The Kingdom, The Kids, & The Cowboys

AllanStanglin.com

Category: Hebrews (Page 8 of 9)

Power In The Blood

October 5, 2009 / / 2 Comments

PowerInTheBloodThe blood of Jesus is what courses through our veins. It’s in our DNA. It’s the thing that unites us with all baptized believers who are saved by the grace of God through faith in the Son. The pouring out of his blood is what breaks down the barriers that divide us.

The moment our Christ died, the veil in the temple was ripped in two, torn in half from top to bottom. No more separation. The writer of Hebrews makes a pretty big deal out of this. The death of Jesus, his blood, opens up this new and living way by which we live an integrated life. We’re now integrated with God by total access to his throne in the Holy of Holies. And we’re integrated with one another to live in perfect Christian unity.

There’s an ancient communion prayer written by Hippolytus late in the 3rd century that speaks to the power of Christ’s blood:

“We render thanks to you, O God, through your beloved Son Jesus Christ, whom in these last times you sent to us as a Savior and Redeemer according to you will and in whom you were well pleased. And he was betrayed to voluntary suffering that he might destroy death and break the bonds of the devil and tread down hell and shine upon the righteous.”

Those are powerful words. Destroy. Break. Tread.

Those are fitting words, appropriate action verbs, worthy of what our crucified and resurrected Lord has accomplished for us by his great love and grace. Ephesians 2 tells us in no uncertain terms that when Jesus poured out his blood he “destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility” and he “abolished the certificate of debt that stood against us.”

He himself is our peace — our peace with God and with one another.

There’s power in the blood. Great power. Wonder working power.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

100.7 FM, The WordThe Word FM — 100.7 on your radio dial — a local Christian talk radio station here in DFW, has designated Legacy as their Church of the Week. What it means for Legacy is a week’s worth of 60-second promotional spots that I recorded in their Irving studios a couple of weeks ago. I haven’t heard the edited versions yet, but they do focus almost exclusively on our outreach to our community. Specifically the spots mention our involvement with our local elementary schools. And I spend about 30 of those seconds talking up this Saturday’s 27th annual Legacy Give Away Day.

What it could mean for you is $250 cash. At 3:00 this afternoon Texas time, Janet Mefferd will begin her talk show and at some point during that first hour, between 3:00 and 4:00 today, she’ll ask callers to identify this week’s Church of the Week. The first caller to correctly identify the Church of the Week as “Legacy Church of Christ in North Richland Hills” wins the 250-bucks. The call-in number is 800-949-5973. Be ready for it.

And then you can take me to lunch on Friday. I’ll be listening for Janet to call your name.

Peace,

Allan

Pruning Pains

July 16, 2009 / / 0 Comments

Pruning Pains“I am the true vine and my Father is the gardener….every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.” ~John 15:2

What about this pruning? Trimming back parts of the healthy branch to make sure the greatest energy of the branch goes into making bigger and better fruit? Cutting parts of the branch in an effort to produce more quantity and quality?

Ouch.

If the branches of the vine could speak, they’d tell us, yes, it’s painful. Yeah, it hurts to be cut. But they’d also rejoice Bearing Fruitbecause they’re able now to produce more and better fruit as a result of that painful pruning.

I can look back on my life and see how God has pruned me. You can, too. I can feel, I can point to, even now — this past week, today — things God is using to prune me, to trim away distractions, to really focus my life. Let’s not ever forget — and I need to be reminded of this all the time — that God uses painful and unpleasant things to prune us.

Pruning“You have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: ‘My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son.’ Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons.” ~Hebrews 12:5-7

What’s keeping you from bearing fruit? What is it in your life that’s distracting you or gets in the way of producing righteous fruit? Now, how is the gardener working, today, to prune it away?

Our trials and tough times need to always be appreciated as part of God’s pruning process. Pruning is the gardener’s job. And we need it. We don’t ignore it or curse it. And we shouldn’t be surprised by it. We grow from it.

John Bunyan wrote: “There are those that grow ill and well again like beasts, learning nothing from it.”

Let’s not let that be us. Submit to God’s pruning. And learn and grow. It’s a sure sign that God has accepted you and is actively working to transform you more into the image of his Son.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Red Ribbon ReviewWe’re into the linebackers now as our countdown to Cowboys season heads into the 50s. There are 59 days left until the Cowboys kick off their historic 50th NFL season. And our Red Ribbon Review honors the second-best players in Cowboys history according to jersey number.

Today’s #59 is the first Vietnamese-American to ever play in the NFL, Aggies linebacker Dat Nguyen. Highly decorated in the Big XII and across the nation — he still holds the A&M record for career Nguyen Picktackles at 517 — Nguyen was still considered too small to be an impact player in the pros. So he slipped all the way to the third round where the Cowboys selected him in 1999. Nguyen led the Cowboys in special team tackles that rookie year. And by the middle of his second season, he had become the starter at middle linebacker.

