Book Review: Outlive Your Life

Outlive Your Life: You Were Made to Make A Difference

Ok, I've got one last Booksneeze review to hit you with this week, and then the book reviews will settle down a bit.  I've got schoolwork to do, so I won't be taking on quite as many, although I do have St. Francis left to handle.

On to the book:  First of all, if you're familiar with Max Lucado and his style of writing, you'll find nothing all that different here.  If this is your first pick up of one his books, this is typical of his style.  You've got various illustrations, some from Scripture narrative and some from people's life narratives.  These are backed up with explanations of the principles that are illustrated. 

I find this an excellent teaching technique.  I can see this as being effective when he preaches, though I've never heard him preach or teach.  I can easily see sitting by the fireplace, listening to a patient tutor trying to explain, just one more time, what he's trying to say.

As far as content goes, I can't say as I enjoyed this book.  Seriously, if anyone can claim that, as they sit comfortably at home, with a roof and a light, food in the kitchen, and say they enjoyed this book, they weren't reading.  This book is a challenge to all of us that live comfortable lives, focused on our own good.  We cannot keep living this way, not if we want to acknowledge and reach past our life span.

Lucado puts the fine point to it, especially to those of us that claim to be followers of Christ, that we cannot keep this up.  Our purpose is greater than just to live this life and go on.

Who should read this book?  Everyone.  Every Sunday School member, every church member, every staff member, every pastor, and everyone living smooth, comfortable lifestyles, putting Bibles on a shelf, and patting themselves on the back for their wonderful accomplishments in life.

We're at a crossroads of decision in Western Christianity, and Lucado helps illuminate the decision: put up or shut up.

Well worth the reading.

Doug

 

And on the put up or shut up: 100% of the author's share of income from this book is going, primarily through World Vision, to the cause of fighting poverty and hunger in the name of Christ.

Freedom of Speech, Religion, and Stupidity

Remarkably, we're having to have this blog post today, because this should be self-evident after years and years of dealing with varying degrees of stupid in America.  Yet, somehow, we still feel the need to have uproars over everything.  Here's a summary statement, and then we'll go from there:

The freedom we have in America, freedom of religion and freedom of speech especially, includes the freedom to do and say things that are patently offensive, morally repugnant (if not illegal), completely disagreeable, and inherently stupid.

That means that if Muslims would like to build a mosque and community center at the edge of Ground Zero in Manhattan, whether it's insensitive or not, they have the to do so, because it's their property. 

That means if this pastor in Florida wants to burn Qurans, Talmuds, NIV Bibles, or copies of my book (once it's written), he can.

Look, we've had court cases determine it is legal to burn American Flags.  We've had court cases determine you can't discriminate against building churches.

Whether we like it or not, freedom only exists if it exists for those who are rude and insensitive, who are offensive and disagreeable.

That being said, burning a Quran ranks up there with burning any other book: all you're doing is creating publicity that makes the other side look smarter than you.  We have had conservative Christianity rail against Harry Potter, did it help?  Nope.  Probably would have been better otherwise.

Building a mosque where people don't really want one isn't exactly a flying start for "community dialogue" or whatever the aim is.  You can exercise that freedom, but it will likely backfire on you.  Especially true in New York.  New Yorkers, from all I can tell, don't like to be told what to do or not to do, so I'm curious how long it will take for a hot dog vendor to set up on the public sidewalk by the Park51 building.  How long will he be extended freedom and tolerance to sell pork products?  Just wondering…

As to restricting speech over "this will cause an international backlash and put our troops at risk by offending Muslims:" every ounce of freedom in America is offensive to the Taliban.  From voting to women wearing pants to eating bacon, these folks don't like us.  If it wasn't this, it would be something else, even if it wasn't true.  To restrain free speech, you have to give a better reason than "perhaps there might be trouble."  Our country was founded by people who gathered and made speeches that caused trouble.  Had King George III individual locked up every person who spoke in a way that endangered Redcoats, we'd still sip tea and say "Your Majesty."

Now, I think that we should do everything we can as Americans at home during a war to protect and support our soldiers fighting to secure our freedom, and I think this guy is stupid and wrong for doing this.  However, to bring to bear the weight of the US Government against him to pressure his speech to stop is also wrong.  Do you want the government telling you to shut up because you might cause harm?

