God, me and sparrows

I know why worship music is so powerful and important...it stays with you and sustains you through difficult days. This photo and the words of friends going through difficult days made me think of this old hymn and its words-

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Why should I feel discouraged, why should the shadows come, Why should my heart be lonely, and long for heaven and home, When Jesus is my portion? My constant friend is He: His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me; His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.
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I sing because I’m happy, I sing because I’m free, For His eye is on the sparrow, And I know He watches me.
“Let not your heart be troubled,” His tender word I hear, And resting on His goodness, I lose my doubts and fears; Though by the path He leadeth, but one step I may see; His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me; His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.
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Whenever I am tempted, whenever clouds arise, When songs give place to sighing, when hope within me dies, I draw the closer to Him, from care He sets me free; His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me; His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

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Monday's cartoon

I can't tell you how often I have asked that same thing..."are we there yet."

It's the heart cry of every believer. We all look forward to that day when

we will see him face to face. Perhaps today!

Remembering childhood, anticipating eternity

This week I read an article talking about the upcoming 60th birthday of one of my childhood friends, Tweety Bird. Yes, Tweety is 60. I hate having these reminders of my age....you see I'm not far behind him, but I do hope I've held up better.

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Reminders like this make me quite aware of how fleeting life really is. It passes so quickly and is over far too soon. I still remember my dad telling me, "I know I'm 60 on the outside, but I still feel 20 on the inside." We all have that sense that this life ends before we are ready for the end. There is, in each of us, the knowledge that this is not how it is supposed to be. We were designed to live forever, but sin and the curse has messed that up for now.

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But there is a day coming when eternity takes over, when time is no more and real life...the life we were meant to live becomes the eternal norm. For the Christian this is our great hope...the hope of our salvation being completed. We only have part of it now, but the rest is coming and when it does we will be amazed! I love the words of Peter in his first book when he writes about this hope. It's the hope of the return of our savior...the one we have put our faith and hope in and the one who will finish the work he began when we believed. It's a wonderful hope for old bones close to 60.

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1 Peter 1:3-5 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.

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Alluringly packaged abominations

Sarah Honig, in the Jerusalem Post, wrote an article titled, "Alluringly packaged abomination". The title caught my attention more than the contents of the article. An artist with words can often say more in a title than can be said with pages of explanation. This title was like that for me...it made my mind race to think about what this would look like. What I want to focus on for a moment is the packaging of sin. I must admit to you that our enemy does a great job of packaging his products. As I thought about this idea it made me realize that we are a most gullible race. We gladly buy a pretty package to find that when we open it there is nothing good inside. The package says, "fun, freedom and choice", but inside is disappointment, sickness, and loss. As I think about this idea my mind races back to a marketing program a few years ago. Do you remember the "Pet Rock"? It was a great marketing campaign to package and sell rocks. And it worked! Put a pretty bow and a nice label on the box and we will buy anything! Our enemy knows that about us, so he has, from the beginning, been the master marketer, the genius of packaging. He will wrap up the most horrible things, package them beautifully and we will gladly give our lives to have them. As an old friend said years ago, "when given the opportunity to eat at a wonderful buffet the human race will almost always choose to eat out of the dumpster." I wonder, what "alluringly packaged abominations" have tempted you lately?

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Saturday's cartoon

Perspective is everything. When I saw this cartoon I immediately thought of the smiling parents I have talked to this week who have said, "Isn't God good? School started this week!" I guess it's true- one man's blessing is another man's curse.
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Placebos Are Getting More Effective...

I thought this article was very interesting. It makes me wonder....how many of the medications for depression and other social problems are simply an adult replacement for a pacifier?

(I'm sure I will I get comments for that!)

Read the article and let me know your thoughts.

WIRED MAGAZINE: 17.09
Med-Tech : Drugs

Placebos Are Getting More Effective. Drugmakers Are Desperate to Know Why.

