Monday, August 29, 2011
Been A While....
Well I realize it has been several months since I have posted but things have been busy on the Rural Route lately got a 12 week old son and have had a lack of internet connection, but now we are back and as opinionated as ever. So climb on in and buckle up and we resume our trip down the Rural Route to Righteousness.
Monday, May 2, 2011
Should we be celebrating Bin Laden's death?...Well, sort of
Yesterday was a day that will forever live on in the minds of those who experienced the bombing of the U.S.S. Cole and the tragic, cowardly attacks of 9-11-01. The best of the best, the Navy SEALS, killed Osama Bin Laden in a compound where he appears to have been living the good life of a rich Saudi Prince. There was immediate acclaim for this symbolic victory of the west in the War on Terror. People were proud and celebrating that this man, who was responsible for the killing of so many innocent people, had died. To be perfectly honest I was excited and glad to hear that this evil man would have no more opportunity to do harm to people anywhere. As I started to process this information it evoked within me a couple of different reactions first as a Christian, and then as a fireman, and then as a Christian again.
While I was immediately proud of my country and relieved that this evil man was no longer able to hurt people, it struck me that this evil person was now in a place of eternal damnation where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth, where there is no presence of God because God Himself restrains it, and I was slightly saddened. Granted there is some justice as the world sees it in this man's death but I do not know that we as Christians are to be encouraged by such low standards. While I believe the NAVY SEALS, who risked their lives to accomplish the mission placed before them, were completely righteous in their actions I am not sure we should be so happy about it. While in Psalm 116:15 says that precious in the eyes of the Lord is the death of His godly ones, but in the same Bible it says, The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). This evil man is dead, and I would say deservedly so, but now he has learned the hard way that his faith was misplaced, and has no chance to ever leave his eternal damnation. So it brought about a conflict within me, glad that this man would no longer would be able to hurt people, but saddened that he would spend eternity in fiery punishment devoid of the goodness that comes from God.
As a firefighter as I thought back to the images of that September morning where so many police officers, and firefighters rushed into a building burning and soon to collapse to try and save as many as possible, and was enraged that this man fostered and helped fund and prepare for these cowardly acts and was glad he was dead. Almost immediately I was again conflicted should I take joy in the death and damnation of someone no matter how much I am enraged at the indvidual.
In response to the conflict within I turned to Scripture and found a great deal of help and instruction on how God would have me to respond. While there is a great deal of justice and capital punishment withing the Old Testament there is an even greater amount of forgiveness and grace in the New Testament. I am convinced that as a Christian Firefighter I should be relieved over Osama Bin Laden's inability to hurt anyone ever again, but should also be saddened that Bin Laden will also be unable to escape the eternal damnation that he is now in. For while we have all been hurt deeply by Bin Laden's actions, I am convinced now as much as ever that we as Christians should never wish hell on anyone one, not even our worst enemies, nor rejoice in anyone's damnation.
Just my take on the whole matter, relief that he is no longer able to hurt, saddened that he will hurt forever.
While I was immediately proud of my country and relieved that this evil man was no longer able to hurt people, it struck me that this evil person was now in a place of eternal damnation where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth, where there is no presence of God because God Himself restrains it, and I was slightly saddened. Granted there is some justice as the world sees it in this man's death but I do not know that we as Christians are to be encouraged by such low standards. While I believe the NAVY SEALS, who risked their lives to accomplish the mission placed before them, were completely righteous in their actions I am not sure we should be so happy about it. While in Psalm 116:15 says that precious in the eyes of the Lord is the death of His godly ones, but in the same Bible it says, The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). This evil man is dead, and I would say deservedly so, but now he has learned the hard way that his faith was misplaced, and has no chance to ever leave his eternal damnation. So it brought about a conflict within me, glad that this man would no longer would be able to hurt people, but saddened that he would spend eternity in fiery punishment devoid of the goodness that comes from God.
As a firefighter as I thought back to the images of that September morning where so many police officers, and firefighters rushed into a building burning and soon to collapse to try and save as many as possible, and was enraged that this man fostered and helped fund and prepare for these cowardly acts and was glad he was dead. Almost immediately I was again conflicted should I take joy in the death and damnation of someone no matter how much I am enraged at the indvidual.
In response to the conflict within I turned to Scripture and found a great deal of help and instruction on how God would have me to respond. While there is a great deal of justice and capital punishment withing the Old Testament there is an even greater amount of forgiveness and grace in the New Testament. I am convinced that as a Christian Firefighter I should be relieved over Osama Bin Laden's inability to hurt anyone ever again, but should also be saddened that Bin Laden will also be unable to escape the eternal damnation that he is now in. For while we have all been hurt deeply by Bin Laden's actions, I am convinced now as much as ever that we as Christians should never wish hell on anyone one, not even our worst enemies, nor rejoice in anyone's damnation.
