Lions, Languages and Longings

So, what are you Arkansans doing today? Let me guess, waiting in exhaustively long lines at the grocery store check-out?

I see the weatherman is calling for 2-4 inches of snow to blanket the Hot Springs area today and tonight, which should make tomorrow night's semifinal between Don Phillips's #2 Jessieville Lions and the 3rd ranked Bearden Bears a classic.

Last week, I picked Jessieville to win by seven and sure enough, they pulled out a last-minute, 28-21 win. The last time Jessieville made it to the semifinals (two years ago), they were knocked off by Charleston, 10-0.

Check back tomorrow for my pick. I've gotta wait and see if the weatherman's forecast is accurate as I think the weather and field conditions will play a factor.

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There is a really good article that appeared in yesterday's San Francisco Chronicle unpacking the multicultural mosaic of California. 30% of all non-English speaking residents in the United States reside in California. The article highlights the demands placed on the educational system of California to teach English, but I think the ramifications identified in the article have major implications for those of us seeking to minister effectively in such a diverse culture.

I am grateful that at Woodward Park, we offer assemblies for the Cambodian, Hmong and Lao in their native tongue, in addition to our English assemblies.

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I love this quote in Thomas Friedman's The World is Flat illustrating the high-demand for connectivity during the infancy boom of the Internet.

"You had to go out and get a PC and a dial-up modem. The skeptics all said, 'It takes people a long time to change their habits and learn a new technology.' (But) people did it very quickly, and ten years later there were eight hundred million people on the Internet. The reason? 'People will change their habits quickly when they have a strong reason to do so, and people have an innate urge to connect with other people, and when you give people a new way to connect with other people, they will punch through any technical barrier, they will learn new languages -- people are wired to want to connect with other people and they find it objectionable not to be able to" (68).

Forgive my presumption, but isn't the church especially created by God to provide the very connectivity that the Internet offers? If, as Friedman suggests, humans have an "innate urge to connect with other people," then we in the church are ideally suited to provide a connection point with God and with other people.

The Hot Stove

Major League Baseball's Winter Meetings kick off next week (December 4), so on the heels of the second greatest season in sports, here's some hot stove banter for today:

*Does Mark McGwire belong in the Hall of Fame? If you're a Hall-of-Fame voter, do you vote for him?

*This offseason saw new managers hired in Texas (Ron Washington), San Francisco (Bruce Bochy), San Diego (Bud Black), Oakland (Bob Geren), Florida (Fredi Gonzalez), Chicago ( Lou Piniella) and Washington (Manny Acta). Which hire most impresses you?

*With talk heating up of the possibility of Manny Ramirez going to the Giants and Mike Piazza going to the A's, where does Barry Bonds play in 2007?

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"Glory, I've learned, is what God is all about. His essential being. Whenever you talk about his character or attributes -- like holiness, love, compassion, justice, truth, or mercy, that's God's glory.

So how is it that you and I can glorify God? It happens every time we reveal his attributes in the course of our daily lives. Every time you share the good news of Christ with another. Every time you reflect patience in the middle of an upsetting or perplexing problem. Every time you smile from the heart or offer an encouraging word. Whenever those around you see God's character displayed in your attitudes and responses, you are displaying his glory.

God's glory isn't reserved for a temple of stone or some heavenly vista. It can shine out clearly while you're changing a flat on the freeway, or counseling an angry co-worker, or lying in a hospital bed, or balancing two crying babies in the church nursery" (Joni Eareckson Tada).

My Girls

Here are some more pictures illustrating the magnificent work of Lynn Smith in capturing the sweet beauty of our girls (thank goodness they got a heavy supply of their mother's beauty gene!)

I love this picture of Trae.

Here is my favorite picture of the whole bunch of the girls. You can bet that in this picture, if a prayer was being verbalized, Tori would be the one saying the prayer. We've created a praying monster in her. If she doesn't get to say the prayer before every meal, she gets really upset!

Finally, this morning, I want to pick-up the thought I shared with you yesterday. After posting some paragraphs from Thomas Friedman on the rapid pace of change brought on by technological advancement, Gary Villamor emailed me, giving thanks that in a rapidly changing world, our faith rests in an unchanging God.

James notes that God, as the Father of Lights, does not change like shifting shadows (see James 1.17). So if today finds your life feeling released from any moorings as you try to keep up with the dizzying change in our world, find your constancy in the consistency of a God who never changes.

And who never fails.

The World is Flat

Last Wednesday, the girls and I had some Christmas pictures taken. Lynn Smith and her family attend Woodward Park and she does an amazing job with digital photography. I wanted to share with you this morning one of my favorite pictures from last Wednesday's holiday shoot.

Speaking of holidays, do you have your Christmas tree up already? I always thought the day after Thanksgiving was the "traditional" day for setting up the tree and decorating, but we had several neighbors who had their home decked out in Christmas decor a week or two before Thanksgiving. Regardless, this is a fun time of the year, especially with excitement and anticipation of the kids!

