Due to the late hour this will be a short post.  Most of the day was wrapped up with political conversation about the health care ruling by our Supreme Court.  I am one who disagrees in principle with the decision despite finding some good things in the law.  Not every part of the legislation is bad.  Just count me one who believes that government sanctioning of health care cannot be a good idea.  You may know my view that any bill that covers 2000 pages cannot be a good thing.  But now we have to live with it until it is repealed or improved.  Either option is fine by me.


Even some of our Baptist bloggers weighed in on this outcome.  You know that a conservative approach is the norm in our denomination.  There will be others who view this differently.  It will be curious to watch this election unfold.  Each side is already making the case for their argument.  The court ruled this mandate to be a tax.  How the President deals with this should be humorous in its words.  How the Republican candidate will be equally strange as he led the state he served as Governor to adopt a similar system.  This will make for a fascinating debate over the next four months.  


My dad is a doctor as you may know should you read here often.  So my views on health care are deeply affected by those experiences.  To have no regulations would be unhealthy in regards to insurance and the like.  But to have too much government involvement is just as dangerous.  I doubt that our founding fathers ever dreamed of such a conversation.  History says we went nearly 200 years finding our own way through life.  The last seventy years or so is when we see all of these government programs coming into existence.  There are those who would swear such things are near sainthood.  Others will talk of them as right from the source of evil.  We have to deal with them now no matter their origin.  


I will probably turn off my television from cable news for a while.  All of the shouting gives me a headache.  Then it would be off to the doctor and a trip through the health care maze.  How good can that be now?


Bro. Trey

People who live in Minnesota or states around that area will say there are two seasons of the year.  One season is winter that stretches out for quite awhile.  The other season is that of road repair after the snow finally goes away.  We who reside in Texas say the same thing but our one season is that of summer.  Heat begins in late April not to be gone until usually into October.  This fact still does not slow us down from complaining about the weather.  Every summer here is hot.  No amount of rain ever changes this fact.  We know it is coming at some point.  It is as certain as any other of our realities.  We even try to compare our heat to other places.  Being hot does not change whether the air is dry or humid.  I learned this from living in other places.  But we will insist on wishing the very act of God in setting up this world could change.


I would very much like to ask God someday why we get it so bad during summer here.  Other places of our country at least get breaks in the heat with the occasional cold front.  He chose to put the world together with the understanding our temperatures would hit maximum for three months at least.  You can just watch people to see how it affects us.  We move slower if we move at all.  We wear as few clothes as we can get away with.  It can even reach the point where swimming pools are warm rather than cool.  My way of thinking is to just try and push through it because surely it cannot last forever.  Not to be ugly but there is no way it is hotter in Texas than you know where.  This is part of our heritage or even our pride.  Just as those in Minnesota brag about making it through winter we can push out our chest to declare we survived another summer.


Each day brings us closer to an eventual break.  My youngest learned about the Summer Solstice last week.  I taught him that it is the day with the most daylight during a year.  We moved on to learn that the Winter Solstice is the day with the most night.  I do try to teach him things even when out of school.  We can either dread the weather which only makes us complain more.  No amount of wishing for cooler days will actually make that happen here.  Or we can just keep moving along while taking care of our health.  God did set things up so we catch the brunt of the extreme heat.  We don't even cool down at night.  So perhaps we just look for whatever He has in store for us regardless of the conditions.  Besides, we are officially under six months away from Christmas now.  Maybe you can make your wish list for when that season arrives?


Bro. Trey

Faith sometimes will call for us to take a risk.  I am learning this with the new computer.  So far it avoided blowing up despite my lack of knowledge or skills.  My point and click method of learning is much slower than for most people but it does eventually lead to some insight.  One of the great issues of trusting God is how it shows up in our life.  Most times it is a tad more complex than trying to learn a new computer system.  But you can certainly find more than a few applications along the way.  There is the challenge of a new task.  I definitely know the anxiety of wondering what this change may mean.  Taking a few hesitant steps is another truth we can gain.  You can also think about what you knew when you began this journey of technology.  Who knew just how much we would come to depend on this tool?  We just grew over time as each update lead to another opportunity.  I would imagine that in ten years what is common place now will seem perhaps ancient.  You get the idea I hope.