As to the question of is burning a Quran the way to show Jesus' love to the world? No, of course not.  That's not this guy's goal.  His goal is to show the world and America how bad he thinks Islam is. 

Finally, and this is as much an internal question for myself, but I think it applies to true Christians at large: with this nut in Florida and the fruitcakes in Kansas at Westboro, you have no more than what, 150 people?  Why do 100 million or more American Christians have to respond to everything these idiots do in the name of Christ?  Given that it's obvious even to the non-Christian world that they are wrong, can we not ignore them, stop giving them publicity, and take away their motivation for this stupidity?

Really, do we see the Pope apologizing for fringe, Pope-ignoring groups that claim to be Catholic?  Heck, the Park51 Mosque/Community Center Imam won't even call Hamas terrorists when they blow up grocery stores in Israel.  Why do we feel the need to insist ordinary Baptists come up with anything to say about this stuff? Westboro, the folks in Florida, all they really want is the publicity.  Quit giving it to them, even in "condemning" them, and they will go away.

Doug

Book Review: The Butterfly Effect

Since I started doing book reviews through Booksneeze, Thomas Nelson Publishing's free books for blog reviews program, I've read some books I would have never considered reading, and I've come to like some authors I've never heard of, or would have never heard of.
Some of which I really like.  One of those is Andy Andrews.  What was then the Thomas Nelson Publishers Book Review Bloggers program (and is now Booksneeze, a little icky sounding but easier to type!) offered his book The Noticer and I requested it, read it, and loved it.  Since then, I've read his books The Traveler's Gift, The Lost Choice, and Island of Saints. (I then posted a review when that was re-released as The Heart Mender).
I've given each of those books as gifts to others, including last year's graduates at the church I was pastoring.  My hope is they'll grasp the idea behind The Traveler's Gift and take ownership of their lives and change the world.  The Lost Choice was given to a young lady who was showing a tendency to drift rather than choose, and one copy of The Heart Mender was given to a dear friend who I hope will continue to allow forgiveness to help her grow forward in life.
So, you see, I'm responsible for any changes the world sees through these people, because I gave them the book, right?
Or maybe Andy Andrews gets credit for writing the books.  Perhaps credit goes to Michael Hyatt for being the CEO that suggested the blog review program.  Maybe it goes to Lindsey Nobles for doing the actual work of making it happen!
And so on, and so on….Actions have consequences.  Good ones and bad ones.  This is the point of Andy Andrews' little book The Butterfly Effect.  It's not big, it's not long, and it's not new.  If you've read The Traveler's Gift and The Lost Choice, you've read more details of the history given in this book than you'll see in this book.
Don't let it stop you from reading this, though.  In fact, don't let it stop you, if you have the resources, from buying a box and handing them out to groups of people that think they don't matter.  Use this book to challenge people that they do matter, and what they do matters.
Now, we could haggle out the issues of theology and causation all day long with this book.  I will say this: For me, as a Christian, the only book completely accurately reflecting theology is the Bible.  Nothing else will accurately give the whole picture, and I shouldn't expect it to.  Andrews doesn't stop and give credit to how it was God at work in the lives of Chamberlain or Borlaug.  He talks about their actions.
This is how it should be.  We cannot be responsible for the actions of others, even the Almighty, unless we know our actions will provoke a specific result.  We are responsible for our own actions, and Andrews is striving to challenge us to go ahead and act.
In all, this is worth the read, and worth the giving.  It will probably go out from my shelf and sit where someone can just pick it up and peruse it when they've got a few minutes.  Hopefully, that flap of the wing will be a good change…

Doug

I've also noticed several reviews decrying the shortness and "gift-book" style format.  While it's legitimate to dislike the style genre of "gift-books" keep in mind: this book is marketed as one.  It's not meant to be a long read, it's meant to be a short inspirational moment.  That's the apparent purpose, and it fills that purpose.

Prepared for the days….the OBU Blogabout

I nearly forgot that I was committed to something on this blog today.  What is that something, if you may ask?

It was to say a little about where I went to college.  You see, today is Founders' Day for Ouachita Baptist University, where I went, and graduated from, about 10 years ago.

So, what should I say about Ouachita?  Well, first of all: "Wash-it-aw," ok? Not "O-u-a-cheet-ah" or any other strange pronunciation.  Got it?  Good.  There's a few other observation to make, so I'll compile them as a list:

1.  There is another school that claims to be "OBU" and it's in Oklahoma.  However, the internet directs www.obu.edu to Ouachita.  As clearly as the ending to Miracle on 34th Street, where the Post Office clearly identifies Santa Claus, so the Internet identifies OBU as a school located in Arkadelphia, Arkansas.  The other is clearly OKBU.