Dat NguyenA variety of injuries, mainly a neck injury in 2005, forced his retirement after just seven seasons. But Nguyen wound up with 665 total tackles and seven interceptions for his Cowboys career, including 172 stops in 2001, the second-highest season total in team history. His hustle and determination and huge smile made him a fan favorite. His work ethic and brains have made him a current Cowboys assistant coach. (His involvement in Michael Irvin’s “Fourth and Long” causes me to question his brains. And the advice he’s getting from counselors.)

I was there in the Dome, on the sidelines in St. Louis as a sports talk show host at WHBQ in Memphis, when Dat’s Aggies came from 17 down to beat K-State in double OT for the Big XII Championship. And I was hosting a morning show on KTUB in Wichita Falls by the summer of ’99 when Dat made his Cowboys debut there at training camp at Midwestern State. Super nice guy. And the second-best #59 in Cowboys history.

Peace,

Allan

Death Defeaters

July 1, 2009 / / 0 Comments

Death DefeatersPicture the cemetery scene in John 11: the hysterical wailing and shrieking; unrestrained weeping and the chaos that must have been; the stench that was coming from more than one body in that dug out tomb; the utter hopelessness of the situation.

The hopelessness of the people.

Martha says, “Jesus if you had only been here…but there’s nothing you can do now.” Mary says, “If you had only been here, Jesus…but it’s too late now.” The friends and the mourners say, “What a shame Jesus didn’t get here sooner to keep Lazarus from dying.”

All hope for Lazarus — this great friend, this brother — is gone because he’s dead.

But Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life. Christ is the One who personifies victory and life and resurrection as powerful realities. And he’s standing right there! He’s angry at what death has done — and is doing — to his people, to his world, to his creation. His tears are not for Lazarus. He knows he’s coming up. Jesus’ tears, I’m convinced, are connected to deep anger. This scene is the result of sin and death. And Jesus is there — he’s here! — to reverse the damage.

They tell Jesus they believe. But they look at dead Lazarus and they feel hopelessness. It’s over. There’s no hope for Lazarus because he’s dead. They’re not expecting anything.

Satan uses our fear of death as a terrible weapon against us. Hebrews 2:15 says the devil holds the power of death and holds us in slavery by our fear of death. No wonder Jesus is so upset! He sees in this Bethany cemetery the ravages and devastation of sin and death and Satan in the people and the world he created.

Death is the enemy. But it’s no match for the Lord of Life. He tells the sisters the sickness will not end in death. He tells his disciples he’s going to wake Lazarus up. He tells Martha her brother will rise again. Even if you die, he says, if you believe in me you’ll live.

With Christ Jesus, death does not have the last word. Death does not have the final say. Death is not the bottom line. The Lord of Life is the ultimate power with the ultimate authority.

And as resurrected believers, we ought to live like it.

Afraid of death? No! Jesus has overcome death!

Dragged down by sickness or the other things that afflict us in this earthly life? No! Jesus has already defeated those things.

Is your hope stolen away by sin, by bad choices, by the destructive things you’ve experienced? No! Jesus has already obliterated it all.

So, why don’t we live like it? That’s what has Jesus so upset, that Satan causes the bad things that happen to us in this world to distract us from the reality that in Christ, we’ve already defeated all of it.

We are death-defeaters in Jesus. It’s already done. As baptized participants in the resurrection community, death has nothing on us now. And neither does sin.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Red Ribbon ReviewThe Dallas Cowboys claim they don’t retire jersey numbers. But they do. Yes, there are some members of the hallowed Ring of Honor who have seen their numbers worn by other Cowboys. And that’s OK. But, whether they admit it or not, there are some numbers — an exclusive two or three — that are just sacred. They should be retired. And they are. Whether the Cowboys call it that or not, they are. #12 is one of those numbers. And so is #74.

So there’s no #74 in our Red Ribbon Review today. Only one player has ever donned that number in Cowboys history. And I will not desecrate him or his name by mentioning him in this space.

There are 74 days left until Cowboys season. But you’ll have to wait until tomorrow to get a second-best player.

Peace,

Allan

Don't Be Afraid

June 4, 2009 / / 0 Comments

“Do not let your hearts be troubled.” ~John 14:1

Don’t Be AfraidSo many of us live in fear. I’m not talking about temporary fear like the feelings you get stepping into the car of a roller coaster or listening to strange noises coming from the garage in the middle of the night. Not that kind of fear. I mean actually living in fear. I mean growing accustomed to — or even comfortable with — that constant worry about your life. Or your eternal body and soul. I mean accepting an uneasy feeling that your salvation is not secure and your future may be in doubt. It’s this “Once saved, barely saved” mentality that makes inner peace, the shalom that is the will of God for his children, impossible.

