Updates from August, 2007 Toggle Comment Threads | Keyboard Shortcuts

  • Mark 2:59 pm on August 13, 2007 Permalink | Reply  

    When You Dig Yourself a Hole… 

    We had a breakthrough today…literally.

    I spent the morning with Miller today digging the biggest hole I’ve ever seen made by human hands.  I mean, its huge.  It’s the kind of hole my elementary school self would have been proud of.

    Apparently he’s been working on it with some other friends for quite some time.  When I arrived on the scene it was already down to about 10 feet.  We had a pulley system with a bucket to bail to dirt out…the whole schebang.  A hand dug well…that’s a first for a city-boy like me.

    We both took turns picking and shoveling ourselves further and further into God’s good earth.  The only air moving around down thereis the kind you make…and believe me, you’d rather the still air to that.  :)   While Miller and I shoveled, hauled, and conversed, I allowed myself to feel God’s presence in the absolutely mundane.  There is nothing glorious about what was happening there this morning, and yet, stilling my heart was probably the best thing that could have happened to me today.

    Every time I work with Miller out on his land, I get a whiff of God’s dream for humankind.  Humans are to work with their hands; to labor and sweat to produce something beautiful.  We’ve moved away from the ways in which God intended.  I mean, most of my profession as a student is just sitting in a chair facing forward, poking away at plastic bits and watching lights flash on a screen.  I never feel more satisfied than when I look back on a day I’ve poured work and sweat into, and seen the results.

    As our time out on his land was nearing an end (it was STANKIN’ HOT!), we hit water!  It was no powerful geyser, but it was a definite trickle.  Praise God!  He works in the small, and unimpressive to demonstrate his incredible, everlasting love.  The deep satisfaction on Miller’s face was priceless.  It was all worth it now.

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    • Benny Nowell 4:24 pm on August 13, 2007 Permalink

      I know what you mean Mark. Last weekend I helped my brother cut firewood in the mountain forest near Laramie. It was good to work hard, smell God, Hear God whisper by, and see God in the little things you don’t see when your cranking along at 60 mph.

    • DANX 11:11 pm on August 15, 2007 Permalink

      That’s so true. God made us to work, especially with our hands doing manly stuff. This was painfully and very very slowly driven home when I was an accountant for a year and a half (no offense to any accounting people out there. You’re great people!). My only relief came from moving heavy boxes and running 10′s of thousands of papers through this crude, nasty ‘ol shredder (which I eventually broke) while listening to angry, yet wholesome heavy metal really loud.

  • Mark 11:38 pm on August 9, 2007 Permalink | Reply
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    A Sigh of Relief 

    So I sit here now with my summer class papers before me, and I have to tell you all just how good life is!  It was a pretty interesting paper, don’t get me wrong.  But I’m just so GLAD to have it all finished.  It seems like every time I get to the end of one of these semesters, I get a little more disillusioned to the idea of returning to school in the fall.  Good thing this is my last year.  Right now the plans are to take Christian Readings in Spirituality this fall with Jeff Childers, a G-R-E-A-T professor on early Christianity and has some great insights into the non-traditional communities (i.e. the ones you don’t read about in Acts).  He’s got whole books on the apostle Thomas’ missionary journey to India and Philip’s journey out to China and the orient.  I get goosebumps about that kind of stuff…then again, I’m a self-proclaimed nerd.

    ———

    Some big stuff in our lives right now; and I’m just asking everyone who reads this to pray.  We’re taking some big steps of faith, and we know that God will not let us fall.  We feel like we’re following his voice into a life that is joyful, sane, and sustainable over the long term.  Maybe I’ll write more about this later.

    ———

    Tomorrow I’m going to a friend’s 90-day AA celebration!   For 90 days he’s been clean and on a track toward recovery!  It’s been great getting to know him over these past three or so months, and I’m proud that he’s wanting me there tomorrow night.  He’s a great guy and our Life Transformation Group is becoming one of my favorite times of the week.

    ———

    I wish A-Rod would just hurry up and beat Barry’s record.  Hank Aaron is waiting too.  I don’t think I’ve met a single person who is happy to hear that Barry Bonds holds the record for home runs.  Too much mud in the water with his career.   Those are my thoughts anyway.

