tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19656125770374830042023-11-15T09:40:04.060-08:00Found in ReverieAshley Randallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11767780339794085412noreply@blogger.comBlogger138125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1965612577037483004.post-88393075065584771362016-08-03T08:17:00.000-07:002016-08-03T08:17:59.756-07:00To Do Justice<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 27.35pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Abraham. He is
acknowledged as the “father of nations.” Muslims, Christians and Jews all claim
him as their patriarch—an ancestor to be respected, admired and highly esteemed.
God singled him out for a special relationship. God promised to bless Abraham;
but not just for the good of Abraham and his family. God promised to bless
Abraham so that through him the whole world would be blessed.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 27.35pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">One way to
imagine Abraham fulfilling that purpose might be to picture Abraham as the person
designated to distribute all the good gifts of God—spiritual and material—to the
rest of the inhabitants of the world. God makes deposits into Abraham’s
account; and then Abraham writes checks to disburse the funds. That might have
been fun for Abraham; but it would have probably not been fun—or effective—for long.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 27.35pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">You really don’t
have to wonder what God meant, though. God is quite clear about his intention: “I
have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after
him to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just” (Genesis
18:19). The way the world will be blessed through Abraham is that he will teach
all the members of his family to do what is right and just.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 27.35pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">When Moses was
instructing the people of Israel before they entered the Promised Land, he was
clear, “Follow justice and justice alone, so that you may live and possess the
land the Lord your God is giving you” (Deuteronomy 16:20). Even the queen of
Sheba recognized the most valuable role Solomon played in God’s plan: “Because
of the Lord’s eternal love for Israel, he has made you king to maintain justice
and righteousness” (1 Kings 10:9).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 27.35pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">In spite of this
consistent theme—this command to tell the truth, to ensure the rights of the
poor are respected, to guard the welfare of foreigners, to be generous with
those who have experienced hard times; the people God set apart to bless failed
their primary purpose. Repeatedly God sent messengers to remind them in one way
or another of the desire of God’s heart: “What does the Lord require of you but
to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah
6:8). It is difficult to express how utterly God’s people failed to live out this
standard—or how their failure set them up for the disappointment they
experienced.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 27.35pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">God still longs
for those he calls his own to do what is right and just; and we still fall
short. The good news is that God still extends his mercy, shows us patience,
and welcomes us when we turn toward him and seek the Spirit’s guidance to live
as champions of righteousness and justice. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
Ashley Randallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11767780339794085412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1965612577037483004.post-20377320137125551832016-02-20T12:54:00.001-08:002016-02-20T12:54:32.728-08:00Accentuate the Positive!<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 27.35pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">If you have the responsibility of supervising employees, you might want to check out an article I stumbled across a few days ago. The author acknowledged that being the boss can be a real challenge—especially coping with employees who do their jobs well; but are equally skilled at annoying both you and their colleagues. This article shared one consultant’s list of the six most common problem personalities: The Gossip, The Grump,</span> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">The Overachiever, The Suck-up, The Slacker, and The Clown.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 27.35pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">If any of these people were not performing adequately, the author admits the easiest solution might be to fire them. You might be tempted to think that you would just be better off without them. As much as you might wish you could do everything yourself, the truth is you need other people to help you complete the work.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 27.35pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">While the advice for how to deal with each of these different personality types was slightly different, the consistent theme was to redirect each person’s energies toward a specific task that would benefit them and the rest of the team. Encourage employees to talk about the things they have in common to strengthen relationships with one another. Make sure people who seem unhappy or insecure feel heard and that their contributions are recognized. Find ways to give people tasks that connect with their passions and interests so they have a reason to be more engaged and less disruptive.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 27.35pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Years ago Johnny Mercer wrote a song several artists made popular, “Accentuate the Positive.” You may remember the chorus:</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 1in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">You've got to accentuate the positive,</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 1in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Eliminate the negative,</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 1in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Latch on to the affirmative,</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 1in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Don't mess with Mister In-Between.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 27.35pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Telling people only what you don’t like about what they are doing is rarely effective in altering their behavior. When you can show them a better way to accomplish their objectives, everyone benefits. That strategy works personally, as well. If you spend all your energy punishing yourself for some persistent bad habit without identifying a positive alternative, you are most likely to end up disheartened and discouraged, if not defeated.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 27.35pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Lent is an appropriate time to consider any habits you might have that are keeping you from becoming the person God created you to be. It is also a great time to adopt a discipline that will put you in a better position to accept the freedom and power God wants to give you, so you can experience every blessing God has prepared for you. </span></span></div>
Ashley Randallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11767780339794085412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1965612577037483004.post-83755342688170812562016-02-16T13:06:00.001-08:002016-02-16T13:06:37.454-08:00Finding the Courage to Say "No!"<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 27.35pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">A friend was sharing his frustration the other day. He confessed that he might not be making the best use of his time. A lot of his work is done on the computer, and he uses the internet to access some of its resources. His concern was that there seemed to be more and more times when something would distract him and take him to another site where he would find something else that seemed interesting; and much too quickly, thirty minutes—or an hour—had passed and he still had not completed his original search. He asked me to pray for him.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 27.35pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">When Jesus left his disciples for the last time, he gave them pretty clear and concise instructions: “Make disciples.” They had been following Jesus down a very particular path for a few years. They had heard Jesus teach others about God’s love and God’s intention that people love one another. They had heard Jesus invite others to follow him. They had witnessed Jesus sacrifice everything to demonstrate God’s love. From its first days, the church has embraced the mission to make disciples—people who faithfully follow the way of Christ.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 27.35pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Like my friend there have been times when the church has been distracted from its primary purpose. It has become fascinated with different media and methods, with a variety of liturgy and architecture, with nuances of theology and doctrine.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 27.35pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Individuals who make the commitment to follow Christ also find themselves wandering off the path from time to time—chasing after other pursuits that seem to promise profit, prestige, or power.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 27.35pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Sometimes the best way to get back on the path is to recall the commitments you made when you began. During Lent, the church has focused on teaching persons how to follow the path of Jesus. The keys to avoiding distraction and staying focused are central to the baptismal covenant. That’s why focusing on living out those vows in our everyday life can be a meaningful practice during the season of Lent.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 27.35pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I pray this will be a season for you to reflect on the path you are following. Are there things that are distracting you from keeping the commitments that are most important to you? May you find the courage to renounce and reject those things, so you may walk in the way that leads to life. </span></span></div>
Ashley Randallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11767780339794085412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1965612577037483004.post-37841106334874226752016-02-02T05:30:00.000-08:002016-02-02T05:30:11.720-08:00Love One Another<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 27.35pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Valentine’s Day
is coming up in just a couple of weeks and there are lots of marketers aiming
for your wallet. They hope to convince you that spending a few dollars to
purchase their product will touch the heart of your true love. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 27.35pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Showing your
love for others is important—and not just to those whom you might expect to
return the affection. Jesus says a lot about love: love for God, love for our
neighbor, even love for our enemies. And when you think about the love Jesus
demonstrated, you begin to understand that Jesus is not just talking about
having a positive regard for others. He is talking about doing something
practical to improve the quality of their life. Jesus fed people who were
hungry. Jesus healed people who were sick. Jesus people welcomed people who
were left out. Jesus restored the hope of those who were drowning in despair. Furthermore,
Jesus says that the way everyone will be able to tell if we are really
committed to faithfully following him, is when we love each other (John 13:35).