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When Rick and Gail were here two weeks ago, we talked about books, as we often do. I asked Rick the best book he'd read in the last year. Without hesitation, he said Thomas Friedman's The World is Flat. Rick told me he'd encouraged both of his kids to read the book because of its discussion about our changing world thanks to globalization and the technological explosion.

Friedman has become an expert analyst on globalization. His 2000 book The Lexus and the Olive Tree was his initial foray into the shriking world of globalization. In the World is Flat, Friedman takes his analysis to the next level, identifying the changes in businesses, institutions, competition and life brought about through the impact of globilization.

"I am convinced that the flattening of the world, if it continues, will be seen in time as one of those fundamental shifts or inflection points, like Gutenberg's invention of the printing press, the rise of the nation-state, or the Industrial Revolution -- each of which, in its day, produced changes in the role of individuals, the role and form of governments, the way business was done and wars were fought, the role of women, the forms religion and art took, and the way science and research were conducted, not to mention the political labels that we as a civilization have assigned to ourselves and to our enemies. 'There are certain pivot points or watersheds in history that are greater than others because the changes they produced were so sweeping, multifaceted, and hard to predict at the time,' said David Rothkopf, a former senior Department of Commerce official in the Clinton administration and now a private strategic consultant.

If the prospect of this flattening -- and all of the pressures, dislocations, and opportunites accompanying it -- makes you uneasy about the future, you are neither wrong nor alone. Whenever civilization has gone through a major technological revolution, the world has changed in profound and unsettling ways. But there is something about the flattening of the world that is going to be qualitatively different from the great changes of previous eras: the speed and breadth with which it is taking hold. The introduction of printing happened over a period of decades and for a long time affected only a relatively small part of the planet. Same with the Industrial Revolution. This flattening process is happening at warp speed and directly or indirectly touching a lot more people on the planet at once. The faster and broader this transition to a new era, the greater the potential for disruption, as opposed to an orderly transfer of power from the old winners to the new winners.

To put it another way, the experiences of the high-tech companies in the last few decades that failed to navigate the rapid changes brought about in their marketplace by these types of forces may be a warning to all the businesses, institutions, and nation-states that are now facing these inevitable, even predictable, changes but lack the leadership, flexibility, and imagination to adapt -- not because they are not smart or aware, but because the speed of change is simply overwhelming them.

And that is why the great challenge for our time will be to absorb these changes in ways that do not overwhelm people or leave them behind. None of this will be easy. But this is our task. It is inevitable and unavoidable" (48-49).

Black Friday?

Despite being separated from our families for the first time in twelve years, we had a wonderful Thanksgiving Day. Mandy and the girls finished decorating our Christmas tree, the girls and I played at Selma Lane Park, we were welcomed and made to feel a part of the Avedikian family (Rod was the first of the Woodward Park folk to invite us for Thanksgiving dinner) where the spread of turkey and all the trimmings, not to mention the desserts, was to die for!

Our day of thanksgiving ended by getting to talk to my sister and mom, with the coos and squeels of the twins in the background.

I guess of all the special blessings of God this year, none is so special as the birth of my little sis's twins. To know the joy Melissa and Ryan are experiencing with their twin babies is a true source of Thanksgiving!

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So, today is dubbed "Black Friday." My question is: Why?

As I think about my schedule today, I see no reason to be black (or blue):

7:30 A.M. Arkansas/Marist Basketball from Orlando, Florida (ESPN2)
9:00 A.M. Texas/Texas A&M Football from Austin (ABC)
11:30 A.M. Arkansas/LSU Football from Little Rock (CBS)
2:30 P.M. Take the girls horseback riding at Gary and Wilma Holcomb's
6:00 P.M. Fresno State/Louisiana Tech Football from Ruston (ESPN2)
7:00 P.M. Clovis West/Liberty High School Football Semifinal at Buchanan.

I guess if I'd rolled out of bed at 4:00 a.m. to fight for the one parking spot left at River Park this morning in the hopes of getting into Best Buy for one of their deals (which probably would have been sold out by my arrival) it would be "Black Friday."

But with a full day of sports on the docket, I am excited with anticipation.

Here are my picks for some big games:

Texas by 14 over Texas A&M -- Colt McCoy returns at QB for the Horns and the most overpaid coach in the history of college football, Dennis Franchione, loses another big game.

Arkansas by 3 over LSU -- The Hogs are riding high but my feeling is LSU will present Arkansas with their stiffest challenge since Alabama. Mississippi State exposed Arkansas' offense a bit last week so this one will be close.

USC by 7 over Notre Dame (5:00 p.m. tomorrow, ABC) -- The offensive genius (Charlie Weis) matches wits with the defensive genius (Pete Carroll). It's hard to pick against Pete Carroll in big games.

