A Wild Olive Branch

Another Facet of Accountability

2011-10-15T08:55:00.000-08:00

At the Open Heaven 2011 Conference at Bethel Church in Redding, CA last night Bill Johnson talked for a moment about accountability. He reminded us that there are at least two ways of considering the concept of accountability.

Johnson said as believers we often think about accountability in terms of its value in helping us avoid sin in our lives. Men's accountability groups are good examples of that facet of accountability. There is built into us a desire to avoid sin if we know we're going to have to fess up later.

There is another facet of accountability, and that is expressed in Hebrews 10:25 "And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds". Accountability isn't the only way to accomplish that, but when we are in relationship with other like-minded believers who have been given permission to exhort us, it can be powerfully useful.

I have been involved in both of these facets of accountability and have found them both useful. Right now I am in an accountability relationship with an older friend who "spurs me on". This relationship "sharpens my iron" and causes me to examine what I am thinking and doing in a very positive way. It's not always comfortable, but it is very much in the context of sincere friendship and that makes it much more than okay.

What has been the most valuable accountability relationship in your life?

Found: Where the Blame Rests in the Debt Debacle

2011-08-05T19:38:00.003-08:00

After a lot of reflection, I realize that I need to confess. I am responsible for the US debt debacle.

Let me elaborate. I watch my family finances carefully. I make sure to spend less than I take in. Except for our house, I pay off our bills every month, including our credit cards.

But I have not carefully watched the finances of my country.

And this is where my responsibility lies: I have allowed my elected representatives and the president to spend more money than our country takes in. I have allowed it for years. I made the mistake of thinking "surely they know what they are doing."

de Tocqueville said almost 200 years ago, "in every democracy, the people get the government they deserve." It might be better said that "the people get the government they tolerate". I have gotten the government I have tolerated.

Please forgive me for allowing Alaska's representative and senators to play their part in this disaster. And forgive me for not sternly communicating with this and previous presidents about the large role several of them have played in edging us so close to the brink of financial ruin.

Furthermore, I have not demanded accountability of big business, especially financial institutions. Capitalism is the most powerful economic engine on the planet, but it will never be a candidate for sainthood.

I have allowed America to get into serious financial trouble by my lack of watchfulness. I am sorry. I won't make that mistake again.

It would be easy to give in to a spirit of fear that wants to grip America because of this issue. There is certainly danger ahead, but I am confident that we can master this terrible enemy of the American people. That will be my regular prayer in the days ahead.

General Booth Born 182 Years Ago Today

2011-04-10T08:30:00.003-08:00

In his lifetime, William Booth raised up and gave direction to the Salvation Army, one of the largest ever distributors of humanitarian aid and care for the poor. Thousands of men, women and children found Christ and newness of life through the Army in its early years. That continues today.

Known for its military organization and uniforms, the Salvation Army grew rapidly in its early years, and is now widely spread across the world.

The General's words still inspire today, 100 years later.

The Fountain of Life and the Snares of Death

2010-10-25T08:47:00.006-08:00

Twice in the Book of Proverbs, Solomon, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, writes of "a fountain of life" and "the snares of death." It is worth unpacking these words a little more. There is impressive meaning here.

In the first instance, Solomon writes "the teaching of the wise is a fountain of life, turning a man from the snares of death." In the second instance, it is "The fear of the LORD" that is that fountain of life that turns a man from the snares.

The teaching of the wise and the fear of the LORD are not contradictory. Solomon's father, King David said it this way: "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding." Solomon would have understood "the teaching of the wise" and "the fear of the LORD" as being interrelated.

The fountain of life concept has less impact to us who live in water rich areas of the world. In the semi-arrid Middle East, a fountain of water would have been a source of life.....not just an expression of art. Water brings the land to life, and a fountain or a spring would have meant a place of abundant life. Fountains are also moving water, constantly refreshed.

Creatures caught by snares do not meet death quickly, and that is the image we should see in this passage: slow death. Snares are hidden in small animal pathways in the brush. The animal caught by them has neither seen them nor smelled them as great care has been used in the setting of them.

So it is with sin. The enemy hides the deadly snares of sin carefully in the brush of popular culture. Sin is deceptive....it often seems free or fun, or both at once.

How then to avoid the snares of death? Fear the Lord and heed the teaching of the wise. It remains as true today as when the pen first scratched the words some 3,000 years ago.

Linda's Improvement Two Weeks After CCSVI Treatment

2010-10-04T18:16:00.004-08:00

Linda was treated for low flow in both her jugular veins two weeks ago in Albany, New York, and she continues to gradually improve.

In Albany she underwent an as yet unproven treatment for amelioration of Multiple Sclerosis symptoms that may have been triggered by CCSVI. Both of her jugular veins had significant narrowings. Venous flow was substantially improved by venous angioplasty in both.

1. Energy – Good improvement. Linda self reports about 50% improvement in energy level. I would say it is at least that.
2. Pain level – Dramatic improvement. She says her pain level averaged “8” pre-treatment and now averages “1” or a little more.
3. Left hand – Good improvement. This was an immediate effect, and growing. She is able to type now with the left hand, but only poorly pre-treatment. The large muscles in the arm are growing in strength, but not as quickly.
4. Mobility – Some improvement. Because of the improvement in energy, Linda gets around more and better. Pre-treatment, we had come to the place where I was taking her most places and bringing her inside with the transport chair. Post treatment, she is much more willing AND able to drive herself (the right leg was not much affected by the disease) and get inside a building.
5. “Molasses” – Dramatic improvement. Pre-treatment, Linda would be “in cold molasses” in the afternoon and evening…..that is to say, hard to move. That effect has disappeared in her legs, but persists in her left arm, although it is better.
6. Temperature – Dramatic improvement. Linda’s hands and feet are warmer. I can feel that when she touches me.
7. Depression – Dramatic improvement. Hope has been restored.
8. Balance – Good improvement. She can now stand without support for several minutes.
9. Tingling – Some improvement. Her left leg tingles sometimes, but has improved. The left thumb tingles constantly still.
10. Physical therapist – shocked. I wish I could have been in the room as she observed the positive changes in Linda.

We have not observed any negative effects. We're both still pretty dazed and amazed!

Slow Miracles

2010-09-24T18:45:00.006-08:00

Slow miracles are just as good as fast miracles......they just aren't as flashy. We are in the midst of a slow miracle here and we are grateful for every bit of it.

Linda mentioned to me just a little while ago, "the procedure really has made a difference. I'm not in molasses like I usually am at this time of the day." That was the first thing I observed on the day of the procedure....she seemed to have more energy than usual. Today, she confirmed that without the molasses effect, her energy level has picked up.

We've been back from the trip to Albany 24 hours now, and it's at home where we can really gauge how it is going. Here at home we notice several things: 1) more energy as mentioned above; 2) a left hand and arm that is functioning better; 3) more perceived body warmth; and 4) less pain. Let me elaborate a little.

Linda in the last couple of years has been fairly low energy in the afternoon and evening. She just has "worn out". It doesn't seem so surprising now.....her jugular veins were not allowing good blood flow from her cranium.

Second, her left arm has been following the path of the left leg toward immobility. Her left leg is largely frozen in the extended position. It can be moved, but only with external force. She doesn't have the ability to move it. Her left hand has been gradually diminishing in its ability to work. She mentioned yesterday on the airplane, "my hand is still working better than it was."

Linda has always wanted a warmer room temperature than me, and I doubt that will ever change. In the last couple of years, however, she has wanted a LOT of warm things around her. If we sit to watch a movie, she has wanted a lot of cover, even with many warm clothes. Today she said, "I'm warmer than I have been." Nice!

The pain issue has been a big deal. She's not much of a complainer, but I have known that it was tough for her. Involuntary grunts of pain in the night were very common. Now, she seems to be sleeping more easily and is struggling less with pain during the day.

This is what we have seen so far. We are a couple of grateful people.

"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights". We are grateful for this gift of a slow miracle.

We're also grateful for pioneers like Dr. Gary Siskin at Community Care Physicians and Albany Medical Center, and the team there. What a gift they have been to us and to many others.

Day Two After "Liberation"

2010-09-22T16:39:00.004-08:00

It's called the Liberation Treatment because a fair number of MS sufferers around the world have been "liberated" from many or most of their symptoms by it. My wife Linda had the treatment Monday. This is day two after her CCSVI was repaired with balloon angioplasty in her jugular and azygous veins.

It feels as if her energy level has markedly increased. Yesterday morning she reported that her hand was working easily for the first time in many weeks. Her pain level was down yesterday.

Today, the report is still good. She seems to have more energy than before. That alone is a good result. Pain is up, and hand is not working quite so well. Some of that may be due to tiredness from the driving around we have been doing.

The docs at Albany Medical Center recommend not forming a firm judgment about the results of the procedure for at least three months. That's the way we're going to look at it. We see some good things, but hope for more as the repaired veins do their work!

The Tide is Returning?

2010-09-20T17:01:00.003-08:00

The tide may be returning. Already Linda feels better with more energy and seems more resistant to the cold. Even just a few hours after the procedure, she is moving around with more energy that I have seen in months.

At noon today, we went into the Albany Medical Center (AMC) where Linda was made ready for the catheterization procedure. Dr. Gary Siskin came in and talked with us again. He had called the previous day to ask what questions we had, and to help us with pre-procedure anxiety, and to help us manage expectations.

He’s a careful physician, but compassionate. On Sunday he basically said there is no telling what this procedure will bring about. Don’t expect U-Tube results, but hope for good outcomes was his message. Changes may be subtle, he said.

At AMC, the radiology team told us they have now done more than 200 of these procedures. The team at AMC was open, friendly and professional. It does make a difference to be among friendly people when going through something like this.

The procedure took only 90 minutes, which is the average, one of the nurses told me. I waited in a larger waiting room with a pager they supplied.

When I got back to the recovery area, Linda was already there resting comfortably. That doesn’t sound like a big deal….resting comfortably…..but that has not been the path she has been on in recent months. Mostly she has been in pain.

And she was laying there talking about big plans that she had for a choice piece of cooked bovis domesticus.

Dr. Siskin explained what happened to the table. He said that her azygous vein looked pretty good, and he only smoothed it out a bit. On the other hand, both jugular veins had noticeable stenoses occurring high up the neck. He said the constriction was impressive in both of them; more than the norm he sees. He did an angioplasty in both. That helped the blood flow a lot, he said. He could see it in the imaging. He provided a DVD copy of some of the images.

He recommended that we visit an Interventional Radiologist closer to Anchorage for a three month followup. He wants Linda to take aspirin daily for three months. He also asked us to email him with information on how it is going.

I didn’t realize the emotions bottled up in me until I called our daughter….and found at places in my oral description that I could hardly talk. It’s mainly relief that she is okay, but also a sense that this could be the beginning of the tide starting to return.

Whether it comes in all the way – and who would not wish for that – or only part of the way, we’re grateful for the hope that this has engendered. Praise God from whom all blessings flow!

Hope for a Tidal Change in Linda's Health

2010-09-15T20:42:00.012-08:00

On Friday morning, Linda and I take off for Albany, New York for an unproven medical treatment that we are expecting will halt the symptoms of the multiple sclerosis that has been slowly, inexorably stealing her mobility and motion.

From Cruise

By faith, I believe this treatment will provide that firm halt, and provide a base for rebuilding mobility. God made our bodies to heal, and once the offense is ended, they will heal. The tide of her health has been ebbing. I believe that tide is going to rise!

We have been trusting God throughout the 16 years of this affliction. This procedure feels to me like His provision. But even if I'm wrong, we're going to continue to trust.

The medical community is divided on the "liberation treatment" that she will experience on Monday. The investigations so far have been inconsistent, with results ranging from substantial success to inability to replicate findings. Neurologists tend to argue against it, urging suffers to wait for definitive results.

We can't wait. In the years that it could take for more definitive answers on this treatment, Linda could be wheelchair- or even bed-bound. I understand the desire of physicians to have good science-based treatments.....but I also clearly understand the desire of patients to grasp at what offers hope.

A small band of Interventional Radiologists are offering the procedure, arguing that it appears to be helping some. When we made the arrangements for this trip a few months ago, the only USA option was Community Care Physicians in Albany, NY. Others in the USA had started, but have been stopped by their institutions, at least temporarily. A number of clinics in Mexico, Europe and India have been providing this service for many months now, with good many good reports. Hundreds and hundreds of MS sufferers have now undergone the treatment worldwide. Some have reported spectacular results, others a little bit of help, and others....nothing.

Briefly, the treatment involves threading a catheter into the veins that drain the brain and repairing kinks or constrictions. The point of this is to allow better blood flow. It has been known for over 100 years that MS sufferers have deposits of iron around veins draining the brain. The theory is that constricted drainage leads to iron from blood hemoglobin crossing the blood/brain barrier, killing sensitive nerve tissue. The condition has been dubbed chronic cerebro-spinal venous insufficiency (CCSVI).

It appears that Linda is being attacked by secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS). In this variation, motor control is progressively lost. Drug therapies are generally modestly helpful, if at all, and there are a number of serious side effects associated with them. The effects of SPMS in her have been devastating to her ability to walk. In the 2001-2005 time period, she and I walked over 1,000 miles while we lived in Uppsala. Today, she can only walk with an electric nerve stimulator that lifts her left foot and using a walker for balance, and then only for short distances. Her left side is particularly affected, but there are deficits in her right as well.

So....to Albany we go. If you remember of us at 9 AM (Alaska time) on Monday, September 20, please pray for good results. No....don't pray for good results....pray for amazing results!

Thank you for your love, your concern and your prayers.

The Immensity and Heritage of God's Love

2010-07-25T08:10:00.006-08:00

Here I sit with tears in my eyes as a new understanding of the immensity and heritage of God's love permeates my thinking. I don't think that love was necessary......God surely could have made us without it. There must have been other ways for Him to accomplish His purposes, but He chose the way of love....because that is who He is.

So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. I Jn 4:16 ESV

I'm deeply grateful for the deep veins of love in my life: family, wife, children, friends, brothers and sisters in Christ, even random strangers....all joined together and over arched by the eternal love of God.

And how do we respond to this great love? With love. Jesus said it this way: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Matt 22:37b-39 ESV

I love you, Lord.

Evernote: Multi accessible notes, records and more

2010-07-24T20:02:00.008-08:00

I have become a fan of Evernote in just a few days. I need multi-platform and multi-site access to notes, documents and other records, and this classy little PC/Mac program / iApp works like a champ.

Google Documents is my preferred multi-site documents and spreadsheets solution, and I use it several times a day on average. It works well for simple or even medium-complex word processing documents and spreadsheets. I access it from the office, I access it at home and I can view it from my iPhone in the coffee shop. It works on the PC and the Mac, and it works on my iPad. I even share some documents with colleagues and friends.

What Google Documents does not do well is simple notes, audio, pictures, PDFs and other records, and this is the need that Evernote fills. Like Google Documents, Evernote is free, at least up to 40 mb of uploads per month. A souped-up version is available for $5 per month, and I can see myself shelling out before long.

As an example of what I am doing with Evernote, my wife and I are planning a couple of out-of-Alaska trips in September. As I gather information items for the trip, I am saving them as PDF files and dragging them into an Evernote "notebook" labeled travel. Or I could easily make a web clip and bypass the PDF stage, but I like PDF for printouts.

I have another notebook for my office notes, and I just started another for some health related materials. Other notebooks will follow, I know.

Here's the part I like about Evernote: I can see my notes and records on: 1) my main home workstation, 2) my iPad, 3) my iPhone, 4) our Mac Mini that we use with the large LED monitor on our "entertainment center", 5) on my office computer at the office and 6) any web browser.

I have shared my travel folder with my wife so she can see it in her iPhone, or on her laptop or a web browser.

Now, I don't have to look through piles of travel related emails to find the confirmation information; it's all in one place. If I need to show something to an agent, I can just pop open the iPad and display it....whether or not I am connected to the cloud. So long as I have synchronized documents between devices, I have the data where I need it.

I already have many work-related notes already in my Evernote notebook, and I have been using this for less than two weeks. I keep a running note of what I want to talk to my boss about so that when we have some time, I can pop it open, no matter where I am.

Recently I started a note in my office notebook about budget items for mid-year consideration. I also have a couple of PDF'ed handwritten notes from staff meetings so that I can refer to them later. Today, I snapped an iPhone picture of something in the building that needs repair and saved it to Evernote to remind me to get it taken care of. I know at least one user that takes meeting notes on his iPad, and saves them to Evernote. I'm going to try that, too.

Here's a video that tells more about it. The Evernote website has a great video library showing other uses.

Crossover of Faith

2010-07-17T21:34:00.003-08:00

Nearly every Christian parent has dreams for the life of faith that his child will follow. No matter whether we are evangelicals, mainline protestants, Catholics or others, we want our kids of follow Jesus.

According to a 2008 Pew Study nicely summarized by Michael Bell here, most do, but there are interesting changes along the way for some of them. What really makes this information really accessible is a fascinating graph he developed that accompanies his review:

The "spaghetti diagram" (see a clearer image here) shows movement between Christian faith traditions very clearly. At the top is the faith tradition in childhood, and at the bottom the same people as adults.

A Moment of Hope

2010-07-03T10:12:00.008-08:00

Hope drifted gently on the wind on a sunny Anchorage summer day recently. Hope in this case was encapsulated in millions of cottony seeds filling the air and sky from thousands of cottonwood trees. I sat suddenly awed by the meaning embedded in that commonplace annual event.

The tiny seeds of the cottonwood are surrounded by feathery material. They almost float. With a little dry warmth that breaks open their natal seed pod they burst into the wind carrying the hopes of the cottonwood tribe.

I doubt that trees have a soul, but could they be intelligent? They are certainly aware -- trees can alter their growth and turn their leaves to the sun. Could it be that there is something akin to a very slow neural network in the intricate array of moisture and nutrient pathways within plants?

Are trees capable of praising the LORD? The prophet David thought so:

Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let the sea resound, and all that is in it; let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them.

Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy; they will sing before the Lord, for he comes, he comes to judge the earth.

He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples in his truth.

Linda and I once arrived on the scene of a foaling minutes after a young colt was born. The mare was exhausted, but the geldings were beside themselves with excitement, even having had nothing to do with the conception of the tiny horse now bathed in early April sunlight.

Are cottonwood trees excited in their own treeish way about the hope that floats away from them as their seeds are released on the wind? Are they filled with joy and peace that they have accomplished and important part of their purpose?

It is tempting to think that we are like cottonwoods, full of joy...and hope....and fulfilled purpose as children come into the world. And it is true that children is part of the purpose of mankind. But if we put our hope in children, or parents, or spouses or friends or institutions or things, we will be disappointed. They fail. Like the seeds of the cottonwood, some take root and grow, but others fail in various ways.

The seeds of the humble cottonwood are a lesson in hope. But we are created by God at the very pinnacle of creation, and while we may delight and even hope in children, family and friends, there is for us a hope that will not fail. The apostle Paul put it this way: May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. We can entrust our hope in Christ, because we know he cares for us.

US Fails to Halt Paramilitary Invasion on American Soil

2010-06-22T17:15:00.005-08:00

The United States has been invaded by foreign paramilitary units, and the federal government is only making ineffective, politically correct moves to stop it.

How is it the most powerful nation on earth can successfully liberate countries a half a world away but allow heavily armed and well-equipped paramilitary units of Mexican drug cartels to occupy American soil? In Arizona today, American citizens are warned to stay out of portions of the Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge because of the risk of violence. Police officers in a border town are warned by Mexican drug bosses to "look the other way" or die. Paramilitary groups are even occupying permanent bases on the hills of southern Arizona to monitor US Border Patrol units.

Mr. Obama, do your job: rid our soil of foreign invaders.

Turnagain Arm Bicycle Trip

2010-05-22T18:37:00.005-08:00

Turnagain Arm is very scenic mountain fjord southeast of Anchorage, Alaska. It is itself an arm of Cook Inlet, a deep notch in the Alaska coastline. Once only traveled by boat (tricky with the tide and mudflats) or trails, today there three ways along the north side: the Alaska Railroad, the Seward Highway and, at least along a portion of it, a bicycle path.

We started at the NW terminus of the path about 24 miles from Anchorage and rode only about 6.5 miles to Bird Point. The grades are mostly easy, as evidenced by the number of families making the trip with small children.

