tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-89411811740018823552024-03-12T20:48:15.611-06:00Just Thinking . . .My thoughts . . . for what they're worthJeff Fosterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03166795303041280556noreply@blogger.comBlogger511125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8941181174001882355.post-51965761230978091902018-10-05T01:14:00.003-06:002020-09-12T00:48:43.466-06:00The Elusiveness of JoyJoy: is there a more beautiful word in the English language? Is there a more allusive quality in human experience?<br />
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Joy is rooted or related, in some degree, to contentment. And, for most of us, contentment is difficult. <div>We want. We desire. We feel empty, incomplete, and unsatisfied. And, so, we find discontentment rather easily, while joyful contentment remains elusive.<br />
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For much of the past six months, I have had a project. I wanted to complete a collection that I have been working to amass over the past 25 years. I wanted the complete recordings of The Beatles on compact disc. Not a noble pursuit, to be certain, but a desire that has been with me for a long, long time. And in my wanting, I flew caution to the wind and went on a buying spree.<br />
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Now, fortunately the costs of compact discs these days have greatly depreciated in the midst of the cloud-based digital media craze, so my buying spree didn’t break the my bank. But, in my haste (rather, discontent with what I already had) to complete my collection, I got reckless and purchased the same CD three times. Yes, I now possess three copies of The Beatles Magical Mystery Tour album. My craven, ill-contented mind became forgetful. I was buying what I already had.<br />
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Obviously, this situation is not earth-shattering or life-crippling, but I am afraid it shows something of my character. I struggle with the joy that is contentment, and it is a struggle that has significantly affected me. I am impulsive about many things, and I am convinced that dissatisfaction is the culprit.<br />
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I’m ever looking for the greener grass. I’ve done so with things: desiring to acquire more and more stuff because of the perception that these things would add some fullness to my life. I’ve done so professionally: growing dissatisfied with what I am currently doing and desiring new works. But, now that I’m on the cusp of having lived fifty years, I think I’m beginning to see the folly of looking for the greener grass. In reality, that search is the pursuit of what I already have.<br />
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Contentment is recognition. Contentment is gratitude. Contentment is perception and perspective. Contentment is the refusal to buy the lie that has been told since Eden. That lie? It is simply: more is better.<br />
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Adam and Eve lived in a place of abundance. They had all they needed. Yet, the tempter sold them the lie, more is better. And like the couple of Aesop’s fable who killed the golden goose, they lost all in their pursuit of more.<br />
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The elusiveness of joy comes from greed . . . and a large dose of forgetfulness. We forget what we already have. We forget that green grass is growing at our feet. We forget the graces that we have already be shown.<br />
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Interestingly, the word “joy” in Scripture comes from the Greek “chara,” which is related to “charis,” or “grace.” Thus, joy is a gift. Or, perhaps better stated, joy is the realization that we have been shown grace. In other words, we are blessed. Our joy is not the product of more. It is not the product of new. It is not the product of better. No, our joy is rooted in grace . . . God’s grace.<br />
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Take a look around you. Don’t inventory what you don’t have. Take stock of what you do have. Be grateful. Be joyful. Be contented. Don’t seek to buy what you already have. The grass is rarely greener.<br />
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When the third Magical Mystery Tour CD came to me in the mail, my first thought was to return it to Amazon, but then I decided to keep it as a reminder of my folly. I need these reminders.<br />
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Joy is a work in progress. It is never a constant state. Fortunately, I think that Jesus offered us a tip for keeping joy alive when he prayed, “Give us this day our daily bread.”</div>Jeff Fosterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03166795303041280556noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8941181174001882355.post-61647748739744930842018-10-01T14:41:00.002-06:002018-10-01T15:17:07.033-06:00A Matter of Convenience?Would I have followed? Would I have allowed my day to be interrupted in such a life-altering way? Would I have given even an hour of my time?<br />
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The setting was the shore of Gennesaret (Sea of Galilee), and it was the morning following an evening of intense but fruitless labor. Simon and his partners were wrapping up their disappointing night of work to head home, empty . . . without the catch that fed their families.<br />
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You would have to think that they were tired, frustrated, and perhaps worried about the welfare of their families in the face of a night of failure. You would have to think that these men longed to leave the shore far behind and return to the comforts and security of their homes. You’d have to think that Simon and his friends were now ready to do what most do at the end of long and frustrating days. Was the local “Cheers” to be their next stop? Did the barcalounger beckon? Was there a tee time to meet? Was the Harley ready to be fired up?<br />
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But then he came. Jesus came. And scores of people were in his wake. And he needed a platform . . . a boat, to be used as a speaker’s dais, from which he could be removed from the crowd, but heard and seen by all.<br />
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We don’t know the thoughts of Simon, at this point. Perhaps he was glad for the diversion from the failure of his night’s work. Perhaps he was eager to put the nets down and hear from the man who had recently healed his mother-in-law. Perhaps, though, his thoughts were a lot like our own when our time is co-opted by something that takes us off task, or away from the rest we desperately crave.<br />
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Would I have opted to sit through a sermon after enduring a long and disappointing night of labor? I wonder. And what of you?<br />
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The attendance in our Sunday church services might give us a clue about our behavior in that moment. Perhaps we’re talking apples and oranges, but I see to many people who are quick to spurn a gathering of the church for may other things. And those absences are with a good night’s rest enjoyed beforehand. Simon and his partners opted to hear Jesus after their long night of labor. His words became their priority and not their plans for rest. The schedule for their day became quickly altered when Jesus showed up.<br />
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Am I overly cynical to say that we have made our faith too often a matter of convenience? Am I too judging to say that we have relegated meeting with our church family to the bottom of our list of priorities? As long as it doesn’t interfere with our work, our fun, and our rest, we will be there. Is this how we do things?<br />
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Simon dropped his nets three times in Luke 5.1-11. Once, when Jesus began to speak, he dropped the nets he was mending and listened to the word of God. Then, he dropped his nets again, at the insistence of Jesus; and, following a fruitless night of labor, he brought in a great catch. And third, he dropped his nets to follow Jesus, to give his all, to follow without reservation . . . to give his life to the One who would give His life for all.<br />
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Would I have done the same? Have I done the same? Am I partner of Simon in the faith and devotion he showed to Jesus?<br />
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It is a question of priorities. What is most important to me? What is most important to you? What you give your time to is an indication. What you give your resources to is an indication. What you prioritize clearly shows who you are and whose you are.<br />
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Would you have stayed to listen to Jesus after a long and fruitless night of labor?Jeff Fosterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03166795303041280556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8941181174001882355.post-56396630464953567012018-09-13T13:01:00.003-06:002018-09-13T13:01:49.554-06:00McDonald's, Dairy Queen or Bob's Burgers?<br />
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-family: Calibri;">What was the evangelistic mission of the church as it had its beginning in Jerusalem? What was the intent for its growth?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-family: Calibri;">The charter, of course, for the church is the commission of Jesus to the eleven apostles who gathered with Jesus in Galilee following His resurrection. He charged them, “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you” (</span><span lang="en-US" style="font-family: Calibri; font-weight: bold;">Matthew 28.19-20</span><span lang="en-US" style="font-family: Calibri;">). And, so, those men and others began to preach, and converts were won, and local gatherings of believers came into being. And before long, the church wasn’t located only in Jerusalem and Judea, but had spread to Galilee and Samaria, and soon to Syria, Asia, Africa, Greece, Italy, and beyond.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>What was the intent as these churches came to be? Were these churches to be exact replications of the original church that met at Jerusalem? Were they to be clones of the mother church, keeping all forms and methods in place? Or, was it expected that as the church came to new towns and countries and cultures that forms and methods would be adapted to these new places and peoples?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I find it helpful as I ruminate on these questions to consider the business models adapted by three American food establishments: McDonald's, Dairy Queen, and Bob's Burgers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">First, the business model employed by McDonald’s is one of replication. The history of the creation of McDonald’s is fascinating and much more detailed than this short article can retell, but it involves brothers Richard McDonald and Maurice McDonald, who over a period of 15 years customized and streamlined the business of selling hamburgers into an operation that was the height of efficiency and profitability. Their success caught the attention of Ray Kroc, an Illinois-based salesman of restaurant equipment. Kroc eventually convinced the McDonald brothers to aggressively franchise their operation nationally. Kroc led this effort (eventually ending up with control and ownership of the company).</span><br />
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>McDonald’s franchisees were bound to strict policies which governed everything from the architecture and décor of each restaurant, menus, staffing, and service. The governing concept was that every McDonald’s restaurant was a mirror of the original. Variance was not permitted. That was the business model, and it helped build McDonald’s into the largest restaurant chain in the world. (Although, today, the McDonald’s business philosophy has changed somewhat, and franchisees are given some leeway on matters that used to be non-negotiable.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Dairy Queen had a different beginning and history than McDonald’s. The first Dairy Queen was opened in Joliet, Illinois by Sherb Noble in 1940. Its core business was soft serve ice cream, which had been developed in 1938, by business partners of Noble. The DQ concept was soon franchised, but franchisees were given a lot of leeway in the establishment and operation of their restaurants. The core business of soft-serve ice cream connected the franchises, but everything else was left to the customization of the franchisees. Frequent a DQ located in Texas, and your menu options will be somewhat different than a visit to a DQ in Minnesota, and the look of the place will be different, and methods of service will be different, but the soft-serve ice cream will be the same.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Bob’s Burgers is not a national entity. There are many restaurant establishments that are named Bob’s Burgers, and at least two regional chains bear the moniker (and, by the way, Bob’s Burgers is the title of a Fox TV animated series). The name Bob’s Burgers suggests the common business of selling hamburgers, but a Bob’s Burgers chain based in Louisville, Kentucky boasts tacos and burritos as its core business. Bob's Burgers are varied. There is no governing concept directing the business of local and regional owners.</span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-family: Calibri;">So, is the church to be more like McDonald's, Dairy Queen, or Bob's Burgers? What was the original intent or evangelistic mission of the church? Was the intention replication? Were Christian missionaries to go out and win converts and plant churches, replicating the forms and methods of the Jerusalem church in every detail? Or, was the plan to win converts and plant churches who shared a common faith, but were given some freedoms to express and live that faith in community? Or, was there no plan or central concept? In other words, did the expansion of the church just happen, sporadically, organically, and without direction or intent?</span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-family: Calibri;">Perhaps the very nature of the New Testament can lead us to an answer. Is there a manual for how to do church in the New Testament? In other words, is there a "How To Guide" for the structure and operation of the church in the New Testament?</span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-family: Calibri;">You may quickly answer, "The New Testament itself is the guide." And, yes, in a sense, it is, but it is not a guide that provides much in the way of direct details. We have the Gospels, which offer narratives of Jesus' life on earth and his teachings, which concern themselves primarily with the subject of discipleship. The church, as an entity, is rarely mentioned by Jesus, and he certainly does not give details about what is to be the institutional structure of the church or of its routine methodology. The Book of Acts is helpful as a partial historical record of the early church, but its pages are much more concerned with the personalities of Peter, Paul, and others and with the core gospel itself than they are with providing a detailed look at the organization and operation of the church. The letters of Paul and other evangelists are largely reactionary in nature. They are written responses to issues of the day. And, certainly, from these responses we are able to see something of the nature and practice of the church, but the letters are not exhaustive in this regard--there are many holes (matters left to our discerning imagination?).</span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-family: Calibri;">It seems to me that if replication were the original goal for the church that there would be a rather detailed manual for how to do church in the New Testament. In the context of the church assembling, Paul says that "God is not a God of disorder but of peace" (<b>1 Corinthians 14.33</b> NIV), Would the God of peace (or order) leave it to his people to seek out and find details about the church in a process similar to finding needles in a haystack and in a process often subjugated to the educational and cultural biases of those who seek? In other words, wouldn't an objective standard for the church be clearly communicated by the God of order if the replication of that standard were the goal?</span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-family: Calibri;">It seems to me that the intent of the New Testament is to articulate the identity and work of Jesus and the need for salvation on the part of humanity. The New Testament clearly shows how a person is delivered from condemnation of sin by the sacrifice of Jesus and clearly shows how the saved are brought together by God into community. But that community is not a static institution with a rigid set of policies and rules governing its operation. The church is an organism, not an institution. It is a community, a people, a family, and like any living thing it is conditioned by its environment. I'm not saying that it is subjugated to the whims of people, but the church adapts to its surroundings of time and place. Like Dairy Queen, the core business is static--the Gospel of Jesus Christ is formative and operative, but the forms and methods are fluid.</span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-family: Calibri;">Before you protest my point, ask yourself, is the congregation of which you are a part a replication of the church at Jerusalem in circa A.D. 33? I don't think that I have ever encountered a congregation that mirrors <b>Acts 2.42-47</b>. In spirit, I've found many that do, but in practice I have found none. If replication is the goal, we have failed, right down to the name we pridefully post on our buildings.</span></div>
Jeff Fosterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03166795303041280556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8941181174001882355.post-34550646181784176852018-09-06T20:20:00.000-06:002018-09-06T20:20:14.622-06:00Jesus, the Son of Joba?<div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
