A Whole New Twist on Matthew’s Messianic Genealogy

[HT: Kevin DeYoung]

“November, November, where did you go?”

If you ever wonder why this blog goes quiet or slow for seeming spurts at a time…go here.

I had hoped to post a few times in the month of November, but here I am, catching up.

By far one of the most exciting things was my trip to Puyallup to speak at a Friday night youth gathering (Nov.6-7).  The group included several Rock Solid alumni families and students.  It was wonderfully humbling and exciting to see and hear of the ongoing fruit in the lives of those RS alumni.  I was greatly blessed.  I will attempt to highlight some of those stories in days ahead (you know who you are!)  I spoke on the subject of “maturing in Christ” and certainly gained more from my preparation than they did from my delivery.  Though I pray they were served well “for their progress and joy in the faith”.

Two other exciting things took place during that trip.  I was able to meet with several families who are excited to host and coordinate a conference in the Puyallup area for April 2010 on the subject of navigating the road to marriage.  I’m very excited to roll out a re-packaged version of the Finding/Forging conference and hopefully serve many families and singles in the area.  New friendships were formed that I believe will provide not only great encouragement for years to come, but bare much fruit in spreading the Gospel and strengthening the saints as well.

Thank you Ashburn’s, Myer’s, and Black’s!!

Second, and in many ways greater, was the special opportunity to visit my sister-in-law who “just happened” to be in the hospital in…where?…yes, Puyallup.  I say “just happened” to highlight recent lessons I have been reflecting on regarding God’s providence in our lives, as we have been studying the Book of Ruth at church.  Shannon was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease after 2 horrible years of pain and dead ends (including an unnecessary gall bladder removal).  She had to call 911 herself, with her 5 year old twin daughters and 2 year old son by her side at home until the ambulance arrived.  They ended up doing surgery and removing a portion of her bowels…though the surgeon later shared he had expected to find lymphoma.  I pulled into the hospital parking lot, and prayed.  Grabbed my Bible and flipped to Psalms…praying and searching for something that would provide good sound encouragement and comfort for her at this point in her life.  A portion of Psalm 73 and Psalm 46….man I’m tempted to share those here and expound, but unfortunately, my time is too short.  Suffice it to say, I knew the Lord was with me.

15 seconds after I walked into her room, where my mother-in-law was also waiting, she said softly, “will you pray for me?”

“Absolutely.”

I pulled my Bible from underneath my coat and left arm (my concealed weapon of choice)., “Would it be alright if I read something and then prayed for you?”

She smiled a groggy post-surgery smile and said, “I knew you wouldn’t come empty handed.”

I knew in that moment that this is what I was born to do.

(And I was glad I had prayed and prepared something Solid to give her in that moment…such a weighty responsibility and precious privilege…whoa, humbling.  There are others expecting me to be the man of God I’m employed to be…”not many of you should become teachers” whoa.)

I opened to Psalm 73 first, then flipped over to Psalm 46.

“My heart and my flesh may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever!”

I may get Crohn’s Disease.  I may get cancer.  I may experience a thousand different failings in my flesh…BUT GOD!

Oh how comforting is the sovereignty of God in moments of real need.  It is the theology of hospital bedside visits, because its truth rings clearest when we are most aware of our powerlessness and dependency on something or Someone for our every breath.  We are frail, finite.  God is mighty.

I think I received more than I gave.

Still praying for your recovery and health Shannon!

I prayed and hung around for a little while, had several more great conversations with my father-in-law and mother-in-law (who I love to death and am so blessed to be so close to) and then cruised over the pass (that’s another story!) to catch a GCC leadership team meeting with Dr. Art Azurdia…preaching on the New Heavens and New Earth (which includes new bodies!) from Revelation 21…wow.  Phew… what a weekend.

It was a rich weekend filled with plans and surprises from the Lord.

What else?

I don’t have time to write about meetings with Max, Sam, Brian, Matt…or Tuesday night men’s meetings…or preaching Ruth 4:1-12 (link coming soon)…or even the Thanksgiving Holiday itself.

I know this, I am blessed.  God is good.  God is moving.  I’m privileged to be a part of the ongoing fulfillment of Matt. 28:18-20.

Now back to shooting monkeys off my back (school!) so I can maybe blog more frequently again.  Paper #4 this week…here I come.

Christians Persecuted In England

Will I face criminal charges in my lifetime, here in America, for clearly proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ publicly?

 

more about “Christians Persecuted In England! – p…“, posted with vodpod

HT: Tim Challies

 

Real HOPE…

more about “Real HOPE…“, posted with vodpod

Write to (& for) Your Children

From the beginning, I’ve journaled.

People who know me don’t find it surprising to picture me with a few extra words to express.

I think God took hold of my verbility (I just made that word up) the moment he saved me and began turning it for His purposes.  The Bible has a lot to say on the subject of talking and listening.

James 3 has some sobering words, as do “a few” Proverbs (1:8, 33; 4:1,10,20; 5:1; 7:24; 8:6, 32-34; 10:19; 12:15, 18; 13:1; 15:31; 17:28; 18:13; 19:20, 27; 22:17; 23:12, 19, 22; 25:12).

Amazingly, by God’s grace, I think He has made me a better listener over these past 12 years.  But that doesn’t necessarily mean I talk less!  I just (hopefully) don’t dominate as much air space in conversation with people as I used to…that is, until somebody hands me a microphone (what can I say?).  Surprise, surprise God made me a preacher, right?