<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 27.35pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">John Wesley
found a slightly different way to talk about how important love is: “In a
Christian believer love sits upon the throne which is erected in the inmost
soul; namely, love of God and man, which fills the whole heart, and reigns without
rival.” For Wesley, too, this love had real world ramifications. Reflecting on
Chapter 13 of Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians, Wesley writes, “The love
of God, and of our neighbour for God's sake, is patient toward, all men. It
suffers all the weakness, ignorance, errors, and infirmities of the children of
God; all the malice and wickedness of the children of the world: and all this,
not only for a time, but to the end. And in every step toward overcoming evil
with good, it is kind, soft, mild, benign. It inspires the sufferer at once
with the most amiable sweetness, and the most fervent and tender affection.” <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 27.35pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">This kind of
love goes way beyond stuffed animals, bouquets of flowers, heart-shaped boxes
of chocolates, or frilly cards. It is also much more costly. But without this
kind of love, all the other is just claptrap and garbage that will be discarded
in a few days. Loving others the way Jesus has taught us will make an
everlasting difference in us, in those we love, and in the world. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
Ashley Randallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11767780339794085412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1965612577037483004.post-56561580014614508552015-12-10T10:53:00.000-08:002015-12-10T10:53:47.173-08:00A Voice in the Wilderness<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-indent: 27.35pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">There are two stories I remember hearing while I was
a child that I must admit influence the way I listen to anyone who steps
forward to announce some momentous event. One of those stories was about the
boy who cried, “wolf!” The other was the story of “Chicken Little.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-indent: 27.35pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The first story was about a boy who was not happy
with the job he had guarding the sheep. The work was not that hard, but he got
bored with the long hours and wondered whether anyone appreciated the job he
was doing. To break up the monotony he raises the alarm and is delighted when
the people from the village rush out help him protect the sheep from harm.
Discovering there is no threat, they return to their work in the village.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-indent: 27.35pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">After a similar sequence of events occurs several
more times—with diminishing fervor from the townspeople on each occasion; a
wolf does actually attack the flock. When the boy raises the alarm this time,
people pause, look up from what they are doing, shake their heads, and then go
back to their work. The flock (and in some versions, the boy) is lost.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-indent: 27.35pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">In some ways Chicken Little is more successful in
raising the alarm. She is struck on the head by an acorn as she is pecking
around the farmyard, and mistakenly concludes that the sky is falling. As she
goes from one resident of the farm to the next, she is quite convincing. With
each voice adding to the alarm, the anxiety becomes even more palpable, and
leads the whole crew to fail to see the very real danger of following “Foxy
Loxy” into his den (from which they never return).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-indent: 27.35pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">When a voice breaks through the noise today, I have
to admit that I filter what they say through a skepticism that had its genesis
in these stories from my youth. But I also face a more personal challenge when
I am the one who is charged with raising the alarm: How do I call the community
of faith to take seriously the challenge “to prepare the way of the Lord”?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 12pt 0in 6pt; text-indent: 27.35pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">He has come and
he is coming again. “And this is my prayer, that your love may overflow more
and more with knowledge and full insight to help you to determine what is best,
so that in the day of Christ you may be pure and blameless, having produced the
harvest of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ for the glory and
praise of God” (Philippians 1:9-11).</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
Ashley Randallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11767780339794085412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1965612577037483004.post-40220475853067525752015-08-31T07:49:00.001-07:002015-08-31T07:49:23.101-07:00Remembering Jerry<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 27pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Scarcely
a week goes by when we are not reminded that we live in a troubled, broken, and
violent world. This week the evidence has been particularly personal and
profound. On Monday morning Jerry Kaiser was the victim of a catastrophic
collision on Lyne’s parkway. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 27pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Brenda
and Jerry were returning from a trip to Savannah when they were hit by a car
being driven the wrong way up I-516. The impact shredded the passenger’s side
of both vehicles from the headlights to the rear axle. Skid marks, stains from
engine fluids, and gouges in the concrete are evidence of the severity of the
event. Most bitter of all, our friend and brother suffered injuries that
abruptly ended his life.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 27pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Remarkably,
Brenda’s wounds were much less severe—at least physically. Still what she,
Jerry’s other family members, and all those who knew and loved Jerry carry is a
deep and powerful sense of loss as we grieve this tragedy. Our hearts ache and
our minds long for answers. Trials like this take us to our limits.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 27pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">If
there is anything we should have learned from Jerry, it was how to face
adversity. He had anticipated quite a different life in retirement than he got.
Still he never resigned to his disability; rather he continued to push himself
to accomplish all that he could and to make the most of every opportunity to
witness to his faith.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 27pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I
don’t know how many miles Jerry covered in his power chair; but I do know that
this neighborhood is one of the most prayed over areas in the county. Jerry
knew that many in this world do not love God or follow God’s ways; still he
devoted his energies to praying, not only for those who live in the vicinity,
but for all who have not yet made the decision to follow Christ. He befriended
strangers. He invited people to join him in worship. He encouraged people who
were struggling with their own issues. In the face of great trials, Jerry
demonstrated extraordinary perseverance and an unrelenting commitment to love
and serve others. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 27pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I
pray his endurance will inspire us to ask God for the strength to press on
through this trial—and through the many trials that will continue to confront
us—as we seek to live faithful lives in this troubled, broken, and violent—but
ultimately, redeemed world.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
Ashley Randallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11767780339794085412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1965612577037483004.post-88225980791402175862015-06-28T07:13:00.000-07:002015-06-28T07:13:47.944-07:00When Your Heart Hurts<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 27pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Receiving
the news of the death of someone is never easy. Whether you are close friends
or merely acquaintances; whether the news comes at the end of a long illness or
as a complete surprise; whether they lived an exemplary life or spent their
years as a prodigal; there is a finality in the news that they have died that
feels like a punch to the gut.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 27pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Unfortunately,
such news has become commonplace. Widespread disease, recklessness and
distraction on our highways, armed conflict and terroristic attacks, outbursts
of violence, and even personal despair take their toll on great numbers of
people each and every day. At times, it can seem overwhelming.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 27pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Indeed,
you may be tempted to adopt a strategy of denial. If you don’t think about it
at all, maybe you can move on as though nothing significant really happened.
