at Wal-Mart or Home Depot. I’d rather stand in line for ten minutes and talk to a real person at the register and even real people in line with me than swipe a card and punch a few buttons and have no human interaction with anybody. My kids say it’s because I’m old. I tell them, no, it’s more important to interact with people than to be in such a hurry.

I can’t show God’s love and grace to a machine. I can’t smile at a machine or talk to a machine (I suppose I could, but I’d probably get arrested). If a machine miscalculates my change or forgets to give me a receipt, my attempts at a Christ-like patient and pleasant attitude will have no impact on a machine. I can’t talk to a machine about the pictures of its grandchildren on its apron. A machine will never ask me about my empty tomb T-shirt or where I go to church.

Our time and technology — calendars, clocks, computers — are increasingly robbing us of more and more human interaction. This frantically hurried culture is chipping away at Scripture’s contention that we are not a collection of individuals but, rather, a Body with each member belonging to all the others.

We invest our lives in one another. We commit ourselves to one another. It happens at weddings and funerals. It happens at ballgames and graduations and potlucks.

“Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality… Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.” ~Romans 12:13-15

I can’t rejoice with you unless I know what you’re rejoicing about. I can’t mourn with you unless I know why you’re mourning. That’s where the time investment and the sharing come in. That’s where loving human interaction with one another should take the priority over our busy schedules.

Today, make that phone call you’ve been putting off. Tonight, reconnect with that family member or neighbor you’ve been too busy to visit. And ask the cashier about her grandkids.

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Congratulations to Central’s own Ellie Cornett and Logan Brittain! Man, we’ve got some really talented kids at this place! Ellie just won the Class 2A State Cross Country Championship as a member of the Bushland High School Lady Falcons. It’s the first ever state title for Bushland. And Ellie’s got a great shot at repeating next year as a Senior. And Logan has just made it official, signing with the University of Texas Longhorns as a Class 4A High Jump Champion from Randall High. As a Senior this year, Logan also stars as a wide receiver and defensive back with the Raiders playoffs-bound football team and as the starting point guard for Randall’s basketball team. Congratulations to these great kids and their wonderful families. We’re very proud of these two.

Peace,

Allan

Augustine’s Prayer for Self Knowledge

November 12, 2012 / / 3 Comments

Lord Jesus, let me know myself and know you and desire nothing save only you.
Let me hate myself and love you.
Let me do everything for the sake of you.
Let me humble myself and exalt you.
Let me think of nothing except you.
Let me die to myself and live in you.
Let me accept whatever happens as from you.
Let me banish self and follow you and ever desire to follow you.
Let me fly from myself and take refuge in you that I may deserve to be defended by you.
Let me fear for myself.
Let me fear you and let me be among those who are chosen by you.
Let me distrust myself and put my trust in you.
Let me be willing to obey for the sake of you.
Let me cling to nothing save only to you and let me be poor because of you.
Look upon me that I may love you.
Call me that I may see you and forever enjoy you.
Amen.

Net Gains

November 9, 2012 / / 0 Comments

During a staff meeting this week we found ourselves hashing and re-hashing the results of Tuesday’s presidential election. We were cussing and discussing United States politics and election laws, health care and tax cuts, states’ rights and federal freedoms. Less than ten minutes into our conversation we were mercifully interrupted by a 54-second video, emailed to the church office by Silvance Okoth, the principal at the Alara School in Kenya.

He sent the video in order to thank the Central church for the 135 mosquito nets we purchased for them three weeks ago. He wanted to let us know that the young children and the school staff were now safe from the malaria-carrying mosquitoes that are infecting that whole region with disease and death. The $400 we sent them last month, he wanted us to know, were saving lives in that church and school community.

Most of the Pre-K through 4th grade students in the Alara School have lost loved ones and friends over the past year because of the malaria outbreak. Some of them have lost parents and grandparents; some of them have lost neighbors and playmates. Today they are receiving comfort and protection. They are no longer afraid, because we bought some mosquito nets. Tonight they are sleeping in peace, because we sent them $400.

What a powerful reminder of our focus as children of God. What an awakening to our mission as disciples of our Christ. Our Father is changing the world through self-giving love and sacrificial service. He’s showing mercy and grace to the widow, the orphan, and the stranger in the gate. What a blessing to participate in that holy work. How marvelous to partner with the Creator to redeem and restore in the manner of our Lord. What a shame when we allow anything — ANYTHING! — to distract us or get in our way.

Peace,

Allan

Beyond the Laws

November 8, 2012 / / 0 Comments

“Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” ~Romans 12:2

Renewing the mind is, by definition, an internal process. Those of us who are baptized followers of Christ understand that God’s Holy Spirit lives inside us, shaping us into the image of our Creator. And that includes the changing of our very minds, the transformation of the very ways we think.

In God’s great wisdom, he has determined that this is a much better way to go about things than following laws. We know that laws cannot conceivably cover all the issues and circumstances we face in life. No matter how detailed the laws are — God’s laid down a few and we’ve come up with plenty ourselves! — they will always fail to cover some situation.

Living like Christ is not about conforming to commands. That kind of theology leads to duplicitous living. Some disciples are “Christian” in their behavior regarding laws they’ve been taught but thoroughly worldly when it comes to those things not specifically covered in Scripture. A Christian may not abort her baby because she’s been taught not to do that. But she may harbor racist attitudes or fudge on her taxes without batting an eye.

