I've been doing a ton of travel lately for my job with the RCA equipping church planters, speaking engagements, conferences, and a vacation with Kristy. I don't think I've been homne for two weeks in a row since mid August. Yikes. This past Friday night I got home from a trip to Baltimore and wonder of wonders I have no trips scheduled until late January. Awesome.
It just feels good and right to be home. Traveling may be a little exciting, but home is filled with peace, comfort, security, stability, joy, and best of all - family. There is an inner thing going on with me now as I know I won't be leaving for months. And it feels great. Although I have to travel from time to time - I was meant to be at home. The travel, which is a part of my mission in life, gets wearisome.
I wonder if this is the sentiment Peter was getting at when he says in I Peter 2:11 we are aliens and strangers in this world. Our mission is on earth to be sure, but it isn't our home. Our home is with Christ in heaven. That's a sweet thought when life gets wearisome - our mission is here, but this is not our home.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
It works
In the book of James we read, "the prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective." There have been many times in my life when I say to myself, "really??"
Last blog I mentioned Zeke was struggling a bit in school. We decided to get him tested for ADHD. Part of the testing includes a teacher evaluation. When I went to pick it up Monday morning she said she could barely fill it out. "It is as if he is totally free from all his issues that were plaguing him," is what she told me.
Hmmm... The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective. I think I'm a bit more inclinded to pray today.
Peace and Joy
Rob
Last blog I mentioned Zeke was struggling a bit in school. We decided to get him tested for ADHD. Part of the testing includes a teacher evaluation. When I went to pick it up Monday morning she said she could barely fill it out. "It is as if he is totally free from all his issues that were plaguing him," is what she told me.
Hmmm... The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective. I think I'm a bit more inclinded to pray today.
Peace and Joy
Rob
Thursday, October 14, 2010
My Boy
Our middle son Zeke has been having a rough go lately at school. He's been getting in trouble and has had a hard time checking the emotions. It seems as if the filter in his mind has been shut off. In addition to the 2 trips to the principle's office this has done some damage on his little 8 year old psyche. He knows that what he is doing isn't good and feels incredible remorse for his outbursts yet he can't help himself and thus he feels terrible.
I'm reminded of what the apostle Paul said in Rom. 7, I do what I don't want to do and don't do what I want to do. In reality not only does Zeke struggle with this - so do I! I can't count the times I've been stupid/siunful/angry/lustful/etc. And just like Zeke the remorse and self loathing at times gets the best of me.
As a parent it messes me up to see my boy walk under so much self condemnation and to see him get in trouble. I want with all my being to help him get free from the actions so that he can be free from the icky feelings. We are working hard to understand what is behind the behavior to eliminate it and are speaking profusely of grace, mercy, and forgiveness hoping to silence the lies of Satan. I literally have lost sleep - happily I might add - thinking how I can help him out. I want him to be free.
It seems to me this is the heart of Abba. He wants us to be free both from the goofy actions as well as the shame that follows. Maybe it would be good for us to do what Zeke has been experiencing lately - to sit in the lap of the Father and hear; His words of love and mercy that quickly over ride sin and shame, to hear His heart and longing for us to have victory and freedom, to hear Him say He loves us regardless of our performance, and to hear His assurance that we will get beyond this current struggle and all will be well.
I'm reminded of what the apostle Paul said in Rom. 7, I do what I don't want to do and don't do what I want to do. In reality not only does Zeke struggle with this - so do I! I can't count the times I've been stupid/siunful/angry/lustful/etc. And just like Zeke the remorse and self loathing at times gets the best of me.
As a parent it messes me up to see my boy walk under so much self condemnation and to see him get in trouble. I want with all my being to help him get free from the actions so that he can be free from the icky feelings. We are working hard to understand what is behind the behavior to eliminate it and are speaking profusely of grace, mercy, and forgiveness hoping to silence the lies of Satan. I literally have lost sleep - happily I might add - thinking how I can help him out. I want him to be free.
It seems to me this is the heart of Abba. He wants us to be free both from the goofy actions as well as the shame that follows. Maybe it would be good for us to do what Zeke has been experiencing lately - to sit in the lap of the Father and hear; His words of love and mercy that quickly over ride sin and shame, to hear His heart and longing for us to have victory and freedom, to hear Him say He loves us regardless of our performance, and to hear His assurance that we will get beyond this current struggle and all will be well.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Really?
Admiral Perry first stated that he wanted to reach the north pole at the age of 10. Amazing. Throughout his adolesence and early adulthood many folks (in fact a majority of folks) who heard his dream discouraged him. Yet he was of a single mind and pursued the dream relentlessly. He wanted it. He made it happen.
I was reading in a devotional the following:
"When I hear someone say, 'I always wanted to be a teacher,' only politeness keeps me from answering, 'No you didn't, or you'd be a teacher. There was no "always" and you didn't really "want it." You just had a little wishfulness now and then.' "
Yikes - that's pretty in your face. And right on the money. Let's be honest if we really want something, really want it, we will work for it tirelessly. Much of what we say we want is really only wishfulness or even worse lipservice.
The Psalmist says, "As the deer pants for the water, so my soul longs for you O God." Really? Really? I don't know about you but I would like this to be true for me. Do I really want to be close to God. Do I really desire to be intimate with him at all cost? Do you? If so we would do what it takes. Maybe the first step is to pray that our wishfulness meets reality. I'd love to go the way of Admiral Bird in my pursuit of the Lord. Wouldn't you?
Hmmm...
