Archive - January, 2007

verse for the year

January 30, 2007 in Discipleship, Student Ministry with 0 Comments

Luke 1:9 is my verse for 2007.

“…according to the custom of the priesthood, his lot fell to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord,”

Or Young’s Literal Translation: “… his lot was to make perfume, having gone into the sanctuary of the Lord,”

I was praying about our youth ministry worship team, and that’s what the Lord gave me … not the whole verse, just the citation. I had to look it up. I was a little disappointed for a second, but then I read it again. What an honor that must have been to be divinely chosen to burn incense, make perfume, and bring worship before the Lord. Of course, we’re all called to do that (Hebrews 13:15), but the Lord picks worship leaders (and I don’t mean just me, I mean our whole little team). I guess it was a nice confirmation for me: He’s chosen us for this in this hour.

So I shared this with the team, and we’re working our ways through a devotional on humility and servanthood. I’m believing this is going to do good things in all of us.

Yesterday I got the call. THE call. I got the job I inquired about last week. It’s going to be quite a little pay cut, but I just know it’s the Lord. It’s also going to mean Monday, Wednesday, and Friday afternoons off for the most part, which is too amazing for words. I’ve been thinking about what I can do with the time … more recently I’ve been praying about what to do with the time (it’s not mine anyway, right?). Luke 1:9 keeps coming back to me. I think this is it.

Revelation 5:8//Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.

anger

January 24, 2007 in Uncategorized with 0 Comments

I got a strange email yesterday. I don’t know if you remember this guy, but he randomly posted a very immature comment after my applauding a youth group (in Florida, I think?) for standing up for decency. I don’t know this guy, and hadn’t electronically communicated with him in any fashion for a month. Yesterday I got this:

Science cannot fail. It doesn’t try to explain anything. It is just a logical tool.

I ain’t angry, I’m merely overwhelmingly contemptuous of your inability to face the reality of your imminent permanent extinction.

Actually, I am angry that your type tells everybody what to do all the time. Leave us alone to live our lives, while you waste yours dreaming of winged sky people burning bushes on mountains.

I have a college degree in biology. What have you got? Shadows in a cave. Tardwad.

This is depressing: people live like this day to day. Overcome with anger for people they don’t know for reasons that don’t concern them at all (because I didn’t approach him – I merely responded to his outburst). What must be the condition of a heart that could be “overwhelmingly contemptuous” of someone else’s hope and faith?

2 Timothy 3:1-4//But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God …

I could give pointed rebuttal, but as stated some weeks ago: I’m not really interested.

2 Timothy 2:3//But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife.

I will exort the reader to prayer for this guy (I think his name is Peter), and I will answer his question: peace.


Okay, okay. And I will post a nifty little Battle Cry video.

letter to the editor

January 23, 2007 in Uncategorized with 0 Comments

I submitted this to the Northwest Herald this morning. I could have gone on, but they won’t print it unless it is 200 words or less. It’s exactly 200. Count ‘em.

Dear Illinois Legislature:

I would like to propose a statewide ban on women in SUVs. I am drafting a bill on my lunch breaks that would make it illegal for any woman to own or operate an SUV.

I know some women have the capacity and self-control to be behind the wheel of an SUV, but the ratio is too small to continue endangering the remainder of Illinois’ motorists.

Every time I have ever been the target of a rude gesture from someone who did not understand the right of way at a merge, every time someone has ever swerved wildly into the right lane to blow past me just in time to cut me off and come to a dead stop in front of me in a left turn lane … it has been a woman in an SUV.

I am sure if I could convince the government to fund another obvious study, we would come to a conclusion similar to, “… high vantage points and testosterone-driven marketing combined with a functioning emotional bank results in road rage in nine out of 10 cases.”

Women who drive SUVs rationally: I salute you, but please, take one for the team.

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