Today is the culmination of a lot of work for me, but especially our students. We are doing a Murder Mystery Fundraiser tonight to benefit the students going to camp and potentially a missions trip in late August or December. We've been up there almost every night this week working on it. I've been up till 1AM with non-Drew related incidents the last 4 nights as well CRAZY...
PRAY FOR ME! (I told you I'd do it)
Saturday, April 05, 2008
Friday, April 04, 2008
WHOLE JOY
I've recently been pretty convicted over my lack of a plan for memorizing Scripture. Since college I just haven't done it much. So for the last few days I have been working on 1 John 1.1-4 (from the ESV).
Back to verse 4. I started thinking about all that the apostles had seen and all that they had heard and what they had touched and what they seen for 3.5 years and how that must have been overflowing out of them. It reminded me of when I was about 8 or 9 years old in Detroit, MI. Cecil Fielder was on this crazy home run tear and that year he ended up being the first guy in a long time to hit over 50 home runs. I think he also set a record for the number of times he struck out, but oh well. I remember that year going to try to get his autograph in front of a KMart. We got there right on time, but the line was so long and he only stayed for a couple hours so I didn't get the autograph, but I did see him get into his limo that pulled up very close to where I was standing. . I think my parents felt like I would be disappointed for not getting his autograph, but I had seen this guy who was my hero. I went home and told all my friends about how big he was and how strong he was. I was amazed by just being in His presence for a few seconds. I'd been in the presence of what I considered greatness and was overflowing with praise. I had to tell people, there was something about telling people that made the whole thing complete.
Today Cecil Fielder is washed up, fat, and a gambling degenerate I think. But that moment lives in my mind still. How much bigger must those years have felt for those guys in the presence of the Word of Life who was from the beginning who has no end and had no beginning? I think they would be busting at the seems with excitement, especially since there is no danger of Jesus becoming a washed up, fat, degenerate gambler. They had to write, they had to speak, they had to preach, they had to endure suffering, not because THEY HAD TO, but because IT MADE THEIR JOY COMPLETE! They did it for Christ and they did it for their own joy (maybe a little Christian Hedonism if you catch my drift).
That's all for today. Travis, our children's pastor is wanting to go to Buffalo Wild Wings. It's lunch time. Until next time "break me off a piece of that fancy feast...ya that's it" - Andy (from the Office, my Office joy will be complete on April 10th, oh how I miss it)
That which was from the beginning which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands concerning the word of life - the life was made manifest and we have seen it and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life that was with the father and has been made manifest to us - that which we have seen and heard we proclaim to you so that you may have fellowship with us and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.How was that? Are you impressed? I didn't look, or just copy & paste. I'm not writing to brag, I'm writing because today I worked on verse 4 and I was intrigued (an aside: while on missions trip a couple weeks ago the kids were talking with someone and they got this hotline for pickup lines. Our favorite was "I think you're ugly, but I find you intriguing", just thought I'd share that with you all out there).
Back to verse 4. I started thinking about all that the apostles had seen and all that they had heard and what they had touched and what they seen for 3.5 years and how that must have been overflowing out of them. It reminded me of when I was about 8 or 9 years old in Detroit, MI. Cecil Fielder was on this crazy home run tear and that year he ended up being the first guy in a long time to hit over 50 home runs. I think he also set a record for the number of times he struck out, but oh well. I remember that year going to try to get his autograph in front of a KMart. We got there right on time, but the line was so long and he only stayed for a couple hours so I didn't get the autograph, but I did see him get into his limo that pulled up very close to where I was standing. . I think my parents felt like I would be disappointed for not getting his autograph, but I had seen this guy who was my hero. I went home and told all my friends about how big he was and how strong he was. I was amazed by just being in His presence for a few seconds. I'd been in the presence of what I considered greatness and was overflowing with praise. I had to tell people, there was something about telling people that made the whole thing complete.
Today Cecil Fielder is washed up, fat, and a gambling degenerate I think. But that moment lives in my mind still. How much bigger must those years have felt for those guys in the presence of the Word of Life who was from the beginning who has no end and had no beginning? I think they would be busting at the seems with excitement, especially since there is no danger of Jesus becoming a washed up, fat, degenerate gambler. They had to write, they had to speak, they had to preach, they had to endure suffering, not because THEY HAD TO, but because IT MADE THEIR JOY COMPLETE! They did it for Christ and they did it for their own joy (maybe a little Christian Hedonism if you catch my drift).