If renewing the mind is as important as Paul says, then the goal of the Church should be forming Christian minds in our people. We should be teaching and preaching beyond what is right and wrong and work as much — if not more — on shaping a worldview that puts Christ and our Christian transformations at the center.

“Inwardly we are being renewed day by day.” ~2 Corinthians 4:16

Peace,

Allan

Dance With Who Brung Ya

November 7, 2012 / / 2 Comments

 

Darrell Royal, co-inventor of the Wishbone offense and two-time national championship coach of the Texas Longhorns, has died at age 88. During his 20 years as UT’s head football coach, Royal racked up a record of 167-47-5, including eleven Southwest Conference titles, ten Cotton Bowl wins, and undefeated national championship seasons in 1963 and 1969. I was ten years old when Royal stepped away from the sidelines to leave college football to the Barry Switzers of the world. So most of what I know about him I’ve only heard second and third hand or read in books or seen on TV. I did enjoy the great privilege of meeting Royal at a hospital fundraiser in Burnet back in 1993. I had my picture made with the winningest coach in Longhorns history and he autographed my invitation. A good friend, Larry Pate, framed the 3″x4″ card for me and it hangs on my office wall today.

Royal is remembered for his hard-nosed running attack and his disciplined defense. But he also gained a lot of attention with his folksy quotes and quips. Some of my favorites:

“Three things can happen when you throw the football, and two of ’em are bad.” ~on his unwillingness to install a sophisticated passing game at UT

“You dance with who brung ya.” ~on his refusal to give up on the Wishbone after a couple of tough losses in 1965

“Only angry people win football games.” ~on recruiting

“No, he’s not very fast, but maybe Elizabeth Taylor can’t sing.” ~while defending a backup running back against a reporter’s criticism

Click here for a link to a whole bunch of other Darrell Royal quotes. Click here for the Sports Illustrated article on Royal’s life before, during, and after UT. In honor of the coach, order something off the menu today that sounds like “triple option.”

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You might also be interested to know that the Houston Astros are going with a new logo and uniform design to mark their move to the American League. The new designs borrow quite liberally from the old historic ones — maybe only a die-hard fan could pick out the differences. But I like it. The orange star and the capitol “H” has always been cool. Someday, maybe during Spring Training in March, I’ll rant and rave about Houston moving to the AL West. It’s a travesty. It’s very nearly the abomination that leads to desolation. In the meantime, click here to watch a pretty cool video that highlights the Astros’ uni look from the old Colt .45 days of Larry Dierker, through the rainbow era of Ryan and Cruz, and the blue pinstripes of Bagwell and Biggio, to this brand new look worn by a bunch of players you and I have never heard of.

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Carrie-Anne and the girls and I made the short drive to Tulia Friday to eat Mexican food with our favorite Ukranian missionaries, David and Olivia and Caleb Nelson. David and Liv are on furlough from their seven year commitment in Kharkov, spending several weeks with the Martins in Lubbock where Liv is about to give birth to their second child. The little boy (Luke? Lucas? Lucious?) is due in a week and Olivia needed some chili rellenos. We had such a great visit with this wonderful family. It was such a joy to get caught up on all the Christians and all the seekers C-A and I met during our two week trip to Kharkov in 2010. Re-living Victoria’s baptism into Christ, remembering Alexander, getting caught up with Valery and Andrei; it was such a blessing. We laughed together and we prayed. We marveled at their victories and sympathized with their struggles. We giggled at the mention of fish-flavored potato chips and gagged at the memory of a tall frosty glass of Kafir. I taught Caleb how to flip Froot Loops from the handle of a teaspoon. And we vowed to play a few marathon Phase 10 games together here in Amarillo before they head to Fort Worth after the baby is born.

God is using the Nelsons in a very difficult place. He’s working through them to spread the great news of salvation in Christ Jesus. He’s empowering their whole team by his Holy Spirit to advance the eternal Kingdom. We feel so very blessed to be their friends.

God bless his Kingdom outposts in Ukraine. God bless David and Olivia Nelson and their precious children. May our Father’s will be done in their lives and in Kharkov just as it is in heaven.

Peace,

Allan

Every Day is Election Day

November 6, 2012 / / 2 Comments

I keep hearing that the office up for public election today is for the “leader of the free world” and the “most powerful man in the world.” Funny, I don’t see the title “Christ” or the name “Jesus” on the ballot.

Certainly, the office of President of the United States carries a lot of power as it relates to the kingdoms of this world. Today’s winner will wield much political influence in this world. Today’s democratically elected man will run the largest and most deadly military machine in the history of the world. He will oversee a complex economic system that informs and shapes the rest of the kingdoms of this planet.

But when/if you pull a lever or punch a chad today at the public school or the neighborhood library, you will not be voting for the “most powerful man in the world.” That title alone belongs to our risen and sovereign King Jesus.

And we vote for him every single day.

Every day, every decision you make is a vote for or against our Lord. Your decision to respond with forgiveness to someone who harms you instead of retaliation is a vote for the Messiah. Your decision to serve someone with love instead of ignoring them in apathy is a vote for the Anointed One. Your decision to delete the mean-spirited email instead of forwarding it to others is a vote for the way of the Savior. When you reach out instead of withdraw, when you give instead of take, when you show mercy instead of judgment, you are casting a vote for our King Jesus.

Jesus has shown us that self-giving love and sacrificial service are the only ways to truly save this fallen world. As disciples of his, every moment of every day is an opportunity to either endorse Jesus and his politics or reject him and his ways as unrealistic. For followers of the Christ, every day is Election Day.

Peace,

Allan

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