Fresno State by 21 over Louisiana Tech -- the over/under on attendance at Joe Aillet Stadium couldn't be more than 7,000. Fresno State is finally on a roll, thanks to the running of Dwayne Wright.

Clovis West by 14 over Liberty -- A Clovis West win coupled with a Clovis East win over Bakersfield sets up an all-Clovis Central Section Division I championship next week.

Jessieville by 7 over Mineral Springs -- Of all the games today, the one I most wish I could see. Don Phillips and Jamie Saveall have the Lions at 11-0 and on the cusp of a first-ever trip into War Memorial Stadium to play for a state championship. It's speed (Mineral Springs) versus size and strength (Jessieville). Here's hoping the Lions pull it out!

The Solution

Yesterday, I shared with you the thoughts of John Alan Turner as to the root problem that plagues all mankind. Today, another sample from Turner as the bad news becomes good news, thanks to the solution.

Sin is the problem that keeps us from experiencing the life God wants for us. The life we always wanted but never thought possible. The life the Old Testament prophets described in amazing picturesque language. The life characterized by the word “Shalom”. Life as it is supposed to be.

Sin prevents us from entering into the joy of God, the peace of God, the love and rest and fulfillment he has purchased for us at immeasurable cost. Sin disrupts and destroys and corrodes everything it touches. It is pervasive and persistent. It has touched everything about me: my heart, my mind, my body, my feelings, my thoughts, my actions. It has touched everything about our world: governments, businesses, families, churches. There is not one part of me or of this world that is untainted by the disruptive effects of sin.

Sin is bad — far worse than words can describe.

But sin is not the final word.

Evil rolls across the ages, but so does good. Good has its own momentum. Corruption never wholly succeeds. (Even blasphemers acknowledge God.) Creation is stronger than sin and grace stronger still. Creation and grace are anvils that have worn out a lot of our hammers.

To speak of sin by itself, to speak of it apart from the realities of creation and grace, is to forget the resolve of God. God wants shalom and will pay any price to get it back. Human sin is stubborn, but not as stubborn as the grace of God and not half so persistent, not half so ready to suffer to win its way. Moreover, to speak of sin by itself is to misunderstand its nature: sin is only a parasite, a vandal, a spoiler. Sinful life is a partly depressing, partly ludicrous caricature of genuine human life. To concentrate on our rebellion, defection, and folly — to say to the world “I have some bad news and I have some bad news” — is to forget that the center of the Christian faith is not our sin but our Savior. To speak of sin without grace is to minimize the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the fruit of the Spirit, and the hope of shalom. (Cornelius Plantinga, Jr., Not the Way It’s Supposed to Be: A Breviary of Sin, pp. 198-99)

Sin is the problem; grace is the solution. Grace is not a way of resolving the problem provided we combine it with other things. Grace is the once-and-for-all, paid-in-full, settled-for-good resolution.

Grace is not a solution; grace is the solution.

And it’s freely available to each and every one of us.

The Problem

One of the most enriching, rewarding blogs I visit on a daily basis is the blog of John Alan Turner from Atlanta, Georgia. Turner writes with penetrating theological insight and depth that I really appreciate.

In light of my attempt to cram five days of work into three this week, I'm going to share with you today and tomorrow some reflections from Turner that I have found especially meaningful.

Watching the harrowing tragedy of Ted Haggard unfold, I’ve been struck by a few things. First, I am so glad that there weren’t millions of people watching me at my darkest hour. I’ve fallen off my high horse more times than I can count, and, for some strange reason, I keep climbing back up on it. I’ve never purchased meth and a massage from a male prostitute, but I’ve done plenty of other things that, in retrospect, appear equally depraved and just plain stupid.

I know what it’s like to be caught in a lie. I know what it’s like to be embarrassed and humiliated by the depths of my own depravity. I know what it’s like to stare up from the bottom of a pit I dug with my own hands and wonder if I could ever get out — to long for the ability to fly backwards around the world, reverse time and undo what I did.

I just don’t know what it’s like to do that with the whole world watching.

I’ve also been struck by how much joy this has brought many people. Ted has officially been thrown under the bus by people — Christians and non-Christians. People are questioning the sincerity of his confession, carefully analyzing his letter for clues as to whether he is really sorry for what he did or just sorry he got caught (as if they are privy to what goes on in his heart).

People are speculating on whether or not this ongoing struggle of his is what fueled his passion for teaching his understanding of what the Bible teaches on things like homosexuality (and mostly they are applying truckloads of armchair psychology — the kind they chafe against when applied to them).

The sad truth is that Ted has now reinforced nearly every negative stereotype of an Evangelical Preacher. A man is in shambles. A family is in ruins. A church is in confusion. A nation voyeuristically watches.

Mostly, what I’ve been struck with is something profoundly simple, something most of us tend to overlook in situations like this, something few of us want to admit but are forced to if we are to learn anything from this whole ordeal.

Sin is bad.

Sin is worse than we think it is.

Sin is the most awful and terrible of all things.