That's all for today. Travis, our children's pastor is wanting to go to Buffalo Wild Wings. It's lunch time. Until next time "break me off a piece of that fancy feast...ya that's it" - Andy (from the Office, my Office joy will be complete on April 10th, oh how I miss it)
Wednesday, April 02, 2008
Crandall Returns to the Blogisphere
It's been a LONG time since I've blogged. I posted back in December I think, but I didn't really write it, just a copy and paste to make me feel better about what I'm doing... Pretty lazy and lame I admit.
I am returning to the blogisphere, inspired by my friend Mike Mathews, a guy in his 60s, who thinks more than most people in their 20s and 30s. I am also responding to Kris Hokanson who wants a little more contact with my mind (insert corny joke here). Thanks Kris, the world thanks you as well.
The reason I started this blog in the first place is because there are things that make me want to rant (usually Christians concerned with being more religious than missional), there are things that I rave about (usually stuff in the Bible, John Piper, the Office, intriguing books, the Colbert Report, or anything that really makes me think), and I am completely indebted to a Savior who has redeemed me (I do mean COMPLETELY INDEBTED because there is NOTHING I can do to repay Him).
Further on that last sentence (this is a rant, a rave, and joy in redemption) there is A LOT of bad theology out there that says things like I have been saved by Jesus now live for Him in order to pay Him back. I know Romans 12.1 ("I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship."). I know what it says, but we have some straight up AWFUL interpretations of that verse. I mean where in there does it say ANYTHING about paying God back for sacrificing the ONLY perfect person who has ever lived, not to mention that person is His only Son.
The idea that we can pay God back is madness. Look at the verse again ("I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.") As a result of redemption in Christ we don't pay God back, we die to self and give up our lives in worship. That isn't repayment of the debt that was paid, that's subjecting yourself as a slave to the God who gives you grace to go on taking your next breath, to play with your children, to making your life mean something, etc. Salvation = Slavery, but not the kind that this country was so famous for in the 18th and 19th centuries and that William Wilberforce fought so hard to vanquish in England. This slavery is real freedom, freedom to live and breathe the way God intended. This slavery is actually being made an heir with the Christ who redeemed us. We are to be sacrifices and that is worship and that is what God wants from our now redeemed lives.
That felt good...I like blogging again.
BTW, I make NO promises about the frequency of this blog. I will try to do it daily, most likely, I'll do it weekly, but I'm sure there will be those CRAZY months where there might be one post that says something like "pray for me...".
Until next time stay classy San Diego
I am returning to the blogisphere, inspired by my friend Mike Mathews, a guy in his 60s, who thinks more than most people in their 20s and 30s. I am also responding to Kris Hokanson who wants a little more contact with my mind (insert corny joke here). Thanks Kris, the world thanks you as well.
The reason I started this blog in the first place is because there are things that make me want to rant (usually Christians concerned with being more religious than missional), there are things that I rave about (usually stuff in the Bible, John Piper, the Office, intriguing books, the Colbert Report, or anything that really makes me think), and I am completely indebted to a Savior who has redeemed me (I do mean COMPLETELY INDEBTED because there is NOTHING I can do to repay Him).
Further on that last sentence (this is a rant, a rave, and joy in redemption) there is A LOT of bad theology out there that says things like I have been saved by Jesus now live for Him in order to pay Him back. I know Romans 12.1 ("I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship."). I know what it says, but we have some straight up AWFUL interpretations of that verse. I mean where in there does it say ANYTHING about paying God back for sacrificing the ONLY perfect person who has ever lived, not to mention that person is His only Son.
The idea that we can pay God back is madness. Look at the verse again ("I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.") As a result of redemption in Christ we don't pay God back, we die to self and give up our lives in worship. That isn't repayment of the debt that was paid, that's subjecting yourself as a slave to the God who gives you grace to go on taking your next breath, to play with your children, to making your life mean something, etc. Salvation = Slavery, but not the kind that this country was so famous for in the 18th and 19th centuries and that William Wilberforce fought so hard to vanquish in England. This slavery is real freedom, freedom to live and breathe the way God intended. This slavery is actually being made an heir with the Christ who redeemed us. We are to be sacrifices and that is worship and that is what God wants from our now redeemed lives.
That felt good...I like blogging again.
BTW, I make NO promises about the frequency of this blog. I will try to do it daily, most likely, I'll do it weekly, but I'm sure there will be those CRAZY months where there might be one post that says something like "pray for me...".
Until next time stay classy San Diego
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