After Christmas Thoughts

The presents have been opened (I'm sure we all got things that we desperately wanted or needed), the wrapping paper has been bagged up and placed in the already-full blue trash cart which is then wheeled to the curb for the regular Monday pickup, and now it is time to box up the Christmas tree for another year.  I hope I don't sound too cynical but will we think of the manger scene prior to the next yule season?  The miracle that was accomplished in Bethlehem over 2,000 years ago was part of the most incredible story ever told.  GOD became a man.  Can our finite minds really understand this?  I think not!  But, history records it and by faith, we embrace it.  Grace and mercy were born and were nailed to a cross some thirty-three years later so that we might live forever.  If we tried to develop our own plan for immortality, it would probably be a little different from that one.  Ours would probably look like the plans that have been adopted by so many other religions.  Work really hard, live a good life, obey the rules, and hope you have done enough before you leave this planet.

I still remember Brooke Shields talking about Michael Jackson sitting on the crescent moon looking down on us after his untimely demise that was more self-inflicted than most would like to admit.  Just what did MJ (not Michael Jordan although he will probably be similarly remembered someday) do that earned his seat on the moon?  Made a lot of money, made a tingle run up and down the bodies of his followers, tried to turn from black to white (only MJ knows if he made it), hopefully paid a lot of taxes that our government wastes with no thought for tomorrow, and died a very lonely death.  Friends, that only earns you a seat in one location and it ain't called heaven.

In November, Joyce and I completed a DVD series called "The Truth Project" produced by Focus on the Family.  The main thrust obviously was truth and biblical worldview.  I have just finished reading a book by George Barna entitled "Think Like Jesus" which covers much the same topics.  His definition of a biblical worldview includes seven questions that must be answered and they are:

1. Does God exist?
2. What is the character and nature of God?
3. How and why was the world created?
4. What is the nature and purpose of humanity?
5. What happens after we die on earth?
6. What spiritual authorities exist?
7. What is truth?

None of these are easily or quickly answered.  The author states that his experience indicates that churches who focus on this topic report that it takes a minimum of five years for believers to begin to grasp the answers to these questions and to apply them on a daily basis in every facet of their lives.  That is both encouraging and discouraging.  How many of us have five years left?  How much time is required to accomplish the tasks in five years?  Does it really matter?

Not having the gift of prophecy (the fore-telling one), all that I am sure of is that a Christian that brings ultimate glory to God should try to possess a biblical worldview.  This person will have a leg up on what is going on in the world and be so much more deeply rooted in his faith if he understands life from God's perspective which is contained only in his word.  I will end this blog with a quote from "Think Like Jesus."  I pray that all believers would think like Jesus in the days ahead.

"To be an authentic Christian is to accept that God is the Creator of all things, the indisputable Ruler of the universe, and the One who gave us life and purpose --- the purpose of loving and obeying Him, and of loving and serving other people, and of living in accordance to the guidelines he provided in the Bible and in concert with the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit that He instills within us once we surrender fully to Him.  It is at that point that we see the world for what it is and invest our time and energy in trying to think like Jesus so we can behave like Jesus --- all so that we might please and honor God. 

If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, what better way is there to express your reverence for God than to commit yourself to thinking like Jesus?"

Comments and questions are welcomed. Sole Deo Gloria.

Christmas Thoughts

Time flies when you are nearing three score and ten.  An even bigger problem is that you can't remember what occurred during the flight!  Haven't blogged in a month and a half.  No excuse except that I have been busy researching and reading in preparation for writing a paper dealing with Christianity and how it compares to another ever-growing religion of our day.  Anyhow, here are some thoughts that have whizzed through my head lately.  You can determine the sanity and/or profoundedness of them.

• Why do we give food baskets only on Thanksgiving.  Are these people not hungry the other 364 days?
• Juxtapose that thought with our focus on Christmas presents for needy families at this season.  Does no one care the rest of the year?
• Is Black Friday the opposite of Good Friday?  Gifts, anyone?
• Am I the only person I know that can do my Christmas shopping in two hours counting travel time?  Maybe another thirty minutes on-line to make sure no one was left out!
• Do I still dread the Christmas season because my father passed away in December 1960 and I still carry guilt from not being in a close relationship with him?
• SInce I don't believe in New Year's Resolutions, why do I start thinking around Christmas of all of the things I will do better/differently next year?  Why not start December 26 if I am serious about those improvements? Topics include self-discipline in a myriad of areas:  food, exercise, idleness, prayer, Bible study, witnessing, journaling (blogging), serving others, focusing more on God and others than me, etc.
• SInce Joyce is retiring at the end of next June, what changes will we be making both individually and as a couple?
• Are the Republicans just as incompetent as the Democrats?
• Will we survive another fours years of Obama?
• Will I continue to attend too many funerals and is mine scheduled for 2012?
• Sammy turns 14 next year and Charlie and Mollie turn 9.  Are three dogs too many?
• Will Joyce and I need to occupy our storm shelter that was just installed on 12-19?

Well, I could go on and on but some of my thoughts scare even me.  My latest book is "Think Like Jesus" by George Barna.  If I can get my focus properly aligned with the life of Christ, all of these issues will be of no significance.  Ran across a picture that fit perfectly some of my prayer thoughts of the past few weeks.  Hope you enjoy it and that you have a Merry CHRISTmas.

One-Anothering --- Part III

If our very existence is to be spent in loving God and one another (which Christ states very clearly), what does this look like.  To me, it call be called one-anothering and this is the last blog on the subject which will include the rest of the scripture passages that I have selected.

Phil 2:3-4 Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.

Paul tells us here to avoid doing anything with a spirit of opposition and by trying to impress others.  This includes strife, envy, and vain-glory.  The humility he speaks of includes bringing down our own pride and becoming able to perceive our own littleness and guilt.  In other words, we are the clay and not the potter and our will is to be subservient to the will of our Heavenly Father.  If we truly are to regard one another as more important than ourselves, we must be quick in observing our own defects and infirmities while at the same time making favorable allowances for the defects of others.  We must esteem the good that is in them above that which is in ourselves.  We must interest ourselves in the concerns of others - not as busy-bodies - but in Christian love and sympathy.  We must rejoice in the prosperity of others as truly as in our own prosperity.