While that might serve as an effective short-term strategy, it rarely proves helpful
to becoming the kind of person God has created us to be.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 27pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Grief
is a natural response to loss, particularly to the loss of someone who has died.
While it has an emotional component, it involves every part of who we are as
persons created to be in relationship with others. The process of grief
involves not only mourning, but also the acknowledgement (even the celebration)
of all blessings we received because we were together (if only briefly) in this
life.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 27pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">When
David received the news that King Saul and his son, Jonathan, had been killed
in battle; one might think that it would have been easy for him to discount the loss.
After all, he and Saul had been at odds for quite some time; and his
relationship with Jonathan had been deeply stressed. Nevertheless, David
acknowledged the greatness he had witnessed in both of them, and gave thanks
for all they had done for him and for the nation of Israel.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 27pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Having
a heart for God means more than having the faith to face great challenges; it
also means allowing yourself to feel the hurt of significant loss. It is a sign
that we are not only grateful for the ways God blesses our lives through
others, but also that we trust God to continue to bring people into our lives
who will show us the promise and potential of a life well-lived.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
Ashley Randallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11767780339794085412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1965612577037483004.post-46482172250177578082015-06-20T12:09:00.002-07:002015-06-20T12:09:56.129-07:00Into the Valley<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Anointed, yet not acclaimed</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">No crown, no army, no domain.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Called from pastures feeding sheep</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Sent by his anxious father</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Bearing bread for his brothers</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Carrying cheese for their captain</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">David reaches battle camp</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Soldiers running for trenches</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Commanders shouting for battle.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Across the valley</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The enemy's champion</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Bronze armor flashing</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Shouts his well-practiced taunt</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Insulting Israel</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Distressing Saul</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Terrifying Israel's army.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">"Who is this who defies God's army?"</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Such questions kindle a brother's anger</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">And a king's attention</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">"I'll go fight him!"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">David volunteers</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Recounting God's deliverance</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Saving sheep from lion and bear.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Casting off the king's own armor</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Grabbing staff and sling</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">David descends into the valley </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Pausing as he crosses the stream</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Choosing five smooth stones</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Ample ammunition for one</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Trusting in the Lord's protection.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Goliath adds insults and curses</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">To the taunts he hurls</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Still David knows and testifies</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">"The Lord owns this war.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I will strike you down."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">The Philistine moves to attack</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">David moves more quickly</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Stone in and out of sling</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Soon sinking into the pagan's skull</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Seizing sword from Goliath's sheath</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">David slays the blasphemer and proves</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The Lord rescues those who trust in him. </span>Ashley Randallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11767780339794085412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1965612577037483004.post-47528723388568426032015-05-08T06:31:00.002-07:002015-05-08T06:31:57.057-07:00Looking for the Fruit<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 27pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">When
God speaks to Moses at the burning bush, God has more than escape in mind. Not
only is Moses called to set the people free from slavery in Egypt, he is also to
lead them to the “promised land” – “a good and broad land, a land that’s full
of milk and honey” (Exodus 3:8). Pharaoh makes the release as difficult on the
Israelites as he can, and the journey across the desert is marred by complaints
and questions about Moses’ competence; but after a couple of years and a couple
of months they are poised to enter the land of Canaan.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 27pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">God
speaks to Moses again. This time God tells Moses to select a man from each of
the twelve tribes to explore the land and bring back a report. Moses gives them
thorough instructions, concluding with an interesting request: “bring back the
land’s fruit” (Numbers 13:20).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 27pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">They
explored the area for forty days. While they were there they cut down a branch
with one cluster of grapes that was so big that two men carried it on a pole
between them. When they got back they showed everyone the fruit and gave their
report: “We entered the land to which you sent us. It’s actually full of milk
and honey, and this is its fruit” (Numbers 13:27). This fruit of the vine was
not only clear evidence of the fertility of the land, but also of God’s
faithfulness to his promises. It should have been an occasion for celebration. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 27pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Years
later the Psalmist imagines the people of Israel as a vine God brought out of
Egypt and planted in a place especially prepared for it. Isaiah compares God to
a man who planted a vine in a protected vineyard expecting it to produce fine
grapes; plainly saying, “Indeed Israel is the vineyard of the LORD” (cf.