2.  One of the best things about being an OBU Alum in Arkansas is that we wear Purple and Gold and shout "GO TIGERS" and it has no bearing on our feeling towards the Razorbacks.  People do look at my Tigers hat funny, though, until they see the big "OBU" on it.

3.  OBU, as a college, actually doesn't have that many buildings.  Sure, there are a lot of names on 1 building, but if you know your way, Lile, McLellan, the Evans Student Center, and Mabee Fine Arts buildings are actually connected, so that's just one big building.  I still think there are tunnels connecting the rest, but I never found my way.

4.  OBU, and this may be true of other schools, but I don't know, is a great shared experience, and fellow alumni are more like distant relations than strangers.  We went to OBU Night with the Arkansas Travelers, and the general greetings involved an exchange of names and graduation years.  Beyond that, there was a mutual bond that you felt.  Odd, though, is that I don't really remember that going to school, but I see it, and feel it now as an alum.  I feel it in the jealousy that a fellow alum here in Almyra has for my OBU license tag (I have an actual OBU tag, the extra cost above the Arkansas State Tag Fee goes to the scholarship fund), because you can't get them, apparently, in Arkansas County. 

We share a special place in our memories, and have room at the table in our hearts for each other for sharing it.  Did we save the world from there?  No, but for many of us, OBU was the place where the world was saved for us.  It was the place where we learned that our faith in Christ and academic excellence weren't contradictions, but rather two ideas that reinforced, even demanded each other.  We learned to interact with people, whether they were very different, like my summer roommate from Kazakhstan (whose dad ran a vodka factory), or very similar, like Frank, who I went to high school with (who, finally, thanks to OBU and the US Army, graduated from OBU, having finished while deployed to Iraq).  We learned to deal with each other's bad days and good days.  We learned, sometimes painfully, sometimes joyfully, that both actions and ideas have consequences.  We saw that other people sacrificed for us to gain knowledge and experience, and we learned to treasure the wisdom we saw.  We also knew we had to commit ourselves to sacrifice for the good of others.  It truly was the preparation for the days ahead.

5.  OBU will always be special because it's where God used to connect me with my wife.  I went to OBU on a scholarship, stayed there when my parents moved from Arkansas to Georgia, and, in the process, met many people.  One of them was a year ahead of me, and she was a Missionary's Kid at OBU because, at the time, OBU had a financial aid package that covered 100% of MK tuition, room, and board.  So, here were two people at a college neither could afford, thanks to the generosity of others.  One day, after 3 years of passing acquaintance, same church attendance, and a few false starts (on my part), we came to realize our path from OBU led the same way, and that we should walk in it together.  So, for 12 years now, we've been together. 

We've just recently started being able to go back for OBU activities like Homecoming, and I've been at the OBU Pastor's Conference the past two years (probably miss this year's, but that's ok).  The grounds have changed.  A lot.  Some of the faculty have changed.  Dr. Vang went to Florida.  Dr. Buckelew went to eternity.  Dr. Westmoreland went to Samford (nice place, I was there last summer).  Walt (from the cafeteria that's been bulldozed) went to eternity as well.  The students sure look younger than they once did, and the football team seems better than it was.

Yet Ouachita is still a place of preparation, and a place dear to my heart.  My retirement plan is to someday, after completing an advanced degree to qualify for it, to find my way to an office in Verser, in the Speech Department, and live out my days helping students.  Helping them overcome their fears and anxieties, their pride and their stubbornness, and help them to become who they were created to be.

Each year I'm gone, I realize what a treasure my OBU days were.  I hope that others will find their way to OBU.  It's not a bubble or a cocoon, but it's a place where preparation for the days ahead are there for you.

 

Doug

Sunday September 5 Sermon Outlines

For those of you who have tried to read through my sermon outlines before and been frustrated by the audio player, I'm going to try something else.  There will be a direct link to the audio file that you can click to open in your browser or right-click it and download it. 

