Skidding into home

Truth Testers Video

2011-07-26T19:39:00.006-05:00

We have just uploaded a new video to Youtube. It is a video called "Truth Testers". This is a skit we video recorded for the truth series which was a 4 week series on truth and lies. This video reviewed the four kinds of lies mentioned in the sermons. We looked at self lies, worldly lies, marital lies, and religious lies. These four examples are reviewed in the skit. Our thanks goes to the Lepage and Sayre kids as well as to Adam and Monica Hoffman. We also thank Richard Hamilton who video taped the skit and edited the results. Enjoy!

Here is the link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAx8fshAZAI

Break thou the bread of life video

2011-07-09T16:33:00.008-05:00

Well well, two videos in one day! Here is another video I made and uploaded to Youtube. It uses an mp3 file of me singing all 4 parts of an old hymn entitled "Break thou the bread of life" This time it is sung acapella. Here is the link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_z1EWKO9Z3Q

Be still my soul video on Youtube

2011-07-09T15:02:00.005-05:00

I have just uploaded a new video to Youtube. It is a video of me singing a three part hymn called "Be still my soul" with guitar accompaniment. Take a look. Here is the link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Deb6lGsmWXE

New Fascination with the clouds

2011-06-08T11:08:00.011-05:00

There's a trendy new feature in the computing world known as "cloud" computing. I have run into it in several different ways. When we updated our word processor to the newest version, it came with access to a cloud based storage area which we could access from anywhere in the world and on any computer. Naturally, I set up my cloud site and uploaded a file to it just to show that I could. I haven't gone back to it since, but it is reassuring to know that it is up there somewhere (in the clouds) waiting for me whenever I decide I need it (assuming I remember my password for getting into it).
More recently, I downloaded an app (application) for my recently purchased i-pad, and it also came with ability to access a cloud storage area called "Dropbox." Well, to be truthful, I was more impressed with Dropbox than I was with the app that told me about it. Susan and I have installed Dropbox on all of our computers and mobil devices, and have started placing files we want to share in our dropbox rather than e-mailing them to each other. With two gigs of storage space it holds bigger files than we can e-mail to each other, and each of us can update files in it at will. I've also noticed that various apps can connect to the Dropbox automatically.
I'm told that because of cloud computing, we will eventually be weaned from the need for hard drives on our computers. I assume that's a good thing since my iphone and ipad don't have hard drives.
I know all of this sounds new and state of the art and all, but perhaps this isn't as trendy as we might be led to believe. I remember a Bible verse where we were promised that we would meet Jesus someday in the clouds. 1 Thess. 4:17 says, "After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever."
So then, clouds are nice, but God was evidently impressed with them long before any of us were paying attention to them. He promised us that we would meet his Son when he comes back in the clouds. I like the idea of cloud computing, but I love the fact that God had something in mind for the clouds long before we became fascinated with them.

Rattling the World

2011-02-28T08:57:00.006-06:00

A few years back, I composed my own epigram about maturity. This is what I wrote:

"Maturity is when you finally come to realize that you cannot rattle the world, and the world no longer rattles you."

I can't remember the set of circumstances from which this epigram arose, but I often see evidence of the truthfulness of it. I can remember my younger days, when I had visions that were world sized in scope. One of my dreams sent me to China (in my mind) to reshape everything there. Then, in 1970 the world traveling opportunities began. First, it was to Mexico, then to Australia and New Zealand. Five years later, to India, then Kenya and Russia, and repeated returns to India.
I was certainly seeing the world, and enjoying the experiences of my travels, but I also realized how immense the world is, and how small an impact I can make upon it. While visiting Russia, I mentioned to my co-workers that Jesus had sent me there to be "a sunbeam for Jesus" (words from a song I learned in church back in the '50's). I was partially speaking with tongue in cheek, but came to understand that my contributions there were like a ray of sunshine in an otherwise dark place. I became content with being a glint of light. It wasn't much, but it was enough.
Now, in my 60's I can see that the bulk of my time in productive ministry is behind me, but perhaps I can still contribute a glint of light in some dark places. I doubt that it will rattle the world, but if it brightens my part of the world, that would be enough.
By the way, The words of that old children's song go something like this:

Jesus wants me for a sunbeam,
To shine for Him each day;
In every way try to please Him,
At home, at school, at play.
A sunbeam, a sunbeam,
Jesus wants me for a sunbeam;
A sunbeam, a sunbeam,
I'll be a sunbeam for Him

Snippets

2011-02-09T07:55:00.002-06:00

One morning at the Renovare Conference in San Antonio a while back, the concept of Breath Prayers was introduced, and some examples were given of breath prayers taken from scripture. I had never heard of breath prayers before, but liked the concept as a new take on praying. Breath prayers are phrases we recite back to God. But we can also recite short phrases to ourselves, or as David said, "Why are you downcast, Oh my soul." We can talk to our souls. Since our souls are the center for mind, will, and emotion, the idea of directing our souls on what to think, feel, and decide makes sense.
Therefore,, I can see the value of reciting short snippets of Biblical admonitions to our souls would be a proper daily endeavor. In fact, I suspect that Biblical meditation would most likely amount to ruminations of snippets of scripture to shape our souls. Rather than reading lengthy passages we can't recall later, we might be better served by serving up snippets to repeat to ourselves continuously until we are shaped by them. For example, a snippet from today's devotional thoughts by Oswald Chambers is this line from scripture, "“All my fresh springs shall be in Thee.” (Psalm 87:7) Repeating that snippet to my soul could be refreshing and restorative to a weary soul. I believe there could be benefit from hearing this more than once. Soul, are you listening?

New Info on our Discipleship page

2011-01-24T05:34:00.004-06:00

I just uploaded new information on the discipleship page of our church web site. Why not click on the link below and go there to see what's new. Ed

http://discipleship.chccsa.com/

The Lingering Aroma of Christ

2011-01-07T08:12:00.002-06:00

Today, I read a devotion written by Ozwald Chambers. The words that struck me were in the end of the devotion when he wrote these words:

"The saint who is intimate with Jesus will never leave impressions of himself, but only the impression that Jesus is having unhindered way, because the last abyss of his nature has been satisfied by Jesus. The only impression left by such a life is that of the strong calm sanity that Our Lord gives to those who are intimate with Him."

Too bad that is too long to post on Twitter because it is so beneficial. By intimacy we are enabled to leave an impression of Christ rather than of ourselves. Paul wrote about this In 2 Cor. 2:14-16 letting us know that we are the aroma of Christ. We smell like Jesus! This is an aroma that wafts all the way to the nostrils of God himself, and it can also be smelled by saved and lost alike. The hope is that by intimacy with Christ, that aroma of Christ will be stronger upon us, and people around us will get the unmistakable impression that Jesus himself is near.
I remember reading something about baby pheromones which are present in infants less than two years old. Conventional wisdom has it that the pheromone odor dissipates after two years and the parents decide to have another baby because of the attraction of the pheromone odor which has left their toddler. I don't know if that is true or not, but holding a 3 month old child last Sunday I could sense something attractive by holding the child close enough to smell her body smell. Perhaps it was just baby powder or soap I was smelling, but it reminded me of the smell of my own children at that age. I wanted to linger and hold the sweet child, but I had places to go and things to do. I wonder if the aroma of Christ that lingers upon us is anything like baby pheromones. Attractive. Winsome. Appealing. If so, I want to smell like Jesus every day. More of the aroma of Christ, less of my own B O.

Look at our new web page for discipleship

2010-11-30T14:50:00.004-06:00

Take a look at the new web page I am hosting. It is called "Discipleship.chccsa.com" and is a page linked to our church web site intended for growing Christians and populated with articles growing Christians might want to read. This is a part of our new discipleship emphasis which we will unveil soon at Castle Hills Christian Church.
Here is the link for the site: http://chccsa.com/discipleship/

Four Trees: Ed's Gospel Account

2010-11-27T07:11:00.007-06:00

Four Trees: Ed’s Gospel Account

The Tree of Life: God’s Original Intent: Genesis 1-2

The only way for a human being to know anything about God is for Him to reveal himself in some way. Fortunately for us, God has chosen to do that very thing. The Bible is God’s revelation of Himself and his plan for mankind. The Bible lets us know that God is love, and that he is all about having a close relationship with his creation. Genesis, the first book of the Bible tells about God’s creation of the world and the first humans he placed within a beautiful garden called Eden. Everything needed for human life was within that garden, and God himself, would enter the garden and speak to the two humans, Adam and Eve, every day in the cool of the evening. There was unbroken fellowship between God and mankind, and God directly provided all that was needed.

Within the garden, God planted two special trees. The first was called the “Tree of Life,” and as long as Adam and Eve remained in fellowship with God they could eat freely of this tree and live forever in fellowship with God. But God also planted another tree in the garden and called it the “Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.” God told Adam and Eve that whenever they ate of that tree they would die. No doubt, you may wonder why God would bother to put the second tree in the garden. He had a good reason for putting it there, which will be revealed soon. Meanwhile, life in the garden was perfect in every way. God provided all that was needed, and the humans enjoyed every advantage that came with unbroken connection to God, their creator and sustainer.

The Tree of Testing: Mankind’s separation from God: Genesis 3

A new character enters the picture at this point. Satan, in the form of a serpent, arrives to put the human couple to the test. Though we may be tempted to blame everything that is about to happen on this evil intruder, we need to realize that God allowed his presence in the garden and was aware of what he would soon do. The serpent was nothing more than a catalyst to bring to light what was already stirring within the hearts of the humans, and the tree of knowledge was actually a tree of testing.

You see, God created free moral agents when he created the humans. They had the power to obey or disobey God as they might choose. Providing the second tree was God’s way to allow mankind the freedom to use the power of choice to either stay connected with God willingly, or to separate themselves from God and go their own way. In eating the fruit of the second tree, they chose the path of separation from God. The testing tree allowed the humans to taste disobedience for themselves so that they could literally know the difference between good and evil by experience.

Because they chose this way of willful disobedience certain things changed for them immediately. God removed them from Eden so that they would not be able to eat of the Tree of Life and live forever in a state of separation from fellowship with God. God cursed the earth introducing pain, hard labor, decay, sickness and death. All of this sounds cruel on God’s part, but there was a hidden mercy even in the curse. As for the humans, though they didn’t die immediately, they were now living in a cursed world, with bodies that would eventually succumb to disease and death. But the real principle of death now at work was the principle of spiritual death and separation from God. This was their new spiritual condition due to disobedience and separation from God:

They were now slaves to sin because disobedience ruled their hearts (Romans 6)
They were married to the law which continually condemned them (Romans 7)
Their minds were continually dwelling on the flesh (Romans 8)
Their spirits which would normally allow communion with God were dead (Romans 8)
They were in a hopeless situation because of sin and separation from God (Ephesians 2:12)

The Tree of suffering: God’s provision for man’s plight: John 1:1-18

From the very moment of mankind’s fall, God was busy working out a plan for mankind’s redemption and restoration. When God found Adam and Eve naked, he killed an animal and provided them with proper coverings even though they had tried on their own to cover their nakedness with fig leaves (an example of man’s puny religious attempts to cover his own shame). In this action God began a system of blood sacrifices to atone for sin. Already, God was working to reconnect man back to himself, but he had an ultimate plan in mind to take care of sin once and for all.