Well, needless to say, much (some) of my talking moved into the realm of solitude…in written form.  In journals.  To God.  That was before the days of “blogging”.  Shoot, I actually made it through high school without an email address…but the rate of technological advancement is an entirely different post.

So I have a stack of journals, mostly filled with prayers and petitions, ramblings of a desperate redeemed sinner who was wrecked by God and His mercy and given an insatiable hunger for God, still with major ups and downs, sometimes all over the map, figuring this life of “following Christ” “living for God” out.  Or, trying anyway.  Or, figuring myself out maybe?  There are lots of benefits to journaling.  I’ll write more on that in the future.

As of late, my journaling has slowed (hear screeching tires)…in a world of high-tech social networking tools, etc…I wonder why?  But, I’m determined and I recognize the need for it in my life.  So, I’m sure, it will continue at some rate throughout my lifetime.  With peaks and slow times.

Now that I’m a dad of three…I’ve really been thinking about “legacy” and “passing on the faith” and “discipling/mentoring the next generation” and all the other biblical ways to say it.  At 31, knocking on 32, I’m feeling really cramped for time even if the Lord were to give me 50-60 more years.  There’s simply not enough time to learn everything I want to learn, read everything I want to read, teach everything I want to teach, etc…

So I journaled this question the other night:

If I (you) were to write a book to my (your) kids, stressing the important things in life, the essentials, what would the chapter topics/headings be?

And if you were to give a couple sentence synopsis of each chapter – what would it say?

Seven pages and 28 topics later I could finally set my pen down.

For now.

AJ

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If you’re interested…here’s a recommended resource on spiritual disciplines (includes a chapter on journaling):

Donald Whitney’s “Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life“

6 Ways to Keep A Slow Blog

1. Pursue your master’s degree via distance

2. Tackle multiple significant home projects

3. Help out with a growing church plant

4. Use facebook, twitter, and The City(church) to spread your message instead

5. Invest quality face-to-face time with your wife and 3 children

6. Be humble & don’t give up

Life & The World’s Greatest Husband

These are quick videos I created at a fun website to play around with.  www.extranormal.com

Here’s an exaggerated mock-up of life at the James house during a couple of the busy summer months…

At the end of the day, with the endless list of “to-do’s” and the constant need to be adjusting and amending to keep balance and perspective…I’m grateful for the hope of the Gospel in our marriage: LOVE WINS!

Also, a commitment as a husband to serve your wife and know what she appreciates and needs, doesn’t hurt.  If only I were more consistent…like this guy – “The World’s Greatest Husband”!

I laughed during and after making them, enjoy!

To My Best Friend on 09-09-09

No, I didn’t miss it or forget it.  I just never felt like this post was complete…I wanted it to be “just right”.  I wanted to honor my incredible wife and my best friend.  And I finally realized, two weeks after the actual day, that I should just go ahead and post the blog I wrote on 09-08-09 for my wife, who celebrated her birthday on 09-09-09, which was kinda neat.

Here is what I wrote two weeks ago:

Erin – means “peace”.  And since the day I met her, she has a way of ministering peace to my soul.  I have seen it with each of our 3 children, and any other children she has held, rocked, blessed.

Here are four more ways I would describe my wife of 10 years:

E – Exciting: Says a  happy husband and friend.

R – Respect-worthy: On the path toward Proverbs 31.

I – Intelligent: It shows up in so many ways, quick wit, humor, wisdom, ideas, teaching…

N – Natural: Her beauty and her presence.

Erin, you’re my best friend and I love you.

Give Me Jesus

I came across this video last week and completely wept like a baby…in a good way.  I shared it with my family that night and wept some more.  If my kids don’t hear or get anything else, I want them to know this was the cry of their Daddy’s heart – “Give me Jesus!”

Ruth Graham

This is also cool because of the connection with Billy and Ruth Graham and their grandson Tullian, who I mentioned in my last post.  Ruth, who passed away in 2007, has actually had a genuine impact on my life, since her death.  Just the stories I’ve heard and the poetry she wrote and the influence she clearly had on her family…it’s inspiring to me.

It makes me pray with hope, that in spite of all my sin and shortcomings as a husband and a father and a pastor…maybe the Lord could hide some of that from those I love most and allow a true love for Jesus to leave the bigger imprint.

I’m thinking that’s something to keep praying.

I’ve been singing this little tune in my joke of a singing voice every night since…even tweaking the lyrics to fit the occasion: 

“And when I go to bed…

and when I go to bed…

And when I go to bed…

Give me Jesus…”

Ok, no more rambling.  Enjoy.

[HT: Justin Taylor]

It is Not Death to Die

Here are some amazing words from a hymn I read on Tullian Tchividjian’s blog (the grandson of Billy Graham who pastors Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church)…Tullian’s dad is close to death and his post was moving to me.  I know this day will come for me as well (losing my dad) and I empathize with his words.

For those who are in Christ…

“It is Not Death to Die”

It is not death to die
To leave this weary road
And join the saints who dwell on high
Who’ve found their home with God

It is not death to close
The eyes long dimmed by tears
And wake in joy before Your throne
Delivered from our fears

It is not death to fling
Aside this earthly dust
And rise with strong and noble wing
To live among the just

It is not death to hear
The key unlock the door
That sets us free from mortal years
To praise You evermore

Original words by Henri Malan (1787–1864).

HT: Between Two Worlds