Photo: Nick Veasey

Merck was in trouble. In 2002, the pharmaceutical giant was falling behind its rivals in sales. Even worse, patents on five blockbuster drugs were about to expire, which would allow cheaper generics to flood the market. The company hadn't introduced a truly new product in three years, and its stock price was plummeting.
In interviews with the press, Edward Scolnick, Merck's research director, laid out his battle plan to restore the firm to preeminence. Key to his strategy was expanding the company's reach into the antidepressant market, where Merck had lagged while competitors like Pfizer and GlaxoSmithKline created some of the best-selling drugs in the world. "To remain dominant in the future," he told Forbes, "we need to dominate the central nervous system."
His plan hinged on the success of an experimental antidepressant codenamed MK-869. Still in clinical trials, it looked like every pharma executive's dream: a new kind of medication that exploited brain chemistry in innovative ways to promote feelings of well-being. The drug tested brilliantly early on, with minimal side effects, and Merck touted its game-changing potential at a meeting of 300 securities analysts.
Behind the scenes, however, MK-869 was starting to unravel. True, many test subjects treated with the medication felt their hopelessness and anxiety lift. But so did nearly the same number who took a placebo, a look-alike pill made of milk sugar or another inert substance given to groups of volunteers in clinical trials to gauge how much more effective the real drug is by comparison. The fact that taking a faux drug can powerfully improve some people's health—the so-called placebo effect—has long been considered an embarrassment to the serious practice of pharmacology... (read more)

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Let me close with this comment- I know there are real medical problems and wonderful medications to address them. That is not what this article is about. It's conclusions fascinated me. With all of the pressures, worries and depressions of our days all most people really needed was a little placebo relief from their troubles and it made a difference.

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Application for Christians? Many have said that the Christian faith offers a placebo effect to it's believers. They maintain we feel better because we believe, but it doesn't mean the object we believe in is able to do anything to help us. That's the claim of many I have read in recent days. Their conclusion is this, just say no. Don't take the pill of faith. There's nothing there anyway, but if it makes you feel better.....

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But, what of the millions who have gone to their death for this faith and not recanted? What of a faith that changes a murderer into a kind and caring man? What of a faith that has changed millions? No faith placebo could ever do what the Christian faith has done. There is something real and efficacious in this pill that we have swallowed and it brings new life to those who have taken it. It's real. It works. There is no other "pill" that will cure our sin problem but the gospel of Jesus Christ.

And now for something completely silly....

Cats in the cradle

There are songs we all remember fondly and others that we hate. For me, one of the songs I hate is "Cats in the cradle" by Harry Chapin. I still have to turn the station when I hear it played. I think it was inspired by the devil!* I have enough regrets and "I wish I could do it over" in my life already. Do I really need more? The truth is that I do wish I could go back and do things differently. I think, like most people, I had a lot of my priorities messed up, or as a friend of mine says, "I was really jacked up." I don't know exactly what that means, but I assume it's the same idea. As a young pastor I threw myself into the work. Countless hours, souls led to the Lord, church growing and all the while my family at home waiting for me. I still remember, with a pain in my heart as I tell you, when my wife told me what my 4 year old son asked (he's 34 now), "Mommy, can I get a part-time daddy since mine is never here?" Do you understand now why I hate that song? His question cut me to the heart and still gives me pause as I think about how I invested my precious time. I didn't focus on the most important things and I regret it deeply. I wish I could have a do over, a mulligan as they call it in golf, but life isn't that way. Now I think about my kids, grown adults now, and how much I wish I could go back 30 years and change my priorities. But for today, each day, I get that opportunity again. How will I spend this day? How will I invest my life? What's really important? It's still a challenge for me to get it right.....

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*I hope you understand the above comment is meant in jest and added for emphasis. I do not think this song was inspired by the devil.

Martyrs for their faith?

"To endure the cross is not tragedy; it is the suffering which is the fruit of an exclusive allegiance to Jesus Christ" -Dietrich Bonhoeffer

We live in a very difficult time in history.....if you are a Christian. More believers are giving their lives for their Christian faith in our days than any other time in history. The battle is real. The believers are faithful. The cost is high. Here's one story from Iran that will give you something to pray about and challenge your own faith.


