Archives for 2009

So Monday I was wrestling with the idea of swearing. I like those gray areas in life and many of my discussions in my young adult class deal with them. Is it right for a Christian to get a tattoo? Things of that nature. As I wrestled with it I began to try and build up different sides to the argument, since I like to play devil's advocate in my class to generate more discussion. This morning I read Jon's blog, Stuff Christians Like and it dealt with the same subject. Then tonight in class we ended up talking about this. It wasn't part of our topic. We finished the book of Revelation and … [Read more...]

Some of the most memorable moments in football are a result of celebrating too soon. In fact I think the single most amazing play, so unbelievable that it is simply called The Play by those in the know, is the final minutes of the 1982 California/Stanford Game. This is an amazing John Elway, yes that John Elway, does a perfect job of moving the football down field in the final minute of the game setting up a field goal which leaves Stanford ahead by a single point and 8 seconds on the clock. The premature celebration cost them 15 yards on the kick off, but it was near impossible for the … [Read more...]

Ever go to a popular blog or other similar digital entity where there is a race to have the first comment? The blog owner posts the blog and people will not even read the post they just leave the comment "first." If it is popular enough you will have two or three people that think they got the first comment who are actually 2nd, 3rd, and 4th respectively. It is annoying and juvenile and generally doesn't really tell us anything. I'm not sure when this phenomena started because it predates the Internet by many years. It is quite prolific in churches even.go ahead, open your phone book and … [Read more...]

Once in a great while I wonder what it would be like to still be in high school. Generally I think I'm very happy to be out of the drama that was MHS. Still, I remember how much fun I had.Some people are terrified at the thought, but I work with teens so much that I try to get in their head the only way I know how; to travel back to who I use to be. Fortunately I have my handy Delorean to assist my mind the trip to the past and back to the future.One thing I remember when I was in high school was wondering what it would be like to be in the future. I love sci-fi and so I always hoped that … [Read more...]

I am wrapping up a discussion on the end with my Young Adults but I am just starting a two part series on the end with my Youth. Many of my Youth have confided in me that they are disturbed about current events and claims that the world will end in 2012 based on the Mayan calendar among other things.Tonight I went over Matthew 24 because I believe what Jesus said abut the end is much more important that pretty much any other passage. If you haven't looked into it the passage basically says that things will be bad but those things aren't really the end. When the Gospel is spread through the … [Read more...]

My mother's birthday is today and this morning her mom passed away. I am sure you can imagine the kind of double pain this will cause her so please pray for her. … [Read more...]

So tonight we got through a big chunk of the book of Revelation. I have been covering the End Times for 3 months in my Young Adults class and we are almost done. We started with a time line (actually multiple time lines) showing how various parts of the entire Bible need to be understood for any study on the End Times including the major books like Daniel and also all manner of other passages from Genesis to Exodus. Someday I might post the file with some notes explaining it. It is huge, printed on tabloid paper so it takes a bit of explaining.Anyways, we then went in depth into Daniel and … [Read more...]

I am told that it is important to know how to lose with dignity. This is called sportsmanship. I understand the concept, but the problem is that I really hate losing. I can put on a good face but in reality I despise every part of it.I hate losing when I'm playing a game. I hate when the team I"m rooting for loses.If you have been following along you know I'm a big OU fan. You should also know that they went to the NCAA National Championship game again this year. Actually it is impressive the number of times they have been to the big game since Stoops took over. A total of 5 trips in 10 … [Read more...]

Actually I don't but this is Sunday morning and generally the best time for pastors to quit. Since I didn't do a big event this weekend I will survive but I can understand the sentiment. You work hard, you preach your heart out, you try to model the life and get next to nothing.Sure Jesus Christ, you know God's own son, did all that and ended up deserted on a cross, so I guess a bit of frustration isn't really all that bad, but it is frustrating none the less. Still I think it is important to keep to what God has said and to keep spirits high I thought I would try to come up with the top ten … [Read more...]