What is it Worth?

There’s something surprising about those gifts you gave this holiday season that you may not realize. According to an article which recently appeared on the “Lifehacker” blog, recipients of gifts actually have a tendency to under value things given to them. Sometimes perceived value can be lower by as much as 18% less than the retail value of the item. In fact, the study states that among at least 42% of people, one gift item given to them is left unopened (past the gift wrapping)!

This all reminds me of something that I learned from my parents’ picture framing business. I can remember my mom telling me that the customers who she gave deals to didn’t always seem to appreciate their items as much as people who paid a lot for their service. It just seems as though, in the human mind, things that we don’t pay for are cheaper to us. There’s a disconnect between the actual value, and the perceived value, often to the negative.

I can’t help but think this is very much the case when it comes to God’s Son (John 3:16). God gave Him because of his love for us, but unfortunately Christ is devalued in the minds of many, either because they don’t see a need for Him, or they have something else to replace Him with. He’s just not that valuable to them.

Likewise, many denominational preachers teach about grace in such a way as to cheapen it. When people aren’t really compelled to do anything to receive it, and when they don’t think that once they have it they can lose it (see Galatians 5:4), it turns into a knick knack on a shelf. You know it’s there. Someone gave it to you. But if it fell off the shelf, would it really matter to you?

So many also cheapen the church. The belief still prevails among many that “I don’t have to go to church to worship God.” It doesn’t matter to them what “church” is, does, or who’s a part of it. That’s sad, because it was part of Christ’s purpose in coming (Matthew 16:18-19), it was also part of God’s eternal purpose (Ephesians 3:10-11), and Christ paid the highest price a man could ever pay for anything: His blood (Acts 20:28). Too bad that some people put a higher value on the other things they are so busy with besides one that the Son of God valued greatly.

I could go on and on down the list of things that we devalue, or take for granted. I think it all comes down to that disparity in our minds between things given to us, and things we work for. Maybe that’s why the middle part of Ephesians 2:8 is so important:

(8)  For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,

The first part is God’s part. The “through faith” part is man’s part. It’s interesting that faith is related to “works” in James 2:26:

(26)  For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

If it weren’t for God’s grace to begin with, we wouldn’t even have a chance. That much needs to be clear. Still, there seems to be a sense in which God wants us to have some understanding of the value of what we’ve been given. We have to do a little for it.

In John 6, Jesus is asked “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God.” The next phrase is His response:

(29)  Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent."

Jesus didn’t scold them and throw up his hands in the air saying, “No works, no works!” He said believe. If we believe, and likewise trust God, then we are compelled to obey. It’s about this time that we have to make a value determination. Paul made that determination, and it drove him to count all things as loss for Christ (Philippians 3:7-8). That gave Christ value to Paul. Do you want to value Christ more? Think about what you have given up, or need to give up, for His sake. Very quickly you will begin to realize at least a fraction of Christ’s value, considering what he gave for you!

When you are weighing out the value of things in your life, between the things you’ve “earned” and the things you’ve been given, I sincerely hope that you will take a moment to examine the value of your Savior to you. Is your life a reflection of the true value, or only the perceived value?

~Daniel Howell

Tech Tip Tuesday - Video School

No video today, but I wanted to share a place that you can go to find out all kinds of information for making your videos better: Vimeo Video School.

The best I can tell, it is a compilation of teaching videos from various users, as well as some that were put together by Vimeo staff.

There are a few options for users of different levels. In any of the categories, videos can be sorted by level of difficulty. For the beginner, check out “Video 101” for lots of tips to help you get started.

For more “advanced” users, be sure to check out the Featured Lessons.

If you are looking for something specific, look along the right side of the page and you will find a list of categories that you can browse topics such as editing, lighting, and gear.

In all, you should be able to find some really useful information there. Best of all, it’s completely free! Be sure to check it out!

For more information, go to the Vimeo FAQ.

~Daniel Howell

It’s a Boy! (But It’s Not Mine!)

For those of you who know me, or who have read a few posts back on my blog, you know that my wife and I are expecting our first child. You also know that we were due for our “big” ultrasound a week ago today. You also probably know that we didn’t find out the gender of our baby on that particular day.

You would think that with all of the technology available today that we could determine with relative certainty the gender of a child. After all, we can peer into the deepest recesses of the atom. Why can’t I know whether I’m having a boy or a girl?

This desire is nothing new. There are all kinds of “old wives’ tales” which exist to try to determine gender. Look at some of these tales from Pregnancy.org:

• Hang a gold pendant (preferably one the mother wears often) over the palm of the mother’s hand. If the pendant moves in a circular motion, it will be a girl. If it swings back and forth, a boy is on the way.


• If you carry the baby out front (others can’t see your pregnancy from behind) then you will have a boy. If others can tell that you are pregnant when looking at you from behind, then you will have a girl.


• If young boys (pre-school age) show interest in you while you're pregnant, it will be a girl. If they ignore you, expect a boy [Just a little creepy, if you ask me, D.H.].

There were some downright odd methods used in days past to attempt to predict the gender of an unborn child. It makes me wonder about people from Bible times, and if they ever had the same feelings I’ve been experiencing in just wanting to know!

This all brings me to Matthew 1:21, and another expectant “dad.” In the previous verses, we read that an angel of the Lord appears to Joseph in a dream and says the following:

(21)  And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins.

Of course the obvious significance of this is that Joseph is told that his “step-child” would save his people from his sins. But did you catch the first part?

“And she will bring forth a Son,”

Keep in mind that this happened during a time in which there were no ultrasounds. The best that anyone could do was to follow “old wives’ tales” to determine gender. There was no way of knowing the gender of a baby until its birth. But, it was important that not just a child was born, but that it was a son!

Read a few verses down into the text, and you come across what the prophet Isaiah wrote concerning the Savior:

Matthew 1:22-23 NKJV
(22)  So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying:
(23)  "BEHOLD, THE VIRGIN SHALL BE WITH CHILD, AND BEAR A SON, AND THEY SHALL CALL HIS NAME IMMANUEL," which is translated, "God with us."

This gender was known well before the child came into the world. What seems like a “given” to many in our society was likely truly amazing to them. Imagine what might have gone through Joseph and Mary’s minds when sure enough, a little baby boy was born to them! Again, think about this in the context of the day: There was no other way besides birth to know!

This only goes to add another element of divine action to this account. He wasn’t just any child who happened to be born a boy, and then was made the Christ. It’s important to realize that Joseph and Mary knew in advance not only what, but who they were expecting – the Messiah!

Stop and think about that the next time you ask an expectant parent, “Do you know what you’re having?”

~Daniel Howell

Don’t Forget About Sunday…

Just in case you read this later (maybe during July), I’m writing this on Christmas Eve, 2010.

Don’t forget about Aunt Grace and Uncle Lester. You drew their names to give gifts to this year. Don’t forget about coconut to go on top of the dessert that you’re making. Don’t forget to put the ham in the oven in plenty of time for the guests who will be arriving! Don’t forget to say “thank you” for any gifts you are given (no matter how strange they may be). Don’t forget your manners!

Don’t forget that it’s a good idea to take a trash bag along with you into the den on Christmas Day, so you can put the wrapping paper into it as you open gifts. But before that, don’t forget to check what’s actually in the box before you wrap it and label it. I’ve opened up women’s clothing before (as a man)… awkward.

Don’t forget to check the oil and put air in the tires of your car before you load up for that long trip. Don’t forget to slow down a little with family and friends over the next few days. Don’t forget to give plenty of hugs, and say “I love you.”

But most of all, don’t forget Sunday…

Although it seems there is constant debate in the church about what to do with Christmas, religiously speaking, don’t let it overshadow the fact that every first day of the week we are to come together to worship God. While preachers this week will toss and turn in bed, and possibly be distracted during worship wondering whether or not they should or should not be preaching about Christmas “myths”, don’t let that overshadow your worship to God.