Baptists talk a great deal about faith.  Many of our hymns refer to faith either in the title or in the lyrics.  Many of us know the scriptures relating to our confidence in God.  I wish there was a way to count the number of meetings attended where someone remarked of a need to trust God in faith.  Only one thing concerns me about all of this.  Where is God showing up with all of our words about our belief?  God is not just for the Sunday School hour.  If we are going to proclaim His greatness within the confines of the congregation then we may want to see if what we say matches up to what we do afterward.  One sure mark of faith is God does the unusual or even the incredible in our midst.  Or is our concept of faith merely a slogan to toss around?


Reading the stories in scripture of faith is a thrilling thing to do.  How often Jesus will respond to the simple faith of a seeker with great miracles?  Lives are changed because someone expresses confidence in Jesus.  You find older accounts of great saints who become that way due to a radical trust in God.  Then you take a look at the contemporary church.  We get so bogged down in the mundane we cannot grasp the magnificent mercy of God.  Is it any wonder people become discouraged when we practice a selective faith?   I find most people will want to act in faith when it is a project close to their heart.  Other times we will decide not to take the risk until we study something a bit longer.  If faith is not active all of the time then is it truly faith?


Let me confess to asking myself these same questions lately.  God may need to take apart our belief system on occasion to make sure it is eternally secure.  That makes us feel very uncomfortable.  Far too many believers would rather rock along with an occasional confidence than allow God to work a change within us.  We would rather God fix the other person or the situation than to change our heart.  If we do not trust God to do good in our faith then how do we every anticipate believing He will do great things through our faith?


Bro. Trey

This is my first effort at blogging on my new computer.  It is actually a new computer for the church but it is the one in my office.  It's been a long two days around here.  There are still many details to be ironed out as we go forward.  Everything about this system is unfamiliar to me.  I liken it to Fred Flintstone being dropped in the middle of the Jetsons.  I knew this would be a challenge but no one could expect all of the changes involved.  Right now the screen looks very peculiar to me.  It is like looking at a new planet for the first time.  Perhaps this sounds far too much like complaining but that is not my intent.  No doubt it is me who was behind the times with technology.  No one knows this better than me.  Someday this will all seem normal but we just aren't quite at that day yet.  


One thing is to be sure about.  The quality of writing probably will not improve greatly just because the equipment is new.  That still comes down to spending time thinking about topics of all kinds.  Maybe there is a chance these changes will offer more than a few ideas before they run dry.  You can pick and choose about what all of this means.  One can write about how far behind we can fall in keeping up with what is essential these days.  You can talk about the affect that radical change has on a person.  Another idea is simply all of the effort required to bring about such an achievement.  Our list can go on into eternity.  Writing is not about the technology but the heart and mind.  That one will never change.


I admit to feeling some anxiety about all of this.  Upheaval is never comfortable.  That is where we can all agree no matter the reason.  Fear is the same whether from natural calamity to learning new skills to God being active in our midst.  Fear itself is not the problem.  That is a very human response to our world around us.  What gets us in a bind is how we process that fear into actions or attitudes.  Anger is the most common of responses.  We tend to lash out blindly when the stress gets to be too much.  Maybe we just shut down in hopes that denial will keep us from moving forward.  Depression is a common outcome when we feel powerless over all that is taking place.  My goal is to avoid all of this over the coming days and weeks.  To acknowledge our limitations is to invite God to take up His post in our heart.  Being in charge or control is the great illusion.  May we learn to find our greatest reality in God with His resources.  That is when the old blends with the new in ways we never dreamed possible.


Bro. Trey

Tomorrow is a big day around here.  We are getting new computers with all kinds of software for the church.  I have no idea what will be on this new system.  I have not the slightest idea how long it will take me to figure it out.  I cannot tell you when life will seem normal again.  You know that my computer skills are non existent.  Pointing and clicking is about as far as my talent takes me.  I spent most of this evening trying to save various items that seemed important.  Who knows what tomorrow night will bring?  Maybe it will go easier than expected but only time will tell.