Col 3:9 Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices

Lying makes us like Satan who is the father of lies and is a prime part of his image upon our souls.  Lying naturally tends to destroy faith and friendship among mankind and is especially damaging to the body of Christ. 

Col 3:12-13 So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you.

Those who are holy are the elect of God; and those who are the elect of God, and holy, are beloved -- beloved of God, and to be so of all men.  Those who are the elect of God, holy and beloved, out to conduct themselves in every thing as becomes them, and so as not to lose the credit of their holiness, nor the comfort of their being chosen and beloved.  It becomes those who are holy towards God to be lowly and loving towards all men.  Those who owe so much to mercy ought to be merciful to all who are proper objects of mercy.  A courteous disposition becomes the elect of God; for the design of the gospel is not only to soften the minds of men, but to sweeten them, and to promote friendship among men as well as reconciliation with God.  Humbleness of mind, in submission to those above us, and condescension to those below us is not optional.  We must prudently bridle our own anger, and patiently bear the anger of others.  We must also suffer long both the injuries of men and the rebukes of divine Providence.  We have all of us something which needs to be borne with, and this is a good reason why we should bear with others in what is disagreeable to us.  We need the same good turn from others which we are bound to show them.

The consideration that we are forgiven by Christ so many offences is a good reason why we should forgive others.  It is an argument of the divinity of Christ that he had power on earth to forgive sins, and it is a branch of his example which we are obliged to follow, if we ourselves would be forgiven.  Someone has said that we are more like Christ than any other time when we are in the process of forgiving others.

Col 3:16 Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

The Word of God must move in with us, take up housekeeping with us, get inside our skin.  When we breathe, we should be exhaling the words and thoughts from God's word.  Many have the word of Christ dwelling in them, but it dwells in them but poorly; it has no mighty force and influence upon them.  Without God's word dwelling within us, we have no hope for wisdom.  The proper office of wisdom is to apply what we know to ourselves,  for our own direction.  Wisdom is to make us good Christians and enable us to conduct ourselves in every thing as becomes Wisdom's children.  Our purpose for teaching should be a sharpening of ourselves as we quicken others and improve our knowledge by communicating it for their edification.

Singing of psalms is a gospel ordinance.  However, when we sing psalms, we make no melody unless we sing with grace in our hearts, unless we are suitably affected with what we sing and go along in it with true devotion and understanding.  All must be gone in the name of Christ.

1 Thess 3:12 and may the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another, and for all people, just as we also do for you;



1 Thess 4:18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.

Comfort is the Greek word parakaleo and is translated as comfort here and as encourage in subsequent verses in I Thessolonians.  It means to console one another, to call to ones side, and to come along side.  This has the same thought as when Christ said that he must go away but he would send a comforter, the Holy Spirit to be with us.  We are to come along side our fellow believers and comfort them as we are comforted by God.

1 Thess 5:11 Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing. 

This is the same Greek word translated as comfort above.  To build up contains the thought of building a house from start to finish.  Don't stop a part of the way through.  Complete the building process with your fellow believer.  Whatever they are experiencing, let them know that you will be there for them from beginning to end.  This may require a lifetime commitment.  Can we do any less knowing what Christ has done for us?

1 Thess 5:15  See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good for one another and for all people.

The evil spoken of here is something harmful, bad, and wicked.  We are to always to seek that which will benefit the other person.  If our motive is a desire for appreciation and praise, we will be disappointed.  If our motive is to serve for Jesus' sake, we will never be disappointed.

Heb 10:24-25 and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.

The act of stimulation should be thought of as sharpening alongside.  Think of the verse in Proverbs that speaks about iron sharpening iron as men minister to one another.  The love spoken of is agape love and the good deeds may be thought of deeds that are valuable, worthy, and fair.  The assembling together indicates a Christian meeting for the purpose of worship.  Church attendance is not optional for the true follower of Christ.  The Holy Spirit will cause us to desire to be with other believers in the worship setting.  You cannot one-another if you are by yourself.    Fellowship with God must never become selfish.  We must also fellowship with other Christians in the local assembly.  It is interesting to note that the emphasis here is not on what a believer gets from the assembly, but rather on what he can contribute to the assembly.  Faithfulness in church attendance encourages others and provokes them to love and good works. The same Greek word is used again here for encouraging.  Includes exhortation and comfort in the context.

James 5:16a Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed.

Confession of sins here is not speaking of a one way confession to an officer of the church.  It is a mutual confession from one believer to another in both directions.  It means to acknowledge openly, promise, and agree with the occurrence of the issue.  Pray as it is used here is the Greek word, euchomai which means to pray earnestly to God.  In Acts 27:29, it is translated wished.  The sailors were in the midst of the storm and were afraid of shipwreck.  They wished earnestly for daybreak in hopes that the storm would disappear with the daylight.  Healing denotes the sense of being made whole, not just getting better.

1 Peter 4:9-10 Be hospitable to one another without complaint. As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

Being hospitable carries the connotation of being fond of having guests - so good to see you.  How many times do you really feel that someone is being hospitable toward you?  Isn't that a great feeling?  We should exude hospitality to all men but especially to the brotherhood of faith.  And we should not complain or murmur or mutter while pretending our hospitality.  We should be using our spiritual   gift(s) (charisma) in serving one another.  Serving can mean many things but as Jesus said in Mark 10:45 that even the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve.  Can we, his joint heirs, do any less than serve?  This looks like minister which would include attending to anything that may serve another's interests.  It also includes relieving one's necessities, providing the things necessary to sustain life, and waiting upon.  These can be spiritual, emotional, and physical needs.

The term steward could be defined as the manager of the household and was usually the person the head of the house or proprietor had intrusted with the management of his affairs which could include dealing out proper portions to each one.  We have been intrusted with spiritual gifts sovereignly and we are to carry out the good works that God has set forth for us.  Grace may be defined here as that which affords joy, pleasure, delight, sweetness, charm, and loveliness.  Or God's Riches At Christ's Expense.