The truth of the matter is this: We come together every first day of the week (Acts 20:7) to remember Christ as one of our acts of worship. It is the only memorial celebration that Jesus ever instituted (Matthew 26:26-29) of his life, and more specifically, his death.

While many in the greater realm of Christendom may take tomorrow to celebrate Jesus’s birth, realize that the Christian who is worshipping God properly has already remembered Christ 51 times this year! How? In 1 Corinthians 11:26 Paul writes the following:

For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till He comes

Did you realize that in order to proclaim his death, you must also inadvertently recognize his life? How can a dead man die? He can’t. Thus, his life is remembered, but how did he come to live? He must have been born! And thus, the properly worshipping Christian in a sense recognizes Christ for who he is, including the particulars of his birth, every single Sunday!

But that’s not all. You see, his death, and likewise his resurrection are present in that remembrance as well. Note the importance of the following:

1 Corinthians 15:14 NKJV
(14)  And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty.

The fact that he is coming again is also there! There’s so much more than just his birth that is exciting about Christ!

Don’t let questions about the season hinder your proper worship of God on Sunday. Don’t let the distractions of the season keep you from doing what you know God really wants this week (John 4:23-24).

Don’t forget about Sunday… or next Sunday… or the Sunday after…

~Daniel Howell

The Anonymous Giver

It’s happened every year around this time since I’ve been in Sweetwater. Someone will leave bags and boxes of things at our front doors. Whoever was doing it wasn’t leaving any identification behind, either.

Last year the items left behind ranged from blankets, to coats, and even a bread maker! At least two or three days out of the winter I would come to the building and have to haul a load of stuff into the building. Only once was a note left which simply read, “Give this to someone who needs it.”

Several times I had wondered who this unidentified do-gooder was. Last week I finally got a chance to meet the person. As I was sitting in my office preparing for a lesson, I saw someone go walking past my window. I jumped up, headed for the glass doors at the front of the building to meet them. When I walked up to the doors they were already gone, but I looked down and saw another bag. I knew instantly that it had to be the same person who had left so many other things behind.

I quickly opened the door and stuck my head out, looking down the sidewalk. She was walking briskly toward her car. I called out, “Hey, how are you doing?” Her head snapped around, and she paused, as if wondering whether or not she should talk to me. I really don’t think she wanted anyone to know who she was. She just wanted to do her good and be left alone. Finally she smiled, and started walking back in my direction.

She confirmed to me that she was the one who had been anonymously dropping things off on our doorstep. After a few minutes of talking to her I realized that the reason she brought the items to our doorstep was because she wanted to make sure that they were given to someone, and not sold. She explained that she had looked into various charities, but it seems a lot of them were selling things to people, instead of giving them. She thought the best way to make sure they made it to people who were in need was to give them to the church.

Now granted she probably didn’t distinguish between us and the denominations down the road, but came to us because we were closer. In case you’re wondering, I did get her contact information and hope to be able to set up a time to talk and study with her. What struck me about this woman, though, was her concept of benevolence. We often talk to people in the community approaching us from the “give-me” perspective of benevolence, but how often do you meet someone outside the church (or any “church” for that matter) who has the “let-me-give” perspective of benevolence?

Think about helping. What should it mean to Christians? How helpful toward those in need have you been lately? Maybe you’ve been very helpful, or maybe you have been selfish. Maybe the congregation you attend has done much to help the community around it, or maybe it hasn’t. I’m not trying to indict you of anything, but is your conscience?

A few passages for you to consider:

Proverbs 3:27-28 NKJV
(27)  Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, When it is in the power of your hand to do so.
(28)  Do not say to your neighbor, "Go, and come back, And tomorrow I will give it," When you have it with you.

James 2:14-18 NKJV
(14)  What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him?
(15)  If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food,
(16)  and one of you says to them, "Depart in peace, be warmed and filled," but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit?
(17)  Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
(18)  But someone will say, "You have faith, and I have works." Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.

Luke 6:35 NKJV
(35)  But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil.

Galatians 6:10 NKJV
(10)  Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.

Matthew 6:1-4 NKJV
(1)  "Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven.
(2)  Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.
(3)  But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,
(4)  that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.

Matthew 5:16 NKJV
(16)  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

Since we are certainly in a season where much of the rest of the world focuses on giving and “good-will toward all mankind,” will you stop and think about what that means to the Christian? As you are giving and receiving gifts, will you consider the blessings you have, and how you might be able to bless others?

~Daniel Howell

Tech Tip Tuesday–Webcam Production 3

Today’s T3 deals with posting video – where can you put it to get it to the masses? What services are out there? Should I tag my videos?

White Coat Syndrome

Do you have White Coat Syndrome? I think I do. What is WCS, you ask? Well, it’s difficult to explain. WCS manifests itself as nervous motions, high blood pressure, and paranoia. Thankfully, this is not a disease that affects me all of the time. It only affects me when I walk into a doctor’s office.

Now let me clarify for a moment: I am in no way seriously ill. Some actually do suffer from iatrophobia, which is the fear of doctors. I do get a little nervous, but I’m not debilitated (although it may feel that way).

Why do I bother to mention any of this? Well, if I was nervous going to the doctor before, I’m definitely nervous going to the doctor now with my expectant wife. Every time we go I can’t help but worry a little about what might be found.

This is especially true today. We are going to have the “big” medical ultrasound done, you know, the one where they measure all of the internal organs, check for extremities and gender. I’m just praying that everything is there that needs to be there and nothing that shouldn’t be is.

I started thinking, though… what if?

What if our baby doesn’t have arms?

What if our baby’s heart is under or over sized?

What if?

To say that having a child on the way changes your prayer life is an understatement. I’ve been praying for things lately that I never imagined that I ever would. But what if things don’t turn out the way that I want them to? Will I blame God? Will we take matters into our own hands?

There’s one verse that stands out to me from Daniel 3. In verse 17, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah (you would know them better as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego) affirm that God has the power to deliver them from the furnace. Look at the trust in verse 18, though:

(18)  But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up."

But if not…

They went forward in faith, but with the understanding that for reasons which they may not understand, despite having the power, God may not deliver them from the furnace. But, even if they perished in the furnace, they realized they were making a statement to Nebuchadnezzar and all the Chaldeans. They were going to trust the God of Heaven above all else.

My wife told me about a woman who had a strong impression on her young mind some years ago. My wife had some young, “enlightened” friends who were discussing abortion with a friend’s mother. This woman was vehemently, and correctly, opposed to abortion. The young girls thought they had her trapped with this question:

“What if the baby is threatening your life, won’t you abort it?”

They were sure she’d answer yes. To their surprise, she answered, “No.” That has stuck with my wife for all of her life. Consistency.

Psalms 36:5-9 NKJV
(5)  Your mercy, O LORD, is in the heavens; Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.
(6)  Your righteousness is like the great mountains; Your judgments are a great deep; O LORD, You preserve man and beast.
(7)  How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God! Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Your wings.
(8)  They are abundantly satisfied with the fullness of Your house, And You give them drink from the river of Your pleasures.
(9)  For with You is the fountain of life; In Your light we see light.

~Daniel Howell

P.S. – I wrote this before we went to the doctor this morning. For all those who are curious, we got a good report – the baby even had “praying hands”! We still don’t know definitively yet whether it is a boy or girl. We’ll keep you posted.

“What About the Salvation Army?”–Mark Howell

Friday is guest writer day. Today’s writer is Mark Howell, the preacher for the Midway Church of Christ in Jasper, AL.

It’s that time of year again. The bells are ring-a-linging. You hear them as you enter and when you exit many stores. You know by the big red kettle and the signs that funds are being raised by the Salvation Army. So, the question is, “Do I drop in a little change to help them out or do I pass them up?” More precisely, we would do well to phrase that question in the following way, “Should I, as a New Testament Christian contribute in any way to the work of the Salvation Army?”