Just know that whoever still reads this blog that it will return at some point.  It may take some time but we will keep writing.  My first task will be seeing what all comes with the computer in terms of what it can or cannot do.  That may take awhile.  Then will come finding all of my usual websites for my reading.  That will take time also.  Hate to lose some of those with the switch.  Maybe I can find them again.  Part of that will be remembering which ones to locate!  Then will be getting new stuff up and running here.  A certain amount of dread is present knowing this will be a slow process.


None of us always look forward to new things.  That is part of being human.  We do like comfort and routine.  Add this new system to one of those moments that leaves me nervous about the future.  All one can do is move a step at a time to make any process a success.  Some of this relates to faith.  Other aspects are about just being stubborn to hang in there until it's final.  I will grow through the turmoil.  Life will continue along.  Sounds a lot like life doesn't it?


Bro. Trey

I could start by saying once again that summer is here.  But why restate the obvious?  It doesn't help matters for me when my youngest is already making plans for the fall holidays.  He is even starting a Christmas list.  This seems a bit out of place with the heat but you cannot say he is going to be unprepared.  Everyone was gone this weekend to check on my mother in law.  She is recovering from shoulder surgery.  Let me go ahead and admit to enjoying the peace and quiet for awhile.  But let me add it is always a good thing when they wander back home.  Me and the dogs just did our thing this weekend.  They are still not a week old but are growing some.  Maybe it didn't make last week's blog that my dog had puppies?  I remember writing more on theology so perhaps there was no formal birth announcement.  My dog made me a grandfather Tuesday morning.  All are doing well.


My brain just can't take another night of deep theology.  Feels like it wilted this afternoon while getting my running done.  Even the heat cannot keep me away from getting out on a Sunday.  Most times it helps me clear my head.  Today it just kinda fried what brain cells that are left.  It was also a busier day than usual around here.  My mind and body both feel their age.  My morning efforts were way off today.  One of those times when I cannot pin down a specific reason for it.  The material was solid but I just hit a single rather than a home run.  We are still talking about faith in the mornings.  I am grateful for new discoveries being made during my research.  Tonight was probably another single since I am still recovering.  Looks like my Sunday treks may need some tapering so the body holds up.  At least I can still do that after all this time.  


There was way too much stuff going on last week around here.  My definition of stuff is about all of the small things that can hamper our devotional life.  We get swept up in just getting through a day to the point we forget the larger purposes of life.  Most of our struggles do not come from grand encounters with evil.  We just get occupied paying bills and other routine tasks.  We talked about Simon Peter going out on the water to walk with Jesus.  Remember that he sees the sea in an uproar then panics.  Most of us are in similar situations but our vision moves from Jesus to the stuff.  One books said we shouldn't sweat the small stuff.  But it can overtake us if we do not pay attention.  It's hard to conceive of great spiritual destinies when we are dealing with puppies, family, work and the sort.  Here is where we need to watch closely over our heart so it does not get distracted.  


Our small stuff often looks very large through our eyes.  It is not that we have to deny that reality but we can recall God's presence in it all.  Jesus will remind those disciples inside and outside the boat that He is enough to handle life.  It may very well be that some of the small stuff is a divine invitation to see God in our normal chaos.  We do allow the usual ingredients of life to interfere with His desires.  Take time this week to observe your attitudes day by day.  Are you missing what God wants to do whether small or large because of our focus?  See how God works not just in the huge moments that challenge our faith.  See what He can do with the average or normal.  You may find your life becoming larger right there in the midst.


