Orbus Update...

http://refreshingbones.blogspot.com/2009_10_01_archive.html

Remember Orbus? He is four and a half months old now. A few thoughts on the analogy that continues to unfold around his rescue:

"Salvation is not meant for everyone, right?"

In Monday night's Systematic Theology class, we touched on the concept of universal salvation, something propounded by a few and felt to be true by many: basically, that since Christ has died for all and risen from the dead, then all are now safe from eternal judgment.

While the Bible makes it clear that the sacrifice of the Son of God was complete, eternal, and perpetually efficacious, it makes it equally clear that many will still not escape that eternal horror. No one has ever always believed in God... no one has ever done enough good things to get into heaven... no one is free of sin... no one is inherently perfect in a way that would satisfy the demands of a just God... no one goes to heaven just because he wants to.

Keeping them close or cutting them loose?

"But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew [their] strength;
 they shall mount up with wings as eagles...” (Isaiah 40:31a ) 

I want to exemplify a healthy philosophy of ministry.

Early on, I felt like the Lord wanted me for something more than just warming a seat on Sundays. Who knew what it would be all about? After all these years, some questions still remain unanswered for me:

Crisis in Haiti...

Haiti has a special place in our hearts.

Our granddaughters Angeline (age 8) and Kayleigh (age 9) were born there.

Assertively Apolitical

I finally did it! I finished writing an article that I have been working on for the last several months.
 
"Thank you" Linda, Rebekah and Brian (wife, daughter, and son-in-law) for your input, help with the formatting and finding appropriate reference material.

My purpose and motives are set forth in the preface.

Clicking on the link below will automatically open the article in Adobe Reader.

"ASSERTIVELY APOLITICAL" 

“10 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, [be] with you all. Amen.” (2 Corinthians 13:14 AV)

The manifold wisdom of God...

To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly [places] might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,” (Ephesians 3:10 AV)

If our Bible study is boring, we are missing something; if we think we have God all figured out and explained, guess again.

Sometimes it feels like I plateaued at some point without really noticing. I acquired a certain basic level of knowledge about God and then just sort of coasted after that. The decisions I make, the opinions I express, the avenues of counseling I pursue, the direction I take in personal discipleship sessions, seem to emanate more from a rather dormant orthodoxy lying about in the background.

Don’t be too depressed about depression; don’t despair over despair...

"In addition to my other numerous acquaintances, I have one more intimate confidant. My depression is the most faithful mistress I have known -- no wonder, then, that I return the love."  Soren Kierkegaard

I am not trying to be flippant about such a delicate issue; nor can I avoid oversimplifying in this brief space.

Our formative years were influenced by elements reacting to Freudian principles in a way that, while to some degree understandable, left the mistaken impression that there was never any use in the Christian’s life for psychiatric evaluation or medication.