Two distinct genealogies of Jesus are given in the Gospels. Matthew 1.1-17 provides a family tree of Jesus that shows his human heritage from Abraham to Joseph over 42 generations (counting Jesus, himself). Luke 3.23-38 provides another genealogy tracing the heritage of Jesus back through the ages, from Joseph to Adam, and ultimately to God. What are the purposes of these ancestral listings (in Hebrew, toledot)? And how can the differences between the lists of Matthew and Luke be explained and reconciled?</div>
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A satisfactory answer to the second question is allusive. The differences between the lists is profound. Most obviously, the orientation of the lists is different, as described in my opening paragraph. As glaring as the difference in orientation are the names of the ancestors themselves. Matthew provides the names of 26 ancestors of Jesus from David to Joseph, whereas Luke lists 42 names in the same time frame, and only four names from this time period appear on both Matthew’s and Luke’s lists (David, Zerubbabel, Shealtiel or Salathiel, and Joseph).</div>
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How can these significant variances be explained? A common explanation, argued since at least the time of Ambrose in the 4th Century, is that Matthew provides us with the lineage of Jesus through Joseph, whereas Luke provides the heritage of Mary. Three objections counter this argument: Luke does not name Mary in the family tree that he provides, only Joseph; of the time period of Luke’s writing it would go against every known convention to delineate a heritage through one’s mother (although, it is recognized that Mary is no ordinary mother); and, perhaps most convincing to me, is that Luke seems to emphasize that Mary is of the tribe of Levi and not of Judah. The reference to Elizabeth being a Levite of the house of Aaron is not a passing comment (Luke 1.5; cf. 1.36).</div>
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Another explanation for the differences between Matthew and Luke is intriguing and would fit with the larger theme found in Luke’s Gospel of Jesus being a champion for the disenfranchised of society. This explanation theorizes that Matthew lists the royal lineage of David, using kingly names, whereas Luke either gives the familial names of these ancestors, or traces a lineage of Jesus through ordinary men (and not kings) while making the vital connection that Jesus was a descendant of David and Zerubbabel (in whom the kingly line of David was preserved following the Babylonian exile). Thus, in this thinking, the differences in names are not discrepancies but representations of the different purposes held by Matthew and Luke as they outline the heritage of Jesus. (To add detail to this argument: Luke preserves the true heritage of Jesus, mostly through ordinary men who were descendants of David but not necessarily kings in their own right, while Matthew is merely providing the line of Davidic kings and chief heirs down to Joseph, and then Jesus, while in actuality the ancestry of Jesus may have bypassed many of the men listed by Matthew.)</div>
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As I said before, a satisfactory way to reconcile the divergent lists of Matthew and Luke is allusive to us, but I think the purposes for the lists are clear.</div>
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One, Matthew presents his list with an intriguing symmetry of three divisions of 14 generations, giving 42 generations from Abraham to Jesus. In Jewish thinking, numbers were often meaningful. Three fourteens (or six sevens) “bring” Jesus to the head of a seventh seven, which can be understood as the church.</div>
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Two, Matthew includes five women in his ancestry of Jesus, including Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, the wife of Uriah (Bathsheba), and Mary. Each woman presents a certain amount of scandal and intrigue to the heritage of Jesus and highlights the providential nature of the coming of Jesus into the world and serves to connect Jesus’ awkward heritage with our own strange family histories (and even stranger relatives!).</div>
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Three, as I stated before, Luke is emphasizing the commonness of Jesus’ heritage, while maintaining his royal (Davidic) bloodline. There are a lot of “no names” in Luke’s listing of Jesus’ ancestors.</div>
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Four, both Luke and Matthew name Joseph as being the father of Jesus. And as the reader of the Gospel accounts, we also know that Jesus was born of Mary through a conception that was of God. Joseph was not involved in the conception of Jesus, but Matthew and Luke both name him as the human father. Perhaps I overstep by saying this: if we were able to do genetic testing on Jesus, I believe that he would have the DNA of Mary and Joseph. I think that Luke and Matthew clearly assert this in their ancestries of Jesus. And that is one of the wonders of Incarnation: by the power of God, Jesus was the son of Joseph, the son of David, the son of Abraham, the son of Adam . . . (and, yes, the son of Joda, and of many other forgotten men) . . . And, yes, especially, he was the Son of God!</div>
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Do you see other purposes in the ancestral lists of Matthew and Luke? Share them with me.</div>
Jeff Fosterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03166795303041280556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8941181174001882355.post-74693446515901086972018-08-24T13:36:00.000-06:002018-09-06T20:23:20.815-06:00Raising the Son of God?What were they thinking?<br />
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I’m referring to Joseph and Mary as they watched over the baby Jesus in those first hours after the birth of the child that was now theirs, but so much more. What were they thinking about their child? What did they expect would happen next? Did the thought of raising the Son of God intimidate them?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYnHYTPSZgWW_gLXmYDjGkGE03gVgyT0nIdPuC55DuIcYED_epzQ_dzH9Cclkkvc8XAVhK8Fq92XiVP9jcYFlGVL8yxb6yLNv3yLI_4hbF1PuRj5ViWxgXODMylZethPSLqliR-e-MRUpn/s1600/Nativity+Story+3.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="262" data-original-width="374" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYnHYTPSZgWW_gLXmYDjGkGE03gVgyT0nIdPuC55DuIcYED_epzQ_dzH9Cclkkvc8XAVhK8Fq92XiVP9jcYFlGVL8yxb6yLNv3yLI_4hbF1PuRj5ViWxgXODMylZethPSLqliR-e-MRUpn/s320/Nativity+Story+3.png" width="320" /></a></div>
Think about it: How do you go about raising the child that is the Son of God? How do you nurture God in the flesh? How do you teach him? How do you discipline him? How do you parent the Son of God? Would there be house rules? Would there be chores? Would there be a curfew?<br />
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As you know, the Gospel accounts tell us very little about the emotional makeup of Joseph and Mary in those hours and days and years following the birth of Jesus. The birth, itself, is stated rather matter-of-factly by Matthew and Luke, with the latter elaborating a bit by saying that Mary took the child and wrapped him up in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger. Luke also says something about Mary “treasuring up these things” (Luke 2.19), referring to her observation of the shepherds coming to see the baby Jesus. She has the same mentality a while later when she observes Jesus in the temple at the age of twelve and marvels at what she has seen. Beyond this limited insight, the Gospels leave the feelings (and intimate and internal questioning) of Joseph and Mary to our imaginations.<br />
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And that analysis speaks to the beauty of Biblical narrative. The Bible is predominantly narrative. As much as 65% of the Biblical text is in the form of narrative . . . story. God has spoken to us in story.<br />
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Why? Is that the most efficient means of transferring information? Is it the best way of instructing and commanding? Wouldn’t a bulleted-listing of what’s expected been much easier to communicate and for us to digest?<br />
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Perhaps so, if the existence of humanity were merely about obeying the Creator. But our life is about so much more. It is about relationship. And relationships are built on much more than rules and procedures. They are founded and nurtured on emotions, experiences, longings, and needs that go far deeper than words on a page.<br />
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Narrative speaks to the heart of a person with much deeper resonance than a bulleted list. Stories capture moments of life and invite participation. As we read of Joseph and Mary welcoming the baby Jesus into their lives and into our world, we naturally know something of the feelings they must have had and thoughts and questions come to our minds that surely were apart of their thinking because they have been true of the human experience since Adam and Eve started us off so many millennia ago.<br />
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But Bible stories do so much more than tug at our emotions and spark our imaginations, they teach us. They show us in vivid colors the wisdom and folly of human experiences as people succeeded or failed in their actions. The narratives of the Bible demonstrate living to us in both the fortunate and unfortunate. The stories of Scripture give the black-and-white commands of God the vibrancy of color that resonates with meaning and understanding in our minds. Stories help us see with deepened clarity what it is to seek God in our lives.<br />
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Let us always cherish the stories of the Bible.<br />
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Jeff Fosterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03166795303041280556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8941181174001882355.post-71703873328912631982018-08-24T13:34:00.001-06:002018-08-24T13:34:35.534-06:00Simply JesusSimply Jesus.<br />
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The Gospel of John tells us, “No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is Himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made Him known” (John 1.18 NIV).<br />
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To many, having a right relationship with God means observing all the rules of religion—worshiping right, speaking right, and living right. And yes, obedience to God is vitally important for us, but haven’t we missed the point when we reduce religion to what we do?<br />
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Very simply, it is Jesus who should be the focus of our attention.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_tjJ0Cms_Cz-pabM4ZZv79m67-WDq5smWl7veBFL4jhtzi_-dVhzzPcjK2cVgQD3kJPv812PEjMjde764cX3lqgZMkFsGMY6_8BfIX_61ja4aZ9y3jIC-FM6IK6p2GfxMEbQF-qGiRcnY/s1600/Simply+Jesus+1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="161" data-original-width="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_tjJ0Cms_Cz-pabM4ZZv79m67-WDq5smWl7veBFL4jhtzi_-dVhzzPcjK2cVgQD3kJPv812PEjMjde764cX3lqgZMkFsGMY6_8BfIX_61ja4aZ9y3jIC-FM6IK6p2GfxMEbQF-qGiRcnY/s1600/Simply+Jesus+1.png" /></a>Jesus came to earth to show us God . . . and to show us what it means to please God. This truth was loudly proclaimed on the mountain of transfiguration, where Jesus stood before the inner circle of His disciples, Peter, James, and John, and had the vestiges of His humanity pulled aside so that those men (and, though centuries removed, ourselves) could see His divinity. As they beheld His glorious form, a voice, the voice of the Father above, declared, “This is My Son, whom I have chosen; listen to Him” (Luke 9.35 NIV).<br />
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The Father’s words are instructive and they are commissioning. Jesus didn’t come to earth simply to die and be raised . . . He came to LIVE. And He left so much for us to observe and model in His living. His words of grace, His actions of love, His faith to the Father are all shown to us not as an ideal impossible to attain, but as a pattern to honor and desire.<br />
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Simply Jesus. We can’t go wrong with this intent. We can’t err with this method of seeking God’s favor. Very simply, let us do as Mary once did and sit at Jesus’ feet, listening to His words of grace, watching His actions of love, and being inspired by His faith to the Father. And let us not merely sit, but let us do. Simply Jesus: a motto for life.<br />
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Jeff Fosterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03166795303041280556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8941181174001882355.post-45813835567129946942018-08-24T13:33:00.000-06:002018-08-24T13:33:01.934-06:00In the Dark Night of the SoulIt is said that in terms of its economic impact, depression, in its many forms, is the second most debilitating health condition in America today. Its societal impact may be even greater considering the great stress it can put on families. However, depression is not an illness that cannot be treated or overcome. Medicines, counseling, dietary concerns, and other measures are all helpful tools when combating depression. Yet, is there an aspect of depression that is a blessing?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKQbXG8l1a8Y6djkOn7wyYbeSN1Gf06Q0MyKfkcPtPvqdPVxehB-FGVeTmIToSEKuD4FbvTRkTqwUC9e0w9pk6-LuTLNaGArOTenfG7WubbsccJ1uPn5C0QrgwHjN35BbWV_63rbcfu5a0/s1600/Depression+26.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="402" data-original-width="530" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKQbXG8l1a8Y6djkOn7wyYbeSN1Gf06Q0MyKfkcPtPvqdPVxehB-FGVeTmIToSEKuD4FbvTRkTqwUC9e0w9pk6-LuTLNaGArOTenfG7WubbsccJ1uPn5C0QrgwHjN35BbWV_63rbcfu5a0/s320/Depression+26.png" width="320" /></a>Consider the observation of H. Mark Abbott, who speaks about depression in a sermon entitled, “Surviving Depression.” he says, much of America “is preoccupied with therapy, with offering cures for whatever ails, including depression. But could it be that, instead of searching for cures for everything that ails us we ought to be listening for God’s voice in all the experiences of life, even in depression? Maybe there are some things we learn, some growth possible only through those low, dark times.”<br />
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He continues, ‘A sixteenth century monk we know as John of the Cross originated the phrase ‘the dark night of the soul.’ he described God’s work in us not through joy and light, but through sorrow and darkness. John of the Cross taught that night and darkness may be the friends, not the enemies of faith. He taught that God may lead us into a night in which our senses, that is, our usual ways of feeling and experiencing life, are emptied. Thus, we have no feeling of God’s presence.<br />
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“John of the Cross described this ‘dark night’ as a time when those persons lose all the pleasure that they once experienced in their devotional life. And there may follow a deep darkness of purifying and waiting. But that darkness ultimately leads to a dawn in which the vision of God is deepened and enriched.”<br />
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In his sermon, Abbott argues that depression may actually be “a signal of something in our lives to which we need to pay attention.” Perhaps an issue related to our health needs our attention: our eating and sleeping habits, our hormones, or other physical concerns. Perhaps some deep-seeded feeling or grief or guilt or inadequacy needs to be addressed. Perhaps it is a serious spiritual concern: a drifting away from God, or God using the time of dryness to re-orientate our lives or to give us a new commission and calling in life.<br />
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Abbott includes a quote from Elizabeth Sherrill, a woman who has struggled with depression intermittently in her life. She says, “A crisis, when it shows us our need for help, can be good news.”<br />
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Jeff Fosterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03166795303041280556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8941181174001882355.post-73838819500182399272016-02-24T22:56:00.001-07:002016-02-24T22:56:22.238-07:00There Seems To Be A Lot Of Shouting These Days<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; mso-element-linespan: 2; mso-element-linesup: 0; mso-element: dropcap-dropped; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: -2197in;">
<span style="font-family: Franklin Gothic Book;">There seems to be a lot of shouting these days. I am not speaking of the arena of politics, nor am I speaking of the cultural clashes or the roar of thousands gathered to see a sporting contest. Sadly, I am speaking of conflict within the church.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Franklin Gothic Book;">Throughout our land, churches are best with turmoil and division. Factions of Christians have lined up against one another. You have heard the labels, they sound as if they are names for sports teams or political parties: Liberal, Conservative, Progressive, Legalistic. Voices are raised, tempers flare, feelings are hurts, and brothers are divided.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Franklin Gothic Book;">“You’re violating my conscience,” shouts one. “You are weak in your understanding,” responds another. “You’re seeking to destroy the church,” one levels. “You’re just holding us back with your stubbornness,” chastises another. “It’s my way or no way,” argues yet another.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Franklin Gothic Book;">The fighting seems to make a mockery of Jesus’ words, “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (Jn. 13.35). The shouting seems to dismiss the prayer of our Lord: “I ask . . . That they may be one” (Jn. 17.20-21).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Franklin Gothic Book;">It is human nature to defend what seems to be right and to promote that which is personally beneficial or comfortable. However, our identity as Christians and as joint heirs of the eternal blessings of God demands that we defer to one another in love. Paul’s words are clear: “As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. . . . Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which you were called in the one body” (Col. 3.12-15).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Franklin Gothic Book;">In this spirit, may each of us defer to one another in love. May our shouts be reduced to civility. May our separate agendas be replaced with the unified agenda of proclaiming God’s eternal love to a lost and dying world. We can get along, we can be one, and we can impact our world with the Gospel of Christ, but we must begin by humbling ourselves.</span></div>