C.S. Lewis said that sin promises more and more while delivering less and less until it eventually promises everything and delivers nothing.

Sin corrupts everything it touches. It corrupts relationships. It corrupts the character of the one who sins, and it threatens to corrupt the character of the one who is sinned against. It’s terribly contagious.

Sin is squarely in the center of what happened in the Ted Haggard debacle. And sin is what makes me want to pick the bones clean. It’s far easier to analyze Ted’s sin than it is to stare my own sin in the face and admit that there’s little wrong with Ted that’s not also wrong with John.

Sin is not a problem; sin is the problem.

And it’s deeply imbedded in me.

Thanksgiving Perspective

What a neat experience on Saturday to be on the Bulldog sideline as Fresno State laid it on Idaho, 34-0. It was the silver lining game in what has been a dismal season for Fresno.

A special thanks to Rod and Mike Avedikian and Matt Beene for their invitation and generosity.

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Should Michigan get another shot at Ohio State? That has been the debate since the horn sounded at the Horsehoe on Saturday afternoon.

As I see it, the Razorbacks uphill climb to the National Championship is steeper today than ever before. Should USC win out, that eliminates Arkansas because of the thumping USC administered to the Hogs in the season opener. But should Notre Dame beat USC, my guess is that win would solidify the Irish's in the mind of the voters as they best one-loss team. Since Michigan trounced Notre Dame back in September, the Wolverines would get another crack at the Buckeyes.

It comes down to Michigan or USC versus Ohio State.

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Since I'm taking up space this morning on some college football, here is a neat article on Ken Hatfield that is worth reading. My favorite era in Arkansas football was 1984-1990 and the years of my youth when Hatfield was leading the Hogs.

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Find a moment today to say a prayer for the safe return of our mission team who is en route back to Fresno from Mexicali, Mexico. 22 of our members spent the weekend in Mexicali doing work with the church there. They repainted the entire church auditorium and poured several yards of concrete.

Joe told me yesterday on the phone they were able to connect and study with one person who is real close to making a commitment to Jesus.

May God continue to bless the ministry of these servants and the church in Mexicali.

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When we lived in the Village, Eileen Pyles consistently forwarded to me emails that were insightful and meaningful. Through the years, I've kept a number of Eileen's emails and one is especially meaningful this week. From 2002, it is simply entitled "I'm Thankful."

I'm thankful for the wife who says it's hot dogs tonight,
because she is home with me and not someone else.

I'm thankful for the teenager who is complaining about doing dishes
because that means she is at home, not on the streets.

I'm thankful for the taxes I pay,
because it means that I'm employed.

I'm thankful for the mess to clean after a party,
because it means that I have been surrounded by friends.

I'm thankful for the clothes that fit a little too snug,
because it means I have enough to eat.

I'm thankful for a lawn that needs mowing and windows that need cleaning,
because it means I have a home.

I'm thankful for my huge heating bill,
because it means I am warm.

I'm thankful for the lady behind me in church who sings off-key,
because it means that I can hear.

I'm thankful for the pile of laundry and ironing,
because it means I have clothes to wear.

I'm thankful for the alarm that goes off in the early morning hours,
because it means that I am alive.

Rick and Gail Northen

This morning, twenty-five adults and teens left from Woodward Park for Mexicali, Mexico to live out the mission of God by serving the needs of people. They are devoting Saturday to a full-day of connecting with the lost and devoting Sunday to encouraging and strengthening the church in Mexicali.

In your prayers today, and throughout this weekend, keep our missionaries in your prayers as they work for kingdom growth.

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I was out of blogging commission yesterday, but for good reason. Two of my dearest friends, Rick and Gail Northen, stopped in for a visit on their journey home from Cambodia for the holidays.

Rick and Gail are special friends, and incredible examples of faith and devotion. Last year, they sold a lucrative dental practice in Hot Springs Village, Arkansas in order to devote their full-time energy and focus to kingdom growth. After surverying the world, literally, and seeking the guidance of God, they cast their lot with the Mekong River Boat Project, a mission endeavor through Partners in Progress, in Cambodia.

What I have learned from Rick and Gail is a lesson about discipleship. Sure, the comfortable, convenient thing would have been to stay in the Village and continue working, earning income they could hand over to others who would go into all the world. But the Northen's determined not just to send others into the mission field (as they'd done so often in the past) but to give themselves. Their five-year commitment to the work in Cambodia has turned into a life-long dream for church planting up and down the Mekong River. To hear their passion and listen to their dreams about the future work of God in Cambodia is nothing short of awe-inspiring.

During our seven-year stint in Hot Springs Village, Rick served as an elder and as a mentor. Rick and I became especially close, sharing our love for Jesus, the lost and the Texas Rangers in common. Gail became a mentor to Mandy. So much of our lives today has been influenced by the impact Rick and Gail have had upon us.