OK, there you have it.  If I counted correctly, there are fourteen one-anothers in this blog and five or six in Part II.  So if you do these twenty or so things, you will be the perfect Christian, right?  Wrong.  As our pastor said last week.  It is not difficult to live the Christian life, it is impossible!  What he meant was that in our own power, we are helpless.  In God's power, we are able to be used as vessels of mercy whereby he works through us to accomplish his will.  May this be our heart's desire and even more so  as the day draws near.

One Anothering --- Part II

Today, I would like to cover the first set of scriptures that address one-anothering.  I fall short properly loving the brethern and the sistern too.  May God's word spur us all to Godly living in the Body of Christ.

Rom 15:14  And concerning you, my brethren, I myself also am convinced that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able also to admonish one another.

Goodness in this verse may be thought of as high, moral character.  Knowledge alludes to our Christian knowledge in its entirety- not that we literally are "know-it-alls".  The admonishing must be thought of as encouraging, advising, and instructing in positive truth and not about what we are doing wrong and should be warned about.  Could include preaching and personal counseling.  All believers are equipped to perform in this way with each other.

Gal 5:13 For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.

Freedom has the idea that we were called so that we can become free.  Flesh is speaking of the sinful inclination of fallen man.  To serve contains no thought of slavery but service that springs from a heart of love.  We must be interacting with the body to be aware of the opportunities for service.

Eph 4:1-3  Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called,  with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love,  being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

As a prisoner of the Lord, we are bound to him but not because of what we have done but because of his calling us and binding us to himself.  Our walk is described as faithful friends to all believers and swon enemies of sin.  We are called Christians and we must answer to that name and live like Christians.  We must act like an heir of the kingdom.  Humility is a lowliness that is totally opposed to pride.  The gentleness is meekness and an unwillingness to provoke others.  Patience includes long-suffering and the patient bearing of injuries suffered without seeking revenge.  Tolerance may be thought of as putting up with one another and forbearing and we don't cease loving others because of their infirmities.  Think of the fact that unity cannot be preserved if we are unwilling to forgive in others what we find hard to forgive in ourselves.  Man, what a truckload but obeying is not an option for the believer and everything is clothed in love.

Eph 4:32  Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.

Probably one of the most familiar verses in Paul's epistles but one of the most difficult to apply on a consistent basis.  Our pride longs for us to hold onto hurt feelings and to seek our own revenge.  May God grant us an on-going spirit of forgiveness.  Being kind looks like this:  be affable, humble, courteous, and learn the art of obliging which simply means showing a cheerful willingness to do favors for others.  Tender-heartedness involves having a tender sense of the distresses and sufferings of others so as to be quickly moved to compassion and pity.  In other words, weep when others weep.  Our forgiving of one another must be sincere, hearty, ready, cheerful, universal, and forever.  Don't forgive and then go back and pick up the unforgiveness again.  Got it?

Eph 5:18-21 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father; and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.

First, the obvious.  You can't be filled with two things at once.  If you are full of wine, there is no room for the Spirit.  It is difficult to speak to one another if you are not together.  I don't think Paul had the telephone or the internet in mind when this passage was penned.  Get together in person; that is the only way for effective one-anothering to occur.  Spiritual songs would include songs of praise to God and for mutual edification.  God's people have reason to rejoice and to sing for joy.  We must continue to give thanks throughout the whole course of our lives for all things because God gives only good and perfect gifts to his children.  We are to give thanks for all things; not only for spiritual blessings enjoyed, and eternal ones expected, but for temporal mercies too; not only for our comfort but also for our sanctified afflictions; not only for what immediately concerns ourselves, but for the instances of God's kindness and favour to others also.  Now to the real rub - be subject to one another.  There is a mutual submission that Christians owe one to another, condescending to bear one another's burdens; not advancing themselves above others, nor domineering over one another and giving laws to one another.  We must be of a yielding and of a submissive spirit, and ready to carry out all the duties of the respective places and stations that God has allotted to us in the world.  All of this will give proof that we truly fear him (awe not afraid) and where this mutual condescension and submission is present, the duties of all relations will be performed better and one-anothering will improve and bring glory to our Great God.

One-Anothering --- Part I

Joyce and I have been attending a study group on Sunday nights and have just completed the ninth DVD lesson from a series of twelve lessons.  The study is "The Truth Project" from Focus on the Family.  If you ever get the opportunity to experience this study, do not pass it up; it is life-changing.  The first "tour" (lesson) answers the question:  "Why was Jesus born and why did he come to earth?"  Many answers were given before the teacher, Del Tackett, read the following verse.

John 18:37 Therefore Pilate said to Him, "So You are a king?" Jesus answered, "You say correctly that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice."

A statement like this from a mere mortal would be nothing but a prideful boast but coming from the second person of the Trinity, God the Son, it should cause us to seek the truth.  Jesus says also in the same gospel that he is the way, the truth, and the life.  He did not say a way, a truth, or a life but the one and only of all of these.  Just as the name of God is love, it is also truth and truth is found in no other.  In a conversation with his disciples one day, the following occurred.

Matt 16:13-19 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, He was asking His disciples, "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?"  And they said, "Some say John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; but still others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets." He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"  Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." And Jesus said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.  "I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. 

The word for Peter is "Petros" which means a small stone.  The word used for rock is "petra" which means a large, foundation boulder.  Christ is saying that his church will be built upon himself and not upon Peter which is what is taught by a major religion who claim that Peter was the first pope.  In Peter's epistles, he described the church as being built of living stones with Christ being the corner stone.  Notice that Christ calls it My church.  This point is overlooked by so many religions today, especially those that think only those belonging to their church will ever be saved and spend eternity in heaven.  The church is also described in Paul's writings as the Bride of Christ and the Body of Christ with Christ being the Bridegroom and also the Head.  It is obvious that Christ's church was established for the purpose of community for his followers.  The book of the Acts of the Apostles shows the formation and early posture of Christ's church.

Acts 2:47  And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.