There are many interpretive signs about geography, geology, ecological relationships, and other natural history notes along the path. There are even more than can be seen from the Seward Highway itself. The trail is near the road in a few places, making it a bit noisy, but in other places it is pleasantly far from the highway as it wends through the woodlands above the fjord.

The mudflats below the trail look interesting, but they are dangerous and have claimed a number of lives over the years. The inrushing tide is sometimes faster than rescue for stuck hikers.

Katie and I made the 6 mile trip in about an hour, but we weren't pedaling fast, just enjoying the late spring day.

The path continues for several more miles to Girdwood.

In the days after the Resurrection

2010-04-09T06:16:00.007-08:00

In these days following Easter, I have been wondering what must have been going on in the minds of the disciples in those days right after Christ's resurrection.

Something powerful happened -- the echos of their transformation reverberate even after 20 centuries. We know they were filled with fear at first. The Gospels report that they were behind locked doors -- probably for fear that a similar fate to Jesus' awaited them. Crosses were much too common in first century Israel to be sanguine about them.

They were also confused. Acts records that the disciples asked the risen Jesus if was going to restore the Kingdom to Israel at that time. That says to me they were still trying to fit the mighty sign of resurrection into their grid of understanding.

Jesus gave them a hint of what was to come: wait in Jerusalem for the baptism of the Holy Spirit....and receive power to witness to the ends of the earth. (Acts 1) That is just what happened: the disciples who were sheep without a shepherd on Saturday turned into lions only seven weeks later.

But now, not even a week on after Jesus returned from the dead, the disciples were still trying to put all the pieces together.

That's not unlike us as we joyfully receive Jesus into the locked room of our hearts. It is wonderful to believe in His resurrection and to follow him as Lord. But, it takes the power of Pentecost; the baptism of the Holy Spirit, to receive all that God has for us as believers.

For the disciples in those days right after the resurrection, Pentecost was still weeks away.

Today, as I try to look through the veil of centuries to see into the events of those amazing days, I am reminded again that ordinary men became lions. I am reminded again that resurrection power and the power of Pentecost are available to us today as well.

Lord, let me be filled with that Power of Pentecost again and again so that I can labor faithfully as a witness wherever you call me.

Scammed

2010-03-27T06:35:00.004-08:00

We're so accustomed to ordering items from Internet suppliers, and so accustomed to good results, the scammers at GotBody.com took us by surprise.

Several weeks ago my wife ordered some fruit and nut food bars from a company called GotBody.com They showed up quickly, we paid our bill and we thought no more of the supplier.....until unrelated charges of $29.95 and $2.97 showed up on our credit card statement. The former was for NBS * LifeFitMovers and the latter for NBS * MyCostFreedom (Cost Smashers).

We didn't order either of these "services"....or so we thought. On investigation, it appears that even my sharp-eyed wife missed the "fine print" on the checkout form at GotBody.com that said we were signing up for these services unless we unchecked a check box, or something of the sort. Turns out that many others have had similar complaints about GotBody.com.

I called the toll free number of the suppliers and asked them to cancel the subscription. I then called Bank of America where we have had our VISA for many years. They removed the charges, and told me that similar scams happen all the time. They said it was a lucky thing the bogus charge was only $29.95....often they are $149.95.

Lesson learned: stick with reputable sellers, and check the fine print carefully on checkout forms. As for the supplier, after the bad experience at GotBody.com we won't be back.

More C.T. Studd: Hot, Lively Heroes for Christ

2010-02-20T05:46:00.003-09:00

The difficulty is to believe that He can deign to use such scallywags as us, but of course He wants Faith and Fools rather than talents and culture. All God wants is a heart, any old turnip will do for a head; so long as we are empty, all is well, for then He fills with the Holy Ghost. The fiery baptism of the Holy Ghost will change soft, sleek Christians into hot, lively heroes for Christ, who will advance and fight and die, but not mark time.

C.T. Studd 1860-1931

Snatching men from the very jaws of hell

2010-02-18T21:33:00.005-09:00

"Christ's call is to feed the hungry, not the full; to save the lost, not the stiff-necked; not to call the scoffers, but sinners to repentance; not to build and furnish comfortable chapels, churches, and cathedrals at home in which to rock Christian professors to sleep by means of clever essays, stereotyped prayers and artistic musical performances, but to raise living churches of souls among the destitute, to capture men from the devil's clutches and snatch them from the very jaws of hell, to enlist and train them for Jesus, and make them into an Almighty Army of God. But this can only be accomplished by a red-hot, unconventional, unfettered Holy Ghost religion, where neither Church nor State, neither man nor traditions are worshiped or preached, but only Christ and Him crucified. Not to confess Christ by fancy collars, church steeples or rich embroidered altar-cloths, but by reckless sacrifice and heroism in the foremost trenches..."

CT Studd, Missionary to China

Help and Hope for Haiti

2010-01-22T08:08:00.009-09:00

It is good to provide help for hurting Haiti. But perhaps it is better to provide help and hope? World governments, aid agencies, the Red Cross, and many, many organizations are pouring help in the form of relief supplies and personnel into the disaster area. It is inspiring to see the world rushing to the aid of these stricken people, among the world's poorest.

For myself, I am sending aid to the church in Haiti. My money to a large international aid organization would be a good thing, but I am expecting with my money to contribute to a great thing!

I'm not so concerned that church buildings be rebuilt, although that will be helpful in the long run. My interest is that the churches, God's people, be strengthened and enabled to help those around them, and that leaders be trained and sent out across the nation. In addition to immediate needs, it is the hope of the Good News of Jesus that Haiti will need for the weeks, months and years ahead as people rebuild lives and communities. It is Christianity that can be the foundation for a stronger and more economically viable Haitian society.

I talked by phone yesterday to Darrell Damron, Vice President of Haiti Arise. Damron told me that the first priority for the organization is to provide immediate aid and medical care for those around them, and then rebuilding of the structures they are using for educating and training. Haiti Arise also sponsors a Bible School and for the third year year this year, sponsored a large conference of Haitian pastors.

A team from Ministers Fellowship International (MFI) had just returned to the USA from the 2010 conference at Haiti Arise when the quake struck. Hundreds of pastors had been together at Haiti Arise in Grand Goave for days of teaching and encouragement. MFI is the relational body of church leaders of which my community, Anchorage City Church, is a part.

MFI churches are being asked to support Haiti Arise because of this relational connection and because of its work to build the church in Haiti. Founders Marc and Lisa Honorat are MFI members.

Pastors Marc Driscoll (Mars Hill Church) and James McDonald (Harvest Bible Chapel) have established another great way to send hope to Haiti through a new organization, Churches Helping Churches. Driscoll and McDonald traveled to Haiti to better understand the situation and are asking their church families to contribute to rebuilding the church through this new organization.

McDonald puts it this way:

The waves of humanitarian aid are washing ashore in Haiti and beginning to meet this massive need but I can’t escape my sense that little if any of this medicine will soothe the sores of the suffering church. The country will be rebuilt in time, but so little of that aid will go to my brothers and sisters and I feel I must do what I can to help them. But I really have no idea what that help would or should entail.

Galatians 6:10 says, “and let us do good to all men, but especially to those who are of the household of faith.”

Without question the priority of the ‘church helping the church’ is commanded by Paul in scripture and modeled by Paul in his crisis care for the Corinthians and the church in Jerusalem. If Paul were alive today there is no doubt his first concern as a church planter and leader in the body of Christ would be for the family of God in Haiti. How can the priority Paul lived and taught not be mine as a Bible believing Christian?

Please join me and others sending help and hope to the hurting Haitian church, so it can offer the great hope of Jesus to the hurting nation all around it.

The Manhattan Declaration

2009-11-26T09:05:00.002-09:00

The Manhattan Declaration is a line firmly drawn in the sand by Catholic, Evangelical and Orthodox Christians. This remarkable statement was crafted by leaders from three of the most significant branches of the Church in America. Its purpose is to reaffirm our commitment to "fundamental truths about justice and the common good." Here is an explanatory paragraph from the summary of the Declaration:

We are Orthodox, Catholic, and evangelical Christians who have united at this hour to reaffirm fundamental truths about justice and the common good, and to call upon our fellow citizens, believers and non-believers alike, to join us in defending them. These truths are (1) the sanctity of human life, (2) the dignity of marriage as the conjugal union of husband and wife, and (3) the rights of conscience and religious liberty. Inasmuch as these truths are foundational to human dignity and the well-being of society, they are inviolable and non-negotiable. Because they are increasingly under assault from powerful forces in our culture, we are compelled today to speak out forcefully in their defense, and to commit ourselves to honoring them fully no matter what pressures are brought upon us and our institutions to abandon or compromise them. We make this commitment not as partisans of any political group but as followers of Jesus Christ, the crucified and risen Lord, who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

The statement is not political, although some will surely try to make it seem so. It is not anti-gay, although it is already being painted as "hate speech". Neither does it condemn people who are living together outside of marriage.

Its purpose is to defend life, marriage and religious liberty all now so much under assault in the United States and the West in general.

You can read the entire (4700 words) declaration here, and if you agree with it, you can also sign it here.

And here is the line:

As Christians, we believe in law and we respect the authority of earthly rulers. We count it as a special privilege to live in a democratic society where the moral claims of the law on us are even stronger in virtue of the rights of all citizens to participate in the political process. Yet even in a democratic regime, laws can be unjust. And from the beginning, our faith has taught that civil disobedience is required in the face of gravely unjust laws or laws that purport to require us to do what is unjust or otherwise immoral. Such laws lack the power to bind in conscience because they can claim no authority beyond that of sheer human will.

Therefore, let it be known that we will not comply with any edict that compels us or the institutions we lead to participate in or facilitate abortions, embryo-destructive research, assisted suicide, euthanasia, or any other act that violates the principle of the profound, inherent, and equal dignity of every member of the human family.

Further, let it be known that we will not bend to any rule forcing us to bless immoral sexual partnerships, treat them as marriages or the equivalent, or refrain from proclaiming the truth, as we know it, about morality, marriage, and the family.

Further, let it be known that we will not be intimidated into silence or acquiescence or the violation of our consciences by any power on earth, be it cultural or political, regardless of the consequences to ourselves.

We will fully and ungrudgingly render to Caesar what is Caesar’s. But under no circumstances will we render to Caesar what is God’s.

Sunday School Fun

2009-08-16T20:42:00.005-08:00

Linda and I took the opportunity to teach Sunday School for a large group during the second service today, teaming with our friends Ed and Danielle. This was our second week on the job....this week perhaps only 50 in the class!

It was actually quite a bit of fun; even more than the previous week. Last week, we had to work hard to maintain control because the kids naturally came in and sat with their buds.

Ed asks the kids questions for Bible
tic tac toe with Danielle in the background.

We nipped that in the bud [:)] this week by having the kids count off by sevens and then having them move to the the table with their number.

That did not fill them with joy, but once they were away from their friends, it was easier to reach them.

We sang with them, went over last week's story (Jesus' miracle feeding of the 5,000 at the Sea of Galilee) and told them a new story (how God used Gideon for the miraculous defeat of the Midianites with only 300 Israelis). Then we gave them a snack and played a game. The hour and some went quickly.

We had them participate in the story....asking questions and bringing it to their level. They had lots of ideas.....and two main stock answers to every question: "Jesus" or "God".

"What was Gideon doing in the winepress?"

"God"

"How many soldiers did Gideon have when Midian was defeated?"

"Jesus"

They had some good answers, too, but I'm chuckling in retrospect with their stock answers.

Getting them engaged in the story worked well. They were able to answer questions easily at the end....they "got it!" We even ran into one young fellow and his family at the restaurant later in the day and I asked him "what was our story about today" and he said "GIDEON!"

Ed did a great job with Bible tic tac toe. He split the kids into boys and girls and selected a captain in each group. He would ask them questions and then the kids would huddle for an answer. The end result was a draw, but a tie-breaking question led the girls to seconds on muffins. The kids loved it.

Another friend later said she heard one youngster say to her mom, "we had FUN in Sunday School today!" It's music to a teacher's ears....especially when it's combined with the fact that they "got it."

Jesus' Revolutionary Treatment of Women

2009-08-13T20:24:00.006-08:00

Jesus changed forever the way women are treated. He actually talked with women as equals and valued friends....something that no respectable religious leader would have done in those days.

At that time, women existed in roles of little authority, were largely confined to their husband's or father's home, and considered inferior to men. That situation exists even today for many women around the world, e.g. in some countries where sharia law is forced on the people.

John Piper recently spoke on John 4:27 (“They marveled that he was talking with a woman”) His words near the end of the talk captured my attention:

What that movie (The Stoning of Soraya M) is intended to do, and did, is give us a glimpse of the dismal plight of millions of women today, hidden away in cultures around the world where Jesus is not known, or trusted or followed. It is a horrific, dismal, plight.

Wherever His Gospel has gone, wherever His Word has gone, and taken root, and begun to hold sway, men treat women with respect. They take humble, courageous initiative to protect women. They create stable, loving families as leaders who love and are like Jesus, in which covenant faithfulness of husband and wife displays to the world the mystery of Christ and His Church.

I read CS Lewis two weeks ago who said, 'the ideal marriage is one that is most like a crucifixion' meaning the husband dies for her. That is unspeakably revolutionary in every culture, including ours.

Here is the entire video clip:

The Jesus Way

2009-07-27T07:45:00.002-08:00

I originally delivered this as a sermon at Anchorage City Church on July 26, 2009. You can listen to this and other messages at the Anchorage City Church website.

Life can be lived in many ways. There is one way that is above every other, in my opinion. I have observed that it works better........and it ends better than any other way. It has been called “The Jesus Way" and that's what I'm calling it here.

Let me make an analogy. Popular culture offers a way of life that looks like a full banquet table, but often turns out to be more like white bread and water. The Jesus Way offers a life that many people outside the Church seem to think is just bread and water, but once we start down the way, it turns out to be a stacked high banquet table with food that provides real nourishment. And it ends well.

Jesus talked about this way of life. Let's take a look at two passages of scripture where Jesus talked about this, starting with John 8:12:

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

If we walk in a dark place, we're likely to trip over something, fall in a hole, or bang our heads. Jesus is saying we can avoid all those things by following him, because He will provide the light. The obstacles become clear and we can avoid them.

There's a interesting deeper shade of meaning to the Greek word we translate as "follows." We think first of "follow" as meaning to travel behind, or to come after. But the shade of meaning in this passage is "to be in the same way with, that is, to accompany, as a disciple". So Jesus was saying, “whoever walks along with me along the road of life like a disciple will never walk in darkness.” It’s not a one time event; it’s a process.

Now let's dig deeper into “following” and "being in the same way with." This is also in the Gospel of John, starting in chapter 13 verse 33. Here is the setting for this passage: Jesus is spending his last night with His disciples in the Upper Room in Jerusalem. It's their last night together, but the disciples don't know this yet. Jesus is packing a lot of information in their last few hours together.

Let's listen to the conversation:

"My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come.

Now THAT must have riveted their attention. They have been almost everywhere with Jesus for the past three years. He is their leader, their friend, and probably most of them are thinking that any day now He is going to kick out the Roman occupation forces and restore the glory of Israel. What does he mean that he is going somewhere and they can't come???

Let’s skip ahead a few verses to 14:4

You know the way to the place where I am going."
Thomas said to him,"Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?"
Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Let's stop here and focus on the last part of what Jesus said: "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

First of all Jesus is talking about the Way to an Eternal life with the Father. He said so just a few words earlier: "You know the way to the place where I am going." Jesus knew He was going to the Father. He knew the disciples would eventually understand that He was on the way to Heaven, even if they didn't get it right then.

Jesus said what He did about being "the way" in an interesting and revealing manner. First He tells us what the Way is…..then He tells us what the Way isn't:

"I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

These two readings from John make it crystal clear. Jesus is saying to us:

I am the light (I will keep you from stumbling)
I am the truth (my way is the true way)
I am the life (the best way to live)
Through me, and only through me, can you gain Eternal Life

Jesus is saying to you and me that it isn't possible to get to God the Father through Buddah. We can't get to God through Islam. As good as it is to be a Jew, God’s chosen people, that alone will not get us there either. Along with every other religion, Jesus statement also rules out Baha’i, Jainism, Taoism, Zoroastrianism, Shinto, Hinduism, American Indian religions, nature worship, Sikhism, ancestor worship, Confucianism, the old Norse religions, and an old American favorite, "being good.”

Wait a minute: Isn’t being good what most Americans believe will get them to Heaven? Actually, about 7 of 10 Americans believe it may be possible to “earn your wings” according to one statistic I read. Even some born again believers are not clear on this.

But let's hear again what Jesus said: "No one comes to the Father except through me." The New Testament is consistent on this subject: belief in Jesus is the one and only route to Heaven. Good deeds demonstrate our faith, but you and I can get to Heaven only through believing in Jesus with all that believing implies.

OK. Jesus is the only way to Heaven. But not only is The Jesus Way the only road to Heaven, it’s also the best and smoothest road getting there.

We’ll look more at the road getting there in part two of this series on The Jesus Way.

The Jesus Way: A contrast with “The Ordinary Way”

2009-07-27T07:31:00.006-08:00

In the first installment of this series I demonstrated from scripture that Jesus is the light, the truth, the way to live and the only road to eternal life.

Let's go back to something that Jesus said earlier. It's in John 10:7-10

Therefore Jesus said again, "I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. All who ever came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

Take a look at that last part again: "whoever enters through me will be saved". That’s the eternal life part. But notice this also: "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."

Jesus is contrasting The Ordinary Way of life alongside the way of life He is offering, that is, The Jesus Way. The Ordinary Way is to be stolen from or to be destroyed. The Jesus Way is to have life and that life to the full. The King James version and several other English versions translates that last sentence using the word "abundant." In other words, Jesus is saying that His Way is the abundant life.

Who are the thieves and robbers that Jesus is talking about here?

First of all, I suspect that Jesus was talking in this parable about the religious leaders of His day. They had abandoned faith in the God of Israel for religious practice. They had become hypocrites. Jesus said in Matthew 23 “So you must obey them and do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach.”

But I believe in a larger sense, Jesus is warning us about “the thief”, Satan. The devil has always offered a way of life apart from God. While the details are always being updated century after century to fit the times, there seems to always be a satanic strategy to lure people away from God with an appealing way of life that seems to work.

Now as you read what follows, please understand that there is no condemnation here from me. If you see your own past or present sin in what I am about to say, understand that I'm am no less guilty of sin in the eyes of God. Every sin separates you and me from our Holy God.

We all sin. We all fall short of God's glory but The Jesus Way offers a fresh start on the right road.

So…..what is The Ordinary Way? The Ordinary Way is to live according to the culture that surrounds us. In Churchspeak it’s “the way of the World.”

The Apostle Paul was blunt about The Ordinary Way in a letter to a church in what is now present day Turkey. This is in Galatians 5:19-21:

"The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions, and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God."

Here are some of the features of The Ordinary Way of life.

The Ordinary Way is doing what feels good regardless of the costs to self or others
It's a life running hard after material wealth, a life that measures success by possessions
It's a life of using people to get where we're going
It's a life that puts negotiable value on children in the womb or the elderly
It's a life of disposable relationships
It’s a life filled with drama

Maybe you have been on The Ordinary Way. I have. Before I came to Christ I lived The Ordinary Way. As I look over these points, I see my old self in several places….even `tho I tried pretty hard to live a good life.

The reality is that some of my behavior was evil in God’s eyes. That’s the problem with The Ordinary Way.

There is a better way. It is the High Way of the King and I describe it and how to take this high way in the final part of this three part series.

The Jesus Way: The King’s High Way - A More Excellent Way

2009-07-27T07:30:00.002-08:00

In the first and second installments of this series I demonstrated from scripture that Jesus is the only way to heaven and the best route through life. I contrasted it with The Ordinary Way of life offered by popular culture.

Let me introduce you to a much better way. It is the King’s High Way. It is the Jesus Way. For people who do not yet know Jesus, it might look pretty dull….like bread and water. But as we mature in faith in Christ, we find that it is a banquet table like no other.