From the moment of Man’s fall, God began to reveal his plan to redeem mankind back to himself (Genesis 3:15). At just the right time in history God put on flesh, entered into time and space as a human baby, and lived a perfect life, thereby enabling himself to become a perfect and final sacrifice for sin. John’s gospel tells us about the life of the extraordinary man named Jesus, from a town called Nazareth in a region called Galilee. He was the one the Jews were looking for whom they called “Messiah” and Christians later called “Christ”. His entire life is worth careful study, but the greatest thing he did for mankind involves the third tree. This tree didn’t look anything like a tree, but it came from chopping down a tree to fashion a instrument of torture and death the Romans called a cross. Jesus was condemned to death by the cruel actions of godless men who, in a frenzy, shouted out “Crucify Him!” Jesus had done nothing worthy of death, but he was killed anyway. This would all seem pointless if it weren’t for the fact that God had planned this as his method of redeeming the world. He literally became his own blood sacrifice to atone once and for all for every sin mankind would ever commit.

We know from ancient prophecies in the Old Testament that dying by crucifixion was always God’s plan to redeem mankind. Passages like Psalm 22 and Isaiah 53 which were written between 700 to 950 years before the events of Christ’s death on the cross are examples to show us this was always God’s plan for redemption.

So what did Jesus death on the cross do for us? Jesus took on a curse for us so we could be blessed through him. Galatians 3:13 says, “¹³Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree (KJV)” Notice, in that passage, the cross on which Jesus died is called a tree, and it was a tree with a special curse placed upon who ever would die upon it. In taking a curse upon himself, Jesus represented every sin that could ever keep you or myself out of heaven. Though the whole experience was painful and shameful for Jesus, he willingly endured it all so that salvation could be made available to every human who sought to come back to a relationship with God (like Adam and Eve enjoyed in the beginning.)

So how does a person take advantage of what Christ did on the cross to redeem all mankind back to God? We simply receive salvation from God as a free gift by putting our faith in Jesus as our savior. What Jesus did on the cross was done in our behalf, so we simply acknowledge it and claim it for ourselves. If I believe that what Jesus did was done for me, then with my mouth, I confess the gift of salvation to be mine because I take Jesus to be my personal savior. In doing this I am also confessing that I know I am a sinner in desperate need of a savior, and I repent (turn away) from all the sins that used to control my life, and I submit to baptism as a testimony of my submission to and connection with Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. In my baptism, I declare that I have died with Christ, and therefore, know that my new condition as a born-again Christian is as follows:

With Christ I have died to Adam’s race and am now a child of God (Romans 5)
With Christ I have died to slavery to sin and am now a servant of Christ (Romans 6)
With Christ I have died to marriage to the law that condemned me and I am now part of the bride of Christ (Romans 7)
With Christ I am now able to have my mind focused, not on the flesh, but on the Spirit which is life and peace (Romans 8) because God has enlivened my spirit and placed His Holy Spirit within it.
With Christ I am no longer hopeless because I have the blessed hope (Christ himself) as my inner treasure. (2 Corinthians 4:7, Titus 2:13)

The Tree of Life restored: Revelation 22:2

There is a fourth tree mentioned in the Bible. This tree is the same tree we saw once before in Genesis. The tree is called the “Tree of Life” and we notice that what was denied to Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden, is prominently displayed in heaven. Notice the words of Revelation 22:2, “down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. I admit that I am baffled as to how the one “tree of life” can be on “each side of the river,” But I am looking forward to eating a different crop of fruit each month from that tree which will be available to everyone living in the heavenly city. Notice that what was lost in Eden will be fully restored and then some in the heavenly city. Surely, you must want what is promised here to be available to you and those you love. By receiving Christ as your Savior and Lord you can enjoy the bounty of that fourth tree (which was actually the first tree), and you can erase the curse of the second tree by connecting with the man who hung on the third tree. Please don’t let this remain unfinished business in your life. Receive the gift of salvation today through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross.

Simpleton Diet

2010-11-03T19:35:00.006-05:00

I have come up with my own diet which seems to be working at the moment. I call it the "Simpleton Diet" because it is so simple any simpleton can figure it out. There is one rule to the simpleton diet: Eat one item per meal. What do I mean by that? I mean, "Eat one item per meal." Most people eat several items per meal. For example, the average restaurant meal has a main dish usually containing meat, and one or two side items (veggies, fries, etc.) My diet involves eating one thing per meal. Today I had a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast (one item). Then for lunch went to a Greek restaurant and ordered a Gyro. It came with fries or chips on the order so I chose chips and took them home rather than eat them. Susan brought home Pizza for supper and I had a piece. Get it? One item.
So what is the idea of eating one item? Simple. Eating one Item is less food than eating a plate of food. The problem with the American diet is that we usually eat too much food. I read that the average American eats over 100 lbs of sugar a year and about 65 lbs of fat per year. No wonder we are diabetic and stuffed with cellulite. So the answer is to eat less food. What about nutrition, vitamins, minerals, etc.? Eat a variety of items per day. Like everyone else, I am an omnivore so I don't eat the same thing throughout the day. I learned a version of this diet years ago when I learned about the Weighdown Workshop (Gwen Shamblin). She advised eating only when truly hungry. Unfortunately, for me, that was all the time. But she taught the wisdom of eating smaller portions and sticking only to what you truly like to eat and avoiding the rest. She warned that we had been improperly taught by parents to clean our plates. We were wiser if we left food on the plate and forget the parental rebuke about the starving kids in Africa. Since I generally eat what ever is set before me, the trick is to see to it that less is set before me.
I believe that most of the time, one item is enough. If I get hungry ("true body hunger" as Gwen called it) I can eat a piece of fruit or a few nuts. Anyway, I'm gonna give it a whirl. Being something of a simpleton myself, I must have a diet program that is a no brainer. So far, I'm about 9 lbs. lighter. I'll keep you posted about my progress if you need to know. Let me know if you decide to join me in my simpleton ways. Just a thought.

We get what we pray for

2010-08-17T05:32:00.007-05:00

In his message Sunday, my co-pastor, Ronnie Morgan mentioned a prayer Campus minister, Roy Weece would pray daily. Though I don't remember the exact wording, it was something like this. "Lord, bring three people my way today with whom I can share the love of Jesus."
The very next day He shared with me a story about a guy at the fitness center who spoke to him and told him about a doctor's report he had gotten telling him he had prostate cancer. Ronnie was able to speak comfort and encouragement to him right there and then.
I'd like to try out that prayer, but I'd be happy with just one person per day, at least to start with. (baby steps?)
I think so often we miss out on ministry opportunities because we have conditioned ourselves not to expect them. Therefore, they seldom happen. Perhaps if we changed what we expect; what we pray for, then we would see a change in the happenings of our daily experience. As for me, I'm all up for adventure, God-incidences, fortuity, God-winks, serendipity, blessing, happenstance. What ever you call it; bring it on!

My new book is now for sale!

2010-07-19T19:27:00.004-05:00

The front cover of my new book

My new book is now officially for sale on Lulu.com. If you want to find it, log into Lulu.com and do a search for the title: A Place at my Father's Table. The paperback book is available on Lulu for $12.97 plus postage, or as a down-loadable e-book for $5.95. In about two weeks I will also have books available myself at a discounted price. You can contact me at edskidmore@sbcglobal.net if you want to order through me starting about the 5th of August.
This is a devotional book with 89 devotions in it that started out as articles in the Communicator News Letter starting back in 1985 through this year with articles on this blog. What I've worked on ever since the start of the year is now available for general distribution through Lulu.com and will eventually be available on Barnes and Noble and Amazon in about 2 months. Why not check it out on Lulu now.

Necessary tools for writing

2010-07-15T10:40:00.005-05:00

I am in the process of getting a book ready to be published and have been focused on it to the exclusion of other things (like this blog for the past month or so). At the same time, I have also started working on another book I would like to publish sometime next year. Attempting to carve out time, energy, and inspiration to work in the next book has taught me some lessons. I have noticed three powerful barriers to getting that task done.
The first and more obvious barrier is that of finding time available to focus on writing. I have walked into my office intending to give a block of time to the writing task only to have a half dozen other things come to my mind that need to be tended to. My desire to write gets buried under an avalanche of expediencies. Thinking that my office is the proper place to do this work because my books are there along with my other completed sermons and lessons from which to draw material, I discover that my office is one big cubicle of undone tasks begging for my attention. Well, I can fix that. I'll just go home and write there; but distractions abound there as well. Along that line, I find that I need a size-able block of hours to be able to focus and get a few pages put on paper. I just can't cram this kind of work into little half hour snippets because, for me, there is a need for revving up, so to speak, to get a flow to my writing. Interruptions put me into neutral, and I have to start over in first gear. Along with the time element is another equally weighty issue to writing.
The energy element cannot be ignored. Sometimes I am just too tired to write. When this becomes my condition, I am just as likely to snooze off as to get words on the screen. I know that some people get up at the early hours before phones ring and people are running around demanding things. I wish I was one of those who needed minuscule amounts of sleep. Unfortunately, I am on the other end of the sleep spectrum. Anything less than 7 hours of sleep per night, and I am a zombie the next morning. Thinking I would write today, I awoke at 6 a.m., closed my eyes to rest just a minute, then opened them again at 8. Oh boy! Afternoon hours are sometimes unproductive for the same reason. The after lunch malaise sets in and my brain gets foggy. If I try to read then, I may just read the same sentence over and over again.... for a half hour. I have to time writing when I have the energy to get things done with a clear head, and the ability to focus. By the way, am I the only one finding it increasingly difficult to focus in this advancing period of my life? ... Let's see, where was I?
The final element needed for writing is what some call "the muse" and we religious types call "unction" While sometimes I am too drained of energy to write, other times I have an empty head. I am ready to write but nothing comes to mind. The inspiration just isn't there. I guess that's what some call "writer's block". I've noticed that in the arena of ideas I simply must get beyond my own brain to find edifying content for my writing. That means research, which is what you call it when you steal ideas from more than one source; otherwise it would be plagiarism. I have also learned that by means of daily contact with the Holy Spirit who resides in my own spirit, I am given insights and gleanings to make me a slightly more mature believer with each passing day. I am reminded of 2 Cor. 3:18, "And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit." By means of that connection, I not only grow towards maturity, but I have more inside my mind to communicate through speaking or writing.
So there it is: time, energy, and inspiration; the big three when it comes to transferring thoughts from cranium to paper or computer screen. I am hoping that today will be one of those days when all three will be present. Just a literary thought.

A Place at my Father's Table

2010-05-06T07:41:00.009-05:00

A Place at My Father’s Table

The shepherd’s psalm has been the most memorized and most beloved poetry in the Bible because of the rich metaphor we find there. Being a lover of food myself, I appreciate anything to do with eating. Therefore, I am drawn to the words, “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.” (vs. 5, NIV) I am able to eat in peace even though a wolf, or bear, or lion may be in the vicinity because the shepherd is watchful. This particular phrase is a mixed metaphor because we know that sheep don’t eat from tables. But humans can appreciate the fact that a place at the table has been reserved for them. For us, the one in charge is more than a shepherd. He is the one who has adopted us into his heavenly family.