Acts 11:19-26 So then those who were scattered because of the persecution that occurred in connection with Stephen made their way to Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except to Jews alone. But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who came to Antioch and began speaking to the Greeks also, preaching the Lord Jesus.  And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a large number who believed turned to the Lord. The news about them reached the ears of the church at Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas off to Antioch. Then when he arrived and witnessed the grace of God, he rejoiced and began to encourage them all with resolute heart to remain true to the Lord; for he was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And considerable numbers were brought to the Lord. And he left for Tarsus to look for Saul; and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. And for an entire year they met with the church and taught considerable numbers; and the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.

Since the greek word for church is defined as "called out ones", what else does the Bible instruct the members of Christ's church to do.  My favorite term for how the body should function is "One-anothering".  In the book of Hebrews, this verse gives instructions that aren't optional for a follower of Christ.

Heb 10:23-25 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.

One key in this verse is the assembling together.  How often do we hear people say that they are a Christian but they don't have to go to church.  Our reply should be, maybe they don't have to go to church, but they should want to.  One-anothering cannot occur alone.  If we do not attend church on a regular basis, we are being disobedient to God's word and there is no comfort for us in scripture that we are indeed saved. 

On to one-anothering.  This is just a small sample of what the New Testament has to say about this topic.

We are to:

• love one another
• be devoted to one another
• give preference to one another
• be of the same mind toward one another
• not judge one another
• build up one another
• accept one another
• admonish one another
• serve one another
• show tolerance for one another
• be kind to one another
• be subject to one another

I think you get the idea.  The next blog will go into more detail on these and many other examples.  I pray you will be blessed and that you will truly one-another your fellow believers.  This is pleasing to our Heavenly Father.  Have a blessed day!

Oklahoma University Football Program "Stoops" To A New Low

I think Skip Bayless got it right on his ESPN commentary yesterday when he stated that the loss to Texas Tech on Saturday was the worst loss in the history of the OU football program.  How do you lose to a team that you are favored to beat by thirty or so points and on your home field where you have a record of 75-2 during the tenure of your current head coach.  I remember the old saying coined by the fans of the Brooklyn Dodgers of the 1940s and 1950s.  Wait 'til next year!   I, for one, am tired of waiting.

Haven't we been through this scenario time and again under Bob Stoops' reign at the helm of the, arguably, best football program in NCAA, Division I.  True, he has a 135-32 (.808) record since he took over in 1999 but how many times have we had our hopes raised before the season starts that maybe this is the year of our eighth national championship?  Rated number one in preseason, all of those returning starters, no Big 12 championship game, relatively favorable schedule in a conference without Nebraska and Colorado, surely this would be the year.  By the way, Switzer and Wilkinson both had higher winning percentages during their tenure at OU.

No, reality has set it again.  During Stoops' regime, our disappointments have come at different times during the year, sometimes at the beginning, sometimes during the middle, sometimes at the end, and, oh yes, three times in the BCS Championship game for all the marbles.  But you say, we won the 2000 National Championship 13-2 over FSU.  But do you forget, those weren't players recruited by Stoops who is undoubtedly one of the best recruiters in the nation.

Let's look at the facts:  6-6 record in bowl games, 3-5 in BCS bowl games, and 1-3 in National Championship games.  It is evident that the powers that be at OU are content with 80% winning percentage but not this longtime fan.  My first OU game was in 1955 as a Boy Scout usher.  I cried the day, November 16, 1957, when Notre Dame defeated OU 7-0 to end the 47-game winning streak.  I have endured the lean years under Gary Gibbs, John Blake, etc and then came this unknown, Bob Stoops.  Great pedigree, football history better than most, brother included - we were set for greatness.  The malaise was past.  7-5 first year - OK, then 13-0 and National Champs.  We were back!

Then over the years, the "Can't Win the Big One' label began to rear its ugly head.  Let's review the last 12 years and then make up your mind.

• 1999 - 7-5, first year, not too bad.
• 2000 - 13-0, National Champs, could it get any better.
• 2001 - 11-2, lost to OSU in Norman, give me a break.  Who is Les Miles?
• 2002 - 12-2, lost to Texas Aggies and OSU - again?
• 2003 - 12-2, lost to KSU in Big 12 Championship but still in BCS Championship game. LSU who?
• 2004 - 12-1, 5 turnovers in 55-19 romp by USC in BCS Championship game.
• 2005 - 8-4, Rhett Bomar ring a bell?
• 2006 - 11-2, Can you say BOISE STATE?
• 2007 - 11-3, Lost to Colorado, Texas Tech (sounds familiar) and WVa in Fiesta Bowl
• 2008 - 12-2, Lost to Texas but still in BCS Championship game.  Tim Tebow, anyone?
• 2009 - 8-5, Sam Bradford hurt twice, 'nuf said.
• 2010 - 12-2, lost to Missouri and Texas Aggies but beat that powerhouse of football - UConn.
• 2011 - 6-1 so far, bet the farm that they will lose again before the season ends.

As Skip Bayless said yesterday, Bob Stoops is the worst coach in the NCAA when it comes to motivating his team to play.  I would add that he does not understand adjustments to the game plan and predictability, especially on offense.  The second quarter of the Tech game on Saturday was the worst offensive play-calling that I can ever remember and that is when the game was lost.  You could almost see it coming in the lackluster performances against Missouri and Kansas.

Well, there you have it.  Skip Bayless said that Stoops should be fired.  I don't necessarily agree with that but some changes need to be made.  Perhaps get rid of Venables and bring back Mike Stoops.  I hear he is looking for a job.  As Bob Stoops said after the game, "We were out-coached and out-played".  Who shares the burden of the blame for the loss?  The buck stops with the head coach.  Are we getting the best bang for our buck ($4M per year at least), I think not.

The crimson-and-cream bleeders will always say that we are so much better than most programs and defend the poor coaching decisions to the end but I say we should expect more and when our championship dreams are spoiled year after year after year, changes should be made.  I'm not smart enough to know exactly what but we have to figure out why the second quarter performance was the worst that I have ever seen.  Perhaps our motto should be "Three and Out, OU no doubt!