After he listed the acts of the sinful nature…The Ordinary Way….Paul went on to talk about this excellent way, The Jesus Way. Here’s what he wrote in Galatians 5:22 & 23:

…. the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

You might be interested to know that the early Church was called “The Way” by some. There are several references in the Book of Acts where Luke refers to Christianity as “The Way”.

Let’s take a look at some characteristics of The Jesus Way:

1. The Jesus Way is, first of all, a life of love. Jesus gave us a new command in John 13: "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another." Loving others as Jesus loved us changes how we treat other people.
2. The Jesus Way is a life of joy. Joy is not the same as happiness. Happiness depends on circumstances. Joy is a heart attitude; a deposit of the Holy Spirit. Happiness is like a thermometer; joy is like a thermostat.
3. The Jesus Way is a life of peace. It is a life of peace with God, and peace with one another; it is a life of comfort in times of trouble.
4. The Jesus Way is a life of patience. If ever there was a model of patience, it must be Jesus. Today I am embarrassed with memories as a younger man of my lack of patience with our children and my wife. It gained nothing but hard feelings.
5. The Jesus Way is a life of kindness. Niceness is not the same as kindness. Nice is on our faces and on our tongue. Kindness is in our hearts. Niceness makes people feel good about us. Kindness does good for others.
6. The Jesus Way is a life of goodness. It is a life of doing good. Faith by itself, if not accompanied by action is dead, it says in the Book of James.
7. The Jesus Way is a life of faithfulness. It is a life of reliance on Christ for salvation, a life of assurance, belief and fidelity.
8. The Jesus Way is a life of gentleness. Man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. The Greek word means also mildness.
9. The Jesus Way is a life of self-control. When we unite ourselves with Christ we can rise above our lusts and passions to live a life that is good for ourselves and good for others, and glorifies God.

I will mention two others that I have observed.

10. The Jesus Way is a life of service. We have been given the opportunity to co-labor with Christ the King to extend His Kingdom on Earth. Christians in all ages have given sacrificially of their time and treasure to to extend God's kingdom. It was Christians who founded the first hospitals, the first universities, the first orphanages, and even today run countless charities and ministries around the world. There are plenty of opportunities to serve God right here in Anchorage City Church and in ministries started by individuals and groups from this church. You can help build the Kingdom of God by teaching children in our Kid’s Church, driving the Church van, leading or helping with one of our small groups or classes, working in the kitchen, helping keep track of our family data, taking care of part of the church grounds, ushering, working in the New City Café, teaching in the New Direction Resource Center….and the list goes on.

11. The Jesus Way is a life of community. Jesus himself lived in community with His 12 disciples for three years, and that should be a sign to us that we can best live The Jesus Way when we are in community. We started small groups at City Church last fall to deepen community within our family. Our small group leaders Rich and Aaron talked about this earlier today. I hope you will join a group or class that fits you this fall.

More could be added to the list, but I think we get the idea.

Notice that nowhere here did I list that The Jesus Way is a life of material possessions. I also did not say The Jesus Way is a life without pain. Wealth may come, but troubles will come. The Jesus Way is the way of not being owned by what we own and the way to rise above the troubles of life.

Notice also that I have not suggested a list of rules to follow The Jesus Way. The Jesus Way is a life of relationship with Christ and listening to the Holy Spirit. "Come near to God and he will come near to you," the Bible says in James 4.

In my own life, I have found The Jesus Way more satisfying than I could ever have imagined as an young man 30 years ago with no time for God. My life is full of adventure and meaning and a peace that continues to grow in me. Like the rest of us, my life has been painful at times but I have an enduring hope and a peace that continues to grow in me.

So, what do we do with this?

Maybe your life situation is so difficult that it seems impossible that you could ever get on The Jesus Way. If the Lord is speaking to your heart to follow The Jesus Way, the steps are simple:

Repent of your sins and ask Jesus to come into your heart if you have not done so already. You can do that here today either right where you are sitting or with one of our prayer team.
Pray. Talk with the Lord about this. Start a life-long conversation with the God of the Universe. He’s listening.
Read God's word. Start with the Gospel of John.
Join regularly with other Christians for encouragement and support. Join a small group or class.
Remember that The Jesus Way starts with an event….the decision to follow The Jesus Way……but it is a Way of Life.

If you have already accepted Jesus, but don’t see all the Fruit of the Spirit that Paul wrote about, just repent and ask the Lord to show you how you can take the first step toward seeing that fruit manifested in your life. Talk to Christ followers who you have observed that do have these fruits.

It isn't necessary to go to a church to take these steps. The Lord is already near you. Talk to Him now about these things. Draw near to Him and He will draw near to you.

Cooling a Hot Alaska House With Only a Fan

2009-07-07T22:06:00.010-08:00

For years when we lived in the Interior of Alaska, we suffered with a hot house on summer evenings. I can remember lying on my back on top of the covers too hot to sleep. The temperature in the house was in the 80's or 90's.....but on the other side of the wall, only a few inches away, the temperature was ten or twenty degrees cooler. Alaska houses are designed to retain heat, so cooling them down on long hot summer evenings can be a problem.

About 15 years ago we learned a trick, and since then we have never suffered from an overly hot house in Alaska. Anchorage set a new official temperature record today (81F, 2 degrees above the previous record), but the house has not been uncomfortable.

The trick is a box fan in the window. We open two windows on opposite sides of the house. We press the box fan up against the screen and keep it in place (in our present house) with a cord secured on either side of the window with screw eyes. The fan takes air from the cool side of the house and exhausts warm inside air out another window.

It seems to be important that the fan is pressed up against the screen. We have tried placing a fan near the window and the effectiveness is markedly reduced. We also cover those parts of the window not covered by fan. The point seems to be to create enough pressure from the fan that the air has to exhaust out another window...which in turn draws in more cool outside air.

If we don't want the noise of the fan, we draw air through a window in the room we want to cool (like where we are sleeping, for example) and exhaust warm air elsewhere in the house. Since warm air rises, we use the fan trick upstairs.

The Power of Pentecost

2009-05-31T06:47:00.008-08:00

This was originally a sermon given at Anchorage City Church on Pentecost Sunday May 31, 2009. You can hear it online here and see a PowerPoint presentation (as a PDF) here.

Let's first of all anchor this firmly in John's Gospel, starting with John 14:15.

"If you love me, you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you." Read entire section (John 14:15-27)

Jesus and His 12 disciples are in the Upper Room where they are eating the Passover meal together. This is their last night together, although the disciples don't know this.

As faithful Jews, these 13 men are celebrating an important Jewish holiday this evening. The point of this feast is to remember how the LORD miraculously "passed over" the people of Israel more than 1,200 years earlier.

The Back Story to Passover

The back story to this is that the Israelites had been in Egypt for hundreds of years. At that point they were slaves, they had cried out to God, and God sent Moses to free them. After many chances to let them go, Pharaoh still wasn't willing to give up the Israelite slaves. This one last plague would change his mind.

God told Moses that he was going to kill all the first-born children in Egypt....but He told Moses a way to save the children of Israel. He told Moses that He would "pass over" their houses if the Israelites would dab on their door frames the blood of a lamb without defect. And it happened just like the LORD said, and Pharaoh let the Israelites go.

Pharaoh changed his mind again not long after and went out after them with his chariots. But the Lord saved Israel yet again when He opened a path through the Red Sea....which then closed in over the pursuing Egyptians. God then led them through the desert with a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night, and He provided for all their needs. Seven weeks after Passover, God gave them the Ten Commandments and the Law on Mount Sinai. This was His first covenant.

Now, as we go through this story today, remember this: seven weeks from Passover to the Law and the Covenant.

You can read the whole story in the book of Exodus. The powerful Exodus story was surely in the hearts of Jesus and His disciples, but I'll bet they were even more focused on what Jesus was telling them.

Although they did not understand the connection right away, Jesus was about to tie together the first Passover and this Passover. More on this in a minute.

Now let's get back to what Jesus was saying to them. Jesus said he would send "another Counselor to be with you forever". He said the Counselor would teach all things and remind them what He had told them.

The word John actually wrote in his Gospel is the Greek word "Paraclete." This can be translated counselor, or one who consoles, one who intercedes on our behalf, a comforter or an advocate. You'll see these words in various English versions of the Bible and they all convey the meaning of paraclete.

After the last supper, Jesus took his disciples to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray. The religious leaders of the Jews finally caught Him in that private place and within hours had convinced the Roman governor to crucify him.

Connecting the Dots Between Passovers

That's when Jesus connected the dots between the first Passover and this Passover in a majestic fulfillment of prophecy. He submitted to a bloody death on a cross as the sinless lamb of God as a sacrifice to atone for your sins and mine.

Let's take a look at Isaiah 53:5-7. Notice that this prophecy was given 800 years before the event. It is one of many, many Old Testament prophecies fulfilled in Jesus:

5 But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,
and by his wounds we are healed.
6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
each of us has turned to his own way;
and the LORD has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.
7 He was oppressed and afflicted,
yet he did not open his mouth;
he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,
and as a sheep before her shearers is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.

So, this is the Passover Connection: By the blood of Jesus, the perfect lamb of God, we who believe in Him and follow after Him are spared from eternal death, much like the children of Israel were spared during the first Passover. Jesus blood, and His body, which we remember every time we take communion are what has made possible eternal life with God. Jesus tied together the first and Passover and the fulfillment of it in his last Passover in AD 33.

The blood of lambs without defect on wooden door frames saved the lives of the children of the Israelis in Egypt. The blood of Jesus shed on the wooden cross saves lives from spiritual death and eternal separation from God.

The Power of Pentecost Revealed in the Book of Acts

I told you all that to tell you this. To really understand Pentecost it helps if we first understand Passover.

Let me set the stage for what is about to happen. Picture yourself in a room in Jerusalem with dozens of other disciples. It is now 7 weeks past the Passover season.

You have witnessed Jesus' agonizing crucifixion, and amazingly, you have also seen him alive, complete with the nail scars on his body.

About a week ago, Jesus gave his final instructions to you and the other disciples. Acts 1:8 records some of those words: "you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." You probably still don't know what that means. After this you saw him ascend to Heaven, and you have not seen him since.

That was a week ago, and now it is the day of Pentecost or Shavuot [shah-VUE-oat] in Hebrew. Shavuot commemorates the giving of the Law by God on Mount Sinai. Shavuot is still celebrated among faithful Jews around the world as a memorial of covenant renewal, and it comes seven weeks after Passover.

But now it's early on Pentecost morning and something amazing is about to happen. Let's listen to what the Book of Acts says what happened next:

1When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
5Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. 7Utterly amazed, they asked: "Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? 8Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language?

After the onlookers made fun of them and said "they have had too much wine" the Apostle Peter stood and addressed the crowd. At the end of his message, "Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day."

It's easy to focus our attention on the sound of a violent wind. It’s easy to focus our attention on the tongues of fire and the filling of the disciples with the power of the Holy Spirit and the speaking in tongues that they never learned. God got their attention of the disciples and thousands more besides. It has our attention even today. But maybe the greatest significance of that day was that 3,000 were added to their number.

God had given the disciples power to do the works of Christ, and full of the Holy Spirit they had done it and the Church mushroomed from 120 to 3000 in a single day. What a lesson in evangelism!

In the excitement of that day, maybe the significance of the day itself was lost on the 120. But I'll bet that it wasn't long after that they began to see what God had done.

Remember that Pentecost is a Jewish feast of covenant renewal. The first covenant was given from Mt. Sinai. Legends passed on by Jewish rabbis say that one divine voice proclaimed the law from Sinai in 70 languages. The new covenant was confirmed by many voices speaking in many languages under the power of God.

Watch the timing: 50 days after the first Passover, God gave the Law, the first covenant, on Mount Sinai. 50 days after Jesus' resurrection, God ushered in the New Covenant with a demonstration of power and the Holy Spirit came on all the believers.

The Power of Pentecost Today

On this last day of May in 2009, nearly twenty centuries have passed since the Holy Spirit fell with fire on the disciples on the Day of Pentecost. The question for us is this: is Pentecost relevant today and if so what does it mean to us right now? As I have studied and meditated on Pentecost, I have come to see several important meanings relevant to us today.

Perhaps most importantly, Pentecost is a reminder of the great harvest of souls that is our mission and privilege to help bring in. Jesus said in John 4:35 & 36 "Do you not say, 'Four months more and then the harvest'? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. Even now the reaper draws his wages, even now he harvests the crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together."

The harvest that Jesus is talking about is the souls of the people that He loves, and he loves us all. Not coincidentally, Pentecost to the Jews of first century Israel was also a harvest festival.

The Birth of the Church

The events on that day in AD 33 mark the birth of the Church. That might make it seem like today is a birthday celebration or an anniversary; or maybe a kind of ecclesiastical Fourth of July. But I would say to us that the birth of the Church is much more significant than any of those.

The Church is not an organization, although local churches are organized. It is not a social network, although social networks are important within and between local churches. It is not a political organization, although the Church must be interested in the political process. We are not a benevolent society, although Jesus told us to care for the poor. Neither is the church a building. In fact, the church would continue to exist even if all the buildings we use around the world were destroyed at exactly the same instant.

The Church is more than Anchorage City Church or any other local church. It is more than any denomination or apostolic network of churches. It is more than the Catholic Church or the Orthodox church. It is more than mainline churches or Pentecostal or Charismatic or liturgical churches.

The Church is made up every Christ follower. The apostle Peter wrote in 1 Peter 2 that we are "living stones" being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood." The New Testament word in Greek, ecclesia, which we translate as "Church" means the "called out ones." Clearly we come together in local churches and we work to extend God's kingdom from our local churches, but still, the Church is made up of called out followers of Christ.

The Church is the Body of Christ. It is the visible representation of the invisible power of Jesus. The Church is God's plan for connecting men and women to himself for eternity through the sacrifice of Jesus.

I have heard it said that without the Holy Spirit, the church is only an organization; liturgy only magic, authority only dominance and mission only propaganda. But we do have the Holy Spirit, and we do as God intends when we walk in the power and grace of the Holy Spirit.

Another part of the Power of Pentecost is that the Holy Spirit is now part of the life of every follower of Jesus. In the Old Covenant, the spirit seems to have been given at specific times for specific purposes

At Mount Sinai, 50 days after the first Passover, God wrote the Ten Commandments on tablets of stone and established His First Covenant. Centuries later, In Jerusalem, when the Holy Spirit fell on Jesus' disciples 50 days after that Passover, God wrote His law on the hearts and minds of the disciples as a seal of the New Covenant. This was foretold by the Prophet Jeremiah in Jeremiah 31:31-33

31 "The time is coming," declares the LORD,
"when I will make a new covenant
with the house of Israel
and with the house of Judah.
32 It will not be like the covenant
I made with their forefathers
when I took them by the hand
to lead them out of Egypt,
because they broke my covenant,
though I was a husband to [a] them, [b] "
declares the LORD.
33 "This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel
after that time," declares the LORD.
"I will put my law in their minds
and write it on their hearts.
I will be their God,
and they will be my people.

Has the LORD put His law in your mind and written it on your heart? If you have committed your life to Jesus, then you have the Holy Spirit. If you want the paraclete, the Holy Spirit, in your life, the first step is to turn away from sin and ask Jesus to come into your life. Romans 10:9 says "if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believes in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."

Ephesians 1:13 says "And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit."

When we make those steps of repentance, confession and belief, the Holy Spirit will come into our lives and be a paraclete to us….he will be a counselor…. comforter…. advocate.

There is also a place where you and I can be filled and fully possessed by the Holy Spirit. In the New Testament, when people were filled with the Holy Spirit they were able to do the works of Christ with boldness and power. It was a definite and distinct experience which took them to a higher level in the Spirit. This Holy Spirit filling is just as available to us 21st century believers as it was to those in the first century.

As wonderful as the experience may be, what is really important is what comes from it. We know a person is filled with the Holy Spirit when we see someone who is led by the Spirit and obedient to Him. We see someone who honors God with his life, rather than seeking after his own desires. We see someone who is looking for what the Holy Spirit is doing, and joining up with that. We see the fruit of the spirit the Apostle Paul wrote about in Galatians 5:22-23: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. These things don’t come from humanity, but from God.

Frank Bartleman wrote that "Pentecost opens a possibility to walk where the flesh no longer sets the agenda…….Walking in the Spirit is walking in the way of the cross with Holy Spirit leading."
If you are a believer, you have the Holy Spirit. And if you are a believer you can also ask God to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Being filled is not a one time experience, because we leak.

Sin is what separates us from God and sin is what causes the leaks in our filling. Obedience to God and holiness is what brings us close to Him, and that is what maintains a life of being filled with the Holy Spirit. A life led by the Spirit is a life of relationship with God. Just like a relationship with a spouse or a friend, a spirit-led life happens when it involves time alone with God.

Conclusion

Let me finish by saying something personal. While I still far from perfect, and I still sin from time to time, I know the Holy Spirit is in me because I have heard Him speak to me audibly on several occasions and very often in my inner man. The Holy Spirit is a great comfort to me. I am deeply grateful that the Lord made the Power of Pentecost a reality in my life when I opened my heart to Christ.

I'd like to ask you to take a moment to consider how you should respond to this message. For some of you, I know that Jesus has been calling you to take a step of faith towards Him. Jesus says, I stand at the door and knock, and maybe He is knocking at the door of your heart wanting to transform your life into something better than you could possibly imagine. If that is you, you can open the door to your heart today.

Maybe you are already a Christ follower, but you want to be filled with the Holy Spirit more than you have ever known. You can ask the Lord for that on your own, or ask another believer to pray with you to be filled.

Transformational Living

2009-05-24T08:44:00.003-08:00

More than 2 in 3 prisoners returned to American society in 1994 committed another crime which landed them back in jail. There is a basic flaw in a correctional system that has such a high rate of failure to correct. We are as a society just warehousing criminals and then returning them to the streets...in many cases with new skills and contacts for perpetrating more serious crimes.

And we have the highest per capita incarceration rate in the world: 751 locked up per 100,000 population. Even Russia is less with 627 per 100,000.

But there is a ray of hope for turning around the lives of prisoners. I met it last night at the Hiland Mountain Correctional Center in Eagle River. It is the Transformational Living Community operated at several prisons around the US. Here's what the Alaska Correctional Ministries website has to say about the program:

"The Transformational Living Community (TLC) is an intensive 12-18 month faith-based residential therapeutic program within the prison setting focusing God's transforming power relative to the issues of addiction and life controlling problems in an offenders life. The recidivism rate currently is between 11-15% for those who complete the program and have returned to the community. This compares to a general national norm of about 70%.

This multi-phase program is designed to provide a new alternative to traditional types of correctional rehabilitation programs in which the spiritual dimension of an offender's life becomes the primary gateway to habilitation. Prisoners volunteer to be admitted and may volunteer to leave at any time. The residents live together in a positive, supportive community environment and are expected to embrace high levels of personal accountability, responsibility, and commitment to change. Every aspect of the program is designed to help the residents embrace and internalize truth, and to make the kind of changes that are necessary, so that when they come back into the community they will be a person much better equipped for return to society."

A group of us visited Hiland last night and saw a presentation of how the Community works and met 20-some women who volunteered for the program. Participants in the community live and study together and support one another. "I am my sister's keeper", a large banner ready. A mural depicting Jesus standing on the water lifting Peter from the waves fills a wall. The letters in a large "Transformational Warriors" banner are filled with scripture verses.

A chaplain whose meager salary is paid by donors is the shepherd for this small flock. Volunteer mentors from "outside" visit every week and spend time with inmates.

We listened as the inmates sang songs of faith in Christ. Two shared movingly about their broken lives. A former Hiland inmate who came with us talked about how Jesus had been the key to transformation in her life. As I looked into each face, I saw a common element in their eyes: hope!

The community is made possible by a willing correctional center administration and the contributions of churches. The TLC is entirely faith-based, and could not exist without theses contributions.

The astonishing success of the TLC is due to the transforming power of Christ. Prison experts we talked with said nothing else comes remotely close to this.

Between Passover and Pentecost

2009-05-17T05:51:00.009-08:00

We are on May 17 in the days between Passover and Pentecost; between the Old Testament feast memorializing the passing over of the Jews by the Death Angel at the beginning of the Exodus, and the New Testament holy day memorializing the Fall of Holy Spirit in Jerusalem.