Jeff Fosterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03166795303041280556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8941181174001882355.post-79309664134450276282016-02-19T00:56:00.002-07:002016-02-19T00:56:35.288-07:00Staying the Course<div class="MsoNormal">
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; language: en-US; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-ligatures: none;">The Gospel writer describes the resoluteness of Jesus as he set out for Jerusalem, despite knowing the tragedy that would occur there. In Luke 9.51, the description is given, “When the days drew near for him to be taken up, </span><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: italic; language: en-US; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-ligatures: none;">he set his face</span><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; language: en-US; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-ligatures: none;"> to go to Jerusalem.” A rather matter-of-fact statement. A statement that subtly underscores the determination with which Christ set out on the path that would lead to his death.</span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; language: en-US; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-ligatures: none;"> The statement should remind one of the words Isaiah spoke about the one called the “Lord’s Servant.” This </span><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: italic; language: en-US; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-ligatures: none;">servant</span><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; language: en-US; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-ligatures: none;"> is the Messiah, the one God would send as deliverer and redeemer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; language: en-US; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-ligatures: none;"> The Lord’s Servant speaks of the difficult and trying times he would face, of the opposition that would be pitted against him, and he concludes in Isaiah 50.7, “The Lord God helps me; therefore I have not been disgraced; therefore </span><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: italic; language: en-US; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-ligatures: none;">I have set my face like flint</span><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; language: en-US; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-ligatures: none;">, and I know that I shall not be put to shame; he who vindicates me is near.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; language: en-US; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-ligatures: none;"> The Lord’s Servant affirms that God will be with him during his time of trial and that he will overcome, with God’s help, the opposition he will face. The Servant is able to declare, “I have set my face like flint,” a statement declaring his resolve to be faithful to the task given him by God.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; language: en-US; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-ligatures: none;"> Jesus, writes Luke, “</span><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: italic; language: en-US; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-ligatures: none;">set his face</span><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; language: en-US; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-ligatures: none;"> to go to Jerusalem.” He would go to the place of the cross with the same spirit of resolve exhibited by God’s Servant.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; language: en-US; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-ligatures: none;"> Do we share in Jesus’ resolve as we follow in his steps and obey the will of our Father? So many distractions vie for our gaze; it is so difficult, at times, to concentrate on the task at hand . . . faithful service to God.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; language: en-US; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-ligatures: none;"> Let us refocus and become more resolute as we follow the steps of our Savior and Lord. Our God will surely provide us with the strength we need.</span><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; language: en-US; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Jeff Fosterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03166795303041280556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8941181174001882355.post-77433448876000230102016-02-12T22:33:00.000-07:002016-02-12T22:33:02.374-07:00Trouble Was, He Never One a BattleGeneral George S. McClellan was a smart general. Trouble was, he never won a battle.<br />
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McClellan graduated first in his class at West Point. His intellect was better than most. As the Civil War erupted, President Abraham Lincoln called on McClellan to be commander of the Union Army of Northern Virginia, the main fighting force arrayed against the armies of the Confederacy.<br />
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In every respect, McClellan's force was superior to that of his Confederate counterpart. He had General Robert E. Lee out-manned, out-gunned, out-resourced, and out-trained. Unfortunately, McClellan lacked the initiative and daring of Lee and the Confederate Army.<br />
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McClellan was timid. Before he sent his troops into battle he wanted every "i" dotted and every "t" crossed. He spent hour after hour drilling his troops and scouting out the enemy, waiting for the perfect momen to strike. As noble as his efforts were, they were all for naught. McClellan's army never won a battle against its adversary.<br />
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Timidiy can cripple the strongest man in the world and make him susceptible to the smallest of foes. Timidity on the part of churches has resulted in an attitude of complacency (if not downright satisfaction) expressed toward dwindling numbers. Timidity on the part of churches has resulted in a desire to focus on the home-front while the mission field is neglected. Timidity on the part of churches has resulted in the abandonment of the number one rule of church growth: "Plant the seed, and God will provide the growth." Timidity on the part of churches has resulted on congregations that have little or no standing in the community and that have virtually no reputation for doing good. Timidity on the part of churches finds fulfillment in the status quo.<br />
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Boldness (notice, I did not say brashness) . . . boldness is a product of faith. It is confidence in God's eternal presence and provision of his people. Let us boldly be the people of God in this world. Let us not be intimidated by any task. Let us not doubt any outcome. Let us boldly put to use our abilities, resources, and opportunities. Let us not give the initiative to our Enemy, for timidity has never led one to victory, but is all-to-often the path to defeat.Jeff Fosterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03166795303041280556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8941181174001882355.post-17795292483594567202016-02-11T22:26:00.000-07:002016-02-11T22:26:09.609-07:00The Naming of God in the Story of Noah<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="en-US" style="clear: left; float: left;">An intriguing feature of the story of Noah and the Great Flood, one that almost goes unnoticed, is the naming of God in the story. God has two names in the story of the Flood. These two names give added meaning to the story; indeed I don’t know if the story can be fully appreciated without the knowledge that in it God is given two names.</span><span lang="en-US" style="clear: left; float: left;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US">For much of the story, God is referred to by the name </span><span lang="en-US" style="font-style: italic;">Elohim</span><span lang="en-US">. The name, in English, is simply, “God.” </span><span lang="en-US" style="font-style: italic;">Elohim</span><span lang="en-US"> is a rather generic name for God. It is the most common name for God in the Hebrew Bible. </span><span lang="en-US" style="font-style: italic;">Elohim</span><span lang="en-US"> emphasizes the majesty and transcendence of God above all creation and over all other </span><span lang="en-US" style="font-style: italic;">gods</span><span lang="en-US">. The name can even be translated “God of gods” or “All gods in One,” for that is the concept inherent in the name.</span></div>
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<span lang="en-US"> In certain scenes of the Flood narrative, though, God is called by the name </span><span lang="en-US" style="font-style: italic; language: en-US; mso-ligatures: none;">Yahweh</span><span lang="en-US">. </span><span lang="en-US" style="font-style: italic; language: en-US; mso-ligatures: none;">Yahweh</span><span lang="en-US"> (or, </span><span lang="en-US" style="font-style: italic; language: en-US; mso-ligatures: none;">Jehovah</span><span lang="en-US">), in English, is “</span><span lang="en-US" style="font-variant: small-caps; language: en-US; mso-ligatures: none;">Lord,</span><span lang="en-US">” or “</span><span lang="en-US" style="font-variant: small-caps; language: en-US; mso-ligatures: none;">Lord</span><span lang="en-US"> God” (The term “</span><span lang="en-US" style="font-variant: small-caps; language: en-US; mso-ligatures: none;">Lord God</span><span lang="en-US">” is </span><span lang="en-US" style="font-style: italic; language: en-US; mso-ligatures: none;">Yahweh Elohim</span><span lang="en-US">). </span><span lang="en-US" style="font-style: italic; language: en-US; mso-ligatures: none;">Yahweh</span><span lang="en-US"> is the most personal name for God in the Old Testament. </span><span lang="en-US" style="font-style: italic; language: en-US; mso-ligatures: none;">Yahweh</span><span lang="en-US"> was the name given by God to Moses at the sigh of the burning bush in Exodus 3, on the occasion of God calling Moses to return to Egypt and free his people from bondage. </span><span lang="en-US" style="font-style: italic; language: en-US; mso-ligatures: none;">Yahweh</span><span lang="en-US"> is God’s covenant name, the name of God that stresses his great love for and interest in the well-being of man. </span><span lang="en-US" style="font-style: italic; language: en-US; mso-ligatures: none;">Yahweh</span><span lang="en-US"> is a very intimate name; it is the name God cautioned the Jews to not misuse in the third commandment, “Thou shalt not take the name of the </span><span lang="en-US" style="font-variant: small-caps; language: en-US; mso-ligatures: none;">Lord</span><span lang="en-US"> thy God in vain.” (Although, the Jews misapplied the meaning of this command; they went as far as condemning the public usage of the name and even its mere utterance and writing.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US"> In the Flood narrative, the name </span><span lang="en-US" style="font-style: italic; language: en-US; mso-ligatures: none;">Yahweh</span><span lang="en-US"> is used strategically and purposefully. It is used in three specific scenes, along with an isolated fourth reference.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US"> </span><span lang="en-US" style="font-style: italic; language: en-US; mso-ligatures: none;">Yahweh</span><span lang="en-US"> is used in Genesis 6.5-8, the scene where God’s sorrow over the sinfulness of the world is expressed. It is here, in this paragraph, where God’s intent to judge the world is made known and where Noah’s finding favor in the sight of the Lord is reported.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US"> </span><span lang="en-US" style="font-style: italic; language: en-US; mso-ligatures: none;">Yahweh</span><span lang="en-US"> is used in Genesis 7.1-5, the scene where God commands Noah to enter the ark, taking with him seven pairs of every clean animal and one pair of every unclean animal. God tells him (in more detail than before) of what is going to transpire; namely, the world will be destroyed by flood and only those onboard the ark will survive.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US"> </span><span lang="en-US" style="font-style: italic; language: en-US; mso-ligatures: none;">Yahweh</span><span lang="en-US"> is used in Genesis 7.16, in the statement, “And the </span><span lang="en-US" style="font-variant: small-caps; language: en-US; mso-ligatures: none;">Lord</span><span lang="en-US"> shut them in,” describing God’s action of closing the door on the ark.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US"> </span><span lang="en-US" style="font-style: italic; language: en-US; mso-ligatures: none;">Yahweh</span><span lang="en-US"> is used in Genesis 8.20-22, the scene where Noah, having just left the ark, offers sacrifices to God. God’s favorable response to the sacrifices is noted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US"> In each of these scene, God is shown acting in a personal manner; in other words, he is shown having </span><span lang="en-US" style="font-style: italic; language: en-US; mso-ligatures: none;">human</span><span lang="en-US"> qualities and behaviors. In Gen. 6.5-8 and 7.1-5, God </span><span lang="en-US" style="font-style: italic; language: en-US; mso-ligatures: none;">sees</span><span lang="en-US">. What he </span><span lang="en-US" style="font-style: italic; language: en-US; mso-ligatures: none;">sees</span><span lang="en-US">, causes him </span><span lang="en-US" style="font-style: italic; language: en-US; mso-ligatures: none;">sorrow</span><span lang="en-US"> (he has emotions). In 7.16, he </span><span lang="en-US" style="font-style: italic; language: en-US; mso-ligatures: none;">shuts</span><span lang="en-US"> the door of the ark (an action). In 8.20-22, he </span><span lang="en-US" style="font-style: italic; language: en-US; mso-ligatures: none;">smells</span><span lang="en-US"> the offering made by Noah, and he is </span><span lang="en-US" style="font-style: italic; language: en-US; mso-ligatures: none;">pleased</span><span lang="en-US"> (again, and action and emotion). In these passages, God is shown acting in a personal manner: he senses, he has emotions, and he acts.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US"> What is the effect of this composite portrayal of God? He is real. God is a participant in the story—an active participant. He is not a distant deity destroying the world on a whim. He is an involved God fully conscious of what he is doing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US"> In his alternating between </span><span lang="en-US" style="font-style: italic; language: en-US; mso-ligatures: none;">Elohim</span><span lang="en-US"> and </span><span lang="en-US" style="font-style: italic; language: en-US; mso-ligatures: none;">Yahweh</span><span lang="en-US">, the inspired author is teaching us that God takes an active interest in the affairs of man.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US"> Remember, </span><span lang="en-US" style="font-style: italic; language: en-US; mso-ligatures: none;">Elohim</span><span lang="en-US"> is a name for God that emphasizes his greatness, his transcendence above all else. It is an important name, a name we should know and respect, but it is a name, when used by itself, which gives us an incomplete picture of God.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US"> It is easy to see God as aloof, distant, above everything. Many see God as all-consumed in himself, we cannot rise to his level, he cannot stoop to ours, so there is this wide gulf between God and man.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US"> In the Flood story, it is easy to see God in this light. A perfect God destroying a far-less-than-perfect world. The act could be seen as being doing by a God who could care less. He can always start over and make a more perfect world.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US"> But, no, God has a vested interest in his creation. He has an infatuation (wholesome, mind you) with his creation, namely mankind. This vested interest is made manifest in the name, </span><span lang="en-US" style="font-style: italic; language: en-US; mso-ligatures: none;">Yahweh</span><span lang="en-US">.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US"> The story of the Flood is not merely about a transcendent God doing what he has the power to do—that is, to destroy what stands opposed to him. The story of the Flood is a about a transcendent God who cares deeply and eternally for his creation, no matter to what extreme they have gone to hurt him and from whom they have distanced themselves.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US"> In the story of the Flood, God is not looking to destroy man, but to have fellowship with him. Punishment is due (and deserved), but restoration is offered. God delivers humanity by taking Noah and his family and delivering them from the Flood. Indeed it really is more a story about Noah (man) than a story about a Great Flood.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US"> Believe it or not, I received a lot of spankings as a child. My dad could give a good spanking. He wore a wide heavy belt; it stung; it got the message across (I was just a slow learner). But, I remember that every spanking was followed by a hug. Why a hug? It was my fathers’ way of reaffirming his love for me. My behavior demanded punishment, but that did not mean he had stopped loving me. I remained his son, he remained my father, and the hug reinforced these truths.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US"> Just as a father hugs his son after disciplining him, the alternating names used in the story of Noah affirm God’s eternal love for mankind. He is </span><span lang="en-US" style="font-style: italic; language: en-US; mso-ligatures: none;">Elohim</span><span lang="en-US">, and his greatness demands our respect and reverence—he remains King and Judge. He is </span><span lang="en-US" style="font-style: italic; language: en-US; mso-ligatures: none;">Yahweh</span><span lang="en-US">, and his love for us is everlasting—he wants to be our Father.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US">—</span><span lang="en-US" style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Jeff Foster<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Jeff Fosterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03166795303041280556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8941181174001882355.post-55725376914186644982016-02-11T15:23:00.001-07:002016-02-11T18:22:28.564-07:00Churches Must Be Places of Healing<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: -2197in;">