5:1-8). Jeremiah delivers this message from God to Judah: “I planted you in the
land like a special vine of the very best stock” (2:21).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 27pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">So
when Jesus says, “I am the vine; you are the branches;” he is connecting his
ministry to the history of God’s covenant people. He is also warning them not
to repeat the mistakes of those who had gone before. “My Father is glorified
when you produce much fruit and in this way prove that you are my disciples”
(John 15:8).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 27pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">May
people be delighted and amazed by the fruit they find among us.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
Ashley Randallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11767780339794085412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1965612577037483004.post-75758017869707261652015-03-31T16:41:00.000-07:002015-03-31T16:41:27.746-07:00Loving Strangers<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 27pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Forty years had passed since they had escaped from Egypt. That was not the original plan. A journey that should have been completed in a few weeks lasted for decades. Moses certainly imagined things would go differently. Still God had been faithful. Neither their clothes nor their sandals had worn out. They always had food to eat and water to drink. Their enemies had been defeated time after time. Now they were on the verge of entering “the land the Lord your God is giving you, a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, promised you” (Deuteronomy 27:3b).</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 27pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">On the banks of the Jordan River, Moses prepares the people for their triumphant entry. He urges them once again to be faithful “to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul” (10:12b). He calls them “to observe the Lord’s commands and decrees” (10:13a). He reminds them “the Lord set his affection on your ancestors and loved them, and he chose you, their descendants, above all the nations” (<span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1234405336" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">10:15</span></span>).</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 27pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">In the midst of his parting message, Moses says something quite interesting: “For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes. He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the foreigner residing among you, giving them food and clothing” (10:17-18). Furthermore, “you are to love those who are foreigners, for you yourselves were foreigners in Egypt” (<span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1234405337" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">10:19</span></span>). The people of God are called to love the people God loves.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 27pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Sunday before Passover Jesus enters the city of Jerusalem like a triumphant king. The people shout, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the king of Israel!” (John <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1234405338" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">12:13</span></span>). Many expect to Jesus to ride right into the palace, to run the Romans out of the country, and to restore Israel to its former glory; but Jesus is not there to serve himself, orchestrate a coup, or engage in wish fulfillment. Jesus has come to show God’s love to the world.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 27pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Paul explains it to the Ephesians like this: “Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to him through the blood of Christ. For Christ himself has brought peace to us…. In his own body on the cross, he broke down the wall of hostility that separated us…. Now all of us can come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us” (2:13-14, 18). And so it continues; the people of God are called to love the people God loves—particularly strangers and foreigners. </span></span></div>
Ashley Randallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11767780339794085412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1965612577037483004.post-45033522168975754802015-03-15T07:19:00.000-07:002015-03-15T07:19:35.749-07:00Scandalous Love<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 27pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“There
was a man who had two sons.” That’s the way Jesus begins one of the most
familiar of all his parables. Indeed, it is so familiar that most people fail
to appreciate how shocking it must have sounded to those people who heard him
tell it for the first time.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 27pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">It
is true that most people still place a high value on family relationships; but
in first century Palestine, family identity was at the core of your personal
identity. It provided your connection to the rest of the community. It conferred
your role in the history of God’s people. Being part of a household insured
your life, especially in a country occupied by a foreign military force. In
this culture it was essential that everyone in the household be fully devoted
to each other’s wellbeing.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 27pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">For
a child (particularly, a son) to approach his father and ask for his share of
the inheritance would have been not only an insult; but a threat to the
family’s very existence. In an era when our children live all over the world,
it is hard to imagine how scandalous it would be to hear that this same child
chose to pack up and move off just a few days later.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 27pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">As
Jesus continues the story it becomes more clear that this rebellious son did
recognize his father’s loving and generous spirit. As he recalls the evidence
of his father’s gracious generosity, he’s convinced that even being one of his
father’s hired workers would be an improvement over his current condition. As
the story unfolds and his recollections prove true, his initial rebellion seems
even more mysterious and perplexing, if not incomprehensible.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 27pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Then
just as the story seems to be reaching a happy conclusion, Jesus shocks his
audience again. Now the other son—the elder son—the “good” son—refuses to
participate in the celebration of his younger brother’s return. Without
apology, he expresses his contempt for both his brother and his father. This is
a different form of rebellion; nevertheless, it is a clear expression of his
failure to appreciate the depth of his father’s love for him.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 27pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Jesus
leaves the story unresolved. The party is in full swing. The father has
explained the situation to his older son; but there is no indication how he
will respond. Immediately Jesus begins the next story. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 27pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I
imagine the crowd shaking their heads as they puzzle over what they have just
heard. “How could…why would anyone
respond like that to such a loving and gracious father?” Perhaps that is just
the question Jesus hopes we will ask ourselves as we consider the ways we have
rebelled against God’s love.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
Ashley Randallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11767780339794085412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1965612577037483004.post-32086563849905954032015-02-13T08:51:00.001-08:002015-02-13T08:51:31.165-08:00A Question of Authority<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"> You’ve heard it before, “You can’t judge a book by its cover.” Nevertheless, publishing companies invest lots of time and talent into the design of book covers that will, at least, increase the likelihood that you will not only pull their text of the shelf, but will actually consider paying the price to carry it home.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"> Of course, the art department has a role to play in making one work stand out among the rest, but you may have noticed a marked increase in the number of review excerpts included on book jackets. They want you to know that other people have read and enjoyed this particular tome.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"> Particularly with works of non-fiction, you may find the first few pages dedicated to short testimonials from “experts” (or if not “experts,” at least, celebrities) in the field. They routinely mention the significance and importance of this particular contribution to the field; or the author’s advance of the conversation; or something like that.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"> If there are enough positive comments, and they are made by people you admire or respect; you must admit it increases your consideration of a purchase. While the bold title and interesting art work may have prompted you to pick up the book, the combined testimony of critics and colleagues goes a long way toward convincing you to seriously consider what this writer has to say.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"> With more and more people filling pages, web sites, and air waves with their own particular (and quite often, peculiar) messages, it makes sense to take the time to consider the source. Do they have a vested interest in promoting their particular narrative? What are the likely results of their suggested course of action? Who are their allies and what are their goals? Are their values aligned with what you know to be true?</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"> The more challenging question, though, is could you respond confidently to someone who questioned you about the declarations you make, the decisions you take, the actions that define your life. Who gave you the authority to do the things you do?</span></div>
Ashley Randallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11767780339794085412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1965612577037483004.post-24388509436907982652014-12-19T08:31:00.003-08:002014-12-19T08:37:11.267-08:00Joy to the World<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 27.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Joy can seem astonishingly
elusive—even during these days leading up to the celebration of the birth of
Jesus. The announcement of the angel—“Behold, I bring you good news of great
joy…”—echoes in your ears; but you struggle to force a smile when anyone wishes
you, “Merry Christmas.” If there is any word that comes close to describing