Before we go any further, let us acknowledge the fact that as far as helping people with material things, the Salvation Army does many good deeds. In a sense, they are to be admired for their desire to provide for the physical wants and needs of many individuals. Perhaps there are some good lessons we can learn from them in matters like these.  However, we must be willing to acknowledge that one can be full of good deeds and still not be right. Cornelius was a very religious man, “who gave alms generously to the people” (Acts 10:1-2) but he was not in a right relationship with God and as a result lost.  Though he was a devout and charitable man, had he tried to convince anyone that the way to heaven was to do what he was doing he would have led them astray—causing them to be lost just like him.  He needed further instruction concerning God and His plan for saving man, and thankfully when he received it, he obeyed (Acts 10:6, 24-48).

Many fail to realize something about the Salvation Army. Really, the name itself should be the biggest tip-off, but still some do not catch on to the fact that the Salvation Army is a denominational body.  They claim to be in the salvation business. One need only go to the Salvation Army website (www.salvationarmy.org) and there, on the homepage, it is as plain as day. There is a little box with this statement: “The Salvation Army is an evangelical part of the universal Christian Church with its own distinctive governance and practice. Its doctrine follows the mainstream of Christian belief and its articles of faith emphasize God’s saving purposes. ”  The fact of its religious nature only becomes more apparent the further you go.  For example, on the site, go to the “About Us” section and click on “Mission.” There you find this statement, “Its message is based on the Bible. Its ministry is motivated by the love of God. Its mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in His name without discrimination.” And then there is this, under the “Our Faith” tab there is a “Worship” section with the selection, “Adherent Membership,” on which page you will find this, “This certificate confirms that ____ is an Adherent Member of The Salvation Army. An adherent member of The Salvation Army is a person who believes in the Lord Jesus Christ and seeks to follow and be like him; participates in the worship, fellowship, service and support of a local Salvation Army congregation; and identifies with the Army's Mission Statement.”  We could go on and on, but one last thing. On the “FAQ” page the question, “What is the Salvation Army” is answered. The following is the first sentence of that answer, “The Salvation Army is a Christian church which is committed to spreading the good news of Jesus Christ through both word and action.” How much more clear could it be? From their own mouths, the Salvation Army is a denomination! As such, even a cursory review of their actual doctrines reveal they do not teach truth relating to salvation and worship.

Now back to our original question: “Should I, as a New Testament Christian contribute in any way to the work of the Salvation Army?” Please remember that by inspiration John wrote: Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds” (2 John 9-11). New Testament Christians must not in any way participate with or promote any denomination or denominational practice. Sharing in any evil deed, no matter how good it appears on the outside, can, and will, if not repented of, cause us to lose our soul!

So the next time you hear the ring-a-linging, you will want to keep your change and give it where God can and will be glorified. Why not follow the example of Peter who, when he met one asking for donations, said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you...” (Acts 3:1-10). If you want to share something, share the truth of God’s Word concerning salvation with the bell-ringer.

~Mark Howell

Are You Curious?

This past Tuesday, the Barna Group released a new study identifying “Six Mega-Themes” emerging in the greater realm of “Christianity” today. Keep in mind that these are not observations of the church of Christ, but of “Christianity” in the universal sense as the world sees it. What are we to make of the information they have provided? As I look through the six themes, I can’t help but realize that they aren’t “news” to me:

 

1) The “Christian Church” is becoming less theologically literate.

2) Christians are becoming more in-grown and less out-reach oriented.

3) Growing numbers of people are less interested in spiritual principles and more desirous of learning pragmatic solutions for life.

4) Among Christians, interest in participating in community action is escalating.

5) The postmodern insistence on tolerance is winning over the Christian Church.

6) The influence of Christianity on culture and individual lives is largely invisible.

Let me point very quickly toward the first and fifth items on the above list since they are related, and fixing those problems will resolve the other four. Much time could be spent discussing the need for knowledge of God’s Word, but that’s obvious. What can we do to cultivate curiosity of it? What can we do to make people actually want to study and then act on the truth they read? How do we stir up curiosity in the minds of others? I’m curious to know!

Briefly consider the following:

1) Fear – When one has a proper respect for God, and who He is, it leads to knowledge. Stop and consider how powerful and mighty God is! Consider Psalm 66, Jeremiah 32:17-18, and 1 Peter 5:6. Ponder then the ramifications of 2 Corinthians 5:9-11 and Romans 14:10-11. Realize that knowledge begins when one comes to “fear the Lord” (Proverbs 1:7). We must help those around us to realize that there is a God in Heaven, He is all powerful, and He has specific expectations of His creation. People must be educated. We must never over-estimate what those around us know about God, His Word, and how it was delivered to us. We must direct them to understanding (cf. Acts 8:30-31). For the open and honest heart, this knowledge will naturally direct them to…

2) Sorrow – I once heard someone say, after some especially powerful preaching, “Well, I hope he didn’t offend anyone.” I’m sorry, but that’s the wrong attitude. Now we don’t want to hurt people just for the sake of hurting them, but realize that pain is part of growth. Hurt is also part of healing. Reeling with sorrow is part of repenting. Consider 2 Corinthians 7:9-11. Look at the multifaceted reaction the Corinthians had to godly sorrow. Realize that Paul writes this after having written the stinging words we read in 1 Corinthians. If we care about someone, we’ll tell them the truth. If one is willing to make this step, once they’ve dealt with reality, it creates in them…

3) Hunger – When someone fears God and has experienced godly sorrow, it ought to lead them to hunger for something better. In Matthew 5:6, Jesus says, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.” We have to help people realize that there’s more to life than finding pragmatic solutions for filling the hunger they have for earthly success. When Jesus was tempted to give in to the desires of his physical body, he quoted from Deuteronomy 8:3 when he said to Satan “man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word which proceeds from the mouth of God.” While we do need physical bread to live, we need to help people realize that there’s more to life than just the visible. That innate desire that they have, deep down, for something more – it can be filled. They may try to fill it with success or status, but nothing fills it like God does. No one rewards like God does. We don’t live by just the food we eat for our bodies, but there is a spiritual food – the Word of God – which has to be a part of our “diet.” There’s more to life than meets the eye.

“…As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby,” - 1 Peter 2:2 NKJV

~Daniel Howell

P.S. – Feel free to comment. What would you add?

Tech Tip Tuesday–Webcam Production, Part 2

For Part 1 of this series, CLICK HERE.

Tuesday Links:

• Adobe Premiere Elements


• Sony Vegas Movie Studio


• Pinnacle Studio

A Portrait of Commitment

While preachers do enjoy spending time with people, ask any one and he’ll tell you that it’s his love of people that compels him to go to the hospitals and nursing homes, not the surroundings. Walking through the doors to any of those facilities can be downright depressing. Unfortunately the stereotype of nursing homes rings true more often than not. It seems as though the halls are full of people, many whose loved ones left this life long ago leaving them completely alone. Others simply seem to be the ones forgotten by those who should love them. Sadly, most are simply waiting for the perceived peace that only comes from death. Its in the midst of such places that we come face to face with the reality of this life: That it ultimately will end (Hebrews 9:27).
But its also in the midst of these places that we gain perspective: How should a life be lived?

It was on a Sunday afternoon that I got a call. A lady who long ago had been a member at the congregation I was preaching at wanted me to come and visit with her at the nursing home she was in. She had gotten to the point at which she knew she didn’t have much time left. It’s at times like those that people seek comfort from wherever they can find it; often the preacher bears this responsibility.

