Quote of the Day

"Man, your lack of deodorant is really coming through today. Your wife is one lucky girl."
- Tim Costine, while in class, to me

100% Juice

Last Saturday the church community rallied together to paint the Nehemiah House. The paint and equiment was paid for by NASCAR Angels, a reality TV show in the vein of Extreme Home Makeover. The whole event was filmed and ended with the Yetters (our assistant pastor and wife and kids) recieving their "madeover" car. Some one from our church had randomly sent in an application unbenounced to the Yetters. The show will air sometime this fall on ABC I believe. Details to come.
Anyways, throughout the week the film crew interviewed people who were part of the Nehemiah House in some way or another. Literally hundereds of hours of film was used. After I was interviewed myself I got to thinking about how when the show actually airs only twenty two minutes of actual footage will be shown. Out of those twenty two minutes probably at least a third will be focused on the in- shop work being done on the Yetter's car. Another substantial chunk will be dedicated to the painting of the Nehemiah House. Although the Gospel was shared many times in the multiple interviews that were done, the chances of a clear Gospel message being aired are slim. Keep it in your prayers.
As I further meditated on the experience, feeling a level of frustration with the editing process and realizing the power of whoever makes the editing choices, I began to see some parrallels in our society as well as in my own life. For the most part I believe that as a culture, we have lost the art of soaking in information and knowledge. We want short excerpts, soundbites, and songs that stay under the three minute radio limit. If a movie breaks the two hour mark we whine because we would vote for quick explosive action in favor of character and plot development any day. Our stamina for literature over a few hundred pages is weak. Even in our relationships we strive to be shallow. When I see my wife in the evenings I want the cliff notes of her day. Rarely can I sit still through a post-dinner chat over coffee with friends. I have taken the role of editor of my life and have somehow deemed in-depth relationships superfulous.
Yet even more tragic is that this trend has also reared its ugly melon in my fellowship with God through His word. All too often I approach Divine Revelation with carnal impatience. I want something practical now! I hesitate to ask questions to which I know the answer will not come immediatly or without effort. And then I wonder when the syptoms of a shallow relationship with my Lord are evidenced in my life.
Join with me in declaring war on superfisciality. Saturate yourself in life. Don't live for sensual stimulation, seek true, slow growth. Sink your roots into relationships. And through it all sink your roots into the Word of God. Let us not be weeds in the garden of God that sprout quickly on the surface but are gone tommorrow. Rather let us be sturdy trees, sentinel like and beautiful, drinking deeply from the boundless depths of God's living water, dripping with juicy, God-glorifying fruit.

Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers. Psalm 1:1-3


By His Grace,
For His Glory,
jrf

books

Apparently I have been "tagged" by my brother over at A Call to Die to answer ten book related questions. To keep things interesting I am going to try not to answer with THE BIBLE for every question, as it has an unfair advantage with the whole divinely inspired thing, although in truth it would be my first answer for the first five questions.

1. One book that changed your life: (other than Bible) Les Miserables by Victor Hugo or Desiring God by John Piper
2. One book that you’ve read more than once: Ecclesiastical History by Eusibius
3. One book you’d want on a desert island: I just gotta go with the B-I-B-L-E for this one.
4. One book that made you laugh: Radical Reformission by Mark Driscoll
5. One book that made you cry: I cry all the time when I read, really I do. Even when reading seminary textbooks, kind of pathetic. But I guess most recently I would have to say Tales of the South Pacific by James Michener or The Reformed Pastor by
6. One book that you wish had been written: My Life with Christ by some humble, unknown, illiterate, peasant, Christian marytr in any period of church history or Everything You Want to Know but Don't Need to Know by God
7. One book that you wish had never been written: Probably either the Quran or the Book of Mormon, but having them in print makes it so much easier to point out their absurdities and inconsitancies so I'm going to have to go with Pride and Predjudice. Jane Austen and I don't get along well, although it's been a while since I've read her so maybe I should give her another chance one of these days.
8. One book you’re currently reading: see sidebar, also currently doing my devotionals in Song of Solomon -it rocks!
9. One book you’ve been meaning to read: The life of David Brainard by Jonathon Edwards
10. Tag five others (I'm only tagging one): Matt Hendley

by His Grace,
for His glory,
jrf

a humble apologetic

Well if there is still anyone out there who reads this I would like to apologize for my lack of posting over the last, say, month. Part of my excuse is legit (I spent an hour writing a magnum opus of a post today only to have the internet cut out and loose the whole thing, and the rest of the day the blogger site has been down. Wedding plans...etc) But most of my excuses are pretty lame. I am starting to realize that I don't do well without structure and deadlines. Perhaps fodder for a future post.

But for now I leave you with a quote to ponder:

Every time we look at the cross Christ seems to be saying to us, "I am here because of you. It is your sin I am bearing, your curse I am suffering, your debt I am paying, your death I am dying." Nothing in history or in the universe cuts us down to size like the cross. All of us have inflated views of ourselves, especially in self-righteousness, until we have visited a place called Calvary. It is there, at the foot of the cross, that we shrink to our true size."

- John Stott

by His grace
for His glory

more winter

I'd like to express my thanks to a little rodent named Phil for reminding me that America, like any country, has it's own pointless and absurdly silly traditions. Check it out Here

A Stab in the Dark

Quite frankly, I have no idea how this blog thing is going to work out, if at all. I don't have any idea what all those computer terms like HTML or URL mean (please bear with me as I continue to improve my electronika-savvyness), I do not have an Instant Messenger account, nor have I ever been too enamoured with cyberculture in general. In addition I have serious doubts as to whether my fickle self can be disciplined enough to update this site on a regualar basis, let alone promise a post that is edifing and of interest. The last thing i want this blog to become is another drop (or gallon) in the pool of ignorance. My challenge to you is to never blindly believe or absorb what is posted here just because it is on the internet. I make no claim be the source of absolute truth. This blog, as with all things in life, must be filtered through a higher standard than our own mere opinions and limited perspectives. I attempt in everything I do to check my thoughts and beliefs against the Word of God and I encourage you to as well, although I openly admit I am capable of misinterpreting and therefore misappyling the truth of the Word. I eagerly welcome your criticisms as well as your affirmations.


My goal in creating this blog is both to provide exposure and dialogue to a very dynamic and needed ministry as well as to share the lessons and adventures that the Lord brings my way. I don't know if it is such a good idea, but I will attempt to be open and honest in my writing. At times it will be offensive, confusing, vulgar, and desparate because let's be honest so is life (and coincidentaly the Bible). Yet just as I will share my tears with you, I promise to strive to share my joy with you as Christ shows His burning glory in my world. I pray above all that this blog points always to Christ and not to myself.

Easier said than done.

By His grace, for His glory,
J.R.F.