Just my take on the whole matter, relief that he is no longer able to hurt, saddened that he will hurt forever.
Sunday, May 1, 2011
The Walk...Is it worth taking?
I have been reading The Walk by Shaun Alexander lately and really enjoyed it. As a great football fan and a striving to grow Christian it intertwined two of my greatest passions in life and helped me to further process and evaluate where I am and where God would have me to be both spiritually and physically.
The way the book is laid out follows a progression, "The Walk with God" while somewhat oversimplified at times, I think the book does a good job of taking the reader from where every person starts with their interaction and relationship with God and shows how they can grow and how others before them have succeeded in the same walk even in the same types of trials and traps in their way.
The book could of been strengthened with a few more specifics, as it dealt mostly with generalities but that could be by design as it makes the book more likely to impact more people.
I would recommend this book for just about anyone, a dad new to faith or just searching, or a young man struggling to find out what direction God would have him walking. While it was written by a football star I do not believe that this book would be too "jockish" for a girl or even a woman seeking to get deeper into her relationship with God and His path for them.
I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.
Over all I think this walk was well worth taking with me on the Rural Route to Righteousness.
The way the book is laid out follows a progression, "The Walk with God" while somewhat oversimplified at times, I think the book does a good job of taking the reader from where every person starts with their interaction and relationship with God and shows how they can grow and how others before them have succeeded in the same walk even in the same types of trials and traps in their way.
The book could of been strengthened with a few more specifics, as it dealt mostly with generalities but that could be by design as it makes the book more likely to impact more people.
I would recommend this book for just about anyone, a dad new to faith or just searching, or a young man struggling to find out what direction God would have him walking. While it was written by a football star I do not believe that this book would be too "jockish" for a girl or even a woman seeking to get deeper into her relationship with God and His path for them.
I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.
Over all I think this walk was well worth taking with me on the Rural Route to Righteousness.
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Traveled to Teach ended up Learning
In last 11 days I have traveled over 1200 miles. That may not sound like too big of a deal but I was not alone on this journey of Southeastern proportions, my beautiful wife was with me for every mile of this trip and she was, at the time of our departure, 29 weeks pregnant!! Needless to say she is a trooper! Why on earth would you pack up a third trimester pregnant woman for such a trip you ask, well to try and do what God has called us to do, preach the gospel and minister to people. That is the only reason I would embark on such a treacherous endeavor.
A great friend and brother in Christ, Dusty Durbin, honored me with an opportunity to preach in the church he pastors for some revival meetings. Dusty is the pastor of Atlanta Baptist Church in Atlanta, Louisiana, a town as small as Atlanta, GA is big. He is doing a great work leading a great group of people who work for their living day in and day out and work tirelessly for the gospel of Christ as God gives them the opportunity.
As great as Dusty and the congregation of Atlanta Baptist Church is (and i could blog about them for days), something else hit me even harder than their love for God and people on this trip. There was a man there for all three nights of revival services who showed me a pastor's heart like I have never experienced in person before. While I cannot remember this fellow's name or the name of his church he minstered to me more than he knew and probably more than I did for him by preaching.
This man was a local pastor in the area at a bivocational church and he came every night for revival services. This was no I had nothing better to do so I came one night situation. He not only came himself but on the Wednesday night of that week he cancelled services at his church so that they might be able to come and attend the revival meetings at Atlanta. I have never seen this before, granted I am a young pastor and us young bucks do things different than they used to and all, but I have never even heard of old pastors doing this. To be so interested in himself and his people be revived that he does not care if comes from another pulpit says alot about this man's commitment to God and his people.
I was not only humbled as a preacher, because he brought his church to hear me, but also as a pastor because it would have never entered in my mind to cancel services for a revival in the area I served. I might encourage the church to go on Monday or Tuesday but not give up leading a service so someone else could hopefully lead them to a deeper more intimate walk with Christ than I had. Even though I do not know this man's name he has forever impacted me with his humble service to his people and compliment to me. I am resolved to lead in just that way in the future.
So here is my question to us all: what are we willing to do to grow deeper intimacy in our walk with Christ? What will we sacrifice for that goal? Is it everything or will we continue to lie when we sing "I surrender all"?
Just some thoughts for us to ponder on our route, from the rural route I am on.
Grace and God's Blessings on us all.