Peace and Joy
Rob
I was reading in a devotional the following:
"When I hear someone say, 'I always wanted to be a teacher,' only politeness keeps me from answering, 'No you didn't, or you'd be a teacher. There was no "always" and you didn't really "want it." You just had a little wishfulness now and then.' "
Yikes - that's pretty in your face. And right on the money. Let's be honest if we really want something, really want it, we will work for it tirelessly. Much of what we say we want is really only wishfulness or even worse lipservice.
The Psalmist says, "As the deer pants for the water, so my soul longs for you O God." Really? Really? I don't know about you but I would like this to be true for me. Do I really want to be close to God. Do I really desire to be intimate with him at all cost? Do you? If so we would do what it takes. Maybe the first step is to pray that our wishfulness meets reality. I'd love to go the way of Admiral Bird in my pursuit of the Lord. Wouldn't you?
Hmmm...
Peace and Joy
Rob
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
yuck
Blood, entrails, dead animals, and more blood. These in and of themselves are enough to make me thankful for Jesus. I've been reading through Exodus and Leviticus the past several days. Often my devotional readings proove to be good fodder for the manblog. It sure has been dry lately. Not alot of fodder there. Yet it struck me this morning after reading the thousandth regulation for sacrifice, seeing for who knows how many times an animal coming to a grisly end, and watching yet again Aaron sprinkle blood on the alter and then the people that the new covenant is a pretty darn good one. No one could keep the old covenant. Shoot even Aaron's two sons were struck down by the Lord because they lit a sacrificial fire at the wrong time. My goodness.
Yes, the new covenant is sweet. Thank God Jesus fulfilled all the regulations, met the blood requirments and was the last sacrificial lamb. I don't think my aversion to bloody animals would have allowed me to do all that sacrificing. I would have been screwed. Here is a true statement: with Jesus I am not screwed. And neither are you my friend.
Peace and Joy
Rob
Yes, the new covenant is sweet. Thank God Jesus fulfilled all the regulations, met the blood requirments and was the last sacrificial lamb. I don't think my aversion to bloody animals would have allowed me to do all that sacrificing. I would have been screwed. Here is a true statement: with Jesus I am not screwed. And neither are you my friend.
Peace and Joy
Rob
Thursday, September 16, 2010
sex with the slave
Another lesson from Jacob and Abraham.
As referenced in the last blog, both of these men were given a promise from the Lord for multiple offspring/descendants. Both of these dudes grew impatient waiting on the Lord's timing and took matters into there own hands by having sex with a slave women.
In a messed up, graphic kinda way this is the human story. Don't we like the grandpa/grandson duo grow impatient and take matters into our own hands? How many times have you left the Lord's way for you own? Yikes. If this were a federal offense I'd be in for life.
For Abraham the result was strife, tension, rejection and ostracization. For Jacob, his child of the flesh became part of the team that sold the child of the promise into slavery. Yet inspite of their stupidity and sin, the Lord redeemed. Ishmael was provided for and blessed by the Lord. Dan became one of the founding fathers (so to speak) of the twelve tribes of Israel.
It is never a good idea to take matters into your own hands. And yet even when we sinfully do, God in his amazing grace and mercy can redeem the worst of situations.
Peace and Joy
Rob
As referenced in the last blog, both of these men were given a promise from the Lord for multiple offspring/descendants. Both of these dudes grew impatient waiting on the Lord's timing and took matters into there own hands by having sex with a slave women.
In a messed up, graphic kinda way this is the human story. Don't we like the grandpa/grandson duo grow impatient and take matters into our own hands? How many times have you left the Lord's way for you own? Yikes. If this were a federal offense I'd be in for life.
For Abraham the result was strife, tension, rejection and ostracization. For Jacob, his child of the flesh became part of the team that sold the child of the promise into slavery. Yet inspite of their stupidity and sin, the Lord redeemed. Ishmael was provided for and blessed by the Lord. Dan became one of the founding fathers (so to speak) of the twelve tribes of Israel.
It is never a good idea to take matters into your own hands. And yet even when we sinfully do, God in his amazing grace and mercy can redeem the worst of situations.
Peace and Joy
Rob
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Dads
More observations from the Book of Genesis within the family of Abraham.
Did you know that Abraham did these two things: He lied to a king telling the king that his wife Sarah was actually his sister because he was scared of the king. And... When the promise of God seemed to slow in coming he listened to his wife's advice and had sex with one of her female slaves thus taking into his own hands the fulfillment of the promise of offspring.
Did you know that Isaac lied to a king telling the king his wife Rebbekah was actually his sister because he was scared of the king.
Did you know that Jacob, when the promise of God seemed to slow in coming, listened to his wife's advice and had sex with one of her female slaves thus taking into his own hands the fulfillment of the promise of offspring.
Did you know that Abraham was Isaac's dad and Jacobs grandfather? Did you know that God says in Deut. 5 and Ex. 20 that the sins of the parents will visit the children to the third and fourht generation?
Hmmm...
Peace and Joy
Rob
Did you know that Abraham did these two things: He lied to a king telling the king that his wife Sarah was actually his sister because he was scared of the king. And... When the promise of God seemed to slow in coming he listened to his wife's advice and had sex with one of her female slaves thus taking into his own hands the fulfillment of the promise of offspring.
Did you know that Isaac lied to a king telling the king his wife Rebbekah was actually his sister because he was scared of the king.
Did you know that Jacob, when the promise of God seemed to slow in coming, listened to his wife's advice and had sex with one of her female slaves thus taking into his own hands the fulfillment of the promise of offspring.
Did you know that Abraham was Isaac's dad and Jacobs grandfather? Did you know that God says in Deut. 5 and Ex. 20 that the sins of the parents will visit the children to the third and fourht generation?
Hmmm...
Peace and Joy
Rob
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