Audio link here for Sunday Morning Sermon here:  http://www.fileden.com/files/2010/8/17/2944457/John%20c1v1%20pt%201%20Sept%205%20AM.mp3

Sunday Morning Outline:

Text: John 1:1

Theme: Beginnings

Date: September 5 2010 AM

Location: FBC Almyra, AR

Book Title: The Gospel According to John:

Notice that a man is explaining, but the Gospel is a static idea. The idea in the titling (yes, added later) is that this John's viewpoint on the unchanging Gospel.

I. John: tradition establishes John the Apostle as the author. There is no sound reason to abandon that tradition. We'll see continuing evidences as we work through John in coming weeks.

1. In the beginning

   1. In his first phrase, John uses a phrase that will gain the attention of both the Jew and the Greek

      1. Realize that, at the time, you were really dealing with only 2 divisions of people: Jews and Gentiles (or Greeks)

      2. Most societies over the ages have viewed the world that simply: “One of us” or “NOT one of us”

   2. With “In the beginning” John addresses:

      1. The Jewish Reader: In the beginning is not just how the 1^st book of the Torah begins, it's the title: “B^erē'shiḥ”

      2. The Greek Reader; “Archē” (beginning) represented whatever was there at the start of creation/existence. It was actually a frequent debate: “What was first?” (kind of like the chicken or the egg discussion.)

      3. So, John sets out to parallel the Creation account for the Jew, and answer one of the questions of existence for the Greek

   3. We are seeing an explanation of “pre-existence”: before humanly measurable, there is the Word and God, together

2. So, what's there? What's the beginning? The Word.

   1. The Word: But not “a word”: The description here shows that “The Word” is special, unique: “The Word”

   2. The Word: But not alone: with God. Not an ideal or a principle that simply exists, but capable of relationship

   3. The Word: But not apart: was God: Not to be confused with other ideas, John points out that the Word is both with God and God. This is important

3. Why does this matter?

   1. We should know:

      1. God has always been there

         1. Philosophies change and change

         2. Science comes up with new and different ideas

      2. God has always planned on the Cross

         1. Adam and Eve didn't sneak one in on Him

         2. Our Creator knew the price of Creation would be the Cross

   2. We should do:

      1. Trust God's Word:

         1. The changes of time do not erase the stability of the Timeless

         2. Accept His understanding of us: sinners in need of a savior, weak in need of strength

      2. Learn to explain God's Word His way:

         1. Understand other viewpoints but be committed to showing what you are FOR more than what you are AGAINST

         2. Hold the Word in ourselves to be ready to share it

 

Sunday Evening Audio link:  http://www.fileden.com/files/2010/8/17/2944457/Psalm%20119%20Aleph%20Sept%205%20PM.mp3

Text: Psalm 119:1-8

Theme: Blessedness

Date: September 5 PM

Location: FBC Almyra

1. Text: Psalm 119:1-8

2. Authorship: A. Nonny Moose

3. Structure: Acrostic Poem

4. Content

   1. Blessed: Happy, but not the fluff happiness of the world

   2. Way: habit of behavior

   3. Blameless: complete in honoring the Lord God.

   4. Seek with all our heart: not partially obedient

   5. Aspects of the Word

      1. Law---usually singular: refers to the whole of the counsel of God

      2. Testimony---refers to the prior actions and works of God

      3. Precept---refers to the principles God has given

      4. Statute---refers to general rules for living together

      5. Commandment---refers to specific actions for individuals

   6. Judgment: Righteous: not ever wrong

   7. Request for mercy

5. Response:

   1. Determine our goal:

      1. Should be blessedness

      2. Should be unashamed standing before God

   2. Determine the path:

      1. Know the Law

      2. Follow the Law

      3. Summarize:

         1. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind (Matthew 22:36)

         2. Love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:39)

      4. How to follow?

         1. Commit all we have to God

         2. Do we love our neighbor as ourselves?

            1. Are we going to eternal punishment?

            2. Is our neighbor? Do we not love them enough to tell them?

            3. Do we recognize, as taught in Luke 10:30-37 (Good Samaritan)

   3. Determine to be grateful:

      1. Thankfulness of heart:

         1. at the decisions of God

         2. at the righteousness of God

2 Peter 3:3-6

3 knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. 4 They will say, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.” 5 For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God, 6 and that by means of these the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished.

2 Peter 3:3-6 (ESV)

 

Ok, we recently took a look at verses 1 and 2, and now let's go on to these 4.  Here we see a few things to be aware of:

1.  Scoffers will come and scoff.  NASB has mockers and mock, but either way it's the same basic meaning: people will come and say mean things.  In fact, they'll say mean things with the explicit intention of hurting your feelings.  Guess what?  You will not stop them, and you should expect them.  These folks are following their own desires.