Long ago, Solomon wrote, "A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother" (Proverbs 18.24). I'm thankful that in my life God has given to me Rick. A friend. A brother.

The Purpose of the Indwelling Spirit, Part Two

So I hear the onset of Tule fog is generally after the first significant autumn rain. That rain came on Monday evening, so is the fog this morning a harbinger of things to come?

It's funny how no one mentioned the fog when Mandy and I were here back in June to visit. Then we relocate here and autumn has rarely seen an assembly at church when someone didn't warn me of the impending doom of the fog.

Frankly, the fog comes with such acclaim -- from the repeated warnings of friends to the handy "Fog Delay" information from Trae's school -- that I am anxious to see what all the fuss is about.

Check back in a couple of months to see if that still holds true!

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How do you like the face lift for the blog? Thanks to some significant upgrading at blogger, I decided to change the layout and color scheme. Also, post labeling and site feed have been added to make access to specific topics more handy.

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"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me" (John 17.20-23a).

"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me" (Galatians 2.20).

"To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Colossians 1.27).

The first time he said it, I did a double-take. It was a fresh perspective. A new insight.

The wisdom came from my dear friend and mentor, Dale Mannon, was now preaches for the Greenlawn Church of Christ in Lubbock, Texas. We were visiting together about the work of the Spirit and Dale told me, "I believe the Holy Spirit works in addition to, but never in contradiction to, the written Word."

I asked Dale to repeat that (I think I wrote it down) and from that day on, I've never forgotten it. My formative Bible teaching at church had taught me that the Spirit had served his purpose once the written Word was complete and canonized.

Little wonder, then, that many of my peers grew up equating the Holy Spirit to our postal carrier -- the Holy Spirit delivers God's mail and then disappears, resulting in a mysterious cloud around the third person of the Trinity.

My quest to get a better handle on the Spirit led me on a fascinating search of Scripture where illusions to the Spirit's purpose caused me to see that my formative Bible teaching left me with a spiritual limp. Spiritual life was often couched in intellectual terms (a factor of the influence of the Enlightenment on our interpretation of Scripture) leaving little room for the spiritual. If we couldn't understand the operation of something, we were taught, we didn't believe it. Or worse, we developed a theology that we could handle that neutered God of the power to be God.

As I searched Scripture, I continually came to the idea expressed by both Jesus and Paul that the essence of spiritual life is the formation of Christ within the believer. How does that happen? Through the Word...and the Spirit! The Spirit indwells the believer for the purpose of recreating the character of Jesus within the heart and mind of the believer.

When Paul says "I no longer live but Christ lives in me" and the essence of the mystery is "Christ in you, the hope of glory," he is not just speaking pithy, religious jargon. He is speaking to the purpose of the Spirit within the believer.

For example, Paul says in Galatians 5.22 that one aspect of the Spirit's fruit in our lives is peace. And in Philippians 4.7, Paul says, "and the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Peace is a product of the Spirit's work within our hearts. Peace in the face of death is available to the believer. Peace in the face of an uncertain future is available to the believer. And Paul adds this caveat: this peace transcends all understanding.

We can't explain it -- it is a mystery. But we can acknowledge the source of the mystery, the Holy Spirit of God working within to produce in our lives Christ likeness.

I hope you will give these thoughts consideration as you teach and interact with others. Could it be some of our evangelistic efforts have been so anemic because we neglected to teach new Christians the reality of the indwelling Spirit? Could it be so many hearts have become infertile soil so quickly because we neglected to share with those converted to Jesus the reality that not only are they in Christ, but Christ is in them through the indwelling Spirit. Could it be that we are, in fact, "a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God" (1 Corinthians 6.19)?

The Purpose of the Indwelling Spirit

Its T-minus 33 hours until Rick and Gail are supposed to roll into Fresno, although I hear they are coming to Fresno by way of Malibu. Something tells me once they get to Malibu, we might be lucky if they make it here by Bible class tomorrow night!

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In Acts 2.38, Peter tells those who cut to the heart on the day of Pentecost that in order to be saved of their sins, they must repent and baptized. Obedience to those two commands, according to Peter, yields two promises: forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit.

In Churches of Christ, we've got a good handle on the first three of the four. We know what repentance is and we teach it; we know what baptism is and we practice it; we know the joy of forgiveness of we claim it. But what about the Holy Spirit?

For some reason, the Holy Spirit has always been tough for us. Perhaps this is due, in part, to the translation of the King James Version that renders "Holy Spirit" as "Holy Ghost." There's something about the term "ghost" that is mystical and spooky. Perhaps it is also due, in part, to abuses we've seen under the banner of the influence of the "Holy Ghost."

But my fear is that many swung the pendulum to another extreme. Whereas charismatic churches had the Holy Spirit doing everything, some in our heritage went to another extreme limiting the Holy Spirit of the ability to do anything.

Some claim that the Holy Spirit is the Word -- the divine mail carrier for God. With the compliation of the Word, the Holy Spirit's work ceased, some claim.