your state of mind, it is “anxious.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 27.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;">The flood of catalogs filling
your mailbox and sales inserts spilling from your newspaper, remind you of all
the things you don’t have (but wish you did). Still you know you won’t get much
sympathy as you sort through all the letters asking you to respond to the great
need of the “less fortunate” in the community and around the world.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 27.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Bombings and beheadings
overseas, riots and demonstrations across the country, and shootings in the
streets you drive every day, leave you feeling hopeless when the carolers sing
of “peace on earth.” Even the relationships with the people you’ve shared your
life with for years seem strained and unsettled.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 27.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;">You move slowly as you
start your day—going though an inventory of your aches and pains. You listen
carefully to the ads that punctuate the morning news with the promise of some
new drug that will alleviate your ailments. As the announcer continues to list
all the possible side effects and contraindications of the cure he is promoting,
doubt that there is any possibility of healing adds to your distress.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 27.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Nevertheless, as a
community of faith, we gather excitedly, stand expectantly, and wait patiently
for the one who proclaimed, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because the
Lord has anointed me. He has sent me to preach good news to the poor, to
proclaim release to the prisoners and recovery of sight to the blind, to
liberate the oppressed, and to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 27.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;">May you discover
indescribable joy as you affirm the great gift God has given you—the gift of
life through faith in Jesus who was born in Bethlehem and is coming again.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />Ashley Randallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11767780339794085412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1965612577037483004.post-56676898531005177342014-09-01T07:14:00.001-07:002014-09-01T07:14:49.869-07:00The Way of the Cross<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; margin: 6pt 0in 0.0001pt; text-indent: 27pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">For most of the time I have been serving as a pastor in the United Methodist Church I have heard conversations, read books and attended conferences addressing the decline of the church in general and the denomination in particular. I have been asked to consider myriad causes, scores of diagnoses, and more remedies than I can recall. Much of what I have seen and heard has been helpful. Most of it is heartfelt. Still there are times when I wonder if most of those doing the assessment of our current condition are failing to acknowledge the primary source of our malaise.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; margin: 6pt 0in 0.0001pt; text-indent: 27pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Soon after Peter proclaims that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God; he scolds Jesus for explaining what that will mean for him: opposition, suffering, death. In spite of Peter’s well-meaning expression of concern, Jesus is unwavering—and even extends the implications of his identity and the mission to which has been appointed to include all who would choose to follow him: “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me” (Matthew <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_261686098" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">16:24</span></span>).</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; margin: 6pt 0in 0.0001pt; text-indent: 27pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Years before his death in 1963, A. W. Tozer identified “a notable heresy [which] has come into being throughout our evangelical Christian circles—the widely accepted concept that we humans can choose to accept Christ only because we need Him as Savior and we have the right to postpone our obedience to Him as Lord as long as we want to!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; margin: 6pt 0in 0.0001pt; text-indent: 27pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“I think the following is a fair statement of what I was taught in my early Christian experience….</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; margin: 6pt 0in 0.0001pt; text-indent: 27pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“‘We are saved by accepting Christ as our Savior; we are sanctified by accepting Christ as our Lord; we may do the first without doing the second!’”</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; margin: 6pt 0in 0.0001pt; text-indent: 27pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“The truth is that salvation apart from obedience is unknown in the sacred Scriptures. Peter makes it plain that we are ‘chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit for obedience’” (1 Peter 1:2).</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; margin: 6pt 0in 0.0001pt; text-indent: 27pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">If you are concerned about the decline of the church, let me ask you to pray that more people will not only accept Jesus as their savior; but will also allow Jesus to be their Lord and resolve to take up their cross and follow where Jesus leads.</span></span></div>
Ashley Randallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11767780339794085412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1965612577037483004.post-85073979621120271152014-07-08T07:07:00.003-07:002014-07-08T07:07:44.797-07:00Learning to Relax<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 6pt 0in 0.0001pt; text-indent: 27pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">According
to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “Every day, about ten
people die from unintentional drowning. Of these, two are children aged 14 or
younger. Drowning ranks fifth among the leading causes of unintentional injury
death in the United States.” <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 6pt 0in 0.0001pt; text-indent: 27pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">That’s
really unfortunate, but the CDC goes further to report, “For every child who
dies from drowning, another five receive emergency department care for nonfatal
submersion injuries.” Factors that contribute to the risk of death by drowning
include a lack of close supervision and a lack of barriers around pools and
other bodies of water.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 6pt 0in 0.0001pt; text-indent: 27pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Still
the number one factor the CDC lists is the “lack of swimming ability.” They
also are quick to point out, “Research has shown that participation in formal
swimming lessons can reduce the risk of drowning among children aged 1 to 4
years.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 6pt 0in 0.0001pt; text-indent: 27pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I
don’t know if my mother knew all of this when we were growing up or not. She
was a public health nurse, so I suspect that she did. Nevertheless, she
enrolled us in swimming classes at the YMCA when we were very young. I don’t
even remember learning to swim. I just remember loving to swim. And I still
love it.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 6pt 0in 0.0001pt; text-indent: 27pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">As
a former American Red Cross certified Water Safety Instructor I loved teaching
kids to swim. They were so excited as they learned one skill, which led to mastering
another, which led to undeniable proficiency in moving through the water from
one side of the pool to the other.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 6pt 0in 0.0001pt; text-indent: 27pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">One
the first things I had to teach my students was that the water would hold them
up. They could float. One at a time I would take a student from the side of the
pool, ask them to roll on their back while I held them loosely by the
shoulders. I would tell them to relax, and pretty soon I could show them my hands
were no longer holding them up. They were floating.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 6pt 0in 0.0001pt; text-indent: 27pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Sometimes
this didn’t last too long. They would become anxious, tense up, and start
fighting the water. I would step in, lift them to the side of the pool, and let
them catch their breath so we could try it again in a few minutes. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 6pt 0in 0.0001pt; text-indent: 27pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Jesus
said, “Come to me, all you who are struggling hard and carrying heavy loads,
and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:29). Makes me wonder how many people would
feel less like they are drowning if they quit struggling so hard and received
the rest Jesus has offered to give.</span><span style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
Ashley Randallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11767780339794085412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1965612577037483004.post-77770231918387534192014-06-30T06:07:00.002-07:002014-06-30T06:07:18.932-07:00A Cup of Cold Water<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 6pt 0in 0.0001pt; text-indent: 27pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">For
some people the summer offers an opportunity to ease off on the throttle, slow
down a little, and enjoy the scenery. Still there are many people who continue
to live life wide open, hurrying from one place to another, overwhelmed by the
feeling of being constantly behind. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 6pt 0in 0.0001pt; text-indent: 27pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The
stress can take its toll. Pretty soon, in addition to feeling exhausted, you
begin to see other people as an interruption, if not a threat. You begin to
question yourself—your motives—your values. Even if you are certain the things
you are doing are helping make the world a better place for you and your
family, you begin to wonder if it’s worth all the effort.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 6pt 0in 0.0001pt; text-indent: 27pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">When
you begin to doubt whether you have the strength to take another step, you are
also in the position to appreciate the value of even the smallest gesture of encouragement.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 6pt 0in 0.0001pt; text-indent: 27pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">A
cup of cold water doesn’t mean much when you’ve been sitting on the couch for
an hour or so; but if you’ve been out weeding the garden in the hot sun, it is