The Passover that was has for Christ followers become the Easter that is. At Passover, the blood of lambs smeared on the door frames of Israelite homes in Egypt purchased protection from the Death Angel. On that first Easter weekend, the blood of Jesus, the Lamb of God, purchased protection from death for all who following Him. Said another way, Christ's Good Friday sacrifice on Easter morning opened the doors of Heaven -- much like the blood of lambs at Passover opened the door to the Promised Land long before.

In the centuries before Pentecost the Holy Spirit was given to a few for specific purposes. At Pentecost, God fulfilled the prophecy of Jeremiah 31:31-34 and sent the Holy Spirit for the first time to all who believe.

Frank Bartleman observed that Pentecost opens a possibility to walk where the flesh no longer sets the agenda. The fruits of the spirit: love, joy, peace, etc....these are signs of Holy Spirit baptism. Walking in the Spirit is walking in the way of the cross with Holy Spirit leading.

But, will we arrive at the fullness of Pentecost where the fruits of the Spirit operate in us, or are we lingering at the glory of Easter? It is a good thing to believe in Jesus and to follow Him, but it is an even better thing to also have the power of the Holy Spirit working in us.

Let us press forward to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit and the supernatural power that comes with it to do the works of Christ !

The Castle, the Cathedral and the Smokestacks

2009-05-02T22:01:00.003-08:00

I originally published this in 2003, I believe. A shorter form of this also appeared in the Anchorage Daily News.

In a beautiful city whose skyline boasts the distinctive shape of a castle of Swedish kings and the soaring spires of the flagship cathedral of the Church of Sweden, the very tall smokestacks of Uppsala's Vattenfall seem at first a little out of place. But I came to understand over the course of a year spent there recently that they, like the castle and the cathedral, are monuments in their own right.

The purposes of the castle and the cathedral were fairly obvious, but I did not for some months understand the purposes of the smokestacks. They were not far from our house, and each time I stepped out, I could see them over the tops of the trees near our house. I thought they were simply industrial smokestacks. A neighbor explained them to me one day in excellent English.

The heat always on during cold days and nights in our multi-unit house was piped to us from the Vattenfall (= waterfall) plant, he said. Electricity comes from the same source; augmented, of course, by a regional electric power grid. What surprised me about what he said was that waste burnables are also burned here, and contribute to heat and light. It was a cool afternoon, but even so, the smoke was not very visible. Efficient scrubbers cleaned most of the particulates out of the smoke stream.

Nearly all of Uppsala is heated from the plant at the base of the Vattenfall smokestacks. Steam radiates out through the community in subterranean corridors. Radiators in the floor or along the walls or in heat exchangers are always on in inverse proportion to outside temperature. Individual radiator controls allow for variation within a building.

We had pieced together much of the rest of the system over our preceding months in the community. We had learned early on that trash must be separated before disposal: source sorting it is called. The signs - in Swedish -- on the garbage containers outside our row house were cryptic at first, but my lexicon clarified that the biggest was for burnables. Another was for organic material - compost. Others were for cardboard or heavy paper, hard plastic, and metal. Disposal trucks came on a regular schedule to haul away one or the other. Our house association paid for this.

We could throw away plastic drink containers if we wanted, but the fact was we were strongly motivated to return them to a grocery store. The bigger containers had a return deposit fee of about $0.40. Besides….it was fun to put the bottles in the automated return devices. We put them in headfirst, waited for the green light and put in the next bottle. Crates of beverage bottles could be returned for credit in specialized machines in larger stores. Beverages packaged in aluminum cans had automated machines, too, and printed credit slips just like those for plastic. We would hand the bar-coded credit slip to the cashier, and reduce the overall price for our grocery items.

If you looked at my list above closely, you might have noticed the absence of glass waste, newspapers and magazines. Glass items we cleaned and brought to large round-top containers scattered around the community marked "colored" and "clear." Swedes use more glass in packaging food than we do. Light bulbs had to go into yet another container, as did dry cell batteries. Newspapers and magazines we placed in a central location in the common area of the house. They were bagged monthly and left out for the recycling trucks.

We never threw away anything large, like a television set, a car, or a computer, but each of these have disposal procedures as well. I think the largest item I disposed of was our small Christmas tree. I cut off its limbs, cut the trunk in half and placed it among the burnables. Sometime later it returned to us in the form of electricity and heat.

There is more to the recycling system than I have indicated here. Our limited command of the language kept us from more fully understanding its intricacies, but what we saw impressed us with its integration and completeness. We never thought it onerous or complicated. We quickly adapted to life with multiple disposal containers.

While we observed a bit of litter in some particularly public places, by and large, Sweden is an exceptionally clean country. A well-entrenched recycling system contributes to that, but I believe it is also true that most Swedes are temperamentally inclined to keep their surroundings clean.

Pollution is a fact of life wherever people live, but Swedes have done an impressive job of reducing the fouling of their air and water. The waters of Lake Mälaren flow in several channels through Stockholm, the capital and largest city. In the summer months, some Swedes fish right downtown - and the fact that they can and do eat their catch is a remarkable testament of their national commitment to clean air and water.

While I recognize great differences exist between Sweden and Alaska, there may be some lessons for us here. Uppsala is about the latitude of Homer, and the climate is somewhat similar to Anchorage, although a little warmer in winter.

People in Uppsala don't seem to think much about recycling and sorting their waste…it's just the way these people live. It is an obviously more expensive system than that here, but seems to me to have advantages in reducing waste and energy costs.

My first glimpses of Uppsala took in with admiration the huge spires of the cathedral. Built beginning in the 13th century, it is a national treasure and a testament to the Christian heritage of the nation. Only slightly newer, the castle occupies a commanding hill nearby. Unusual in shape, it is still obviously a building of significance in the community. While I admire these two edifices, I find my imagination returning again and again to the tall Vattenfall smokestacks and the carefully organized system of recycling and reuse they represent that is so well applied in this ancient Swedish city.

The Book of books

2009-05-02T18:17:00.005-08:00

Here's what showed up this week on the NY Times Best Seller list:

1. LIBERTY AND TYRANNY, by Mark R. Levin
2. OUTLIERS, by Malcolm Gladwell
3. COLUMBINE, by Dave Cullen
4. ALWAYS LOOKING UP, by Michael J. Fox
5. THE GIRLS FROM AMES, by Jeffrey Zaslow

Perhaps these are all good and worthwhile books, but none is familiar to me. Chances are very good in 50 years, they will be more or less unknown. In a 100 years, they will be antiques.

There's another book that isn't on the list. It's the best seller every week of every year. It is not listed because it would always be number one.

That book is the Bible. There have also been more Bibles printed than any other book; I've seen estimates ranging from 2.5 to about 6 billion since the invention of the printing press. It has been translated into over 2,000 languages, and more language versions are appearing every year.

At first it was copied letter by letter onto parchment or papyrus scrolls by scribes who went far beyond careful to insure there were not copying errors. The text we use today has an incredibly small number of differences from copies made almost 2,000 years ago.

The Bible is not just one book; it's 66 different books written over a span of around 1500 years. We believe the Bible was written by people inspired by God.

And what it really is is a love letter from God to man. When you look at it as a whole, what you see is this incomprehensible love of God for humanity. The story line throughout all these books is this: He made us, but we have often turned away from him, still he keeps pursuing us with a love that will not quit. That story continues even today. Here is a very small sample from the book of Jeremiah (29:11):

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

This book of books; this Bible will open doorways for you, as it has me, into a life of connectedness with the God of the universe. All we have to do is read it and let these timeless truths change our hearts.

The Real Significance of Easter

2009-04-13T07:31:00.003-08:00

Give or take a few years, today is the 1,982nd anniversary of THE pivotal event in human history. It is the one event that has shaped people and humanity more than any other before or since.

On one level, I have nothing new to tell you. This is an old, old story about a cross and an empty tomb and being saved from the wrath of God, and Satan and sin and Hell. A few billion people are hearing this basic story around the Earth on this day. Interestingly, our brothers and sisters in Eastern Orthodox Christianity celebrate Easter next weekend....but that's another story.

But what if this year there was a new wrinkle in the story? What if archaeologists had found the bones of a man they had identified as Jesus of Nazareth; a man crucified. And what if after months of study, archaeologists concluded that without a doubt this man had been the Jesus of the New Testament.

What would that do to your faith? Would you be able to soldier on as a Christian? I'll tell you what it would have done to my faith: I would cease being a Christian.

But I am here to tell you that the bones of Jesus will never be found on this planet. Let's review what happened on those three amazing spring days 2,000 years ago, and then I'm going to tell you why you and I can have unshakable confidence in Christ's resurrection and all that it means.

I am fascinated by how Isaiah 53 foretells the first part of the story with uncanny accuracy. The accuracy is particularly uncanny in that it was written 700 years before Christ.

The basics of the first part of the story – the Good Friday part – are well known. The Apostle John tells the story from his first-hand experience in John 19:16-42. Each of the Gospels have this basic story, but each approaches it a little differently.

From the viewpoint of the outside world looking into Jerusalem on that day, what happened must have not seemed very different than any other day. Here is the “10,000 foot view:”

In late March or early April of about the year 27, a Jewish carpenter who was leading some kind of miracle movement was sentenced to death by crucifixion.
His was not the only crucifixion that day, and probably not the only one that week.
The Romans had perfected crucifixion. It was an exquisitely cruel method of using gravity and nails to slowly and agonizingly execute criminals, rebels, and others that got in their way. Swedes call Good Friday, the day of Jesus' death, Långfredag which means "long Friday" in memory of the suffering of Jesus over many hours.
History tells us that crucifixion was commonly used from Rome to Persia for about 1,000 years. It was finally abolished out of veneration for Jesus about AD 300 by Constantine, the first Christian emperor of the Roman Empire.
The Jews were a particularly difficult-to-govern people in the Roman empire and the provincial governors must have thought crucifixion would help keep the population under their control.

Basically, the crucifixion of the Jewish carpenter was just one more in a long line of them. It wasn't big news....at least when the crucifixion got started. This crucifixion didn't follow the usual pattern, however.

First, and for no apparent reason, the curtain separating the Holy of Holies from the Holy Place in the temple was torn from top to bottom. Second, there was a violent earthquake and the sun went dark. And even one of the soldiers recognized that this man he had helped to kill was special, and called him a son of God.

While it was still light, the soldiers gave Jesus body to Joseph and Nicodemus, and they prepared His body for burial and laid it in a tomb. The Chief Priest asked permission to seal the tomb, and guard it with soldiers, and that is what they did. That was the end of the first day.

Night fell, and it was the Sabbath. The Gospels are silent about the events of this day, but Jesus body lay in the tomb all day. The soldiers continued guarding his tomb. The disciples must have been in shock. What must have been going on in the minds of the disciples on this Sabbath day? Fear and doubt must have been right there at the top of their fevered imaginations. The Gospels record that they kept their doors locked for fear of the Jews. I doubt they slept much.

The religious elite must have been expecting to finally have been done with that troublesome Nazarene....but surely they were struggling on this Sabbath because the crucifixion did not go as they planned. And the people who had a week earlier cried Hosanna, Hosanna must have wondered what had happened to the man they hoped would be king.

But then night fell again, and it was the third day; the day we now call Easter Sunday. Let's pick up the story in John 20:1-19.

Most people, at least here in the West, whether Christ followers or not, have heard the story of Jesus' resurrection. Why do we still believe this incredible story after nearly 20 centuries have passed? Let's take a look at some of the proofs:

First of all, the Bible tells us so. There are four separate accounts, essentially the same, by four different authors. Matthew and John witnessed the events first hand. Mark wrote down the words of Peter (according to Church tradition) and Luke interviewed eyewitnesses. There is general agreement in the stories, but not so much as to suggest collusion.
Doubters suggest that Jesus didn't really die; that He just swooned. But the scourging was enough to kill some, and that combined with crucifixion was enough to kill the strongest. Even if He had survived that and the spear thrust to the heart, he would have suffocated in nearly 100 pounds of linen and burial spices.
People of the first century world did not believe in life after death, with the exception of a few sects of Judaism, and they believed in an afterlife, not life on earth after death. That Jesus returned to actual living life on earth burst like a bombshell in the first century and that is why Christianity spread so quickly -- people rightly interpreted this as a powerful sign from Heaven, and they are still interpreting it that way today.
Acts 6:7 records this astonishing statement: "So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith." I'll bet I read that a dozen times before the other shoe dropped. These priests were invested in the Jewish religious system: why would they lose it all by becoming disciples of Jesus? It's because the resurrection happened, and everyone in Jerusalem knew it.
Peter turned from a coward to a bold lion. How did that happen? Because he had seen the resurrected Jesus. It was the same with the other disciples. Here were men who had fled in the night on Thursday who on Sunday suddenly had, and kept, courage to proclaim their faith even to the point of death. Will people die for a lie? If they had made up the story of Jesus resurrection, would they be willing to die for their fabrication?
What would it take for you to worship your brother as God? In Jesus case, resurrection from the dead had that effect for His brothers. Two of Jesus' brothers were transformed from doubters to believers and became leaders in the early Church, and wrote books in the NT.
Then there is the evidence of dramatic transformation in my own life and the lives of people around us, and men and women through history

There are many proofs that the resurrection of Jesus is really true. These are just a few.

The real significance of Easter is that the reality of Jesus as God burst into the minds of men and women. It is still bursting into our minds today almost 2000 years later.

If Jesus rose alive from the dead, then the Good News of the Kingdom of God is the best news of history. It is hope for you and it is hope for me and it is hope for every person who ever lives.

It is hope for a life without drama; hope for healing; for deliverance; hope for peace; hope for forgiveness of all that we have done wrong that separates us from God.

Jesus did not come to us as a mighty king, but humbly, riding into Jerusalem on a donkey. He does not command us as a king, but as a suffering servant, He offers us entrance to his Kingdom. He does not call us servants, but friends.

The real significance of Easter is the same today as it was on that first Easter: Christ has purchased our pardon, and He has opened a way back to God. He has made possible eternal life with God instead of eternal separation and torment. We now have a true and living hope.

If today you are far from God, His kingdom is closer than you think. You need only repent of your sins and ask the Lord to forgive you. In the Book of Romans, it is written that that if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

Happy Easter!

Fireproof

2008-10-04T20:28:00.004-08:00

Linda and I just went to see Fireproof at one of the movie theaters in Anchorage. I was impressed....and moved.

If your marriage is not great, or even if it is, this is worth seeing. Guys: major wife points to go to this one. I think you'll probably be glad you went, too.

Misty Fjords

2008-09-19T23:32:00.004-08:00

A friend living in Ketchikan invited Linda and I down for a visit earlier this week. It was an amazing trip in one of the most stunning parts of North America. Rob owns Classic Alaska Charters and operates overnight adventure cruises in the Ketchikan area of southeast Alaska.

It's wet by any measure, but the atmospheric moisture is what makes it what it is, and there is a fierce beauty all around.

Marriage is Good for Your Health

2008-07-13T09:16:00.003-08:00

The hazards of smoking are well known. Smokers suffer higher mortality rates than the general population, and as social pressures are applied, smoking continues to decline among Americans.

Less well known is the cost of divorce, which turns out to be about as dangerous for men as starting a pack-a-day smoking habit. Said another way, remaining married has as much protective effect on male health as not smoking. Unmarried women have a 50% higher mortality rate than married women, and the difference for men is an astonishing 250%. Social pressures that protect men and women by lifting up marriage are needed as well, it seems.

Not only does marriage protect life, it also promotes health. Married people rate their health substantially higher than the divorced, separated or widowed.

Men are more prone to risky behaviors and marriage has a settling effect on them. Women tend to lead more settled lives to begin with so the marriage health benefit is not as immediate for them. But for both sexes, the benefits of marriage are strikingly clear.

While it seems obvious that cohabitation would confer many of the same health benefits, research suggests that it does not. Unmarrieds in general do not feel as responsible for the well being of their partners and they do not exhibit the same healthy behaviors as marrieds.

Decades of research now make clear: the statistical chances for a longer and healthier life are significantly greater in marriage than any other state of relationship.

Other articles in this series on the benefits of marriage:

Wildlife Riskier for Bicyclists

2008-07-03T16:15:00.004-08:00

The grizzly mauling of a teen bicyclist in Anchorage's Bicentennial Park earlier this week was a tragic illustration of the danger of running into large and potentially dangerous wildlife in Alaska's biggest city. I got a taste of it myself this morning.

As I was cycling to work along 100th Ave, I noticed a moose right next to the bike path. As I came closer, I saw the twin calves. I knew that wasn't a good sign, even `tho the cow was steadfastly ignoring the cars whizzing past less than 10 feet from them.

I dismounted, waited for lull in traffic and headed for the other side of the street while still 50 meters or more from her. I must still have looked threatening to the cow and she started coming at me.

Fortunately, a motorist had slowed down to get a look at the moose -- or to shield me -- so I pedaled along on the other side of the car until well past her ladyship. Moose are plenty dangerous, especially when they are accompanied by calves. At least two Anchorage residents have been killed by moose in recent years. This one was planning on neutralizing me as a threat to her little ones.

A week earlier I had another encounter with a moose, but was able to turn about and go the other direction.

I don't plan to quit cycling, but it's obvious that "defensive driving" is just as important on the cycle seat as in the driver's seat.

Blink

2008-06-30T19:26:00.002-08:00

I am in the midst of a fascinating book entitled, "Blink" by Malcolm Gladwell. The author's premise is that the rapid cognition that goes on in the first few seconds of an event is powerfully useful and should not automatically be discarded.

Most of us have had an immediate hunch about a person or event. Our training is to shove those hunches aside, but Gladwell says they are part of a second decision-making process that runs alongside our deliberate conscious mental processes.....just a lot faster.

Just as our conscious processes can suffer from blind spots and wrong conclusions, so can our rapid cognition, but that doesn't mean the the result should be discarded.

More later....this is good stuff.

And They Lived Happily Ever After

2008-06-29T08:27:00.006-08:00

Living together happily ever after is the outcome we long for in marriage, but I think most of us are suspicious of the probability or even possibility of that really happening. Marriages fail all around us with depressing regularity. So.....to find happiness, is it better to marry and stay married, or to try a second or third marriage, or is it better to keep one's options open by just moving in together?

Social science has done some measuring on the happiness question. It turns out that the best chance for happiness comes with a wedding band, and keeping that same band on one's finger for a lifetime.

"Happy" better describes married people than any other relationship group. Marrieds are less likely to report psychological distress, anxiety and distress than the single, widowed or divorced. One tabulation found that 40% of the married described themselves as "very happy" with life in general compared to under 25% of those single or cohabiting. 15% of the separated reported themselves to be very happy as did 18% of the divorced and 22% of the widowed. While not every marriage is very happy or even happy at all, the potential is clearly highest there.

Certainly, walking down the aisle is no guarantee of happily ever aftering. Living on the flip side of the high happiness ranking are those marrieds who are not very happy at all.

But, is a period of unhappiness in a marriage necessarily terminal? Interestingly, in one study, an astonishing 9 in 10 considering separation who stayed together were still married five years later -- and 3 in 5 of those had changed the rating of their marriage from unhappy to very happy or quite happy! These are impressive statistics and argue strongly for sticking it out and working out the kinks.

In our post modern, cynical society, marriage must seem sometimes like a relic out of an unenlightened past, an unnecessary impediment to adventures in relationship. But the truth is this: the old relic works, and properly cared for, it is the very best chance of happily ever after we are likely to find in this life.

Related posts

Marriage is Good for your Health

Muscles

2008-06-28T18:00:00.002-08:00

Like everyone else, I came equipped with muscles as standard equipment. I have made few efforts to do anything special with them over my 58 years, however.

I did take a running class in school, and I have always walked a lot. During our 30 months in Sweden earlier this decade, I calculated that Linda and I walked somewhere between 1,000 and 1,500 miles.....not unusual in that fit society. I worked out in a gym every day for a couple of weeks once, and was surprised to find that at age 47, it's still possible to gain strength. By direct calculation, I found that I had increased the strength of some of my muscle groups by at least 50%. It's possible to gain strength at any age, I was told.

Since early 2007, I have been making a special effort, and now months later, I am starting to really feel some of the benefits of it. I joined an athletic club, and the combination of weight equipment, steam room, and loathing to pay for something I don't use has proved irresistible.