I cannot buy that line of thinking, in light of the words of Jesus and the illusions to the work of the Holy Spirit throughout Paul's writings.

For example, I asked you yesterday to spend some time reflecting on the words of Paul in Colossians 1.15-19, 2.9 and Ephesians 3.14-19 because those verses seem to nail down God's purpose in sending the Holy Spirit to indwell believers.

In Colossians 1.19, Paul says that the "fullness" of God was revealed in Jesus Christ. In Colossians 2.9, he again reiterates that all the "fullness" of deity dwelt in Jesus in bodily form. When those two verses are coupled together with Paul's powerful prayer for the Ephesians in 3.14-19, we find him asking God to empower the Ephesian Christians through the Holy Spirit with all the "fullness" of God.

What does that mean? Simply this: when you were immersed in baptism, not only did you receive the gift of forgiven sins, you also received the gift of the Holy Spirit. God placed within you a part of himself to live inside you, not to empower you charismatically but to recreate your character.

Living like Jesus is not first and foremost a willpower issue; it is a Spirit-empowered issue. Through the indwelling Spirit, we are empowered in character to become more like Christ as a witness to his transforming power in our lives. Through the Spirit, our lives become not only a reflection of Christ but an essence of the second incarnation in our world.

More to come tomorrow...

The Woodward Park paparazzi has struck again, capturing this neat picture of Trae before a spread of pancakes, eggs, bacon and tater tots at the Ken Moshier/Jim Minor Shepherding Group breakfast on Saturday morning. The breakfast was just one of about five stops we made this weekend on the way to building deeper friendships.

By the way, last Friday on Trae's day off, we went up to Oakhurst to take in the Childrens Museum of the Sierra. That's my idea of a Childrens Museum -- not too large and expansive that it takes eight hours to navigate! With Tori's attention span, it was the perfect place for a family fun day.

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Here's an interesting tidbit from yesterday...following last night's assembly, I had three different people approach me with the same comment: "That was a Sunday morning sermon!"

Huh?

I didn't know if that meant my thoughts on living honestly in a world of truth decay didn't apply to the Sunday night folks?! Or maybe the thought was the Sunday morning only folks need to hear it as much as the Sunday night folks?!

Either way, I think I'm going to put last night's message in the sermon recycling bin and present it again on Sunday morning sometime in the future.

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How bout this season for the Arkansas Razorbacks, now ranked #5 in the AP Poll, #6 in the Coaches Poll and #7 in the BCS?

Earlier this year following their devastating loss to USC, I wrote, "no one circles the wagons like Houston Nutt." With pressure breathing down his neck from all corners of the Razorback fan base, not only has Nutt circled the wagons but he has taken the Razorbacks to unprecedented heights in his era.

For all you Hog fans, circle the day after Thanksgiving and the game with LSU. That is, in my estimation, the toughest game remaining. LSU was rooked by the officials in their game with Auburn and is undoubtedly the best two-loss team in America.

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Thanks to the generosity of Mike Avedikian, I'll have the privilege of a sideline pass for this Saturday's Fresno State/Idaho game. That should be a blast!

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Today, find some time to look at Colossians 1.15-19, 2.9 and Ephesians 3.14-19. Those verses speak directly to the purpose of the indwelling Holy Spirit.

This week, I want to devote some space to the fact that, at baptism, God gives obedient believers an incredible gift -- His Holy Spirit takes us residence in our hearts to transform us.

Give those verses a look today and see if you can piece together the purpose behind the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in your life. Then, come back tomorrow for some insight as to how God works in us to shape us and make us holy.

Did you watch the Rutgers/Louisville game last night on ESPN? I must say that was one of the most exciting football games I've seen in a long time. Great drama and great excitement.

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Today is an off day. I'm off work. Trae is out of school. We're going to do something fun together as a family.

But in the midst of the fun, it'd be real easy to forget what this day off is all about. Today is Veterans Day -- a day to pause and reflect on the sacrifices of so many who've paid the ultimate price for freedom.

We enjoyed one of the blessings of freedom on Tuesday when we voted to elect the people and policies that will shape our future. We will enjoy another freedom on Sunday when Christians all over our nation will freely assemble to worship God.

Thank you, veterans, for your sacrifices.

Can I encourage you to visit this tribute which will help you, as it did me, remember the true meaning of this day?

Congratulations to Janis Nelsen, the aforementioned employee of the Oklahoma State Senate, who was visitor #25,000 last week. As a token of appreciation, Janis will be receiving a copy of Philip Gulley's Home to Harmony, the book that launched the Harmony series.

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Janis and I have traded emails this week and it is so good to reconnect with someone I hadn't had any contact with in several years.

Janis and her husband, Gary, were members at the Village Church of Christ when we moved there in 1998. Janis worked with Michael Rogers at MDR Properties and was a real asset to me before during those times when we were between secretaries at the Village church.