I prepared myself to go and speak with this woman. When I arrived, I noticed that she was sharing a room with someone else. The dividing curtain was pulled, and my appointment was on the side nearest the door, so out of respect to the other patient’s privacy I didn’t cross beyond the barrier that the curtain created. As I was preparing to leave, and just as I finished praying with the lady I had come to visit, I heard a small, sweet voice from just on the other side of the curtain say, “Can I say Amen to that, too?”

The lady on the other side of the curtain had been listening to us the entire time.

Since a lady from our congregation had come along with me on the visit, I decided to venture over to the far side of the room while she was saying her goodbyes. I cautiously peeked around the edge of the curtain, afraid of what I might find on the other side.

The lady on the other side welcomed me in with a cheery smile. I immediately took stock of my surroundings. I noticed that she had pictures all over the place: framed and hanging on the walls. This was a sign she’d been there for some time. I looked at the table directly in front of her. On it was a large-print King James Version Bible, and strangely, a cup full of dill pickle slices. I noticed that her legs were pointing straight out toward the wall, with her feet being turned in toward each other. I could tell she hadn’t ventured out of the bed by her own power in ages.

It’s then that my eyes ran across a small chair sitting next to the bed. Stuffed into the side of it was a paperback novel, worn from being read. We exchanged pleasantries and then she began to teach me.

I found out that she had been in the nursing home for two years, and that she hadn’t walked for nearly eight. That explains the pictures actually hanging on the walls. This place was her home now. She then tells me that she has been married for sixty-four years. That’s quite an accomplishment in and of itself. The next few things she said will probably stick with me forever.

She proceeded to tell me that her husband sat in that chair. He stayed by her all the time. He had an apartment close by where he would sleep, but he would come back and spend the day with her. Since today was Monday, it was his “Wal-Mart” day. That’s why the chair was empty at the moment.

“I think I saw him drive up a minute ago,” she said, gazing out the window. She had obviously been looking eagerly for his return.“He’ll be here in just a minute!” She seemed almost giddy because of his impending return. Her face then becomes very serious.

“We didn’t take those vows lightly,” she firmly stated, patting the Bible in front of her. “When we said ‘for better or for worse, till death do us part’, we meant it!” Then, despite the frailty of her own situation, she whispers to me, pointing toward the curtain, “I hope that she gets some help soon!” Oh, the lessons to be learned from this woman.

It was at this point that I sincerely hoped that this man was coming back. You never know the true mental state of those who are in places like nursing homes. I hoped (if for nothing else but the beauty of this story) that he really did exist. I was relieved when Mr. James walked through the door.

I think I scared the poor little man.

“So you must be Mr. James,” I said, extending a hand toward him. He seemed a little surprised, but he smiled back and said, “Well, yes I am!”

With Wal-Mart bag in hand, he focused his attention directly on getting back to his wife, his love. As they saw each other again, it was as though they’d been apart for ages; it had only been minutes.

What does it take to have commitment like that? Why do so many marriages today fail? What is the element that we are missing in our relationships?

Loyalty. Commitment. Faithfulness.

Nicholas Sparks could never write a novel as beautiful as the true story of the commitment of Mr. and Mrs. James.

But the fruit of the Spirit is… faithfulness… against such there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23, NKJV

~Daniel Howell

One Word Podcast–CONFLICT

A bit of exciting news - for those of you who listen to The Equip Network, stay tuned in the next few weeks – we’ll be coming to TEN! For now, this is an old episode (it pre-dates Jacob Evans, our regular co-host) with Scott McCown on CONFLICT. We all have conflict in our lives. How do we deal with it?
[audio http://www.sweetwaterchurchofchrist.com/radio/podcast/OW9web.mp3]

By the way, if you haven't read his guest post, check it out here!

We All Have Conflicts - Scott McCown

Friday is "guest blogger" day here on The Practice, and this Friday we have Scott McCown. Be sure to check out his blog, The Morning Drive.

A Word to Practice: TRUST

SELF CONTROL!

And for something hilarious, watch this!

“But the fruit of the Spirit is… self control. Against such there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23, NKJV)

-Daniel

He Had to Get it From Somewhere

I really enjoy reading through the book of Daniel. It’s not just because it’s my namesake! Daniel is one of those books that really makes me think about things like, “How would I have reacted if I had been in his place?” and, “Where did he find the courage to do that?”
I think one of the most powerful verses of the book is from Chapter 1:

But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank; therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.
(Daniel 1:8 NKJV)

You really could stop reading after the first 12 words. Did you notice what Daniel did? He purposed in his heart. His mind was set firmly on the fact that he just wasn’t going to defile himself. But where did that resolute nature come from?

When we look at Daniel’s character (which was well known during his time for being stellar, read Ezekiel 14:14, 20) we see that throughout his life he had a deep and abiding trust in God. Notice what he did in Chapter 2 when possibly facing death simply because he was a “wise man”:

“So the decree went out, and they began killing the wise men; and they sought Daniel and his companions, to kill them… Then Daniel went to his house, and made the decision known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions, that they might seek mercies from the God of heaven concerning this secret, so that Daniel and his companions might not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.
(Daniel 2:13, 17-18 NKJV)

Again, I can’t help but think that the decision to trust and obey God didn’t just materialize from nowhere. Daniel was taught this. Remember that Daniel was a young man when he was taken captive to Babylon (Daniel 1:3-5). His decisions weren’t based upon life experiences. He had to have learned this behavior from somewhere.

Allow me to suggest to you a possibility: his parents. There are several places where we read of direction being given to parents concerning telling their children about God and his commands. For instance, Deuteronomy 6:

"When your son asks you in time to come, saying, 'What is the meaning of the testimonies, the statutes, and the judgments which the LORD our God has commanded you?' then you shall say to your son: 'We were slaves of Pharaoh in Egypt, and the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand; and the LORD showed signs and wonders before our eyes, great and severe, against Egypt, Pharaoh, and all his household. Then He brought us out from there, that He might bring us in, to give us the land of which He swore to our fathers. And the LORD commanded us to observe all these statutes, to fear the LORD our God, for our good always, that He might preserve us alive, as it is this day. Then it will be righteousness for us, if we are careful to observe all these commandments before the LORD our God, as He has commanded us.'
(Deuteronomy 6:20-25 NKJV)

I can almost imagine Daniel’s parents indulging a curious son’s questions about the “why’s” and “how’s” of the Law of Moses. What do you say when your children ask questions about God? Or ask yourself this: Do my children know enough about the Bible and God to even begin to ask questions?

Too often the responsibility of bestowing Bible knowledge is laid solely upon the shoulders of Sunday School teachers. I fear that a generation could be lost simply because of a lack of knowledge of God (cf. Hosea 4:6). It ought not be so! Parents, are you up to the challenge?

~Daniel Howell

Tech Tip Tuesday–Late Edition

Well, I meant to have this up much earlier today, but that didn’t happen. But here it finally is. If you have questions, send them to mdanielhowell@gmail.com.

 

And here’s the video that I had mentioned in my video:

Here are some resources and links:

• A great lighting tutorial at Mediacollege.
  
• Basic umbrella kit at B&H.
  
• Website for Microsoft Webcams.
  
• Website for Logitech Webcams.

Enjoy!

~Daniel Howell

“Results Oriented” Evangelism?

For those who have been around me, it probably didn’t take more than 10 minutes to realize that I’m a “die hard” Alabama Crimson Tide Football fan. I’ve been “faithful” to the team through the lean years and recently into the good years. Of course coming off of a national championship winning season, everyone has high expectations. We all want the same results that we had last season.