I started a year and a half ago with the ability to do zero pull-ups. Today I did 21 -- 10 without stopping and the balance in sets. I bench pressed 140 pounds, my best yet. None of this is impressive to those who do this all the time, of course, but I am writing to encourage you if you are in your middle years and feeling the toll of time and inactivity.

I don't use the added strength often, naturally. My work doesn't require much physical strength. But it's like having a sharp chisel when you need it.

And, there are some other benefits. First, when I am done each day I feel pretty good -- "runner's high" I suppose. Second, I have felt increasingly good about myself. Third, Linda admires the new bulges on my arms, chest and back. I'm vain enough to like that. Fourth, it is supposed to be good for my long term health.

I didn't have time for this. A busy work schedule made it seem impossible. But prioritizing that 6 or 8 hours a week has been one of my better investments of time.

Psalm 36

2008-06-25T07:37:00.004-08:00

David, the Israelite prophet and king that forged the 12 tribes into a nation, was a man after God's heart. This morning I read Psalm 36 in my Swedish Bible. I have read the words before in English, but reading the words in Swedish gave me new perspective on David's understanding.

It's easy to think of David living with few worries in a king's palace, but that would not be true. His mistakes were huge and his tribulations were many, but his faith was strong and he persevered through it all. In his words we can catch a glimpse of the source of his strength.

Hear with your spiritual ears these words translated from Swedish:

Lord, up in Heaven stretches your mercy,
your faithfulness, even to the skies.

Your righteousness is as mighty mountains,
your judgments as the great sea deeps.
Both people and animals fear you, Lord.

How precious is your mercy, God!
The children of mankind have their refuge under the shadow of your wings.

They are satisfied of the rich gifts in your house,
from your streams of loveliness you give them drink.

Because in you is the fountain of life
in your light we see light.

The New Bike

2008-06-24T22:03:00.003-08:00

I don't think I have had a new bike since I was a kid. My family all contributed to the purchase of a new mountain bike / commuter this past weekend, and it's great!

My main reason for the purchase is being able to ride back and forth to my part time work. It's only a four minute commute by car, and it's 25 minutes by bicycle, but I like the exercise. I also like not paying for the gas and I like not transferring more carbon out of the earth's crust and injecting it into our atmosphere and ocean. And then there's the fact that we own just one internal combustion machine, and I'd like to keep it under two.

There's a bit of a hill or two along the way, but scarcely worth mentioning. There are bike paths or low speed suburban roads all the way, so it's a good, safe route.

The bike is red and white, has 21 gears and disc brakes and goes like crazy. The boy in me likes it. :}

Birthdays and Global Communication

2008-06-23T08:22:00.003-08:00

On Friday I turned 58. It was a day full of communication with family and friends, and a reminder of how global and Internetty we have become.

The day started early with a Skype (via Internet) call with a friend in Uppsala, Sweden. Near the end of that call, I had a landline call from my brother calling to wish me a happy birthday. He was using Skype Out, so we hung up the regular telephone and had a much higher quality conversation on regular Skype. He was calling from a hotel room in Tokyo.

Then I talked to my parents. They were sitting out in their backyard in Dallas calling from their mobile phone. They called our Seattle (Vonage) line which tunnels from Seattle through the Internet to a router in our office which connects to line two on our business/home phone.

Later, my sister called from Dallas as she was driving home from a gathering with friends. She was using her mobile phone. Our daughter called from her mobile phone from somewhere in Anchorage.

Perhaps it's just having been born in the middle of the last century that makes me so aware of all the changes in communication and transportation. In any case, I am glad of these changes that makes possible contact with friends and family who are often so far away.

Canoeing on the Kenai

2008-06-18T20:40:00.005-08:00

I just came back from a really pleasant trip with some friends on the Kenai Peninsula. For many years I have looked with interest at the canoe and portage trails on the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge, and two years ago, Glen and I took the trip. That was great fun.

Last weekend, four of us took the better part of four days for a leisurely swing through the Swan Lake route. We put in at the "west entrance" and took out at the "east entrance." It's not a particularly long trip in terms of miles, but carrying canoes and gear makes for a more time consuming trip. And then, of course, you have to fish, and that takes time, too.

The loons were the most evident of the wildlife, followed by swans. We saw assorted other creatures large and small, and the spoor of others, like bear and wolves. Mosquitos weren't bad at all, although there were a few places where they verged on it.

The pictures tell the story best:

Marriage: Better for the Environment

2008-05-11T08:48:00.005-08:00

It makes sense when you think about it: marriage is better for our environment. The reasoning is simple. For example, a home comprised of father, mother and two children consumes fewer resources and space per capita than one home with only a father and another comprised of a mother and two children.

A refrigerator requires roughly the same energy whether it holds food for one person or four. Marrieds require only a single refrigerator. Divorced families require two. A married family needs only a single home; divorce means two homes.

There are many more important reasons to get and stay married, but as population pressures increase strain on global resources, we cannot ignore this simple fact.

Related posts:

You Cannot Lose...

2008-04-26T16:51:00.004-08:00

"You cannot lose by bad deeds what you cannot gain by good deeds."

This is a thought provoking way of saying that you and I cannot make it to Heaven on account of our good deeds because becoming one of God's children is a free gift of grace:

But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. (Romans 3:21-24 NIV)

Just as we cannot pass the Heavenly gates with an impressive resume of good deeds, we are not barred on account of sin and evil deeds contritely confessed and repented of.

No matter how good I am, I am acceptable because of my belief in Jesus, not because of my good deeds.

No matter how evil I was before I repented of my sins and turned my life over to Jesus, I am acceptable. And so are you.

Big Snow -- Last Ditch Effort by Winter

2008-04-26T14:30:00.001-08:00

Winter hit Anchorage with the largest dump on record for this date yesterday and last night. As you can see from the picture we had well over a foot of fairly wet snow. All the snow that you see fell in a little over 24 hours. The ground was pretty well clear until yesterday morning.

Linda and I stayed home today....the roads are a mess. This snow won't last. There's too much sunlight and above freezing temperatures. But there's sure going to be a lot of water running around here for the next week or so.

I can't help but think about the migrating birds that have come this way. The geese that arrived a couple of weeks ago must be having trouble finding sufficient food, not to mention the smaller birds that are less obvious.

The Abundant Life

2008-03-15T22:06:00.003-08:00

Jesus said "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." (John 10:10). I realized recently that I have what Jesus was talking about! I'm quite sure there is much more to it, but I am also quite sure that I have at least a small corner of it.

For one thing, I have increasingly understood the wealth that surrounds me: a loving wife, a happy marriage, amazing children that delight my heart, incomparable friends on multiple continents, a ministry that makes a difference in people's lives...the list goes on, but those are some of the best of just the natural blessings. If you knew me you would know that I'm not talking about everything being perfect or right....like everyone, I am not untouched by sickness, suffering and lack in myself or those close to me....but these things are nothing compared to the riches that have been given.

Abundant life is available to all. It will look different for each of us, but it is within reach for each of us. How does one attain it?

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6). We follow the way.....His way. There is no other way I know of that provides this abundant life.

For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls. (I Peter 2:25) We all have "strayed" but we can return! Jesus will take us back! There is no sin you or I can imagine that is stronger than His love.

If we get off "the way", we can return. There are many rewards of living in "the way", but one of them is the abundant life!

India - Persecution of Christians

2008-02-23T07:35:00.002-09:00

We met a most remarkable Indian couple for dinner one of the last evenings we were in Delhi. We ate at the nicest restaurant I have yet seen in Delhi, although it was not expensive by Western standards.

India is like a keg, a powder keg, Vandar (as usual, a pseudonymn for protection) said in response to my question at the dinner table. I had asked what would the spiritual climate of India look like in five years. Vandar and his wife Omiya have labored for over 30 years in a church movement they started. Today, the growing movement has thousands of churches and workers spread over much of northern India. Its name would be familiar to many Indian Christians, but I will not write it here.

He elaborated. This keg could blow up at almost any time and try to consume Christianity. 15 years ago, Vandar said, the Hindus did not like us, but they did not hate us. Today, he said, they hate us. In the intervening years, the Hindus have become very jealous of the growth of Christianity. Never has the nation been so open to the spread of the Gospel. Many are being baptized.

That jealousy has increasingly taken a radical and violent turn. Vandar named two recent incidents in Orissa, an Indian state along the Bay of Bengal. In the first, about 1,200 homes in several villages were destroyed by radical Hindus. The point of the hatred: most of the villagers are Christians. Even the homes of the few Hindus there were not spared, because they sided with their Christian friends and neighbors in the villages.

“But didn’t the government do anything?” we asked.

The government did do something. It SAID it would do something and then didn’t. A Western government that says it will seek justice and take care of the victims will usually do what it says, even if imperfectly. To the Indian government, it seems, promises can be empty if most convenient. Not only has nothing been done to rebuild the homes of these hundreds now in bare tents in which they have lived for months, the churches of India are forbidden to help them.

“But surely the news media reported on this?” we asked.

The international media reported the initial story, but no more. The major publications in India blinked and hastily turned away when threatened by the radical Hindus. Politicians claimed inability to make the police seek justice.

Vandar also spoke of an anti-conversion law. It sounds nice: no one may attempt to convert another by inducement or threat. It sounds…so tolerant. The problem is that if you give your shirt to a beggar because of the love of Christ in your heart and tell him that Jesus loves him, then you have just induced him. If you warn him of Hell, you have just threatened him. If you tell him of Heaven to gladden his heart, you have just induced him. Six Indian states now have this statute on the books. People are in jail under these evil laws.

But still, the work goes on. New believers are constantly being baptized. I find myself humbled by the faith and persistence of these who labor in such incredibly hard and dangerous soil.

The question and ensuing discussion sobered our dinner conversation considerably. “What can we in the west do?” I asked.

“Tell the news media.”

There is more that we can do, of course, but India deserves condemnation in the court of world opinion for how it is treating its Christian minority.

India - 15 February 2008 - Lessons Learned

2008-02-23T07:31:00.002-09:00

1. The Orient is a very different world than the Occident. People live differently, eat differently, express religion differently, and interact differently, to name just a few. There are many commonalities, of course, but I was struck with the differences in human behavior. The good: people are warm, friendly and giving. Family and other relationships are important. I would happily befriend many of the Indians we met. The bad: Indian government and institutions are corrupt and there appears little concern for the environment that supports a population of over one billion. Rubbish is everywhere, and air pollution is omni present, even in the rural areas.

2. Religious persecution against Christians is rising. One church leader told us that 15 years ago “they didn’t like us, but they didn’t hate us. Now, they hate us.” In recent weeks, church buildings have been destroyed, and entire villages comprised mainly of Christians have been destroyed. The government promises religious freedom and justice, but does not provide it. It is tempting to think that it is just a matter of Hindus believing that Christianity is just wrong, and oppose it on that basis. There is probably some of that. But perhaps the biggest reason for the persecution is simply jealousy, according to one church movement leader we talked with. Most Christians are coming from low castes in society. Hinduism has given these people nothing. Christianity gives them everything. As people come to faith, there is a tendency for economic and social circumstances to rise. THIS is what the radical Hindus hate.

3. I am humbled by the faith and persistence of Indian Christians. We met a number of leaders of church movements; some with tens of thousands of adherents. All spoke of the persecution that the Church is experiencing today in India, but there was no hand wringing or whining. They seemed to take it as part of what it means to be a Christian – after all Jesus says it will be so. These leaders were forging strongly ahead; baptizing new believers and training people to be disciples.

4. “No problem” doesn’t necessarily mean there are no problems. I found on a number of occasions that there WAS in fact a problem. It wasn’t that they were lying, rather, to many of the Indians I talked with, it seemed to be an attitude that everything would work out, and that they would do what they could to make it work out.

India - 14 February 2008 - Leaving the Airport

2008-02-23T06:18:00.002-09:00

How hard can it be to get on an airplane? At Indira Gandhi Airport outside of New Delhi, it turned out to be much harder than expected on the night we left.

We headed for the airport in plenty of time -- a good thing, as it turned out. When we arrived, there was an impressive traffic jam at the departure area, and an impressive people jam outside the two entry doors. Hundreds of passengers were jostling and pushing trying to get to the two doors. Entry was blocked by soldiers checking passports and travel documents. No one without travel documents was allowed inside....no a bad thing considering the number of people outside the doors trying to earn some baksheesh or steal some money.

Once inside we had to make our way through an insane line of people trying to get their bags scanned BEFORE checking them in at the ticket counters.

Going through customs was not difficult, and neither was going through the long security line. It was just time consuming.

Allow lots of time before your flight from this airport.

India - 13 February 2008 - Taj Mahal

2008-02-23T05:51:00.003-09:00

The Taj Mahal is certainly worth seeing. In our case, it took an eight hour car trip both ways to get there, but that was a nice way to get there, as we had transportation on arrival. The train is faster, but one still requires transportation on either end. The taxi we took was about the same price and gave us that transportation.

I have two abiding impressions from our visit:

1. An amazing place: actually standing on the raised platform and touching the cool marble put down nearly 400 years ago is different than seeing the pictures. Did you know, for example, that there are two identical mosques on either side of the Taj? There is a three dimensional model of the Taj on Google Earth that will give a good perspective on this. The impressive inlay of semi-precious stones in intricate designs in the marble is stunningly good.
2. Ground zero for people trying to separate your money from you: It was impressive to me (obviously: I'm writing about it) how many men were actively working to "help" us. They wanted to guide us, drive us, or help us find valuable souvenirs. It was a bit like stepping out doors and finding the mosquitos everywhere. The actual Taj grounds were a little less irritating because of the admission fee and thorough pat-down on entry, but even there we observed some impressive stunts designed to obtain baksheesh, or a tip.

Even with these petty annoyances, it's worth seeing.

India - 12 February 2008 - Delhi Belly

2008-02-23T05:39:00.003-09:00

It goes by "Montezuma's Revenge" in Mexico and no doubt other names in other parts of the world. Among India travelers it's called "Delhi belly" and it probably comes in different flavors. Mine came with with a headache, "running stomach" as a Swedish friend delicately put it, and feeling wiped out.

It hit Saturday evening the 9th of February, which was the night we returned home from our village trip. We took the train that night. Getting on the train wasn't too bad, but getting off the train the next morning was zombie land. My friends guided me to my hotel room, and I spent the next 24 hours pretty much sleeping. I seem to remember knocks on the door, and friends appearing to check on me, to provide Coca Cola, and other comfort items.

I'm writing this about two weeks later, and while it is less bothersome, I still have some reminders with me.

Acquiring Delhi belly is simple. All one need do is drink the tap water. I was thinking that I didn't need Delhi belly so I had avoided drinking that, even going to the trouble of brushing my teeth with bottled water. But all it takes is one drop of water.....like on a washed plate that was not dried. And that may have been the vehicle that carried the little organism to my mouth. Or, maybe I didn't clean my hands often enough.

The only good thing about Delhi belly is that it has helped with weight loss. If you go, I recommend giving it a miss.

India - 10 February 2008 - Traveing the Roads of India

2008-02-11T17:27:00.002-09:00

Travel over the roads of India is far different than at home. On several occasions, I have looked up to see a truck coming right at us, only for us or it to veer off to the left with seconds to spare. (Here, as elsewhere with British influence, people drive on the left, and steering wheels are on the right.) There is so much pedestrian, bicycle and moped traffic that it is difficult to stay in one’s lane for very long. In rural India, there are also bullock and donkey carts, which are my personal favorite. The drivers of these stand and direct their animals with reins. Other vehicles, some handmade, also appear on the roads.

Driving on the streets of the villages and towns is where it gets really interesting. I’m glad I wasn’t driving, and I found it better to just look out the side windows…which held plenty of interest anyway. Both sides of the streets are filled with a mind-numbing assemblage of little shops, kiosks, stores, and often, what looks like a big box on stilts, inside which will be perched a merchant selling brightly colored packets of chewing tobacco. It would be easy to purchase food for simple here, although with more walking required. More complicated meals would probably require more knowledge of who sells what.

The shops attract commerce of course, and that’s what makes the driving interesting – all the people coming to shop. When we came into a village late one evening, the streets were almost vacant, and very simple to navigate.

On several occasions as we drove through the towns during daylight hours we came into near gridlock. It can happen when a truck or cart breaks down in the road…and is being repaired on the spot….or left in search of parts. Or it can happen from just congestion. Not infrequently we were hemmed completely in by vehicles and people and cows. But most of the time, the driver calmly used the horn and threaded his way through.

Speaking of cows, they are common in the towns and cities. Since they are not eaten, they have few enemies. All that I have seen eating have been eating garbage. They just wander loose.

India -- 8 February 2008 -- Islam in India

2008-02-11T17:22:00.000-09:00

This district of the Indian state through which we traveled is predominately Muslim. It can be seen in the dress of some of the people, and in the small mosques along the way. It can be heard in the early mornings with the call to prayer just before dawn.

Hinduism is certainly the predominant religion of India. In fact, another name for the country is Hindustan….country of the Hindus. But in portions of the nation, other religions are larger. In Punjab, in the Northwest part of the state, Sikhism is the largest. There are also Jains, Buddhists, and others. Christianity is also much in evidence here, although overall it is one of the smaller religions.

Interestingly, Middle Eastern Islamic states have been pouring oil money into building up that religion here. They have been building up Islamic structures and providing training. Even in small villages a “false front” style mosque can be seen, consisting only of a wall and a couple of modest minarets.

India -- 8 February 2008 -- Love Center

2008-02-11T17:21:00.000-09:00

After much careful driving over passable roads and occasional smooth sailing on sections of really good roads we arrived at Love Center (not the real name). It sits right at the edge of a real Indian jungle. Outside on a tall tree was a troop of black faced monkeys, and there be tigers and leopards here, no foolin’. On the other side is the village of about 2000 people. The Center is built right at the edge of the forest at the outskirts of the village.

We were met with excitement by 50+ children. Most are orphans, but some have come here because of parental inability or unwillingness to care for them. Some were shy, but others immediately warmed to us.

The evening that we spent with them, the children sang for us. It was a moving experience. The children sang mostly in English but a few songs in Hindi. Learning English is a huge advantage for Indians. This common language of this complex country is English, and learning it allows young people to both communicate with other Indians who do not share their language and with others from abroad.

What we saw is only a beginning of the vision. When Love Center teamed up with an international organization, more money became available, and along with it, new perspectives and even larger vision. The center is working on purchasing more land so that more buildings can be constructed. Their plan is to care for about 100 children, and at the same time provide occupational training for them and children in nearby communities. This will provide opportunities for relational evangelism.

India -- 8 February 2008 -- The Train Trip

2008-02-11T17:05:00.000-09:00

We have made two round trips by train. The first was about 5 hours, and we were awake the entire time. The more recent trip we made in a “sleeper.”

The started at 11:30 PM and ended the following morning about 9 AM. When we boarded, we quickly set up our bunks. The beds are about 6’ long and perhaps 30” wide. While that fits the average Indian frame fairly well, it was a not quite so comfortable for us taller types. The coaches were fairly clean and seemed well maintained.

The Indian National Railroad provides a blanket and a packet of clean sheets, pillowcase, pillow, blanket and towel. There were six of us in each sleeping area, and perhaps 20 such sleeping areas in each coach.

Here, as many places in India, the train toilets are squat-style. They call our toilets “western toilets.” The concept is simple: you squat to do your business, and clean up with the left hand over which your pour water from the small pail and water spigot usually provided at squat level. It actually makes a great deal of sense. On the train a sink is also provided.

India -- February 8, 2008 – Into the Jungle

2008-02-09T05:40:00.001-09:00

We saw a distant cousin of“Riki Tiki Tavi” the mongoose of Rudyerd Kipling’s “The Jungle Book” today at the edge of the jungle. We had left the monkeys and water buffalos behind and as we bumped our way down the road we saw the mongoose.

But that’s way ahead of the story. After lunch today, we hopped into the car for a look at the countryside around Love Center. Abi took us to the huge (400 km long) canal that helps distribute water for irrigation, and on the other side of it were the monkeys. These were city monkeys afraid or unable to go into the jungle and live a normal monkey. These troublemakers had been live trapped in a nearby city and taken out here and dumped. At this forest checkstation, they made a meager living by theft and finding some of their own food.