Bro. Trey

Let's try to wrap up this week of talking about theology.  Calvinism is one of those approaches that far smarter people than I write whole books about.  Trying to sum it up in a blog is like catching the wind.  My hope is you get at least a little insight into it so you study for your own benefit.  You may want to know that my own theology is a mixture of those ideas we pointed out on Wednesday.  I can understand some of the logic but others aspects just escape me.  What is true is that scripture never does totally solve the tension within these differing ideas.  I believe that is intentional.  God is always going to be larger than any of our attempts to pin Him down.  We live by faith not by rational analysis.  Discussion can always be helpful to build our understanding.  Just be sure we don't end up doing an argument that has no answer.


Most who do not hold to traditional Calvinism find two points troubling.  One is the idea of limited atonement.  I do not confess to having a firm grasp on it either.  The basic idea is that the death of Jesus is not for all of the world but for those who are elect.  Baptists tend to sing or preach about Jesus dying for the sins of the world.  You cannot even go through our hymnbooks without coming across this on almost every page.  My best answer is those who view salvation in this Calvinist vein put the death of Jesus as something for those who say yes to God's call.  These are the ones elected to receive grace.  I know this is way to simplistic but it obvious makes sense to more than a few academics.  


Another problem many have is the concept that the call of God to be saved cannot be refused in terms of free will.  This is again very simplistic.  Calvinists would say that a refusal of grace is an indication of not being elect.  There are several different variables when it comes to these two ideas.  Some are very to the point about them while others leave room for other factors.  It does perhaps seem logical that if God is calling us through His election then we would naturally respond by faith.  Also, please realize that all of this making of a theology happens after we are converted.  I doubt any person who is saved ever thinks through these ideas as it occurs.  Again, most believers feel strongly about free will.  Perhaps it is ironic that most of our sinful choices happen because we simply want what we want.  Calvinists would tell us that God works in and through faith to bring us to conversion.  Our saying yes is simply an inevitable outcome of His election.


Maybe we need one more post on this.  My fear is of being too simplistic in my writing.  But there is little way to get to a summary in a few words on a topic several hundred years in the making.  I once heard a preacher say that the way to deliver your sermon is with a Calvinist approach yet give an invitation based on free will!  It does make some sense.  I just refuse to get too drawn into the back and forth seeing as much smarter people than me have not reached a definite conclusion before.  I do know God acts to bring people into a relationship with Him.  He does indeed initiate the process.  Even that truth is an act of amazing grace.  I wish we could remember that.


Bro. Trey

Let us continue with this path of dealing with Calvinism as a theology.  You need to know it is not some strange new idea but goes back several centuries.  It is not limited to only one denomination but can affect more than a few congregations.  Such an idea is making a slow comeback in these last years for some reason.  My brain cannot speculate on why the resurgence it only knows its reality.  Some friends of mine lean toward this approach.  Other friends would reject it totally.  More than a few of us tend to operate somewhere in the middle.  We appreciate its identity as far as moving us to thinking about what it means to be saved.  But we may not embrace it completely.  You should also know it is growing in its influence within my own tribe of Southern Baptists.  Media may be picking up on this growing movement next week during our annual national convention.  I know that some of my time was spent today reading other blogs about all of this.  Thinking critically about theology is never a bad thing.  I can only hope this will not lead to yet another splintering of my denomination.  


Let me spell out the typical approach to Calvinism.  We mentioned five basic ideas it includes in one of our writings.  Let me try to put it into a perspective often used to grasp it.  


Total Depravity
Unconditional Election
Limited Atonement
Irresistible Grace
Perseverance of the Saints


You notice it spells out the word "tulip."  That is how most academics would define Calvinism.  You also need to realize that how we view such a theology will affect many others areas of theology.  Our understanding of God, sin, and even the last things can be shaped by how we view our idea of salvation.  No systematic theology exists in a vacuum.  We must own the outcomes of what we believe.