A great friend and brother in Christ, Dusty Durbin, honored me with an opportunity to preach in the church he pastors for some revival meetings. Dusty is the pastor of Atlanta Baptist Church in Atlanta, Louisiana, a town as small as Atlanta, GA is big. He is doing a great work leading a great group of people who work for their living day in and day out and work tirelessly for the gospel of Christ as God gives them the opportunity.
As great as Dusty and the congregation of Atlanta Baptist Church is (and i could blog about them for days), something else hit me even harder than their love for God and people on this trip. There was a man there for all three nights of revival services who showed me a pastor's heart like I have never experienced in person before. While I cannot remember this fellow's name or the name of his church he minstered to me more than he knew and probably more than I did for him by preaching.
This man was a local pastor in the area at a bivocational church and he came every night for revival services. This was no I had nothing better to do so I came one night situation. He not only came himself but on the Wednesday night of that week he cancelled services at his church so that they might be able to come and attend the revival meetings at Atlanta. I have never seen this before, granted I am a young pastor and us young bucks do things different than they used to and all, but I have never even heard of old pastors doing this. To be so interested in himself and his people be revived that he does not care if comes from another pulpit says alot about this man's commitment to God and his people.
I was not only humbled as a preacher, because he brought his church to hear me, but also as a pastor because it would have never entered in my mind to cancel services for a revival in the area I served. I might encourage the church to go on Monday or Tuesday but not give up leading a service so someone else could hopefully lead them to a deeper more intimate walk with Christ than I had. Even though I do not know this man's name he has forever impacted me with his humble service to his people and compliment to me. I am resolved to lead in just that way in the future.
So here is my question to us all: what are we willing to do to grow deeper intimacy in our walk with Christ? What will we sacrifice for that goal? Is it everything or will we continue to lie when we sing "I surrender all"?
Just some thoughts for us to ponder on our route, from the rural route I am on.
Grace and God's Blessings on us all.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Opening Day
First a disclaimer, I am a moderate baseball fan. I am a devout Atlanta Braves fan starting back when they were still in the baby blue uniforms before all those division titles and pennants, but as far as the rest of the league not so much. I personally could care less who leads the league in anything, unless of course he is a Brave. With that I am sure you are asking why then would he write an opening day blog?
Every year around the first of April the new baseball season starts and it seems all is good in the world. No matter what a team's payroll, roster, or even past records they come into today undefeated with all the potential in the world. Everyone today is a World Series contender, even if only for a few days. It is that feeling I believe that makes opening day great even for those of us that aren't fantasy baseball enthusiasts, or even have a favorite team, the good feeling of equality among all the teams, the potential of every team to be exactly what it makes itself.
While opening day is one of my favorite days on the sports calendar, because of its potential, it pales in comparison to the new mercies of God each morning. Even though we could never deserve it, God grants His children new mercies and compassion each morning. This is an incredible revelation, that sometimes can be overlooked in the daily hussle. Though we are responsible for the death of His only begotten Son, and continue to fall short of His standard for each of us, God meets each of His children at the beginning of each new day with new mercies. How deep the Father's love for us must be! I could never imagine responding to people who had spurned my every advance with such great forgivenss and mercy each and every day. I guess thats just another reason we should be grateful that He is God and we are not, for His new mercies for us each day are so much better than anything we could ever imagine for ourselves...even if it doesn't include a World Series Ring for the Braves.
The question is for us just as it is for every baseball team that plays a game today; what will you do with the new mercies you have been given today? Will you take advantage of your God given opportunities and make the best of it? Here's hoping you embrace God's new mercies for you as you travel the route He has laid out for you from those of us on the Rural Route.
Every year around the first of April the new baseball season starts and it seems all is good in the world. No matter what a team's payroll, roster, or even past records they come into today undefeated with all the potential in the world. Everyone today is a World Series contender, even if only for a few days. It is that feeling I believe that makes opening day great even for those of us that aren't fantasy baseball enthusiasts, or even have a favorite team, the good feeling of equality among all the teams, the potential of every team to be exactly what it makes itself.
While opening day is one of my favorite days on the sports calendar, because of its potential, it pales in comparison to the new mercies of God each morning. Even though we could never deserve it, God grants His children new mercies and compassion each morning. This is an incredible revelation, that sometimes can be overlooked in the daily hussle. Though we are responsible for the death of His only begotten Son, and continue to fall short of His standard for each of us, God meets each of His children at the beginning of each new day with new mercies. How deep the Father's love for us must be! I could never imagine responding to people who had spurned my every advance with such great forgivenss and mercy each and every day. I guess thats just another reason we should be grateful that He is God and we are not, for His new mercies for us each day are so much better than anything we could ever imagine for ourselves...even if it doesn't include a World Series Ring for the Braves.