A retired wildlife ranger stopped and briefly chatted with us. He said that there were some tigers about, but many more leopards. The problem here is that people kill the tigers for hides and because they kill livestock and even people. There are several species of deer, too, he said. The lettering on the back of his old red car? “Desperado.”

After leaving the monkeys we travelled along the canal road, and that’s where the mongoose comes into the story. I didn’t even see it, as I was looking at my camera, unfortunately.

We stopped where some local people were loading sugarcane. The harvest is going on now, and much of what we passed as we drove here was sugarcane. Our stopping and looking caused the young people with the sugarcane loading crew to come and look at us. We were the most interesting thing they had seen for awhile. With no electricity and no TV, we were a pretty amazing site with our pale faces.

India – February 8, 2008 – Plunging into the Countryside

2008-02-09T05:39:00.000-09:00

Our day started early when we were picked up at our hotel by the Asia Action (ministry name changed) ministry leader for this area, Rabine (also changed). We stuffed ourselves and some small luggage into a fairly recent model vehicle hired by Rabine for the trip. It was relatively comfortable, really; and that was good, because we drove for the better five hours to get to Love Center, the orphanage operated by Asia Action on one edge of a small Indian village.

The drive was a long succession of near misses as we threaded our way along a mostly narrow series of paved roads, along which was also travelling an endless number of pedestrians, bicyclists, motorbikes, trucks, “autos”, a few cars, bullock carts, donkey carts, cattle drives, tractors with trailers, and vehicles a little hard to describe, but certainly never made in any factory. On either side of the road passed rural India: fields, rivers, villages, towns, roadside stalls, people sleeping in the fields, interesting birds and old ruins, statues to Hindu gods and goddesses, small village mosques….an incredible tableau of the orient.

We stopped for breakfast at Rabine’s favorite roadside spot and immediately became the center of attention for a number of locals. It was a pleasant, if unusual breakfast. The samosa, served in a bowl made of a leaf, was the featured attraction, but along with it came chai (tea) and some a few other baked items, including an interesting sweet item, dripping with liquid sugar.

India -- 7 February 2008 -- Pastor Naoul

2008-02-09T05:38:00.000-09:00

We visited a friend of Anchorage City Church, pastor “Naoul” in a community north of Delhi. Naoul is a church planter. He told us that he had planted 1 church in the 1973-83 time period, 10 churches in 83-93, and over 100 in the following 10 years. He says there are now over 35,000 believers in these churches, and the church planting rate is now accelerating.

He makes a strong case from experience that small churches grow more effectively. He says that in a large church there are many people with gifts who essentially have nothing to do. It is best be believes to harness the God given gifts in kingdom work; often, building new churches.

Their church planting movement moves into villages where a congregation has started and does all the work of building a structure. They have a specialized team for this purpose, so the work goes extremely quickly….which is usually much faster than is the case in rural areas.

They then do two things for the community: first is to provide a 200 foot well, which provides access to good, clean water. Villages often suffer much from disease because of shallow, tainted wells. Second, they build education centers. Both the school and the water pump draw many people, and serve as an opportunity to develop relationship, and to share the Good News.

Naoul also operates a ministry on a satellite TV channel. It reaches many, many people in Asia, and they receive much response. They have a studio set up in the church building he built in 1983.

He said something interesting about tracts: we must have a response address. It is a human soul we are dealing with. The tracts often stir people’s hearts with the Good News…and then have no one to walk through the first steps of faith with them would be terrible.

Naoul traveled with us back to our hotel. He said don’t stay in a hotel again…stay with me. He was a little upset that we had not stayed at his house. He has a large house and there are many staying there as they travel through.

India – 6 February 2008 – The Market

2008-02-07T07:27:00.000-09:00

Frank and I spent hours this afternoon with two Indian friends in one of Delhi’s market areas. This was quite some distance from the hotel, so we traveled over in a car owned by some other friends and returned in an “auto.” In this case, auto means a three-wheeled green and yellow vehicle that carries two passengers. It is covered, but open on the sides. One gets right up close and personal to the traffic. Many times we passed within an inch or two of another vehicle. Autos are not expensive. A 25 minute ride cost Frank and I 42 rupees….just over a dollar (about 38 rupees = 1 dollar right now).

Jyotsna has a small Christian bookstore in the market, and we met him there. Premdeep arrived not long after and we went to visit a typesetter where Jyotsna had arranged for some Hindi typesetting of a New Testament.

But before getting to the typesetter, let me paint a picture of the market.

Along the narrow streets are thousands of little shops, people in little stalls, or just a small corner where commerce is taking place. All kinds of foods are being sold from shops, and others on bicycles are calling out what they have as they pass by. Overhead a welter of wires and cables of varying ages and danger pass. Under our feet….well, better not to go there. One watches where the feet fall.

The market, Jyotsna explains, is much better than a shopping mall. Everything is available in a small area, from services to goods and food. The prices are also better, if more negotiable. There are fixed price stores, but not here, apparently. Prices for us are higher, as we look like we can pay more. We are a few pale faces in a sea of delightful hues of brown.

In the typesetters shop we first pass an open anteroom with a roof but no windows or doors. A metal pull down door closes the place off at night. In the anteroom, some young women are industriously typing. Later, it develops that they are typing on the QWERTY English keyboard for practice. A progression of other faces followed, including one young man who was guilelessly interested in everything we had to say and do. He didn’t understand a great deal of English, but clearly thought that he could peer into all that we were doing and listen intently to all that we were saying. He wasn’t obnoxious in his manner, just obviously not raised by mind-your-own-business parents.

Jyotsna took me to a shop through the crowded streets of the market where I could recharge my and Frank’s SIM cards. An older Indian man wrote down our telephone numbers and called over a younger man who did some tricks on a cell phone….and credit suddenly appeared in my phone.

Speaking of cell phones, the rate is quite cheap, and we aren’t paying a farthing to receive calls. BUT, we are inundated by SMS calls for all kinds of interesting things. Well, I guess they’re interesting things; the ads are mostly in Hindi, including the voice ads. Sigh…maybe that’s the price for cheap cell phone access.

Back to the market: washing is hanging out from balcony windows creating a lively competition with the colorful signs advertising everything. The washing wins, however, by virtue of having been washed in this decade.

Speaking of that, I have looked carefully, and impeccable casual attire is very much the norm on the Delhi street. It seems an improbable contrast against the dust and rubbish, but it isn’t: these are a very clean people with a high standard of hygiene. There are many exceptions, of course, but most tend to be well turned out; the men mostly in western attire, and the women mostly in beautiful Indian dress of many colors. I have to say that I find the women’s clothing very attractive.

A little later, trying to puzzle our way through putting together a Hindi translation of the Gate to Life on the web, Jyotsna and I traipsed across the street to an “internet café” where we could work for 10 rupees an hour. The “café” consisted of 8 small booths with impossibly small monitors, but passable speed. The keyboards were in English. Few people use Hindi keyboards; all the young people want to practice English, he explained. He and I fit into the booth with scarcely room to breathe. Personal space is not a big issue here.

By the way, English is the common language in this incredibly multi-lingual country. There are literally hundreds of languages here. It is also the language of commerce. Premdeep and his wife speak English in the home because the languages of their raising are mutually incomprehensible.

In the end, we went away somewhat frustrated. There is much that can be obtained here, but for us, the exact fonts we needed for typesetting, and the access to the Internet by the right people just wasn’t available.

But the market… what an experience that was. I found it fascinating in a rich, very human way, even if one not very familiar to me.

India - 3 February 2008 - The Radio Program

2008-02-04T20:33:00.000-09:00

As indicated below Frank has been working for some years with Jyotsna on radio programs. These five minute programs have had tremendous response from people in India, with many cards and letters pouring in; some even having started churches as a result of hearing about God’s word.

Today we traveled to where the program has been recorded. It is a ministry within a church with many regional and local branches. The church is planting about one church per day right now. We came into a nicely appointed recording studio. The entire building was constructed at a very high level of excellence. “We have built this to the Lord” the radio program director, “and we wanted it to be excellent.” The sound-deadening walls of the studio were finished with strips of hand carved Indian paneling.

Jyotsna and his wife and some younger friends worked with him on this day’s dramas. They were about death…how does one understand and cope with death and dying, from the perspective of a believer in Jesus. The five minute programs are long enough to have some substance, and short enough to maintain attention.

Later as the program director talked about the ministry of the church he spoke on persecution. He says it is happening now more and more. Just this past weekend an Assemblies of God church building was burned down and some of the inhabitants beaten. Some church leaders have told believers that if they are not willing to be martyred, then perhaps this is not the church for them.

We met the bishop of this region for this church movement. He was a tall, well-built, grave but polite Indian in his 50’s. Being a church leader is surely no easy task here in these days.

India - 2 February 2008 - Preaching

2008-02-02T21:01:00.003-09:00

A bit to my surprise I found myself the featured speaker at a village church meeting on the other side of Gadra from Bratpra. After travelling through Gadra and other villages, we came to the church meeting.

When we arrived, we were given leis and then escorted to a platform where all the speakers and worship leaders removed their shoes. The church was singing loudly as they awaited our arrival. It was meeting outdoors, with colorful tapestries defining the “walls.” There were about 200 men, women and children…in those groups. There were more women than men, but not by too much. The women were beautifully dressed with colorful shawls and nose jewelry. The men were attractive in their proud way and the kids were just delightful and well mannered little people.

After some introduction….which none of us understood in the slightest….Mothas and I were handed microphones and I commenced to preaching. I would speak a sentence or two, Mothas would interpret. It was a simple message of perhaps 25 minutes on the importance of forgiveness while living together as a family of believers….when “living stones” are brought together they knock…the Lord commands forgiveness. I spoke for the first time without notes.

When I was done, Mothas took over and spoke even more on the issue. I know he was still on the subject, because several times he turned around and pointed at me. People started coming forward, but we did not understand what was happening. He said later that one woman came forward to testify how she had been unable to walk for many years because of arthritis. She had been prayed for, but nothing happened. Finally a word of knowledge came: you have unforgiveness. When she forgive the one that wronged her, within hours she was able to begin to walk again. That brought others coming and healings started.

It is always amazing to me what happens when we weak humans bring forth the Word of God and how it touches the lives of people. It is good to be a good speaker, but what really matters is to clearly speak forth God’s word.

After the meeting, we were treated to a pleasant meal al fresco at the home of a church member, who works as a church planter.

India – 2 February 2008 – The Apostle

2008-02-02T21:01:00.001-09:00

I saw an apostle working today. For those that believe the apostles disappeared at the beginning of the church age, I won’t argue over the title. All I know is that I have on several occasions now watched men work as did the first apostles.

Pastor Mothas is such a man. In a quiet but gently assertive way, he uses his relationships with other pastors to support their ministry. He told us privately that God had shown him that Ragij is the man chosen by the Lord to be an overseer for this Indian state. For this reason, he has been helping in a number of ways.

One of those ways is as an advocate. As we and he were riding south on the train, Mothas concluded that we might be able to help Ragij, so when I asked later how do we in the west help this growing church movement, he was ready with an answer. He suggested that we provide enough funds for pastoral trainee support…2000 Rs per month, or about $50 USD. We did leave double that amount as a gift, and said that were it possible to do more, we would.

I asked him if would be willing to help with the transmission of such funds, should that be possible for us. He was politely not willing. This, for me was another indication of where he stands with this: he is a helper and a guide, not a controller. I suspect also that he could see an added layer of bureaucracy for himself. When we asked for his email, he just said that he didn’t do much email, and by extrapolation, he doesn’t want to do much more.

Last night Mothas talked into the wee hours with Ragij….just 1-1/2 hours before the temple started blaring…..I was impressed with the self sacrifice of the man.

India – 2 February 2008 – The Bible School

2008-02-02T21:00:00.000-09:00

This day started early with temple chanting starting at 4:30. It was LOUD. Sleep was difficult after that time. Pastor Mothas, who also stayed in the house with Ragij and family, says there is only one or two people doing this chanting, and probably no others in the temple. The loudspeakers were only 50 meters from where I slept, as it turned out.

A Bible school meets here, as mentioned earlier. The believers assemble twice weekly for an entire day. There are several teachers. We greeted them and prayed over them. They are earnest in their new faith, having left other Gods….and families and friends in many cases…behind them.

On their wall is a graph of church member numbers and local churches in Ragij’s district. It has been steadily growing and the goal for 2008 is one that can only be reached by faith….and it will be reached.

India – 1 February 2008 – Believers in Bratpra

2008-02-02T20:59:00.002-09:00

Again….the village name has been changed for security. I knew this was an issue here, but it became brutally real this evening. As God’s kingdom expands by love and brotherhood in this land, the enemy has counterattacked with hate and vengeance. If the agents of the enemy could connect this post with people here, there could be real suffering.

This evening, a church leader showed us the marks of the enemy on his body…and his badges of honor as he has suffered for Christ. He pulled up his pants leg to show the healed over knobby bone protrusion on his leg….a result of having been purposely run over by a car. There are also scars on his chest from the same incident. His perfectly formed teeth are replacements for those lost in the attack. It is a miracle that he survived.

He is not alone….he showed us newspaper clippings of some Christians who were beaten by extremists and forced to reconvert. But he persists, even as he knows his life is in danger from extremists in other religions who are jealous over the thousands who are coming to faith in Christ. The authorities have done ittle or nothing in these cases to bring the evil doers to justice.

We are meeting this evening in the home of Pastor Ragij (name changed) who lives in a concrete wall structure with his son, daughter in law and grandchildren. He speaks the majority local language, and is interpreted for us by Pastor Mothas (also changed) who we have known from earlier associations which will not be mentioned here. Pastor Mothas understands this language, Hindi, English and possibly others and has been a friend and support to Ragij and others like him in this northern region of India.

The work of Ragij has been rewarded by the Lord with success and favor. He is one of a number of leaders in this state, and today the number of believers stands at around 2.5 million. In his home tonight is meeting about 15 believers who have come here to pray and to meet us. There is 24 hour prayer going on in this house. Believers take two hour shifts, all day, every day.

Ragij is a district leader and there are 30-some villages around here and perhaps 10 pastoral leaders over which he watches and cares. There is also a Bible school here meeting in shifts. We meet them tomorrow. Bible school students are required to bring 12 converts to Christ in a week (and they do); these new believers become the nucleus of a new local church. When their training is complete after a year, there are already many people in the flock.

Ragij says the village churches do not usually meet in buildings, because they have only a few of them. Government permission is not given for church buildings to be constructed, so when they do make a building they do not start as a church. On Sunday they will meet outside his home in a tent. They want at least one of us to stay for the meetings and preach…but time presses with other commitments.

Some of the local churches are quite large; one numbers 900! Others may be 200 or 400 in total.

India – Train to Gadra – 1 February 2008

2008-02-02T20:59:00.001-09:00

There is no Gadra. The name of this place has been changed for security reasons. We took a taxi from the YMCA to the New Delhi train station where the express was ready to go south. We left right on time in a nice coach. We paid a little more for this level of service and received several snacks, meals and beverages. By Western standards it was not terribly expensive. A comparable train journey in Europe would have been several times more costly.

Sally’s plane arrived late, and she and Leena had arrived at the train station with only 10 minutes to spare – after some prayer for timely arrival. It turned out that some Pakistani airspace had been closed and her aircraft coming from London had needed to take on more fuel because of a greater travel distance.

The images that flowed through my window as we rolled across India are stark in my mind: poor people picking up bottles for some small income, hovels, cattle tied to stumps, green fields, birds, cell phone towers, broken down villages, slums, and always, everywhere, people, people, people.

India – Breakfast – 1 February 2008

2008-02-01T01:05:00.002-09:00

Breakfast this morning is as it was yesterday: porridge, tea, toast, butter, jelly, eggs, but with the addition of some small bread fried in donut shape one then dips into a sauce. Frank and Leena and I sat and talked over tea about effective ways of helping spread the Gospel in foreign fields.

Frank said a former leader had told him that we often hear that “you should work yourself out of a job.” This means of course that we should develop leaders that come up behind us. For westerners working in evangelism overseas however, it should be instead that “you should never take on the job on yourself to begin with.” The point is that unless national workers are not raised up immediately and take on the work themselves all could be lost if one is required to leave within 24 hours.

I asked what they thought was the most effective way of spreading the Gospel in foreign lands. Without hesitation Frank replied that would be Gospel literature. He is, of course, a publisher, but he also speaks from experience as a missionary in India, and from working with many missions organizations over nearly four decades.

He said that bringing promising leaders to the West often backfires because their lives are unsettled by the differences in standards of living, and it can be that their direction turns to moving to the West rather than ministering at home.

Buildings can be useful, but the Kingdom is made up of people, not bricks nor timbers. Buildings can be constructed by local believers as they are needed. Furthermore, buildings can be a point of attack in countries where there is organized opposition to Christianity.

Gospel literature on the other hand can impact multiple lives at low cost. Bibles or New Testaments have obvious value over many years. Other introductory or faith-building materials are also useful in developing a life of faith.

India – Dinner – 31 January 2008

2008-02-01T01:05:00.001-09:00

The food was interesting at dinner but not nearly so interesting as the company. Our dinner companions included an Indian church network leader and his wife, and a European who is working on publishing Christian materials. I won’t mention their names for security.

By the way, this discussion of security is not just being cute. During dinner the church leader told of growing threat to Christians and leaders, and cited some disturbing recent news. A swami in Aurissa has been inciting Hindus to attack Christians. This is not the first time this has happened, but a growing violence and Hindu nationalism threatens. Christianity is making great gains in India, but the enemy of our souls is rising up in counterattack.

The church network leader spoke of a great Christian work rising in a nearby state where he says there are now 2.5 million believers. He is going there with us tomorrow and the next day. He wants to partner with Frank so that new Christians and leaders can obtain Bibles and Christian teaching. There is nothing like seeing the work first hand and developing relationships with the leaders involved.

Dinner is pleasant and somewhat intense. A lot of information is being exchanged, but the main reason for eating together is simply the continuation and building of relationship. On such relationships is the Kingdom of God built.

India – 31 January 3008 - In the Market

2008-02-01T01:04:00.000-09:00

About noon Jyotsna (name changed for security), a friend and colleague of Frank’s arrived and the day became busy.

Jyotsna has been working for some years on a radio program that he produces and his family “stars” in. The daily five-minute programs are in one of India’s largest languages. They use drama to illustrate a Christian perspective on everyday problems of Indian families. They point to Christ as the answer to life’s many issues. The response has been good, with some writing to say they have become Christians and others writing to request literature. Frank and Jyotsna are discussing how to increase the exposure of the program. It is now broadcast on shortwave to India from another country.

At lunchtime, we walked to a market area where we could change money and find something to eat and obtain SIM cards for our mobile phones. My Alaska pre-paid card does not work here.

We walked from the YWCA first to the bank. Walking along the street in a new country puts all the senses on alert, with impressions flooding in: flowers….people walking, sitting, camping, talking….dogs….cars speeding, stopped, honking, darting, asserting right of way….. insistent motorized rickshaws seeing foreigners….careful street crossing with vehicles coming on the “wrong side” of the road with few controlled intersections….apes…birds…street vendors…beggars.

At the bank we are told that the conversion rate for US dollars is 38.65 rupees per dollar, and we have to fill out a form and provide a copy of our passport. There is no copy machine nearby. We start to fill out the forms, and the teller informs us that he is going on lunch break. There is no other teller in this section.

Off we go again with Jyotsna in the lead. We plunge into a market area and go up some stairs where Money Change is noted on a sign. Half way up the stairs, we turn and go up some very narrow stairs to a little garret where the money changer works.

He quotes 38.4 rupees to the dollar. Frank tells him that the bank is quoting 38.65.

“Not possible” the money changer and says that he can do this for 38.5. Frank haggles with him and brings him reluctantly to 38.65. I changed 300 dollars and received an impressive stack of 500 rupee notes, all with the Mahatma’s image. Later, Frank tells me that “anything is possible in India.”

Next is lunch. But the restaurant we want where they serve South Indian Masala dosai has a line forming outside. It’s lunchtime (2 PM) and the office crowd is hungry. But Jyotsna does some fast talking, and the guard lets us in. An empty table is presented immediately.

These Masala dosai are good! It is a large, very thin, somewhat crispy pancake rolled over some vegetables, served on a banana leaf, with little indentations in the plastic tray that hold sauces of varying spice temperature. The bill for 4 of us is 518 rs – about 12 dollars.