<span lang="en-US" style="font-family: "franklin gothic book";">Each time I read the Gospel of Luke, I am impressed with the responsiveness of “sinners” to Jesus. This responsiveness and the ease and care with which Jesus reacts provides insight into how churches can and must grow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-family: "franklin gothic book";">One scene from the Third Gospel stands out more than any other. The story is told in Luke 7.36-50 of Jesus being entertained in the home of Simon, a Pharisee. During the meal a woman enters the house and comes to Jesus. “She stood behind him at his feet, weeping, and began to bathe his feet with her tears and to dry them with her hair” (v. 38). The action of this woman repulses the host, because this woman was “a sinner” (32), a woman of the streets, a prostitute.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-family: "franklin gothic book";">The exchange that follows between Simon and Jesus is instructive. Jesus condemns the man’s prejudice, and commends the woman’s contriteness. He concludes, “Therefore, I tell you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven; hence she has shown great love. But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little” (47).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-family: "franklin gothic book";">This episode illustrates an important truth about the Gospel and provides insight into how church growth should be viewed. This woman, convicted of her sins (at the very least, moved to find healing and wholeness) comes to Jesus. She views Jesus as one who could help her, one who would be compassionate, one who would not drive her out into the streets again, one who would not condemn and exclude. Perhaps she had witnesses his interaction with others. Perhaps she had heard of his gentleness from those he had met. And, as she came, she found the one she sought: the Lord, who, with gentleness not scorn, responded mercifully and decisively.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLFrTp9V_eQ6pLraTngcAqUFmQDSsVuGAlemmzI3Zagztki4IKhFzOTPDjEJBWenULfbM9YaemoLyepX20s16YMrjS1fwfSk4kRf0Dfn6AmYB7pwkNuTQTdt47poBjbhKLzlryHduoTQP5/s1600/Living+Water+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLFrTp9V_eQ6pLraTngcAqUFmQDSsVuGAlemmzI3Zagztki4IKhFzOTPDjEJBWenULfbM9YaemoLyepX20s16YMrjS1fwfSk4kRf0Dfn6AmYB7pwkNuTQTdt47poBjbhKLzlryHduoTQP5/s320/Living+Water+2.jpg" width="320" /></a><span lang="en-US" style="font-family: "franklin gothic book";">What is the challenge for the church? What is the pattern given for church growth? Are we viewed by the broader society and community as an “institution” (I do not like the word, but it fits) where the “sinner” can come and find the answers for which they are searching? In other words, does the person on the street view the church as a people where he could and should be a part? Does he see us as a gentle and merciful people and not as scornful and harsh?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-family: "franklin gothic book";">Yet another way to ask the question: are we “pricking people’s hearts” with the Gospel (see Acts 2.37), or are we shaming them with our self-righteous smugness?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-family: "franklin gothic book";">Zacchaeus sought out Jesus. Jesus did not reject Peter when the fisherman said, “Lord, I am a sinner.” He touched the leper. He ate in the home of Levi. He told the story of the Samaritan. He condemned the old brother of the prodigal. He blessed the centurion with the healing of his servant. He restored Legion to renewed health and mind. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-family: "franklin gothic book";"> I am afraid that most churches today are viewed by the broader society and culture as peoples and places of exclusion and condemnation. We are not seeker-friendly. A poverty of spirit (Lk. 6.20) is needed in our churches. We should </span><span lang="en-US" style="font-family: "franklin gothic book"; font-style: italic;">look </span><span lang="en-US" style="font-family: "franklin gothic book";">and </span><span lang="en-US" style="font-family: "franklin gothic book"; font-style: italic;">feel</span><span lang="en-US" style="font-family: "franklin gothic book";"> more like hospitals than country clubs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-family: "franklin gothic book";">The mission of Christ needs to serve as our inspiration. At Nazareth, he declared, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor” (Lk. 4.18-19). To those who criticized his fraternizing with Levi, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; I have come to call not the righteous but sinners to repentance” (5.31-32). To Zacchaeus, he said, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and save the lost” (19.10). And, in the context of his lost but found parables, he explains, “Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance” (15.7)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-family: "franklin gothic book";">When churches are viewed as a people of acceptance and as places of healing, phenomenal growth can and will take place. It is an evaluation, however, that is not produced passively. In other words, merely </span><span lang="en-US" style="font-family: "franklin gothic book"; font-style: italic;">leaving the door open</span><span lang="en-US" style="font-family: "franklin gothic book";"> does not answer the challenge. We must be present and visible in the broader community. Our lack of conformity does not demand isolation. (After all, salt must be tasted and light must shine.) We must be present in the world, upholding what is good, opposing what is not (see Ephesians 5.11), and aiming to draw people to us and not driving them away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-family: "franklin gothic book";">A humility of spirit, all-encompassing faith, and a deep, genuine compassion for all persons are the fundamental building blocks needed in the </span><span lang="en-US" style="font-family: "franklin gothic book"; font-style: italic;">construction</span><span lang="en-US" style="font-family: "franklin gothic book";"> of churches. The eyes of Jesus were cast on the hurting and those in need; our gaze must be directed in the same way. We must understand that we are all digging our way out of the same pit (rather, we are all being rescued out of the same pit!).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-family: "franklin gothic book";">This is why our buildings need windows! What message do we send when our gaze cannot be cast beyond bricks and mortar? What message do we send when we cannot present ourselves transparently before the world?</span></div>
Jeff Fosterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03166795303041280556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8941181174001882355.post-77336153157238089142012-01-29T15:37:00.000-07:002012-01-29T15:37:21.458-07:00What God Has Brought Together . . .<i>Since the middle of October I have been preaching through Jesus' Sermon On the Mount (Matthew 5-7). This morning, our study brought us to Matthew 5.31-32, Jesus' statement on divorce and remarriage. I have been somewhat apprehensive about approaching this text, because of the trajectory my life has taken over the past 5 years. I did put a sermon together and preached it this morning. I humbly submit it to you, here, in written form. I pray that you will find these words a blessing. I would enjoy your comments and the wisdom you bring to this hard subject.
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Did you read the Sermon On the Mount this week? This morning, we continue our study of this important part of the Bible. We come to a very difficult subject and one that is deeply personal to many of us here in this room.<br />
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But, first a little lightheartedness: A man visits a lawyer to seek a divorce. The lawyer asked, “Do you have any Grounds?” The man replied: “About three acres.” The lawyer tried again, “No, I mean do you have a Grudge?” The man answered, “No, but we have a carport.” The lawyer made one last effort: “Are you really sure you want a divorce?” The client replied, “No, I don’t, but my wife does. She says we can’t communicate!”
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That’s about as humorous as the subject before us this morning gets.<br />
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DIVORCE. A scary word. A word that we’d rather not hear. A word that represents much pain and heartache, distress . . . even shame.
Everyone of us here today has been affected by the sorrow of failed marriages. I have experienced divorce firsthand . . . my first marriage failed . . . many of you have walked in those same shoes . . . some of you have had children that have suffered divorce . . . some of you have experienced the divorce of your parents.<br />
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In 1999, thirteen years ago!, a study showed that 25% of adults in the United States have had a marriage end in divorce . . . one out of four adults in this country! Did you know that among those who call themselves “born-again” Christians the percentage of divorced adults is 27% . . . two percentage points HIGHER than the public at large.
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Divorce is not merely “of the world” . . . it’s in the church, as well . . . indeed I would say that at least a third of the adults in this room today have been divorced, including myself.<br />
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So, what does Jesus teach about divorce? He addresses the subject in the Sermon On the Mount.<br />
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In Matthew 5.31-32, Jesus says, “It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife must give her a written notice of divorce.’ But I tell you, everyone who divorces his wife, except in a case of sexual immorality, causes her to commit adultery. And whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.”<br />
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Do you see the pattern? The pattern that Jesus has repeatedly employed in this section of His Sermon On the Mount?
Notice, Jesus says, “It was also said,” similar to the refrain from earlier verses, “You have heard that it was said.” And that is followed by, “But I tell You” (as we also see in vv. 21 and 27). This pattern will again be employed in vv. 33, 38, and 43.<br />
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What Jesus is doing is taking portions of the Law (the writings of Moses) and reciting them to His audience as their teachers (the Pharisees and scribes) were teaching them during that time. And He contrasts those teachings with proper applications of them for His disciples to employ in their lives.<br />
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Remember, the Pharisees, and those like them, emphasized the letter of the law . . . their’s was a religion of rule-keeping . . . crossing the t’s and dotting the i’s. And they sought ways to skirt around God’s laws . . . to do JUST what was required and nothing more.
But, Jesus is calling for a deeper obedience . . . He says that our righteousness must “surpass” that of the scribes and Pharisees. It’s not a matter of mere rule keeping, but a desire from the heart to BE the person God wants me to be. Jesus is emphasizing the spirit of the law over the letter of the law.
And, so, He takes a portion of the Law that had been misapplied, or glossed over, and says let Me tell you what this principle truly means in the lives of My disciples.<br />
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And, so, Jesus says, “It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife must give her a written notice of divorce.’” He is referring to something Moses said in Deuteronomy 24.<br />
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Deuteronomy 24.1-4a: Moses said, “If a man marries a woman, but she becomes displeasing to him because he finds something improper about her, he may write her a divorce certificate, hand it to her, and send her away from his house. If after leaving his house she goes and becomes another man’s wife, and the second man hates her, writes her a divorce certificate, hands it to her, and sends her away from his house or if he dies, the first husband who sent her away may not marry her again after she has been defiled, because that would be detestable to the Lord.”<br />
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Notice, Moses neither encourages or commands divorce. He basically presents one long conditional sentence . . . saying that if this set of conditions occurs, then this is how the matter should be handled.
Moses’ interest in the matter is not so much focused on “divorce” as it is on the treatment of the woman affected by the divorce.<br />
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As Moses is outlining this instruction, there was great disparity between men and women. A husband was the unquestioned master of the house and of marriage. If he chose to dismiss his wife, SHE had little recourse. He could throw her out . . . and, out on her own, she would be in a very precarious situation . . . especially if she sought to remarry. She could be accused of adultery for remarrying, and would have little ability to prove otherwise.
And, in Moses’ day, the penalty for adultery was not merely the inability to remarry . . . BUT it was death . . . if you were guilty of adultery, you were to be stoned.<br />
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So, Moses says that the husband who divorced his wife MUST give her documentation, a “certificate of divorce,” declaring her purity. Moses also guards against further manipulation of the woman by saying that her first husband cannot then subsequently remarry her, if she has been divorced by another man. In effect, Moses is saying that you can’t go in and out of marriage at a whim.<br />
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People in Jesus’ day, notably the Pharisees, were using this instruction from Moses to JUSTIFY divorce. Thus, Jesus says, “You have heard it said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife must give her a written notice of divorce.’”<br />
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In fact, as Jesus sat on the hillside near the Sea of Galilee and delivered His Sermon On the Mount, a rather hotly-debated controversy was being fought between two factions of Pharisees over Moses’ words in Deuteronomy 24. It was a debate that broiled for many decades. The battle hinged on Moses’ words, “she becomes displeasing to him,” and “he finds something improper about her.”<br />
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On one side of the issue was the school of Rabbi Shammai, who took the conservative line. He and his followers taught that Moses allowed for divorce, but only because some “grave marital offense” had been committed. Shammai argued that this offense was an act of “absolute indecency”—basically, an act of infidelity . . . not necessarily limited to promiscuity, but a “major” offense.<br />
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On the other side of the issue was the school of Rabbi Hillel, who adopted a much more lax position . . . and, the more widely-accepted view during Jesus’ day. Hillel and his followers argued that Moses gave permission to a husband to divorce his wife for any action of hers that upset him. For instance, Hillel argued that a man could divorce his wife if she spoiled his dinner by adding too much salt, or if she were seen in public with her head uncovered, or if she talked to other men on the street, or if she spoke disrespectfully to her husband’s parents, or if she became “plain-looking” compared with other women who seemed more beautiful in her husband’s eyes. These are laughable, but they were viewed as legitimate reasons for divorce in Jesus’ day.<br />
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The situation isn’t much different today, is it? Don’t people still divorce for just about any and every reason imaginable? A man in Hazard, Kentucky divorced his wife because she “beat him whenever he removed onions from his hamburger without asking for permission.” A deaf man in Bennettsville, South Carolina filed for divorce because his wife “was always nagging him in sign language.” A woman in Canon City, Colorado divorced her husband because he forced her to “duck under the dashboard whenever they drove past his former girlfriend’s house.” And a woman in Hardwick, Georgia divorced her husband on the grounds that he “stayed home too much and was much too affectionate.” These are actual statements made by plaintiffs seeking divorces.