One of the real beauties of this blog in particular, and the internet in general, is the forum it provides to catch-up and reconnect with friends from long ago.

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I mentioned yesterday the challenge of unearthing Jesus's teaching on stewardship in Luke 12. Another dear friend, Erich Robinson, read that and sent me an essay by Ray Mayhew entitled Embezzlement: The Corporate Sin of Contemporary Christianity? and some accompanying opinions from Larry James, Director of Central Dallas Ministries.

Add to that the conversations I've had with John and Jimmy, with Sandy and Clyde, with Lanny and Michael -- the world just isn't as large as it used to be!

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Rick and Gail are coming home. I miss them both, so much, but they begin their journey toward home for holidays this weekend. They'll be coming from LAX to Fresno for a couple of days and I am so excited. They'll be our first out-of-town guests since our move to Fresno -- and their visit comes from a continent away!

Since becoming friends in 1998, Rick has been "iron" for me and has "sharpened my saw" so many times. The promise of a reunion with Rick and Gail next week has my spirit soaring today! I can't wait to hear what God is doing in Cambodia through their ministry.

Someone in the crowd said to him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me." Jesus replied, "Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?" Then he said to them, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions."

And he told them this parable: "The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop. He thought to himself, 'What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.' "Then he said, 'This is what I'll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I'll say to myself, "You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry." '

"But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?'

"This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God." (Luke 12.13-21).

Here's the text I'm struggling with in advance of this coming Sunday and our continued tour of some stewardship principles in Scripture.

It's interesting that Jesus doesn't call into question the man's wealth. It seems the harvest had been gone and he'd been especially blessed with great produce. His problem didn't center in the accumulation of wealth but in the way he chose to use his wealth.

His problem was that he saw himself the end-user of those blessings.

If I read Jesus right, he seems to be coming down hard on our "Storage Unit" mentality -- that persistent habit of ours to store away in bigger barns things we'll never use while forgetting or overlooking the fact that God has blessed us so we can bless the lives of others.

It's as if Jesus is doing a little math: Bigger Barns = Shallow Souls.

So how do we view our stuff? As a statement of our status? Or as a means to be used to a greater end -- the advancement of the reign of God in the hearts of men and women?

Call me cynical, but I wasn't the least bit surprised to see the first headline on my Yahoo homepage this morning. I can't remember voting irregularities being such an issue, until about eight years ago. Now, by the time a person awakens in California, the headlines already blare news of voting problems.

Is it just me, or does it seem like some of the simplest things to pull off, i.e. casting a vote in an election, have become cataclysmic struggles?

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Fall in California is underrated! The changing colors on the trees up and down the boulevards are simply beautiful.

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Since coming to Cali, I have had more than a few fans of the Oakland A's attempt to sway my allegiance from the Rangers to the A's.

Ain't happening!

In fact, with my Rangers hire of your former third base coach, Ron Washington, maybe now is the ideal time for you to jump ship and hop aboard the Rangers bandwagon with me!

The initial feedback from Rangers players , from former players in Oakland, and from the die-hard Oakland fan base is overwhelming and unanimous: Jon Daniels made a great pick.

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On Sunday, I talked to my family at Woodward Park about our "Citizenship Stewardship." Paul makes it clear in Philippians 3.17-21 that as a disciple of Jesus, we are first and foremost citizens of heaven. That reality drove the heroes of faith in their journeys with God.

As citizens of heaven -- and pilgrims, aliens and strangers on earth -- our view of our citizenship on earth should be affected. Our eternal citizenship must affect our worldview of our temporary citizenship.

That being said, I hope everyone who comes to this blog today will exercise the great privilege we have in our democratic to vote. And my prayer is that all disciples of Jesus will allow their eternal citizenship to impact the choices they make in determining the people and policies that will guide our lives into the future of our temporary citizenship.

On Friday, our 25,000th visitor to this site stopped by. Problem is, I don't know specifically who that visitor is. The visit was from an IP Address on a computer at the Oklahoma State Senate. If that is you, send me an email today at jim@wpcoc.com and I will make good on my gift offer to you.

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From the ranks of the "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em" files, my beloved Rangers have selected Buck Showalter's successor. Ron Washington, formerly the third base coach of the arch-rival Oakland A's, has been chosen by Jon Daniels to lead the Rangers. Washington was given a two-year contract and the freedom to chose two of his coaches (Rudy Jaramillo will remain as hitting coach, Mark Connor as pitching coach).

Washington has been highly regarded throughout baseball for many years, but apparently not highly regarded enough by Billy Beane to land one of the openings the A's have had for their manager post. Washington's adept at teaching infielders and is given much credit in the famed book Moneyball for developing Scott Hatteberg's skills in his move from catcher to first base. From Moneyball and Aces, you get the sense that Washington is a crass, no non-sense guy who demands winning.

And one quote that is sure to rile the A's fans, according to Jamey Newberg, Washington says, "I feel like I have an idea about what we can do to keep the A's from beating us so much."