2.  These scoffers will come at your most preciously held ideas.  For the early church, I think that the most encouraging thing they held to was the Return of Christ.  I would be inclined to believe that when the Church is truly persecuted, the hope of heaven is a major highpoint in their theology.  (side note: easy Christianity like we have in America leads to nonsense like prosperity preachers.  More on that elsewhere.)  So, where do the scoffers in Peter's day attack? Right on the hope of eternity.  Right on the hope that God will come in mercy and justice.  Where is the day?

Likewise we see today that scoffers and mockers come after God's people: "Where's God in this tragedy?"  "Where's God when this happens?" "Where was God on 9/11 or in Katrina or during your heart attack or your bankruptcy?"  "Where was God when your pastor failed or sinned or treated you sinfully?"

Guess what?  These people aren't really looking for answers.  Some of them might listen, and might be moved by the answers, but they're mainly trying to derail you.  Provide an answer based on your faith, and move on.  Don't argue, and don't wallow in it.

Notice this also: they fail to notice contrary evidence.  Now, we have to be careful to avoid the same thing, and cannot cavalierly dismiss legitimate questions or doubts, but many who attack people of faith have no interest in evidence.  They want argument, they want bickering, but they don't want debate and evidence.

So, don't be shocked when mockers come.  Don't be shocked when they miss your point.  But don't let them derail you.  Challenge, yes.  Help you to grow, yes.  Just don't let their failure to notice the hand of God in the world cause you to miss Him.

Doug

2 Peter 3:1-2

The Day of the Lord Will Come

3:1 This is now the second letter that I am writing to you, beloved. In both of them I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder, 2 that you should remember the predictions of the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles,

2 Peter 3:1-2 (ESV)

Ok, I'm back.  Hopefully for good.  I've got some book reviews to drop on you in the next few weeks, and I feel like you should get some more original content and not just book commercials.  I'll try to get a post updating you on life here in a day or two, but for now, I wanted to share a few thoughts from the above verses in 2 Peter.

Peter here shares that he's writing to stir up his audience.  He wants them not just to learn, not just to sit and listen, but to respond.  Now, to be stirred up can be good and it can be, well, not-so-good.  Consider this:

1.  Stirred up hornets: not-so-good.  They are agitated and vicious.  I'm sure Peter sometimes stirred up people like hornets get stirred.  Now, if the hornets need to be moved, it's a necessary not-so-good.

2.  Stirred up chocolate milk: good. Otherwise, you have powdered NesQuik on the bottom, and weak flavor throughout.  Sometimes, we need stirred to blend in the things that have been added, to put them to good use.

3.  Stirred up casseroles: not-so-good.  If it's supposed to have layers, and you stir it, you can mix what shouldn't be mixed.  It's not totally destructive, but it can cause a few problems.  Of course, in the end, you can't eat it without mixing it, so you're going to stir it some.  Just realize, stirred might be practical, but it isn't pretty.

4.  Stirred up rice: good.  If you don't stir it, it sticks, the bottom burns, and the whole thing is wasted.  Guess what?  Sometimes we need stirred so that we don't burn on part of us and waste everything.  Same thing holds with a church as a group.

Now, that's some thoughts on stirring things up.  Two other things to consider:

Peter refers to the readers' sincere mind.  He doesn't seek to create waffle-minded folks.  He's not out for flimsy efforts.  He's out for a mind, a will, that is sincere, resolute, committed to the task.  That is what he wants stirred up.  Let's stir up sincerity and commitment in ourselves.

The other is that he is writing by way of reminder.  This is something that I need to keep on my daily list.  I'm not supposed to be creating new as a preacher so much as finding ways to help people remember what God has said.  It's important.  Why?  Because life isn't really about reminders.  I have an application on my Blackberry that serves to remind me what I need to get at Wal-mart.  I use it, it helps.  Do I celebrate the reminder program? Not really, I celebrate what it helps me remember: the things Ann wants me to get.  It strengthens my relationship, which is what matters.

The same way, I want to preach, write, teach, and live so as to be a reminder of who Jesus Christ is.  I want to stir up the will of people to be sincere in their following of Christ, and then fade, knowing their focus is on Him.

 

Doug