In baseball, good pitching usually stops good hitting.  In football, good defense usually stops good offense.  LSU is a great example of this.  Skip said he would trade Bob Stoops to LSU for Les Miles.  I would not but Miles' teams are usually not out coached as badly as OUOU could end up 7-5 or 8-4.  Who would be satisfied with that?  I have no problems when OU loses to an opponent that is better than they are but this was not the case in Norman last Saturday.

Through It All

This is a test of my first experience with Windows Movie Maker.  Hopefully, there will be more videos on future blogs.  It appears to be user-friendly although my learning curve is deepening!

Are Good Works Necessary to Get to Heaven?

Since my blog title is Grace Alone, I'm sure you probably know what my answer to that question is:  A resounding NO NO NO NO NO NO or as Paul would say "God forbid" or "May it never be".  In the Greek, the phrase used by Paul is Θεός φυλάξοι Mee genoito which means may it never come into being; the strongest negative that can be used is used.  Consider Eph 2:8-10 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;  not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

In these verses, we see that we are saved not by good works but by grace through faith.  We also see that the Christian is created in Christ Jesus for good works.  Another passage that reinforces this is Gal 2:15-16 We are Jews by nature and not sinners from among the Gentiles; nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified.


There are many, many other verses in the New Testament that emphasize "Sole Gratia", Grace Alone.  However, the sinfulness of man has brought forth entire denominations that teach that we get to heaven based on our good works.  Most cannot define the quantity nor quality of the good works required, although some have tried to typify and rate certain deeds.  I spoke recently with a friend who believed that he would one day stand before God and try to convince him that his good works were sufficient to allow his entrance into heaven for eternity.  He is a member of a denomination whose members are some of the most moral people on the planet but he will never have the assurance of his salvation and his eternal hope of heaven is based on what he does, not what God has already done.

In my mind, one of the main problems with believing in salvation by works (other than the fact that it denies the teachings of the Bible) is that one who believes this always measures his works against the works of someone else.  If works can truly save, one must measure their works against the works of Christ and they must be equal or greater than his for them to qualify for eternal life.  Since his was a sin-free life, they are disqualified at birth because of their sinful nature.

OK, let's agree that works will not get you to heaven.  The next logical question is:  Why do good works if they are ineffectual for eternal life?  The scripture also speaks directly to this.  In fact, this verse was on one of those glittering cardboard wall hangings that was on the living room wall of the house where I grew up.  Matt 5:16 Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.


My belief system is that not only will a Christian do good works, a Christian must do good works.  Do not put me into the legalism camp just yet.  Hear me out.  I also believe that we cannot help but do good works.  Once we are indwelt by the Holy Spirit, good works will be the natural, or should I say super-natural, actions of our being.  We will not perfectly go good works and we will not necessarily constantly do good works but we will do good works.  As we move along the sanctification continuum, our good works will be more consistent and more God-dependent.  They will become such an integral part of our being that we will examine our motives less and less.  Our good works will become second nature.  The old sin nature will still be present in our lives but it will be relegated to a lower position as God chips away at our being removing the dross and replacing it with Christ-likeness.


We will act more quickly as God brings opportunities for service before us.  We will actually occasionally do good works that only we and the recipients are aware of.  In other words, we will not be seeking recognition but only the glory of God.  Again, this is a progression and is at times, a painfully slow progression.  We will quench the Holy Spirit and use all kinds of excuses for our inaction but these times will become more infrequent.  As we increase our knowledge of God and our world-view becomes more Biblical, our fear of what will others think will diminish and we will be more concerned with our obedience to God than the approval of man.


What if we do no good works but just slide through the "Christian life" always taking and never giving.  Do the scriptures say anything about this type of life style?  Listen and read.  James 2:14-17 What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, be warmed and be filled," and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.


If what James is saying is true (and I believe in the inerrancy of the Bible), good works will be evident in the life of those who have been born again.  A life with no good works should be a warning sign and cause instant self-examination as mentioned in these verses.

2 Peter 1:1-11
1 Simon Peter, a bond-servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have received a faith of the same kind as ours, by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ: Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust. Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins.  Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble;  for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you.

Perhaps, God's word has stirred you to action but you are hesitant and questioning about what "good works" look like.  There are myriads of examples and here are just a few. 

1. If appropriate, make a hospital visit even if the person is not a close friend.  Ask what needs are outstanding, say a quick prayer, and let the person and/or friend/relatives know of your availability.
2. Pick up the phone and call someone that you aware of that has a need even if you don't know all of the details.  Again, our availability is most important.
3. If you hear of a financial need, pray about it.  If you decide to give, try cash.  Sure, you can't deduct that on your 1040.  But, why are you giving?  Is it to meet a need or get a write-off?
4. Pray for someone often and let them know that you are praying.  This can mean so much and can be so powerful as God's providence is evidenced.
5. Take some one shopping, to the mall, the grocery, or out to lunch.  In other words, be available and be in contact.  Life is short.  Redeem the time.

One of my favorite quotes is "When you care enough for someone, you will make the time."

May our Heavenly Father bless as we live imperfect lives in preparation for a perfect eternal life with our God and Savior, Jesus Christ.

On Death and Dying

Laymond 'Bo' Loyd
1939-2011

My friend, Bo Loyd, passed away last Friday, September 2 and the funeral was yesterday, September 6 at Faith Bible Church in Edmond.  Bo had been battling cancer for over two years but his soul is now present with his Savior, Jesus Christ.  Is it an oxymoron to say 'nice funeral'?  Only if you have not been redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ.  The scriptures say in 2 Cor 5:6-10  Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord —  for we walk by faith, not by sight —  we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord. Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him.  For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

Bo loved Christ, the local assembly of believers at Faith Bible Church, and his family.  He also liked golf and enjoyed playing it with his grandson.  Bo and I were partners a few years back for the summer in the Kickingbird Men's Senior Golf Association.  Neither of us were very good but we had a great time.  Bo and I also were table-mates for the first go-round of The Men's Fraternity study at FBC.  It was a bonding time for us as well as the times that Bo attended the Romans Bible Study at the Kahne's house.  Bo loved the Bible and loved to discuss theology.  Two of his favorite Bible expositors were R. C. Sproul and John MacArthur.  Both of them have a great grasp of Biblical truth and although they have some differences, listening to them is most profitable.