Personally, I'm satisfied with the hire, although my first choice was Arlington native Trey Hillman. I'm looking for Hillman -- who has interviewed for the managerial openings in San Diego and Oakland, in addition to the Rangers -- to land a job with the San Diego Padres where he'll be reunited with good friend, Grady Fuson.

You've seen the bumper sticker, haven't you? "A bad day fishing is better than a good day at work." I can't say that applies in my case because I love my work. I love working with people and the thrill of my calling -- to craft messages true to God's Word that feed and nourish the spiritual well-being of those who hear.

I've often heard people say that they love their job so much that they've "never worked a day." I feel the same way!

But, in spite of that blessing, today I'm going fishing. Dave Gowen has invited me to join him this morning at Shaver Lake for some trout fishing. I haven't been trout fishing since my junior year of college.

It'll be good to get away for a day and enjoy nature, the beauty of God's creation, and some good fellowship with my "Razorback buddy" Dave (who just happens to be a native Arkansan from the thriving metropolis of Dierks).

Have a great day, a great weekend, and spread the light of God's love as you move and interact in your world.

Got a conundrum for you to ponder this morning.

Acts 12 is that familiar, if not somewhat hilarious, episode of Peter's miraculous release from prison. Sent there by Herod Agrippa, Peter is given flight from his incarceration through the intervention of God via an angel.

The disciples, you remember, were meeting in the home of Mary holding a prayer vigil for Peter, his safety, and the well-bring of the church. Upon his release, Peter makes a bee-line for the home, raps on the door, and....waits.

Rhoda, a servant girl, comes to the door and discovers that the one knocking is Peter. Stunned, she doesn't bother to invite him in but rushes back to the others, interrupts the prayer vigil to tell them their prayers had been answered! Peter was free!

You remember how those fervently praying disciples responded to her claim, don't you? They thought she was crazy. "You've seen his ghost," they claimed.

But once Peter finally entered the room, the disciples realize that God had indeed answered their prayer. God had intervened and come to the aid of his people.

Now here's the conundrum: in verse two, the text says that Herod had James, the brother of John, killed with the sword -- the first martyr of Jesus' original inner circle of twelve.

Why was Peter miraculously released but James was killed? Don't you think the disciples who prayed fervently for Peter's release did also for James's release? What do you make of the seemingly random turn-of-events in the martyrdom of James and the miraculous prison release of Peter?

Clyde Berry and Jerry Butler hooked me during the Sojourners Workshop and they didn't even know it.

"Hooked you on what?" you ask.

Sudoku.

My morning is now incomplete unless I get the Sudoku puzzle in the newspaper completed.

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Based on typical traffic patterns, sometime tomorrow will mark hit number 25,000 on my blog. I'll be awarding a gift to the 25,000th visitor. My mom (#5,000) and my uncle George (#10,000) were previous winners, receiving books from Philip Gulley. Good luck!

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I have found an article in the current issue of Time Magazine (November 6, 2006, Vol. 168, No. 19) very intriguing. Sonja Steptoe's article entitled "In Touch With Jesus" (p. 58-9) looks at the current shift in youth ministry from a thrill-seeking, entertainment-based strategy to one rooted more in Scripture and faith-building.

The subtitle to her article says it all: "Sugarcoated, MTV-style youth ministry is so over. Bible-based worship is packing teens in pews now."

The article underlines the postmodern shift that many sociologists and religious teachers have been speaking of -- the shift from a consumer-driven, entertainment-based ministry approach to one more grounded, more spiritual, more Biblical.

Steptoe notes how the exodus of young adults from the faith of their youth has served to alter the current course of youth ministry among churches and ministers aware of the poor results of "traditional" (i.e. entertainment-based) youth ministry. Consequently, "churches are trying to reverse the flow by focusing less on amusement and more on Scripture."

Reading Steptoe's article just reaffirmed to me one of the positive angles of the oft-lambasted Postmodern shift, i.e. the renewed interest among the current crop of high school and college students in all things spiritual. Reflective and meditative spirituality, as opposed to entertainment-based spirituality, is experiencing a revival.

For people like myself in a heritage rooted in the reflection and meditation of all things spiritual through God's Word, the harvest is indeed white.

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Finally, tonight the 1-6 Fresno Bulldogs go into Potato land to take on this year's BCS fly-in-the-ointment, #14 ranked and undefeated Boise State.

Throughout America, non-BCS schools are rooting for Boise State to make the BCS (a #12 ranking assures them of that) because the payout will be shared among the non-BCS schools.

Fresno is a 25-point underdog in the game. But something tells me the fight the Bulldogs showed in LSU will carry them in this one. Maybe I've been drinking too much of the kool-aid spewed by the local sports talk guys, but I think Fresno has gotten the funk out of its system from the Utah State and Hawaii debacles.

Fresno keeps it close, but not close enough to win.

Boise 31-21.