“For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, ‘Abba, Father.’ The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.” (Romans 8:15-16, NIV)

Thinking back to childhood days, I have fond memories of meals with the extended family, but at those larger gatherings with cousins, uncles, aunts, and grandparents, I was often relegated to the children’s table with the younger cousins. Therefore I missed out on the conversation enjoyed by the adults at the main table. Thankfully, the table at home was just the right size so that I could sit at the same table with my parents and enjoy the status of a full-fledged member of the family. In fact, I remember that generally my father would fix a hot breakfast for me, and he and I would eat together at the table. Though I don’t remember our conversations, I consider that to have been a high point in my day. More recently, I enjoyed role reversal when my daughter’s family lived with us for a while. My one year old grandson would get up and share breakfast with me. Though he could barely talk, we had such pleasant times at the table sharing a hot breakfast together. (He had a fondness for bacon.)

There is something powerful about time spent together at the table. Therefore, I am grateful to know that my Father’s table has a place set exclusively for me, and I am able to dine there regularly at the Father’s invitation.

2010-03-16T11:04:00.004-05:00

My daughter, Kaysha, needed a poem about igloos so she could teach Lydia phonics, so Susan and I came up with this limerick about igloos. Here it is.

There once was in igloo in Nome,
that thought it was merely a dome,
while the outside was "frozey";
the inside was cozy,
so an Inuit made it his home.

(by Grammy and Papa Ed.)

" A little bird I am"

2010-03-03T14:54:00.005-06:00

Bird in a cage

I read this fascinating poem by Madam Guyon and thought I would include it here for your edification: It's called "A little bird I am"

A little bird I am, Shut from the fields of air;
And in my cage I sit and sing to Him who placed me there;
Well pleased a prisoner to be, because, my God, it pleases thee.

Naught have I else to do; I sing the whole day long;
And He, whom most I love to please, Doth listen to my song;
He caught and bound me wandering wing, But still he bends to hear me sing.

Thou hast an ear to hear; A heart to love and bless;
And though my notes were e'er so rude, Thou wouldst not hear the less;
Because though knowest as they fall, That Love, sweet Love, inspires them all.

My cage confines me round, Abroad I cannot fly;
But though my wing is closely bound, my heart's at liberty.
My prison walls cannot control the flight, the freedom of the soul.

Oh! it is good to soar, these bolts and bars above,
To him whose purpose I adore, Whose Providence I love;
And in the mighty will to find the joy, the freedom of the mind.

Deuteronomy: Moses' Swan Song

2010-03-02T17:03:00.009-06:00

Moses and the Law

I'm reading through the Bible in one year using a Bible reading plan provided by a Logos Bible App. on my I-phone. This plan goes from Genesis through Revelation in a year involving an average of two or three chapters per day. Right now I am in Deuteronomy about to read chapter 14. I've read through the Bible before, but I guess it's been long enough since the last reading, that all of it seems fresh and new to me. I'm also using a new version I've not read before (The English Standard Version).
Deuteronomy surprised me. I assumed it was just a continuation of the various laws, or a recounting of later history in the period of wilderness wandering. Though it does contain history and various laws, this is actually Moses Swan-song. These were Moses' final words to the people he had been leading for 40 years. In it, he prepares his people for what they will face when Joshua and Caleb lead them into the promised land. Since neither he, nor Aaron will be able to make this transition from wandering to conquering, Moses retells the highlights (and lowlights) of the departure from Egypt and the wilderness wanderings. He actually mentions each place they camped by name and in correct chronological order. Further, he prepares the minds and hearts of the people for the change of leadership mantle, reminds them of the blessings that will come with obedience and devotion to God and the possible curses if they turn away to the detestable gods of the Canaanites. Finally, Moses sang a song to his nation (Deut. 32), blessed them, and climbed into Mount Nebo from which he would be able to view the promised land. And there he died.
All of this caused me to wonder, If I had a chance to say final words to my people, what would I choose to say to them. I'm not yet at the time for saying final words (thankfully), but having just passed the 25 year milestone with the church I now serve, I can't help but wonder how many more milestones I will be privileged to pass. Deuteronomy strikes me as a more powerful book as I realize that Moses was allowed to finish up an amazing ministry and spiritual journey spanning 120 years. And consider the fact that Moses took up his greatest work at a time in his life when most other people were getting their gold watches, and taking to their rocking chairs. Though it would be easy to focus on Moses failures and shortcomings, I would rather focus on the fact that his relationship with God was such that he was able to speak face to face with the Almighty as one speaks with his friend. No other pastor has ever served such a large congregation for such a long time. The fact that Moses never entered the promised land does not diminish his stature in my estimation. It is more than enough to consider that he led Israel out of slavery, gave them the law, put up with their foolishness, and pastored them for 40 years. Moses is a paragon of heroism, a master of historic writing, and a model of spiritual development. Deuteronomy should be read with that in mind.

The Law was our Schoolmaster

2010-02-10T13:41:00.006-06:00

Moses with the Law

"Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith" (Gal. 3:24, KJV). It is interesting to discover that God instituted the Levitical law for the purpose of walking us to the feet of Christ. It was never intended to be an eternal covenant by the simple fact that it was a conditional (if-then) covenant. Any covenant with conditions can be nullified by the person who breaks the terms of the covenant. And as Bible history clearly shows, the Jewish nation broke the terms of the covenant repeatedly.
But, as Paul explains in Galatians, the law was given for the purpose of showing wayward people their need for something better than the law. It was God's plan to provide grace as a gift at just the right time through his one and only Son and his finished work on the cross. In fact, I love Paul's words in Colossians concerning the written code of the law when he wrote in Colossians 2:14 (NIV) having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. We see then, that the law served the same function as the household slave who walks the children to school and deposits them into the presence of the teacher. That is what a "pedagogos" was; not the teacher himself, but merely, the slave who took the children to the place where they could be taught. The Levitical law walked us wayward children into the presence of Christ by revealing to us that we were ill equipped to keep the law in and of ourselves. In fact, attempting to keep the law was never anything other than an effort in futility. But until we tried and failed, we didn't realize how badly we were in need of imparted grace and imputed righteousness that only Christ could give. Praise God! The schoolmaster has finished its work. It has walked us up to the foot of the cross and deposited us at the feet of the Lamb of God who took away the sin of the world. The master has come, so the slave is no longer needed. Now we are justified by faith apart from the law!

Foolish and Harmful Traditions

2010-02-01T14:12:00.005-06:00

Maasai girl standing in the door of her family hut

I received an a-mail today from a friend in ministry who has served in missionary work among tribal people in Africa. He was back among the people he had ministered to for about two decades finishing up a Bible translation project and working with a long term native ministry partner. He mentioned in his e-mail that he had just finished preaching the "most embarrassing sermon" he had ever preached to these tribal people concerning a topic he had avoided for all his years on the field. His tribal friend had begged him to preach to his people about female circumcision after his own daughter was taken against his will and secretly circumcised without his permission. This practice, normally carried out largely in Muslim circles all over Africa and the middle east, would be considered child abuse if it were practiced here. I won't get into the details of this in this blog, but you can Google it if you want more information. My friend concluded his e-mail with these words, "It may be a while before the subject is fully worked out among the people here. Maybe a generation, maybe this generation. Pray for God to give us all wisdom."
I wrote back to the brother who sent the e-mail to encourage him for dealing with such a difficult task. I had observed the same issue while visiting missionaries in Kenya who were working among Maasai tribals in the Mara area of west Kenya. Along with female circumcision, they also had another similar issue regarding a common practice of removing the two bottom teeth of Maasai children. Back when that practice started, removal of the two middle bottom teeth allowed a straw to be inserted into the mouth of a person suffering with lock-jaw so they could get nourishment in spite of the disease. But no one has suffered lock-jaw there for nearly a century. Still the practice persists today, and children are taken, without warning, and a spoon is inserted between the bottom teeth, and the two teeth are literally scooped out without anesthetic by a man in the tribe who has become proficient at the primitive tooth extraction method. It amounts to child abuse in my mind, but looking at Maasai tribals, evidently all of them have gone through the procedure.
I mentioned to my friend that both female circumcision and lower tooth removal amount to tribally approved forms of child abuse. It may be seen as appropriate by change-averse tribal
people, but it is a poor exhibition of what Christ can do to change inappropriate behaviors. I call to mind the oriental practice of foot-binding that is no longer endured by girls. Even non-Christians can eventually catch on as to what is harmful and unloving practice to foist on children in the name of tradition. I applaud my friend for bringing it up, uncomfortable though it may have been. Female circumcision is a middle-eastern (Muslim) abomination. The sooner it is stopped the better. It took William Wilberforce a lifetime to abolish slavery in the UK, but it was worth all the effort and time on his part. Girls and women in Africa and the Middle-East will thank those who speak up against such barbaric practices in the years to come. We must not be embarrassed to speak out for the innocent ones subjected to foolish practices in the name of tradition.

"All Ear"

2010-01-13T19:06:00.006-06:00

"ALL EAR"

"A missionary translator was endeavoring to find a word for "obedience " in the native language. This was a virtue seldom practiced among the people into whose language he wanted to translate the New Testament. As he returned home from the village one day, he whistled for his dog and it came running at full speed. An old native, seeing this, said admiringly in the native tongue, "Your dog is all ear." Immediately the missionary knew he had his word for obedience.' (-Paul Lee Tan)

The quality of steadfast obedience is a precious and rare commodity these days. Those in the medical profession have complained that, next to the patient who does not pay his bill, the most annoying patient is the one who refuses to follow orders. In a survey taken of doctors, they have estimated that between 16 to 90% of all patients leave half-empty pill bottles, cheat on diets, continue to smoke, or never return for checkups despite careful prescriptions and cautious advice.

The writer of Psalm 119 had this to say about obedience:(vs.1-6) Blessed are they whose way's are blameless, who walk according to the law of the Lord. Blessed are they who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart. They do nothing wrong; they walk in his ways . You have laid down precepts that are to be fully obeyed. Oh that my ways were steadfast in obeying your decrees! Then I would not be put to shame when I consider all your commands.

This text has some tall orders: "precepts that are to be fully obeyed", "steadfastness in obeying your decrees". Could it be that God really expects that level of obedience from his children? From Old Testament history we discover that Israel made costly mistakes every time they assumed that they could trifle with God's laws.

While we may be human and subject to error, I believe that we often hide behind our humanity as an excuse for callously disregarding God's precepts altogether. Like the wayward patients mentioned above, we presume to know more than the experts we pay to take care of us and advise us on our physical health. Spiritually, we presume to "interpret" God's laws to suit our predispositions, then we wonder why we are put to shame as we consider God's precepts.

When God's laws seem impractical in relation to your life style, the problem does not lie in the laws, but in your attitude towards obeying them. In most cases God's precepts have not been tried and found wanting, they have been found disagreeable to our undisciplined ways and not tried at all.

Like the missionary's dog, we need to learn to come-a-'runnin full tilt when we hear the master's whistle. We are promised to be blessed when we develop a heart to keep the Lord's statutes and seek him with all our heart. May we then seek to develop a STEADFAST OBEDIENCE so we can be "all ear" when the master calls.

(This article from the Castle Hills Christian Church "Communicator" which I wrote, is included in a new Devotional book I am writing and will be out soon.)