BREAKING NEWS: Jailed Iranian Women Refuse Court Pressure To “Deny Christ”
Monday, August 10, 2009 (1:08 pm)

By Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Chief International Correspondent life

TEHRAN, IRAN (Worthy News)-- Two young Iranian women who may face the death penalty for converting from Islam to Christianity have told a court that they will not abandon their faith in Christ, despite harsh treatment in one of Iran's most notorious prisons, Christian trial observers confirmed to Worthy News Monday, August 10. Maryam Rustampoor, 27, and Marzieh Amirizadeh, 30, appeared Sunday, August 9, in front of a 'revolutionary court' in the capital Tehran where they were pressured to return to Islam, according to well-informed Christians linked to Elam Ministries, a group supporting Iran's growing church movement. "Though great pressure was put on them, both women declared that they would not deny their faith," the Christians said. Both women, who reportedly suffer health problems, were detained March 5 for converting to Christianity. They endured solitary confinement, interrogations "for many hours while blindfolded" and other mistreatment in Tehran's Evin prison, well-informed Christians said.

LONG ORDEAL

"During their five-month ordeal, both have been unwell and have lost much weight. Marzieh Amirizadeh is in pain due to an on-going problem with her spine, as well as an infected tooth and intense headaches," they added." She desperately needs medical attention. Two months ago the prison officials told her the prison had proper medical equipment and that they will attend to her, but so far no proper treatment has been given." During Sunday's court hearing the prosecution reportedly asked the two women if they were still Christians. “We love Jesus,” and “Yes, we are Christians,” they were overheard answering repeated questions. Asked whether they "were Muslims and now have become Christians,” the women reportedly replied: “We were born in Muslim families, but we were not Muslims.” They also said they had "no regrets,” despite their imprisonment. (read more)

They have not denied their faith, but their fate is still unsure. It's possible they will give their lives for their faith. It challenges me to pray and look at my own heart and life. Am I ready to stand for Christ, as these two women are doing, with the possibility of death for my stand? I hope I would say "yes!"

Monday's cartoon

(click on cartoon to enlarge)

Taking care of each other

This afternoon I've been thinking about the way the body of Christ, His church, takes care of its members. I think of those who are struggling and others who pray for them. I think of those in need and the way the church meets those needs. I realize how I have gotten through difficult times as the body of Christ has prayed for me, encouraged me and walked with me. This last week I was part of this very thing in the lives of several people and I watched with joy as the church family cared for its members. We, as Christians, are part of the body of Christ. We may not even realize all that means, but I see it working. I see it happening as men meet together to encourage and challenge each other. I see it happen as those in need call the church first and ask for prayer, for help and for direction. The church family was God's design to work with him for the care and nurturing of his family. I love his church. This worldwide family has worked with God to care for and help one another for more than 2,000 years. This amazing family has kept many from drowning and carried them through to safety when the floods and storms of life threaten to overwhelm them. What an amazing family, what a strange way God has of caring for his children.

Quote of the day

"You can never really know the Scriptures until you're willing to be changed by them." -Brother Yun, The Heavenly Man, pp. 297.

Saturday's cartoon

Disaster!

It happens to all of us at one time or another.....disaster! Problems loom on the horizon for all of us. We all live with a subtle sense of dread of what is coming next. Last night disaster struck for me. I got home from the church, got out my trusty laptop to get online and do some writing and it crashed! My computer with all my stuff on it crashed! I lost everything! Luckily, with some help from tech support in India and a sweet lady in New Delhi I was able to get the computer running again, but all my stuff was gone. It's part of the price we pay for technology, but often I think the price is too high. So, this morning I'm grieving over the loss of several years of stuff I have worked on. I did backup a lot of it, but my backup is not as recent as I would like. So, I'll be a little slow posting for a bit, please be patient with me. Thanks.

Quote of the day

And, to keep with the theme for the day, here's a quote I thought perfect-

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover. -Mark Twain