The tumor in Bo's brain kept him from communicating much during the last two-three weeks of his life here below.  I remember one visit to Mercy Hospital where upon leaving I told Bo that I would see him in a day or two.  He mouthed very softly, 'I hope so'.  Those were the last words that Bo spoke to me.  A couple of days later, I stopped by his room one morning and he was alone.  I think he opened his eyes briefly and sort of nodded.  I asked if he would like for me to read some scriptures and he nodded.  I read Psalm 139 and said a short prayer but his eyes were closed the whole time.  I told him good-bye and patted him on the head and said that I would see him later, either here or on the other side.

 As someone has said, "1 out of 1 die".  The following scriptures speak of this.
Gen 2:16-17 The Lord God commanded the man, saying, "From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die."
1 Cor 15:21-22 For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead.  For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.
Rom 14:7-8 For not one of us lives for himself, and not one dies for himself; 8 for if we live, we live for the Lord, or if we die, we die for the Lord; therefore whether we live or die, we are the Lord's.

Bo was very courageous throughout his many ailments.  I took him for a follow-up visit due to eye surgery back in May or so.  We were setting in the drive-thru at Fazoli's on the way back home when Bo said "I think this brain tumor will be affecting my mortality".  I detected no fear or bitterness, only faith and grace.  He was an inspiration to me.  Joann, his wife of fifty years, is also suffering from a rare lung disease and has also inspired me by her faith and strength and trust in the Lord.  Please pray for and reach out to Joann in the days ahead.  I'm sure it will be a tough adjustment.  I love them both very much but God loves them even more.

I will miss Bo but I have the assurance of seeing him again because of the redemption of Jesus Christ.  Is he your Savior?  If not, I would love to tell you what you must do to inherit eternal life.  My cell # is 405-209-6813.

John 1:12-13 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

Life and Death

Someone asked me early this year how my 2010 went.  My reply was simple, blunt, and maybe morbid.  I stated that I had attended too many funerals.  Most would understand what I meant but for the Christian whose faith is founded on the work of Jesus Christ on Calvary's cross, perhaps, I could have phrased it better.  I need to remember that physical death is not spiritual death and even though the physical body is gone, the person's Spirit is resting with their Savior until the resurrection at which time they will be given their gloried bodies which will remain for all eternity.  After rethinking my reply, a better thing to have said was something like:  "I am missing interaction in this life with more and more of my friends and acquaintances as the days, weeks, months, and years go by."

May of last year included the funerals of Bob Trousdale (my step-nephew-in-law or something like that) (his wife sang at my wedding in June of 1966) and Mark Fullerton (Shannon), my good friend and golfing buddy for 20+ years.  Later in the year, I attended funerals for Dorothy Hearn from Faith Bible Church and Paul Cowen (ex-FBCer whom I had know since the early 1980s).  This year has not included quite that many funerals yet but does include Juanita Rice from FBC and my niece's husband, Travis Boles, who died in June.  I had presented the gospel several times across the years to Travis and his daughter's preacher led him to Christ and baptised him during the final week of his life on this earth.

I just returned from visiting my long-time friend and sometimes golfing buddy, Laymond "Bo" Loyd who has been in Mercy Hospital since Monday, August 15.  Bo would tell you that his life has been marked by, humanly speaking, more tragedy than triumph yet God has been faithful through the good and not so good times.  Bo always maintains that warm grin especially when talking about spiritual things.  He loves God's people and God's word but most off all he loves his Savior, Jesus Christ.  R. C. Sproul is one of his favorite theologians and I'm not too sure Bo hasn't switched from dispensationalist to covenant theologian but in the light of eternity, neither position will matter.  Here is a picture of Bo and his wife Joann.  They celebrated their fiftieth wedding anniversary in Room 421 at Mercy Hospital on August 18.

Bo survived a near-fatal automobile crash in his 20's and has been through numerous reconstructive surgeries including knee replacement, lung and brain cancer, and heart problems.  His current most serious malady is a brain tumor for which he has been receiving "Cyber-Knife" treatments at St. Anthony hospital in OKC.  He was scheduled for five treatments but something went awry during the fourth treatment, he was sent home, and then suffered a seizure and was rushed to Mercy Hospital where he remains.  From an earthly perspective, the outlook is not good; from a heavenly perspective, the outlook is wonderful.  Bo settled long ago his final destination and that will be living together forever with the Savior of the world, Jesus Christ.  Please pray for Bo and Joann during this difficult period of their lives.  Joann is also disabled with a chronic lung disorder that requires her to be on oxygen at all times.  They are some of my favorite people in this world and I pray daily for God's will and for his glory to shine brightly in the days ahead. 

Have you settled your destination for all eternity?  Bo has and here are a few verses from Romans which is the book that Bo has been studying most recently.

Rom 1:17  "The just shall live by faith."

Rom 5:1-5  Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God. And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope;  and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Rom 8:1-2  Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.  For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.

Rom 8:18  For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

Rom 8:28-30  And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.

Rom 8:38-39  For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
  

In Step with the Spirit

Every so often, a person who has confessed Christ as his Savior,  needs to take an inventory.  We must never cease our movement along the path to sanctification.  Perfection will not be achieved in this life regardless of the teachings of John Wesley, but we must never quit our progress.  There will be, at times, what appear to be Godless periods, but trust me, once the Holy Spirit takes up residence, he does not leave.  The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life always tug at us but we must cleave to the Savior.  For the past several years, I have followed a blog written by Harold “Doc” Arnett.  I have never met him but his words minister to my soul.  His latest entry of August 8, 2011 entitled “In Step with the Spirit” has stirred me to reassess my commitment to daily walking with the Lord.  Perhaps some of the words that he has written as well as scriptures that I have selected to use for each thought in his posting will also stir you.