Unfortunately, things haven’t quite panned out in 2010 the way they did in 2009. During the press conference after the LSU loss, Coach Saban made some statements that at first sound odd, but the longer one thinks about them, the more sense they make. Consider the following:

“I think that this whole year everyone around us has been concerned with the results that the team gets in comparison to what was accomplished a year ago and I think that that has not been the best thing for the development of this team. I think they have become too result oriented and we have never really developed to be as good of a team as we can be and to be as good of a team as we are capable of [being]. As the coach I’ve always talked about playing to a standard. I’ve always talked about being the best that you can be, and we’re still going to work hard to try to get this team to be just that. I think it will take a commitment on all the players’ part. It’s not about what you can accomplish and what you can’t accomplish, it’s a matter of being able to answer the question: Did I play as well as I can play? Am I as good a player as I can be? Am I the best competitor that I can be? Did I execute and do my job with the discipline that it takes to play winning football?” – Nick Saban

Take a moment and bring this back into the context of evangelism and the church. Of course we want our respective congregations to grow. But do we sometimes do the same thing that Saban speaks of, except in the context of evangelism? Do we sometimes lose sight of the process because we are focusing on results, or the lack thereof?

I’m afraid that sometimes if we aren’t careful we can get “the cart before the horse” when it comes to evangelism. Instead of “plugging away” in reality and doing what we can, we dream about what “could be”, or bask in the “glory days” when such and such congregation was “booming.” Whilst in the throws of these thoughts, we forget about practicality, and just doing.

Want to put something into practice today? Are you up to this challenge? Try taking the time to concentrate on the PROCESS of evangelizing today. When Paul wrote the following statement, he was speaking of being process oriented instead of results oriented.

“I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase.” – 1 Corinthians 3:6

If I read that correctly, it states that Paul and Apollos concerned themselves with the process of doing the best they could. God handled the results. Today, focus on the process! Will you execute today and do your job with the discipline that it takes to win souls?

~Daniel Howell

And the Number Continues to Grow

According to a recently published article on USA Today's website the universe holds far more stars than scientists originally thought. The article, titled "Universe Holds Billions More Stars than Previously Thought", points to recent discoveries of "red dwarf" stars, and how they increase the number of stars that scientists thought were in the universe significantly. From the article, and a quote from Pieter van Dokkum:

"The surprising thing is only now are we getting a handle on a fundamental thing like the number of stars in the sky." Based on a survey of eight nearby elliptical galaxies, he says the universe likely contains at least 100 sextillion stars (that's 100,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 stars for folks who like big numbers), triple previous estimates.

Allow me to translate: "There are a lot more things out there than we really thought there were... and we're still counting."

Ponder this in relation to the following:

"When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have ordained, What is man that You are mindful of him, And the son of man that You visit him?" (Psalms 8:3-4 NKJV)

~Daniel

One Word Podcast - GRATITUDE

What does it take to be grateful for what God has done for us - on a year round basis? Hope you'll take the time to listen!
[audio http://www.sweetwaterchurchofchrist.com/radio/podcast/OW28web.mp3]

Set In Our Ways…

My wife and I have recently started taking real advantage of the Netflix account we've had for a few years. Since we also have a Nintendo Wii [Special thanks to Martha's grandmother! D.H.] we will regularly watch a movie or episode of something available through their instant streaming service. As a side note, this is great for parents, since you can limit the movies and shows displayed to certain content ratings.
At any rate, we've started watching a few of the seasons of Monk that are now available through Netflix. For those of you who have never watched Monk, it is about an ex-detective who had a complete mental breakdown after his wife died. He's no longer officially on the police force, but works for the police as a "consultant." Adrian Monk displays extreme qualities of obsessive compulsiveness, to the point of needing a "wet wipe" after he shakes hands with someone. Needless to say, everything in Mr. Monk's world has to be just like he wants it in order for him to feel comfortable.

In one episode he is called to Mexico to investigate a murder. While in Mexico, the only brand of water he drinks, Sierra Springs Bottled Water, of which he had brought several cases, was stolen. Any normal person would be content with drinking Dasani, or even Nestle bottled water. Not Mr. Monk. He would only drink Sierra Springs water. As a result, during the investigation he suffers from extreme thirst, even to the point of dehydration, just because he won't drink anything else.

It's easy for us to become "set in our ways" sometimes. Sometimes this can be to the positive. Daniel had made it his custom to pray three times a day, and nothing was going to stop him: not even a den of lions (Daniel 6:7-10).

On the other hand, sometimes we refuse to change things that need to be changed, to the detriment of ourselves. This was the case with those who Paul writes about in 2 Corinthians 3:14-16. They had minds that were blinded and hearts that were so hardened that they would never let go of the law of Moses. We can see, though, that when someone sets themselves against Christ in this way and seeks only to follow their own thoughts, desires, ideas, or ways, that the end is only destruction (Philippians 3:18-19).

The Bible certainly teaches us that we need to be aware of and honest with ourselves (2 Corinthians 13:5), and make changes when they need to be made. This is especially the case when it comes to making changes in our lives for the better. How do we do it? We need to look at ourselves in the mirror of God's Word:

For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does. (James 1:23-25 NKJV)

May we always seek to be honest with ourselves about what we see!

~Daniel

“Pray for the Muslim World”

It's been a while since I've written, so now I'm jumping back into the "fray"…

This morning as I was driving my usual route to work, I noticed a sign that must have been up for a few days, but had escaped my prior notice. It's the sign that you see pictured to the right. It simply said, "Pray for the Muslim World."

Now I must admit that at first sight of the sign, I have the beginnings of the reaction that many others likely have. I'm still reeling from the anniversary of 9/11. It makes me angry to think of what this religion teaches and has done in our time. Their god is not the God of love that we read of in 1 John 4:8. Their god is not the God who gave his son to die on a Roman cross for the sins of ALL the world, if they would only just believe and obey. Thankfully for them, though, our God is the God who desires the following:

Luke 6:27-35 NKJV - (27) "But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,(28) bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you.(29) To him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also. And from him who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic either.(30) Give to everyone who asks of you. And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back.(31) And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise.(32) "But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them.(33) And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.(34) And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you? For even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back.(35) But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil."

Now I must readily admit that this is a tall order. We all have heard the command to "love our enemies" preached time and time again from the pulpit. Those of us who have preached it have talked about how easy it is to say, yet difficult to do. We may have even made attempts at loving our "lesser enemies" to some degree. But are you willing to love, pray for, and be kind to someone perceived as a "greater enemy"?

Now I know that at this point, some of you who think you are a little more "open minded" than the rest of us Christians might be thinking, "Well there goes another 'evangelical Christian' talking about how Islam is evil, and how Muslims need to be prayed for and 'saved'." I write the following with sincere love for those who feel this way. First of all, I'm not an "evangelical" Christian in the political sense of the term, nor is this a political article. I'm just a Christian, thank you. Second, I understand that not everyone who claims to be a Muslim holds to all tenants of the faith (jihad, etc). And yes, I meant to write it that way. In all fairness, there are many who masquerade as "Christians" and yet only honor God with their mouths, and not their lives and hearts (Matthew 7:13-14; 15:8-9). Third, all people need the salvation that only comes through Christ Jesus (John 14:6). I hope that you realize if you are condemning my thoughts that you are being slightly judgmental in your thinking, which ironically is inconsistent with your "gospel" of tolerance. By the way, I'm praying for you, too.

Now back to the topic.

I don't know about you, but it's awfully difficult for me to find a starting place. I have problems immediately knowing where to start. This is my attempt at finding a start. Here are a few ideas to get your thoughts flowing:

1. Pray that God will continue to be longsuffering toward them, that they might have a chance to see the error of their way. Remember, God is longsuffering toward man, and is unwilling that any should perish (cf. 2 Peter 3:9).
   


2. Pray that you might have an opportunity to talk to someone who is Muslim or is considering Islam as "their faith". Ponder the meaning of 2 Timothy 2:24-26 in light of this.
   


3. Pray for courage. Courage for you to do what is right. Courage for those who are trying to reach the Muslim world with the Gospel of Christ. Pray that God's Word won't be hindered in reaching them.
   