Did you know that every state in our union except South Dakota has some sort of law in place allowing for what is commonly called “no fault divorce”? It essentially means that either spouse in a marriage can file and petition for divorce for any and all reasons, or no reason at all.<br />
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This was essentially the view of the School of Rabbi Hillel . . . although it was a prerogative of only the husband . . . the wife had no legal standing to divorce her husband. She was at his mercy . . . or lack thereof!<br />
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Jesus is called into this debate between the schools of Shammai and Hillel. In Matthew 19 we have recorded an exchange that took place between Jesus and some Pharisees.<br />
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Matthew 19.3: “Some Pharisees approached Jesus to test Him. They asked, ‘Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife on any grounds?’”<br />
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In other words, they are asking, “Which Rabbi do you side with, Shammai or Hillel?” They might as well have been asking Jesus, “Are you a conservative or a liberal on the matter of divorce?”<br />
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Jesus responds in vv. 4-6: He said, “Haven’t you read that He who created them in the beginning ‘made them male and female,’ and ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’? So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, man must not separate.”<br />
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Jesus’ answer must have surprised the Pharisees. Undoubtedly, they expected Him to cite Moses in Deuteronomy, but He doesn’t . . . Jesus goes all the way back to the beginning . . . to the creation of man . . . and in doing so, stresses the permanence of marriage.<br />
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Jesus says that God’s ultimate plan, the ideal, is that marriage: (1) is between one man and one woman; (2) is for life; and (3) is an institution created by God.<br />
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The Pharisees shout back: “Why then did Moses command us to give divorce papers and to send her away?” (v. 7).<br />
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Notice the attitude. The Pharisees saw Moses’ instruction as a license to divorce. They totally missed the point that Moses was simply speaking in the woman’s defense.<br />
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Jesus responds. In vv. 8-9, he says, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because of the hardness of your hearts. But it was not like that from the beginning. And I tell you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery.”<br />
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Jesus doesn’t take the bait . . . He’s not going to referee the controversy that was waging between Rabbis Shammai and Hillel. They were all about the permissiveness of divorce . . . that was their focus . . . whether it be the conservatives who limited it to some serious sin on the part of the woman, or the liberals who said it could be because of any offense brought to the husband . . . their focus was merely on the rights of the man to the end the marriage.<br />
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Jesus dismisses that battle as essentially a misreading (or, misapplying) of Moses’ instruction. And, in a manner of speaking, Jesus says, “Back up a moment, and remember what marriage is. It is a relationship created and given by God to a man and woman . . . it isn’t some trivial matter. It is a serious relationship that can’t just be thrown away on a whim. The cause of the failure of a marriage must be isolated to an act that in and of itself desecrates the very bond of marriage . . . like adultery.”<br />
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And, this is what Jesus also says in the Sermon On the Mount. Again, in Matthew 5.31-32, Jesus teaches, “It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife must give her a written notice of divorce.’ But I tell you, everyone who divorces his wife, except in a case of sexual immorality, causes her to commit adultery. And whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.”<br />
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First of all, notice, the focus of Jesus’ teaching is on the MAN . . . the husband . . . HE “causes her to commit adultery,” and the man who “marries a divorced woman commits adultery.”
Now, certainly, Jesus’ teaching applies to both men and women, to husbands and wives, especially in our day and time when there is a certain equality of rights and actions for men and women, BUT, it seems to me, that Jesus is not-so-subtly leveling the “gender” playing field.<br />
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Remember, in Jesus’ day (and in Moses’ day), it was the men who had the power . . . whether it be in society, or in the family. According to the customs of the day, a MAN could divorce his wife, but a WIFE had no such ability. And, at least in the eyes of the more progressive-thinking Pharisees, a man could dismiss his wife for ANY reason.
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To this mindset, Jesus puts the SIN of the divorce squarely at the feet of the husband . . . YOU cause “her to commit adultery,” he says. And, it would seem, the one who seeks to benefit from the callousness of the first man “commits adultery” when he “marries a divorced woman.”<br />
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In Matthew 19.9, Jesus’ focus is even more squarely on the man. He says, “And I tell you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery.”<br />
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And, in Mark 10.11, the point is even clearer. There, Jesus says, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against HER.”<br />
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I see this focus on the MAN as being a primary reason for the strength of Jesus’ statement about divorce and remarriage. He’s employing a bit of hyperbole here to make a point . . . to stress the seriousness of the subject . . . much like what He says in the preceding verses about the temptations we have. Remember, Jesus says in Matt. 5.29, “If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away,” and, in v. 30, “If your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away.” Gouge out your eye . . . cut off your hand . . . obviously exaggerations to make a point about the seriousness of temptation.<br />
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And, so, likewise, here, Jesus is using a rather pointed statement to get the attention of those men who thought they had license to summarily dismiss their wives without much cause or concern for their plight.<br />
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But, there’s more.<br />
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The debate between Rabbis Shammai and Hillel was much more a battle of semantics than anything else. They were debating the meaning of words that Moses used many centuries before.
To Shammai, Moses meant something akin to adultery. To Hillel it was anything that brought displeasure to the husband. These two rabbinical schools could not agree . . . and so in their struggle to be RIGHT on the subject they forgot the true importance of Moses’ instruction. In a battle over semantics (the meaning and use of words) the Pharisees reduced the sanctity of marriage to just another issue to fight over.<br />
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But Jesus, in both the Sermon On the Mount and especially later in Matthew 19, returns the focus to the sanctity of marriage.<br />
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Remember, when the Pharisees come to Him and ask Him to pick sides in the Shammai-Hillel debate, Jesus ignores the controversy over semantics and instead makes an appeal to what was true at the very beginning . . . that God had given marriage to a man and woman . . . it was not a relationship of convenience . . . but a holy bond.<br />
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The Pharisees debated when and how they could break that bond, BUT Jesus is saying, in essence, treasure that bond . . . value it . . . don’t be wrapped up in how can be nullified.<br />
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Today, sadly, the battlefield has shifted. Instead of fighting over the semantics of “adultery,” and trying to determine what is meant by “grave marital offense,” we fight over the “semantics” of “remarriage” . . . over when it is permissible for a divorced person to remarry.<br />
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Wouldn’t you agree? There’s been a lot of ink spilled (and probably more than a little blood, too) over the subject of divorce and remarriage. Families have become divided over it . . . churches, too. And the differing camps are as impassioned about their stances as were Rabbis Shammai and Hillel in Jesus’ day.<br />
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But, sadly, the battle is fought in the midst of half-truths and innuendos and speculations . . . in other words, we place ourselves as judges of relationships that are not our own and that we only view from the outside.<br />
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Do we get as worked up when somebody lies and sins? . . . treats another rudely and sins? . . . is improper with finances and sins? . . . dishonors his parents and sins? . . . withholds from God and sins? Do you catch the drift of what I am saying? We’re so quick to point fingers at another and question the validity of their divorce and remarriage, that we forget to notice our own sin.<br />
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Yes, divorce can certainly be sinful . . . but, it can also be that act of last resort that must be taken in a relationship that has become fractured beyond repair, and, worse, has become dangerous to one’s health and well-being. But, God is the judge of the merits of that . . . not me, not you.<br />
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Yes, remarriage after divorce can be sinful, but it also can be permissible in the judgment of God . . . and, I emphasize that, “in the judgment of God.”<br />
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I like the words of John Stott. He writes, “To be preoccupied with the grounds for divorce [and remarriage] is to be guilty of the very pharisaism which Jesus condemned.”<br />
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It is important to realize, we cannot undo the past. We can simply live this day forward in the best way that we can.<br />
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Let me say that again: we cannot undo the past, we can simply live this day forward in the best way that we can.<br />
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We all have past regrets . . . mistakes . . . things that we wish we had done differently. And it’s not always a matter of ruing over past sins. Sometimes it is a desire to have made wiser choices than were made . . . taking a more constructive course in life.<br />
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For some of us, those regrets involve the choices over who we married, or how we conducted ourselves in that marriage, or how that marriage may have come to an end, or what happened in the years that followed.
But, no matter how strong our regrets are, we cannot go back and undo what has happened . . . the pieces cannot be reassembled as if nothing had happened.<br />
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We can simply take this day, TODAY, and live it to God’s glory, knowing that the past is gone, forgiven by a gracious and merciful God, but realizing, too, that there are ongoing consequences from past choices . . . the issues related to divorce LINGER (especially if you have children involved) . . . but taking TODAY and committing ourselves to honoring God with the rest of our days.<br />
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I am reminded of the words Jesus shared with a woman caught in adultery.<br />
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He said, “Go and sin no more.” Jesus didn’t dwell in the woman’s past, or grill her over past choices and past sins. He simply helped her in the present and said, “Go and sin no more.”<br />
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Make TODAY a turning point, Jesus says, and live the rest of your days honoring God.<br />
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For those of us who have been personally affected by divorce and remarriage, those are encouraging words!<br />
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In His Sermon On the Mount Jesus says to those who want to be His disciples, “Your righteousness must surpass that of the scribes and Pharisees.”<br />
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The Pharisees were caught up in semantics, the meaning use of words . . . there’s was a religion of rule keeping. Jesus is calling us to something more.<br />
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Instead of debating when and how a person might get out of marriage, Jesus says VALUE marriage . . . HONOR that bond.