refreshing nectar and you are delighted to receive such a gift.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 6pt 0in 0.0001pt; text-indent: 27pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I
wonder how our world would be transformed if more of us looked for those people
who need a cup of cold water—a word of encouragement—a sign of appreciation for
the work they are doing to make the world a better place. I know it is much more
effective to reward good behavior, than it is to punish bad behavior. More
importantly, it is a much more gracious way to live. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 6pt 0in 0.0001pt; text-indent: 27pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">As
he comes to the close of his message to the Hebrews, the writer reminds each of
us: “Keep on loving each other as brothers and sisters. Don’t forget to show
hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels
without realizing it!” (13:1-2). <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 6pt 0in 0.0001pt; text-indent: 27pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Let
me encourage you to encourage others, welcome them, and look for ways to show
them hospitality; and I’ll be praying that others will offer you that cup of
cold water at just the right time.</span><span style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
Ashley Randallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11767780339794085412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1965612577037483004.post-30908475734864641702014-06-09T07:20:00.001-07:002014-06-09T07:20:17.588-07:00Getting Noticed<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-indent: 27.35pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Fifty days after Jesus rose from the dead—and ten
days after the disciples watched him ascend into heaven—the band of believers
who had followed Jesus throughout his public ministry experienced a
transformation that could not be ignored.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-indent: 27.35pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Luke tells us a lot about the sequence of events of
that day: they were all gathered in one place; the sound of a great wind;
tongues of fire; and a newfound ability to speak in other languages. It is a
remarkable scene and it is not uncommon to spend time imagining what it must
have been like to be in that room when the Holy Spirit showed up. Were they
praying or singing or sitting silently staring into space? <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-indent: 27.35pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">After a few moments spent wondering about the
circumstances, you might find yourself wishing you could recreate them. I
wonder how many worship planners secretly hope they can devise the right
sequence of prayers and songs and silence to get the Holy Spirit to show up in
their worship space. They may feel successful when they witness a few tears,
people hold up their hands, and sway from side to side. I fear they may be
missing the real significance of the day, though.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-indent: 27.35pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">What happened outside that room is what really
matters. People who thought this group of uneducated rabble should slink back
to the countryside were bewildered and amazed. People who thought they had a
pretty good handle on what it meant to worship God were astonished and
perplexed. People who had already dismissed Jesus’ ministry—his teaching, his
healing, his work of reconciliation—were cut to the heart by the proclamation
of Peter and the others. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-indent: 27.35pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">When the Holy Spirit descended on the believers it
attracted the attention of the people in the street. Peter and the others did
not linger in their special moment. They rushed into the world—and the world
noticed.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-indent: 27.35pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-indent: 27.35pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Holy Spirit is still calling, equipping, and
empowering believers to go into the world with the proclamation of the good
news of all that God has done to show his love to those who are hurt, lonely,
lost, and afraid. Pentecost is our opportunity to remember and celebrate this
reality even as we ask God to prepare us to join him in this mission that
bewilders, astonishes, and amazes the world. </span><span style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
Ashley Randallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11767780339794085412noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1965612577037483004.post-15260179982895506592014-05-23T09:13:00.000-07:002014-05-23T09:13:39.398-07:00A Vision of Holiness<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-indent: 27.35pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">John Wesley taught that there were four primary
resources available to the community of faith as they sought to help one
another grow in loving God, loving neighbors, and loving one another as Christ
loves us: scripture, tradition, reason, and experience. These four resources
have become known as “Wesley’s Quadrilateral.” Wesley believed these four resources
guide the church as it seeks to faithfully live out its mission of making
disciples of Jesus Christ who seek to grow in holiness of heart and life.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-indent: 27.35pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Unfortunately, the church (at least, “The United Methodist
Church”) is not doing a very good job of making disciples or of leading people
to seek to grow in holiness of heart and life. Year after year we receive reports
of declining numbers in membership, attendance, and giving. There is increasing
evidence within the church of accommodation to the values of the culture. The
impact and influence of the church is relegated to the margins of society. How has
this happened?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-indent: 27.35pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I believe it is because we are misusing our resources.
<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-indent: 27.35pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Scripture is the primary source for Christian
theology. It is where God reveals himself to the world. It is the foundation
for understanding and interpreting Christian faith and life. It is meant to be read,
studied, and interpreted as a whole as we seek to know more about God’s
mystery, presence, and power. For many, scripture has become a collection of
texts they rely on to support their particular agenda.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-indent: 27.35pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Tradition has come to mean “what we are
comfortable doing.” In some churches if they do anything the same way twice, you’ll
hear, “that’s the way we’ve always done it.” For Wesley, tradition was the record
of the faithfulness of the people of God across the centuries. He valued those practices
that had sustained God’s people from generation to generation.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-indent: 27.35pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">God gives us the freedom to question, think, and
teach in order to watch over one another in love. Jesus said, “You shall love
the Lord your God with all of your heart, and with all of your soul, and with
all of your mind” (Matthew 22:37). Today reason has been reduced to whatever
makes sense to me.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-indent: 27.35pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">For Wesley experience meant a personal encounter with
the divine presence and power. Today many point to what works as proof of its value and efficacy.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-indent: 27.35pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> Fifteen
hundred years ago, a young Benedict wanted to know how best to live for God within
a hostile environment. He emerged from his retreat convinced that the spiritual
life is countercultural, counterintuitive, and counterproductive. I pray that God may focus our vision so that
we may find the power and wisdom in the resources we have to live such lives.</span><span style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
Ashley Randallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11767780339794085412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1965612577037483004.post-24462884624683301702014-05-15T05:09:00.000-07:002014-05-15T05:09:27.159-07:00Which Way<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-indent: 27.35pt;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-indent: 27.35pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">One of the more significant insights from Lewis
Carroll's novel, <u>Alice's Adventures in Wonderland</u>, comes in a
conversation between Alice and the Cheshire Cat:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0.25in 0.0001pt 27pt; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">"Would
you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?"<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0.25in 0.0001pt 27pt; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">"That
depends a good deal on where you want to get to," said the Cat.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0.25in 0.0001pt 27pt; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">"I
don't much care where –" said Alice.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0.25in 0.0001pt 27pt; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">"Then
it doesn't matter which way you go," said the Cat.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0.25in 0.0001pt 27pt; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">"–
so long as I get somewhere," Alice added as an explanation.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0.25in 6pt 27pt; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">"Oh, you're
sure to do that," said the Cat, "if you only walk long enough."<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-indent: 27.35pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The situation seems rather humorous at first; but
when you stop to consider how many people are facing a quandary quite similar
to the one Alice is confronting, you realize these circumstances are disturbing—if
not tragic. There is no telling how many people, who claim to be looking for
direction in their life, have never stopped to consider the destination they
want to reach. They have never sorted through the many competing desires that
pass through their life to identify the few longings that are most important to
them. They have never settled the matter of which values are worth standing
for. They have never connected to a cause that claimed their full allegiance. They
are merely headed “somewhere.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-indent: 27.35pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">In his book, <u>The Principle of the Path</u>, Andy
Stanley writes, “The direction you are currently traveling—relationally,