Think of this as an opportunity to do right. Remember the God we serve, "…for he is kind to the unthankful, and evil." (Luke 6:35b)

What else can we pray for concerning the "Muslim World"? Feel free to comment.

Lucky Number 13

Disclaimer: The following is semi "tongue in cheek". Please don't misunderstand, misquote, or misuse the following. I'm in no way endorsing a particular day as being "lucky" nor "unlucky". I also am not trying to poke fun at people who are sincerely afraid of the number "13". Well… at least not too much fun…

Oh, the abominable number thirteen. It strikes terror into the hearts of those who have triskaidekaphobia. Today is Friday the 13^th, thus it's the day when people shoo cats away and keep a white knuckled grip on their mirrors (if they pick them up at all). But why is that?

While there are many mythological reasons as to why the number thirteen is so despised, the most famous one appears to center around the final supper before our Lord's crucifixion. According to Matthew 26:20, Jesus sat down with the twelve. Do some quick math, and you come up with thirteen total people in the room. Add to that the day of the week that Jesus was crucified (Friday), and you have the superstitious thought.

An article on National Geographic's website lists a few other reasons that this combination of number and day are considered to be "unlucky". Let's focus on the "Biblical" reasoning for a moment, though. Why is this combination of date and number considered so "unlucky"?

Note with me for a moment the meaning of the word "luck". Luck is dependent upon chance, so therefore, there is no planning to be involved in luck. "Good luck" is perceived as coming from positive circumstances, whereas "bad luck" comes from negative circumstances.

Many might consider Jesus crucifixion to be a bit of "bad luck" on His part. The truth is far from that notion.

Even a casual student of the scriptures can see that Jesus' death was ultimately part of God's plan to redeem us. The passages which discuss this idea are too numerous to list. It starts as early as Genesis 3:15, His coming foretold in Isaiah 9:6-7, and His agony described in Psalm 22. Jesus said that's the way things would be (see Matthew 16:21), and it indeed happened that way (Luke 24:44). How could such be merely because of chance? It wasn't.

By the way, if you did want to stretch your mind to think about "luck" in this way… couldn't Friday the 13^th then be perceived as a "lucky day" for us? After all, it was because of Christ's death that we have the forgiveness of our sins (Colossians 1:14). Maybe this is the treatment for those with triskaidekaphobia. Realize the potential for good!

Maybe "Friday the 13^th" could be your "lucky day". Ever thought of it that way?

~Daniel

Some Things I've Figured Out...

I was speaking with my preacher uncle on the phone the other day about preaching, and I made this statement:
"You know, I've been doing this for a little over two years now, not counting the "fill in" work that I did for a year or so before that. I've kinda figured a few things out now. I know a little about what I'm doing now."

After saying that to him, and thinking about it and a few other things this morning, I feel that I need to supply a bit more information concerning this statement, and preaching in general, lest I come across as arrogant. Here's what I've figured out:

1) I haven't even begun to really figure it out. It has taken me to this point to realize that the closer I get to feeling like I know what I'm doing, the more likely a curve ball is to head my way. In coming to this conclusion, though, it has only strengthened my resolve to trust in God and seek His guidance in everything (Psalm 9:10). In some way, knowing that I haven't figured it all out helps in figuring out what I can know (if that makes any sense). Admitting my ignorance helps foster the humility necessary to be "lifted up" by God (see James 4:10).

2) Be prepared. When you pray for doors to open (see Colossians 4:3) you had better be ready to step into them! This comes from personal study and from keeping your eyes open.

3) You most certainly aren't going to make everyone happy. In fact, sometimes people will try to compensate for their unhappiness at home by making life difficult for you. All humans are tempted to various degrees by the need to have power over someone or something. This often comes out in the expression of opinions about what I should/should not be doing as a preacher. It never ceases to amaze me how so many others can know how to do a job besides their own so well! But Paul sought to please God, instead of men (Galatians 1:10-12). Also, always remember that you can't fix everything, either. Sometimes its up to others to fix problems.

4) As a young preacher, I may not always have the answer to a deep difficult question immediately, but I can find it. Just like any other Christian, the preacher continues to grow. Never try to "come up" with an answer because you are afraid that someone might think you are foolish if you don't give one on the spot. The correct answer in time is better than the wrong answer in haste. Besides, preaching is not about how I look (1 Corinthians 2:1-5). It's about relaying the truth of what God says. Be willing to find the answer, though, and be sure to communicate it to the asker as soon as possible.

5) The truth isn't always going to be pleasing to everyone (see 2 Timothy 4:2-4). Courage goes along with this as well. The preacher can't be afraid of conflict, but must be able to handle it properly (2 Timothy 2:24-26).

6) Take time to be holy. Sometimes things can move fast, and its easy to get caught up in this work, and that work. But time must be set aside for prayer, meditation, and reflection on what it is that I am doing. Preaching in relaying God's Word must be done from pure and honest motives. I need to consider myself and my life as well, lest I become disqualified (1 Corinthians 9:27).

7) Take time to grow. If the preacher isn't growing spiritually, neither will the congregation grow spiritually. If I draw from a well of knowledge that keeps running low, or even at times nears being dry, what kind of water is going to come up for everyone? Muddy, dirty water, or even sludge will be the result. I must give attention to my own growth, as well (1 Timothy 4:13).

8) Seek to be approved of God, not of men. I don't have to do every single little thing that people think a preacher is "supposed" to do. Many confuse "preacher" with "minister" or "servant". My vocation is preaching, and relaying God's Word to others. I should seek to be approved of God in that manner, and not to elevate myself in the eyes of others either by seeking to meet or even exceed their expectations. This especially goes for what I perceive their expectations to be. I'm seeking the approval of God as His worker, not the approval of everyone else (2 Timothy 2:15). Ironically, if I'm seeking to be approved of God first, the others tend to line up properly, too.

9) Be committed. I think Paul sums it up in 2 Timothy 4:5, "But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry."

10) Be honest. Be honest with others. Be honest with your elders. Be honest with yourself. Above all, be honest toward God, because he knows when you are lying (Luke 16:15).

Of course, these are just some of the things I've learned. I've also learned that I have a long way to go. I hope that if you read this, you might offer up a prayer on my sake, and for the sake of other young preachers you might know, to continue on in the truth, and be soldiers for Christ (2 Timothy 2:1-4).

By the way, I hope that as you read this, you noticed that many of these things can apply to any person's life, not just to the preacher!

~Daniel

In the Spirit?

One day a few weeks ago I was listening to a local radio station that had "religious content" playing. Now I do this periodically just to see what's on the minds of people with various views of God. On this particular day I heard something that caught my attention, and really made me think.

What I was listening to was obviously a recording of a particular church's Sunday worship service. It was the sermon that was being delivered that day, and boy was it a rousing lesson! The preacher was going down a list of designations of Jesus.

"Wonderful, Counselor, Prince of Peace, Lord, Savior…"

He really had the crowd stirred up! You could hear the "amens" and "hallelujahs" in the background. I guess you could say that they were "spirit filled" (as the old expression goes). At one point he stops, and appearing to be "led by the spirit" breaks into song – the song, "Oh, How I Love Jesus".

Now let me stop right here and make sure that you understand that it is not my intention to "make fun" of someone here. I do not know this man, but I'm sure that he is absolutely sincere in what he believes [Note: Sincerity can sometimes be deadly]. But someone can be sincere, and be sincerely wrong (cf. Matthew 7:21-23).

As this preacher broke out into song, he would sing the phrase "Oh how I love…", and then allow the congregation to sing the name "Jesus". This continued for the length of the chorus, until he got to the last line. Now if you know this song, you know that the last line is "because he first loved me". Well, upon reaching that section, the poor preacher got out the word "because"… and then appeared to go blank. Now this wasn't as before, in the way in which he would let the congregation sing. He was silent in the aforementioned instances. This time, he sounded as though he mashed his words together. He sort of mumbled for a moment. He had forgotten the most important line of the song!