Finding SIM cards for our phones is next and so out we went again. Jyotsna stops at a place in the market, but the vendor is not very helpful and the prices are high. As we go through the market, people notice our foreign faces and a few bolder ones tap us gently on the shoulders offering all kinds of merchandise. Others, less bold, look at us wondering if there is a way that they can please us with something they are selling and receive some rupees in return.

The market is a rich medley of people, colors, smells and sounds. It is like the rainbow of spices found in Indian food. I found it fascinating and energizing. I like this.

Jyotsna stops again at the shop of someone he knows. It is a narrow place open to the street, but down a few steps. It is filled with calendars, pens, “daytimers” and other items. He is a spare fellow about my age with a pleasant face. A young man works with him. Both a nicely dressed and well groomed. It turns out that we cannot get a SIM card without passport style photos. Where does one get these?

Just a few meters down the row of shops there is another shop where passport photos can be made. For 50 rupees, we soon have passport photos.

We present the photos, passports (which are copied) and our mobile phones and the involved process of setting up telephones begins. All of this takes about an hour, but not until the end does money change hands. Everyone is now smiling and happy. And I now have an Indian telephone number. I do not pay for incoming calls.

On the way back to the YWCA, we stop at the YMCA for Internet access. It takes a bit of work to set up the computers to work, but we are soon online sending and receiving email. I am writing these blog notes in my hotel room. When I have Internet access, I copy and paste. Here in the YMCA business center, access costs 10 rs for 15 minutes, 30 rs for an hour. We paid 10.

On the way out, we look into rooms here. It would be nice to have better access. The arrangement is made and on our return from our trip, we’ll come back here.

India - Early in the day - 31 January 2008

2008-01-31T03:14:00.001-09:00

The chanting continues. It isn’t a problem; I’ve “switched it off.” It’s just interesting. The people are still swirling around.

The day has dawned pleasant although the air pollution continues. This must be a real health issue for Indians. Flowers and green plants are all about.

We are in the YWCA International Guest House. When we registered, our visas were examined carefully and recorded, and we were entered into a very large book with column headings readable from top and bottom. Litre bottles of Aquafina were brought for each of us. Indian water is not to be consumed raw. One always need to know the source of water and juice to avoid “Delhi belly” I am told. Even toothbrushing must be done with bottled water.

Breakfast was porridge, toast, tea, suji (a soft, sweet mass made of brown flour and sugar and more) and something like scrambled eggs. It was not inspiring but good enough to go with!

In my hotel room I have a small single bed, one working light and two non functional lights, a tiled bathroom, an armoire and….um….interesting electrical arrangements. The electrical in Frank and Leena’s room is even more interesting. I am able to plug in my laptop power supply via a plug conversion.

Internet is available only in a nearby Internet café at 20 rupees for a half hour and 30 for each hour ($0.75/hour). Unfortunately, we cannot connect our laptops in this way.

India - 30 January 2008

2008-01-31T03:09:00.000-09:00

The beginning and end of transoceanic like this are always jet laggy. Yesterday, I was fully awake as Peter and I looked at their church meeting hall and offices and then a little bit of downtown Helsinki, and even through dinner. But at 6 PM, after 25 hours of travel and not a great deal of sleep, I could no longer hold my eyes open. 8 hours later I was awake – that would be 2 AM in Helsinki, or 3 PM in Alaska. Happily I was able to connect with Peter’s wireless Internet connection. That made possible Skype calls to Alaska and quite a bit of email and even a couple of website updates.

At a very Finnish breakfast, Peter and Pia and I spoke of many things, but then zeroed in on something that is going on in Scandinavia called “Levande Familjer” (living families). The concept is that Christians are trained to provide advice for families with relationship problems. The design is simply to provide help, and not an overt Gospel presentation. There is no hiding of Levande Familjer’s Christian roots; each session begins and ends with prayer. Peter said the concept is so successful that 1) Levande Familjer no longer needs advertisement as people come as a result of word-of-mouth referrals; and 2) even government agencies provide referrals. The latter is a real testimony of success in socialistic Sweden.

This is fascinating to me because of what we have been discussing at home….ways to help families and by our actions preach the Good News.

Peter and I ate lunch together at Helsinki Vantaa airport, and then we parted. I met Frank and Leena not long after in the departure lounge. We flew over Russia and several of the “stans” (Tajikistan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan) to Delhi where arrived some six hours later, at a little after midnight.

Fog – which turned out to be serious air pollution or smog – was the first thing I noticed looking out the aircraft windows as the big Finnair MD-11 pulled into its gate at Indira Gandhi International Airport. The airport is not as nicely maintained as one is accustomed to in the West, but it functioned well enough. The second thing I noticed was people: many, many people, especially as we exited the airport. Frank cautioned not to let anyone carry bags. At the taxi, someone tried to put his bags into the vehicle in hopes of a few rupees, perhaps.

A friend and partner of the ministry met us and had arranged a taxi. Since taxi fares are “flexible” depending on perceived ability to pay – with westerners being at the top of the ability ladder – having a cab arranged by a friend was very helpful. The cab was an unusually boxy shaped vehicle with little room for larger western people, but we somehow managed to get all of us and our luggage aboard.

Traffic was brisk at times, even at 1:30 AM. There was much jostling and beeping. Frank cracked that Indian cars were painted only with one coat so as to allow more to pass abreast.

I have a single room in the “International Guest House” where we are staying. The room costs about $40 US (1566 rupees) and seems fairly clean and even has a western-style toilet with toilet paper. The room “tariff” includes breakfast. It is air conditioned, but I’ll be more interested in the heater with temperatures around 50F. Frank says that his Indian contacts look on this as an expensive place to stay, although it is possible to find accommodation at western standard that costs over $100 US per night.

Just 200 meters away from my window is an impressive Sikh temple with a golden dome where some chanting (amplified of course) has been going on nonstop….and it is 2:45 AM as I write. Even at this late hour, people are coming and going.

Off to India - 2

2008-01-29T18:53:00.004-09:00

Peter, a friend of a friend was waiting for me when I cleared customs in Helsinki. It is a delight to be met by a friendly face in an unknown place!

Peter pastors a church called "Living Word" in downtown Helsinki. Peter and his wife Pia are a little younger than me, and they have three 20-something children. They are "Finn-Swedes", and speak Finnish, Swedish and English....and son Andreas also Hebrew and daughter Cecilia some Russian. They all switch back and forth between languages with agility. I have really enjoyed getting to know Peter and his family and seeing where and how they live. Peter is an intelligent and passionate church leader and we have talked quite a bit about the Church here in Finland and Helsinki. He is a friend of Frank and Leena, with whom I am traveling to India in the next two weeks.

Peter and Pia went two years to the Word of Life Bibleschool in 1987-1989. He was earlier an assistant pastor in a Swedish-speaking pentacostal (pingst) church. This is not the same as the United Pentacostal Church in the USA.

Before the days of nationalism, this part of Finland was ruled by Sweden. ....from the 14th to the 18th centuries. It was captured by the Russians in the 18th century and gained its independence only 90 years ago. The long domination by Sweden is the root reason for the two official languages, Finnish and Swedish, which are very different in their roots. Swedish is no longer as important in the life of the country, but it is still very much in evidence.

As I looked around the room normally occupied by one of the daughters (who is now on a trip), I saw a picture of Starla, a friend from Bibleschool! Starla is a friend of Johanna. It is fascinating to me how these human connections work.

Off to India - 2

2008-01-29T17:31:00.000-09:00

Off to India - 1

2008-01-29T17:17:00.001-09:00

This long trip started Monday morning at 6 AM Alaska time. I’m writing this in the Amsterdam airport as I await the flight to Helsinki. My route of travel is Anchorage - Seattle - Amsterdam - Helsinki.

All has gone well so far. The only rough spot was some clear air turbulence over the coast of Greenland that without warning started the large Airbus A330 bucking and snorting…. And some passengers shrieking with fright after 4 hours of calm flight. We directly overheaded south Calgary on the way from Seattle to Amsterdam….I was less than 10 miles from Ryan and Kathy’s house. So it sometimes goes with modern air transportation -- near, yet far.

Wireless access at the Amsterdam airport is expensive. It is €12 for 1 hour…about $18! So, I am typing notes in a Word document for transfer later. Currency exchange is also expensive. I paid $20 for just over €9 for use in Helsinki, including a €3.5 commission. Our diminished dollar doesn’t go so far at the moment.

Four Lethal Misbeliefs that Minimize the Impact of Believers in the Workplace

2007-11-27T18:39:00.001-09:00

Here is strong medicine from evangelist and missions strategist Ed Silvoso. These commonly held beliefs are like cold molasses around the feet of Christians who would do the work of the Kingdom in the marketplace:

There is a God-ordained division between clergy and laity
The Church is called to operate primarily inside a building often referred to as the temple.
People involved in business cannot be as spiritual as those serving in traditional Church ministry.
The primary role of marketplace Christians is to make money to support the vision of those "in ministry."

(From Ed Silvoso, Annointed for Business quoted in C. Peter Wagner, Changing Church)

How much have these non-Biblical attitudes cost in the growth of the Kingdom of God? I believe they have cost plenty.

Muslim Study in Anchorage Welcomed, but Questioned

2007-10-07T21:21:00.000-08:00

An article in the Sunday (7 October 2007) Anchorage Daily News covered a project designed to educate Alaskans about Muslims. After reading it, I couldn't help myself. I wrote a letter to the editor. Following is an expanded version with hyperlinks.

I welcome the Alaska Pacific University project designed to help Alaskans understand Muslims. It is easy to think of these wonderful people as bloodthirsty jihadis, and that would be wrong.

Nevertheless, in the “puncturing of myths” it is important that new ones not be perpetuated. The article suggested the project was important “So that [people] don't go around thinking Muslims worship another god.”

The reality is that Muslims DO “worship another god”. Even a casual comparison of the Qur’an with the scriptures of Judaism and Christianity shows great differences between Allah and YHWH (Jehovah) / Jesus. Just because Allah means “god” in Arabic does not mean that Muslims worship the God of Jews and Christians.

The project didn’t inspire me with it’s accuracy in another area as well: “Westerners have a long history of prejudice, suspicion and fear of Islam going back thousands of years.” Islam is only 14 centuries old, not thousands. There are reasonable grounds for suspicion and fear of Islam given the bloody conquest of Christian North Africa and nearly constant and very bloody jihad against Christian Europe for hundreds of years following that.

Be that as it may, it is good that we learn to understand Muslims and see them as they really are today. I only hope that the material presented is more accurate than that portrayed in the article.

Muslims are captives

2007-09-17T10:20:00.000-08:00

I had a revelation last night about Muslims. It was, simply, that Muslims are captives.

In the lands of Islam they are held captive by political, social and physical systems. Many would become followers of Jesus if they were allowed religious freedom. Just as in the USA, others would become secular given the freedom to do so.

But in the lands of Islam, religious conviction is enforced. Conversion to other religions is punished at the least by social ostracism, and at the most by physical torture or death.

In the lands that Islam seeks to bring under submission, including our own, there may be statutory religious freedom, but for those in Muslim families, rigid social and family ties make conversion difficult.

As I have spoken to Christians who have worked in Islamic countries, it has been very clear in each case that many Muslims would convert if they could do so without losing their family or their lives.

I think that we in the West do not clearly understand these control systems. We see the world through the lens of our freedoms to observe whatever religion we choose....or no religion. While there are certainly social control systems at work in the west, they are weak by comparison.

The effect of this revelation for me has been two-fold. First, I have prayed for a love of Muslims that overpowers my anger over the acts of a few of them. This revelation has helped me quite a bit toward that love. Second, I see more clearly than ever that we must quit treating Muslims as a monolithic block. It is only a few that seek to impose Islam by the sword. Against them we must be implacable foes, but for the majority, love and respect should be the attitude of our hearts.

Slowing and Reversing Global Warming

2007-09-12T21:43:00.000-08:00

I have stood at a distance from the man-is-making-the-earth-warm debate because I am still unconvinced one way or another. Just because "most scientists" believe it to be the case doesn't impress me. We humans engage in group-think all the time. The pressure to be PC (right or left) on this issue is immense.

What I am convinced about is that we have been massively extracting carbon compounds from the earth's crust and converting them to gases that are now in the air and oceans and that IS causing demonstrably negative chemical changes in ocean fauna and flora.

According to a Compass article in today's Anchorage Daily News Alaska's US Senators Lisa Murkowski and Ted Stevens are co-sponsoring the Low Carbon Economy Act designed to approach the problem of reducing carbon emissions in another way. Here is how the act would work:

"The Act creates a cap-and-trade program for U.S. GHG emissions that is modeled on the successful Acid Rain Program. By setting an annual target and allowing firms to buy, sell, and trade credits to achieve the target, the program is designed to elicit the most cost-effective reductions across the economy. The target is set to avoid harm to the economy and promote a gradual but decisive transition to new, lower-carbon technologies."

I haven't studied this in any detail, so I cannot offer any reasonable opinion on it. However, it seems significant that these two conservative Alaska leaders are not only supporting the act, but co-sponsoring it.

Murkowski and Stevens in their Compass article admit that it's going to cost us:

"Alaska's Institute for Social and Economic Research estimates the measure will cost a typical Anchorage household about $173 more for energy in 2030. This is a significant sum for Alaskans, who already pay the highest energy costs in the nation. But it pales in comparison to the potential costs of climate change. A recent ISER study pegs those at more than $6 billion by 2030 -- nearly $9,000 per resident -- just for government infrastructure in Alaska. When it comes to climate change, an ounce of prevention may be worth far more than a pound of cure."

Taxes are probably not a very palatable approach, as demonstrated in the reaction to that suggestion in this forum. The effect of the proposed legislation will be the same in that it would cost us all something, but this upstream approach may be an easier pill to swallow than taxes.

However we do it, we must begin taking some action to put that carbon back in the crust. If we don't our children will pay the price.

Testimony Signed in Blood

2007-09-02T07:55:00.000-08:00

It has become fashionable in the West to deny the deity of Jesus. Many say that Jesus was "a good man", but draw the line at saying that He was the Son of God.

The first disciples of Jesus, on the other hand, attested to His deity with their lives. All but one were martyred confessing faith that Jesus is the Son of God. One was crucified upside down, another on an X, another dragged by horses through Alexandria, another stabbed. Others were beaten to death, stoned, shot with arrows or beheaded. Only one died peacefully.

Men do not give their lives for something they known to be untrue. The disciples knew it to be true, and they "signed their testimony in blood," as Alvin Schmidt put it.

Surely there was a time when His disciples must have wondered. When He was arrested and crucified, the remaining 11 must have been terrified. The New Testament records that "everyone deserted him and fled" and that the disciples locked their doors when they met "for fear of the Jews."

What had happened to the miracles and the Kingdom that Jesus was proclaiming, they must have wondered. But something happened to change their terror into faith that sustained them even to the point of death.

That something was that they met the resurrected Christ.

It is possible even today to meet this same Jesus that the disciples believed in so strongly that they were willing to die for. If we repent of our sins, and ask Him into our lives, He will come. He will speak to us, comfort us, heal us, lead us.

He has for me, and He will for you.

A Fishing Trip to Remember

2007-07-30T08:11:00.000-08:00

I went on an amazing fishing trip over the weekend. Every fishing trip has some delights of its own, but this one was unusually interesting.

We went to the Coghill River, which empties into College Fjord about 32 miles NE of Whittier in Prince William Sound (PWS). At the mouth were loitering a large number of red salmon. Spawning salmon spend some time at the river mouths acclimating to the change from salt to freshwater.

We weren't there at the peak of salmon return to this particular river. Had we been there would have been thousands 0f fish rather than mere hundreds.

But as it was there were plenty of fish, and all the boats nearby were catching fish throughout the day.

At first we didn't quite know how to catch them, but after a few hours, we started seeing how they were moving around the little bay. Schools of them were traversing the bottom (the sonar told us that) and the top (we could see their wakes and fins). I wonder if the ones at the bottom were the least freshwater tolerant and the ones at the top the most tolerant. Freshwater floats on top of the saltwater.

What we eventually figured out to do was watch for the schools of salmon, slowly motor over toward them and cast into them. Sometimes they would take the bait, but other times the large treble hook would just snag the fish (which is legal in PWS saltwater).

What made the trip so interesting was the behavior of the fish as they swam around the top of the bay. Sometimes we would see groups of them swimming by the boat. The beauty of the day and the lack of wind was another real plus. Prince William Sound is a delight on days like this!

We brought 18 fish home -- a real delight for the salmon eaters in our household!

Al Qaeda Gaming the 2008 Presidential Elections?

2007-07-22T21:38:00.000-08:00

I have been speculating how Al-Qaeda might be gaming the upcoming USA Presidential election. Here's how I got to this point.

The purposes of Al-Qaeda apparently are "to establish Islamist states throughout the world, overthrow ‘un-Islamic regimes’, expel US soldiers and Western influence from the Gulf, and capture Jerusalem as a Muslim city," according to a Wikipedia article, quoting the US Defense Department.

Getting US soldiers out of Gulf states cannot be done militarily because of superior might of allied arms. Al Qaeda's only real option is to wear us down so that WE bring our troops home. I suspect at least a two-pronged strategy: first, to kill and maim as many allied troops and innocents in Iraq as possible, and second, to minimize terrorist attacks in the USA. All to the good if it looks as if they are still trying to hurt us in our homeland using second string terrorist cells. But surely they know that another 9/11-type attack would kindle American fury, and seriously set back their aims of expelling the infidels from what they consider to be the lands of Islam.

If this theory is correct, to get the western allies out of the Gulf, Al Qaeda will tune its behaviors in the Gulf and in the USA to maximize the chances of electing an anti-war president. This is the unseen hand I am speculating about. Al Qaeda has shown itself adept in the use of media, and their strategists must be just as carefully tracking the USA election as they are events in Anbar province in Iraq.

I fear that once the allies have gone home, Al Qaeda will turn to the next items on its agenda. Just as before the allies went into Afghanistan and Iraq, that will include attacks here at home, and stepped up terror attacks in Israel and Europe. I fear we will see attacks that make 9/11 look like small change in the jihad.

Electing an "anti war" President, of whatever party, could be just what Al Qaeda wants to advance its agenda.

South Anchorage Murder Signals Need for Stronger Deterrence

2007-06-12T12:16:00.000-08:00

A vicious Sunday night murder in South Anchorage should telegraph Alaskans that stronger deterrent is needed in our framework of laws. A capital punishment statute followed up by swift executions of the guilty would send a strong signal to those who would end the lives of others: murder someone and you will surely die for your crime.

A dozen studies since 2001 have shown again the obvious: capital punishment deters. In three separate reviews of social data, investigators estimated between three and 18 lives would be saved per execution of the guilty. Swift justice amplifies the signal, the studies showed.

It is clear to me that Alaska law worries too much about the guilty, and by our failure to deal decisively with sociopaths we expose the innocent to slaughter, just as happened on Sunday. Legislators: I call on you to seriously consider this issue and to enact a strong and just capital punishment statute to protect the innocent.

New Studies: Death Penalty Deters 3-18 Homicides Per Execution

2007-06-11T08:29:00.000-08:00

Returning the death penalty to active use in the united states is not so much about justly punishing the guilty as it is protecting innocents from slaughter. A recent article on MSNBC News summarized recent findings in social science that demonstrate that executions do in fact deter homicides.

“Science does really draw a conclusion. It did. There is no question about it,” said Naci Mocan, an economics professor at the University of Colorado at Denver. “The conclusion is there is a deterrent effect.”

A 2003 study he co-authored, and a 2006 study that re-examined the data, found that each execution results in five fewer homicides, and commuting a death sentence means five more homicides. “The results are robust, they don’t really go away,” he said. “I oppose the death penalty. But my results show that the death penalty (deters) — what am I going to do, hide them?”

Critics dismiss this and other studies suggesting that methodologies are flawed and populations are too small to draw useful conclusions. However, the academic attack on these studies seem to me to often be merely defending entrenched positions.

It is incomprehensible that society might defend murderers and allow the innocent to perish. Yet by protecting the guilty from swift punishment, we allow others to die because of our fastidiousness.