The question is for us just as it is for every baseball team that plays a game today; what will you do with the new mercies you have been given today? Will you take advantage of your God given opportunities and make the best of it? Here's hoping you embrace God's new mercies for you as you travel the route He has laid out for you from those of us on the Rural Route.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
The Goodness of God and the Problem of Evil
Randy Alcorn, author of Heaven, also wrote If God is Good a book that takes an apologetic look at the goodness of God and all that it entails. An excerpt of that book actually became a book unto itself The Goodness of God. Now if you followed all those book titles and how they came to be, you have earned the privilege of diving into a personal take on how the goodness of God can be reconciled in a world full of evil and degradation.
Alcorn rightly starts in the introduction that these questions are universal for humanity. As we all look deeper into our existence we are faced with the issue of evil and suffering that is around us. It is those issues that lead many to reject the idea of an ever present and good God all together. Alcorn immediately dives into these issues tackling them in depth with not only the truth and wisdom of Scripture, but also a candor and tone that make reading this entire book enjoyable and easy to understand. I would recommend this book for any Christian or really any person who is currently or has in the past dealt with suffering and evil in his life.
Dealing first and foremost with the competing worldviews and how each of them deal with the existence of evil and suffering. Ultimately Alcorn, who is a christian, comes to the conclusion that Christianity provides the best answer available to the issues of evil and suffering.
From that point on Alcorn tackles the intricate arguments with the discussion of Evil and the good and all caring God. Alcorn deals with justice, glory of God, and the purpose of evil and suffering in the life of all man over the next several chapters dealing candidly but gently with each of the questions that are raised most in this discussion.
Overall this is one of the greatest and simplest "apologetic" books I have ever read and would encourage anyone to read it as I believe it advocates the mainstream evangelical stance for the Good God and His allowance of evil in the world He created for His glory.
I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.
Alcorn rightly starts in the introduction that these questions are universal for humanity. As we all look deeper into our existence we are faced with the issue of evil and suffering that is around us. It is those issues that lead many to reject the idea of an ever present and good God all together. Alcorn immediately dives into these issues tackling them in depth with not only the truth and wisdom of Scripture, but also a candor and tone that make reading this entire book enjoyable and easy to understand. I would recommend this book for any Christian or really any person who is currently or has in the past dealt with suffering and evil in his life.
Dealing first and foremost with the competing worldviews and how each of them deal with the existence of evil and suffering. Ultimately Alcorn, who is a christian, comes to the conclusion that Christianity provides the best answer available to the issues of evil and suffering.
From that point on Alcorn tackles the intricate arguments with the discussion of Evil and the good and all caring God. Alcorn deals with justice, glory of God, and the purpose of evil and suffering in the life of all man over the next several chapters dealing candidly but gently with each of the questions that are raised most in this discussion.
Overall this is one of the greatest and simplest "apologetic" books I have ever read and would encourage anyone to read it as I believe it advocates the mainstream evangelical stance for the Good God and His allowance of evil in the world He created for His glory.
I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
A Review of Desiring God by John Piper
I just recently read Desiring God by John Piper. This book is over 25 years old and is still impacting many, including myself, everyday for the glory of God. Filled with many deep insights and profound statements this book is a good book for any reader who wants to look deeper into how and why we live our lives for Christ.
While I acknowledge that when I picked this book that I knew Piper was a 5 point Calvinist (I am not), yet I was somewhat suprised at just how much of an impact that belief system had on this work. It seemed to me that had Piper spent more time earlier in the book defining the major theme of Christian Hedonism than explaining and advocating Calvinism it would have been an easier read in the early chapters.
Overall I would recommend this book to anyone who has a thoughtfully developed theology so that they might be able to see all that there is to grasp in this book and let their life be changed profoundly as mine and so many others have. I must say that while I don't agree with everything proposed in this book Desiring God changed for the better the way I look at what and how I do everything in my worship of God.
I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this Review.
While I acknowledge that when I picked this book that I knew Piper was a 5 point Calvinist (I am not), yet I was somewhat suprised at just how much of an impact that belief system had on this work. It seemed to me that had Piper spent more time earlier in the book defining the major theme of Christian Hedonism than explaining and advocating Calvinism it would have been an easier read in the early chapters.
Overall I would recommend this book to anyone who has a thoughtfully developed theology so that they might be able to see all that there is to grasp in this book and let their life be changed profoundly as mine and so many others have. I must say that while I don't agree with everything proposed in this book Desiring God changed for the better the way I look at what and how I do everything in my worship of God.
I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this Review.
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