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  • Mark 8:51 am on August 6, 2007 Permalink | Reply  

    Talk to Jesus… dot com? 

    talktojesus.jpg

    Okay – everyone’s gotta check “Talk to Jesus” out.

    Pointless avarice that defames our Lord? Or culturally relevant tool for Gen X?

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    • Curtis 8:57 am on August 6, 2007 Permalink

      I have such mixed feelings about this. I guess reservations are the big one. Even if this thing only uses scripture translations to talk, spitting them out of context would make it dangerous.

      I don’t like the idea of some site owner’s robot getting to speak for Jesus to lots of potentially impressionable people. It’s just another kind of televangelist.

      That’s the power of prayer, I’d say, we don’t actually need a robot to talk to Jesus because I believe he hears our prayers.

    • Agent B 2:28 pm on August 6, 2007 Permalink

      Jesus: “this has never been done before”

      Yeah, no shit Jesus. Because it’s stupid.

      No matter how hard we try, gospel is still better than gimmicks.

    • Mark 2:32 pm on August 6, 2007 Permalink

      haha. “because it’s stupid.”

      “gimmick” is the word i had for it too – but I’m wondering if there is anything redeeming about this in your mind B?

      (I have to admit, its hard for me to find anything. But its got me curious.)
      Your thoughts?

    • Agent B 3:02 pm on August 6, 2007 Permalink

      Redeeming?

      I don’t know. I’m thinking…some jackasses out there paid like…$600 for this damn phone, and now they are probably paying something to talk to a robot jesus who calls them and remembers their name.

      Maybe it’s just my empty wallet talking, but of ALL the things in the world to use your money on…

      I don’t know anything anymore.

    • Agent wife 9:30 pm on August 6, 2007 Permalink

      I always wondered what the big deal about making an image was in the OT, but now I know. This seems way freaky scary to me- because I think people will identify with the little screen and it’s another way to anesthetize us from having real relationship. At the same time, the Word does come alive when it is heard and spoken and that would be exciting to hear it from Jesus- except again that the little image is not him. Of course, the CEO can talk through anything including asses, so I am quite sure that this could be meaningful. AO1 just heard it and loved it. He kept repeating parts of the scripture and wanted to hear it again. He is totally fascinated with all things video and I’ve often wondered what there could be in video to help him in his relationship with the Lover. The worst parts to this is charging people to talk to Jesus (they aren’t doing it for free are they?) and that it may detract from realness. Could there be redemption in it? Yeah, I think so. God is the God of the impossible. Crazier things have happened.

    • Mike Sheeran 9:13 am on August 13, 2007 Permalink

      This is my point by point answer to “Talk to Jesus” from their own ad The numbered quotes are Talk to Jesus’ own ad and what follows is my comment to them:

      1. “A history changing event is about to occur. Soon over 2.1 billion Christians worldwide will be able to have private, verbal conversations with virtual Jesus from any phone, anytime, anywhere on a daily basis.”

      There is nothing history changing about this. Any Christian worth his or her salt knows that we have been able to talk to Jesus for free anytime we want to. And we don’t even need a phone.
      If you know anything about the Christian faith, you already should know we don’t need a phone to talk to Jesus. He’s always available-24/7 even if you’re in a hard-to-reach area.
      O, I see you said VIRTUAL Jesus. Is there something wrong with the Real One that He needs a little help? Careful…

      2. “TalkToJesus uses advanced speech and AI technology to help millions connect with God personally and hear the Bible read interactively like never before.”

      Interesting. In your disclaimer (the small print that almost nobody notices) you say that your techno-Jesus is not the real Jesus and is for entertainment purposes only. But in your ad you say you’re, “helping millions connect with God…” OK, which is it?
      Incidentally, the Real Jesus has already found a way to help millions connect with God.
      “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” John 14:26.
      You see, we don’t need any help to connect with God. We already have the Holy Spirit.

      “3. TalkToJesus will be a personal tool to help those in need.”