"Accepted in the beloved"

2010-01-06T11:07:00.006-06:00

Christ seated on the throne in Heaven

Paul's epistle to the Ephesians begins with a lengthy compound-complex sentence spanning from verse 3 through verse 12. In that lengthy sentence Paul packs a theological wallop, introducing for us our marvelous inheritance in Christ. One phrase stands out for me found in verse 6 which states, (Ephesians 1:6)

⁶To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

Any of us who know the Bible can remember who "the beloved" one is. We recall the very words of God the father himself saying, "This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased."
(Matt. 3:17, 17:5). The Father's "beloved" is our Savior and Lord, and we have been accepted by God because we are in Christ and He is in us. So why would that be so important to us?

It matters because it reveals where God has placed us as a result of our connection to Christ. Ephesians 2 lets us know that we are seated with Christ in the heavenly places (Eph 2:6). This means that where Christ is, we are also. He is seated beside the Father in the heavenly realms, and we are seated beside him in the heavenly realms. This settles an important issue for us concerning whether or not we will go to heaven when we die. The truth is that our spirits are already seated beside our Savior in the heavenly realms. A part of us is in heaven already. The rest of us (our souls and resurrection bodies) will get there when we leave our earthly tents behind.

Let that sink in! We are not just heaven bound; we are heaven found! Eternal life has already begun for us because we are accepted in the beloved. God already sees us the same way he sees his own beloved son. Why? Because we are in Him and He is in us. Let us rejoice in our rich inheritance because of our position in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Livin' in Tents: poem

2009-12-16T11:04:00.006-06:00

A tent which blew over in a storm.

Visiting with my friend John Domingo at the hospital the other day I mentioned that we live in Tents which are temporary (2 Cor. 5:1-5). Our conversation inspired me to write this poem:

Livin' in Tents

By Ed Skidmore (2 Cor. 5:1-5)

We’re livin’ in tents.
Tent’s gonna’ tear,
An’ it’s hardly fair to be living in there,
When a tent starts to wear.

We’re livin’ in tents.
Tent tends to leak,
An’ ya just wanna’ freak when it rains,
An’ you’re wet for a week.

Oh, we’re livin’ in tents.
Sometimes it’ll fold,
When the wind starts to blow and get cold,
It’ll fall, so I’m told.

Well, we’re livin’ in tents.
Tent’s gonna’ fray,
When it does, well, it just seems time
Ta’ throw it away.

We may be livin’ in tents,
But some day we’ll see,
A heavenly city,
Built just for you and me.

And in that city,
Built four-square,
A permanent mansion is waiting,
For us to get there.

No more livin’ in tents.
We “groan” for that day,
Till it comes, we wait patiently,
An’ walk in “the Way”.

We’re livin’ in tents.
But not for long …….

We have the mind of Christ

2009-12-05T10:51:00.007-06:00

We have the mind of Christ:

Devotion for Men’s Breakfast: Dec. 5^th , 2009

Some of you may be aware that I have just succumbed to a sickness shared by several of you here today. I just purchased my first Apple I-phone. I supposedly did it for the purpose of gaining internet access, texting, and e-mails … along with using it as an actual phone. But if the truth were known, it was so I could download all those marvelous “apps”. With the applications I’ve added to my phone I now have the whole world at my fingertips. Along with the apps that came bundled with the phone, like messages, calendar, photos, camera, Youtube videos, stock reports, maps, weather, voice memos, notes, clock, calculator, e-mail, I-pod, Safari, internet access, I-tunes, and the App store.

Just think of all the possibilities that have opened up to me! I can waste time in any of a dozen ways now. And at the staff meetings at church, I too can have my head down and my nose in the calendar app … as I text entries into my phone with my thumbs … and look like I’m not paying attention to what’s going on in the meeting. Oh, how productive I’ll be able to be now, yes sir!

But I said all that about phone apps to get you to thinking with me about our topic today. One of the apps I downloaded is my wife’s Google Calendar. When I’m making an appointment, I can look at my wife’s Google Calendar and see if we have anything else scheduled on that day or not. In a way, it’s like having the mind of my wife right there with me …

Think with me for a moment … what it would be like if my I-phone had an app. called “The mind of Christ” If I could just punch a button and instantly, on the screen would appear instant wisdom from the Master himself. If I had an app that would allow me to ask questions of Jesus and then get his instantaneous answer, perhaps as a text message or an e-mail, or even… dare I suggest it… a voice mail?! Wouldn't that be something else? To have the mind of Christ just the touch of a finger away! Could that be possible?

Well, yes, actually it could --- but not from your I-phone apps.

This amazing feature of our connection with Christ came bundled with our salvation. It is part of what God did when He planted within you the Holy Spirit (“Christ in you, the hope of glory”). Along with his presence came something amazing all for your benefit, and closer than an app on a phone. This feature of your relationship with Christ is safely tucked inside your head. You, friends, have within yourselves, “the mind of Christ.” Just so you’ll not think I dreamed this up, the scripture text which attests to this is found in 1 Corinthians 2:16 (NIV) "For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?" But we have the mind of Christ.

If you take a look at the whole second chapter of First Corinthians, Paul is doing a compare and contrast between the wisdom of the world and spiritual wisdom from God. He talks about the kind of wisdom that God imparts through the Holy Spirit to our spirits. This is a kind of wisdom that doesn’t make sense to people who don’t have the Holy Spirit living inside them. In fact, they think it is all foolishness to them. But the wisdom God imparts only makes sense to Holy Spirit indwelt people. Now guys, wouldn’t that include us? We have access to a wisdom that is superior to an I-phone app. And just as instantly available. It is better, because God has already approved of anything coming from the mind of Christ. And we have that mind within us.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying that everything we think in our brains comes from the mind of Christ. In fact, much of what originates in our minds is quite different than what might proceed from the mind of Christ. Still, the mind of Christ is available if we choose to access it. And how would we do that? I believe it is a matter of focus. If we focus on ourselves, our own resources, our own talents, our own knowledge, our own will, our overactive egos, our interests and hobbies, our commitments, our accomplishments, our schedules --- in short, if we have a “self-centric focus” then nothing from the mind of Christ will come through. The mind of Christ only comes through when we get our minds away from self (flesh)let our spirits connect with the Holy Spirit who resides inside us. A “Christ-centric focus” will allow the mind of Christ to come forth. Romans 8 gives us a clue as to how this all works:

Romans 8:5-11 (NIV)
⁵Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. ⁶The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; ⁷the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so. ⁸Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God. ⁹You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. ¹⁰But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. ¹¹And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you.

I used to look at that passage and see it as something to attempt to attain by self effort. I thought I had to rev up all my will power and somehow MAKE this happen by my efforts. What I didn’t realize is that God is talking about a different emphasis than I had in mind. Now I see that God is talking about the natural process of being indwelt by the Holy Spirit. There’s a world of difference between what kind of life we can live without Christ and what kind of life we can have with Christ. If we don’t have the Spirit within us, we can only focus on the sinful desires of the flesh. That is our only option --- and it is an option that offers only one outcome: death. But when we have the Spirit within us, we have an entirely new option available within us. When God saves us, he “downloads” an entirely NEW and amazing “app” that we never had before. Of course, we can choose to IGNORE the mind of Christ within us. But the new “app” is right there.

So, for a Christian, it doesn’t take some Herculean effort to focus on the Spirit. Having the mind of Christ is part of our NEW nature. Focusing on Him comes naturally.Now, this doesn’t imply instant maturity on our parts. It is still our little pea brains inside our heads. And we can certainly focus those brains on things besides Christ. Jesus is not going to FORCE us to connect with His supernatural understanding and wisdom.

In Philippians 2:5-11 Paul urges us to “have the mind in you that was in Christ Jesus” and then he goes on to describe the mind of Christ in detail. Indeed, there is a sense in which we are to develop the mind of Christ. That is part of our Christian process of maturing. But in another equally real sense, we already have all of Christ there is to have right there living inside us. We don’t have to “make ourselves” into something we AREN’T. We need to let Christ “shape us” into something we already ARE.

Let us consider what a treasure God has given us! We have within us the mind of Christ in all its fullness. The question is --- Will we learn how to connect with this new,completely free … God-given “app?” ,,,

"Good" flesh?

2009-11-20T09:18:00.007-06:00

Luke 18:11 "The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself..."

Speaking with a fellow minister recently I heard him use the term "good flesh" when talking about how Christians will often do seemingly good things which many will commend, but which originate in the flesh and are done for the purpose of self commendation. I remember from my readings in various books by Watchman Nee, the principle of the soul (mind, will, and emotions) being either a conduit for the flesh or a conduit for the spirit.
Because we are Spirit begotten, our spirits have been enlivened and connected to the Holy Spirit by God. Therefore, our souls are now capable of interacting in submission to our Spirit directed spirits. They can also continue as conduits of the flesh if that is how we choose to behave, but we no longer need to function that way if we will only allow our spirit to dominate rather than the flesh.
Looking at Romans 8:5-6 which says, "Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace." (KJV uses the actual phrase "mind on the flesh") When I saw that text I would often see it as a goal to achieve, but now I see it more as the condition of the person who has learned to "abide in Christ" daily, and who now has a spirit that has taken control of what used to be controlled by the flesh. Now the flesh is in submission to the soul rather than in control of it, and the spirit, led by the Holy Spirit, is in the driver's seat. Therefore, "the mind on the Spirit, is life and peace."
Most of us are well aware of the sins committed by our fleshly desires if our flesh dominates our souls, but we may not be so aware of another problem we face from fleshly activity. The flesh is also able to do religious things, and even seemingly commendable things. The flesh is capable of praying, fasting, and giving alms. This is what Jesus was talking about in Matthew 7 which is part of the Sermon on the Mount. The religious leaders of Jesus' day were fond of doing their religious duties out in public to be seen by the crowds. They would ring a bell or blow a trumpet to announce their alms giving as they gave alms in public. They would walk, or rather, stagger in the markets on market day to show off their rigorous fasting behaviors so that others could admire them for their dedication. They would pray in public so that others could see them doing it and be impressed by them. In all three of these actions Jesus advised secrecy so that God could reward them openly. The point is that what they did was done for self aggrandizement and was motivated by the flesh.
What we already know about "bad flesh" needs to be joined by what the Bible obviously also teaches about "good flesh". Either way flesh is flesh. And all flesh amounts to nothing. In John 6:63 Jesus said to the crowds during his "bread of life" sermon, "The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life..." Perhaps we can learn to feast on what the Spirit provides through our spirit and to assign the flesh where it belongs, to the place of submission. You see, the flesh, whether good or bad, accounts for nothing.

AMAC is the alternative to AARP

2009-11-16T10:32:00.008-06:00

AMAC attends a rally opposed to Government Run Health Care

I've been looking for something in the "not AARP" category to get involved with that could represent me as a "seasoned citizen" and also represent me as a Christian and a political conservative. I have found that organization. It is called the Association of Mature American Citizens. Their web site is at this location: http://www.amac.us/ Or their address is 5 Orville Drive, Suite 400, Bohimia, NY, 11716. Phone number there is 1-888-262-2006, and their e-mail is info@amac.us
Membership for both husband and wife is only $12.50 per year, and it includes a magazine and various discounts on insurance etc. just like AARP. This organization has tens of thousands in it at this point while AARP has 26 million less the 60,000 who just got out when they found out AARP supports the Obama health plan. If you are interested in a more conservative, pro life, pro family, group to join this is it. I joined, and you can too. Ed

Look who's guarding us now!