financially, spiritually, and the list goes on and on—will determine where you
end up in each of those respective arenas.” <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-indent: 27.35pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The question remains: “Where [do] you want to get to?” If
you want to move toward a destination where you can experience deep and
satisfying relationships, where you can express your gifts and talents in ways
that enrich the lives of others, and where you can begin to sense the delight
of God; I invite you to focus on the longings and yearnings of your heart and
mind. Ask God to help you identify those passions which lead to life and joy
and peace. And then it will be much clearer “which way [you] ought to go from
here.”</span><span style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</div>
Ashley Randallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11767780339794085412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1965612577037483004.post-61870001030093214692014-05-05T08:26:00.000-07:002014-05-05T08:26:37.702-07:00Building Relationships<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-indent: 27.35pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Ask anyone who has ever run a business, and they
will tell you taking care of your customer is one of the most important factors
in achieving success. There are a lot of people who will give you at least one
chance to impress them; but even if you have a superior product, supported by
excellent service, offered at a competitive price, if you don’t let people know
you appreciate them, you may not get a second chance to make a sale. And you
certainly won’t get their vote in any “Best of” competition.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-indent: 27.35pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Successful businesses—whether they are retail,
service, or manufacturing—whether they are brick-and-mortar or on-line—invest
time and money in developing good relationships with their customers; because
they know that it is an investment that pays great dividends. In fact, a whole
category of software has been created to help companies manage their
interactions with current and future customers. CRM (customer relationship
management) software helps companies organize information about their customers
so they can provide more appropriate support, offer more targeted special
sales, and even suggest future purchases. They do it all because they know it
is essential to their bottom line. It is the key to their existence.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-indent: 27.35pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I have to admit that I find it rather ironic (but
mainly sad) that companies that are in business to sell widgets, maintain
machines, or serve sandwiches value relationships more than some people who say
they believe that everyone is created in the image of God. More than people who
affirm the call to “love one another.” More than people who claim God has
transformed them into a community that represents Christ to the world.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-indent: 27.35pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Still the resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ
give me confidence that God’s Spirit can empower those who trust in God to
form, repair, redeem, and sustain relationships with others that are deeply
satisfying. Relationships that exceed all our expectations. Relationships that give
life. Relationships that communicate God’s great good news to all the world.</span><span style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
Ashley Randallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11767780339794085412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1965612577037483004.post-9088238292222513482014-04-25T07:36:00.001-07:002014-04-25T07:36:32.576-07:00Not by Chance<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-indent: 27.35pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Bread. It is basic. You mix flour, water, and salt;
let the resulting dough sit for a while, heat it in an oven or over a fire, and
the resulting product is one of the oldest and most popular foods around the world. In
spite of its few simple basic ingredients; bread comes in an amazing variety of
shapes, sizes, textures, colors, and flavors. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-indent: 27.35pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Fresh bread is prized for its aroma, texture, and
taste. James Beard—American chef and father of American gastronomy—wrote, “Good
bread is the most fundamentally satisfying of all foods.” If you have had the
privilege of tasting a slice of bread fresh from the oven, you know what he
means.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-indent: 27.35pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Unfortunately, most people think of those slices of soft,
gummy, pale, tasteless squares when they hear the word, “bread.” It is a chemically
engineered product that has been designed to be produced as quickly and as
uniformly as possible—and to stay “fresh” on the shelf for weeks. A leading
artisanal baker has said, “I don’t think there’s any reason to make bread fast.
I don’t think it’s healthy.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-indent: 27.35pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Instead he is exploring ways to produce loaves with
a dark crust and a deep flavor. His process brings out “nuances that otherwise
would not be obtainable if you don’t take the time.” He is pursuing a craft
which calls for the best ingredients, natural leavening, and radical freshness.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-indent: 27.35pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">My grandfather was a baker. He owned his own bakery
when my mother was a child. She told us stories of time she spent in the bakery
while she was growing up.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-indent: 27.35pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">While I was still in my teens, I became fascinated
with baking bread. What I learned early on was that in order to produce that “fundamentally
satisfying” loaf of bread, you have to pay attention to the process. It does
not happen by accident. There are many different ways and a variety of
ingredients you can use to produce a loaf you are proud to share with others;
but they all require a measure of care and attention. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-indent: 27.35pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Paul urges the community of believers in Rome to
allow God to transform them into the kind of people who live lives that please God.
It is process that requires care and attention. It is a process that takes
time. But if you will commit yourself to
the process, you will find there is nothing more satisfying. God is inviting
you to begin the process.</span><span style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
Ashley Randallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11767780339794085412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1965612577037483004.post-48785032811758866722014-04-01T07:15:00.000-07:002014-04-01T07:15:48.136-07:00Shining Light on the Solution<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-indent: 27.35pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">While similar maxims may have developed independently and some attribute it to U.S. presidents from Lincoln to Reagan: a Jesuit Priest named Father Strickland probably deserves primary credit for coining this aphorism: “I have observed, throughout life, that a man may do an immense deal of good, if he does not care who gets the credit for it.”</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-indent: 27.35pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">This claim is based on a diary entry dated September 21, 1863 written by Sir Mountstuart E. Grant Duff and multiple attributions thereafter. Duff recorded the quote after an evening spent at the house of the Rev. C.K. Paul where Father Strickland was also a guest. The diary of Duff—who was a Scottish politician and held important administrative posts in India—was published in 1897.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">No matter who came up with this maxim, I do appreciate the variation which has been associated with President Harry Truman: “It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit.” However it is expressed, it is a powerful reminder that the key to great accomplishments is not focusing on yourself—and especially not trying to make sure everyone else is focusing on you; but to focus on the task at hand and the resources available to get the job done.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">It is tempting to let your personality, your pride, your position, and your particular predilections distract you from seeing the powerful potential for making significant progress when it comes to many of the problems you face. You can fail to see the potential in the people who share the problems with you. You can even begin to believe others are the cause of your difficulties and begin to treat them like enemies. I guess that is the reason I am also fond of another proverb: “Fix the problem, not the blame.”</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Where do you focus when you face a challenging situation—when things don’t go the way you think they should? As a believer you have the power to focus your attention on what pleases God—on what is good and right and true. Commit yourself to clearing the distractions and to seeing the power God provides to accomplish great things in partnership with his people.</span></span></div>
Ashley Randallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11767780339794085412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1965612577037483004.post-52047503067785357172014-03-24T06:53:00.001-07:002014-03-24T06:53:07.243-07:00Searching for Satisfaction<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-indent: 27.35pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">It was a dreary morning in Phenix City when I called
on Tuesday to wish him a “Happy Birthday.” He was in a pretty good mood,
though. Several customers were in his store browsing his extensive selection of
fishing lures. If it had been warm and clear, they might have been out on the
water. Instead, they were inside looking for the latest and greatest artificial
bait.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-indent: 27.35pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">If you have never wandered down the fishing aisle of
the sporting goods section of a department store, you might be surprised by the
sheer volume and variety of the options available. If you are a regular customer,
then you know not only about the range of options; but also how quickly some
products can rise and fall in popularity. The avid sportsman is always looking
for an edge over his prey.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-indent: 27.35pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Some folks don’t want to wear last year’s fashions.