      How so? Are you going to read soothing Scriptures in a soothing voice of whoever you select to portray virtual Jesus? Are you going to keep those Scriptures in context? And what will you say to the homosexual when that lifestyle is condemned repeatedly throughout Scripture? Will he get the same soothing voice that tells him he can live like that?

      4. “TTJ will have a soothing, caring and inspiring voice. He will learn your name and address you personally.”

      Fascinating. But the REAL Jesus already knows my name. He doesn’t need to learn it. And the REAL Jesus also knows how many hairs are on my head and a lot more things about me. In fact, the REAL Jesus knows me better than I know myself. Checkmate.

      5. “He will read from the Bible, listen to sins and console.”

      Will He read things in context? Will he also read from the Mormon Bible or the Jehovah’s Witnesses one? How about the Koran? Will your techno-Jesus speak with authority? And what about listening to sins? Are those conversations recorded? And can hackers listen in? As for the REAL Jesus, I can tell Him whatever is on my heart (and He already knows that better than I do) and there’s not a single hacker in all the universe who can hack in to that conversation. As for console, His Word gives me all the consoling I need.

      6. “Jesus will pray with you interactively, and you will be able to ask Jesus numerous theological questions.”

      He will pray with me? Does that mean I pray TO this pc board thing? Far more advanced than a golden calf, I’ll admit. Speaking of cows, I suppose you’re using this gizmo to milk Christians of their money.

      7. “TalkToJesus will educate, guide, console, forgive and more.”

      Your techno-Jesus will educate? What can he teach me that I can’t learn from the Scriptures seeking the leadership of the Holy Spirit? Guide? More like guide me into iniquity. Any substitute for the REAL Jesus is idolatry. You can disclaim that all you want, but I don’t think disclaimers saved those guys that made the golden calf either.
      Forgive? You’ve got to be kidding. How can a blob of wires, diodes, transistors, processors, and RAM forgive anyone? This thing has MEMORY, folks. That means it remembers. The REAL Jesus forgives and forgets. My sins are not remembered against me anymore. Top that, OK.

      8. ” Nothing like this has ever been done before.”

      O yes it has. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. “ John 3:16. I could easily offer a number of other Scriptures to prove my point. God took the initiative and reached for us and gave us a line of communication with Him (It’s called prayer, folks) that needs no phone, is not dependent upon our paying a subscription fee, and you don’t need some electronic gizmo that the battery fails when you really need to “Talk to Jesus”. Jesus never fails and He will neither leave us nor forsake us. He don’t need batteries. And I don’t need tech support’s number to be able to pray to Him.

      9. “While millions have heard the word of God and embrace Jesus, TTJ is an extension to help people further in their lives.”

      If you think about it, this techno-Jesus can actually do more harm than good. Imagine a young man who subscribes (at $14/month) and the fees are automatically deducted from his credit card. He loses his job, and after much searching cannot find another. Months pass. He’s talked to everyone he can think of for advice and help. His credit card is maxed out. Now he decides to “Talk to Jesus”. He dials up the number and hears a recording telling him that his subscription has expired. “Now even Jesus won’t talk to me”, he wails. He goes into his room and blows his brains out. Far fetched? I don’t think so.
      Jesus wants you and I involved in people’s lives. And that doesn’t mean charging them a fee to “pray” to some electronic gizmo. We have His Word, the Bible. As for an extension, He already gave us one. It’s called THE CHURCH, folks. I wouldn’t try to replace THAT, because Jesus (the real one not your collection of wires) has promised that the gates of hell wouldn’t prevail against it. Seems to me He might be awfully mad about someone trying to replace the CHURCH with a collection of diodes, transistors, and capacitors. He just might RAM the truth down your throat.

      In short, your TTJ (Theological Trash and Junk) is the modern equivalent of the golden calf. People will grow to depend upon what this techno Jesus says, and you just might misquote the REAL One. My advice to you, scrap this nonsense, repent, and ask the REAL Jesus to forgive this cheap trashing of His Name. Go outside your comfort zone and get involved in people’s lives. Jesus doesn’t need a cheap electronic gizmo to give people a buzz. He needs your hands and mine to show the world His love.

      Have a nice day.

      Mike Sheeran

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