That second area of unconditional election bugs us a bit.  Calvinists say that this is not about our God choosing some to be lost or damned forever.  Follow along in their logic.  First, all people are sinners in need of grace.  Last night touched some on that.  What this means is that God does not choose people to be condemned to hell seeing as this is what they deserve simply by refusing God's grace.  Now they would move on to say that this refusal is done within the context of mercy.  Yes, it is a tricky logic but one that makes sense to many good believers. The point is that since all are sinners then who are we to criticize God for those He elects to save?  Grace becomes a powerful instrument in the life of a believer who senses the call of God on his or her life.  How do we determine who is in either category?  The answer is only God knows since we operate on the level of His great mercy.  My writing here is very much on the simplistic side.  It may even miss some of the context of what those who hold this view would espouse.  Calvinism typically says since we are all sinners then God alone holds the final judgement on who is elect or saved.  This makes some sense when you stop and reflect.  We do tend to get rather arrogant about who we are while forgetting the grace of God.  You and I may find some holes in this approach but God does act in His mystery and for His glory alone.


I once heard a preacher remark that we as believers are on the nominating committee and not the election committee when it comes to God's purpose in the world.  That is about as good as anyone can put it.  Most who fear the influence of Calvinism point to what damage it may do to efforts of evangelism or missions.  But there is a history of great leaders who held to much of the above while doing great work to win the lost.  Even those who I do know hold to all five points still push our efforts to engage the world with the gospel.  Scripture does often describe a believer as one who is elect.  Perhaps this ties in with that Old Testament concept of the people of God.  Here is one that I do know.  When any person of any age becomes a follower of Jesus it is because God initiated the process.  We do not move toward Him without a sense of conviction of sin or the drawing of His Spirit.  That gives me comfort.  Be assured that God desires to save always.  There will never be illegitimate children of God.  We are loved and secured by His grace.


Bro. Trey

Talking about theology can seem rather boring at times.  Trying to get a handle on what we believe matters but it isn't always easy.  We talked of the idea of Calvinism last night so we continue that thought today.  Let's start with some preliminary statements.  One is that you should be fully aware that the ideas given here are mine alone.  They may be made from years of study or reflection from other sources but this is only my view on the matter.  Another thing to know is this whole subject is more than a little complicated.  You have to take church history into account to understand the initial setting of this development.  Perhaps this is also complicated by the fact that scripture itself never ever tries to simplify the tension between various approaches to this doctrine.  Just quoting one verse will not save you from wrestling with another verse in the Bible.  A last idea to keep in mind is that Calvinism is like any other theological issue.  It falls under the section of systematic theology.  Here is where we organize our beliefs into a pattern.  No two books of systematic theology will ever totally agree on every point.  Just keep some of this in mind as you read on.


We said that the very first idea in Calvinism is that of total depravity.  We may choose a different name but this is the traditional one.  It simply means that every child born in the world is completely in need of the grace of God.  Baptists usually follow along somewhat with this concept.  What we usually do not realize is all that it means.  Scripture does give us the idea that we are sinners outside the grace of God until we are saved.  Each part of the Bible speaks fairly clearly to this.  This is one of the reasons my denomination tends to push efforts of evangelism.  One saying is that the church exists to populate heaven.  Other quotations will be in that same thread.  We do this because of our belief that a human being is lost without a relationship with God through Jesus.  That includes every single human being on our planet at this very moment.  I know we tend to give a nod to evangelism but we usually try avoiding the real meaning of this idea of sin.  Calvinists would say that only the grace of God can intervene in such a state.  That part is also pretty accurate.  How that grace works becomes the sticking point for those who study or discuss such theology.


Just observing human nature tells us that the idea of depravity falls in several levels.  History does tell us of those who seem overcome by evil on a grand scale.  We normally think of those as the truly sinful types.  We tend to be smug in our conviction they get whatever they deserve.  But you can also realize some who claim no Christian connection who live pretty good lives.  They do not murder, steal, cheat or any of the other really big sins we talk about.  Here is one reason why my personal preference is to talk of total inability or complete sinfulness rather than depravity.  Language changes over time and this is one example.  A person outside the will or grace of God may not lead a depraved life while still living in danger of judgement.  Sin is much more than a matter of what we do since it begins with who we are on the inside.  