My brother is glad there are lots of folks who don’t want to go fishing with
last year’s lures.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-indent: 27.35pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The push to stay up to date is not limited to
fashion and fishing, though. Somebody is releasing a new phone (or should I
say, “mobile device”) every week. The smart phone I own asks me if I want to
update some software application several times a month. We have grown accustomed
to constant innovations in consumer electronics.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-indent: 27.35pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">It’s happening at the grocery store, too. More than
10,000 new products are introduced each year. (Now you know why they have to
keep rearranging the store.) Most new products are not revolutionary. They are only
slight changes to the original—a new flavor, size or package; but they are
changes the manufacturer hopes the consumer will believe are better.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-indent: 27.35pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Indeed, that is what drives much of our behavior. We
are always looking for something better. Better food. Better phones. Better
fashions. Better fishing lures. We seem to believe that once we find something
better, we will be satisfied.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-indent: 27.35pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Consider that all this searching for what will
satisfy may be a distraction from finding the one who has promised to supply
all we need. Let me invite you to spend some time this week focusing on the one
who is truly the Savior of the world.</span><span style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
Ashley Randallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11767780339794085412noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1965612577037483004.post-26212066869310559092014-01-26T10:57:00.000-08:002014-01-26T10:57:24.581-08:00Follow Me<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-indent: 27.35pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Learn a new language.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-indent: 27.35pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Prepare for a career in an emerging industry.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-indent: 27.35pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Look your best.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-indent: 27.35pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Indulge your senses.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-indent: 27.35pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Your picture perfect vacation awaits. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-indent: 27.35pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Join us for a lavish evening of food and fun.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-indent: 27.35pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Discover a natural way to unwind.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-indent: 27.35pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Secure your future with investments in silver and
gold.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">So many opportunities. So little time. The invitations
keep coming even though your calendar is already full. You think you have it
all figured out and then someone shows you something that makes you question it
all. It becomes a challenge not to feel overwhelmed.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-indent: 27.35pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">How do you decide what is important? How do you
decide where to invest your time, your money, your self? How do you decide how
to live your life?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-indent: 27.35pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">These are the decisions that define who you are and
the legacy that you will leave; but when you are honest with yourself, you have
to admit that most of these decisions are made on a whim, at the spur of the
moment, based on how you are feeling at the time. Unfortunately, that combination
leads to choices that you often come to regret.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-indent: 27.35pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">When Matthew describes the Jesus’ life in Galilee (Matthew
3:23), he says that Jesus spent his time doing three things: teaching,
preaching, and healing. Jesus’ teaching shows his concern for understanding. Jesus’
preaching shows his concern for commitment to the values of God’s kingdom. Jesus’ healing shows his concern for
wholeness.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-indent: 27.35pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I wonder how our lives would change if we based our
decisions about the things we do on whether they led to greater understanding, deeper
commitment, and authentic wholeness. My hunch is that our world would come to
look much more like the kingdom of heaven.</span><span style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
Ashley Randallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11767780339794085412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1965612577037483004.post-78863115495525828022014-01-13T08:23:00.001-08:002014-01-13T08:23:52.357-08:00You Are Mine<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-indent: 27.35pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">A few days ago you were sitting with your friends
and family around a stack of gifts waiting for someone to read your name and
hand a brightly wrapped package to you. As you tore through the paper to see
what was inside, perhaps you were thinking, “I hope this is something I want to
keep.” If it was something that you really wanted or needed—and something that
you now hoped you could use for a long time; your next thought may have been, “How
can I make sure other people know it is mine?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-indent: 27.35pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Some gifts may already be marked with your name or
initials. They may be stitched through, engraved in, or written on. You may belong
to a family where everyone has their own color; so even if everyone in the
family got the same item, you know which one is yours because it’s your color.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-indent: 27.35pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">If it’s not already marked, then you may just pull
out a permanent marker and write your name on it. You may scratch your initials
in some inconspicuous place. Some folks put their most cherished gifts in a
case made especially for them. I make a practice of pulling the label off the
package and sticking inside the gift so there is no question that it is mine.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-indent: 27.35pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Campers write their names in their clothes. Workers
write their names on their tools. Travelers write their names on their luggage.
Students write their names in their books. When you value the things you have,
you find a way to make sure the world knows they are yours.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-indent: 27.35pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">God sent Jesus into the world to let you know that
he loves and values you. Consider these ways God reveals this love across the
ages: “The Lord your God chose you to be his own treasured people” (Deuteronomy
7:6). “The Lord treasures the people who honor him, the people who wait for his
faithful love” (Psalm 147:11). “You are precious in my eyes, you are honored,
and I love you” (Isaiah 43:4).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-indent: 27.35pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">When Jesus was baptized by John in the Jordan, “A voice
from heaven said, ‘This is my Son whom I dearly love; I find happiness in him’”
(Matthew 3:17). Jesus commanded his disciples to baptize new believers so they
would know whose they are; and, that God finds happiness in them, delights in
them, cherishes them, values them, treasures
them, loves them, too.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-indent: 27.35pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Remember your baptism and be thankful!</span><span style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
Ashley Randallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11767780339794085412noreply@blogger.com0