Living in fear means giving up control. Our fears begin to direct our thoughts and actions. We adjust our routine to accomodate our fears and our fears become our masters. Our fears dictate what we do or say. Or don’t do or say. If we’re not careful, fear barges into our lives and just makes itself at home. Fear will clean out your pantry and track mud all over your carpets and, eventually, take over shaping you and controlling you into an image very different from that of our Lord.

Fear keeps us from doing what we’re called to do as children of God and followers of his Christ.

Talk to my neighbor about Jesus? Oh, no, I’d be afraid.
Confront my sister in Christ about her sin? I’m afraid I just can’t.
Stand up for Jesus in front of others? I’m too afraid.
Fear of hurting feelings may keep us from disciplining our children.
Fear of straining relationships may keep us from sharing our faith.
Fear of being vulnerable may keep us from confessing sin or admitting our own wrongs.

Fear is powerful. And fear gets its power when it causes us to look away from the strength of our God and focus our eyes and attention instead on the opposition around us and our own weakness.

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, trust also in me.”

Jesus calms the storm and asks his apostles, “Why are you afraid?”
Jairus’ daughter is dead and Jesus tells him, “Don’t be afraid.”
Jesus tells his apostles around the table that last night — he tells us, his followers, today — “Don’t be afraid.”

Fear loses its power when we focus our eyes and attention on our God and his eternal nature to love and heal and forgive and provide and protect and rescue and save. Then, there’s no place for anxiety or fear. There’s no room.

Whatever you’re afraid of completely evaporates when our eyes are on our loving Lord. His presence dismisses the dread. His touch terminates the terror. His power prevails over fright and doubt. His perfect loves drives out fear.

“The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?” ~Hebrews 13:6

Peace,

Allan

Conceived By The Spirit

June 1, 2009 / / 0 Comments

The Gospels make it clear that our Savior was conceived by God’s Holy Spirit. When Jesus put on flesh and dwelt among us, he did so by the power of the Spirit. It’s beyond my feeble mind to understand how that works. I have no clue. I wouldn’t know how to even begin explaining it to somebody. However amazing and miraculous it is, I do know that this life conceived by the Spirit was not exempt from what happens to all of us living on this planet.

Jesus’ life didn’t skip any of the bad stuff. None of it. He was “tempted in every way, just as we are.” He felt pain. He grieved with friends and family. He bore the burdens of illness and death. He suffered physically and emotionally. He fought off temptation. He felt despair. Our Lord endured all the things we endure.

Life doesn’t give us any free passes. And Jesus didn’t get any either. But he endures — indeed he triumphs! — over sin and death and Satan by God’s provision and by the power of the Spirit who conceived him.

We, too, are conceived by the Spirit. We are a new creation, living in a Resurrection community, born by and empowered by and indwelled by God’s Holy Spirit. And not at all exempt from life’s cares and woes. Lost jobs. Illness. Family issues. Pain. Suffering. Emotional stress. Death. We see it all.

The grace comes in knowing that, as with our Savior, there is nothing in us that is inaccessible to or incapable of holiness. By God’s grace, Christ’s blood, and the Spirit’s presence, we too will endure. No, we will triumph!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Congratulations, Cassie! Casandra Blair

We love you. May our God bless you richly and accomplish in you and through you more than you could ever possibly ask or imagine. And may you walk with him always, faithful to the end.

Peace,

Uncle Allan

Pouring Out Your Heart

February 20, 2009 / / 0 Comments

In 1912, Oswald Chambers wrote, “Prayer does not equip us for greater works — prayer is the greater work.”

Why do we pray? As a Christian community, as a church family, why do we pray?

Pouring Out Your HeartWe pray because our God invites us to pray. He desires that we speak with him, that we bring him our praise and thanksgiving, our confession of sin and our hurts, our petitions for others and ourselves — everything that concerns us. And the more we pray, the closer we become to God. In prayer, in real prayer, we begin to talk like God and think like God. We desire the things he desires, we love the things he loves, we want the things he wants. We begin to see things from his point of view when we earnestly pray.

And it’s critical that the church prays. It’s paramount to our faith that we pray together. Praying together binds us together. Praying for one another connects us. Praying promotes spiritual unity and brotherly love.

Charles Finney wrote in 1835, “Nothing tends more to cement the hearts of Christians than praying together. Never do they love one another so well as when they witness the outpouring of each other’s hearts in prayer.”

“Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” ~Hebrews 4:16

Peace,

Allan

« Older posts Newer posts »

© 2025 The Kingdom, The Kids, & The Cowboys

Theme by Anders Noren — Up ↑