Instead of fighting over the subjects of divorce and remarriage and the semantics that surround the issues, we should be much more focused on promoting marriage and creating marriages that last.<br />
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Very quickly, here are some basic strategies for creating marriages that last. I offer these especially to the kids that are in here today and to those who are unmarried.<br />
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(1) View marriage as a sacred institution created and given by God.<br />
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(2) Find a mate who is committal in ways that extend beyond marriage.<br />
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(3) Look at yourself: value the commitments you make.<br />
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(4) Know that love is not the absence of conflict.<br />
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(5) Marry a Christian.<br />
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(6) Develop a mutual faith with your mate.<br />
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(7) Be humble. Always put the needs of your mate above your own.<br />
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One of the greatest gifts I have been given in life are the examples of my parents and grandparents. In July, my parents will celebrate 43 years of marriage. Yesterday would have been the 67th wedding anniversary of my mother’s parents, were my grandfather still living. Indeed I was blessed to have been at the Golden Anniversary celebrations of both sets of my grandparents.<br />
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We are blessed here in this congregation to have couples who have stood the tests of time . . . and provide to us such an example of love and commitment. They are the ideal! They are what its all about. Let’s honor them. Let’s be encouraged by them. Let’s learn from them . . . as we each strive to honor God each day forward.Jeff Fosterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03166795303041280556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8941181174001882355.post-80140177314138367562011-10-11T16:35:00.000-06:002011-10-11T16:35:15.738-06:00Budding Photogs?My youngest daughters, Hannah (11) and Grace (9), celebrated birthdays recently. I gave each a digital camera. They have been having fun taking photos with their new cameras. As you can tell from these sample shots they are still trying to figure out things like "focus" and "framing," but I am impressed with their budding artistry.<br />
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Jeff Fosterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03166795303041280556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8941181174001882355.post-82485399510988180472011-09-19T14:13:00.001-06:002011-09-19T14:14:05.627-06:00Mack Brown on Conference RealignmentI am an Oklahoma Sooner fan, but I greatly respect Mack Brown of the University of Texas. His take on the conference realignment talks is a view worth hearing. The following is from an article posted on espn.com.<br />
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Mack Brown:<br />
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"What I'm concerned about is the players and their parents," Brown said. "As much as we talk about money, as much as we talk about college football, as much as we talk about realignment, as much as we talk about great games, playoffs and all that stuff, we better go back and make sure that we're taking care of the players and that the players and the high school coaches are always considered in the equation. <br />
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"Because if not, we're not going to have a game, and they're the ones that are playing. And, for parents to travel all the way across the country is going to put a bigger burden on them," Brown added. "It's going to be more difficult. And right now with the regional leagues the parents can go see their kids play and that's really important because these kids are working their guts out year-round for us to have a show on Saturday that everyone enjoys. <br />
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"College football's as great as it's ever been, but we better keep considering what's in the best interest of the players or at some point they're going to get so frustrated it won't be fun for them."<br />
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<br />Jeff Fosterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03166795303041280556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8941181174001882355.post-38030976810615099862011-09-15T16:51:00.002-06:002011-09-15T16:54:12.404-06:00Acts 8.4 . . . A Calling for TodayIt seems that the common strategies for church growth consist of a polished and charismatic preacher, a large and ultra-modern facility, and dozens of active programs, among other flashy qualities. The mega-church model is certainly effective, and it is a good thing that these groups are making large impacts for the sake of Christ. BUT, there is another way to share the Gospel . . . more subtle, and even under the radar, but no less important and necessary.<br /><br />Vocational ministry has been around a long time, even since the beginning days of the church. In fact, vocational ministry certainly predates the professional variety. I doubt Peter ever took much of a paycheck for his preaching . . . perhaps he benefited from the provision of a meal here and there, and perhaps the use of a "bed" to lay his head. And, Paul, often labored with his hands to make possible his evangelistic work. Certainly, the prospects of a consistent salary, housing allowances, IRAs, health insurance, and the like, were centuries away from becoming reality, and, it may seem now, the norm, and expected. BUT, in the beginning days of Christianity, the Gospel was shared, for the most part, by neighbor to neighbor, from one layman to another.<br /><br />Christianity has made impressive gains in the past 20 centuries. Millions upon millions of people profess faith in Jesus as Savior and Lord. And, professional ministry has surely played a big role in this spread. BUT, how much of the growth is the product of ordinary men and women sharing their faith with family, friends, neighbors, and strangers? Surely, a considerable amount.<br /><br />The example of Acts 8.4 is often overlooked . . . a quick bridge verse connecting the stoning of Stephen with the remarkable ministry of Philip. The verse reads, "So those who were scattered went on their way proclaiming the message of good news." This description comes following a statement that the apostles had remained behind in Jerusalem. The church continued to grow, despite the persecution. The church continued to grow, because of the testimony of the laity . . . average, ordinary men and women convicted in their faith and devoted to sharing what they had discovered in Jesus. Yes, the <em>professionals</em> hit the paths to the mission fields, as well, and <em>educated preachers</em> would make their mark for the sake of Christ. BUT, the church grew, largely, because of the efforts of countless nameless believers.<br /><br />I live in the western United States, near the shared border of New Mexico and Arizona. Churches here are, for the most part, small, aging and struggling. The mega-church model exists hundreds and thousands of miles from us; it is a model that does not mesh with reality here. The growth strategies of a highly skilled and polished preacher, an imposing facility, and around-the-clock programming are often qualities that are unrealistic here. So, how is the church to grow? Through simplicity, basically, and because of the labors of ordinary men and women. In other words, the ones sitting in the pews must get up and work, and lead, and follow in the steps of Acts 8.4.<br /><br />BUT, here's a thought and a modern calling . . . how much good could be done by couples trained in various fields--teaching, medicine, business, etc.--relocating from large and effective churches to small and struggling ones? What I am suggesting is that couples and individuals, mature in their faith, and from communities where the church is strong, relocate to areas in the West (and other parts of the country) where the church is weak. For example, a couple graduating with education degrees from Abilene Christian University might choose to find jobs in a town like Aztec, New Mexico or Holbrook, Arizona or Blanding, Utah for the expressed purpose of becoming active in the local church and being a boost to that congregation . . . taking this course, instead of finding employment in Dallas, Houston, or San Antonio, cities where the church is strong, and where one's addition to a congregation would be largely inconsequential (in terms of that church's effectiveness in ministry and outreach).<br /><br />I call this a modern calling inspired by the example of Acts 8.4, and I find it an important and necessary strategy for church growth in areas where the church (and the Gospel testimony) does not have the footprint it does in other places.<br /><br />Join me at my new blog, <a href="http://acts84.blogspot.com/">http://acts84.blogspot.com</a>. I devote this blog to what I am terming the Acts 8.4 Calling. This blog will be a sounding-board and bulletin board with the expressed purpose of encouraging and facilitating vocational missions (and, particularly, of the variety described in this article). The articles I post there will include profiles of communities where the church is alive but in need of help; in other words, an introduction to places where "transplanted" Christians could be a big help. These profiles will include a description of the communities at large, a survey of employment opportunities, contact information (where known), and other vital information. I invite your feedback and contributions.<br /><br />Help me make this Acts 8.4 Calling a meaningful and productive ministry.Jeff Fosterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03166795303041280556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8941181174001882355.post-32402685240843270062011-09-06T18:00:00.001-06:002011-09-06T18:01:57.577-06:00Pray for Rain!!!<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQlgzjagEszmg5OyRwii0F1G4xlpQE0uP7pH8zCdGXIsHgdsJZ223iIQoNKupOKP95xO0tz-xuMIJP5e6_xX8HagdzxkCgiXawNIk9BuFgm8uARJxqlVIeKFd6zOCup_d6gWhBePAVWbis/s1600/Wildfire+1.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 258px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5649399960093638322" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQlgzjagEszmg5OyRwii0F1G4xlpQE0uP7pH8zCdGXIsHgdsJZ223iIQoNKupOKP95xO0tz-xuMIJP5e6_xX8HagdzxkCgiXawNIk9BuFgm8uARJxqlVIeKFd6zOCup_d6gWhBePAVWbis/s400/Wildfire+1.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div align="center"><em>A photo certainly worth a 1,000 words . . . and some tears!</em></div><br /><br /><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-size:85%;">(Photo of wildfire burning near Bastrop, Texas)</span></div><br /><em>Please pray for rain to come to Texas and drench these awful fires.</em><br /><em>Our God is much greater than any wildfire.</em></div><br /><div align="center"><em></em></div><br /><div align="center">Now is the time for a <em>well-placed</em> tropical depression!</div>Jeff Fosterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03166795303041280556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8941181174001882355.post-40611332898413949432011-09-06T16:18:00.004-06:002011-09-06T16:29:47.105-06:00Predictions for NFL 2011<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizlbzL-P6xdS0j1jU0ZYde6725sUnceJBYlhESKzJWCJSf6hJyeItCgiWOIg5P9upgYdSjfRvircADgxsjNX6OO482l22uBolq_EftiyoBmEAmfG94LjwP7MISqfUTlKXCW8zQ0JlpE3EQ/s1600/Tom+Landry+2.bmp"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 264px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5649377221903383538" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizlbzL-P6xdS0j1jU0ZYde6725sUnceJBYlhESKzJWCJSf6hJyeItCgiWOIg5P9upgYdSjfRvircADgxsjNX6OO482l22uBolq_EftiyoBmEAmfG94LjwP7MISqfUTlKXCW8zQ0JlpE3EQ/s400/Tom+Landry+2.bmp" /></a><br /><br /><div>Are you ready for some football? I must admit that unlike most seasons, my enthusiasm is lacking for this NFL season. But, come Thursday, I'm sure the excitement will have returned. So, here are my predictions for the upcoming season. Don't run to Vegas with them, 'cause if it's like most seasons . . . these will look fairly ridiculous by season's end.</div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><div><u>NFC Playoffs</u></div><br /><div>Philadelphia Eagles</div><br /><div>New Orleans Saints</div><br /><div>Green Bay Packers</div><br /><div>San Francisco 49er's</div><br /><div>WC-Dallas Cowboys</div><br /><div>WC-Detroit Lions (and, no, I'm not smoking anything!)</div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><div><u>AFC Playoffs</u></div><br /><div>New England Patriots</div><br /><div>Pittsburgh Steelers</div><br /><div>Houston Texans</div><br /><div>San Diego Chargers</div><br /><div>WC-New York Jets</div><br /><div>WC-Indianapolis Colts (unless Peyton misses 4 games)</div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><div><u>Super Bowl</u></div><br /><div>Cowboys def. Jets (and, no, I'm still not smoking anything!)</div><br /><div></div><br /><div><strong><em>And, yes, I still miss the man in the hat!!!</em></strong></div>Jeff Fosterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03166795303041280556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8941181174001882355.post-74108932628775608102011-09-02T16:17:00.008-06:002011-09-02T16:56:03.598-06:00Thriving In a Certain Place<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkSIRAqtYqyjOy6nT0aPS5ozVyQHcseRismeihHIBCVqR93_U3WohBuoqo-F4deUa6PgdOhanwhka3iN1yyQkQl9Y0gveAmEhsGOZDijiUaXPcs8w9555hyYqE1cZVx30JxtlJKNH7ncIk/s1600/2763.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647897904527017410" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkSIRAqtYqyjOy6nT0aPS5ozVyQHcseRismeihHIBCVqR93_U3WohBuoqo-F4deUa6PgdOhanwhka3iN1yyQkQl9Y0gveAmEhsGOZDijiUaXPcs8w9555hyYqE1cZVx30JxtlJKNH7ncIk/s320/2763.JPG" /></a>Last week I stood in front of the largest and one of the oldest living things on earth. This is <em>little old me</em> standing in front of the General Sherman Tree, growing high in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California.
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<br /><div>The General Sherman Tree stands 275 feet high. Its trunk has a circumference of over 100 feet. At its base, the tree has a diameter of 36 feet. It weighs over 2,100 tons, the equivalent of 50 blue whales. If placed in the middle of an interstate highway, it would totally block both lanes of traffic and hang out over the shoulders.</div>
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<br /><div>This tree, the king of all Giant Sequoias is estimated to have sprung forth as a sapling 2,500 years ago. Think about that . . . this tree began its long life over a century before Alexander the Great was marched his armies across the steppes of Asia. It was already 400 years old when Jesus was born in Bethlehem. It's as old as the oldest sections of the Great Wall. It has weathered the lifetimes of 120+ generations of humans. It has "seen" Halley's Comet come and go 33 times.</div>
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<br /><div>The Giant Sequoias grow so large and old because of their great resilience. These trees are basically impervious to disease, rot, and ravages of fire. It's thick skin (the bark is 3 feet thick in places) and wide spread (<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKDndzFMyeKbWxCpo4J-0FHnIKZB_JWdsHF4dTQriMoClo7Y1phkavupesIA9s5AxuX_7ObNSgi-77BNKfc3QqfM6Ow9yD57kLbl_AIZ8Au14UkHuP8zbTJeHlrOW9TborZ9IJtQaAydr3/s1600/General+Sherman+Tree+1.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 250px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647897909449529890" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKDndzFMyeKbWxCpo4J-0FHnIKZB_JWdsHF4dTQriMoClo7Y1phkavupesIA9s5AxuX_7ObNSgi-77BNKfc3QqfM6Ow9yD57kLbl_AIZ8Au14UkHuP8zbTJeHlrOW9TborZ9IJtQaAydr3/s320/General+Sherman+Tree+1.jpg" /></a>but shallow) root system make it largely resistant to the stresses that bring lesser trees down.</div>
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<br /><div>There's another important key to its growth and longevity. The Giant Sequoias ONLY grow in a certain, specific and limited environment. They can only be found growing on the west facing slopes of the Sierra Nevadas between an elevation of 5,000-7,000 feet above sea level.</div>
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<br /><div><strong><em>And, herein, I find a parallel.</em></strong></div>
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<br /><div>In Matthew 6.25 & 33, Jesus tells us, "Don't worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Isn't life more than food and the body more than clothing? . . . . But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and ALL these things will be provided for you."</div>
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<br /><div>In a way similar to the Giant Sequoias thriving only in a certain place, true prosperity and peace in our lives can only be found in Christ and the good things God gives to his children. So, take care in where you put your roots and from where and in what you draw your sustenance. May we ever grow tall and strong in the care of our God.</div>
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<br /><div><span style="font-size:78%;">(The top photo was taken by Nancy Foster on 8-22-2011 at Sequoia National Park. The bottom photo is borrowed from Wikipedia.)</span></div>
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<br />Jeff Fosterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03166795303041280556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8941181174001882355.post-71316117821559358902011-09-01T17:38:00.005-06:002011-09-01T18:21:21.515-06:00Take It One Day At A TimeJesus said, "Don't worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own" (Matthew 6.34 <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">HCSB</span>).
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<br /><strong>Isn't Jesus telling us to live one day at a time?</strong>
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<br /><strong><em>But, do we not often burden ourselves with the decisions of yesterday?</em></strong>
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<br />The power of re<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2YQbmWfxdy78_bi4TId3AILnw1UKWaPIqXNEETA8VN9P7Dy1n5mFFKt4qmAxDc_ObShSEEYSzkYBNcAIOUHN8JyGKA_ok_iLTQ401M2skBO-Tv9E2ThJzc1AnOxDL-nVqxyL6i9BeMO9f/s1600/Depression+4.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647549688210114786" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2YQbmWfxdy78_bi4TId3AILnw1UKWaPIqXNEETA8VN9P7Dy1n5mFFKt4qmAxDc_ObShSEEYSzkYBNcAIOUHN8JyGKA_ok_iLTQ401M2skBO-Tv9E2ThJzc1AnOxDL-nVqxyL6i9BeMO9f/s200/Depression+4.jpg" /></a>gret is one of the most intimidating opponents we face in life. Second-guessing ourselves. Playing the game of "What if?" Wishing we had taken the other fork in the road. Looking at the past through rose-colored glasses while staring at today through the lenses of disappointment and despair.
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<br />I occasionally watch the TV show "Hoarders" on the A&E Network. I am struck by the stories told by and about the people featured on the show. They are people whose homes (and lives) have become so cluttered that they can't function adeptly in the present. They are people with houses filled so highly and tightly that movement from room to room is greatly <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">impaired</span> if not difficult--piled with <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">collectibles</span>, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">mementos</span>, and even valuables, but also the discarded items of others and by junk and filth that seriously threatens the health of the residents . . . clutter that often accumulates because of an effort by the hoarder to either recapture the past or cope with some regrettable circumstances of the past. There is a dwelling on the past that makes living in the present very difficult.