Now this is the point of what I'm writing.

There are those who truly believe that the Holy Spirit guides them in their hearts in some miraculous, extra-Biblical way that works outside the bounds of scripture. But here's the simple question: If the Holy Spirit were truly guiding this man, then how could the Spirit have forgotten what the Spirit said through John? The Spirit himself inspired these words, the final phrase of the above song, recorded by the apostle John: "We love Him because He first loved us." (1 John 4:19).

Certainly the Holy Spirit wouldn't make such a mistake! The scriptures came from the Spirit (cf. 2 Peter 1:20-21), thus, the Holy Spirit would know what the scriptures say! The Spirit likewise would never lead someone into confusion, but to truth, certainly not a mistake or error. (See John 16:13-15, then 1 Corinthians 14:33).

We need to be careful, and make sure we take a long hard look and study intently what Paul meant when he recorded the words we read in 1 Corinthians chapters 12 and 13, and also Ephesians 4. Such direct revelation or guidance was done away with in the first century (1 Corinthians 13:8-10) upon the completion of the word of God, the Bible. If only some of these could grasp the meaning of what Paul means when he writes these words, and not get "hung up" on these false ideas about the Holy Spirit:

"But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way."- 1 Corinthians 12:31, NKJV

~Daniel

By His Power

I haven't written in a couple weeks. Here's my attempt to get back into the habit…

When I was young I had the opportunity to help my dad work toward restoring an old house that would eventually become my mother's frame shop and art gallery. There were many valuable lessons I learned during that time. This is one of them.

We were trying to renovate the front porch of the house we were working on and turn it into what you might call a "sun room". We started by demolishing the old porch, in the process removing all of the old brickwork and also the floor and the floor joists. This room was going to be rebuilt literally from the ground up.

As we put into place the foundation on which the floor would rest, there came a point at which we started assembling the framework that made up the floor joists. I can't remember the exact size of the beams, but I would image that they were at least 2" by 10" beams, each one being a few feet long. Needless to say, they were heavy. It was hard enough for someone my age and size (I was probably 11 or 12 years old) to just hold one of them. Before long, the joists had been put into their places, and were awaiting the sub-floor's installation.

I can't remember the exact situation, but for some reason we either needed to move something at one end of the porch. I don't know why, but I can assure you there was a perfectly valid reason for it, and not because of an afterthought. I think that maybe my dad was just making sure that everything was level, and wanted to have it as exact as possible [we'll save the lesson on excellence for another time, but for now, you can read this]. If I recall correctly, my job was to somehow fit a shim of some sort underneath the joists we had put into place. When my dad told me to do this, I thought he was crazy. How were we going to put something underneath those floor joists? My dad had the answer.

He turned to me and said, "I'm going to lift this up. When I get it up, you put it underneath [pointing to the spot]." He then turned around, wrapped his hands around the beams, and lifted up that whole side of the porch. Wow. What power. I quickly did my job so that he could put the floor joists down.

I don't know how much it weighed. I just know that I was blown away that my father could lift that much weight. I wasn't even sure that he could, until he did it. After that, if my dad said he was going to lift something, or move something, I didn't doubt it.

Do you ever find yourself in a position where you might doubt what God is able to do? You may not explicitly say that, or even realize that you are thinking that way. Sadly, some are guilty of offering up faithless prayers (cf. Matthew 21:22; ask for the right things, too, James 4:3), that is, they ask for things in prayer, but still have those doubts in their mind as to the effectiveness of their prayer (cf. James 5:16b). In doing so, they lack a full appreciation of God's power.

While being able to lift a lot of weight here on this earth is certainly impressive, it pales in comparison to the heavy lifting that God is able to do, and the power that he has. The psalmist David expressed it this way:

"Once God has spoken, twice have I heard this: that power belongs to God," – Psalm 62:11 (ESV)

David writes this in the context of God's power to save. David also writes:

"On God rests my salvation, and my glory; my mighty rock; my refuge is God." – Psalm 62:7 (ESV)

God showed that power when he raised his son from the dead (2 Corinthians 13:4) and likewise by that same power gives us the opportunity to be with Him someday as well. Paul writes that God raised Jesus, and will also raise us up, by his power (1 Corinthians 6:14). But we don't have to wait until the resurrection to appreciate God's power!

When we think the road is too hard to tread, or our working for God takes us difficulty here on this earth, think about things the way Paul did.

2 Corinthians 6:1-13 ESV - (1) Working together with him [God, cf. 5:21, D.H.], then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain. (2) For he says, "In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you." Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. (3) We put no obstacle in anyone's way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, (4) but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, (5) beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; (6) by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love; (7) by truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; (8) through honor and dishonor, through slander and praise. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; (9) as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as punished, and yet not killed; (10) as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything. (11) We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians; our heart is wide open. (12) You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted in your own affections. (13) In return (I speak as to children) widen your hearts also.

~Daniel

They Just Don’t Know

I was browsing around Facebook today trying to find inspiration. I know that it's a strange place to go to look for inspiration, but you should try it sometime. It really gives you a feel for what is on people's minds right now. Sometimes it can be pretty eye-opening. One post I saw made me think.

Ryan O'Rourke, who works with the Cold Harbor Road Church of Christ in Mechanicsville, VA, had posted a link to a PBS documentary that he was watching. The documentary is called Cities of Light: The Rise and Fall of Islamic Spain. He had noted how it was pretty good "Islamic propaganda" and that "Al Qaeda would approve" of it. I watched the trailer myself on the PBS website. You don't have to watch long to see what road they are traveling.

It introduces the "ideal" of tolerance that supposedly existed in medieval Spain concerning the co-existence of Jews, Christians, and Muslims. It mentions how their "cultures intertwined" [not quite sure how, but supposedly did: likely through apostasy and compromise, cf. 2 Thessalonians 2:3, also 1 Corinthians 15:33] and the "knowledge of the ancients was gathered". Sounds great, doesn't it! A great, multicultural society was brewing. Until those Christians decided to start what became known as the "Spanish Inquisition". It doesn't explicitly say that in the trailer, but that is likely what is being referred to. Because of their actions, the trailer claims, "moral absolutism and intolerance snuffed out the light of learning."

I haven't seen the documentary (yet) but I can deduce a few things from the trailer. It is likely that intolerance and "moral absolutism" will be used to show how Christianity, especially those who lived during that time, has led to "some terrible things, too". From time to time, someone will come along and try to grind their axe with Christianity by describing all of the terrible things that people have done in the name of God, and Christ. If only they knew, but they just don't know the truth.

First of all, not everything that is done "in someone's name" is necessarily approved by that person. I could do things in your name that you would find to be reprehensible. I could then cause people to think some terrible things about you, and what they think you think. But it wouldn't be true.

The same can be said of these "Christians". They did many things in the name of Christ which indeed the son of God finds abominable. Nowhere in the New Testament can the idea be successfully supported of coercing people by penalty of death to become "Christians". Nowhere do we find torture to be an acceptable practice for bringing about repentance. Instead, the Lord is the judge (Hebrews 12:23, 2 Timothy 4:8, especially James 4:12), any conversion is done through His Word (Acts 2:37). He will decide based on men's hearts and actions. We are never told to carry out such actions. In fact, we are told the opposite (Matthew 7:1-5).

What really stands out to me, though, and I think what really identifies the problem here is what John writes in 1 John 3:1:

"See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him."

Now it's not that they don't know we, i.e. Christians, exist. The sense of the word "know" here is more that of appreciation. They do not fully appreciate the true nature of the God of Heaven. They do not see him as God, nor do they glorify Him as such. Instead, they pursue this idea of multicultural co-existence and preference over truth. In their world, which contains no absolutes, any man can decide Christianity's tenants, like the Pope. If he can, why can't anyone else create their own view of God? What a crazy, mixed up view of God (twisting to destruction, 2 Peter 3:16).