2009-11-13T10:06:00.011-06:00

A fox leaping to capture its prey

I received an e-mail today with a chilling announcement about Janet Napolitano's appointment of two "devout" (this was their wording, not mine) Muslims to the Department of Homeland Security. The two appointees are: Arif Alikhan as Assistant Secretary for Policy Development, and Kareem Shora as a member of the Homeland Security Advisory Council (HSAC). The words "devout Muslim" certainly fit both of these guys as they are both members of pro Muslim, anti Israeli groups. Alikhan is affiliated with MPAC, the "Muslim Public Affairs Council". Kareem Shora is a national executive director for the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee. I won't mention what these two groups have been up to, because I don't want this article to get too wordy, but you can look them up for yourself on the web and see if you think these guys have earned the good housekeeping seal of your approval. I just want to ask what the leaders of our nation have been smoking lately to appoint these two "devout Muslims" to our homeland security department. If this were the Second World War it would be like appointing two high ranking Nazi Generals to our own Joint Chief's of staff. Have our nation's leaders really become so utterly stupid? I might understand these appointments if these two men were "ex-devout" Muslims, but noooo! They are actively practicing Muslims who wouldn't surprise me one bit if they started shouting "Allah-u akbar!" and began shooting up whoever was around them. I am appalled, but not all that surprised. After all, what happened at Fort Hood last week reveals how brain damaged our security forces already are. Am I the only one who sees the fact that we were spared this kind of thing after 9/11 during the Bush years because he understood we were at war with Radical Islam in a way that Clinton didn't. It appears that Obama is no less clueless than Clinton was. Though I hate to say it, I believe it will be easy to predict that there will be more of what happened at Ft. Hood to follow in the weeks to come, and we can lay it at the feet of the kinds of fools who would appoint radical Muslims to guard our homeland. Oh, we're in for a great next three years with them in the Department of Homeland Security! Guard your chickens, the foxes have arrived!

2009-10-30T07:10:00.004-05:00

I have posted a new video on Youtube of the grandkids playing in the leaves in Lincoln, Illinois this fall. The link is as follows:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6zSvXvQLVA

I also posted 3 videos on Susan's Facebook page.

Spiritual Realignment

2009-10-26T13:54:00.006-05:00

Auto front end re-alignment

Romans chapters 5-8 are rich in meaning for the born-again follower of Christ. In this section of text we uncover the meaning behind being new creations in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17). We remember Paul's words concerning baptism in Romans 6 reminding us that as many as have been baptized into Christ have been baptized into his death. In fact, we participate in Christ's death in such a way that just as Christ resurrected from the dead, we also enter into a new life connected to Christ. So, in what ways are we new and different than we were before our connection to Christ? Here is a brief list of spiritual realignments that take place, and cause us to be different creatures than we were before our spiritual rebirth:

born into a new family: Romans 5 compares Adam with Christ letting us know that the sin of one man brought judgment and condemnation on all men, but the obedience of the one man (the second Adam) brought grace and righteousness to all men. The point is that all humanity shares Adam as its progenitor. "Son's of Adam" is the default position of every human born on this planet. Praise God, those who choose to die to that sad condition and are regenerated into Christ, become sons of God, and members of His heavenly family. Our baptism is a declaration of that realignment where we shed Adam's race through death and are born into God's family by being raised into a newness of life.
born into a new servant-hood: Romans 6 declares another realignment involving a death and resurrection. Once again, by nature, we were all slaves to sin. It is natural for a son of Adam to also be enslaved to sin. This was part of the consequence of the fall of Adam and Eve in the garden. The tree of the knowledge of good and evil brought experiential knowledge of disobedience, leading to a universal slavery of everyone born on the planet. Sadly, we are all in the same sinking boat, but gladly, we can choose to die with Christ to our sin condition and be reborn as servants (slaves) to Christ. Romans 6:16 reminds us that who ever we offer ourselves to obey will become our master, and we will be his slave. Whether it be to sin with the result of death, or to obedience which results in righteousness. It is a major realignment to leave sin behind and to become Christ's servant.
born into a new wedlock: Romans 7 paints a picture of the law being like an unsatisfied and legalistic marriage partner who cannot die, and who is impossible to please. All who are born into Adam's race are likewise married to the law which can only condemn but cannot justify anyone. Though the law cannot die, we can die to the law and be resurrected with the ability to choose a new marriage partner. We are then free to join ourselves along with everyone else born of God into the bride of Christ which is the church. This major realignment not only frees us from the bondage of the law, but binds us together with other Christians as we await the arrival of our heavenly bride groom to rule on earth. He is within us now in the form of the Holy Spirit, but we will be with him when he returns to rule and reign.
born with a new mind: Romans 8 paints the fourth picture of spiritual realignment by letting us know that the mind on the flesh means certain death (the default for all born of Adam's race), but the mind on Christ means life and peace (Romans 8:5-8). When we were slaves to sin (our former condition) our minds continually dwelt on the things of the flesh, but when we came to know Christ we were set free from that kind of bondage when God enlivened our spirits and connected them to His Holy Spirit. Though we may occasionally drift back into fleshly thinking, we are no longer bound in slavery to that kind of thinking. Christ has set us free from all bondage and given us the ability to abide in Him and to set our minds on Him.

Notice, here, the defaults and the realignments that come with our spiritual birthing: The defaults include: Adam's race, slavery to sin, marriage to the law, and fleshly thinking. This is a hopeless and depressing condition for all who are spiritually dead and separated from God. But notice the realignments which take place when we die to self in order to be resurrected into the new creation which brings new life, grace, and peace (with God, others, and self). The realignment is a chosen change coming from your faith in God's ability, and it is all of God's doing. He takes our pitiful state, puts it to death, and resurrects us as His children, His servants, His bride, and with His mind. No Christian simply becomes an adherent to a different religion. He becomes a completely new and different person in every way. Talk about a paradigm shift! Nothing is the same as it was when were simply another offspring of Adam's race. Now we are a completely new and different creature with a new heritage and a different destiny. Praise God for our complete spiritual realignment.

My newest video on Youtube

2009-10-17T21:21:00.006-05:00

I have a new video on Youtube. It is a video of me singing My Grandfather's Clock while sitting next to my newest acquisition. which is a Barwick Grandfather's clock given to us by good friends who are getting ready to sell their house. They said it wasn't working, but evidently it must have been healed by the ride home to our place, because when we brought it inside it was ticking, and when we set it it has been keeping time ever since. The Youtube link is as follows http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCrakJUPwO8

Walking into adventure

2009-10-06T11:09:00.006-05:00

Our church just finished a four week series on friendship evangelism entitled "Just walk across the room" from a book by the same title written by Bill Hybels. Not only did we preach four sermons on various aspects of this topic, but many of our Pueblos (home Bible study groups) viewed related dvd's and discussed questions in the accompanying work-books. We've been through many series before, but I believe that this one seemed to strike a chord with many of our people. I know it was meaningful to me.

The encouragement was for us to get out of our own circle of comfort and to venture forth into the zone of the unknown while relying on nudges from the Holy Spirit to direct our steps into adventures God might set up for us. We were also spurred on to develop friendships with people who are not currently close to God, and to take the trouble to listen to their stories rather than just unloading our verbiage on them. Once again, we were admonished to determine what the Holy Spirit might want us to do next rather than just shooting gospel bullets from our hips. We learned how not to tell our own story in a way that might scare people off, but how to briefly share how we have been changed by our connection to Christ. We were also urged to develop friendships for the long haul rather than just looking for conversion scalps for our belts.

What I took away from all this was the fact that Jesus was often called a "friend of sinners" (Matt. 11:19, Luke 7:34-36) which was a derogatory slam coming from the religious leaders of his day, but I believe that was a title he gladly bore. He was a tremendous example of radical inclusiveness and the impact it can have on others. I believe that his example should inspire Christ followers to walk out of their cloistered circles of safety and comfort, and into an adventuresome world of sinners and seekers where we can finally flesh out Christ's call to be salt and light. Perhaps the best insult that could be leveled against us would be for some to call us "friends of sinners" as well. Now, that would be an abuse I would gladly endure for Christ any time! Just a thought!

North Korea on my mind

2009-09-13T16:06:00.006-05:00

Mike Kim with John Stewart on the Daily Show

I have North Korea on my mind. Why, you may ask, would I think about that country among all possibilities? Well, it all started when my brother-in-law, Bob told us he would be traveling there for a few days with a group from his church. Then, coincidentally, Susan saw an interview on the Daily Show between John Stewart and Mike Kim. Here is the link to that interview: http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/tue-june-30-2009/mike-kim

Susan googled Mike Kim and found a web site about him and his ministry http://www.crossingbordersnk.org/

Then, she ordered a copy of his book on Amazon.com. The book is entitled, "Escaping North Korea," by Mike Kim, Bowman and Littlefield Pub. 2008.

After she finished reading it, I started and just finished it today. What did I learn from the book?

North Koreans are the world's most repressed people. The government of Kim Jong Il forbids common citizens from owning cell phones, computers, books or magazines or cd's or dvd's from other countries, Bibles,...actually the list goes on and on. The word for God has been expunged from the North Korean language. Christianity is forbidden on penalty of death. Furthermore, common North Koreans are not allowed to travel outside the country. The country also does not provide citizens with basics such as electricity or medical services. There is very little in the way of public transportation. The unemployment rate is 85%, and those who work rarely get paid, but if they do receive a paycheck it averages the equivalency of about $1.25 per month. Most North Koreans eat only two meals a day of corn gruel which are starvation rations. Because of this North Koreans are stunted in growth and very sickly. When they manage to sneak across the border into China they are often ill and near the point of death. It was also sad to discover that China has a policy of repatriating North Koreans it discovers within its borders back to North Korea where they are immediately imprisoned, tortured, and sometimes killed. Though I could write pages on the hardships the North Koreans must endure, what is even more astounding is to discover what Mike Kim wrote about Christianity in North Korea.

There are estimated to be around 100,000 Christians living in North Korea in spite of the governments fanaticism over eradicating it completely. Many of these secret Christians became believers when they snuck across the border into China and learned about God from the house churches operating near the border. In spite of China's policies against North Korean refugees, Christians in China will often hide these pitiable folks and take care of them. If North Koreans go back across the border to their homes, government officials will interrogate them, and the first questions they ask are these: "Did you meet any foreigners?" "Did you meet any Christians?" If they answer "Yes" to either of these questions, they are immediately placed in captivity.

Though there is much more I could share from the book, I would simply urge you to read the book for yourself. It will break your heart, no doubt, but it will also enable you pray more effectively for the unfortunate slaves of this repressive Communist regime. Though there are many places in the world where Christians are mistreated and even martyred, this place is by far the worst of them all. We must pray for our brothers and sisters there in North Korea.