Let us be clear: no one, not one single person, need ever be put to death again. All that is required is that no one murder or commit other capital crimes. Just...don't....pull....the....trigger.

In my mind, those who strive against the death penalty themselves have the blood of innocents on their hands.

Hooligan fishing

2007-05-31T08:14:00.000-08:00

I have been hooligan (eulachon) fishing a couple of times this week. Hooligan, as they are called in the Pacific northwest are small fish, members of the smelt tribe. The fish I caught were about eight inches.

These fish appear in enormous numbers in late May and early June in some streams, but not others. Most of the run appears to be males, according to what I have read. That was true for me; of the 14 fish I caught, only one was a female.

To fish for hooligan, one stands on the bank or in the water with a dip net and just sweeps until catching the fish. I caught 14 in an hour's work, but when the run is strong 14 fish can come much more quickly. Others were fishing there, too. During the run, there can be dozens of people dipping.

They were tasty little fish. The fourteen we ate were enough for four of us. We'll go back for more!

Disguised Antisemitism?

2007-05-31T06:32:00.000-08:00

The Jerusalem Post reported today that "A day after the British Union of Colleges and Universities (UCU) voted to consider imposing a boycott on Israeli academics, UNISON, the largest labor union in Britain, threatened to impose a boycott of their own on Israeli products."

This is part of an international fabric of such boycotts wrapped in a mantle of solidarity with the cause of the Palestinians. Could that rotten smell be in reality just a less lethal brand of Hitler's antisemitism rising up again?

What a strange reaction this is: constant aggression against the people and nation of Israel -- like rockets raining down on Israeli towns -- and trade unions want to boycott Israel???? Is it possible they meant to boycott the Palestinians and some poor fool just reversed the names by accident?

This reaction by UNISON and others who want to condemn Israel is evil. It is unhelpful to the cause of Mideast peace.

Free Speech Nightmare

2007-05-25T07:05:00.000-08:00

I awoke this morning with a nightmare still fresh in my head. The grief of the confiscation of my Swedish Bible was still fresh.

The gist of the dream was this: my Bible was banned because it contained text that was not approved by the government, even in a language other than English. It had the New Testament in it.

The specific offensive text was that condemning homosexuality. It was deemed hate speech.

When we lived in Sweden in 2003 a mild mannered pastor named Åke Green was arrested by the police for violating the nation’s laws against saying that homosexuality was wrong in a sermon to his small church in Borgholm. Pastor Green did not preach hatred of homosexuals, but condemned the sin – something that Christians have done since the days of the early church. Disciples are called to love people, but to hate sin.

At the time it did not seem so surprising in the overwhelmingly secular nation of Sweden. What is surprising is that we are so close to this today in the United States. Legislation passed the US House of Representatives just a few weeks ago that could have had a similar effect in this country if signed by the President.

President Bush has signaled he will not sign the legislation, but it is certain to come up again, and with a legislature and presidency controlled by the democratic party, it could become law.

We’re not really so far from the scenario in my dream.

Sinner or Saint?

2007-04-08T14:13:00.000-08:00

I am a disciple of Jesus. Am I a sinner or a saint? The answer seems almost obvious, but to hear the talk of other believers one could be led to wonder.

For example, I often hear other disciples say this: “I’m a sinner saved by grace.”

I understand what this little bit of Christianese means: “I am a person who sometimes sins, and the grace of God has saved me through Jesus Christ.” I certainly agree with this, but just because a disciple sins, does that make him a sinner?

Paul called the believers in Rome saints (Rom 1:7). Luke reported that when Peter raised Dorcas from the dead (Acts 9:40-41), “he called the saints and widows, presented her alive.” (KJV). There are many other such usages in the New Testament.

We have become culturally accustomed to using the word “saint” in the sense of some exceptionally holy person. Wikipedia explains:

“Saint is a term used to describe a person who is perceived of being an example of exceptional holiness. It is predominantly used within Christian religions, which have specific usages for the term depending on the denomination involved. The word is derived from the use of the word "hagios" (Greek άγιος meaning "holy" or "holy ones") in the New Testament, where it is used to describe the followers of Jesus of Nazareth.[1]

As Christianity developed, the word "saint" became to be used more commonly to designate specific individuals who were held to be exemplars of the faith, and who were commemorated or venerated as an inspiration to other Christians. Within the Roman Catholic tradition, a formal process of canonization developed for identifying individuals as saints. Within Protestant traditions, "saint" is also used to refer to any born again Christian.”

I suggest that the writers of scripture made no such distinction. From the usages of the word in the New Testament, it is clear that they are referring to believers. While there have been some towering examples of faith in Christ, I and they are alike in that we are both saints.

Well, isn’t this just a trifling matter, a question of semantics?

I don’t think so. It is a matter of identification. I sin; although by the grace of my Master, I sin less today than years ago, and I believe I will sin less in the future as I grow in Him. But I am not a sinner. Sinning is not the trajectory of my life.

My identification is that of a saint.

Spam Costs You Money

2007-03-26T06:17:00.000-08:00

Spam is more than an irritant. It costs you and me money.

I well remember the days when spam was just a sort of meat. It wasn't that great a sort of meat, but it was edible and quick.

Today, most of us think of the unsolicited commercial email (UCE) that increasingly floods our mailboxes. I certainly do. I estimate 95% of the email that enters my system is spam. Other reports suggest 70-90% of total email on the Internet is spam.

Spammers are robbing from us all. They rob us of time and they rob us of money.

Think of the time you waste deleting spam. Even if it is only one minute per day, after a year's time, the spammers have cost six hours of your life.

The money part isn't as obvious, but it is real. Internet Service Providers and others in the Internet industry are working to reduce the level of spam that comes to you. These businesses are employing technicians for the work, and paying them real money. That money comes from somewhere, and in this case, it comes from you and me. This work is paid by increasing ISP rates, or at least rates that do not fall with reduced costs.

We create web marketing solutions for clients. Naturally we want to minimize the spam that comes to them. Recently, I spent most of one work day dealing with a problem that resulted from spam.

There are some solutions to this, but they will require some fundamentally different ways of using email.

First, it would help a huge amount if we just...don't....look. If we purchase products or services from spammers, we're part of the problem. The reason these people continue churning out millions of emails is that people buy their stuff. It may be only one in a million, but it's enough to keep going.

Second, if everyone signed their email with a verifiable signature that would allow anyone to trace a message to its source, I believe spam would slow to a trickle and we would once again own our email boxes.

Until we demand effective steps be taken to stop them, we're going to continue paying small amounts of money to the thieves called spammers.

Marrieds With Children Proportion Shrinking in American Society

2007-03-04T14:12:00.000-09:00

MSNBC News reported recently that "married couples with children now occupy fewer than one in every four households -- a share that has been slashed in half since 1960 and is the lowest ever recorded by the census."

It's an American tragedy unfolding before our eyes. Not only are unmarried couples shunning the institution that will serve them best, most are dooming the children of their union to second-best status. A great weight of social science evidence is piling up that far from liberating Americans, cohabitation provides few of the benefits of marriage at a much higher social cost for both adults and their offspring.

Lest I sound like a pharisee, I'll point out that earlier in my life, I was in a not-so-different situation. Marriage is the best physical thing that ever happened to me.

Not only is this a tragedy, it is acting to widen the divides between social classes. MSNBC again: "As marriage with children becomes an exception rather than the norm, social scientists say it is also becoming the self-selected province of the college-educated and the affluent. The working class and the poor, meanwhile, increasingly steer away from marriage, while living together and bearing children out of wedlock."

Children of married parents do better in school, socially, and economically later in life than the children of unmarried parents.

The sexual revolution has truly shot our society in the foot, and this is just one more part of the infection of that wound. We can do better than this -- we must do better than this if our civilization is to last and prevail against the competitors now gathering strength around us.

We can start by changing our laws and tax structures to make marriage more economically beneficial. In our churches and other social institutions we can work to lift up marriages and come alongside those who are struggling.

Somehow, we must change our culture back again to one that is friendly to life-long marriage. The life of unborn millions in this land depend on making right decisions now.

ND Repeals Anti Cohabitation Statute: Progress?

2007-03-01T18:02:00.000-09:00

North Dakota's legislature recently repealed a statute on the books since statehood that made it a crime for a man and woman to live together without marriage, Time Magazine reported recently.

At first glance, one is tempted to think that progress has been made. How could it be in 21st century America some state or locality could be so benighted as to have such an antique law still on the books.

But social science is demonstrating that our forefathers knew what they were doing in firmly placing such arrangements outside the fences of legitimate society.

Cohabitation hurts people. As I wrote earlier "counter intuitive as it might seem, social science has demonstrated that couples living together before marriage suffer a 50 -100% higher divorce rate when they do marry. And it’s not just higher divorce rates that hurt: as a group those who live together are statistically less equalitarian, more violent, less successful in remarriage after divorce, more depressed, and less caring of children than their married peers, to name a few.

The reality is that while living together may be popular, it most often diminishes rather than enhances quality of life. For the sake of future happiness for millions, this misbegotten approach to relationship belongs in the dustbin of history along with other failed social experiments."

It is in the interests of our civilization to legislate morality. We hear it all the time that "you can't legislate morality," but even the most casual inspections of our national and state laws show that we do it constantly. In this case, North Dakota is taking a step further into moral darkness that will damage its citizens, not free them.

Amazing Grace

2007-02-25T20:37:00.000-09:00

I knew something of the story of William Wilberforce, and the movie, Amazing Grace, made his story all the more moving.

It's a story of a man's passion, and how his unrelenting drive to abolish slavery has changed the West from a civilization that employs slavery to one that abhors it.

While we don't often think of it, slavery still exists even in modern America, where tens of thousands are believed bound by economic bondage, particularly those who have been trafficked into the country.

It's worth seeing.

Be Transformed by the Renewing of your Mind

2007-02-09T07:04:00.000-09:00

Paul of Tarsus wrote "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind....." (Romans 12:2 NIV)

Science has recently learned that renewal of our minds really can transform us. It really is true that what we think determines what we are. Prevailing dogma among neuroscientists until recently had been that brains were hardwired upon reaching adulthood, and that little change was possible. Recent investigation has demonstrated considerably more possibility for change, or neuroplasticity.

In the January 29, 2007 issue of Time magazine, in an article entitled "How the Brain Rewires Itself", Sharon Begley wrote "Mental practice resulted in a similar reorganization" of the brain, Pascual-Leone later wrote. If his results hold for other forms of movement (and there is no reason to think they don't), then mentally practicing a golf swing or a forward pass or a swimming turn could lead to mastery with less physical practice. Even more profound, the discovery showed that mental training had the power to change the physical structure of the brain.

In other words, the brain can actually be transformed, and not just through external stimuli or activity, the transformation can occur through our own mental training, or "renewing of your mind," as Paul put it.

Begley again: "The brain can change as a result of the thoughts we think, as with Pascual-Leone's virtual piano players. This has important implications for health: something as seemingly insubstantial as a thought can affect the very stuff of the brain, altering neuronal connections in a way that can treat mental illness or, perhaps, lead to a greater capacity for empathy and compassion. It may even dial up the supposedly immovable happiness set point."

Here's the take home message: we can train our minds far more than we have thought. If our minds are caught in negative patterns that are self-destructive or that diminish our potential, we can change those patterns by thinking new thoughts. If our desire is to be more like Jesus, we really can be, by training our thinking to be like His.

How do we do this? It has been possible all along, as Paul wrote: "by renewing our minds."

Letting My Soul Catch Up With My Body

2007-01-25T21:07:00.000-09:00

On our return from a quick trip to Louisiana earlier this week, I realized that "my soul had not yet caught up with my body."

If soul consists of mind, will and emotions, it was clear to me that my soul was still down south with family, green grass, and warmer temperatures. Just because I was physically located in south Anchorage does not automatically mean that my soul adjusts right away to that reality.

I don't have a brilliant observation or action plan for this. It's an issue for anyone who travels. I've felt it time and again over the years, but not really understood it.

Perhaps the simple reality is that it...just...takes....time.

Jesus With Skin On

2006-12-30T20:50:00.000-09:00

Linda says sometimes we just need "Jesus with skin on." What she means is that there is a time when we need divine comfort and that comes best through those who love us in some measure as Jesus did.

There was a time when Jesus had skin. It's the familiar story of the Gospels, the beginning of which is perhaps most often told in Luke's Gospel.

A recent New Line Cinema Release, The Nativity, tells a fictional account of how it could have been for Mary the mother of Jesus and Joseph her husband. It's a very human story of a young woman scarcely older than a child entrusted to birth the Messiah, but still having to bear the shame of unwed motherhood and still having to navigate the perils of Israel under Roman and Herodian rule.

It's worth seeing.

You Have Never Talked With A Mere Mortal

2006-12-19T06:25:00.000-09:00

I was listening to a talk recently when this C.S. Lewis quote came up: "You have never talked with a mere mortal."

Here's the sentence more in context from Lewis' book, the Weight of Glory:

There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. Nations, cultures, arts, civilizations--these are mortal, and their life is to ours as the life of a gnat. But it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub, and exploit--immortal horrors or everlasting splendours.

Lewis' point is that the spiritual beings that inhabit the physical constructs that meet our eyes in the form of our neighbors and friends and enemies and the homeless man on the street are all destined for immortality. Those who follow Jesus have God within and will be glorified just as he was. Those who do not will be everlastingly separated from God.

Since that is so, we cannot treat another human as an object. It gives us a glimpse of the grandeur that God created that is available to all who choose Jesus. And it gives us a glimpse of the unfathomable loss when people do not.

Gifts that really give

2006-12-18T07:36:00.000-09:00

Last year, some church friends gave a goat as a gift. But the Christmas gift recipient didn't get the goat, someone else did.

Most of us wouldn't know exactly what to do with a goat, but the African recipients knew exactly what to do and were greatly blessed by it. The goat not only gives milk, but also kids, and kids can be sold or used to increase the herd. The continent wide AIDS epidemic in Africa has further impoverished millions, and the goat our friends gave will help to succor families hard hit by this epidemic.

Here's how this works: our friends called a Christian organization that is working with African (and other) partners to bring relief and help in many parts of the world. Our friends gave their credit card for a specific gift (the goat) and the organization sent the goat to the Africans and a card describing the gift to the American relative who was the gift "recipient".

Everyone was happy: our friends were pleased because they have given a triple duty gift, their relatives here in America were pleased to be part of this (and probably pleased to NOT have ONE MORE THING laying around the house that they don't use) and the Africans were pleased (probably ecstatic is closer).

So, we have done that this year. I called Global Action, a Colorado Springs-based ministry that works with worldwide partners (one of which is a good friend from Sweden) and we ordered some Bibles for Russian Jews (they have the Star of David on the cover), and a beehive to provide honey that can be sold to provide educational funds for AIDS orphans in Africa.

This is a new idea in our family, so we'll see what kind of reaction we get. But I think I can predict, knowing something about my family. They're going to be dazzled and happy!

There are other organizations doing some of the same. Two that I know about are Samaritan's Purse, run by Billy Graham's son, Franklin; and Oxfam, a UK charity.

So many public lands from one spot

2006-12-07T12:44:00.000-09:00

In the interesting but trivial department comes this claim: it is possible from parts of Minnesota Drive in Anchorage to see from the same spot:

Denali National Park
Lake Clark National Park
Chugach State Park
Chugach National Forest
Kenai National Wildlife Refuge

Is there any other spot in North America where one can see so many important public lands treasures?

The Divine Mark

2006-11-12T20:21:00.000-09:00

Christians know that God in essence is comprised of three persons. The eternal community is Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The concept seems mysterious. How can any being exist in three persons? There is much more that can be said here, but my pondering here is this: is “threeness” a divine mark?

We humans are likewise triune. We are body, soul and spirit. Body is that which is physical and perishable. Soul is mind, will and emotions: intangible, but real nonetheless. If we are born again, it is the Holy Spirit which comprises the third part of our nature.

We could also see the family as triune. A family comprised of husband, wife and children is one unit, but also three entities.

Finally, one could also see the church as triune. Christ is the head of the church, and according to scripture, there is within the church there are leaders and the flock.

So…..is three a divine mark? Is it a pattern that God built into creation?

Before leaving this topic, this made me think of something else. It seems to me that God has created the universe based on patterns, or templates. Suns have planets. Stars cluster in galaxies. People come in basically one size and shape.

Here’s my point: evolutionists maintain that the similar structures, even the similarity of DNA in man and apes is proof of evolution. I suggest, instead, that it is just proof that the Creator makes things according to patterns. The man-like pattern is just one of many patterns that work.

The Revolution That Shot America in the Foot

2006-11-10T21:43:00.000-09:00

The Anchorage Daily News published this in "Compass" on its editorial page on 8 November, 2006 under the title "Sexual Revolution Came at High Cost." This version has been edited slightly and some references added.

The “sexual revolution” has been part of life in American society now for a century, more or less, and it is worth asking ourselves whether this revolution has made our lives better or worse.

I should get to the confession part right away: I was a willing participant in the sexual revolution. Like many in my generation, I was a willing pawn in the struggle to divorce sex from marriage.

But today, I have discovered that the sexual revolution has costs. And today, I find myself on the other side of the barricades. I have become a counterrevolutionary.

The sexual revolution promised low cost sexual access. Changing social mores, effective contraceptives, and abortion on demand provided unprecedented sexual access outside of marriage; access purchased before only at the risk of disgrace, forced matrimony, or responsibility for children. Today, the goal of widely available sexual access unregulated by marriage has largely been attained.

But now that the revolution has matured, we should ask whether it is worth the costs – and whether society can continue to pay its many costs.

One obvious cost is the dramatic rise of sexually transmitted diseases. Today, one in five Americans has an incurable sexually transmitted disease, and one in four is within sight. A large number of these will die early. Others will unwittingly infect healthy partners and innocents. The economic, emotional, and social costs are high.

After decades of wishful words in the popular media, we now find that the group that consistently reports the highest physical and emotional satisfaction from sex is comprised of men and women faithfully married to one another. (See Sex in America: A Definitive Survey p 131). It seems that the reality of the revolution does not match the gild with which its promoters paint it. Decreased pleasure from sexual union outside of marriage is, counter intuitively, a cost of the revolution.

Increased divorce rates are another cost. Most who cohabit and those who engage in extra-marital sex are significantly more likely to divorce. The dissolution of a marriage is expensive to adults economically and emotionally. It is especially so to children -- even for decades after the death of the marriage. It is even expensive to society at large.

There is an economic manipulation cost of the revolution. The acolytes of the revolution play on our sexual desires for their economic gain. Whether they produce pornography or sexually charged films, or sell products with the advertising aid of partially clothed men or women, they enrich themselves at our expense. We readily open our wallets to them as they twitch their strings.

Anthropological studies have concluded that societies regulating sexual freedom within the bounds of marriage have consistently been the most creative and expansive. Conversely, those that allow the greatest sexual freedom decline. These studies suggest that we allow this revolution to continue at the cost of cultural creativity and cohesiveness.

Finally, many of the ills of society today – increased crime, drug abuse, alcoholism, children killed in the womb, homelessness, and more – can be traced in large measure to the breakdown of the American family. And, the breakdown of the family can be linked in large measure to the sexual revolution. While there may be no straight line connection between a specific social ill and the sexual revolution, what thinking person could seriously suggest there is no connection whatever?

While adults continue to pay some of the costs of the sexual revolution, it is America’s children who are paying the highest price for it. Without effective voice, and unable to understand the forces that batter them, they do not cry out. If we could really hear their pain, we would retreat with broken hearts to the morality that our grandfathers understood.

The God of the Old and New Testaments laid out a simple morality that works. Our American society was originally built on it. It protects the weak, builds strong families and provides a joy that soars far above the transitory pleasures and drama of the lifestyle pandered by today’s puppet masters of sexual revolution. The pattern does not call for perfection, only repentance and turning away from sin to follow the God who hears and saves.

I regret my own part in the sexual revolution for a number of reasons. I will say this much: I have come to believe that the sexual revolution has shot us individually and as a society in the foot, and maybe in the gut. It is time for the sexual revolution to end, and the counter revolution to begin.

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A particularly well written and well documented book that covers this and other subjects related to marriage is Why Marriage Matters: Reasons to Believe in Marriage in a Postmodern Society by Glenn T. Stanton.