Since they refuse to know God in the proper sense, how can they ever really understand who true Christians are? Well, they can, through the New Testament. God has made it plain:

"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools," (Romans 1:18-22 ESV)

~Daniel Howell

Busy, Busy, Busy…

I have become a person of lists. I have a task list that I keep track of daily which lets me know what I have to get done that day. I also have several calendars of which each correspond to a different aspect of my life.

Why all of these lists and calendars? Well, I have so many things going on in my life at any one given moment that I'm afraid I'm going to forget. I have bad dreams sometimes about waking up on Sunday morning and realizing I haven't prepared a sermon! If only that old adage "just open your mouth and the Spirit will fill it" was both scriptural and true for today's time! (see 1 Corinthians 12, 13, 14 for more on that)

Sometimes as I look over these lists I can't believe what all I have to keep track of. I have visits to make, I have lessons to prepare, I have a radio program to record. I have to write these blog posts! I have to mow the grass, clean our vehicles, and various other tasks around the house. I have to pay the power bill. The list goes on.

I wonder sometimes if other people's lives are like this. Is your life like this? Do you have lists of things that have to be accomplished? Do you also spend part of the time that you are working on one task thinking about what you have to do with the next task?

Oh, and what about when people try to "change your plans"? How do you react? You have a schedule, after all! How uncaring for them to not be considerate of all of the things that you have to get done, right?

Sometimes I have to stop and think long and hard about what Paul writes to the church in Philippi. In Philippians 2:4 we read the following:

    "Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others."

That word for "look" means "to take aim at, consider". Now how does that make you feel when you look at it? It's so easy to be consumed with I or me and what I have to get finished. Where on my fancy calendars am I looking out for the interests of others?

Paul also wrote this to the church in Corinth:

"Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor." (1 Corinthians 10:24, ESV)

Now realize what Paul is saying: I have things that I must look after and responsibilities (cf. Gal. 6:5), but my work doesn't stop there. God clearly wants me to be concerned with the welfare of those who are around me. In the immediate context that means my wife, and someday, my children. That means your husband or your wife for you, too! It also means my brothers and sisters in Christ (for example, see Hebrews 3:13).

Will you make space in your busy schedule for those who need you, in order to consider them? It may mean [collective gasp] taking some things off of that calendar! Let's do some real quick simple math: if you, and you alone are looking out for your interests and welfare, how many are looking out for you? What if we could all consider each other, then how many would be looking out for you and I?

"And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works," – (Hebrews 10:24, ESV)

Monday, Monday…

For all you "preacher types" out there, just wanted to share with you some of the things that I do on Monday morning. You might find some of them helpful or useful. This is very much an overview of these things. I'm tossing around the idea of a book which goes into detail, so stay tuned!
I have a practice of considering Monday my "Technology Day". For those of you who know me, you know that I'm very technology oriented, and I've been trying to find practical ways of making use of technology in a small congregation. For those of you in a small congregation you know the importance of practicality, because you will likely be doing any things that you do like this completely by yourself. It can't take forever to do, or it's impractical.

Let me go back for a moment to the idea of a "Technology Day" . First of all, there are MANY other things that I have to do throughout the week (visits, Bible study, my own personal Bible study, class preparation, sermon preparation, etc…). If you aren't careful, technology can RULE your week. That makes it impractical. I've had to find a way to make all of the good things I can use it for fit into a space to which it is confined. Thus, comes Monday. I don't feel a lot like using my brain on Monday (because of Sunday) so I confine the rather "mundane" tasks associated with technological outreach and edification to that day. Monday is also good for me because some of the tasks are "time sensitive" (i.e. website updates). It works for me. You could easily pick another day, but I recommend Monday.

So, what do I do?

Here's the basic list of things that go out every given Monday:

• Archiving sermon video/audio from the previous day.


• Update Website with previous day's sermons.


• Update Website with previous day's radio broadcast.


• "Monday Memo" phone message.


• "Monday Memo" eMail edition.


• Send personal webcam video message to visitors with email address.


• Prepare to record this week's radio broadcast.


• Record this week's radio broadcast.

I'll now explain each one in a little more detail:

Archiving Sermon Video:

Each Sunday's lessons are sent to multiple places. If the internet is working, they are streamed and recorded to a server for "on demand" playback using the UStream service. They are also recorded locally to hard drive as an AVI file for the purposes of our archiving. I use the audio from the local AVI file for our sermon audio. Since an AVI is enormous, I also use Quicktime Pro to convert the AVI into a very compressed Quicktime Movie (.MOV). This cuts file size from being about 6 Gb to about 150Mb.

The audio files are enhanced (compression is added) and then "archived" as mp3 files. I usually set them to a 64kbps stream rate with a sampling rate of 32khz. That gives me a file that is about 15Mb. This is the file that will ultimately end up on the website. By the way, all of these settings I have set up as "presets" so that I don't have to go through and punch in the parameters every time. Streamline what you can.

I do this so that every lesson is available to be burned to disc in some way, but we don't have to burn the disc right now. It's expensive and time consuming to make discs, so I make them "on demand".

Update Website:

Our website contains all of the lessons where the power doesn't go out (like it did last night) and ruin things for as far back as we can practically go. You can visit our audio page by going here. Our website was built using Squarespace, and it saves me tons of time. Notice that our audio is set up like a "blog post". When I update the website, the RSS feed associated with that page also updates (automatically) so that subscribers (either to the feed itself or to our iTunes store "podcast") are notified that there is a new lesson up. I used to write code, but this is MUCH MUCH easier. I'd suggest taking advantage of it if you haven't.

I also update the page for our radio broadcast, One Word, the same way. It also has its own iTunes store. Remember, keeping your website up to date means that you draw more visitors on a regular basis. Give them a reason to come back! Update regularly!

Monday Memo:

This is something that I started back a year or so ago. We use a phone messaging service called "One Call Now" which allows us to send instant update phone messages. You can also upload a pre-recorded message to their website. I now do this every Monday. It's just another way to "exhort one another" and provide encouragement and information about the week. I also send an email version which contains a link to the audio file (which I upload to our server space hosted by Fatcow) and also links to the updated sermon and radio broadcast pages. It's something nice that people miss if I don't do it. It's especially nice for the "shut-ins". You can listen to an example by clicking here.

Webcam Visitor Messages:

This is definitely not original to me, but it's something I've recently started trying to do. We re-designed our visitor information cards to make sure that we are getting pertinent information (one of those being email address). For those visitors that give me their email, I'll record a personalized message thanking them for being there (using all of the members in their family's names) and hoping that they'll come back. I try to speak well about the congregation here, too. Most think it's a nice touch (along with the cards we send for "Pasta Penpals").

I try to do all of the above things before noon so that I have time to work on the radio broadcast in the afternoon. It usually takes me about 3 hours to work on from start to finish. If I get it all done on Monday, that leaves me plenty of week to do the rest of the things I need to do.

What makes it practical to do all of these things? Repetition. As I do them over and over again, I get faster and faster. I would suggest starting slow and working on just a couple of them. Once you have those perfected, add another one or two. In fact, I have a few more things that I'm planning to add to this mix that I will mention at a later date. I also have a few other "special projects" that I work on when I have time. For now, this overview ought to keep you busy! They are very basic things that I think most people can do. We haven't even gone into social media integration…

I guess the next question is, why should I do all of this? I defer to Matthew 25:14-30. Think about the resources that God has give you (in time, abilities, and money). Why not be a shrewd businessman with what you've been given? Make it work! Don't bury the "talent"!

I will be speaking on the topic "Practical Ways of Going into All the World" at the Cold Harbor Road Lectures in November 4-7. I hope that you have a chance to come and hear all of the wonderful lessons along the theme of "Meat".