New Church Web Site & Podcasts

2009-09-06T20:27:00.005-05:00

The Castle Hills Christian Church has a new web site up with the following address: www.chccsa.com The old web address still works and will direct you to the new site. The old address is www.castlehillschristianchurch.com I'm mentioning this not only for connecting to the new site, but also to let you know about connecting with pod casts of sermons at our church. The new web site will connect you to Apple I-Tunes so that you can download a subscription to the latest podcast. Unfortunately, if you don't already have I-Tunes loaded on your hard drive of your computer, it will require you to download I-Tunes. There is another way. You can use this link to find our pod casts on a sight called Pod bean. Here is the link: http://chccsa.podbean.com This will take you directly to the site which we upload our pod casts to and listen to them right there. So take your pick. Either go to our web page and link to I-tunes, or go directly to podbean.com and listen to our pod casts of sermons there. I hope this makes sense. Ed

Town Hall Meeting with Ciro D. Rodriguez

2009-08-31T01:40:00.006-05:00

Henry Cisneros and Ciro D. Rodriguez at Town Hall Meeting

The link below is to a YouTube video of the Town Hall Meeting with Rep. Ciro D. Rodriguez from Friday, Aug. 28, '09 at the Palo Alto College Performing Arts Center. This 9 minute video is of questions asked by the public at the two hour town hall meeting moderated by former mayor Henry Cisneros. I took this video on my Flip Ultra camera. The most interesting part of the meeting were the questions asked by the audience. The answers by Rep. Rodriguez were mostly government speak as far as I was concerned. He did mention that he was unlikely to vote for the health care reform bill in its present form because he admitted it was anti-small business. We will see what he decides to do as Congress cranks up again in a week or so. The link is:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCQA9wK3z50

Health Care Reform Bill Specific Details for Townhall Meeting

2009-08-28T14:01:00.009-05:00

Rep. Ciro D. Rodriguez

I'll be heading down to the town hall meeting sponsored by Rep. Ciro D. Rodriguez this evening at 6:30 p.m. at the Performing Arts Bldg. at Palo Alto College. Just in case I am able to say anything there, I wanted to be able to have specific data along with actual page numbers of the Health care Reform bill provisions. When I Googled for information I hit the jackpot at this site. Use the link to see for yourself the article by Mike Adams, NaturalNews Editor:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2300451/posts

There are 49 bullet points to review concerning the bill in the article above, and I must admit that much of this I had never heard before. Is any of this new to you as well?

Page 22: Mandates audits of all employers that self ensure!
Page 29: Gives an admission that your health care will be rationed.
Page 30: A government committee will decide what treatments and benefits you get (and unlike an insurer, there will be no appeals process)
Page 59: The Federal Government will have direct, real-time access to all individual bank accounts for electronic funds transfer!
Page 65: Taxpayers will subsidize all union retiree and community organizer health plans (examples: SEIU, UAW, ACORN)
Page 84: All private health care plans must participate in the Health care Exchange (i.e., total government control of private plans)
Page 95: The Government will pay ACORN and Americorps to sign up individuals for Government-run Health Care plan.
Page 102: Those eligible for Medicaid will be automatically enrolled: you have no choice in the matter.
Page 127: The government will set wages for doctors and health care professionals
Page 145: Employers MUST auto-enroll employees into the government-run public plan. No alternatives
Page 126: Employers MUST pay health care bills for part-time employees and their families.
Page 149-150: Employers who don't offer the public option pay from 2 to 8% tax on payroll depending on size of payroll.
Page 167: Any individual who doesn't have acceptable health care (according to the government) will be taxed 2.5% of income.
Page 195: Officers and employees of Government Health care Bureaucracy will have access to ALL American financial and personal records.
Page 239: The bill will reduce physician services for Medicaid. Seniors and the poor will be the most affected.
Page 241: Doctors, no matter what specialty you have, you'll all be paid the same.
Page 318: Prohibition on hospital expansion. (except with government approval)
Page 341: Government has the authority to disqualify Medicare Advantage Plans, HMO's, etc.
Page 354: Government will restrict enrollment of SPECIAL NEEDS individuals.
Page 425: New bureaucracy: Advance Care Planning Consult: Senior Citizens (euthanasia?)
Page 425: Government will instruct and consult regarding living wills, durable power of attorney, etc. Mandatory! (also end-of-life resources approved list)
Page 427-430: Government mandated program to order end-of-life treatment; dictating how your life ends.
Page 469, 472: Payments to Community-based Home Medical Services- more payoffs for ACORN
Page 489: Government will cover marriage and family therapy - intrusion into your marriage.
Page 494: Government will cover mental health services: defining, creating, and rationing these services.

OK, who's spooked now? I was talking to my barber/beautician while getting my hair cut today, and mentioned two or three of these specifics to her. The lady in the next chair became so panicked by what she overheard, she jumped up and ran to her husband in the waiting room for comfort. The point is that it all panics me as well, and ought to panic everybody.

The Church: weak or glorious?

2009-08-27T12:41:00.006-05:00

Recently, I was involved in a meeting as an officer in a church planting association with a fledgling congregation experiencing some problems. After the meeting, as I drove home, I thought about the precarious position the baby congregation was in. They had a short history as a congregation, a small nucleus of members struggling to pay bills and keep their heads above water financially, and a seeming weakness in being able to deal with troubles among themselves. We officers had done what we could to help the tiny flock weather their current storm, but the congregation seemed so weak and helpless to all outward appearances.

Having seen so many congregational troubles through the years of my ministry, it is tempting to wonder how any congregation can survive the tempests it is forced to endure during it's time in this seemingly hostile world system each congregation must operate within. Thinking back to Jesus' letters to the seven churches of Asia (Rev. 2-3) we notice the kinds of troubles Jesus pointed out to these second-generation congregations. Among them were such maladies as, losing their first love (2:4), suffering opposition, poverty, and persecution (2:9-10), false teaching and sexual immoralities (2:14-15), compromise (2:20-25), spiritual deadness (3:1-3), persecution by Satanic forces and weakness (3:8-11), luke-warmness, and indifference (3:15-19). That's quite a list: If so many things can go wrong with a church congregation, is there any hope for the local church?

The good news is that even with her imperfections here on earth, the church was God's idea from the beginning. She has been the object of special provision by our loving Savior who died for the church and imparted himself to her so that she will eventually be seen without spot or wrinkle as the glorious bride of the Lamb (Eph 5:25-27) Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to infuse the church with life and truth and leadership (Eph. 4:3-6). This means that the church is unlike any other organization on earth. The church has someone special in her midst giving her a dynamic unlike that of other fraternal and philanthropic organizations. So while the church may appear weak and precarious among other worldly entities, she is under God's special watch care and guidance, and will receive His special provision to the praise of His Glory when she is revealed in full spender as the radiant bride of the Lamb (Rev. 19:7-9) Therefore, though the church may look weak in worldly terms, I know that God in his wisdom, has provided for her everything she needs, and that the church is under God's protection and guidance. What looks weak and fragile to me is actually infused with Spirit imparted life, Jesus imparted Love, and Abba imparted provision. She is much better off than I could ever imagine.

Prayer medly

2009-08-20T17:09:00.007-05:00

And yet again, I have uploaded a guitar solo to You-Tube. This time it is a prayer medly including these songs: Take time to be holy, Whisper a prayer, Did you think to pray? Again, I played them on my new Taylor 616 guitar. Take a look. Ed

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W9wqsxCYGSs

See results of my new video camera on You-Tube

2009-08-18T18:06:00.004-05:00

Well, I just got a new video camera and tried it out today. It is a Flip Camera with 8 gigs of on- board memory. I got out my guitar and played a classical piece by Francisco Tarrega called Estudio in E minor. Then I uploaded it to You-tube. You can click on this link to see it on You-tube. Check it out. Ed
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ll3mnom9hvk

I turned myself in!

2009-08-05T20:37:00.008-05:00

The Whitehouse

Well, I did it. I turned myself in. I learned from Fox News about the White House Blog that drew fire for suggesting that its supporters send in e-mails to flag@whitehouse.gov turning in e-mails, rumors, or even casual conversations with "fishy information" about HR 3200, the Health Care Reform bill. Well, I'm as full of fishy information as anyone so I turned myself in and sent this e-mail to the above address:

Dear flag (whoever you are),
I hereby turn myself in for holding "fishy notions" about HR 3200, the supposed "health care reform" bill. I have the fishy notion that you want to control as much of every one's life from cradle to grave as possible. Don't worry, I didn't get that notion from reading the 1,100 page bill. Heaven knows I would never take a step that other reps in Congress would not bother to take. But I hear some say that the bill contains provisions to provide govt. funding for abortions. We'll never know till the bill passes (largely unread) and such actions are taken to crank up increased "family planning" procedures. I also hear that there may be population control measures implied in the bill (also unknowable unless one reads the bill and interprets the legalese within it.) And speaking of wackiness, someone said the bill contains language to encourage the elderly to just go ahead and drop dead and do us all a favor, some kind of "end of life" counseling every five years. But we'll never know because no one will actually read the thing (certainly not me or anyone else in Congress for that matter.) Some also declare, in a fishy, wacky way, that major funding for this bill will come from discovering savings in the Medicare program meaning that we will begin rationing health care services to the elderly in this country. Oh well, it's gotta come from somewhere, and after all, we will be counseling them to take advantage of some "end of life" options anyway. Kudos for working hard to take over another 1/6th of the American economy. Well, there you have it, I have more "fishy" ideas, but I won't take time to bore you with them here. At any rate, like the good, compliant citizen I am, I hereby turn myself in to you. So, flag ol' boy, what do you plan to do about it? I know you're already watching me, after all, I've been to a "tea" party or two. I'm one of those "right wing wackos" who just might infiltrate into a town hall meeting and stir up something irrational and, well, fishy! Oh yes, I've carried a sign or two at protest meetings, a real nut job, eh? And yes, I plan to keep it up as long as the first amendment stays in place to protect my right to be as fishy as I choose to be. Sincerely, Citizen Ed

She read the entire health care bill, Listen and Learn!

2009-08-05T14:07:00.007-05:00

Fred Thompson

Right now so much is being said about the health care bill and naturally we wonder what is and isn't factual truth and what might be hype and fiction. Well, how about this! Below is a link to an 8 minute audio track of a call in conversation between former New York Lt. Governor Betsy McCaughey and Fred Thompson on the Fred Thompson show. The link will take you to Fred Thompson's site and (after a brief pause) will start the interview. This lady has read the entire bill and knows what she is talking about. Listen to what she says about HR 3200, the Health Care Reform Bill being considered in Congress.

Betsy McCaughey former New York, Lt. Gov. Interview with Fred Thompson July 16, 2009Patient Advocate and Founder of the Committee to Reduce Infectious Deaths Betsy McCaughey calls in the show.
http://tw8.us/if

I won again for the third time!

2009-07-27T10:33:00.007-05:00

My caption: "Is this the 12-step group for recovering non-conformists?"

I picked up the latest edition of the Leadership Magazine, turned to page 92, and found out that, for the third time, I am a winner in the caption contest. The cartoon and caption I submitted are above. Other captions submitted included:

After 13 years of doing leadership training classes, Pastor Ray found he was completely beside himself. (Scott Mueller)
Ed decided not to report the copier problem (Neil Young)
"John Maxwell was right:'You teach what you know, but you reproduce what you are.'" (Ray Jones)
"Welcome to your first Anonymous Anonymous Meeting." (Dolly Bilstad)
"Is this the seminar on identity theft?" (Deborah Griffin)
Bob finally found a church where he wouldn't have to compromise. (Doug Spinney)
Stunned, Brother Ed realized he had forgotten to check an important box on the eHarmony compatibility form. (John Beukema)

The artist who drew the cartoon is Tim Walburg

Enjoy! Ed

The Twofold Meaning of the Lamb

2009-07-25T11:08:00.006-05:00

Image of the Lamb of God

After 37 years in ministry, it is a serendipity for me when I read something that is a new insight for me. I had such an insight when reading a book by Dan Stone and David Gregory called "The rest of the Gospel (When the partial Gospel has worn you out)" (2000, One Press, Corvallis, Oregon) The fifth chapter unfolds the picture of the Passover in Exodus 12 explaining that the purpose of the lamb's blood was to save the life of the first-born in each family when the blood was sprinkled over the doorposts of each Hebrew house. The authors went on to explain that the blood of the lamb was only part of the story. The meat of the lamb was also provided for the family to eat to provide nourishment in preparation for the beginning of the journey from slavery in Egypt out of bondage into freedom and the inheritance of a new homeland in Canaan. We have a tendency to think about the blood of the lamb, but forget to think about the meat of the lamb as God's provision.