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<br />So too, there can be a hoarding of the past, where regrets, failures, disappointments, and haunting memories cloud our today, rob us of present joy, and make looking toward the future a difficult endeavor.
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<br />Yet, Jesus tells us to not worry about tomorrow, for each day has its own trouble; take it one day at a time.
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<br /><strong><em>But, do we not often become disillusioned by the stresses of today?</em></strong>
<br />
<br />Too often, it seems, our lives are so busy and complicated that it is too much for us to simply stop and smell the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">roses</span>, to enjoy the moment, and to find some peace in today.
<br />
<br />Of course, it's usually because we have over extended ourselves. We have put too much on our plates. In the desperation of getting ahead and of living comfortable lifestyles we do too much and allow ourselves no time to breathe. Our daily lives become so cluttered with appointments and obligations that we can't sop and simply live.
<br />
<br />I am reminded of the song "Cat's in the Cradle," by Harry <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">Chapin</span>.
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<br /><em><span style="font-size:78%;">My child arrived just the other day
<br />He came to the world in the usual way
<br />But there were planes to catch and bills to pay
<br />He learned to walk while I was away
<br />And he was <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error">talkin</span>’ ‘fore I knew it, and as he grew <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnz2z7gV3GINm256PvZuLXhFxnlKWZRqpPSHM7Twjm5i4BvYP2pPH3uhQFBrwsxywe8BEKwSBkLgl3xrUVs0kJM9riwDAuJG7AePeZWAFAaXLqHXbEsS5k-q24RrH7IXQaQtch35-GoFul/s1600/Father+%2526+Son+3.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 134px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647550606927671714" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnz2z7gV3GINm256PvZuLXhFxnlKWZRqpPSHM7Twjm5i4BvYP2pPH3uhQFBrwsxywe8BEKwSBkLgl3xrUVs0kJM9riwDAuJG7AePeZWAFAaXLqHXbEsS5k-q24RrH7IXQaQtch35-GoFul/s200/Father+%2526+Son+3.jpg" /></a>
<br />He’d say, “I’m gonna be like you dad
<br />You know I’m gonna be like you”
<br />
<br />And the cat’s in the cradle and the silver spoon
<br />Little boy blue and the man on the moon
<br />When you <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error">comin</span>’ home dad?
<br />I don’t know when, but we’ll get together then son
<br />You know we’ll have a good time then
<br />
<br />My son turned ten just the other day
<br />He said, “Thanks for the ball, Dad, come on let’s play
<br />Can you teach me to throw?” I said, “Not today
<br />I got a lot to do.” He said, “That’s <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-error">ok</span>”
<br />And he walked away but his smile never dimmed
<br />And said, “I’m gonna be like him, yeah
<br />You know, I’m gonna be like him”
<br />
<br />And the cat’s in the cradle and the silver spoon
<br />Little boy blue and the man on the moon
<br />When you <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_9" class="blsp-spelling-error">comin</span>’ home dad?
<br />I don’t know when, but we’ll get together then son
<br />You know we’ll have a good time then
<br />
<br />Well, he came home from college just the other day
<br />So much like a man I just had to say
<br />“Son, I’m proud of you, can you sit for a while?”
<br />He shook his head and said with a smile
<br />“What I’d really like, Dad, is to borrow the car keys
<br />See you later, can I have them please?”
<br />
<br />And the cat’s in the cradle and the silver spoon
<br />Little boy blue and the man on the moon
<br />When you <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_10" class="blsp-spelling-error">comin</span>’ home son?
<br />I don’t know when, but we’ll get together then dad
<br />You know we’ll have a good time then
<br />
<br />I’<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_11" class="blsp-spelling-error">ve</span> long since retired, my son’s moved away
<br />I called him up just the other day
<br />I said, “I’d like to see you son if you don’t mind”
<br />He said, “I’d love to, Dad, if I can find the time
<br />You see my new job’s a hassle and the kids have the flu
<br />But it’s sure nice talking to you, Dad
<br />It’s been sure nice talking to you”
<br />
<br />And as I hung up the phone it occurred to me
<br />He’d grown up just like me
<br />My boy was just like me
<br />
<br />And the cat’s in the cradle and the silver spoon
<br />Little boy blue and the man on the moon
<br />When you <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_12" class="blsp-spelling-error">comin</span>’ home dad?
<br />I don’t know when, but we’ll get together then son
<br />You know we’ll have a good time then
<br />
<br /></span></em>And the clutter in our daily lives often makes it hard to see the next moment. The road ahead is hidden from view. In our desperation to get ahead we often don't realize that the grass on the other side, the grass in the pasture we work so hard to get to, is not always greener than that which is already at out feet. Or, in the anxieties we feel over today's troubles, we don't realize that just around the bend in the road the path evens out. Just a little farther, and life will become easier.
<br />
<br />Yet, Jesus tells us to not worry about tomorrow, for each day has its own trouble; take it one day at a time.
<br />
<br /><strong><em>But, do we not often allow the fears about tomorrow to storm into today?</em></strong>
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<br />We often paralyze ourselves about thoughts of what MIGHT happen and what MIGHT be. Anticipation. Uncertainty. The dilemma of "I don't know" often opens a quagmire in our lives.
<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8yolSvRqUQdQN-WsvZzI3WOb-FbsQ6jrNw8SP7z5wVM1O1DIN-ufb165cozL5EcrM2-2V0-wqIujnKUpnZxuOPlz_zlzU0MfdbHs0lK4Fe8aqmja5_Qwu8VHZwQS8XlnNI3MuDGtcxwI7/s1600/Depression+1.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 157px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647550213919185618" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8yolSvRqUQdQN-WsvZzI3WOb-FbsQ6jrNw8SP7z5wVM1O1DIN-ufb165cozL5EcrM2-2V0-wqIujnKUpnZxuOPlz_zlzU0MfdbHs0lK4Fe8aqmja5_Qwu8VHZwQS8XlnNI3MuDGtcxwI7/s200/Depression+1.jpg" /></a>
<br />A humorist once jested, "Lloyd's of London has <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_13" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">gotten</span> rich by betting that people will worry about what will never happen."
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<br />How many plans have been scrapped because of a fear of costs? How many dreams have been forgotten because of a fear of failure? How many steps haven't been taken because of fears of unseen traps? How many love affairs haven't been realized because of an apprehension to pop the question?
<br />
<br />Yet, Jesus tells us to not worry about tomorrow, for each day has its own trouble; take it one day at a time.
<br />Jeff Fosterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03166795303041280556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8941181174001882355.post-14909670785357170172010-09-22T19:36:00.001-06:002010-09-22T19:44:00.430-06:00Dine'tah: An Appeal<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGfgWweDK-syubKQsrWy0Yc9qrUic07XvxR5YrblQhUui3RvEnhLj_FGKqDMAV7q6Hkas2FDr6fxDYTYyxSA0WuOBqItzR5UGCX0rFZgRv9TuMF71qpICFwN-dgdB_73cbWxM5ey6-QV1m/s1600-h/Navajo+Nation+1.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 350px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 220px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293976858561213490" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGfgWweDK-syubKQsrWy0Yc9qrUic07XvxR5YrblQhUui3RvEnhLj_FGKqDMAV7q6Hkas2FDr6fxDYTYyxSA0WuOBqItzR5UGCX0rFZgRv9TuMF71qpICFwN-dgdB_73cbWxM5ey6-QV1m/s400/Navajo+Nation+1.jpg" /></a>Six years ago, I knew very little about the Navajo people (Dine') and the vast and beautiful <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Navajoland</span> (<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">Dine'tah</span>). My education on these matters is still a work in progress, but in these past 6 years I have come to have a great respect and love for the Navajo. I find their history fascinating. I admire their triumphs (Navajo art, in particular, is among the most creative and beautiful of that of any culture in the world). I grieve over their challenges. I am anything but a "bleeding heart," but I am ashamed of the way earlier Americans treated the Navajo and other native peoples.<br /><br /><br />After six years of living close to the Navajo Nation reservation, I have witnessed firsthand the foolish (and, I will add, racist) policy of generations past of rounding up native peoples and driving them to "reservations." Often, our government placed these peoples on lands that were the poorest and most remote. No walls were built, but once the reservation boundaries were determined (and changed many times, by the way, by the bureaucrats in Washington), little effort was made to teach the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">indians</span> new skills, or to provide modern infrastructure that would make assimilating into American culture easier. There were some basic and noble efforts made, to be sure, but these were few and far between. Most cruel of all, perhaps, our government brought in alcohol to "pacify" the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">indians</span> and to quell dissension and revolts. Oh, what great tragedy alcohol has brought to the reservations.<br /><br /><br />The past cannot be undone, but the present and future can be better, much better. As I live and work among the Navajo, I see a people who love life, who are bright and industrious, who are honest and good-natured. I see a people who, when given half a chance, can excel and do great things. I continually pray that the resources and opportunities needed for continued and accelerated advancement of the Navajo will come. Share this prayer with me.<br /><br /><br />Of course, my primary interest here is with the children of the Navajo nation, particularly those children who are in crisis, whose families are beyond dysfunction and who are in great need. We at the <a href="http://www.manuelitohome.org/"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">Manuelito</span> Navajo Children's Home</a> are striving to help these children and families. We need partners in our ministry to enable us to extend our reach and to take more children into our care. Will you help us? Please make a contribution to our cause today.<br /><br /><br />As you consider this plea, let me share with you some statistics that describe, in some small measure, life on the Navajo reservation:<br /><br /><ul><li>There is 58% unemployment on the Navajo reservation</li><li>Annual per <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">ca pita</span> income is around $7,300 (try feeding and housing a family on $7,300 a year!)</li><li>32% of houses lack plumbing</li><li>20% of houses lack electricity</li><li>50% of children drop out of school</li><li>Fewer than 7% of adult Navajos have college degrees</li><li>90% of the population is impacted by alcoholism (either personally or through a close family member)</li><li>The median lifespan among men living on the reservation is 46 years (read this sentence again! . . . that's over 30 years shorter than in the wider American society!)</li><li>20% of families are intact; 80% of families are fractured!</li></ul><p><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error">Manuelito</span> Navajo Children's Home is just one of the efforts by Churches of Christ to share the love and message of Jesus Christ to the Navajo. Today, churches can be found in at least ten communities on the Reservation. Many of these congregations are being led by Navajo preachers. In the coming days and weeks, I will introduce these workers here on my blog and on my <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error">Facebook</span> group, <em>Churches of Christ Navajo Mission</em>. Please pray for these men, their families, and the churches with whom they work. Pray for the effort to bring Christ to this beautiful and noble people. Do more <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">than</span> pray, become involved personally and financially.</p>Jeff Fosterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03166795303041280556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8941181174001882355.post-69728098396580521452010-09-10T19:35:00.002-06:002010-09-10T19:47:46.595-06:00My Autumn Grace<strong>Note:</strong> I wrote this article in the days before the first anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on our nation. My youngest daughter, Autumn Grace Foster, was born on September 10, 2002, just 43 minutes shy of 9/11/02.<br /><br /><br /><em>It was not planned, but it seems to be happening. Tomorrow, Tuesday, if everything goes well, my wife and I will be welcoming a third child into our family. It wasn't until this week that I thought of the coinciding anniversary.</em><br /><em></em><br /><em>Wednesday marks the one year anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York, Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C. It will be, in many quarters, a day of somber reflection, with thoughts given to those 3,000 innocent lives brought to an end on that harrowing day. How awkward it will be rejoicing over the birth of a child.</em><br /><em></em><br /><em>But should it be awkward? From death comes life. Is this not the message of the Gospel? Paul said the message would be met with ridicule and disbelief, for it is foolish to believe that life comes from death, that the cross represents an object of power and not shame; but such is the case with the Gospel.</em><br /><em></em><br /><em>When all is bleak, when the world seems to be crumbling down all around, there can be hope of a new day dawning. peter says that men and women <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">of</span> faith have a "living hope," a hope realized in Jesus Christ and the new birth found in him (<strong>1 Peter 1.3-5</strong>). So, is it awkward to be rejoicing over a new life on the anniversary of a day of death?</em><br /><em></em><br /><em>Christians look forward. Doesn't this attribute set us apart from the world? We have a tomorrow that is certain, that is real, that cannot be shaken or taken away.</em><br /><em></em><br /><em>My heart goes out to those whose lives were tragically affected on that Fall day one year ago. My prayer is that they find peace. My prayer is that they find peace. My prayer is that they come to know God's abiding presence and his autumn grace.</em>Jeff Fosterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03166795303041280556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8941181174001882355.post-3472430592574192652010-08-20T14:47:00.005-06:002010-08-20T15:10:07.619-06:00Blame To Go Around?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC98wb5Wl-LdGy1wERKf6yHRD14WQINrJZetI86EaCzABZzRwnNd0Netjna_wquz1DPnUFBs2HHxHP4IFuDLwphsRt_9TSUNa_0OVE1KeelIAjcRQZID-AatgiBOZDdK5GBa_OiyLbt07q/s1600-h/Roger+Clemens.