A person who is lost is truly in need of grace.  Here is where I would agree with the Calvinist in realizing just how amazing God's mercy truly is.  My faith journey began at the age of ten.  I was innocent of murder and the such at that young age.  My need was still genuine in responding to the love of God.  A phrase such as "the age of accountability" was beyond my grasp.  What matters in such a time is realizing that forgiveness is offered by God no matter how large of small sin is on any scale.  So what about a child who dies prior to such an age or label?  I agree with the Calvinist that all are saved by grace.  Jesus told us that the child is a precious thing to Him then and now.  Our job is not to worry about ages but to create an atmosphere where mercy becomes valid in our life.  My truest conviction is that any child born or even unborn finds rest in the arms of God.  This is our great hope in His grace.


Sin is always serious.  Grace is still greater than our sin.  We know this as God is overflowing with grace or mercy in His nature.  He will be sure to bring us into that relationship with Him simply because that is His great desire.  Do not hear me say that all are saved regardless of their action or attitude.  My point is even our failures with God can point us to His greater mercy.  Hell is still real.  But we can look to a greater reality exhibited in the cross of Jesus.  Do we?


Bro. Trey

We usually do not get into much serious theology here.  More than a few blogs exist for that purpose.  Southern Baptists have quite a number of such sites that take on all issues of biblical debate.  My little blog is mostly about life.  Simplicity does have its advantages.  But we will talk tonight about doctrinal stuff.  Our denomination is again having discussion about an old idea that is becoming new again.  Our tradition speaks of our holding to the idea of salvation being an offer of God's grace which requires a faith response.  Very few ever depart from that path.  But what does happen is we begin debating what that one idea really means.  


There is a train of thought we usually refer to as "Calvinism."  I am not sure this blog is a safe method of dealing with it yet we will try.  You also need to know that this theology began in one of the most significant times of church history.  John Calvin began the Reformation with the idea that we are saved by grace through faith.  Here is where we as Baptists begin to take shape as people wrestled with this concept.  You also need to know we eventually broke away from the churches which began at that time.  Our approach to baptism got us into a ton of trouble from those denominations.  You begin to see how theology is not as simple as it appears.  One idea leads to various applications where good people disagree.  We do owe an enormous debt to Calvin for his courage in taking the scripture literally.  I do think he would wonder over all of the fuss made on his theology.


The approach of Calvinism is about systematic theology.  This refers to how we view scripture in any particular area of doctrine.  Salvation is the theme of this concept.  Let's try to lay out the basics this evening.  We can return to it this week to flesh it out.  First is the idea of what is called total depravity.  A simple definition says that every person is born into sin so an act of God's grace is required to save us.  We would probably agree with that but just know there are applications that might surprise us.  Another aspect is the idea of unconditional election.  God can choose who He wishes to be saved.  Some see this as prejudice but if all are sinners then any gift of salvation calls for such a choice.  One who agrees with this would say that God does not choose people to be lost since that is their basic nature from the start.  A third part of this theology says Jesus died only for those who are saved by grace.  Here is where many Baptists would stop to think.  Does the death of Jesus count for the whole world or only for the elect?  A fourth thought is that God's grace is irresistible.  Since it is His choice then we cannot say no to that offer.  Here again we may stop to ponder.  The last idea is those who are elect and saved do persevere until the end of time.  We like this part in Baptist circles.  Few who are in our camp would disagree with that approach.  It is a huge part of who we are.  


That is a lot of information to digest for one evening.  I just put into a paragraph what some theologians take volumes to discuss.  There are more than a few books in my library that go into great detail on Calvinism.  Some are pro while others are con.  The point of all of this is that our denomination is again working to define itself by this theology.  I don't know if this is a good thing or not.  We could pay a price for going down this path.  Do we need to come to grips with our doctrine of salvation?  We do.  But we should not let it be just an academic discussion without emphasis on what we do with it.  We will try to talk more about this over the next few days.  My agenda is not to look for agreement but to allow us to think and pray over who we are and what we believe.