Likewise, Jesus blood is provided to us for the forgiveness of sin, but his body is also provided to us for nourishment. Jesus is, for us, the bread of life. We are to remember that during our time of communion. It is common to think of the shed blood of Christ Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. But we only see half the picture if we fail to think of Jesus as the lamb who was slain and eaten in preparation of the journey out of slavery. This is the theme of Jesus sermon in John 6 which he preached to the crowds the day after he fed over 5,000 with five loaves and two fishes. The crowds liked it when Jesus miraculously provided food to the masses, but they were unimpressed when Jesus called himself the "bread of life." Jesus told the crowds, "I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world." (John 6:51 NIV) At this point many in the crowds left him and many of his disciples also left him. They didn't want to hear this even though it was a major theme of his message concerning himself.

For the believer, Jesus is the Lamb of God, and his provision as the Lamb is twofold. The blood of the lamb is for salvation from the prospect of death, and his flesh is provided as our nourishment and sustenance in life. The experience of Jesus on the cross, and our connection to Jesus at the cross, is twofold as well. We thank God for the blood of Christ which cleanses us from sin, but we also need to see our connection to Jesus as the bread of life, who becomes the very life source of all who died with Jesus when he died on the cross. Romans 6 explains that connection to Christ at the cross where we died along with him and were raised up to a newness of life with him. Jesus is now our life itself. Our connection to him is permanent, and it is from him that we draw our nourishment. The message Jesus gave that was rejected by the masses in John 6, is the source for our lives in connection to Him. Jesus is the bread of life. our connection to Him is the very basis for our life as children of God. We need to see both the blood and the body of Christ when we look at the cross. See the forgiveness and the nourishment coming from our connection with Christ at the cross.

How to locate your Congressional Reps.

2009-07-20T09:27:00.006-05:00

US Capitol Building:

Pam Hall sent me an e-mail with information about how to easily get in touch with your Senators and Congressional Representative. With us needing to get in touch with these people on so many things being considered by Congress these days. This is really important. Therefore, the information is listed balow:

How to locate and email your senators and representative:

Go to http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/
Type in your zip code and hit "Submit It"

Thinking about Leisure Time

2009-07-13T19:18:00.005-05:00

"Rest" by Ola Jacobsen

Having just returned from some leisure time in Illinois followed up by three days in Port Aransas, my thoughts turn naturally to the subject of rest and relaxation. Through the years I have often heard certain people brag about never taking a day off and never going on a vacation. It seems that a minority of preachers and missionaries I have known fall into this R and R avoidance category. It seems to me that they didn't just avoid time off; their non-stop work endeavors were worn as a badge of honor. Spouting such cliches as, "I'd rather wear out than rust out," these folks use the "hard work" angle to prove their superiority over the lazy masses around them. Maybe it's just me, but I can't help but detect that these people don't seem to be doing themselves any favors by always staying "on the clock" so to speak. I remember one clergy couple in particular who's argumentative behavior with each other and most people around them, practically screamed out, "I need a good nap!"

Naturally, a topic like this lends itself to the proverbial question, "What would Jesus do?" Fortunately, we can do better than that by looking at Mark 6 to observe one of Jesus' busiest days of ministry. We can look at what Jesus did do and encouraged his disciples to do with him. Jesus had just sent his men out two by two into area villages to preach and brought them back together for a de-briefing session. The text then records (Mark 6:31), "Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, 'Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.'" Thinking about the King James verbiage of this text I remember a preacher's admonition to "come ye apart" or else you will come apart (literally). Jesus is also the one who said, "Come to me all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28) While Jesus was certainly a hard working man himself, I can't imagine him boasting about "wearing out rather than rusting out." The most amazing thing about Jesus' leisure time was that he seemed to spend most of it in prayer in a place where he was able to be alone. It seems that for Jesus, communion with Abba Father was blissful relaxation of the best kind. He was not only favorable to relaxation, his rest was spent in union with the Father. If only we could learn to "clock out" the way Jesus did as he talked to God in a quiet and lonely place. Consider Jesus admonition, "Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest." Think about that for a while.

Breath Prayer information

2009-07-05T15:39:00.006-05:00

In a sermon on prayer a week ago I mentioned "breath prayers" which was something used at the Jesus Way Conference in San Antonio in preparation for the morning session. We were encouraged to contemplate two phrases from Psalm 36:8. As we exhaled we would say (or think) "We feast on the abundance of your house..." and when inhaling, "...You give us drink from the river of your delights." I enjoyed that mental and spiritual preparation for the morning session. My wife had also been hearing about breath prayers lately, some as short as just saying, "Lord have mercy." I also had a 4 page article on breath prayers written by Dr. William Gualtiere and had placed about 8 copies of that article in the foyer. Here is the link in case you are interested in reading the article for yourself. http://www.christiansoulcare.com/spiritualdiscipline/spiritualdisciplinebreathprayers.htm

What shall we choose to save?

2009-06-24T13:51:00.007-05:00

These are strange times. Paradigms are being shifted at a pace beyond imagination. In the old days people worked feverishly to save the souls of sinners, but now we work up a sweat to save whales and baby seals. Meanwhile we discard pre-born baby humans like yesterday's paper.

Gone are the days of saving green stamps. Today we are recycling trash in order to save land fills. Meanwhile we discard everything electronic because it is cheaper to replace than to repair.

We no longer save pop bottles to return for deposit (except in a few states), but we do recycle glass bottles with no monetary return for our efforts. Meanwhile, certain company's will pay cash for used phones, but our drawers are running over with phone discards anyway.

These days, to save our planet, we are feeding cows special additives to cut down on flatulence and burps (I kid you not), and though we are still drinking carbonated beverages, we are now pumping carbon dioxide gas (our newest designated pollutant du jour) into sealed cavities under ground so that we can hope to attain agreed upon green house gas levels before a certain pre- determined date. Never mind that without carbon dioxide plants could not live and our planet would become completely dead in short order.

Currently, we are becoming increasingly known for what we choose to save and what we choose to discard. Personally, I think our modern day, politically correct, notions are so far off base as to be laughable. If it weren't for the feverish effort and energy we somberly expend on saving things (often the wrong things) we could sit back, take a second look, and have a good chuckle at the idiocy they will no doubt look back and see a hundred years from now, when looking at our current weird and wacky days. Meanwhile, to save our planet, I urge you to buy a family size bottle of Beano so you can prevent yourself from releasing gaseous pollutants into our air, and by the way, stop breathing as well; after all, that is carbon dioxide you are exhaling. Just a thought.

"Obama for life" confirmed

2009-06-20T08:12:00.006-05:00

A quick update on the previous blog. I was a little nervous when I couldn't find anything on Snopes.com one way or another, so I Googled HJR 5 and still turned up nothing. Then I Googled "repeal 22nd amendment to Constitution", and Bingo! there it was. You can get Rep. Serrano's own words on the matter by going to this site: http://www.end22.com/Serrano This is no urban legend folks. Serrano has done this before and is trying hard to get this resolution down the pike so it is in place before Obama runs for a third term of office. His motive is to make Obama president for life.

A lifetime of Pres. Obama?

2009-06-19T16:22:00.007-05:00

Photo of Joint Session of U.S. Congress

I received an e-mail today about House Joint Resolution 5. I must admit I had heard nothing about it before today, and nothing has been on the news about it. As you can see below, this was introduced on January 6th, '09 by Rep.Jose Serrano D.N.Y. I wondered if this was a hoax so I looked it up on Snopes.com and there was nothing there about it one way or another. Am I the only one who thinks this is about as bizarre as it could get? I feel sorry for the folks in Iran who had their election stolen from them and have to endure another term from a despot like Ahmadinejad. Now it looks like we are setting things up in this country so that our current leader can become a leader for life!

I can't help but assume that shady dealings by groups like Acorn is what gave the Dems the extra 8 million votes they needed to put Obama into office. And now we can assume that a continuation of those shenanigans will keep him in office, and the repeal of the 22nd Amendment will keep him there indefinitely. Below, is the actual wording from http://www.govtrack.us/. Read it and groan with me.

Text of H. J. Res. 5: Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to repeal the twenty-second amendment limiting the number of terms the President of the United States can serve.
Introduced in House of Representatives on January 6th, 2009

This version: Introduced in House. This is the original text of the bill as it was written by its sponsor and submitted to the House for consideration. This is the latest version of the bill available on this website.

HJ 5 IH

111th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. J. RES. 5

Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to repeal the twenty-second article of amendment, thereby removing the limitation on the number of terms an individual may serve as President.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

January 6, 2009

Mr. SERRANO introduced the following joint resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

JOINT RESOLUTION

Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to repeal the twenty-second article of amendment, thereby removing the limitation on the number of terms an individual may serve as President.

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled (two-thirds of each House concurring therein), That the following article is proposed as an amendment to the Constitution of the United States, which shall be valid to all intents and purposes as part of the Constitution when ratified by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several States within seven years after the date of its submission for ratification:

‘Article--

‘The twenty-second article of amendment to the Constitution of the United States is hereby repealed.’.

You can look this up on this site: http://www.govtrack.us/congress/billtext.xpd?bill=hj111-5

Here is another site: http://www.washingtonwatch.com/bills/show/111_HJ_5.html

Audio files available on 3 web sites

2009-06-16T20:33:00.004-05:00

I was updating my written and audio sermon contributions to www.sermoncentral.com where my contributions are available under the contributor name K. Edward Skidmore. I had been uploading audio files to go with recent sermon text files, and I hit a button that said "free podcasts". Well, that took me to a site called sermon.net with the following link http://sermon.net/castlehillscc, and lo and behold, there were copies of my audio files. I didn't realize that uploading mp3 files to Sermon Central also uploaded them to the other site as well. This means that along with our own church web site www.castlehillschristianchurch.com where mp3 files are available of all recent sermons by all four ministers at CHCC, there are two other sites where my audio messages can also be found. You might want to see for yourself. Just a thought.