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; FLOAT: right; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5143884467075315602" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC98wb5Wl-LdGy1wERKf6yHRD14WQINrJZetI86EaCzABZzRwnNd0Netjna_wquz1DPnUFBs2HHxHP4IFuDLwphsRt_9TSUNa_0OVE1KeelIAjcRQZID-AatgiBOZDdK5GBa_OiyLbt07q/s320/Roger+Clemens.jpg" /></a><br />The indictment of Roger Clemens for lying to Congress has been the major sports' headline of the week. I wrote the following piece a couple of years ago, in response to the issuance of the Mitchell Report detailing steroid use in Major League Baseball.<br /><br /><br /><em>I wasn't surprised. Disappointed, yes. Angry, a little. Surprised, unfortunately not.<br /><br />I'm speaking of the Mitchell Report on steroids in Major League Baseball released yesterday. The long list of names did not surprise me . . . even Roger Clemens.<br /><br />I've been a Clemens fan since he came up with the Red Sox in 1985. The '86 Red Sox club remains one of my all-time favorites . . . even Bill Buckner! Like Barry Bonds, Clemens was a potential Hall of Famer <strong>before</strong> he began taking steroids. According to the Mitchell Report (and its voracity seems ironclad to me), Clemens began to "juice" during the 1998 season, while he was pitching for the Toronto Blue Jays. Bonds, according to the allegations made against him, started his steroids regimen following the 1998 season, that "magical" year when Mark McGwire and Sammy Soso were pursuing and ultimately passed Roger Maris for the single-season home run record. Before 1998, both Clemens and Bonds had already posted numbers that guaranteed their induction into Cooperstown. Clemens had already been awarded 4 Cy Young Awards, as many as any pitcher in history (to that point), and Bonds was already a 4-time M.V.P. Before 1998, both Clemens and Bonds had been in the Major Leagues for over 12 seasons. But, when most players should be satisfied with their careers and looking forward to retirement, Clemens and Bonds were searching for an edge, for something that would keep them competitive for years to come.<br /><br />Was it for the money? It is a fact that Clemens and Bonds have earned millions more in the years since 1998 than they earned in the 12+ years before. Their motivation to juice could simply be a case of greed . . . wanting an ever increasing series of contracts.<br /><br />Was it the need for acclaim? It is true that those we place on pedestals often get addicted to the praise and adulation we give them. We've all heard stories of the washed up athlete everyone has forgotten. Does anyone remember Danny White? At one time, he was the highest-rated passer in the NFL. He led the Cowboys to three straight NFC Championship Games. Yet, today, when people think of the Dallas Cowboys and the great quarterbacks that the franchise has had, the list usually includes Meridith, Staubach, Aikman, and, now, Romo. White is conspicuously absent. My point? Simply that our athletes, once they leave the playing stage, are often forgotten. Perhaps Clemens and Bonds could not bear the fact of being pushed off the stage, so they sought to prolong their careers as long as possible.<br /><br />Was it jealousy? In the book written a few years ago outlining Bonds' purported steroid use, the authors claim that Bonds began his usage following the 1998 season because he was angry and jealous over the acclaim given to McGwire and Sosa, both of whom he was convinced had used performance enhancing drugs. The book claims that Bond was angry that his hard work was being overshadowed by those who, in his mind, cheated. The authors claim that Bonds decided to sell himself out and show that he could outdo anyone. He had done so clean (before 1998), and now he would do so on a level playing field with McGwire and the others.<br /><br />By speculating as I have, I am not trying to rationalize the behavior of Clemens and Bonds and others like them. They cheated. Major League Baseball should respond accordingly. If I were a Hall of Fame voter, I would refuse to induct anyone who is shown to have purposefully and systematically used performance-enhancing drugs. That hurts to say, because I was as much a fan of Mark McGwire as I have been Roger Clemens. I was never a fan of Barry Bonds, but I acknowledge him as the greatest ballplayer of my generation (and that was before 1998). But, cheating should carry with it consequences.<br /><br />My larger point, however, is that society at large has helped produced the circumstances that fueled these men in their excesses. Perhaps the publication of the Mitchell Report should cause all of us to pause and reflect on how we put too much emphasis on athletes and athletics. Instead of making the sports stars stand at the pinnacle of our pedestals, why don't we place much of the acclaim we give them to our school teachers, public servants, those who keep the peace and security of the community, and the blue collar workers who have built this country and keep it running?</em>Jeff Fosterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03166795303041280556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8941181174001882355.post-41278148306672431932010-08-18T17:37:00.002-06:002010-08-18T17:44:31.841-06:00Life Is Worth the Effort<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9YzALO0SQocXQE-HjM8eNjnRqhXromCb2RXDBoFI4zAtftY0z1X0sGudpF5U8cjIbEj5Bt67CNtJeuDKoTLLOzEOc40R9_IL37i7t1FRNgx7N8EQ9s0_km4PRBUOW2O29Dl1BkAmMCZXC/s1600/Rock+Climbing+Wall"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506899939541876802" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9YzALO0SQocXQE-HjM8eNjnRqhXromCb2RXDBoFI4zAtftY0z1X0sGudpF5U8cjIbEj5Bt67CNtJeuDKoTLLOzEOc40R9_IL37i7t1FRNgx7N8EQ9s0_km4PRBUOW2O29Dl1BkAmMCZXC/s320/Rock+Climbing+Wall" /></a>You know, life is a lot like scaling a rock-climbing wall. Commitment/choice. Effort. Strategy/forward thinking. Concentration. Assistance. Exhaustion. Exhilaration. Failure. Success. All of these are involved in the rock-climbing experience and also with life.<br /><br /><br />A lot of life is grounded around the choices and commitments we make and don't make. For some, even many, choices can be confounding, perhaps crippling. But, life cannot be taken for granted, we must place one foot in front of the other. Life isn't a conveyor belt. We can't sit around hoping life will come to us (in the form of a great paycheck, a hot date, a thrill of a lifetime, whatever our anticipation is centered on) . . . we have to take a step and go after it. When climbing a rock-wall, you must reach your arm up to a handhold and lift your foot up to a foothold and pull your body up; the apparatus isn't going to do the work for you. You must decide to go!<br /><br /><br />Effort is certainly a component of life. Life is work. It doesn't come easy, even to those who seem to live on Easy Street. Life is a marathon (actually, a series of marathons); it is not a sprint; it is not a casual Sunday stroll. There will be some lulls along the way. Even moments where we can stop and smell the roses. But, there are gonna be some long, rough slugs as well. Moments (or, years!) when we're trudging up a 9% grade (on a good day!), with the wind howling around us and rain beating in our face. But, there is a summit, and then it is all down hill . . . that is, of course, until we hit the next hill! Yet, I'm told hat with age and maturity, life begins to level out to a more consistent plain. Hills and plateaus, even mountain ranges, remain, but or aptitude for life grows. Our efforts pay off.<br /><br /><br />Life requires thought. Mindlessness leads nowhere (or, rather, to some serious pitfalls). Life doesn't come equipped with Autopilot, or cruise control, but with big signs, "Lots of Assembly Required," and "Proceed with Caution." Life is much easier and productive when we look ahead to the horizon (and beyond) and set out goal and then plot the course required to reach that goal. In scaling a rock-climbing wall proficiently, the climber looks above and finds the ideal handholds and footholds, she plots her course with a distinct strategy guiding her way.<br /><br /><br />Pay attention! How many of life's travails could be avoided, or be made much-less destructive, if we simply paid attention to what we were doing, to our surroundings, to those around us, and to the course before us? Effort is not simply a matter of physical application and force, it is a lot of brain power, as well. Was it Lombardi that said, "Football is 90% mental"? Put "life" in the sentence, and it would be as true.<br /><br /><br />Life is not lived in a vacuum, with merely ourselves and immediate surroundings. No, life is full myriad things, especially those people close and far. A rock climber rarely will set out on his own; to do so can often be suicidal. Someone is needed to hold the guide rope, to help plot the course, to share in the work of setting spikes and giving a helping hand. Life is best lived when in tandem or association with a partner or partners. After all, God Himself, our Creator, declared, "It is not good for man to be alone." Interconnectedness is a key to life.<br /><br /><br />Life will be tiring, even exhausting at many points along the way, but there will also be ample exhilaration, when our weariness will drop away and new found energy and excitement will rush over. Remember the exhilaration of scaling a high mountain--the course up filled with tightened muscles, thirst (and, in my case, heavy panting!)--and the moment of finally looking out from the peak onto the valley and plains far below. That's a lot like a new mother and father staring down at their beautiful new child in the moments following a very difficult pregnancy. Or, the proud parents applauding a son as he walks across the graduation stage following the many years of the awkwardness and challenges of raising a child.<br /><br /><br />Success and failure. Failure and success. Life is filled with both. A rock climber is not always going to find the best hold. He may slip a time or two. H may even have to descent before a successful ascent can be mounted. Keep going. That's the key. Learn from mistakes. Observe the success of others. Try, and try again. Life is worth the effort.Jeff Fosterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03166795303041280556noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8941181174001882355.post-84844494191944676952010-08-16T22:08:00.004-06:002010-08-16T22:24:07.679-06:00Did I Really Stand In 4 States At Once?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC-hYU9sE9b0sAKuspjN7aXHJ0gO-MIcHkq0LS5Eg0CawDvAFcpPaP_7tASjbKmctn2VvfMzww_NFRaNq2wLu13ZJncelvjwcw60w3rM-ORyeagh3v1T-mZsxXLba3rsT1Ztkqho6mq691/s1600/Jeff+at+Four+Corners.bmp"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506229408678771442" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC-hYU9sE9b0sAKuspjN7aXHJ0gO-MIcHkq0LS5Eg0CawDvAFcpPaP_7tASjbKmctn2VvfMzww_NFRaNq2wLu13ZJncelvjwcw60w3rM-ORyeagh3v1T-mZsxXLba3rsT1Ztkqho6mq691/s320/Jeff+at+Four+Corners.bmp" /></a>I have called the Four Corners region home for the past 6+ years. The region is so-called, of course, because the states of Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona and Utah come together at a point, the only place in the country where 4 states meet together. The Four Corners Monument is a popular tourist attraction, and each year thousands of people come to have their picture taken standing on the Monument marker, the point where people are told the states come together.<br /><br />BUT, the "locals" know that ain't necessarily so, or at least many of us thought it wasn't so. I have told people for years that the Four Corners Monument was actually off by several hundred yards (2 1/2 miles, in actuality). But, the article I found and attached below contains the full story. I'm excited to say, I learned something today, and happy to know that the $3 I paid to the Navajo Nation to stand on the Monument marker was not wasted money (actually, I've been there 6 times and taken guests each time, so the money "contributed" to the Navajo Nation is substantial . . . especially when you include the "marked up" fry bread you can buy at the sight . . . and who can pass up fry bread?).<br /><br />Enjoy the article.<br /><br /><br /><br /><em><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">Four Corners monument not historically correct</span></strong> </em><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><em>April 20th, 2009 @ 10:17pm<br />By Alex Cabrero<br /></em></span><br /><em></em><br /><em>SALT LAKE CI</em><em>TY -- It's a place where thousands of people a year come to have their picture taken. It's also the only place in America where you can stand in four states at once, or can you?<br /><br />It turns out the Four Corners Monument isn't exactly where Utah, Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona were supposed to meet.<br /><br />"Congress established the 109th Western Meridian as the boundary between Colorado and Utah," said Utah Historian Craig Fuller.<br /><br />In 1878, the surveyor commissioned to map the boundary line between Utah and Colorado from Four Corners to Wyoming recognized the lines where the four states meet happened to be on the top of a steep plateau.<br /><br />"He thought it would be a lot easier to survey a point on the flatlands," explained Bill Case, a senior geologist with the Utah Geological Survey. "They tried to get as close to 37 degrees latitude and 109 degrees longitude. That was where the corner of Utah was supposed to be."<br /><br />However, because of the difficult terrain, the current spot recognized as the Four Corners was chosen. It's nearly 2 and a half miles west from the actual spot.<br /><br />All four states, and the U.S. Congress, recognized the mistake but decided to allow the current boundary lines to be drawn. That means Utah lost some land, while Colorado gained some.<br /><br />"What is legal is political, not scientific," Case said. "And it doesn't matter if you make a mistake or not."<br /><br />Since all the states and the U.S. Congress agreed on the boundaries, it is now the official boundary, which means all those families who take their pictures at the monument are doing so in four states and don't have to climb that plateau to be in the historical spot.<br /><br />"Yes. Legally, it counts," Case assured.<br /><br />Recently, a survey done by the National Geodetic Survey found the mistake. The group recognized it using GPS technology and satellite imagine.<br /><br />Chances are, all four states won't ask to have their boundaries changed, but Fuller says it is always possible.<br /><br />For example, Fuller says in the past two years there was talk Wendover, Utah, would be ceded to Nevada. That way, West Wendover, Nev., could help solve economic problems and allow for more growth for the Utah city. However, because of money concerns, that deal never happened.<br /><br />Fuller says it's likely Four Corners won't be moved either. The land in Utah is owned by the Navajo Nation, while the land in Colorado is owned by the Ute Mountain Indian Tribe.<br /><br />"It's been that way for decades, and the current location where the monument is located is the acceptable spot to be in four states at once," Fuller said.<br /><br />Case says another way to look at it is that now the old survey marker on top of the plateau is wrong.<br /><br />"If all the states involved and the U.S. Congress get together and say the current recognized Four Corners is the actual Four Corners, then that's that." Case said. "And since they all did agree on it, the current location of the Four Corners National Monument is the correct location." </em>Jeff Fosterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03166795303041280556noreply@blogger.com1