In Step with the Spirit

Posted on August 8, 2011 by Doc Arnett

(View on docarnett.wordpress.com)

Faith in the face of adversity

Hope in the midst of despair

Love in response to hostility

Peace that surpasses understanding

Gentleness that exceeds all demanding

Forgiveness beyond all wounding

Patience that abounds above all trials

Compassion that flows from a pure heart, a pure mind, and a pure life

Wisdom that seeks the good of others

Knowledge that escapes every aspect of pride

Righteousness that seeks the very face of God

Purity that avoids every appearance of evil

Holiness that spurns every notion of pride

Humility that is never feigned

Contentment in all things

Mercy that never yields to vengeance

Devotion that is unwavering:

May you be so filled with Christ

that every aspect of your nature

reflects your unity with him.

H. Arnett

8/8/11

Faith 

1 Cor 16:13  Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.
2 Thess 1:4-5  therefore, we ourselves speak proudly of you among the churches of God for your 
perseverance and faith in the midst of all your persecutions and afflictions which you endure. This is a plain indication of God's righteous judgment so that you will be considered worthy of the

kingdom of God, for which indeed you are suffering.

James 1:2-3 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the
testing of your faith produces endurance.

Hope
Ps 42:5 Why are you in despair, O my soul?  And why have you become disturbed within me?
Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him For the help of His presence.
Job 13:15 Though He slay me, I will hope in Him.
Ps 71:14  But as for me, I will hope continually, And will praise You yet more and more.

Love

Matt 5:44 But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
Luke 6:31-32 "Treat others the same way you want them to treat you.   "If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them.

Peace

Phil 4:7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
2 Thess 3:16 Now may the Lord of peace Himself continually grant you peace in every circumstance. The Lord be with you all!

Gentleness

Eph 4:1-3  Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called,  with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love,  being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
1 Peter 3:15 But sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;

Forgiveness

Matt 6:15 But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.
Matt 18:35 My heavenly Father will also do the same to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart."

Patience
1 Peter 2:20  For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God.

Compassion with a pure heart, a pure mind, and a pure life
Prov 28:13 He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper, But he who confesses and forsakes them will find compassion.
Col 3:12-13  So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience;  bearing with one another, and forgiving each other,
Ps 24:4-5  He who has clean hands and a pure heart,  Who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood
And has not sworn deceitfully.   He shall receive a blessing from the Lord And righteousness from the God of his salvation.
2 Tim 2:21  Now flee from youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.
Prov 22:11  He who loves purity of heart And whose speech is gracious, the king is his friend.
1 Peter 1:14-16 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance,  but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior;  because it is written, "YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY."

Wisdom

Col 1:9-10  For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,  so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;
Col 3:16  Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
Col 4:5  Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity.

Knowledge

Prov 13:16  Every prudent man acts with knowledge, But a fool displays folly.
1 Cor 8:1-3  Now concerning things sacrificed to idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge makes arrogant, but love edifies. If anyone supposes that he knows anything, he has not yet known as he ought to know;  but if anyone loves God, he is known by Him.

Righteousness
Prov 21:3  To do righteousness and justice is desired by the Lord more than sacrifice.
Rom 14:17 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
1 John 3:10 By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother.
 
Purity
2 Tim 2:16 But avoid worldly and empty chatter, for it will lead to further ungodliness, 1
Col 3:5-7 Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry.  For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience, and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them.
1 Thess 5:21-22  But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good;  abstain from every form of evil.
3 John 11  Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. The one who does good is of God; the one who does evil has not seen God.

Holiness

2 Cor 1:12  For our proud confidence is this: the testimony of our conscience, that in holiness and godly sincerity, not in fleshly wisdom but in the grace of God, we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially toward you.
Ps 75:5 Do not lift up your horn on high, Do not speak with insolent pride.'"
Prov 29:23  A man's pride will bring him low, But a humble spirit will obtain honor.
 
Humility
Prov 22:4  The reward of humility and the fear of the Lord are riches, honor and life.
Phil 2:3  Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves;
Col 3:12   So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience;
 
Contentment
1 Tim 6:6   But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment.
2 Cor 12:10   Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.
Phil 4:11  Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.
Heb 13:5   Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, "I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU,"

Mercy

Nah 1:2  A jealous and avenging God is the Lord;  The Lord is avenging and wrathful. The Lord takes vengeance on His adversaries, And He reserves wrath for His enemies.
Rom 12:19 Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, "VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY," says the Lord.
Heb 4:16   Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Devotion

1 Cor 7:35   This I say for your own benefit; not to put a restraint upon you, but to promote what is appropriate and to secure undistracted devotion to the Lord.
Rom 12:9-13   Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor;  not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord;  rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer,  contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality.

Unity
Ps 133:1  Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brothers to dwell together in unity!
John 17:23   I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me.
Eph 4:1-3    Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called,  with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love,  being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
Eph 4:11-16   And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers,  for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ;  until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.  As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming;  but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ,  from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.
Col 3:14-15  Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.

In closing, go back to the first three topics.  They are summed up in the Word by this passage.

1 Cor 13:13  But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love.

Have a Blessed day!

My Female Siblings

Louanna Pearl Walker and Betty Mae Walker

Pearl

Pearl is on the left.  Probably taken in 1926, the year that Ed was born.

I have no memories of Pearl since I was just past three when she passed away.  My earliest memories of her family include her widower, Carl, and their three children, Carolyn, Carl David (Corky), and Glenda.  Glenda was the only one younger than me yet I was their uncle, go figure. 

This is Pearl but I am not sure who the guy is.  It is not Carl.

 The picture on the left is back row: Glenda, Edith (nanny type), and my mother.  Front row is Carolyn, Corky, and me.  Picture on the right is Carl, Carolyn, Glenda, me, and Corky.  I believe this was taken at our house in Seminole but not sure.  Would be after Pearl's death.

During my growing up years, most summers Carolyn, Corky, and Glenda would spend the summer vacation with us at our house.  It was almost like having temporary brothers and sisters and I have nothing but fond memories of those years.  Some of the best times were swimming in the old farm pond while keeping an eye out for the snakes.  One famous or infamous memory is when Corky and I had a slight disagreement.  I threw and hit him with a baseball and he threw a fist and hit me in the nose.  I learned quickly and never had another fist fight although I never landed a punch on him.  When I had to have a septoplasty (nose surgery for a deviated septum) years later, I mentally blamed in on that punch in the nose.  I would also travel to see them in Phillips, Texas on occasion and memories include the carbon black plant, the canyons, and their house which reminded me of a barn because of the shape.  I remember that Carl built the house himself and on some visits it was still being added on to and ended up being two story.  Carl later remarried and that union produced two children, Charlotte and Charles.  Charlotte died at about age 10 from surgery complications and Charles is still living and resides at a nursing facility in Poplar Bluff, Missouri.