A timely Obituary

2009-06-13T21:04:00.004-05:00

The Death of Common Sense

By Lori Borgman

Three yards of black fabric enshroud my computer terminal. I am mourning the passing of an old friend by the name of Common Sense.
His obituary reads as follows:
Common Sense, aka C.S., lived a long life, but died from heart failure at the brink of the millennium. No one really knows how old he was, his birth records were long ago entangled in miles and miles of bureaucratic red tape. Known affectionately to close friends as Horse Sense and Sound Thinking, he selflessly devoted himself to a life of service in homes, schools, hospitals and offices, helping folks get jobs done without a lot of fanfare, whooping and hollering. Rules and regulations and petty, frivolous lawsuits held no power over C.S.
A most reliable sage, he was credited with cultivating the ability to know when to come in out of the rain, the discovery that the early bird gets the worm and how to take the bitter with the sweet. C.S. also developed sound financial policies (don't spend more than you earn), reliable parenting strategies (the adult is in charge, not the kid) and prudent dietary plans (offset eggs and bacon with a little fiber and orange juice).
A veteran of the Industrial Revolution, the Great Depression, the Technological Revolution and the Smoking Crusades, C.S. survived sundry cultural and educational trends including disco, the men's movement, body piercing, whole language and new math.
C.S.'s health began declining in the late 1960s when he became infected with the If-It-Feels-Good, Do-It virus. In the following decades his waning strength proved no match for the ravages of overbearing federal and state rules and regulations and an oppressive tax code. C.S. was sapped of strength and the will to live as the Ten Commandments became contraband, criminals received better treatment than victims and judges stuck their noses in everything from Boy Scouts to professional baseball and golf. His deterioration accelerated as schools implemented zero-tolerance policies. Reports of 6-year-old boys charged with sexual harassment for kissing classmates, a teen suspended for taking a swig of Scope mouthwash after lunch, girls suspended for possessing Midol and an honor student expelled for having a table knife in her school lunch were more than his heart could endure.
As the end neared, doctors say C.S. drifted in and out of logic but was kept informed of developments regarding regulations on low-flow toilets and mandatory air bags. Finally, upon hearing about a government plan to ban inhalers from 14 million asthmatics due to a trace of a pollutant that may be harmful to the environment, C.S. breathed his last. Services will be at Whispering Pines Cemetery. C.S. was preceded in death by his wife, Discretion; one daughter, Responsibility; and one son, Reason. He is survived by two step-brothers, Half-Wit and Dim-Wit.
Memorial Contributions may be sent to the Institute for Rational Thought.
Farewell, Common Sense. May you rest in peace.

Note from Lori Borgman: This piece was first published March 15, 1998 in the Indianapolis Star. It has been "modified" and "edited" by others and circulated on the Internet, even sent to me several times. Imagine my surprise to see it attributed to some guy named Anonymous. If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, I take having my work circulated on the web as a compliment.

No timelier words could be written than the article above by Lori Borgman. Sadly, common sense has been laid in a mass grave along with logic, objective truth, unadulterated history, godliness, traditional faith, manners, politeness, respect, honesty, patriotism, and a host of other fine human qualities that give people the ability to live together harmoniously. Sadly, many these days don't have a clue as to what is missing or why it might matter. For my part, I mourn the loss and miss the people who were known for living according to these noble restraints. May they rest in peace. Just a thought. (Ed)

Staying Connected....for Them

2009-06-06T10:29:00.005-05:00

My adorable grandkids:

I'll be having a 59th birthday in August which would probably put me in the last third to last fourth of my lifespan depending on variables, some of which I have little or no control over. So far, my life has been something I can look back on with joy and thanksgiving. Some of that joy came from decisions I made and paths I chose to take. Much of it came from people I have met and other meaningful connections in my life. A good portion of it came from living in a country that allows freedoms unprecedented in the rest of the world's nations. I have been a citizen of a nation that has allowed freedom to chart my own course, to live where I wish, to travel without restrictions, to save and invest in what I choose, to think what ever may come to my mind, to speak my mind freely, to write without fear of reprisal, to learn what I want, to teach what I want, to believe what I want. So far, I have been allowed, by a largely hands-off government, to live in peace and make my own life.

It would be easy to shrug my shoulders at this point and assume that the ride is nearly over for me anyway so what does it matter what the future may hold? I can hunker down and just take passively what ever may come my way from this point on. But the problem is that I have children and grand children in my world now. Their ride is still in the early stages. They have a long way to go before things will be over for them. What ever this world throws at them will impact them for many years to come. For that very reason I cannot allow myself to develop complacency about the way things are trending. I want the same kind of nation I have enjoyed for nearly 60 years to be the same land of freedom and opportunity my kids and grand kids could enjoy. Therefore, I cannot just hold my tongue while this nation slides into the slough of socialism, government over-reaching, antipathy toward religion, onerous taxation, an avalanche of freedom-choking regulations, class and racial warfare, political correctness, environmental bullying and shaming, and the notion that a few elites know best what should be done for the rest of us unwashed.

Therefore, though it may pain me to stay connected to the daily "goings on" in my world; though politics these days seems to leave a bad taste in my mouth; though it would be more enjoyable to move to a small country home and tend to the needs of a few animals and ignore the world around me; I will stay plugged in... for them. I will speak up... for them. I will carry protest signs, go to "TEA parties", write blogs, send e-mails, vote, urge others to vote, cry, pray, sing, and do anything else my body can still do for the time I have left... for them!

"Lubbock to Lincoln"

2009-06-02T17:52:00.004-05:00

I told a friend about our trips to Lubbock and Lincoln, IL. for the birthings of our first two grand kids (Morgan and David) born only 9 days apart. When I mentioned that we drove from Lubbock to Lincoln, he said, "That sounds like a Country Western song." I took the hint and wrote a country-western song about driving from Lubbock to Lincoln. Here it is as a Youtube Video

The bliss of "direct-connect"

2009-05-28T16:24:00.005-05:00

Though this may sound like an article about high tech gadgetry, it is actually theological in nature. I am glad about my solid and permanent connection with Christ himself, the Lord of the church, and the author of my salvation. He is my direct mediator to God the Father, the name through which I pray, and the one who gives me the power to live the life he has called me to live. I love my direct connection with my Lord. I need no back up system, no redundant systems, no wireless routers, no high speed modem, no second processor, no firewall, no virus protection. Jesus and I are connected, and if there are any dead zones between us they are of my own making.

When sharing the gospel with others my only task is to lift up the name of Christ and to speak up about my high regard for the Word of God which introduced me to Christ and allows me to introduce Him to others as well. I don't need to promote any specific flavor of Christianity or win people to any particular leaning or man-made affiliation. Though it is not my purpose to speak ill of denominations, theologies, dispensations, synods, bishoprics, or church associations, it is my intention to spend my energies promoting Christ and the Bible period! My hope is that others will also know the joy of their own direct connection to Christ. Just a thought.

Speak up while you can still be heard!

2009-05-18T11:09:00.006-05:00

I'm writing today to inform you about H.R. 2454 which was introduced by Henry Waxman and Edward Markey in the House of Representatives and is now being considered. This bill, called the American Clean Energy and Security Act is set for a vote before Memorial day on May 25th. The bill is over 900 pages long and even the summary of the bill presented by the Energy and Commerce committee is 22 pages long. You can see the summary on the web at http://energycommerce.house.gov/Press_111/20090515/hr2454_summary.pdf

The part of this bill that concerns me the most is the part that would enact "Cap and Trade" standards on the US as they were put in place about 12 years ago in most of Europe. I have already written about cap and trade in another blog so I won't repeat myself here, but you can see what I wrote there if you wish: http://skiddingintohome.blogspot.com/2009/04/learning-truth-about-cap-and-trade.html

Let me cut to the chase on my greatest concern. Imposing Kyoto Treaty style carbon emission standards on our nation will impact our economy in the worst way possible. It has been estimated that the average American family will eventually see between three to four thousand dollars annually sucked out of their personal disposable income in the form of higher gasoline prices (new taxes), higher electric and natural gas bills, and other possible increases from products impacted by these new government regulations. This is an especially bad idea to even consider while we are in the midst of an economic crisis, but Congress is hell bent on getting this through with the same "hurry-up" mindset they had with the various bail outs of the past few months.

The problem is that we only have a few days to even let our reaction to this bill be known before it sails through the House and on to the Senate. Please let your congressman know this week about your concerns. Here in San Antonio the TEA Party group is planning a protest tomorrow, on Tuesday, May 19th at 11 a.m. at the office of Charley Gonzalez office at 727 E. Durango Blvd. in downtown San Antonio. If you plan to attend you can notify the organizers by sending an e-mail to nocapandtrade@wildblue.net They need an estimate so they can notify the police how many people they expect at that location. Charley Gonzalez is on the House Energy Committee. He needs to hear our voices. now. I have also sent an e-mail to my rep. Cero D. Rodriguez. You should do the same with yours. Time is of the essence. Please don't sit this one out.

2009-05-11T21:57:00.003-05:00

I just discovered my favorite x-worship leader. His name is Tim Hawkins and the link will take you to some of his delightful songs on Youtube. Here is the link.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zfs3BJZxKkc&feature=PlayList&p=826FE6D692A02D11&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=4

Who's the freecreditreport.com singer?

2009-05-10T07:08:00.005-05:00

Well, you really can find out anything you want to know on Google. I asked "Who is the freecreditreport.com singer?" and hundreds of responses came in with videos. His name is Eric Violette, a French Canadian actor, singer, piano and guitar player. No need for a voice over here. He even has his own web site. http://www.ericviolette.com/ complete with photos, videos, resume, and a bio. Now I need to find out who the old white haired lady is who keeps popping up in all the commercials. Just a thought.

The 9-12 Project

2009-05-07T16:41:00.006-05:00

The 9-12 Project involves 9 principles and 12 values: It is a non political movement based on the unity shared by Americans on September 12th, 2001, the day after the attacks against the U.S. by Muslim Extremists. I heard about it on the Glen Beck show and logged into the Glen Beck site to hear more about it. So far 640,000 people have signed on as "9-12 ers" because they agree with the 9 principles and the 12 values. Read below and see if you agree with these principles and values. All of this makes sense to me.

The 9 Principles
1.
America Is Good.
2.
I believe in God and He is the Center of my Life.
God “The propitious smiles of Heaven can never be expected on a nation that disregards the eternal rules of order and right which Heaven itself has ordained.” from George Washington’s first Inaugural address.
3.
I must always try to be a more honest person than I was yesterday.
Honesty “I hope that I shall always possess firmness and virtue enough to maintain what I consider to be the most enviable of all titles, the character of an honest man.” George Washington
4.
The family is sacred. My spouse and I are the ultimate authority, not the government.
Marriage/Family “It is in the love of one’s family only that heartfelt happiness is known. By a law of our nature, we cannot be happy without the endearing connections of a family.” Thomas Jefferson
5.
If you break the law you pay the penalty. Justice is blind and no one is above it.
Justice “I deem one of the essential principles of our government… equal and exact justice to all men of whatever state or persuasion, religious or political.” Thomas Jefferson
6.
I have a right to life, liberty and pursuit of happiness, but there is no guarantee of equal results.
Life, Liberty, & The Pursuit of Happiness “Everyone has a natural right to choose that vocation in life which he thinks most likely to give him comfortable subsistence.” Thomas Jefferson
7.
I work hard for what I have and I will share it with who I want to. Government cannot force me to be charitable.
Charity “It is not everyone who asketh that deserveth charity; all however, are worth of the inquiry or the deserving may suffer.” George Washington
8.
It is not un-American for me to disagree with authority or to share my personal opinion.
On your right to disagree “In a free and republican government, you cannot restrain the voice of the multitude; every man will speak as he thinks, or more properly without thinking.” George Washington
9.
The government works for me. I do not answer to them, they answer to me.
Who works for whom? “I consider the people who constitute a society or a nation as the source of all authority in that nation.” Thomas Jefferson

The 12 Values

* Honesty

* Reverence

* Hope

* Thrift

* Humility

* Charity

* Sincerity

* Moderation

* Hard Work

* Courage

* Personal Responsibility

* Gratitude

Spread The Word