Bro. Trey

No one ever said summer will always be a routine.  Last week was the exception to the norm of the usual.  It was good to slip away for a few days even if it was on the hurried side.  One drawback is the difference in the air between Fort Worth and here.  Allergies tend to get unhappy when you are in a new place.  That is the only problem with the week.  My youngest and I had a good time riding around just doing our thing.  These are the few months when we are together almost constantly somehow.  Now you know why counting the days until school begins is common place for me.  Don't think of this as complaining.  I am lucky to get significant time with him.  Just realize it takes some juggling on occasion.


Part of that juggling happened this weekend while doing wedding duty.  Those can be fun but it also takes time to prepare.  He was patient enough while I went about the rehearsal and the ceremony.  He told me that "practice makes perfect."  Who knew he was such the philosopher?  My hope is the newlyweds will enjoy many years of happiness no matter what comes along.  You should also be aware that these events do cause a decent amount of stress.  I want to do the best job possible for the family.  Most of that is simple like just being sure you remember names and such.  Yet is is still probably that my mind will need some rest following the ceremony.  Saturday evening was one of those times.


I spent awhile just staring into space while unwinding from the service.  Some of my time was spent getting food for the two of us to eat.  Some of it was spent watching a rerun of a football game played last September.  I saw most of it when it aired live.  Those two teams played a game that took every second to complete.  Exciting doesn't begin to describe the contest.  The network showed another rerun of the game several weeks ago.  This would be the second time for me to watch.  Anticipation would not exist since the outcome was already known.  This made it a good game to watch while letting my brain rest.  Perhaps it was on the boring or routine side but that happens when you know the outcome.


Most people resist living by faith since there is no guarantee of the outcome.  We want to know all of the details before we take a risk with God.  Hebrews 11 tells us that being in the adventure of faith is following God into the unknown.  He is the one who determines the outcome.  Our failure is missing out on the journey because we don't have all of the answers.  Here is why our lives become monotonous without any real sense of joy.  No one knows everything about the future.  It may be more accurate to say no one can really make any promises but for God.  What is true is we can predict one future event if we fail to live by faith.  Tomorrow will just be a rerun of today.  That is about as tragic an outcome as we could ever have.


Bro. Trey

God did not make my hands to fit a lap top computer.  I am trying now to put a little something here while in Fort Worth.  My youngest and I came to help his mother take care of her mother after an operation.  We spent the afternoon running errands around the house as well as around town.  It rained.  Actually it would be more accurate to say it came a flood.  We got soaked while trying to get back in the car during a deluge.  That does not take away from the very cool experience of singing "American Pie" with him while driving.  You may know it is a very long song from my youth.  He knows the words so we sang together while tooling around the city.  He may not appreciate my singing but I did enjoy ours.  Now he is sleeping so it seemed a good idea to try to put something here.  Maybe someone will stumble around and see it.  


Anyway, my point is that my hands and fingers are not made for a lap top.  They really don't do well with a desktop computer.  Typing is not one of my best attributes if there are any. Some can zip along on the keyboard without really even paying attention.  My hands are somewhat small while my fingers are short.  You add to that how my fingers are bent from playing sports and you get the idea.  Maybe there are some things that He wired me to do well but this is not one of them.  But you will still find me in a feeble attempt to avoid using spell check too often.


We really have a problem within the church today that is similar.  Stereotypes or expectations get in the way of genuine living.  Believers are supposed to all act alike, talk the same, and basically be the same person repeatedly.  You may find this hard to believe but that happens to me a lot.  Ok, that was a cynical statement.  But more than a few people insist on a minister behaving in one  singular fashion.  We are to mow the grass while wearing a suit or we drone on in a deep voice while calling everyone brother or sister.  I missed that part of the contract.  I know too many men who struggled with the human aspect of church life.  We aren't the only ones who have that problem.  


God makes us all different.  That is an intentional act on His part.  We waste far too much time in conflict over how we are different rather than having a gratitude for His grace.  It is much safer just trying to mimic another person than to find what God wants for us.  It is much easier to compare our lives to others than to own what He gives to us.  Our failure in this matter is huge.  We become boring and complacent rather than discover our unique calling.  This is much more than knowing our spiritual gifts.  This is about the core of who we are.  God help us be less judgmental and more joyful in our individual path of life.  