This is an early picture of Carolyn and an old B&W from her wedding to Don Harris which produced five children, Danny, Debbie, Tony, Valerie, and Donnie Jo.  She later married Ken Webb and he passed away several years ago.  She currently lives in Borger, Texas.

 This is Corky.  His first wife was Sudie and they produced Carla, Charlotte, and Dewayne.  The first picture contains a woman and two kids that were part of his life for a while but I am not sure if they were married or not.  I only recall seeing them on two occasions.  The bottom picture is his last wife whom he married in November, 1983.  Corky died on heart problems in 2006 or 2007 and was living in South Dakota at the time.  If I had to use one word to describe Corky, it would be 'adventuresome'.  He even lived in the boonies as a prospector during one phase of his life.  One of my most vivid memories of Corky was probably in the 1970's.  Joyce and I were visiting in Phillips and Corky was excited about Jesus Christ and was going to be preaching at a small church and invited me to come hear him that Sunday.  Carolyn's husband, Don, was an avid golfer and I was a novice but he had invited me to play golf with him that Sunday at the Borger golf course and I opted for that.  Corky never said anything but over the years, I always carried a load of guilt.  Many years later, I unloaded that guilt with an in-person apology laden with tears and Corky said that he carried no grudge and forgiveness was not necessary.  Only the love of Christ whose spirit indwelt Corky could heal so quickly.  We probably only saw each other every three to four years during our adult lives, but there was always a bond there than transcended bloodlines, it was the spirit of God and I miss Corky but I am assured of another meeting on the other side.

This is Glenda and her daughter Tami. You can find them on Facebook at Glenda Boles and Tami Boles Atchinson. One outstanding memory is a visit in Borger to Glenda's house and Corky and his kids were there. The oldest one, Carla, drank some lighter fluid and I drove her and Corky to the emergency room using Dillard's car (Glenda's first husband). What caused the most difficulty was that the emergency brake was on for the entire trip. Corky kept telling me to go faster and I told him I had the gas pedal touching the floorboard and it wouldn't go any faster. Carla survived and I think she now lives somewhere in Ohio and has had several children.                                                                            

 This is a current picture of Glenda with her husband Travis, her daughter and son-in-law, one grandson, and one great-granddaughter.  Travis passed away in June from complications of a stroke and cancer.  Glenda has undergone treatment for lung cancer and lymph node cancer and needs everyone's prayers.  She currently resides in Williamsville, Missouri.  Be sure to contact Glenda and Tami on Facebook.  They are very special people to me.

Betty

This is Betty.  She was sixteen when I was born but I saw her more times in my life than any of my other siblings.

I believe that these were her high school graduation pictures from Seminole High School in 1944.

 Betty's first marriage was to Paul SchonerSchoner's grocery at the corner of Hwy 9 and Hwy 270 in Seminole and I remember meeting them there amidst a lot of tears.  No one was injured but I felt so terrible for them.  A good memory is that Paul gave me a Remington bolt-action .22 with a 9? shot clip.  It is the only gun that I ever owned and I have no idea what happened to it but I did enjoy it.  Mainly used it to shoot tin cans, I'm certain I never killed anything with it.  Another pleasant memory was getting to drive the 1957 Plymouth Fury that they owned.  I drove it once by myself and once with Paul and Betty along.  Both times the speedometer passed 100 MPH but that is all I'm going to say about that.  Betty's second marriage was to Lloyd Dial and he preceded her in death.

Betty, Paula, and Pam and the Plymouth Fury.  Think this was in Hobbs, NM.

Probably the hardest thing that I ever had to do was to go to Seminole and tell my mother that Betty had died.  Betty was living in Seminole about two miles from mother at the time.  She was in Presbyterian Hospital due to complications from emphysema.  Paula had just been up from Texas for a visit and the doctor said that she was doing well and so Paula went back home.  I remember the phone call from Pam and exactly where I was standing which was in the kitchen at the house on the acreage between Tuttle and Newcastle.  She said words to the effect "We lost momma".  I had also visited her in the hospital a day or so before she died.  I'll always remember her dachshund, Beanie.

 This is Paula and her son Paul Peepers, and Pam and her daughter, Jamie Porter.

Other memories would include visits to see Betty and family in Kansas, New Mexico, and Texas.  She also lived in Louisiana for a time.  I remember a little black and white terrier-type dog named Midge that used to scare me a lot.  Don't know that I ever was bitten but I always felt like I could be her next snack.  I remember both Paula and Pam were wild about horses as they were growing up.  I don't think either one ever outgrew that love for animals and especially horses.  I know for certain that Pam is heavily involved with them as well as her daughter.  Last time I saw her, she was on a horse.  She lives a few miles north of Seminole with her husband, Jack Hamilton.  Paula lived in Lindale, Texas last time I saw her (if memory serves me correct) and she was married to Don Raley.  Her son Paul lived in Norman the last time I saw him. I always thought Paul was one of the best looking kids I ever saw and had the potential to be a great football player.  I'm not sure he possessed the killer instinct or desire to pursue that type of life. For sure, he is one of the nicest guys that I have ever met.

Below is a very amateurish video, the first I had ever taken with my new Ipod.  It was taken around Memorial Day, 2010.  Please ignore the poor quality and focus on the subjects.  I promise to do better next time.

This is Maple Grove cemetery in Seminole, Oklahoma.  These graves are located in the very southeast corner of the cemetery.  My brother Ed is buried in the same cemetery on the front row of the military section.  Well, that sums up the two tales of my brothers and sisters.  I look forward to seeing them again.  I will close this blog with another great (aren't they all) passage, this one from the book of Psalms.

Ps 139:23-24 Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; And see if there be any hurtful way in me, And lead me in the everlasting way.