Bro. Trey 

Working out is still important to me.  It matters even more now at my age.  I would like to be as healthy as possible for as long as I can.  Do not imagine that my efforts even remotely match those who are young and energetic.  People ask me what I am working on and my response is that I am working on gravity.  My goal is to just keep things where they are meant to be.  Running is part of my routine but never think it is ever fast or pretty.  I also lift weights on some days.  That is also far less impressive than it could sound.  Today is an example of the huge difference between myself and others.


Two of our recent graduates were exercising today.  One played four years of college football and could still play if given the chance.  Another also played four years and is working toward making a NFL team in July.  You can imagine what good shape they are in.  My goal is usually just to visit with them so people think we are working out together.   Our school does have a good record of sending football players to college and even to the NFL.  I got to watch more than a few college standouts during my years of filming high school football.  They are some amazing athletes both then and now.  God allowed me to see their careers progress from our small school to being on television in college and the pros.  I am grateful for the gift of watching these young men use their talents in amazing ways.


Why is it God's people seem so resistant to being all God wires them to be?  The other side of the story in the church revolves around those who are not engaged in using their talents.  My view is that many times the next great ministry may never be taken up because someone decides to sit on the sidelines.  What may be even worse are those who honestly think they are doing God's will but they do it with a horrible attitude.  Instead of doing a great service they wind up doing damage to the Kingdom.  We never seem able to match up the opportunity with those God calls to make a positive difference in the lives of others.  God longs to be engaged in our world but we forget His choice is to work through people.  That is how it was in biblical times and it has not changed over the years.  God does His best work through people like us who choose to trust Him.  My one hope would be for more people to take less than they give away to others.  


We may not write for a day or two.  Business may keep me from the site.  I hope to be able to catch up at some point while away.  Just know that is my earnest desire.


Bro. Trey

You don't need me to tell you that summer is here.  Just looking at the grass around the area reminds us the rainfall is slowing down.  You can also notice the numbers on the average high temperature going up.  One sure way to recognize summer would be to watch the huge smiles on kids who are out of school until August.  We now head into our annual test of endurance.  You may also see a few less posts here on the blog for a bit.  Time may be short in terms of writing.  I will keep at the effort but do not be terribly surprised if more than a few days pass between putting stuff on here.  Seems like the least one can do is to let you know.


All of England in preparing for the anniversary of Queen Elizabeth's reign.  She is celebrating sixty years as the head of the British monarchy.  No doubt that being king or queen is still pretty good work but it is not the same as it was centuries ago.  At one point, the head of the royal family really did retain a great deal of power.  Most of what they do today is ceremonial without much real effect on running the government.  You still have all of the pomp and circumstance but you don't have any real importance other than that.  It should still be quite the affair with all kinds of celebrations planned.  Everyone loves a reason to throw a party.


Some people treat God much the same way as they would British royalty.  He is impressive but is not given much room to really make a difference.  We believe in God but sometimes our heart is slow to trust Him.  Our tendency is toward making our life easy to manage.  Even our spiritual habits aim for avoiding messy places in our journey.  Perhaps we just are not convinced that God would not do the unusual to nudge us to a greater faith.  One obvious problem with such an approach is that we may not know how to allow God freedom to work when we do need Him.  Someone once said believers tend to have two different Gods.  We have the God of church that we talk about being big and strong.  Then we have another God who is really the one we trust.  That God is smaller and needs our help in keeping life under control.  No wonder we live an anemic faith much too often.


God reveals Himself in terms of glory, strength, might and power.  He is the source of all creation. God works in amazing ways to bring about His will.  God will send His son into the world to display authentic power through the needs of people.  His church begins its mission in the world with wonders that amaze those who see them.  So why is it we tend to wring our hands in worry over the small stuff?  Maybe it is not a matter of our crisis being too big but of our God being too small?  One can only hope we regain our confidence in God during these days.  That is the path to thriving in any condition by faith.


Bro. Trey